It is a long-time tradition at Valley High School thanks to the hard work and dedication of two incredible teachers.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Valley High’s Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos celebration, a touching and colorful commemoration, remembering lost loved ones though family photos, favorite foods, and so much more. At Valley it’s also an opportunity for students who participate to benefit academically through the school’s credit recovery program.


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When she’s not in the classrooms of her school caring for kids, one assistant principal has a unique passion, and you could say she is having a dog-gone good time pursuing that passion.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Elk Meadows Elementary School where we meet up with Stacie Thompson and her striking Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. Find out why this educator loves showing her prize possessions at dog shows everywhere and what it takes to bring home the title of “Best in Show,” or “Best in Breed.”


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He works tirelessly to improve the motor skills and mobility of students, so they can get the most out of their education and all the fun activities that go along with it.
On this episode of the Supercast, we meet Jordan School District physical therapist Mitch Gibson. Hear why Mitch is considered quite the character, dressing up in fun and creative costumes as a way to connect with students in his care. It is the story of a physical therapist going above and beyond every day to ensure student success in and outside of the classroom.


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Mitch Gibson:
Kids are curious and they look at these differences. Now all of a sudden they're engaged and I know that that kid is going to see them every time in the hallway and know their name. It's going to occur and I can see the light on. It's so cool.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. He works tirelessly to improve the motor skills and mobility of students so they can get the most out of their education and all the fun activities that go along with it. On this episode of the Supercast, we meet Jordan School District physical therapist Mitch Gibson. Hear why Mitch is considered quite the character, dressing up in fun and creative costumes as a way to connect with the students in his care. It is the story of a physical therapist going above and beyond every day to ensure student success inside and outside of the classroom.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
We're here at the Auxiliary Services Building talking with one of our itinerant physical therapists. Mitch, introduce yourself and tell everyone a little bit about what it means to be a physical therapist in Jordan School District.
Mitch Gibson:
Great. Hey, thanks Dr. Godfrey. This is really fun. So my name is Mitch Gibson. I'm an itinerant physical therapist, like I said before. So what that means is in the school district we have about 75 schools and me and two other PTs, we cover all of those schools. So as a student in the District might need some assistance or help, we are the ones who travel to every single school and work with them. So I cover about 25 schools and so I see each of these students about once a week. I get to see countless number of staff and office and principals and work with teachers and that. And so my role is really fun. I focus on the gross motor skills and occupational therapists who work with us, they work on the fine motor skills. So that would include something like the coordination and the function, strength, range of motion, balance, working with walking and sitting, and wheelchair training, transfer training, anything that a student might interact with or need to do to improve their educational experience. The physical therapist's role in mostly special education would address that and versus occupational therapists, theirs is the fine motor skills. So they have all of those foundational components work to improve their handwriting, zippers, buttons, fasteners, bilateral hand movement stuff. So we kind of work on both sides of the coin.
Anthony Godfrey:
The gross and fine motor skills all at the same time.
Mitch Gibson:
Yeah. And so there might be kids who only have fine motor concerns or impairments and we might have the gross motor skills. So sometimes work together with them, but most of the time it's whatever the student needs. If it's a gross motor impairment, then we would step in and help with that.
Anthony Godfrey:
What age of student do you work with? You work with a wide range.
Mitch Gibson:
I do. Yeah. So I work with preschool, which starts at three, all the way up to post high school. So a student can graduate from, let's say, Riverton High School or Bingham High School. And they would move on if they choose, especially in the special ed world,

Some classrooms on wheels are making their way to kindergarten and first-grade students throughout Jordan School District right now. The classrooms are actually big yellow school buses.
On this episode of the Supercast, find out how our dedicated school bus drivers have come up with an entertaining and hands-on training course to keep kids safe on the school bus. Hear how students are loving the lessons, which everyone hopes will save lives.


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October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the many things we do as a school District to keep student data safe and protect employees and families from falling victim to phishing and other scams.
On this episode, find out how partnering with parents and the community can make a big difference in defending against cyber-attacks and reducing risks online.


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They work hard to safeguard the health and well-being of student athletes, focusing on injury prevention on-site during practice and games.
On this episode of the Supercast, we head to Mountain Ridge High School to meet two amazing certified athletic trainers. Listen and hear about the difference they make in the lives of students in so many different sports, even impacting kids in band and drill.
One of the trainers is actually a Herriman High graduate who found huge success after high school as a four-time USA tumbling champion and a World Champion gold medalist.


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Could it be magic? It was something like that for an amazing Jordan School District music teacher.
On this episode of the Superast, meet Riverton High’s Performing Arts Director Jason Weimer. Mr. Weimer recently received the prestigious Barry Manilow Music Teacher Award for the State of Utah. The award came with a once in a lifetime meet and greet with Barry Manilow, and with Mr. Weimer being recognized in the middle of the Manilow concert at the Maverik Center. Yes, it looks like this talented teacher has made it. Listen to hear his incredible story.


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Teachers in Jordan School District are transforming their classrooms with more personalized, efficient, and engaging lessons than ever before, thanks in part, to the use of SchoolAI.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside an amazing classroom at Valley High School. It’s where students are thriving and the classroom experience more dynamic thanks to a teacher who is diving in, using SchoolAI to reach and teach students in a way that is elevating the educational experience for everyone.


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Graham Bany:
The more students know that you are willing to use AI to support them, even if you don't know what the subject is, we can use SchoolAI Spaces, the chatbots, to help create these tutors for the kids. School's supposed to be fun I'm not supposed to be bored here all day.
Anthony Godfrey:
It should be fun, absolutely.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Teachers in Jordan School District are transforming their classrooms with more personalized, efficient, and engaging lessons than ever before, thanks in part to the use of SchoolAI. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside an amazing classroom at Valley High School. It's where students are thriving, and the classroom experience is more dynamic, thanks to a teacher who is diving in, using SchoolAI to reach and teach students in a way that is elevating the educational experience for everyone.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
We're here at Valley High School with one of the teachers in the District who has used AI earliest and most often. Graham, go ahead and introduce yourself.
Graham Bany:
Yeah, so I'm Graham Bany. I'm an English Language Arts teacher at Valley High School. I also do digital coaching and my co-teacher Rachel and I are over the school newspaper, which we've kind of reimagined in kind of a digital form. It's a little less formal, a little bit more creative. I'm going to do a lot of fun things here at Valley.
Anthony Godfrey:
For those who don't know Valley High School, explain what Valley High School is all about.
Graham Bany:
Valley High School is the best school to go to. It is an alternative high school and alternative is often viewed as a pejorative. Alternative in this sense just means different. We have smaller class sizes. We have more deep and meaningful relationships with students. We take the time to understand every kid, every situation, every story. We are given the opportunity to try things in different ways that may be better for students. It's an incredible building that is a playground of creativity and innovation with the main goal to support students who have not been as successful in buildings where they have previously been and to try to push them towards their most successful and fruitful lives, whether that is in formal education, whether that is a trade school, or whether that's just going out and being the best version of themselves that they can be.
Anthony Godfrey:
Very well said. And there's an incredible collection of very dedicated educators here at Valley. And like you said, I like the way you put that. It's an alternative. It's a choice. What are the alternatives? This is one of those choices, and for students, this becomes the right choice for a wide variety of reasons. People might have ideas about what reasons they think kids have for coming here, there are many, many more than what you might imagine.
Graham Bany:
Honestly, my favorite are the burned-out honors kids that just need someone that's going to challenge them and remind them that it's okay to not be entirely as perfect as they felt they've had to be or the kids that are just looking for a second chance and want a teacher who knows nothing about them. It's just the beautiful opportunity to welcome every kid every day and create...

It is a ‘first-of- its-kind’ High Tech Learning Lab for elementary school students in Jordan School District made possible through a partnership with the Utah Jazz, Utah Mammoth and America First Credit Union.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside the Learning Lab where students are wild with excitement over 3D printing, stop motion robotics, coding, and so much more. Listen and you will hear the sounds of technology hard at work.


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They are students at Copper Hills High School who recently risked their own lives by breaking down a front door and running into a burning home hoping to save the lives of others.
On this episode of the Supercast, join us as we take you inside the big surprise where the students received a military style “Honor of Excellence” award for going above and beyond and being exemplary citizens.


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She was just a teen when she lost an eye to a rare form of cancer, had to wear an eye patch, and suddenly became a target for hurtful teasing.
On this episode of the Supercast, hear the incredible story of Columbia Elementary School kindergarten teacher Alexa Byrd. Find out how one middle school teacher taught Alexa to be proud of her eye patch as something that sets her apart. Hear how Alexa now tells her own students to take pride in their individual differences and how that message is making a difference in their young lives.


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Alexa Bird:
It's just kind of been my motto now. It's like, "Why blend in when you're born to stand out?" And so I made the decision to get my eye removed. Now I have these fun prosthetics. This year I had a student, she in the middle of the year, found out that she actually had to get hearing aids. She looked at the doctor and said, "I'm going to have special ears like Miss Bird has special eyes." I just went home and cried.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. She was just a teen when she lost an eye to a rare form of cancer, had to wear an eye patch, and suddenly became a target for hurtful teasing. On this episode of the Supercast, hear the incredible story of Columbia Elementary School kindergarten teacher Alexa Bird. Find out how one middle school teacher taught Alexa to be proud of her eye patch as something that sets her apart. Hear how Alexa now tells her own students to take pride in their individual differences and how that message is making a difference in their young lives.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
We're at Columbia Elementary today talking with Alexa Bird about her teaching and her pathway to becoming a teacher. Alexa, thanks for talking with me.
Alexa Bird:
Thanks for having me.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me first of all just about your teaching career. You're here at Columbia for your second year. Talk to me about how all that came to be.
Alexa Bird:
I went to school at Utah Tech University and I've always just wanted to be a teacher. Since the time I was little, people would be like, "What do you want to be?" And I was never like the princess or an astronaut or a pilot. It was always, "I want to be a teacher." So, I went to Utah Tech and I went through their program and then I went to the job fair. I talked to Jane Olsen there and the rest was just history. She told me, "Come to Jordan." And then I got a job interview and I interviewed here and it just felt right. And I loved the energy and the community and all the questions and just felt right. And so I said, "Yes."
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, good job, Jane, for finding Alexa. Tell me, why did you want to be a teacher when you started out at a young age? Why has this always been of interest to you?
Alexa Bird:
Well, my dad is a teacher and my grandma's a teacher. So I come from a really long line of teachers and I would go to his classroom. He actually worked at West Jordan High School.
Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, wow.
Alexa Bird:
And I would be like, "I'm going to be a teacher one day," and pretending like I was him writing on the whiteboards and things. And then when I was going on with my education career in high school, I was diagnosed with medulloepithelioma, which is a cancerous brain tumor in my eye. I started finding that and I had to go to California every 12 weeks because there was no pediatric ocular oncologist in Utah. And so every 12 weeks I was going to California and I just... School was my favorite place and then it became my least favorite place really quick because not for anything except kids were really mean. They would make comments like, "Jeez, Alexa, don't stand so close. I don't want to catch cancer," or, “pretending like you have cancer, that's really rude.

It is an impressive sight to see in the student parking lot at West Jordan High School.
On this episode of the Supercast, find out how a Paint & Park project is raising money for senior class activities throughout the school year. It’s a project where some students were able to paint and personalize their parking stalls in creative works of art you simply have to see to believe.


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It’s that time of year when thousands of students are making their way to school walking eagerly through neighborhoods, along established safe walking routes.
On this episode of the Supercast, find out how we can all work together to better protect young pedestrians and make sure their travel to and from school is safe.


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She is a motivational speaker, an amputee, athlete, humanitarian, and goalie for the gold medal winning U.S.A. Para Ice Hockey team.
On this episode of the Supercast, we meet West Jordan High School graduate Hope Bevilhymer. We hear Hope’s inspirational story of tragic challenges in life to hard-earned triumphs. And, you’ll find out what happens when we hit the ice with this elite athlete.


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They are internationally known recording artists who have made it to the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot 100. The American Pop band AJR recently performed in Utah and guess what, they invited the Copper Hills High School marching band to take the stage with them.
On this episode of the Supercast, find out what the high school students are saying about their experience and this incredible opportunity of a lifetime. Then, listen as Copper Hills High takes the stage for a mic check with members of AJR prior to the big show.


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Before you know it, the first bells will ring and students will fill the halls ready for new adventures in the brand-new school year.
On this episode of the Supercast, we share some tips for parents on preparing kids for a smooth transition back to school. Listen and find out how you can get your students off to a successful start.


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As thousands of Utahns enjoy parades, rodeos, fireworks, and other festivities to celebrate Pioneer Day, it’s time to pack up and take a field trip for a hands-on lesson in history for some Jordan School District elementary school students.
On this episode of the Supercast, we follow teachers and their students to “This is the Place Heritage Park” where the life and times of Utah’s early settlers come alive. It is a live history lesson you won’t want to miss.


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It is giving every student an opportunity to learn at higher levels in ways some never imagined.
On this episode of the Supercast, we talk with companies igniting curiosity in the classroom with the use of technology, technology which is bringing better education opportunities for students, enhancing what teachers teach, and impacting education in some incredible ways.


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Talon Hatch:
Even some of these younger kiddos as young as third grade, they're already building websites with HTML.
Matt Linford:
It creates this environment where tools like Skill Struck, tools like Adobe, can all come into one course of a kid and the kid can engage with these various content and curricular resources in one space.
Casey Nuttall:
Getting them in as early as possible on some of these tools to prepare them for the future.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are giving every student an opportunity to learn at higher levels in ways many never imagined. On this episode of the Supercast, we talk with companies igniting curiosity in the classroom with the use of technology; technology which is bringing better education opportunities for students, enhancing what teachers teach, and impacting education in some incredible ways.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking with Jared Covili, the grand poohbah, the grand marshal of UCET, but also the administrator over Digital Teaching and Learning in Jordan School District. It is always a great way to mark this time of year by coming to talk with you at UCET, Jared.
Jared Covili:
It's the end of winter. We're moving into spring, so what better time to talk Ed Tech?
Anthony Godfrey:
You can smell hope in the air. There's sunshine out there. It's a beautiful day.
Jared Covili:
It could be power cords and things.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's right. We're going to have three guests on that are partners with Jordan School District. Talk with us about those three.
Jared Covili:
Yeah, so today you're going to be listening to three different partners that work with us in the Ed Tech department. You've got Skill Struck, who represents a group that works primarily with our K-6 computer science group. Each of our elementaries has a computer science leader that works with the kids, helping them integrate not only computer science projects, but also computational thinking. So, Talon Hatch will be here from Skill Struck with us. And then we've got Casey Nuttall from Instructure, and our District is kind of an Instructure district. We use a lot of different products from them, but primarily most of you in the audience will know them as Canvas. So that's our learning management system that we use to connect students to their homework and to turn in assignments and do assessments. For us on the back end, it is the way that we do a lot of our grading and a lot of our assessment of students and what they're learning. So that's Instructure. And then our third partner that we're going to hear from today is Matt Linford from Adobe. Probably a lot of you have driven past the Adobe office on I-15 but wondered kind of what's going on up there. Well, they're a great educational partner of ours, and they provided all of their software to all of our students and teachers from K through 12. So that's a big part of what we do. And they're a great partner that we work with, not only at UCET, but throughout the year.
Anthony Godfrey:
Again, thank you for making this opportunity available to so many and for being the mascot mayor, grand poohbah, and grand marshal of UCET. Long may you reign.
[music]
Anthony Godfrey:
So, let's start by talking with each of you. Just introduce yourself. Tell us who the company you're working with and generally your connection with edu...

It is an exciting new addition to Jordan School District, using a cost-efficient approach to provide a growing number of essential educational services to families in a centralized location.
On this episode of the Supercast, find out what Jordan School District is doing with the former Walmart space across from Elk Ridge Middle School off of 9800 South in South Jordan. It is space that’s being transformed into the Jordan Learning Center (JLC), and excitement is growing for students, teachers, staff, and the programs which will soon call the remodeled space home.


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