Portrait of a Graduate Podcast

Celebrating Student Leadership at Zanetti School! Student leadership at Zanetti School is thriving! Be sure to catch the latest episode of SPS Student Spotlight, where we engage with members of the Elementary and Middle School Student Council. Special Guests: Samuel Merriman Aukhari Riche Julianna Rodriguez Nevaeh KnightonProduced by the Office of CommunicationProducer: Chris PolancoExecutive Prod...

Special Guests: Anibal Carrasquillo Kimberly Carrasquillo Lauren Carrasquillo Gabriela Carrasquillo Produced by the SPS Office of Communications: Azell Cavaan, Chief Communication Officer Chris Polanco, Multi-Media Manager

Our latest episode of  Believe It, Be It!  helps shine a light on the work we do every day by introducing our broader community to the role of Instructional Leadership Specialists (ILS). Through a conversation with Kendra Levesque of Balliet Elementary, listeners outside of education will gain a deeper understanding of how ILSs guide, coach, and collaborate with teachers to strengthen instruction...

We sit down with Terry Powe, the district's Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development. Produced by the SPS Office of Communications: Azell Cavaan, Chief Communication Officer Chris Polanco, Multi-Media Manager

Step inside a joyful Pre-K classroom, where storytime is more than just books and giggles—it’s the foundation of serious learning.  Join us as a veteran teacher reads aloud, and then hear from district literacy experts who unpack the brain-building power of reading to children. 

The first episode of  Believe It, Be It  features Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sonia Dinnall, who walks listeners through her four strategic focus areas designed to propel the district forward: •         Early Literacy: Read to Believe •         Middle School Transformation: Joyful Journeys; Reimagining Middle School  •         College and Career Readiness: Your Future, Your Choice •         Post...

​The latest episode of POG the Podcast features the voices, experiences, and leadership of three students at the Springfield Renaissance School, who along with their classmates, are taking the district's sustainability efforts to the next level.  Featured: Jocelyn Peña Makaila Tete-Donkor Kaylee Buzzell John Donovan, 9th Grade Environmental Science Host: Azell Cavaan Producer: Chris Polanco This h...

We learn about the remarkable achievements of Balliet and Boland Elementary Schools, which were honored by the state as Schools of Recognition for having the most improved MCAS scores. In this episode, you will m​​eet Jayvien and  David,  two fifth-grade students at Balliet​ and Boland elementary schools, respectively, who share with us what classroom strategies help them become the best students...

We have a conversation with Superintendent Dr. Dinnall to discover her family's arrival in Springfield, her educational journey through Springfield Public Schools and higher education, and the route that brought her back to her community. Learn more about her vision for our schools, key priorities moving forward, and the distinctive qualities that define her leadership.​​ Host: Azell Cavaan Pr...

We're thrilled to wrap up our second season by taking our listeners on a journey to the 2024 Family Expo. This special live episode captures the essence of community connections, a vital element of our Portrait of a Graduate initiative. If you couldn’t attend the event on May 4th, now's your chance to catch up and discover the wealth of resources available to our community. Join in as we e...

Springfield Public Schools has been distinguished as a model POG district and selected as the host site for the Spring 2024 POG Convening. With  All Eyes on Us for Good , five schools will represent the innovative work taking place districtwide during the convening, which will take place March 18 – 20. Dryden Elementary, STEM Middle Academy, the Springfield Renaissance School, the Springfield Cons...

Murals inspired by our student's Portrait of a Graduate Art will be in full display this Spring. We spoke with the community leaders, teachers, and SPS administrators involved in bringing the project to the walls of our city, and were able to speak with one of the student artists being featured.

In this episode, SPS students share their remarkable stories of connection and growth. From meaningful friendships to impactful mentorships, these narratives celebrate the transformative power of school connections. Special Guests: Absalon Cardona Ariel Cummings Ashley Velasquez Cayden-Chanel Roberts Christian Colon Dioyendrick Soriano Kenson Mitchell Kevin Le Leissa Frias Ronal Dominguez Zoë Cart...

The final episode of POG-The Podcast for 2022-2023 brings a breath of fresh air as Springfield Public Day High School senior Je'Vonte West hosts the show. Je'Vonte was a guest on our Joyful Learning episode, where he told us how an assignment at school sparked an interest in journalism. Preparing for and executing this episode as a guest host and interviewer provided him another opportunit...

This episode discusses a recent Portrait of a Graduate Trip to the Mission Vista district in California. Mission Vista has been using and developing a Portrait of a Graduate system for 8 years and has received national recognition for its work. Our POG team members got a firsthand look at how they operate and had the chance to ask questions about how they do it. Special Guests: Rhonda Stowell Lewi...

​The latest edition of "POG the Podcast" features a conversation about the importance of student/educator relationships, with a focus on what the primary person model looks and feels like in schools. Listen in as Principals Coburn and Harris talk about their approaches to this ​important element of a school's culture and climate alongside a couple of students from each school. Special Gu...

​A direct result of Portrait of a Graduate conversations with families, staff, community, and students, Financial Literacy classes are now in full swing for many high school students. In the January episode of POG - The Podcast, we catch up with a couple of students to find out what they are learning and how it is impacting them and their families. We also hear from their teacher Mr...

In this episode, we explore the definition of "Joyful Learning" from the different perspectives of those involved in the classroom. We hear from students and staff about what that term means to them and learn real-life examples of it at work.  Special Guests: Rhonda Jacobs Robert Porter Je'Vonte, 12th Grade Absalon, 11th Grade

Episode 4 of the POG Podcast features a student and staff members from the Springfield Conservatory of the Arts School. In this episode, we discuss the inception and support of a student-led initiative in the school and how it foundationally relates back to the Portrait of Graduate teachings. Enjoy!  Special Guest:  Tara, 11th Grader at the Springfield Conservatory of the Arts  Cynt...

Welcome to a Special Edition of the Portrait of a Graduate Podcast. This episode features our writing winners for the POG Art and Writing Contest held last Spring. Our winners honored us by reading their winning pieces of work for us. Please enjoy this special episode. If you want to see the winning art pieces visit springfieldpublicschools.com Note: Michael Wilson's writing is read by our hos...

Talking about money can be a scary, confusing, and emotional conversation. In this episode of Portrait of a Graduate - The Podcast, we learn what Springfield Public Schools is doing to educate students on this important subject. And we talk about how the community helped drive an initiative to make financial literacy an elective course in all high schools. Special Guest: I...

Today we'll talk about Project Based Learning. We'll discuss what it is and what it means for students and teachers. Joining us in the episode will be two teachers and two students who used Project Based Learning to address real-life issues like Social Media Law and Endangered Species.  Special Guests:  Andrew Forbes, Instructional Leadership Specialist, Central High School Allyson Leach...