The GIPS Cast

Grand Island Public Schools
  • 4.6 (10)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

The official podcast of Grand Island Public Schools in Nebraska. The GIPS Cast is a conversation-based podcast exploring the world of public education thru the voices of one of Nebraska’s largest, most diverse school districts. #WeAreGIPS

  1. JAN 27

    SkillsUSA, Robotics, & The Power of CTE at Senior High w/ Max Mendez, GISH Senior

    Max Mendez is a busy student. A Senior at Grand Island Senior High, he’s taking AP and gaining hands-on learning experiences with community partners through Senior Capstone.  Max is also a leader in the GISH SkillsUSA chapter, the Nebraska State Treasurer for SkillsUSA after serving as a State Parliamentarian last year, he's in HOSA for future healthcare workers, and he’s a team leader for the Islander Robotics team.  And that’s what makes Max’s story a meaningful one, because his story is like many others at Grand Island Senior High and at public schools across the country.  It all started by him saying “yes” to get involved in a few things as a Freshman.  From there he met friends, found confidence in classes, shared his ideas, and speaks in front of students and delegates (even when he's afraid). Because it's not just about learning; it's about empowering students to discover who they want to be.  --  GUEST:  Max Mendez - Senior at GISH  HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    25 min

  2. JAN 13

    Making Money Make Sense in Middle School w/ Mr. Blake Teichmeier

    Did you know that our Middle School students take financial literacy courses?  While we have personal finance classes at GISH, it’s really at the Middle School level that we see money starting to make sense for students.  For Mr. Blake Teichmeier, Middle School is the perfect time to start talking with students about money because of all the life exploration and opportunities that hit when a kid turns 13 and 14 years old.  More importantly, he believes anchoring Financial Literacy concepts at the Middle School level gives students the confidence to become responsible decision makers.  Mr. Teichmeier is the Financial Literacy Teacher at Walnut Middle School.  He joins our podcast to talk about how creativity, real world job simulations, and recreating a financial infrastructure in his classes helps students gain valuable money — and life — insights.  He also shares the story of winning an award and start-up money for a special financial literacy project he’s been working on for a number of years.  Because it's not just about making sense out of money, it's about equipping students with what they need to be confident decision makers.  --  GUEST:  Blake Teichmeier - Walnut Middle School Financial Literacy Teacher HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    31 min

  3. 12/16/2025

    Cultivating a Sense of Home in Grand Island w/ Laura Gambora Urrego, GISH Class of 2016

    "We're making history together right now."  Laura Gamboa Urrego believes everyone should feel welcome in their hometown.  Coming to Grand Island from the country of Colombia as a Kindergartner, she experienced first-hand the power of feeling welcome in a new space… Her local public schools.  As a student at Newell Elementary, Walnut Middle School, and Grand Island Senior High, she learned to speak English, she thrived in her educational journey thanks to incredible educators, and she found her passion for connecting with people in the community.  After graduation from GISH in 2016 she ventured to the University of Nebraska Lincoln where she earned degrees in Global Studies and Political Science and minored in Human Rights.  With her degrees in-hand, and a love for welcoming folks from around the world Laura headed back to her hometown of Grand Island to give back to the community that gave her so much.  And that’s where we find her today. Laura currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement at Stuhr Museum — one of Grand Island’s flagship organizations.  She was kind enough to stop to share her story with us for our annual alumni series.  Because what makes the work of public education so meaningful is seeing how our students continue to make an impact after high school.  --  GUEST:  Laura Gamboa Urrego - Stuhr Museum Director of Community Engagement HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    39 min

  4. 11/18/2025

    Middle School Advocacy at the State Legislature w/ Sen. Dan Quick & Barr 8th Graders

    If you give students the opportunity to speak-up, they will.  And they’re going to remind you that they’re astute, observant, and every bit as invested in their experiences as adults are – if not more so.  On this special episode of 'The GIPS Cast', you'll hear a conversation between some 8th Grade students and their State Senator. Senator Dan Quick is a Representative for District 35 in our Nebraska State Legislature.  He’s a Grand Island guy. Last week, he visited Barr Middle School.  He shared a bit of his story during an assembly, students asked him questions, he visited a science class, he explored hallway passing periods, and event got to experience a fire drill.  The highlight of Senator Quick’s visit was when he sat down with three 8th Graders for an interview. Mya, Dezirae, & Jaxsen are student leaders.  They’re supportive of their classmates, involved in a number of extracurricular activities, and all three of them are deeply invested in making their school as great as it can been. So, they took advantage of an incredible opportunity:  They sat down with Senator Quick to interview him for this podcast. As you’ll hear, the students were professional, but they asked the Senator good questions about how their voices can be heard, how their student experiences will be impacted by the legislature, and how Senator Quick enjoyed the chance to speak with students. -- GUESTS:  Senator Dan Quick - Nebraska Legislature Mya, Dezirae, & Jaxsen - Barr 8th Grade Students HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    25 min

  5. 11/04/2025

    Building a Sense of Belonging at School w/ Whitney Flower

    "We're all coming together to learn and to dream.  We're investing in their dreams." In public schools, educators seek to build confidence in students, and equip them with the tools they need to confidently engage the world. Perhaps most importantly, that means building a sense of belonging for students.  Helping students feel like they belong at school, in many ways, fuels everything we do at Grand Island Public Schools. And that’s where Whitney Flower comes in. Mrs. Whitney Flower is the Principal at Stolley Park Elementary.   As passionate leader and supporter of people, Mrs. Flower is driven by helping every single student feel like they belong at school. She joins our podcast to share her philosophy of student belonging, how she cultivates strong staff culture, and why there’s always room for a pop-culture reference when telling stories.  Because school is about learning.  But it’s also so much more than that.  -- GUEST:  Whitney Flower - Stolley Park Elementary Principal HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    34 min

  6. 10/15/2025

    100 Years of the 'Crosstown Clash' Barr vs Walnut Football Game

    100 years of a legendary football rivalry.  It’s a rare thing to hit such a milestone.  And even more rare is the opportunity to celebrate the moment when it arrives. The episode will be a bit different from our typical programming, but we're excited to to share this historic narrative.  Barr and Walnut Middle Schools have been meeting annually for a “Crosstown Clash” football game for 100 years straight.  And on October 16th, 2025, we'll be celebrating the milestone at the annual game. To help us commemorate the rich history of Bulldogs vs Wildcats on the gridiron, we’ve enlisted the talents of “The Voice of the Islanders” himself, Brian Gallagher.  He narrates the historical account on this episode tracing through the storied Grand Island rivalry. Peppered throughout the narrative will be a couple familiar voices, Mr. Brian Kort, and Mr. Rod Foley, sharing their insights about the famed Barr vs Walnut match-up. We’re grateful to have such a rich history here at GIPS. Catch the storied 100-year history of the Barr vs Walnut 'Crosstown Clash' Football Game. -- GUESTS:  Brian Gallagher - KRGI Radio Brian Kort - GIPS Recruiting & Rentention Coordinator & Former Barr Principal Rod Foley - Walnut Principal  HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    19 min

  7. 09/30/2025

    Literacy & Self-Expression Thru 4th Grade Personal Narratives w/ Dodge & Wasmer Elementaries

    "Learning how to tell your story — I shared with them that 'your stories matter'. Because maybe some kids think that their stories are too small or unimportant and it all matters how you tell it.  Your voice matters."  Literacy is a gateway to, well, pretty much everything. As we’ve shared on this podcast before, literacy is more than just reading. And in 4th Grade at GIPS, students start the year by diving into writing Personal Narrative projects as part of their literacy curriculum.  Mrs. Leah Starner, 4th Grade Teacher at Dodge Elementary, and Miss Katie Zuelow, 4th Grade Teacher at Wasmer Elementary, join the podcast to share as a veteran teacher and as a new teacher how they seek to unlock students' voices through crafting personal narratives. Mrs. Starner & Miss Z unpack how students explore different storytelling devices, the topics kids like to share, and why writing personal stories connects to lifelong skills. Along the way, a crew of 4th Grade students (two from Dodge; two from Wasmer) jump on the mic to read their own personal narratives that they crafted during the unit.  Because it's about empowering every student to feel confident expressing themselves.  -- GUESTS:  Mrs. Leah Starner - Dodge Elementary 4th Grade Teacher Celene & Sabriin - Dodge 4th Graders Miss Katie Zuelow - Wasmer Elementary 4th Grade Teacher Sophia & Galvin - Wasmer 4th Graders  HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    27 min

  8. 09/17/2025

    Budget & Planning for the Future of GIPS w/ Matt Fisher

    "We're going to continue to work towards being conservatively responsible with the funds that we have, and, develop long range plans that hopefully are going to put Grand Island as a school district and as a community in a great place." The start of the school year also brings a new fiscal year.  Which means, GIPS is in the midst of budget season.  Mr. Matt Fisher, GIPS Superintendent, joins 'The GIPS Cast' to give on overview on the financial health of the district. Along the way, Mr. Fisher looks ahead to what GIPS has planned for the 2025-26 school year budget, how the district is able to lower its tax levy for a third year in a row, and why now is an important time for to start planning ahead for future growth and facility needs. Because it's about casting a vision on how best to partner with our community to take care of our students.  -- GUEST:  Matt Fisher - GIPS Superintendent  HOST: Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director -- FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools https://www.gips.org/

    26 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

The official podcast of Grand Island Public Schools in Nebraska. The GIPS Cast is a conversation-based podcast exploring the world of public education thru the voices of one of Nebraska’s largest, most diverse school districts. #WeAreGIPS

Information

  • Creator
    Grand Island Public Schools
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Grand Island Public Schools
  • Show Website
    The GIPS Cast

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