The Rural Scoop

In this special episode of The Rural Scoop, host Ty White interviews Georgia da Silva from McKinstry while attending the ARSA Resilient Rural Conference. Georgia discusses her company’s commitment to supporting rural schools by helping districts assess and improve their facilities with energy-efficient upgrades and long-term partnerships. She reflects on the unique strengths of rural communities,...

In this special episode of The Rural Scoop, host Ty White interviews Karen Gifford, the Partnership Director for Arizona at Proximity Learning, as they attend the ARSA Resilient Rural Conference. Karen shares her passion for educational equity, emphasizing the importance of ensuring every rural student has access to fully qualified teachers, even in the face of staffing shortages. She discusses in...

In this special episode of The Rural Scoop, host Ty White interviews Patty Horn from Northern Arizona University and Pam Powell from Southern Utah University during the ARSA Resilient Rural Conference. They discuss the importance of collaboration between rural communities in Arizona and Utah, emphasizing the power of relationships and community support in rural education. Patty and Pam share heart...

In this special episode of The Rural Scoop, host Ty White interviews Dr. Kelly Burns, district executive officer of the Yavapai Accommodation School District, as they discuss her long-standing connection with the ARSA Resilient Rural Conference. Dr. Burns shares her insights on the value of small rural communities, the importance of collaboration in education, and the personal impact of her eighth...

Episode Summary: In this episode of The Rural Scoop , host Melissa shares insights from the Rural Community of Practice, a unique initiative by Region 15 Comprehensive Center at WestEd. Together with co-host Julie Duffield, they reflect on nearly five years of groundbreaking work in rural education. The episode features rich conversations with education leaders from Arizona, California, Nevada, an...

Episode Overview: In this engaging episode of The Rural Scoop , host Melissa Sadorf chats with Sara Darnell, an experienced reading interventionist and dedicated educator from Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Named one of the Arizona Rural Schools Association’s Rural Teachers of Distinction, Sara shares her journey from a local student to a teacher with 26 years of service to her community. Key Discussi...

Episode Overview: In this episode of The Rural Scoop , host Melissa Sadorf interviews Laura Layden, an esteemed K-1 reading specialist at Park Elementary in Holbrook, Arizona, and a recipient of the Arizona Rural Schools Association’s Rural Teacher of Distinction award. Laura shares her impactful career journey, the unique advantages and challenges of teaching in rural communities, and her reflect...

In this episode of The Rural Scoop, host Dr. Sadorf engages in an insightful conversation with Mike Hogg, Vice President for Place Based Partnerships at Partners for Rural Impact (PRI). They discuss the importance of rural education, successful initiatives like Promise Neighborhoods, and the impact of collective community efforts on student success. Mike shares his background and experiences, the...

In this episode, Dr. Sadorf interviews Jordan Lynde from Play It Safe, a platinum sponsor of the Arizona Rural Schools Association. Jordan shares his journey from the paper and printing industry to founding Play It Safe Playgrounds, a company dedicated to providing safe and inclusive playgrounds across Arizona. He discusses the evolution of playground trends, the importance of inclusivity and safe...

In this episode of "The Rural Scoop," host Melissa engages in a compelling conversation with Mara Tieken, an associate professor of education at Bates College. Mara shares her extensive research on the significance of rural schools, focusing on the impacts of school closures and consolidations in rural communities. She discusses the economic, social, and educational consequences of these closures,...

In this episode of "The Rural Scoop," host Melissa interviews Tobin Novasio, the superintendent of Hardin Public Schools in Montana. Tobin shares his extensive background in rural education, detailing his journey from teaching and coaching in various rural districts to his current role. The discussion covers the unique challenges and rewards of working in rural education, including teacher shortag...

In this episode of "The Rural Scoop," we sit down with Dr. Brian Noland, President of East Tennessee State University (ETSU), to discuss his impactful work in revitalizing rural communities through higher education. Dr. Noland shares his journey from his early career to his current role, emphasizing the importance of education in economic development and community well-being. He highlights ETSU's...

In this episode of "The Rural Scoop," Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee discusses the AZ 529 Education Savings Plan and its benefits for rural communities. As the first Asian American elected to a statewide office in Arizona, Treasurer Yee has significantly expanded the program, making higher education and vocational training more accessible. She highlights the plan's tax advantages, flexibilit...

In this episode of "The Rural Scoop," host Melissa interviews Adam Cheeseman, the superintendent of Doddridge County Schools in West Virginia. Adam shares his journey from becoming a superintendent at the age of 31 to his innovative approaches to education. He discusses the importance of addressing mental health and holistic child development to improve academic performance. Adam also highlights t...

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 gro...

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 saf...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ge...

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 b...

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 educato...

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 b...