In this episode, Melissa interviews Dr. Jaime Festa-Daigle, President Elect of the Arizona Rural Schools Association. They discuss the unique challenges facing rural districts like Jamie's district in Lake Havasu City, such as a lack of affordable housing, poverty impacting youth, and teacher recruitment and retention difficulties. Jamie highlights initiatives her district has taken, including growing their own teachers, working closely with the community, and focusing on career and technical education pathways. They also talk about ARSA's goals of networking rural educators, advocating for rural issues like full-day kindergarten funding, and keeping a laser focus on quality teaching and learning. Jamie shares her vision for ARSA bringing rural voices together and preparing the next generation of rural leaders.

Join Melissa as she interviews, Andy Wannemacher, the superintendent of the Aguila Elementary School District, a small rural district in west-central Arizona. Andy shares his journey from a business background to becoming an educator and superintendent in a rural community. He discusses the challenges of rural education, including poverty, English language learners, teacher recruitment, school safety, and limited resources. Andy highlights the importance of building a positive school culture, character education, and using local community assets to enhance educational outcomes. He also emphasizes the advantages of rural education, such as close-knit communities, personalized connections with students and families, and the ability to problem-solve face-to-face. Despite the challenges, Andy's passion for rural education shines through as he reflects on the successes of his school and the joy of watching students grow and thrive.

Join Melissa as she interviews, Sean Rickert, incoming president of the Arizona Rural Schools Association, who discusses his goals and priorities for supporting and advocating for rural education in Arizona over the next few years. He emphasizes the importance of bringing rural education leaders together through conferences, roundtables, and other events to network, share resources and solutions, and amplify the voices and needs of rural schools. Rickert notes the persistent challenges of teacher recruitment and retention in rural areas and predicts an evolution in how education is delivered, with more personalized and technology-enabled approaches. His overarching aim is to listen to rural districts to understand their diverse needs and help them access the resources and relationships to provide quality education for rural students.

Melissa and Ty interview education professors Dr. Sara Hartman and Dr. Bob Klein about their book "The Middle of Somewhere," highlighting innovative rural partnerships improving access and opportunity. They share how their passion for rural spaces motivated the book to address challenges like teacher shortages and limited funding. Key to successful partnerships are champions, mutual benefits, and sustainability. The book's sections on access, advocacy and equity showcase major rural issues. Sara and Bob discuss policy decisions often overlooking rural contexts, as the book informs more equitable advocacy. Envisioning an exciting future for increasingly diverse rural schools, they stress valuing place when preparing students. Sarah and Bob urge nurturing committed cross-sector partnerships to utilize rural connectivity and enduring, essential rural spaces. Overall the book conveys rural youth and communities as "somewhere" despite prevailing negative stereotypes. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

In this episode of The Rural Scoop podcast, hosts Melissa and Ty interview Allison Mitkowski, the 2023 Arizona Rural Teacher of the Year who teaches English, economics, and government at Williams High School. Allison discusses the tight-knit rural community and deep connections with students and families. She highlights the logistical challenges of rural schools, like lack of housing and internet access. Allison wears many hats, teaching several subjects and sponsoring extracurriculars focused on inclusion. She shares rewarding experiences reaching students, from playing chess with a student she first bonded with while delivering homework during COVID, to establishing an engaging mock trial program with the courts. Allison advocates for rural teacher retention and recruitment. She encourages rural teaching for those who love deep community ties and making an impact through relationships. Though Allison didn't intend to become a teacher originally, she finds rural education profoundly meaningful. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

In this episode of The Rural Scoop podcast, host Melissa interviews Josie McClain, a 2nd-grade teacher at Paloma Elementary School District in Arizona. Josie discusses her journey from Michigan to teaching in a rural Arizona community. She highlights the tight-knit, family atmosphere and small class sizes as advantages of rural schools. Josie wears many hats as a teacher, including integrating art and music. She faces challenges like a lack of internet access for students. Josie values building relationships with students and focuses on social-emotional learning. She is working towards National Board Certification. Josie encourages teachers to consider rural settings for autonomy, support from administrators, and the ability to have an impact. She didn't initially plan on rural teaching but has found it rewarding. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

In this episode of The Rural Scoop podcast, hosts Melissa and Ty interview Alyssa Cassels, the 2023 South Dakota Teacher of the Year. Alyssa talks about her journey to becoming a rural band teacher in the small town where she grew up. She highlights some of the unique challenges of rural education, like long bus commutes for students, wearing many hats as a teacher, and lack of access to resources. However, Alyssa focuses on the positives of rural teaching, especially the close-knit relationships between teachers, students, and the whole community. Her favorite moments are when students show how invested they are in her success. Alyssa encourages teachers to consider rural positions for fulfilling experiences. She believes the advantages of rural teaching outweigh any disadvantages. The hosts emphasize the need for more support and opportunities in rural areas. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Melissa and Ty as they speak with Kate Peake, a middle school English teacher at Patagonia School in rural Arizona. Kate shares her journey into education through Teach for America, which led her to teach in urban St. Louis before following her husband's career took her to rural Patagonia. Kate discusses the tight-knit community and natural landscapes that make teaching rural special, like getting to collaborate with local nonprofits and take students on field trips. She also talks about challenges like limited access to mental health services and transportation. Overall, Kate emphasizes the relationships formed through small class sizes and seeing students for multiple years in a rural setting allows impactful personalized learning. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Melissa and Ty as they speak with Karen Estridge, a 7th grade English teacher at Holbrook Junior High School in rural Arizona. Karen shares her journey into education, from knowing she wanted to be a teacher since childhood to moving from Ohio to Arizona. She discusses the tight-knit community and cultural diversity that drew her to rural schools. Karen talks about the challenges of limited background knowledge and parent involvement, and how she overcomes them through building relationships. She emphasizes the importance of meeting social-emotional needs alongside academics. Ultimately, Karen feels teaching in a small rural setting allows her to make a lasting impact through personalized learning and deep connections. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Ty and Melissa as they speak with Dan Matchette, a math teacher at Tombstone High School in rural Arizona. Dan has a unique background, having spent 30 years in the Army as a telecommunications engineer before retiring and becoming a teacher. He shares his journey into education, the advantages and challenges of teaching in a small, rural school, and some of his proudest moments as an educator. Dan provides insight into building strong relationships and community in a rural setting, overcoming resource limitations, and opening students' eyes to the opportunities beyond their remote corner of the world. Tune in to hear one teacher's perspective on the rewards and difficulties of shaping young lives in a tight-knit, rural community. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Melissa and Ty as they talk with Josh Adams, a high school science teacher and finalist for the 2023 Arizona Rural School Teacher of the Year award, who shares his journey to teaching and passion for serving students in the rural community of Page, AZ. He discusses the challenges of poverty, trauma, and attendance many of his Navajo students face, as well as the strong relationships and low behavioral issues he experiences teaching rurally. Adams highlights the natural beauty of Page and how he makes global connections for students through international trips. He wears many hats, including coaching sports, leading school clubs, and teaching AVID. Adams stresses the importance of checking biases and believing each rural student can achieve their dreams. He argues rural teachers have the advantage of building close bonds with students in safe, personal learning environments if they take the time to understand the community. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Melissa and Ty as they talk with Jeremy Cabribas Gallardo, a top 10 finalist for the Arizona Rural School Association's Teacher of the Year. Jeremy teaches in Aguila, Arizona and has been in education for 18 years. She shares about her journey from growing up and teaching in Manila, Philippines to now teaching in a rural Arizona community. Jeremy talks about the strong sense of community she has found in rural schools and wears "many hats" as a teacher - from leading the student council to mentoring new teachers. She also discusses the challenges and rewards of teaching English Language Learners, as well as the importance of character education. Jeremy offers advice to encourage future teachers to consider rural schools for the passionate students they will find there. Join us to hear how Jeremy is making a difference in her rural school community. She provides perspective on the rural advantage and proudest moments from seeing her students pursue careers based on her encouragement years ago. Jeremy reflects on what keeps her up at night - continuing effective character education and English Language Learning. Go to https://betterhelp.com/ruralscoop for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Hosts Dr. Melissa Sadorf and Ty White interview Harlee Harvey, the 2022 Alaska Teacher of the Year. Harlee teaches 1st grade in the remote village of Point Hope, Alaska. Harlee discusses her journey into rural Alaskan education, including the culture shock and steep learning curve. She shares strategies like stepping back to let students teach about their own culture, partnering with the community, and remaining open-minded. She also provides an inside look at the challenges of high teacher and administrator turnover in rural Alaska. She explains how funding impacts resources, pay, and retention. Harlee gives an inspirational look at the beauty of tight-knit communities and lifelong student connections that rural teaching allows. Her story emphasizes the need for teacher training, cultural awareness, and funding to best serve rural schools. Trainual helps school administrators by providing a digital platform for employee manuals and process documentation. Get 10% in your first year by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Rural Scoop hosts Ty and Melissa as they speak with Chad Warnick, the 2023 Utah Teacher of the Year. Chad teaches agricultural education at Delta High School, the same rural high school he attended. He shares how agricultural education and FFA helped build his confidence as a teen. Chad discusses the advantages and challenges of teaching in a rural community, including strong community and parent involvement. He highlights the hands-on learning opportunities through FFA, including the school farm Chad helped establish that has become an invaluable community asset. Chad advocates for the importance of career and technical education for all students, in developing problem-solving and marketable skills. He reflects on the rewarding teacher-student relationships built over 4 years in a small town. Trainual helps school administrators by providing a digital platform for employee manuals and process documentation. Get 10% in your first year by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Melissa as she talks to Dr. Kellie Burns. Kellie is the District Executive Officer of the Yavapai Accommodation School District, an alternative school nestled in the heart of Prescott, Arizona. She recently earned her Doctorate with Northern Arizona University after a successful defense in researching disconnected youth in rural communities. Dr. Burns serves on five professional boards which include the Arizona Alternative Education Consortium, the Forest Fees Management Board, the Yavapai County Education Foundation, the Arizona Alternative Technical Advisory Committee (AATAC) and is currently the President of the Arizona Correctional Educators, Inc. Come get the Scoop on an issue that is present in almost every rural community across the state, and learn what the research says about how we can re engage them.  Trainual helps school administrators by providing a digital platform for employee manuals and process documentation. Get 10% in your first year by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Melissa and Ty as they talk with Nanette Hanson, proud Upper and a rural Teacher of the Year! Nanette Has 20 plus years of varied teaching experiences in several teaching positions from alternative high school through first grade. Each position has offered her ample opportunities to become a better educator, leader and mentor. For the last 18 years, Nanette has taught first-grade at Lemmer Elementary School in Escanaba, Michigan. Hanson holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a Master of Arts in Education Administration from Northern Michigan University. Building strong relationships with each one of her students so they know school, and her classroom are safe spaces where they can learn and explore is Nanette’s biggest responsibility as an educator. She tries to create a strong sense of community, respect and belonging in her classroom. A room where both students and the teacher work together to uncover learning in an authentic and meaningful way. Nanette strives to cultivate an atmosphere of excellence both in the classroom and with her colleagues. Mentoring new teachers allows Nanette to help mentees navigate through elements of their new professional lives and offers them tools and support to be successful educators. Nanette also works as a team leader of the Leader In Me Lighthouse Team. This team works to coordinate a school-wide leadership model to promote the Leader In Me principles and connect them to the school’s vision. Come get the Scoop on a rural teacher that aspires to provide a positive learning experience that advocates for young learners, their families and works toward equity and access for all. Trainual helps school administrators by providing a digital platform for employee manuals and process documentation. Get 10% in your first year by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

The Arizona Rural Schools Association has responded to membership requests for support in their local advocacy efforts and has brought in Dianne Smith as a policy expert. Melissa and Sean Rickert, ARSA President Elect, talk to Dianne about her background, her thoughts about the last legislative session and what the upcoming one might look like, and gives some great tips for rural leaders that want to start or continue to refine their advocacy effort in their local community. Sean and Melissa also discussed the addition of a Pre-Conference at the ARSA conference and a Winter Advocacy Workshop that will take place in January. Be sure to listen if you are an ARSA member, but everyone can benefit from the conversation! Come get the Scoop on advocacy work in the Great State 48! Trainual helps school administrators by providing a digital platform for employee manuals and process documentation. Get 10% in your first year by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join host Melissa Sadorf and her co-host Ty White as they talk to Amber Nichols of rural West Virginia! Amber is a kindergarten teacher at Eastwood Elementary School in Morgantown, West Virginia. With a Master of Arts in education from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Science in communications from Shepherd College, she began teaching in 2001. Her teaching experience includes both kindergarten and special education. She prides herself on creating an enriching classroom environment in which all students feel safe, loved and appreciated. Her teaching mantra is, “We are here for the kids and we have each other.” Social and emotional development and academic achievement are the rigorous goals she sets for each child in her class. Nichols is an active member of her school’s leadership and curriculum teams, as well as a behavior intervention team member, mentor teacher and cooperating teacher for interns at West Virginia University and high school students at Monongalia County Technical Education Center. Outside of school, Nichols enjoys writing and spending time with her husband, three children and two dogs. She advocates purposefully for students with disabilities, especially those with medical differences. It is her distinct belief that, with the appropriate support, all students can. She's got a great story to tell as West Virginia's Teacher of the Year. Be sure to listen to get the Scoop! Trainual helps school administrators by providing a digital platform for employee manuals and process documentation. Get 10% in your first year by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join Melissa and Ty as they talk about rural education in Idaho with Dr. Karen Lauritzen! She was recently named the 2023 Idaho Teacher of the Year. Her career spans 21 years in grades K -4, and the last 12 have been spent in Post Falls, a rural school community. Karen completed her doctorate this past year and her dissertation focus was on educator advocacy for the education profession. What a great topic to bring to rural education! Previously she had earned an undergrad degree in education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and a Special Education Masters at Ball State University. As you will hear in the episode, Karen is engaged with advocating for the resources that rural students and educators deserve, retaining the best educators and maintaining high standards for educators to ensure the quality of instruction for all students, delivering engaging education that meets the needs of all learners, and ensuring that all students and educators have opportunities to thrive and learn, no matter their ZIP code. Growing up in rural Montana and the Alaska bush helped her understand the unique needs of rural students. She has taught in metropolitan and rural settings, so I understand the unique challenges and assets of each setting, and prefers the Rural Advantage! Next year, Karen is transitioning to a new opportunity in rural Illinois where she will be working with pre-service educators. Having the chance to share what she knows to develop early career teachers who will develop the capacity to teach in any setting where they can meet the needs of all students is something she is looking forward to tackling. Don't miss out on learning about this high-energy rural educator who brings passion and commitment to her rural community! Come get the Scoop! Trainual is the leading provider of digital employee manuals and process documentation, and is great for managing schools. Get 10% your first year by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/

Join the Rural Scoop to talk about teaching in remote rural Cooke City with Montana Teacher of the Year Lara Belice! Melissa and Ty explore Lara’s success as the sole licensed educator at Cooke City School—an isolated, K-8 rural one-room school. Lara has taught at Cooke City for the past five years. This year's student enrollment initially spanned 7-grade levels—Kindergarten through 8th grade. Prior to becoming a teacher, Lara created an award-winning landscape design and landscape construction business in San Diego, California. In 2005, she moved to the Big Hole Valley of Montana, fulfilling her childhood aspiration to reside in the mountains. In 2014, her love of adventure travel took her to a remote location of rural China, on the Tibetan Plateau, where she taught English at a school for Tibetan children. This unique experience inspired Lara to enroll in the elementary education program at the University of Montana Western, at Dillon. Since becoming the lead teacher at Cooke City School, Lara has implemented numerous place-based educational connections to the Greater Yellowstone Area - such as multi-night backpacking outings and nature hikes, ski touring, wildlife viewing with local field experts, as well as visits to historical sites and world-class museums - to engage her diverse group of students in learning that is personally relevant to their lives. Another large accomplishment came to fruition during the summer of 2021. Lara achieved a closed-loop food system at the school, building a 26-foot diameter geodesic dome greenhouse to permit year-round gardening at an elevation of 7,600 feet, in a location where snow covers the landscape for seven months of the year. With the intent to nourish a future greenhouse, in August of 2019, she installed a composting system to withstand the extreme cold and wildlife that are an everyday occurrence at Cooke City. The students and community contribute compostable waste, which in turn is used to produce vegetables for the school and community, at a location where the nearest grocery store is a one-way drive of one and a half hours. Lara applies all of her life experiences, knowledge, and philosophy of teaching and learning to create and deliver effective and engaging, powerful learning experiences, for the direct benefit of the Cooke City students and community. Lara was selected as the 2022 Rural Montana Teacher of the Year and was the 2022 NREA Rural Teacher of the Year National runner-up. Additionally, she was the recipient of the 2022 National Signature Project Award for her place-based education project “U.S. History through a Bison Lens.” Don't miss the chance to hear about teaching on the Western Frontier! Come get the Scoop! Get 10% your first month of Trainual by using offer code RURALSCOOP at checkout. Go to https://trainual.com go get started! Our theme song is Quittin Time Rag by Lon Eldridge. Find his music at https://www.loneldridge.com/