Prescott Unified Podcast

You know that every successful life story starts with a caring teacher. You know the value of an education at a public school rooted in the community. But it’s hard to stay connected to that community feeling during this time of distance learning and overwhelming demands.

This podcast is for you. Each month we’ll make it easier for you to feel connected, informed and involved. Join us to hear from teachers, historians, parents and community members about what makes Prescott Schools more than just classrooms and campuses. Join us to find out how PUSD is overcoming the current challenges and laying the foundation for an even stronger, more hopeful future

This month’s episode focuses on something that only a comprehensive public school like those found in the PUSD district can provide, a pre-k through 12 arts education.

The arts are essential in education because they provide students with the means to think, feel, and understand the world around them in ways unique and distinct from other academic disciplines. These skills have been recognized as essential to lifelong success both in and out of school by a variety of education and civic leaders, including the National Association of State Boards of Education, the Education Commission of the States, the Arts Education Partnership, and even Business Week.

Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork - all the things we want for a whole child, a successful person.

Part 1 of this episode is a conversation with three dedicated arts teachers with century of combined experience. We get to talk to: 

• Ann Heim, the Fine Arts Department Chair
• Amanda Chartier, the Visual Arts Coordinator at PHS
• Dan Bradstreet, the Director of Instrumental Music at PHS

Keep listening for part two of this episode for a special interview with PUSD Alum Chase Hinton. Chase graduated from PHS in 2006 but he started acting when he was eight years old on stages all around Prescott. Despite his broad experience, Chase credits his time in the PHS theater department as an important part of what made him who is today, a successful Hollywood actor, writer, and producer.

“Prescott Unified, serving Every Child Every Day”

Elementary education, the years from kindergarten through 5th grade, is so crucial. School children in those grades are learning all the most basic skills - reading, math - AND building the character foundation that will be who they are for the rest of their lives.

This month we get to interview five dedicated elementary educators who are passionate about their work and so clearly full of love for their students and their learning.

Kelsey Secor has worked in education for fifteen years and has been with PUSD for the past thirteen years.   She has been an elementary and middle school teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal and has spent the last four years as Principal of Taylor Hicks Elementary School.

Denise Murphy has been an educator for 23 years and this is also her 13th year with PUSD. Denise has been an elementary school teacher, she was the Early Literacy Director for the Arizona Reads Now program, and is now PUSD's K-2 literacy coach.

Shelli Read has an 18 years career . She has taught 4th grade and been a math interventionist. Currently she is enjoying her role as a k-4 math coach, working at all three elementary schools in PUSD.

Karen Hughes has been in education for about 20 years.  She is in her 6th year as principal at Lincoln School.  She was born and raised in Arizona and comes from a family of educators.

Rachel Chunglo stepped into a new role this fall. She is the PUSD Distance Learning Coordinator a position funded with CaresAct money.

As the distance learning coordinator, Rachel Chunglo is the liaison between PREP students, parents, and teachers.  Rachel has led numerous parent webinars to help parents and students prepare for distance learning, and will continue to host webinars to help families that are struggling with distance learning.

This episode contains both exploration of really technical education subjects like “number sense” and phonics AND it also contains really heartwarming stories about how educators build relationships with their students and their families and how that makes community and learning possible, even in a pandemic. And, don’t miss the early reading book recommendations and a link to a teacher-approved math resource for parents!

Prescott Unified School district is one of the oldest districts in the state. In fact, its founding pre-dates AZ statehood. On this Episode, Mardi and Drew lead us through the unique history of the school district and shine a light on all the ways PUSD and Prescott have intertwined and supported each other. We think this episode will help you feel even more proud to be a Prescottonian and more connected to the people and places that form our common heritage.

OUR CO-HOST

This month, my co-host is Mardi Reed, the Assistant Superintendent for Prescott Unified School District.

Mardi Read’s connection to Prescott and PUSD go deep. She moved to Prescott in 1997 but her father was raised here and her grandmother taught at Prescott HS. Mardi has taught at Abia Judd Elementary School Granite and Mountain Middle School.She has been an Assistant Principal at Granite Mountain Middle School, Curriculum Coordinator in Prescott Unified, Principal at Heritage Middle School, and now, Assistant Superintendent in Prescott Unified. Mardi loves learning about the history and culture of the Prescott area. You’ll hear the passion and excitement in her voice as she talks about how she started this historical research.

OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Drew Desmond - is a History Advisor, Contributing Writer and Secretary of the Board for the Prescott Western Heritage Foundation. Drew was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. He joined the family business of advertising as a writer but his life got disrupted by a visit to Prescott in 1986. Drew decided to retire here but he was hard-pressed to find a reason to wait that long and moved to the area 25 years earlier than planned.

Drew founded the #PrescottAZHistory blog and commenced spending over 1000 hours a year reading old newspapers, periodicals, and books to provide the research necessary for his weekly articles. Drew is no dusty, dry historian, but is a passionate teller of colorful and relevant stories about our hometown.

Announcing Prescott Unified School District Podcast. 

You know that every successful life story starts with a caring teacher. You know the value of an education at a public school rooted in the community. But it’s hard to stay connected to that community feeling during this time of distance learning and overwhelming demands.

This podcast is for you. Each month we’ll make it easier for you to feel connected, informed and involved. Join us to hear from teachers, historians, parents and community members about what makes Prescott Schools more than just classrooms and campuses. Join us to find our how PUSD is overcoming the current challenges and laying the foundation for an even stronger, more hopeful future

Prescott Unified School District has been at the heart of our community for over 150 years. Prescott starts with great education, holding high standards and honoring our core values and traditions. There is a place for Every Child, Every Day in Everybody’s Hometown.

We want to pull back the curtain for you so you can experience of what it’s like to be part of a big caring, dedicated community. We want you to join us to cheer for our hometown Badgers, to remember what it feels like to be inspired by a teacher who takes the time to care about you, and to feel the support of a community who values education.

This podcast is for you, whether you are interested in the impact and history PUSD has had on our small western town, or even learning helpful strategies to navigate our social and emotional needs in these new times.

After just an hour a month of this podcast, we know you feel more connected to the people, lessons and history that make Prescott Unified Schools such a special place. Come join us!