PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE PODCAST - SEASON 2

S2, EPISODE 1 - Student Connections

In this episode, SPS students share their remarkable stories of connection and growth. From meaningful friendships to impactful mentorships, these narratives celebrate the transformative power of school connections.

S2, EPISODE 2 - POG Murals

Murals inspired by our student's Portrait of a Graduate Art will be in full display this Spring. We spoke with the community leaders, teachers, and SPS administrators involved in bringing the project to the walls of our city, and were able to speak with one of the student artists being featured. 

S2, EPISODE 3 - 2024 Spring Convening

Springfield Public Schools has been distinguished as a model POG district and selected as the host site for the Spring 2024 POG Convening. With All Eyes on Us for Good, five schools will represent the innovative work taking place districtwide during the convening, which will take place March 18 – 20. Dryden Elementary, STEM Middle Academy, the Springfield Renaissance School, the Springfield Conservatory of the Arts, and the High School of Science and Technology will serve as host schools to the more than 100 students and administrators coming to Springfield Public Schools from districts throughout the region. We sat down with students, teachers, and principals from three of those schools to find out what is happening in their school that they are most excited to share with guests.

S2, EPISODE 4 - SPS Family Expo 2024

We're thrilled to wrap up our second season by taking our listeners on a journey to the 2024 Family Expo. This special live episode captures the essence of community connections, a vital element of our Portrait of a Graduate initiative. If you couldn’t attend the event on May 4^th, now's your chance to catch up and discover the wealth of resources available to our community. Join in as we embrace the spirit of creativity, connection, and celebration at the Family Expo 2024 Live! 

S2, EPISODE 5 - Balliet and Boland Schools of Recognition 

We learn about the remarkable achievements of Balliet and Boland Elementary Schools, which were honored by the state as Schools of Recognition for having the most improved MCAS scores. In this episode, you will meet Jayvien and  David,  two fifth-grade students at Balliet and Boland elementary schools, respectively, who share with us what classroom strategies help them become the best students they can be. 

PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE PODCAST - SEASON 1

EPISODE 1 - Project Based Learning 

We'll discuss what it is and what it means for students and teachers. Joining us in the episode will be two teachers and two students who used Project Based Learning to address real-life issues like Social Media Law and Endangered Species.

EPISODE 5 - Joyful Learning

In this episode, we explore the definition of "Joyful Learning" from the different perspectives of those involved in the classroom. We hear from students and staff about what that term means to them and learn real-life examples of it at work.

EPISODE 6 - POG Impact on Students

EPISODE 7 - Primary Person Model

EPISODE 8 - SPS visits Mission Vista

This episode discusses a recent Portrait of a Graduate Trip to the Mission Vista district in California. Mission Vista has been using and developing a Portrait of a Graduate system for 8 years and has received national recognition for its work. Our POG team members got a firsthand look at how they operate and had the chance to ask questions about how they do it. 

EPISODE 9 - Special Host: Je’Vonte West

The final episode of POG-The Podcast for 2022-2023 brings a breath of fresh air as Springfield Public Day High School senior Je'Vonte West hosts the show. Je'Vonte was a guest on our Joyful Learning episode, where he told us how an assignment at school sparked an interest in journalism. Preparing for and executing this episode as a guest host and interviewer provided him another opportunity to work as a journalist does. He does a superb job!