Épisodes

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

    Middle School Advocacy at the State Legislature w/ Sen. Dan Quick & Barr 8th Graders
    Nov 18 2025
    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.

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    GUESTS:
    Senator Dan Quick - Nebraska Legislature
    Mya, Dezirae, & Jaxsen - Barr 8th Grade Students

    HOST:
    Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    25 min
  • Building a Sense of Belonging at School w/ Whitney Flower

    Building a Sense of Belonging at School w/ Whitney Flower
    Nov 4 2025
    "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.

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    GUEST:
    Whitney Flower - Stolley Park Elementary Principal

    HOST:
    Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    34 min
  • 100 Years of the 'Crosstown Clash' Barr vs Walnut Football Game

    100 Years of the 'Crosstown Clash' Barr vs Walnut Football Game
    Oct 15 2025
    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.

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    GUESTS:
    Brian Gallagher - KRGI Radio
    Brian Kort - GIPS Recruiting & Rentention Coordinator & Former Barr Principal
    Rod Foley - Walnut Principal

    HOST:
    Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    19 min
  • Literacy & Self-Expression Thru 4th Grade Personal Narratives w/ Dodge & Wasmer Elementaries

    Literacy & Self-Expression Thru 4th Grade Personal Narratives w/ Dodge & Wasmer Elementaries
    Sep 30 2025
    "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.

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    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

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    27 min
  • Budget & Planning for the Future of GIPS w/ Matt Fisher

    Budget & Planning for the Future of GIPS w/ Matt Fisher
    Sep 17 2025
    "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.

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    GUEST:
    Matt Fisher - GIPS Superintendent

    HOST:
    Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    26 min
  • From Classroom to Clinics: Inside the GISH Medical Academy w/ Greg Schlegel

    From Classroom to Clinics: Inside the GISH Medical Academy w/ Greg Schlegel
    Sep 10 2025
    "The more we can connect school to careers, pathways, and skills that that students will one day enter into, the more kids are going to be engaged in school."

    Over 600 students, nearly a quarter of the current GISH student body, are in the Academy of Medical Sciences & Education.

    As the Academy with the largest enrollment, curating Medical Sciences and Education experiences is a big job. Mr. Greg Schlegel leads that Academy as Principal alongside his team of Counselors and Educators.

    With 19 years in Public Education under his belt, and serving as the GISH Medical Academy Principal since its launch — Mr. Schlegel has become a consistent voice advocating for new and innovative work-based learning experiences for students.

    Mr. Schlegel joins The GIPS Cast to discuss:


    • Community partners that help shape student experiences
    • The importance of Career-Technical Education
    • How Islander students are finishing high school ahead of the curve

    Because it's about providing real-world opportunities for students to discover not just what they want to do but who they want to be.

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    GUEST:
    Greg Schlegel - GISH Academy of Medical Sciences & Education Principal

    HOST:
    Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    42 min
  • Staffing Updates for 2025-26 w/ Matt Fisher & Brian Kort

    Staffing Updates for 2025-26 w/ Matt Fisher & Brian Kort
    Aug 5 2025
    Our students are the “why”; Our Educators are the “How”.

    That’s a sentiment our Superintendent, Mr. Fisher, repeats often. Our students are the “why”; our educators are the “how”.

    For this podcast conversation, we go deeper on the “how” of it all — specifically, the efforts GIPS are putting into staffing and district culture.

    Embarking on the start of the 2025-26 school year, GIPS finds itself on more solid ground in the ways of staffing than we have in recent years. Matt Fisher, GIPS Superintendent, and Brian Kort, GIPS Recruiting & Retention Coordinator, join the podcast to share about the positive momentum we’re seeing for staffing, and what we’re focusing on for staff support going forward.

    Along the way, they discuss better staff retention, hiring success for new educators, and launching a new program designed to empower our support staff to become fully certified teachers.

    Because it's about continuing to find the best teachers to fill our classrooms AND to keep the great people we already have.

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    GUESTS:
    Matt Fisher - GIPS Superintendent
    Brian Kort - GIPS Recruiting & Retention Coordinator

    HOST:
    Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    34 min
  • Making Math Curriculum Count w/ Dr. Danielle Buhrman, Andrea Hermance, & Danielle Dudo

    Making Math Curriculum Count w/ Dr. Danielle Buhrman, Andrea Hermance, & Danielle Dudo
    Jul 22 2025
    "We have to be analyzers and problem solvers. So the 'how' that we're trying to create [with math] really help support teachers in the experiences we need to put in front of kids so that they [students] are having to grapple with that a little bit."

    Math deserves a better reputation.

    Dr. Buhrman, GIPS Math Curriculum & Academic Coach Coordinator, is on a mission to give Math the spotlight it deserves. And it starts in every GIPS classroom featuring Math education with one simple concept: We Are Mathematicians.

    But she’s not along in that mission. Dr. Buhrman is supported by a number of incredible teachers across the district to help champion math education making it meaningful and enriching for all students.

    And that’s where we enter the conversation.

    Dr. Buhrman and two other Math-minded Elementary Educators, Danielle Dudo & Andrea Hermance, join The GPS Cast to share the details on our upcoming Math curriculum pilot, how the district is navigating the need to update Math materials, and why GIPS is committed to give Math a better reputation.

    Because it's all about teaching students that everything is figure-out-able.

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    GUESTS:
    Dr. Danielle Buhrman - GIPS Math Curriculum & Academic Coach Coordinator
    Andrea Hermance - Lincoln Elementary Academic Support Coach
    Danielle Dudo - Newell Elementary 3rd Grade Teacher

    HOST:
    Mitchell Roush - GIPS Communications Director

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    FB: facebook.com/GrandIslandPublicSchools

    https://www.gips.org/
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    42 min