The Become Here Project

Des Moines Public Schools
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The Become Here Project

Welcome to The Become Here Project: A Des Moines Public Schools Podcast. Tune in here for the latest and greatest stories and conversations regarding the largest provider of public education in Iowa. Our diverse community consists of more than 30,000 students and nearly 5,000 teachers and staff working in more than 60 schools in Iowa's capital city. Thank you for your interest in DMPS, an enriched school district that’s proud of its past and prepared for the future.

  1. OCT 1

    15. Paid Summer Internships at Central Campus

    Paid summer internships at Central Campus are giving students the opportunity to learn and earn at the same time. Host Amanda Lewis speaks with student interns Addison Stone and Barrett Weispfenning, and Central Campus Associate Principal Kelsie Mouchka about the internship experiences during the 2024 summer. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dmschools.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV

    13 min

  2. SEP 6

    14. Preschool Increases in Accessibility, Options, Success

    The data is clear, "Preschool should be important to everyone in the community," says Early Childhood Programs Director, Kristin Rourke. Tune in to learn "why." New this year, transportation is available for students who qualify for our 2024-25 school year pilot program, Pleasant Hill Elementary introduces a Montessori preschool program, and more! Preschool is an exciting time for children as they begin to explore learning in a classroom setting. Des Moines Public Schools provides a high-quality preschool education for children throughout our community. An early childhood education at DMPS provides a great start to learning, promoting the academic and social growth of young children. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠⁠⁠⁠dmschools.org⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV

    8 min

  3. AUG 1

    13. NEW for 2024-25 School Year at DMPS

    In this special episode of The Become Here Project, a Des Moines Public Schools Podcast and we dive into five important things to know before heading back to school on Monday, August 26! We are aiming to keep you informed and get you ready for the 2024-25 school year by keeping our interviews to five minutes each. Five new things to expect this Fall at DMPS: · Learning more about the Reimagining Education Initiative as our community committee makes recommendations to the Superintendent and School Board for changes to the district. · School buses will now have Wi-Fi for student convenience and enhanced safety! · A renewed focus on making sure students attend school – because every day matters. · An expansion of Montessori opportunities · And, we’ll see how Hoover High School rolls out their new cell-phone free environment – part of the Mental Health Movement. Host Amanda Lewis speaks with: Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts on district goals. Director of Transportation Samantha Sonnichsen about the addition of Wi-Fi capabilities on school buses. Pleasant Hill Elementary School's new principal Todd Johnson on implementing Montessori programming. Hoover High School Associate Principal Robert Randazzo on how a cell phone-free environment is part of a larger Mental Health Movement. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠⁠⁠dmschools.org⁠⁠⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV

    27 min
  4. 12. DMPS Hosts 2024 National Speech & Debate Association Tournament

    JUL 1

    12. DMPS Hosts 2024 National Speech & Debate Association Tournament

    DMPS is so honored to co-host the 2024 National Speech & Debate Association Tournament as more than 6,700 students from across the country are in the Des Moines metro! We took our podcast on the road this week to talk with Roosevelt High School principal Steven Schappaugh and East High School senior Christopher Ramirez-Chavez about what it means to host and compete in this major event, and why forensics is a valuable activity for students. Proud to have 25 students representing all five DMPS high schools participating in this national event. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠dmschools.org⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Flickr⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis. Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV.

    14 min

  5. JUN 1

    11. The Class of 2024 Speaks

    We are celebrating the graduation of more than 2,000 DMPS students – members of the Class of 2024 on this episode of The Become Here Project: A Des Moines Public Schools podcast. In this episode, we listen in on segments as some of the high school Valedictorians and Class Speakers as they share stories and advice with their fellow classmates.  (00:33) North High: Valedictorian, Genesis Trujillo-Lopez (04:40) Options Academy: Senior Speaker, Sean Baker (07:22) Roosevelt High: Senior Speaker, Alec Fialkov (10:26) Hoover High: Senior Speaker, Paisha Goodrich (13:12) East High: Valedictorian, Raegan Park (17:30) Lincoln High: Senior Speaker, Sydney Parker See more of the DMPS Class of 2024 by visiting our Flickr page. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠⁠dmschools.org⁠⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis. Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV.

    21 min

  6. MAY 1

    10. Findley Elementary's Pilot Program Expands Options for Students

    Findley Elementary will not only become a Montessori school during the 2024-25 school year but current fifth grade students will also have the option to stay at Findley for 6th grade. The pilot program means more options for students and an opportunity to observe the potential benefits of adding 6th grade at other elementary schools. In this month's The Become Here Project: A Des Moines Public Schools Podcast, Findley principal Dr. Barb Adams and associate principal Ryan Pirtle talk about how they used data and included their families and staff in the process of developing and executing these innovative ideas. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠⁠dmschools.org⁠⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis. Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV.

    30 min

  7. APR 1

    9. Every Day Matters, The Importance of School Attendance

    Every Day Matters isn’t just a slogan, it’s a fundamental truth about education. Every school day is a building block to the next. The absence of these building blocks creates holes in learning that may cause a student to fall behind and impact their readiness for the next grade level. Learn about the potentially devastating effects of chronic absenteeism and the benefits of making a habit of attending every school day, as Amanda Lewis speaks with Jake Troja, Director of School Climate Transformation, and Jennifer Stalder, SUCCESS Supervisor. Joining the conversation, Dr. Ian Roberts provides the district's outlook and key efforts in tackling the challenges of absenteeism. Learn more about this topic and access resources by clicking here. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠⁠dmschools.org⁠⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis. Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV.

    17 min

  8. MAR 1

    8. Marine Biology at Central Campus

    Central Campus Marine Biology students move among tanks of creatures from the ocean each day during their classes, caring for animals they would have to travel far to see in the wild. Despite the landlocked nature of our state, these students dream about careers exploring, investigating, and preserving our world’s oceans and their inhabitants. Nine of Dr. Gregory Barord’s students recently earned a special designation and opportunity that will open their world even more. Dr. Barord shares their success become NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassadors in a blog post special to the Blog@DMPS here. We speak Dr. Barord and two of the nine students with the NOAA desgination: Vianne Stroope West, sophomore, Central Campus Marine Biology and East High School and Michael Gerety, senior, Central Campus Marine Biology and Ankeny High School. Come Here. Become Here. ⁠⁠dmschools.org⁠⁠. Follow DMPS: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Hosted by Amanda Lewis. Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV.

    21 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Become Here Project: A Des Moines Public Schools Podcast. Tune in here for the latest and greatest stories and conversations regarding the largest provider of public education in Iowa. Our diverse community consists of more than 30,000 students and nearly 5,000 teachers and staff working in more than 60 schools in Iowa's capital city. Thank you for your interest in DMPS, an enriched school district that’s proud of its past and prepared for the future.

Information

  • Creator
    Des Moines Public Schools
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Des Moines Public Schools
  • Show Website
    The Become Here Project

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