February 21, 2024 • 12 mins
Unlock the secrets to making learning irresistible for our Olean elementary students as Laura Hodara, the energetic principal of East View Elementary, takes us on a journey through her innovative strategies for student engagement. As the first guest on the Husky Huddle podcast, Laura describes how her experiences have prepared her with actionable insights that are transforming the classroom experience. This episode is a treasure trove for educators and parents alike, promising to reveal how to cultivate an environment where students are not just present but passionately involved in their education.
During our conversation, Laura unveiled her three-pronged approach, which goes beyond the typical group activities, ensuring that students find joy, relevance, and self-belief in their schoolwork. We explore how East View's commitment to active student involvement is bridging the gap between home and school, thereby enhancing parental engagement and boosting attendance rates. If you're looking for ways to revitalize the educational experience for both students and the community, let Laura's enthusiasm for teaching and the school's successes inspire you to open the doors to a new era of learning.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hello and welcome to our very first episode of the
Husky Huddle, the podcast thatbrings you closer to the heart
of Olyan City Education.
I am your host, janelle Morris,and I'm thrilled to introduce
everyone to our first officialguest on the Husky Huddle, laura
(00:32):
Hoderra, the principal ofEastview.
So Laura came today to speak tous about engagement and all the
other awesome things that arehappening at Eastview, and thank
you for being the very firstguinea pig on this podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, thank you for having me.
I'm super excited to be hereand be one of the first guests
on your show.
You are the first guest, thatis true, awesome.
So I'm just going to give alittle bit of background about
myself.
I am a first year principal atEastview Elementary.
I did a little stint as anassistant principal in the high
(01:12):
school here at Olyan, and beforethen I was a fifth grade
teacher for about 13 years andbefore that I was a teacher
assistant.
So I have seen all of therealms of a school and a little
bit in the high school.
So I bring a lot to the tableand I get really excited when I
talk about things like studentengagement.
So I'm going to give a littlebit of information about that,
(01:33):
because it is a passion of mine.
It does so really, when we lookat student engagement I think
about how COVID impacted how weteach and how we learn and how
our students really interpret alot of that.
And before COVID it was alittle bit different and we
really have to gear our studentsfor learning in a post COVID
(01:53):
world.
They were used to almost twoyears behind a screen,
implementing technology,utilizing those home resources,
and now we're back to school andwhat we're seeing is that there
really is there's a curve inhow we need to teach.
So as a classroom teacher andas I move into administration, I
find that student engagement issuper, super important.
(02:15):
But it's more than justthrowing together a group
activity or pairing up your kids.
That's stuff that reallyanybody can do.
But when we talk about truestudent engagement, it's making
sure that the kids have accessto the material that they value,
the material that theyunderstand why they're learning
(02:35):
it, but they also have thatfeeling that they can do it.
So it's kind of like that threeprong approach to engagement.
More than just saying, okay,turn a talk with your partner,
we need to make sure that thekids like what they're learning
too.
So it's kind of like that, ifyou visualize that three part
Venn diagram kids need to likewhat they're learning, it needs
to be stimulating, kids need tobe accessible and know what
(02:58):
they're learning, and then theyneed to know why they're
learning and why it's valued.
When all of that works together, you do have the true student
engagement.
And that takes time andplanning more than just hey, go,
turn and talk with your partner.
So we work a lot on that in anEastview.
It's something that we'rebringing on board.
We're starting to embed thoseconversations into our grade
level, plcs and getting ourteachers comfortable with
(03:22):
getting kids up and moving andhow to lesson plan around
student engagement.
So I'm not sure what we've donein the past, but our teachers
are very excited about it and Ithink what we're the most
excited about is because as kidsbecome more engaged and
involved in their learning, themore they want to walk through
our doors.
So when we talk about studentengagement, there are side
(03:44):
effects that are a whole lotbigger.
Parents are more involvedbecause their kids know what
they're learning.
So kiddos can go home andactually have conversations
about what they did in schoolinstead of the what did you do
in school today?
Nothing.
If kids are more engaged intheir learning, they're excited
about learning and we get themmore involved, they're going to
go home and share it with theirparents.
(04:04):
It creates a better parentschool.
You know community to schoolrelationship.
But then also they want to walkthrough the doors, which
impacts attendance, and I don'tknow of any district locally or
nationally that isn't strugglingwith student attendance.
So when we think about studentengagement, it can impact
attendance as well.
We got to get our kids throughthe doors.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Right, right.
That's fantastic.
I'm so excited about what'shappening at Eastview.
That sounds like a great way toengage parents and families and
students and bringing our kidsto our students.
We can't teach them if they'renot there.
Absolutely, we want our kids tobe there.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Yeah, one of the things that we're really
stressing this year at Eastview,as they came on board is to
really build that culture oflove and learning.
When our kids come through thedoor, my mantra to them and it's
taken from your different videoclips, lucy Laney Elementary is
love them first, love themfirst, teach them next.
Give them the support and lovethat they need and then we can
(05:07):
teach them anything.
The teachers at Eastview theyprobably were already doing it
before I came on board, but theyreally have adapted to it and
evolved with it now.
Now we're starting to thinkabout how do we progress that
Now they know they're beingloved and supported and we can
meet their basic needs.
How do we then stretch thatinto academics?
Now we're going to starttalking about lesson planning
around engagement.
(05:27):
How do we take a standard,unpack it and really look at at
the end of this lesson I need mykids to be here break it into
pieces, but meaningfully get thekids up and moving.
How can we make sure that theyhave time to digest what we're
teaching?
You think about it in a way of aglass of water sitting on a
(05:48):
table.
If I keep pouring into it and Idon't take a sip, it's going to
overflow all over.
A lesson is built the same way,so I break apart a standard.
I teach one piece of it, we doan engagement activity to have
some fun with it, and then wemake sure the kids know it.
Then we teach another piece ofit, we build onto it, do an
engagement structure, make sureour kids are getting it and then
we move on.
(06:08):
By the end of our lesson weshould have like an exit ticket
and really design our lessons toinclude the engagement but know
that our kids get the target bythe end and have fun while
they're doing it.
That's where we're starting toprogress the Eastview between
this year and next year.
I'm super excited about theability to teach my teachers and
work with my teachers toenhance their lesson planning to
(06:29):
include that engagement.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Awesome.
Yes, what do you want ourfamilies and community to know
about Eastview?
What's the most important thingthat you want them to know
about this wonderful school?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
At Eastview, our focus this year is to really
take our mission that we justdeveloped and share it with our
staff, our students and ourcommunity so that they know when
they send their kiddos throughour doors, this is what our
target is going to be.
So we just had a really goodfaculty meeting about it,
sharing the vision, kind ofunpacking the vision, and I need
(07:03):
our families to know that whenyour kids come to school, we're
going to supply them with aquality education and make sure
that they're having fun andthey're safe, but everything we
do needs to focus on teaching,learning, growth and the social
and emotional development oftheir kiddo.
That's going to drive ourmission.
So what I would like ourfamilies to do is check their
backpacks when they return frombreak.
(07:25):
It'll be the Monday after break.
We're going to send home a copyof our mission statement just
so that you guys know, as familymembers of our Eastview school,
what we're going to promise asyour kiddos walk through our
doors every day.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Okay, so beyond academics, what are some other
ways that families and studentsare being engaged at Eastview?
So you just had the superherodance.
That was amazing.
So awesome to see the pictureson Facebook.
So tell us a little bit moreabout that.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
So we have a very active BTO.
We're always looking for moremembers, but we did get a bigger
response this year and it'sgrowing.
So just to kind of backtrack alittle bit, we did my goodness,
we did the superhero dance.
We do popcorn once a monthwhere we're sponsored by local
companies.
They make a donation to our PTOand they get popcorn and our
(08:16):
PTO comes in and pops it.
We also did a book bingo nightat the local Raymore and
Flanagan where, like, we canreally associate with some of
those companies within ourcommunity and get a parents in
it and do stuff like that too.
We are going to have one moreactivity at the end of the year.
We're not quite sure what it'sgoing to be.
We do have a couple sales thatthe PTO is helping with as well,
(08:38):
but we also have theopportunity for parents to sign
up to be volunteers.
We do have forms to fill out,but if you want to come in and
volunteer and be a part of ourEastview community, that is also
an option within our classroomsAwesome.
I also want to talk a little bitabout our relationship with
Cutco.
It's really important and whatI've learned is coming on as
principal is that it's been along-standing relationship.
(08:59):
The people at Cutco have beenamazing about supporting and
being an educational partnerwith Eastview.
They definitely donate thingsthat we need for our drawings,
but more than that, they come inand they interact with our
kiddos.
They are, they tutor during theday, they help out our teachers
and then once a month they do akindness luncheon where they
bring in pizza and we celebratekids that are, you know, doing
(09:19):
the right thing and beingleaders and kind and they're
always willing to come in and doa little bit for us and we're
very thankful for thatrelationship with Cutco.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Awesome, awesome and it's great.
Whenever you go to Cutco,they're always reflecting on
this wonderful partnership thatthey have at Eastview.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
It's amazing.
We're going to look fordifferent ways to take what we
already have and then how can wecontinue to build it.
That also aligns with ourdistrict mission.
You know, like when we talkabout different initiatives that
we have with belonging andleader and me, cutco, is very
excited about being a part ofthat as well so we've had a
couple meetings and what theycan do to help support us there
too.
So they're great, they'refantastic.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Awesome, awesome.
So is there anything else thatyou would want to make sure that
our family, students andeveryone knows about Eastview,
about you, about the kids, aboutthe team there?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Wow, there is a lot to say.
Coming on board and being a newprincipal, I really am excited
to be there.
Our kiddos are fantastic.
Whenever I feel bogged down inthe work of being the building
principal, I step into aclassroom and get that joy from
our kiddos.
Our teachers are phenomenal andthey're ready to move forward
in our academics and oursocial-emotional learning.
(10:35):
They're really ready to say,okay, this is where Eastview is,
but this is where we wantEastview to be.
So it's really important thatour families know that Eastview
is an amazing school.
I couldn't be more proud to bethe principal and I'm just super
excited to see where we go inthe next few years.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Wonderful.
I am so happy to have had youas my first guest.
This was great and thank you somuch in telling us about
Eastview today.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Yes, thank you.
I'd be more than willing tocome back and do another session
.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
You will definitely be All right.
Thank you.
Unfortunately, that's all thetime we have for this episode
today.
I'd like to make sure that Ithank our guest, laura Hoderra,
for joining me on the HuskyHuddle and sharing her insights
(11:27):
and her vision and the excellentwork that's happening at
Eastview, and also I'd like tothank all of our listeners for
tuning in.
Be sure to subscribe to theHusky Huddle for more
discussions on education here inOlean and all the wonderful
work that we're doing here inour community.
(11:47):
So, once again, thank you forjoining me on this exciting
adventure.
We can't wait to share, connectand huddle with all of you
Until next time.
I'm Janelle Morris signing offGo Huskies.
Hello and welcome to our very first episode of the
Husky Huddle, the podcast thatbrings you closer to the heart
of Olyan City Education.
I am your host, janelle Morris,and I'm thrilled to introduce
everyone to our first officialguest on the Husky Huddle, laura
(00:32):
Hoderra, the principal ofEastview.
So Laura came today to speak tous about engagement and all the
other awesome things that arehappening at Eastview, and thank
you for being the very firstguinea pig on this podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, thank you for having me.
I'm super excited to be hereand be one of the first guests
on your show.
You are the first guest, thatis true, awesome.
So I'm just going to give alittle bit of background about
myself.
I am a first year principal atEastview Elementary.
I did a little stint as anassistant principal in the high
(01:12):
school here at Olyan, and beforethen I was a fifth grade
teacher for about 13 years andbefore that I was a teacher
assistant.
So I have seen all of therealms of a school and a little
bit in the high school.
So I bring a lot to the tableand I get really excited when I
talk about things like studentengagement.
So I'm going to give a littlebit of information about that,
(01:33):
because it is a passion of mine.
It does so really, when we lookat student engagement I think
about how COVID impacted how weteach and how we learn and how
our students really interpret alot of that.
And before COVID it was alittle bit different and we
really have to gear our studentsfor learning in a post COVID
(01:53):
world.
They were used to almost twoyears behind a screen,
implementing technology,utilizing those home resources,
and now we're back to school andwhat we're seeing is that there
really is there's a curve inhow we need to teach.
So as a classroom teacher andas I move into administration, I
find that student engagement issuper, super important.
(02:15):
But it's more than justthrowing together a group
activity or pairing up your kids.
That's stuff that reallyanybody can do.
But when we talk about truestudent engagement, it's making
sure that the kids have accessto the material that they value,
the material that theyunderstand why they're learning
(02:35):
it, but they also have thatfeeling that they can do it.
So it's kind of like that threeprong approach to engagement.
More than just saying, okay,turn a talk with your partner,
we need to make sure that thekids like what they're learning
too.
So it's kind of like that, ifyou visualize that three part
Venn diagram kids need to likewhat they're learning, it needs
to be stimulating, kids need tobe accessible and know what
(02:58):
they're learning, and then theyneed to know why they're
learning and why it's valued.
When all of that works together, you do have the true student
engagement.
And that takes time andplanning more than just hey, go,
turn and talk with your partner.
So we work a lot on that in anEastview.
It's something that we'rebringing on board.
We're starting to embed thoseconversations into our grade
level, plcs and getting ourteachers comfortable with
(03:22):
getting kids up and moving andhow to lesson plan around
student engagement.
So I'm not sure what we've donein the past, but our teachers
are very excited about it and Ithink what we're the most
excited about is because as kidsbecome more engaged and
involved in their learning, themore they want to walk through
our doors.
So when we talk about studentengagement, there are side
(03:44):
effects that are a whole lotbigger.
Parents are more involvedbecause their kids know what
they're learning.
So kiddos can go home andactually have conversations
about what they did in schoolinstead of the what did you do
in school today?
Nothing.
If kids are more engaged intheir learning, they're excited
about learning and we get themmore involved, they're going to
go home and share it with theirparents.
(04:04):
It creates a better parentschool.
You know community to schoolrelationship.
But then also they want to walkthrough the doors, which
impacts attendance, and I don'tknow of any district locally or
nationally that isn't strugglingwith student attendance.
So when we think about studentengagement, it can impact
attendance as well.
We got to get our kids throughthe doors.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Right, right.
That's fantastic.
I'm so excited about what'shappening at Eastview.
That sounds like a great way toengage parents and families and
students and bringing our kidsto our students.
We can't teach them if they'renot there.
Absolutely, we want our kids tobe there.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Yeah, one of the things that we're really
stressing this year at Eastview,as they came on board is to
really build that culture oflove and learning.
When our kids come through thedoor, my mantra to them and it's
taken from your different videoclips, lucy Laney Elementary is
love them first, love themfirst, teach them next.
Give them the support and lovethat they need and then we can
(05:07):
teach them anything.
The teachers at Eastview theyprobably were already doing it
before I came on board, but theyreally have adapted to it and
evolved with it now.
Now we're starting to thinkabout how do we progress that
Now they know they're beingloved and supported and we can
meet their basic needs.
How do we then stretch thatinto academics?
Now we're going to starttalking about lesson planning
around engagement.
(05:27):
How do we take a standard,unpack it and really look at at
the end of this lesson I need mykids to be here break it into
pieces, but meaningfully get thekids up and moving.
How can we make sure that theyhave time to digest what we're
teaching?
You think about it in a way of aglass of water sitting on a
(05:48):
table.
If I keep pouring into it and Idon't take a sip, it's going to
overflow all over.
A lesson is built the same way,so I break apart a standard.
I teach one piece of it, we doan engagement activity to have
some fun with it, and then wemake sure the kids know it.
Then we teach another piece ofit, we build onto it, do an
engagement structure, make sureour kids are getting it and then
we move on.
(06:08):
By the end of our lesson weshould have like an exit ticket
and really design our lessons toinclude the engagement but know
that our kids get the target bythe end and have fun while
they're doing it.
That's where we're starting toprogress the Eastview between
this year and next year.
I'm super excited about theability to teach my teachers and
work with my teachers toenhance their lesson planning to
(06:29):
include that engagement.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Awesome.
Yes, what do you want ourfamilies and community to know
about Eastview?
What's the most important thingthat you want them to know
about this wonderful school?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
At Eastview, our focus this year is to really
take our mission that we justdeveloped and share it with our
staff, our students and ourcommunity so that they know when
they send their kiddos throughour doors, this is what our
target is going to be.
So we just had a really goodfaculty meeting about it,
sharing the vision, kind ofunpacking the vision, and I need
(07:03):
our families to know that whenyour kids come to school, we're
going to supply them with aquality education and make sure
that they're having fun andthey're safe, but everything we
do needs to focus on teaching,learning, growth and the social
and emotional development oftheir kiddo.
That's going to drive ourmission.
So what I would like ourfamilies to do is check their
backpacks when they return frombreak.
(07:25):
It'll be the Monday after break.
We're going to send home a copyof our mission statement just
so that you guys know, as familymembers of our Eastview school,
what we're going to promise asyour kiddos walk through our
doors every day.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Okay, so beyond academics, what are some other
ways that families and studentsare being engaged at Eastview?
So you just had the superherodance.
That was amazing.
So awesome to see the pictureson Facebook.
So tell us a little bit moreabout that.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
So we have a very active BTO.
We're always looking for moremembers, but we did get a bigger
response this year and it'sgrowing.
So just to kind of backtrack alittle bit, we did my goodness,
we did the superhero dance.
We do popcorn once a monthwhere we're sponsored by local
companies.
They make a donation to our PTOand they get popcorn and our
(08:16):
PTO comes in and pops it.
We also did a book bingo nightat the local Raymore and
Flanagan where, like, we canreally associate with some of
those companies within ourcommunity and get a parents in
it and do stuff like that too.
We are going to have one moreactivity at the end of the year.
We're not quite sure what it'sgoing to be.
We do have a couple sales thatthe PTO is helping with as well,
(08:38):
but we also have theopportunity for parents to sign
up to be volunteers.
We do have forms to fill out,but if you want to come in and
volunteer and be a part of ourEastview community, that is also
an option within our classroomsAwesome.
I also want to talk a little bitabout our relationship with
Cutco.
It's really important and whatI've learned is coming on as
principal is that it's been along-standing relationship.
(08:59):
The people at Cutco have beenamazing about supporting and
being an educational partnerwith Eastview.
They definitely donate thingsthat we need for our drawings,
but more than that, they come inand they interact with our
kiddos.
They are, they tutor during theday, they help out our teachers
and then once a month they do akindness luncheon where they
bring in pizza and we celebratekids that are, you know, doing
(09:19):
the right thing and beingleaders and kind and they're
always willing to come in and doa little bit for us and we're
very thankful for thatrelationship with Cutco.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Awesome, awesome and it's great.
Whenever you go to Cutco,they're always reflecting on
this wonderful partnership thatthey have at Eastview.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
It's amazing.
We're going to look fordifferent ways to take what we
already have and then how can wecontinue to build it.
That also aligns with ourdistrict mission.
You know, like when we talkabout different initiatives that
we have with belonging andleader and me, cutco, is very
excited about being a part ofthat as well so we've had a
couple meetings and what theycan do to help support us there
too.
So they're great, they'refantastic.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Awesome, awesome.
So is there anything else thatyou would want to make sure that
our family, students andeveryone knows about Eastview,
about you, about the kids, aboutthe team there?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Wow, there is a lot to say.
Coming on board and being a newprincipal, I really am excited
to be there.
Our kiddos are fantastic.
Whenever I feel bogged down inthe work of being the building
principal, I step into aclassroom and get that joy from
our kiddos.
Our teachers are phenomenal andthey're ready to move forward
in our academics and oursocial-emotional learning.
(10:35):
They're really ready to say,okay, this is where Eastview is,
but this is where we wantEastview to be.
So it's really important thatour families know that Eastview
is an amazing school.
I couldn't be more proud to bethe principal and I'm just super
excited to see where we go inthe next few years.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Wonderful.
I am so happy to have had youas my first guest.
This was great and thank you somuch in telling us about
Eastview today.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Yes, thank you.
I'd be more than willing tocome back and do another session
.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
You will definitely be All right.
Thank you.
Unfortunately, that's all thetime we have for this episode
today.
I'd like to make sure that Ithank our guest, laura Hoderra,
for joining me on the HuskyHuddle and sharing her insights
(11:27):
and her vision and the excellentwork that's happening at
Eastview, and also I'd like tothank all of our listeners for
tuning in.
Be sure to subscribe to theHusky Huddle for more
discussions on education here inOlean and all the wonderful
work that we're doing here inour community.
(11:47):
So, once again, thank you forjoining me on this exciting
adventure.
We can't wait to share, connectand huddle with all of you
Until next time.
I'm Janelle Morris signing offGo Huskies.
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