Affton Unplugged

In this podcast episode of Affton Unplugged, Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews various educators from across the district to celebrate the Class of 2026 as they reach graduation. Teachers and administrators share nostalgic memories, tracing the students' journey from their first days in early childhood education through their final years in high school. The speakers highlight significant mil...

In this podcast episode of Affton Unplugged, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Cassandra Suggs turns the table on the 2026 Missouri Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Travis Bracht. Dr. Suggs takes the mic to lead this conversation with Dr. Bracht to provide listeners with a personal look at his life and leadership philosophy.  Dr. Bracht reflects on his upbringing in a family of educators and small busin...

This Affton Unplugged podcast episode, hosted by Superintendent Travis Bracht, explores the Seal of Biliteracy and the profound impact of language education within the Affton School District. Featuring Spanish teacher Matthew O'Brien alongside current and former students, the discussion highlights how this state-recognized credential validates fluency in multiple languages and appears on academic...

In this podcast episode of Affton Unplugged, Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews the director and several students involved with the St. Louis Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (STL CAPS). The program offers high school juniors and seniors hands-on professional experiences through strands like healthcare and business, moving education beyond the traditional classroom.  Director Dr. Tim...

In this podcast episode of Affton Unplugged, Superintendent Travis Bracht hosts a discussion celebrating National School Nurse Day by highlighting the vital role of the district's health services. The conversation features district health leaders and school nurses who explain that their responsibilities extend far beyond basic first aid to include chronic disease management and community health me...

On this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews several high school seniors involved in the St. Louis Centers for Advanced Professional Studies Medicine and Health Care program. The students represent various local high schools that include Affton, Bayless, Lindbergh, Kirkwood, Mehlville and Oakville.  The student associates discuss their capstone passion pr...

In this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews two members of the Affton High School golf team and their veteran coach. The discussion highlights a significant surge in participation, growing from just a few participants to a full fifteen-player roster capable of competing for team titles. Seniors Ben Davis and Jacob Hydar share personal milestones, includi...

On this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews several long-serving staff members preparing for their 2026 retirement. These dedicated educators that include Ray Crites, Bridget Nyberg, Laura Bangert and Dr. Deann Myers share reflections on their decades of service. The conversations highlighting the district’s tight-knit community and special memories like...

In this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast, Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews South Technical High School Principal Dr. Jacob Lohse and three seniors from Affton High School to discuss the benefits of career and technical education.   South Tech offers 22 specialized programs, including veterinary assistant and construction innovations, which provide students with hands-on experience an...

In this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht has a conversation with South Technical High School Principal, Dr. Jacob Lohse, and three juniors from Affton High School pursuing career paths in construction, culinary arts and cosmetology. The discussion highlights the unique hands-on learning environment at South Tech, where students from across St. Louis County gain...

On this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews new secondary educators at Rogers Middle School and Afton High School. These professionals come from diverse backgrounds, including military service, student teaching residencies, and previous experience in other districts or charter schools. During the segments, the teachers discuss their specific subject area...

On this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews a diverse group of new elementary educators at Mesnier Primary School and Gotsch Intermediate School. The participants include first-year teachers, career changers from corporate and service industries, and experienced specialists in art, counseling, and English Language Learning. Each guest reflects on their p...

On this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht highlights staff from both Gotsch Intermediate School and Dance Moves STL. The participants describe a decade-long partnership that brings a ballroom dancing curriculum to fifth-grade students to foster social development and confidence.    Beyond learning physical choreography from various cultures, students practice mut...

In this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews school social workers Jessica Crawford and Kortney Wood to celebrate National School Social Worker Week March 2-6. The guests describe their professional backgrounds and explain how their roles serve as a vital bridge between the home, the community, and the classroom. They outline the diverse services they pro...

This episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast features the NotebookLM AI co-host duo taking a deep dive into the Affton School District 2022-27 Strategic Plan Roadmap. The Affton School District Strategic Plan functions as a comprehensive roadmap designed to guide the community toward specific educational milestones between 2022 and 2027. Referred to as a Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP...

In this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast, Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews three school resource officers to celebrate their contributions in honor of National SRO Day. The conversation features Officer Ashley Meyer, who discusses her transition from community outreach to early childhood and elementary education, and Officer Bryan Felts, a Navy veteran who serves the local high schoo...

This episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast highlights National School Counseling Week. Superintendent Travis Bracht sits down with school counselors from across the district as they introduce themselves, explain why they became counselors, and share what they love about supporting students. From elementary social-skills lessons to middle- and high-school transition planning and college readiness...

This episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast features a discussion led by Superintendent Travis Bracht regarding the Model United Nations program at Rogers Middle School. Teacher Laura Hubbard explains how the curriculum, established in 2019, teaches students about global diplomacy, sustainable development goals, and international policy. Several eighth-grade students share their experiences resea...

In this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht interviews members of the Rogers Middle School Art Club. Led by teacher Katie Rice, the club has seen rapid growth and has integrated student leadership roles to help the club and it's members thrive. Students share how the club provides a supportive environment to refine their skills and enter various art competitions. T...

This episode of Affton Unplugged podcast features Superintendent Travis Bracht discussing Unity Day with students and staff from Gotsch Intermediate School. The conversation highlights how this annual event promotes kindness, inclusion, and acceptance through creative projects like posters and videos. Three fifth-grade students were specifically honored by the Special School District of St. Louis...

This episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast highlights an annual event hosted by the Affton Education Foundation, an organization that has provided over half a million dollars in college scholarships since 2005. During a special luncheon, scholarship recipients return to share how these financial awards have helped them pursue diverse academic paths, ranging from business and nursing to marine sc...

This episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast highlights the Rogers Middle School Mentoring Program that is coordinated in partnership with Mesnier Primary School. This episode features the RMS Social-Emotional Learning Interventionist, Lena Mahurin, and several sixth- through eighth-grade student mentors who participate in the program. The discussion centers on the benefits and activities of the m...

This episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast highlights the Affton High School Speech and Debate Team. The episode features interviews with the two faculty sponsors—Ms. Rice and Mrs. Bayha—and five student participants who share their experiences and competition results. The sponsors explain that the speech side involves competitive acting with pieces like poetry and humorous interpretations, whil...

On this episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast Superintendent Travis Bracht highlights the Affton High School Key Club by having a conversation with the faculty sponsor and four student officers. This episode focuses on the student-led organization, which is a community service group sponsored locally by Gravois Kiwanis. The student officers describe recent activities, including their participati...

This episode of the Affton Unplugged podcast highlights the National Honor Society (NHS) program at Affton High School. The episode features interviews with the NHS co-sponsors, Dr. Brian Esselman and Laurie Free, who discuss the organization's mission as a student-run service group built upon the pillars of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Three Affton High School students share t...