California School News Radio
California School News Radio is a weekly podcast focused on education issues at public school districts hosted by Kevin Ausmus and Drew Schlosberg. Peruse our library of clips from past shows.
Full STEAM Ahead: Social Justice Champion in Fontana Unified
Released March 15, 2023
Dolores Huerta International Academy sixth-grade Spanish dual language immersion teacher Ashley Silva discusses her passion for infusing technology and fun in STEAM education, being selected to join the Teacher Innovator Academy in 2022, her recent recognition as an Alma Flor Ada Award for Social Justice recipient, and embracing the Hawaiian concept of ‘ohana.‘
Season 5 Podcasts
Listen to our older podcasts:
 | March 1, 2023 Posse in Effect: Top Scholars in El Monte Union, Covina-Valley Unified California School News Radio talks with two recent Posse Foundation Los Angeles Chapter recipients, Rosemead High School senior Wendy Sar and South Hills High School senior Saniya Tillis, who both received full-ride Posse scholarships to attend Northwestern University. |
 | February 21, 2023 A Place in the Sun: Peace, Pride and Produce Garden in Baldwin Park Baldwin Park High School National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) club advisor Nicole Melamed and Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club advisor Michelle Humason discuss the school’s Peace, Pride and Produce Garden, which serves as a safe space for Baldwin Park High’s LGBTQIA+ community. |
 | February 2, 2023 Commitment to Deeper Learning: Inside Hacienda La Puente Unified Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez shares his thoughts on the recent State of the District presentation, incorporating tech in the classroom, the District commitment to deeper learning, early college and dual enrollment and the Latino Film Institute Youth Cinema Project pilot program. |
 | January 19, 2023 Bienvenue à Notre Spectacle: Learning French in Whittier Union Santa Fe High School world language teacher Isabelle Teraoka is joined by three of her students – junior Lia Liebanos and sophomores Oswaldo Garcia and Ana Sophia Gutierrez – to discuss the joys of learning French, the benefits of being bilingual, the beauty of the language and the impact of French culture in music, art, architecture and fashion. |
 | January 12, 2023 Team Effort: Health Collaborative in Lynwood Unified Lynwood Unified Director of Risk Management Tiffany Egan, Lynwood Unified Health Services Specialists Erin Okazaki and Sue Poh, and Carreon Group Inc. President and CEO Jennie Carreon discuss the District’s multi-faceted Health Collaborative and the “Health for the Holidays” community wellness fair, which was supported by the California Department of Education and grants from the Rockefeller Foundation. |
 | December 8, 2022 Calming Spaces: Wellness Centers in El Monte Union El Monte Union High School District Wellness Coordinators Imelda Moronez and Daniela Chavez discuss the District initiative to establish Wellness Centers at each school, and the importance of having calming spaces and rooms on campus where students can relax and talk to a licensed therapist or clinical social worker. |
 | November 29, 2022 Recipe for Success: Culinary Education at Bonita Unified Bonita Unified School District ProStart culinary educators Nick and Laurie Brandler discuss the importance of providing their students with networking opportunities with professional Bay Area chefs during an exclusive six-day ProStart training field trip in early November. The Brandlers are joined by San Dimas High School graduate Kris Lara, who is currently a pastry chef at a two-star Michelin restaurant in San Francisco. |
 | November 10, 2022 Yes We CAN: Inside Fontana Unified’s Afterschool Program Fontana Unified School District Afterschool Education and Safety Program Project Director Yubleni Cazares and City of Fontana Community Services Coordinator Sergio Barragán discuss the activities, enrichment opportunities and social-emotional learning components of the District’s acclaimed afterschool program, which is part of the California Afterschool Network. |
 | October 27, 2022 Pathway to Success: Honors Transfer Program at Río Hondo College Río Hondo College sociology professor Melissa Rifino-Juarez, counselor David Tieu, student Ileen Dominguez and alumna Nicole Contreras-Garcia discuss the success of the school’s Honors Transfer Program, which provides a pathway for students to transfer to four-year universities, with high admission rates to University of California and Cal State University colleges. |
 | October 20, 2022 Simply the Best: Teacher of the Year in Hacienda La Puente Unified Orange Grove Middle School science and STEM teacher Terri Serey discusses student engagement in the classroom, bringing NASA engineers to class and presenting at STEM conferences across the country. Serey has been recognized as the Hacienda La Puente 2021-22 Teacher of the Year and is one of 16 teachers to be named a LACOE 2022 Teacher of the Year. |
 | October 13, 2022 Full Steam Ahead: New Engineering and Technology Pathway in Whittier Whittier High School Principal Tim Liggett discusses the school’s recently launched Cardinal Academy of Technology pathway, the importance of equal gender representation in STEM, the benefits of exploring your options before choosing a college, and the tradition of innovation at the Whittier Union high school. |
 | October 6, 2022 The Time is Now: New Superintendent at Banning Unified Banning Unified School District Superintendent Terrence Davis discusses his plans to create a positive school climate throughout the District, increase transparency within the community, and provide exceptional educational opportunities for students. |
 | September 27, 2022 Space is the Place: Inside the NASA Artemis I Program Former Río Hondo College student and digital content creator Jessica Estrada discusses being one of a select group of influencers to join the NASA Artemis I Social Media team and travel to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to tour the new space program and meet with astronauts and NASA scientists. |
 | September 20, 2022 Amazing Journeys: English Learner Success Stories in Baldwin Park Sierra Vista High School Class of 2019 graduate Diana Aguilar-Cruz and Sierra Vista English language development teacher Charlene Fried discuss the amazing journey that has seen Aguilar-Cruz go from a newly arrived English learner in 2015 to becoming a biology major at Cal Poly Pomona and being appointed as a Cal State University Student Trustee. |
 | August 15, 2022 A New Era: A Conversation with Río Hondo College’s Superintendent/President Newly appointed Río Hondo College Superintendent/President Dr. Marilyn Flores discusses why community college is such an important educational resource, the role community college plays in supporting underrepresented students, the opportunities for middle and high school students to get a head start in higher education, conducting a listening tour to meet her new colleagues, and how school districts and parents can best prepare their students for college. |