September 9, 2024 • 14 mins
In our welcome back episode, Superintendent Don Potter and Director of Community Relations and Development, Sara Potter, welcome our Thunderbird community back to school! They highlight an exciting start to the year with initiatives such as Protect Young Eyes, the College and Career Ready Fair, the Dick Nibarger Circle Foundation Golf Tournament and emphasize the importance of regular school attendance.
Episode Resources:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello everybody, welcome to episode number seven of T-Bird Talk.
(00:09):
Join us as we explore the world of circle public schools, sharing inspiring stories,
delving into the inner workings of our district, exploring innovative education, and celebrating
the achievements of our students and educators.
Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or just passionate about education, T-Bird
Talk is your go-to source for community conversations and behind-the-scenes insights.
(00:31):
Get ready for a journey into the heart of circle public schools where excellence meets
innovation.
I'm Superintendent Don Potter.
And I'm Sarah Potter, Director of Community Relations and Development.
Well, welcome back everybody to a great 24, 25 school year.
We're really excited about the opportunity to serve parents in our community throughout
(00:51):
this school year.
And we've had a really good start, so welcome everyone.
We are back and we are rocking and rolling and we just want to take some time and thank
everybody.
I always laugh and I say the beginning of school kind of feels like a fever dream.
It seems like it goes super fast.
It's kind of like a blur, but we definitely could not do it without our entire community.
(01:18):
Our PTOs, our Booster Club, and just our communities as a whole support us and get us through this
time and make it all possible.
Yeah, I'd like to reiterate that.
I know our PTOs and Booster Clubs this time of year are doing so much for all of our kids
and our teachers and our staff and our parents work really hard to get some of our activities
(01:43):
and things like that going.
And so we're really appreciative of all their help as well as our teachers and staff.
I think they say summers are off, summers are not off for teachers.
They do a lot of things throughout and doing professional development and getting stuff
ready for the year.
And so I'd like to say thank you to them.
And last but not least, I'd like to thank our students for their engagement commitment
(02:06):
into their education and being involved in all of our activities and things like that
are really fun to see.
The beginning of the year, getting the staff and the students back in the hallways is an
exciting time of year and it is exhausting for our staff and our teachers.
We appreciate you so much.
Absolutely.
(02:27):
So what do we have happening coming up here, Sarah, that we need to talk about?
The beginning of the year, we said it, I don't know how many times, but there's so much happening
in the fall.
And I know as a parent, it just seems like it just keeps coming and coming.
But we really do have a lot of stuff for you.
We have an exciting program called Protect Young Eyes happening, I believe, this October.
(02:51):
Mr. Potter, could you tell us a little bit?
October 15th, the night of October 15th is our parent presentation.
And then the next day is, October 16th, obviously, but the next day we have student presentations
for that.
So, for the young eyes, everybody knows in the digital age with cell phones and things
(03:12):
like that, there's some things that can be accessed through phones that aren't filtered
that kids obviously have access to.
And so, it's just an informational presentation about how we can connect and how we can do
some of those to protect those young people from some of those digital things that they
(03:35):
have access to.
So that's going to be a cool presentation.
I know all of the buildings are going to be sending out opt-in letters for parents to
sign for their students to be able to participate October 16th, but really encourage everybody's
participation in this.
It's going to be a fun night and really informative.
(03:58):
And so, we're excited to offer that opportunity for our parents and our community members
to take a look at, you know, some strategies on how to protect young eyes.
So, I hope everybody gets an opportunity to come out and witness that presentation.
Another thing that we have coming up is the College and Career Ready Career Fair, which
(04:19):
is happening on September 26th.
Our juniors and surrounding communities will be visiting some of our local businesses.
And I do know that they are still looking for local businesses to be a part of that
experience.
So, I will have a link with this episode if you are interested as a local business to
(04:43):
come and experience that.
We would love to have you for that career fair.
Absolutely.
And as a local business, this is an opportunity, you know, to possibly obtain some names for
internships for their business.
So, this is a real deal and I know our kids take it really serious.
They've got resumes.
They have everything ready to go to talk to their area of interest for internships and
(05:07):
possibly summer employment.
So, if you can come out businesses, if you're listening, we would love to have you guys
participate in our career fair.
I think we've grown that thing.
I think it's, we had over 50 businesses last year.
That could be, I don't, it was right in there, right?
It was over 50.
Yeah, I thought it was over 50.
(05:28):
I wanted to make sure of that, but I thought it was over 50.
But another cool opportunity that we have for our community and businesses to come together
is our Circle Foundation golf tournament.
And Dick Nybarger used to be our community involvement coordinator here at Circle and
(05:49):
he operated this tournament for a long time.
So, we've officially named that the Dick Nybarger Circle Foundation golf tournament.
It's going to be held on October 5th.
The Foundation funds scholarships for seniors as they go and teacher grants and things like
that.
And so, we're really excited to offer that opportunity.
I believe that it's advertised out.
(06:10):
If you want to get a team in, spots are limited.
So, you want to hurry to get your spot taken care of.
We're maximizing it, or limiting it to 24 teams.
It will be held at Prairie Trails, Golf Course, and El Dorado.
And so, we're excited for the opportunity to make a few dollars to fund those scholarships
(06:32):
for our Circle seniors, as well as some teacher grants for the classroom, things that, you
know, not necessarily needs, but some wants that maybe a teacher would have additional
for their kids.
You know, what I really like is that we have three very impactful things coming up that
are, like I said, impactful.
But they're also fun.
(06:53):
You know, our career fair.
If you're there and you're in that environment, it is just fun.
Those kids are enjoyable.
It is a neat experience.
The Foundation Golf Tournament is a lot of fun.
And it is a, they're all opportunities to make an impact and to contribute to Circle
(07:14):
Public Schools and the kids and the teachers, and have a good time doing it, and come together
in support.
Absolutely, and at the, you know, I'd also like to recognize, you know, with the career
fair and things like that.
But the Circle Foundation Golf Tournament, you know, ICI has been there since the beginning
of this tournament.
(07:35):
Gravity Works and Simpson, all of those, those three companies are our title sponsors.
And so, we can't thank them enough for the effort that they've put in and the-
And many more.
Yeah, I mean, there's many more.
But those are our title sponsors and we'll have an opportunity at some point to recognize
all of those people.
But certainly thankful for them and getting this thing off the ground because you said,
(08:00):
you said it's a lot of fun.
It's good to bring business partnerships together and have a good time as well as our community.
It's just a good wholesome time.
So we're excited to do that.
October 5th, registration starts at noon and tee off is at one o'clock.
And we should be done about 5 or 5.30.
Yep.
And you know, September is Attendance Awareness Month.
(08:23):
So you're- everybody's kind of getting into the swing of things, into the swing of school.
And so we want to take a little bit of time to talk about attendance at school and just
why it's so important and why every day matters at school.
Yeah, I mean, it's pretty clear that if you're not in the seat, it's difficult to learn.
(08:46):
And so making sure that we're there and even just missing a couple days a month when you
multiply that by the months we're in school, that's 20 days of school that you've missed
and it adds up quick.
So the suggestion that I have is just pay attention to your students' attendance.
Make sure that, you know, obviously if they're sick, they need to stay home and that kind
(09:12):
of stuff.
We want them to be healthy while they're here.
But you know, those 20 days, if they're out two days a month and 20 days total in the school
year, that's over 30 hours of math instruction.
It adds up so fast.
It does.
And in some cases, reading and writing is- that's 60 hours of math instruction- or 60
(09:35):
hours of instruction.
So you know, that's crucial when we miss that much.
And it does really affect learning when they're not in the seats and that's pretty obvious
to say, but certainly we want the opportunity for them to learn and certainly for them to
do that they have to be here.
And it matters.
(09:57):
As a teacher, it matters when our students are in the classroom.
We connect with those students and we want to see them there every day.
We care when they're not there.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
You know, those students- it goes even further than learning, I think, at times, which this
directly affects it.
(10:18):
But after a certain point, if you miss, you kind of lose that just by human nature.
You lose that sense of belonging.
Maybe some things have happened that you're not quite sure about.
Maybe some happenings are going on that you're kind of confused.
So, well, I didn't know that or I didn't know this.
(10:41):
So then you start to lose that sense of belonging in regards to being at school.
And obviously, when you start to lose that, then attendance doesn't- it continues to snowball.
And so that's important.
And when kids are- when they feel that, you know, hey, I have that sense of belonging,
(11:04):
they're more likely to want to be at school and just like us, you know, sometimes you
get that three or four day weekend from work or whatever it is and you just kind of wish
you had one more day.
A little bit more time.
Sometimes, you know, that's how it works.
And that's just human nature.
You know, Mr. Potter mentioned keeping track of absences.
(11:28):
And that really is important because you kind of don't realize how they add up.
But also, we understand that things happen.
And he said, you know, if your child's sick, we- you know, they're sick.
But there are other things that can happen.
We have students who are just adverse to coming to school.
(11:49):
It's difficult to get them up in the morning.
And there are other things that are happening in people's lives.
And we understand that.
And again, there'll be another link with this episode.
We do have some resources.
We have some resources for families, just tips, how to make that transition a little
bit easier.
(12:09):
We have resources that you can get with your students' counselors just to try to help.
If your family is having difficulties getting your student to school, reach out to your
school.
We want to help if that's the case.
Absolutely.
When that's the case.
Absolutely.
We do miss students when they're not here.
And so, it's just, I can't say it enough how important it is for people to be in the seats
(12:36):
learning and we want them there.
So, appreciate that.
And it matters.
When your student says, it doesn't matter if I miss today, it matters.
I promise.
We're not doing anything anyway.
Yeah.
Anything today.
We're not doing anything today.
But now, it does.
And I think too, sometimes the myth is attendance only matters when you get older.
(13:00):
Well, it all matters.
When they're learning reading instruction at first grade and second grade and all those
things, that 30 hours, 60 hours makes a huge difference in their commitment to reading
and that kind of stuff.
Anyway, yeah.
(13:20):
We could talk about this forever.
We could.
We could.
And that's how much we care about our kids is we want them there and we want them learning
and we want that sense of belonging.
And we want them as often as they can.
And like you said, we understand things happen.
Doctors appointments and those kind of things.
And obviously, it's easy for us to say, well, just schedule a doctor appointment after school.
(13:43):
Well, kids have school, have doctor appointment.
Or excuse me, kids have activities after school.
And then at some point, the doctor's offices are closed.
And so we get all that to life happens.
Yeah, it does.
It does.
And certainly, we want those kids involved in those activities and being there as well.
So anyway, we appreciate you joining us today to stay up to date on what's going on with
(14:08):
with our schools.
Make sure to follow us on Facebook at Circle USD 375 and visit our website at USD 375.org.
And if you're a parent or guardian, make sure to check out information sent to you through
ParentSquare.
If you have a question or suggestion for an episode, make sure to email us at media at
USD 375.org.
(14:30):
We would love to hear from you.
And as always, thanks again for joining us for T-Bird Talk, Thrive in 375.
See you later.
Hello everybody, welcome to episode number seven of T-Bird Talk.
(00:09):
Join us as we explore the world of circle public schools, sharing inspiring stories,
delving into the inner workings of our district, exploring innovative education, and celebrating
the achievements of our students and educators.
Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or just passionate about education, T-Bird
Talk is your go-to source for community conversations and behind-the-scenes insights.
(00:31):
Get ready for a journey into the heart of circle public schools where excellence meets
innovation.
I'm Superintendent Don Potter.
And I'm Sarah Potter, Director of Community Relations and Development.
Well, welcome back everybody to a great 24, 25 school year.
We're really excited about the opportunity to serve parents in our community throughout
(00:51):
this school year.
And we've had a really good start, so welcome everyone.
We are back and we are rocking and rolling and we just want to take some time and thank
everybody.
I always laugh and I say the beginning of school kind of feels like a fever dream.
It seems like it goes super fast.
It's kind of like a blur, but we definitely could not do it without our entire community.
(01:18):
Our PTOs, our Booster Club, and just our communities as a whole support us and get us through this
time and make it all possible.
Yeah, I'd like to reiterate that.
I know our PTOs and Booster Clubs this time of year are doing so much for all of our kids
and our teachers and our staff and our parents work really hard to get some of our activities
(01:43):
and things like that going.
And so we're really appreciative of all their help as well as our teachers and staff.
I think they say summers are off, summers are not off for teachers.
They do a lot of things throughout and doing professional development and getting stuff
ready for the year.
And so I'd like to say thank you to them.
And last but not least, I'd like to thank our students for their engagement commitment
(02:06):
into their education and being involved in all of our activities and things like that
are really fun to see.
The beginning of the year, getting the staff and the students back in the hallways is an
exciting time of year and it is exhausting for our staff and our teachers.
We appreciate you so much.
Absolutely.
(02:27):
So what do we have happening coming up here, Sarah, that we need to talk about?
The beginning of the year, we said it, I don't know how many times, but there's so much happening
in the fall.
And I know as a parent, it just seems like it just keeps coming and coming.
But we really do have a lot of stuff for you.
We have an exciting program called Protect Young Eyes happening, I believe, this October.
(02:51):
Mr. Potter, could you tell us a little bit?
October 15th, the night of October 15th is our parent presentation.
And then the next day is, October 16th, obviously, but the next day we have student presentations
for that.
So, for the young eyes, everybody knows in the digital age with cell phones and things
(03:12):
like that, there's some things that can be accessed through phones that aren't filtered
that kids obviously have access to.
And so, it's just an informational presentation about how we can connect and how we can do
some of those to protect those young people from some of those digital things that they
(03:35):
have access to.
So that's going to be a cool presentation.
I know all of the buildings are going to be sending out opt-in letters for parents to
sign for their students to be able to participate October 16th, but really encourage everybody's
participation in this.
It's going to be a fun night and really informative.
(03:58):
And so, we're excited to offer that opportunity for our parents and our community members
to take a look at, you know, some strategies on how to protect young eyes.
So, I hope everybody gets an opportunity to come out and witness that presentation.
Another thing that we have coming up is the College and Career Ready Career Fair, which
(04:19):
is happening on September 26th.
Our juniors and surrounding communities will be visiting some of our local businesses.
And I do know that they are still looking for local businesses to be a part of that
experience.
So, I will have a link with this episode if you are interested as a local business to
(04:43):
come and experience that.
We would love to have you for that career fair.
Absolutely.
And as a local business, this is an opportunity, you know, to possibly obtain some names for
internships for their business.
So, this is a real deal and I know our kids take it really serious.
They've got resumes.
They have everything ready to go to talk to their area of interest for internships and
(05:07):
possibly summer employment.
So, if you can come out businesses, if you're listening, we would love to have you guys
participate in our career fair.
I think we've grown that thing.
I think it's, we had over 50 businesses last year.
That could be, I don't, it was right in there, right?
It was over 50.
Yeah, I thought it was over 50.
(05:28):
I wanted to make sure of that, but I thought it was over 50.
But another cool opportunity that we have for our community and businesses to come together
is our Circle Foundation golf tournament.
And Dick Nybarger used to be our community involvement coordinator here at Circle and
(05:49):
he operated this tournament for a long time.
So, we've officially named that the Dick Nybarger Circle Foundation golf tournament.
It's going to be held on October 5th.
The Foundation funds scholarships for seniors as they go and teacher grants and things like
that.
And so, we're really excited to offer that opportunity.
I believe that it's advertised out.
(06:10):
If you want to get a team in, spots are limited.
So, you want to hurry to get your spot taken care of.
We're maximizing it, or limiting it to 24 teams.
It will be held at Prairie Trails, Golf Course, and El Dorado.
And so, we're excited for the opportunity to make a few dollars to fund those scholarships
(06:32):
for our Circle seniors, as well as some teacher grants for the classroom, things that, you
know, not necessarily needs, but some wants that maybe a teacher would have additional
for their kids.
You know, what I really like is that we have three very impactful things coming up that
are, like I said, impactful.
But they're also fun.
(06:53):
You know, our career fair.
If you're there and you're in that environment, it is just fun.
Those kids are enjoyable.
It is a neat experience.
The Foundation Golf Tournament is a lot of fun.
And it is a, they're all opportunities to make an impact and to contribute to Circle
(07:14):
Public Schools and the kids and the teachers, and have a good time doing it, and come together
in support.
Absolutely, and at the, you know, I'd also like to recognize, you know, with the career
fair and things like that.
But the Circle Foundation Golf Tournament, you know, ICI has been there since the beginning
of this tournament.
(07:35):
Gravity Works and Simpson, all of those, those three companies are our title sponsors.
And so, we can't thank them enough for the effort that they've put in and the-
And many more.
Yeah, I mean, there's many more.
But those are our title sponsors and we'll have an opportunity at some point to recognize
all of those people.
But certainly thankful for them and getting this thing off the ground because you said,
(08:00):
you said it's a lot of fun.
It's good to bring business partnerships together and have a good time as well as our community.
It's just a good wholesome time.
So we're excited to do that.
October 5th, registration starts at noon and tee off is at one o'clock.
And we should be done about 5 or 5.30.
Yep.
And you know, September is Attendance Awareness Month.
(08:23):
So you're- everybody's kind of getting into the swing of things, into the swing of school.
And so we want to take a little bit of time to talk about attendance at school and just
why it's so important and why every day matters at school.
Yeah, I mean, it's pretty clear that if you're not in the seat, it's difficult to learn.
(08:46):
And so making sure that we're there and even just missing a couple days a month when you
multiply that by the months we're in school, that's 20 days of school that you've missed
and it adds up quick.
So the suggestion that I have is just pay attention to your students' attendance.
Make sure that, you know, obviously if they're sick, they need to stay home and that kind
(09:12):
of stuff.
We want them to be healthy while they're here.
But you know, those 20 days, if they're out two days a month and 20 days total in the school
year, that's over 30 hours of math instruction.
It adds up so fast.
It does.
And in some cases, reading and writing is- that's 60 hours of math instruction- or 60
(09:35):
hours of instruction.
So you know, that's crucial when we miss that much.
And it does really affect learning when they're not in the seats and that's pretty obvious
to say, but certainly we want the opportunity for them to learn and certainly for them to
do that they have to be here.
And it matters.
(09:57):
As a teacher, it matters when our students are in the classroom.
We connect with those students and we want to see them there every day.
We care when they're not there.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
You know, those students- it goes even further than learning, I think, at times, which this
directly affects it.
(10:18):
But after a certain point, if you miss, you kind of lose that just by human nature.
You lose that sense of belonging.
Maybe some things have happened that you're not quite sure about.
Maybe some happenings are going on that you're kind of confused.
So, well, I didn't know that or I didn't know this.
(10:41):
So then you start to lose that sense of belonging in regards to being at school.
And obviously, when you start to lose that, then attendance doesn't- it continues to snowball.
And so that's important.
And when kids are- when they feel that, you know, hey, I have that sense of belonging,
(11:04):
they're more likely to want to be at school and just like us, you know, sometimes you
get that three or four day weekend from work or whatever it is and you just kind of wish
you had one more day.
A little bit more time.
Sometimes, you know, that's how it works.
And that's just human nature.
You know, Mr. Potter mentioned keeping track of absences.
(11:28):
And that really is important because you kind of don't realize how they add up.
But also, we understand that things happen.
And he said, you know, if your child's sick, we- you know, they're sick.
But there are other things that can happen.
We have students who are just adverse to coming to school.
(11:49):
It's difficult to get them up in the morning.
And there are other things that are happening in people's lives.
And we understand that.
And again, there'll be another link with this episode.
We do have some resources.
We have some resources for families, just tips, how to make that transition a little
bit easier.
(12:09):
We have resources that you can get with your students' counselors just to try to help.
If your family is having difficulties getting your student to school, reach out to your
school.
We want to help if that's the case.
Absolutely.
When that's the case.
Absolutely.
We do miss students when they're not here.
And so, it's just, I can't say it enough how important it is for people to be in the seats
(12:36):
learning and we want them there.
So, appreciate that.
And it matters.
When your student says, it doesn't matter if I miss today, it matters.
I promise.
We're not doing anything anyway.
Yeah.
Anything today.
We're not doing anything today.
But now, it does.
And I think too, sometimes the myth is attendance only matters when you get older.
(13:00):
Well, it all matters.
When they're learning reading instruction at first grade and second grade and all those
things, that 30 hours, 60 hours makes a huge difference in their commitment to reading
and that kind of stuff.
Anyway, yeah.
(13:20):
We could talk about this forever.
We could.
We could.
And that's how much we care about our kids is we want them there and we want them learning
and we want that sense of belonging.
And we want them as often as they can.
And like you said, we understand things happen.
Doctors appointments and those kind of things.
And obviously, it's easy for us to say, well, just schedule a doctor appointment after school.
(13:43):
Well, kids have school, have doctor appointment.
Or excuse me, kids have activities after school.
And then at some point, the doctor's offices are closed.
And so we get all that to life happens.
Yeah, it does.
It does.
And certainly, we want those kids involved in those activities and being there as well.
So anyway, we appreciate you joining us today to stay up to date on what's going on with
(14:08):
with our schools.
Make sure to follow us on Facebook at Circle USD 375 and visit our website at USD 375.org.
And if you're a parent or guardian, make sure to check out information sent to you through
ParentSquare.
If you have a question or suggestion for an episode, make sure to email us at media at
USD 375.org.
(14:30):
We would love to hear from you.
And as always, thanks again for joining us for T-Bird Talk, Thrive in 375.
See you later.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.