KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Host: Matt Watson
Co-Host: Amber Raskin, Founder & Executive Director of iLEAD Schools
Topic: Hitting Our Stride
Guests: Superintendent of the Newhall School District, Jeff Pelzel; Santa Clarita Mayor, Cameron Smyth; Fred Arnold, Mortgage Banker; Kristina de Bree, MA, LMFT, EMDR
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Hitting Our Stride — April 7, 2020
On this episode of Eye On The Valley presented by SCVi & iLEAD Schools, Amber is out, and Matt Watson drives the show today.
Our first guest on the show is Superintendent of the Newhall School District, Jeff Pelzel. Superintendent Pelzel talks about how he grew up in central Washington state, and how he spent almost his entire academic career in Washington. He talks about how he was approached about the Newall/Santa Clarita Valley school systems, and how he grew to love the valley we all live in. Superintendent Pelzel talks about the extensive training provided to the teachers in the valley, and how they have been addressing the shift to online learning for the foreseeable future. He also talks about how the teaching staffs around the valley have been receiving grade-specific lessons about how to reach students in preschool and first grade, all the way up through sixth grade and even beyond. Superintendent Pelzel talks about how serious the situation is, but how grateful he is to have the challenge of better developing their education programs for distance learning. He also speaks on how the music, arts, and drama classes will be implemented and given to students in an online format. Superintendent Pelzel talks about the uncertainty of the future, and how he keeps his hopes high about getting students, families, and teachers back on campus as soon as possible.
Our next guest on the show is Santa Clarita Mayor, Cameron Smyth. Matt and Mayor Smyth start the show with light conversation about the glory days of high school sports to keep the mood light. After a brief period of fun, Mayor Smyth dives in to the serious matters regarding the city of Santa Clarita. Mayor Smyth talks about the bus systems in the Santa Clarita Valley, and how operations will be slightly different to help protect the health of the bus drivers. Mayor Smyth talks about how some public parks and trails have been closed for a day or two, but these closures are due solely to the amount of rain received and that nothing has been closed due to the spread of Covid-19 yet. Mayor Smyth also shares the news that Santa Clarita will be receiving their own testing site to help detect potential cases that have not yet been discovered.
The next guest on the show is Fred Arnold, Mortgage Banker, who calls in to talk about the federal CARES Act and fluctuating mortgage rates. Fred realizes how serious the threat of Covid-19 is, and understands that many people around the United States are unable to get work and have an income at this time. For those who have been able to retain their job and maintain financial stability and certainty, Fred talks about how now is actually a really good time to buy a home. Fred talks about how interest rates are 0% right now, and how people can utilize these to get a better deal. Fred also talks about how less people are bidding for different houses, and that the house you have had your eyes on can be closed out on easier than ever before. Fred explains why rates have dropped so quickly, and how that impacts us as consumers and prospective homeowners. Fred talks about this and many other factors that have led to a strong home buying market amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.
Our final guest on the show is Kristina de Bree, MA, LMFT, EMDR, and she calls in to talk about how people with varying levels of health insurnace, or none, can get access to proper mental health care. Kristina talks about various free resources available online, on television, and in books that are available to anyone. She also talks about how people utilize online services now more than ever to provide quality mental health care services, and how various health insurance providers can get reduced fees and costs on services.
Listen in as Matt Watson, Superintendent Jeff Pelzel, Mayor Cameron Smyth, Fred Arnold, and Kristina de Bree talk about hitting our stride in our new normal.
About SCVi & iLEAD Schools:
“At iLEAD we’ve built a model based on what we believe to be the best of all that is out there. We believe passionately in project-based learning not because it’s a fad but because it goes to the heart of how kids learn. We’ve incorporated technology not as a spiffy add-on but as an organic part of the learning process in the 21st century.
We value and encourage leadership not just as a part of a career track but by instilling in each learner the confidence and character that inspire others.
It’s not unusual that we want our learners to think for themselves. But to do this requires a grounding in the arts, in design and in humanities, and the need to feel at home in the world. For us, “thinking for themselves” is not just about solving problems but about an organic vision of the world they live in and one they will inherit.
Finally, we value the social and emotional development of our learners. We believe there is an implicit, as well as an explicit, curriculum to teach. Our goal is nothing short of learning, to change the world.” Read More…
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