Public School Podcast

Behind every worksheet, yearbook, graduation program, and student certificate is someone making it all happen. This week on the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Angela Buskerud, the Rapid City Area Schools Print Shop Supervisor, whose work quietly impacts every classroom across the district. From producing nearly 2 million printed pages every month to creatin...

What started as a simple idea to help students prepare for the school day has grown into one of Wilson Elementary's most impactful programs. In this episode, hosts Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Wilson Elementary Counselor of the Year Brittany Henry-James and recent Central High School graduate Melissa Saucerman to discuss the Morning Nest. Held twice a week before school, the Mo...

What happens when schools focus on recognizing what students are doing right? In this episode, hosts Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with South Middle School educator Stacy Cole and Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings teacher Marie Herbert to discuss the impact of the Spirit Awards program. Supported through a Rapid City Public School Foundation grant, the program celebrates student...

Photography is more than taking pictures. It is about telling stories, capturing emotion, and seeing the world from a different perspective. In this episode, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Central High School photography teacher Roxanne Rathbun and graduating senior Kennedy Block to talk about the power of photography in public education. The conversation explores how students de...

This episode of the Public School Podcast shines a spotlight on the Raider Coffee House at Stevens High School, where students are learning far more than how to make coffee. Hosts Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with students Roberta and Devin, along with teacher Peggy Bias, to talk about the student run coffee shop that has become a place for confidence, teamwork and growth. From lear...

Central High School students are proving that a great idea can turn into something that truly changes lives. In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Central High science teacher and Thrift Club advisor Heather Kiplinger to talk about the student led club bringing free clothing, creativity, and confidence to students across the school. From pro...

In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Central High School healthcare teacher Brendon Sato to talk about the growing opportunities for students interested in the medical field. From hands on healthcare training and the district’s Certified Nursing Assistant program to plans for an international healthcare tour through Great Britain and Scotla...

This week on Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Rapid City substitute teacher and mom of three, Caitlin Scully, to talk about the reality of stepping into classrooms across the district. From comforting nervous students and navigating high school classrooms to surviving without lesson plans and learning the Promethean board, Caitlin shares the joys, challenges...

After more than two decades leading Central High School’s theater program, Justin Speck sits down with Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer to reflect on a career that helped shape generations of students in Rapid City. From sold out productions and award winning student performances to hilarious backstage mishaps and emotional moments that changed lives, Justin shares the stories behind one of the...

This episode takes a meaningful look at one of the most powerful traditions in Rapid City Area Schools, the senior honoring and feathering ceremony. Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer are joined by Kit Veit and Marie Hebert to talk about the deep cultural and spiritual significance behind this event, which honors Native American graduates as they reach a major life milestone. From the meaning of e...

What does it really take to teach the youngest learners in our schools? In this episode, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Jennifer Maciejewski, a junior kindergarten teacher at Valley View Elementary and former South Dakota Teacher of the Year finalist. Jennifer shares what a typical day looks like in her classroom, the importance of early childhood education, and how those first s...

What happens when a local journalist is also a parent in the school system? In this episode, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Chris Hornick of Homeslice Media and the Rapid City Post to talk about the unique perspective of covering schools while raising kids in them. From funny parenting moments to the responsibility of sharing accurate, positive stories, Chris gives an inside look...

School librarians are doing far more than shelving books and checking them out. In this episode, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with West Middle School librarian Shelley Rath to explore what the role really looks like today. From helping students discover a love of reading to teaching research skills, navigating technology, and even managing hundreds of student devices, Rath shares ho...

Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with guest Stacy Nehring, a Rapid City parent and founder of the Live Like Lily Foundation. After the loss of her daughter Lily following her sixth grade year, Stacy and her family turned tragedy into purpose. Inspired by an essay Lily wrote about kindness, the foundation was created to carry on her message of lifting others up through simple, meaningful...

Sometimes it’s the smallest moments that make the biggest impact. In this episode, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer are joined by foundation board members Gretchen Burke and Laura Newman to talk about the “Above and Beyond” program, a simple but powerful way to recognize the people who make a difference in Rapid City Area Schools. From handwritten cards to surprise classroom visits, the program...

After more than four decades in the same classroom, Lori Rutherford is preparing to close an incredible chapter in Rapid City education. In this episode, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with the longtime West Middle School teacher to reflect on her 41-year career, the relationships that shaped her journey, and the moments that made it all worth it. From teaching through decades of chan...

School funding can feel confusing, frustrating, and sometimes even controversial. In this episode, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Coy Sasse, Chief Financial and Operations Officer for Rapid City Area Schools, to break it all down in a way the community can understand. From property taxes and enrollment changes to aging school buildings and bond discussions, Coy explains where the...

In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Kallie Gebhard, former Horace Mann Elementary Teacher of the Year and now assistant principal at Grandview Elementary. Kallie shares her journey from fifth grade classroom teacher to school leadership and reflects on the lessons that shaped her along the way. From building trust with students to helping...

In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer welcome two leaders from Rapid City Area Schools’ counseling team, Elizabeth Russ and Brittany Henry-James. As the district’s secondary and elementary lead counselors, they offer an honest look at what school counseling really involves. From helping students navigate grief, housing instability, and mental health strug...

Freshly named Rapid City Area Schools Teacher of the Year, Katey Swank joins the Public School Podcast to share the heart behind her fifth grade classroom at Meadowbrook Elementary. From hydroponic towers and native plant gardens to buddy programs and Feedback Fridays, Katey is building more than lessons. She is building confidence, resilience, and respect. In this conversation, Katey talks about...

In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Valley View Kindergarten teacher and former Teacher of the Year Kennedee Goodro. A proud alum of Rapid City Area Schools, Kennedee shares what it means to teach in the very community that shaped her. From watching light bulbs turn on midyear to helping five year olds learn the “game of school,” this conv...

In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Amanda Christensen, a special education program specialist who proudly describes herself as the district’s special ed help desk. Amanda shares her journey from Walmart management to education, how she found her purpose working with students, and why humor and humanity matter in some of the hardest conver...

What happens when first graders and high school artists team up on one creative project? Magic. In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Luke Gorder from Central High School and Ashley Whitehead from Wilson Elementary to talk about a cross-school art collaboration that turned student drawings into custom plushies. This conversation dives into i...

In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer welcome Robbinsdale Elementary paraeducator Toni Sabrowski, the school’s Support Person of the Year. Toni shares what it means to work in a K-2 Life Skills classroom, where small moments become big victories and every milestone is worth celebrating. Drawing from her personal experience as a mother of an autistic son,...

In this upbeat and thoughtful episode of The Public School Podcast , Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Adam Dannenbring , freshman seminar teacher, personal finance instructor, and multi-sport coach at Rapid City Stevens High School. Adam walks listeners through what freshman seminar really is and why it may be one of the most important classes a student ever takes. From organizatio...