The Bethel School District Presents: A Podcast About the Bethel School District

About The Bethel School District Presents: A Podcast About the Bethel School District

The flagship podcast for the Bethel School District in Washington state.

Publisher

Bethel School District (WA)

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Feb 2023

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

166 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Episode 191: Making room for paper in a digital world

   This week, we look at how one school is making sure technology doesn't completely take over the classroom. We’ll talk with one 8th grader about why mixing in physical books, paper, and hands-on projects helps her focus better and actually enjoy what she’s doing in class. Our other guests, a teacher and principal, say they’re not anti-tech. They are pro-learning. They’re using screens when they make sense, and giving kids a break from them when they don't. New episodes drop on Wednesdays wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also hear us on 101.9 Radio Tacoma, Saturdays at 2 p.m. Be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share with a friend! bethelsd.org/podcast --TRANSCRIPT-- This transcript was automatically generated by Gemini from the original audio file. While it aims for high accuracy, it may contain minor discrepancies from the original audio. Doug: Hey everybody, I'm Doug, that's Conor, and you're listening to the Bethel School District Presents Podcast, and we have a great show for you today—very interesting conversation about the deliberate use of technology in our classrooms. We're going to get to that in just a few minutes. But Conor, you know we gotta start with useless trivia, and I've got a pretty good one today. Conor: Well, don't be stingy with it. Let's hear it. Doug: I was reading an article about the Pope's recent lung surgery, and it just got me thinking about our lungs. So Conor, did you know that your lungs are the largest organs in your body, and the surface area of both lungs—and don't think about this too much—is roughly the same size as a tennis court? And if you took the total length of the airways running through them, it's about 1,500 miles. So that is the distance from Chicago to Las Vegas. Conor: So I don't like that. And I'm going to say don't do those anymore. And that's all I have to say about that. Doug: No more medical trivia? Well, the weirdest thing about this is you'd assume you have two lungs, you'd assume they'd be a matched pair, right? Symmetrical, balanced, exactly the same—not even close. Your right lung has three separate sections, they're properly called lobes, while your left lung only has two. Why do you think that is? Conor: I don't like to think about this stuff. I'm not joking. Doug: Opting out of the conversation! Well, it's all about real estate. Your heart sits slightly off-center to the left; it takes up about two-thirds of the available chest space, and the left lung literally had to forfeit an entire lobe just to make space for it. And while we're talking about it, the right lung doesn't have a lot of real estate either. The liver is pushing up from underneath the diaphragm on that side, so it makes the right lung shorter, though overall it's a lot larger and heavier than the left side. And that, sir, is my useless trivia. You can take your earplugs out now; my source was the American Lung Association. Conor: Okay, moving on. Doug: What do you got for us this week? Conor: Disturbing! Well, a little palette cleanser here for you. Uh, I was a huge Nintendo fan as a kid, as I'm sure you were too, Doug, right? Doug: It's-a me! Conor: That's what I figured. I, like you, couldn't get enough of Super Mario Bros., but Douglas, this is interesting. Did you know that Nintendo, the company, was actually founded before radios, vacuum cleaners, or paper clips? Doug: That—this cannot possibly be true. Conor: It's absolutely true. Nintendo began in 1889 as a Japanese playing card company, long, long before Mario, video games, obviously even television. Marconi's pioneering radio experiments began in 1895, a full six years after Nintendo opened up shop. My source on that one is the always trustworthy Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Doug: It is weird that your source is the Museum of American History when this is Japanese history, but I think I'll let it slide for this week, because you, sir, did a lot of work. You took all the recording equipment over to

2. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Episode 190: Mind the gap! Freshmen speak out on their transition to high school

   Making the transition from middle to high school can be a tricky one. This week, we dive into how our district is setting incoming ninth graders up for success from day one. Hear directly from students about overcoming distractions, mastering tough classes, and turning freshman year challenges into big wins. You’ll learn how building the right habits today opens the door to massive dreams tomorrow. New episodes drop on Wednesdays wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also hear us on 101.9 Radio Tacoma, Saturdays at 2 p.m. Be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share with a friend! bethelsd.org/podcast --TRANSCRIPT-- This transcript was automatically generated by Gemini from the original audio file. While it aims for high accuracy, it may contain minor discrepancies from the original audio. Doug: Hey everybody, I'm Doug. That's Conor, and you're listening to the Bethel School District Presents Podcast. We have a great show for you today. We're going to be talking with some students who have made the move from middle to high school. That's right, freshmen, some ninth graders, will be joining us talking about that transition. It can be a difficult move for some kids, and we're going to see what Spanaway Lake High School is doing to help them make that transition. But before we do that, Conor, you know how we start the show. It's Useless Trivia Time! What have you got for our listeners this week? Conor: Well, Doug, I think I got a pretty decent one this week, actually. So, did you know that Finland has a national competition for carrying your wife? It's pretty serious stuff. The competition's officially called Eukonkanto, and it involves racing through a 250-meter obstacle course while carrying your better half. And the best part is the prize: the world champion traditionally receives the carried partner's weight in beer. Doug: Wow! First, let me congratulate you on that pronunciation. Well, well done. Conor: Thank you. I was really proud of myself. Doug: (Laughs) I heard you practicing! (Laughs) And second, that's wild! I had heard about competitions like this, where it's kind of these obscure races or tests of strength. I love this kind of stuff. Conor: Yeah, it's a great competition, very old school. And my source this week is a twofer: Euronews and, just so I can say it again, the official Eukonkanto website. Doug: Love it! Nicely done. Conor: What do you got, Doug? Doug: Well, I've got a good one, too, hopefully. You agree with me, we'll find out. Look on your face says you don't believe it's going to be a good one. So, way back in the day, this is back in the '90s, Conor. The World Wide Web is just getting started, so there had to be a first kind of every kind of website. Why don't you guess along with our listeners the very first website for a band or musical artist? Conor: That's actually fascinating, and unfortunately, I am old enough to remember all of this. I'm going to guess that was in the early-to-mid-'90s, '93-'94. I'm going to say Michael Jackson. Doug: That's actually a really good guess, and extra credit, you guessed 1994, that is the year. October 1994, Megadeth has the first-ever website for an artist or band. Conor: That is truly bizarre, but shoutout to Dave Mustaine and the boys for being trailblazers. Doug: Wrong band. Oh well, whatever. Conor: And what is your source on that? Doug: So, I was listening to the radio the other day, Jodi and Bender mentioned it. (Sound effect plays) Conor: Oh no! Our listeners know what that sound means. Your source has been challenged for lacking. Get back to work, Doug. Find me a better source. Doug: Okay, instead of Jodi and Bender, let's go with Billboard magazine, with a backup of American Songwriter. Conor: There we go, very respectable. We'll allow it. Doug: Well, thank you very much. So this week, you headed over to Spanaway Lake High School, and you sat down with some staff and students, in particular those involved in the Ninth Grade Success Program

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   Episode 189: Words that hurt, words that heal

   This week, we explore the profound impact of language in our schools and how everyday words can either harm or heal a student's sense of belonging. Through candid conversations with students, we examine the critical difference between intent and impact, the guilt that comes with staying silent, and how bystanders hold the key to shifting a school's culture. It's a look at building safer, more respectful, and inclusive spaces for everyone. New episodes drop on Wednesdays wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also hear us on 101.9 Radio Tacoma, Saturdays at 2 p.m. Be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share with a friend! bethelsd.org/podcast --TRANSCRIPT-- This transcript was automatically generated by Gemini from the original audio file. While it aims for high accuracy, it may contain minor discrepancies from the original audio. Conor: Hey everybody. I'm Conor, that's Doug, and this is the Bethel School District Presents Podcast, and we have a really fantastic, interesting show for you today. It's all about the power of language, the power to hurt, the power to heal, and how that affects students in particular. So, I headed out to Cougar Mountain Middle School to hear from those students themselves and some staff members, and we'll get to all that in a moment. But first, we gotta start with useless trivia, which is always how we start our show. And given that we're getting closer and closer to Halloween, I wanted to do a kind of pumpkin-themed useless trivia. So I'll start us out this week, Doug. Did you know that the world's largest pumpkins can be the size and weight of a small car? Doug: That is a giant gourd. What kind of automobile are we talking about here? Conor: I think a compact, but still. And growers even hollow out some of their giant pumpkins and use them as boats in little pumpkin regattas. It's pretty cool. Doug: That sounds so made up. Really, looking for your source this week. Conor: The world's heaviest pumpkin weighed in at an official 2,819 pounds, grown by a couple of British blokes, twins Ian and Stuart Paton. That was last October, so I guess we'll see this year if someone can beat 'em. My source on that is the always-trustworthy Guinness Book of World Records. Doug: That is fantastic. Really, really good useless trivia there, and very timely for the season. I like that. Conor: Well, thank you, Doug. What do you have for us? Doug: Mine comes from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Conor, did you know that Cleopatra lived closer to TikTok than she did to the Great Pyramids' construction? Conor: That's incredible. That makes no sense to me. Explain. Doug: I will, let's unpack it here. The thing that's happening is called time compression, and as things get farther back in history, we kind of lump them all together. So when I was in school, I learned about Cleopatra, I learned about the Pyramids, you lump them together. Kind of probably happened at the same time. Well, that period of time is about 2,500 years in between the building of the Great Pyramid and when Cleopatra was alive. She lived from about 69 to 30 BC, which means when TikTok was founded in 2017, that is about 2,000 years after Cleopatra, and Cleopatra is 2,500 years from the building of the Great Pyramid. Conor: Okay, that does make sense now. And, you know what, I bet Cleopatra would have been the best influencer. Her TikToks would have been fantastic. Doug: I will take your word for it. Well Conor, like you said, you were out at one of our middle schools, Cougar Mountain Middle School, and you were talking with students and staff about the power of language, how it can harm, how it can heal. Tell us more about that. Conor: Yeah, it's a really fascinating topic because harmful language is something that every age group has to deal with, but especially in school settings. Because as everyone knows, the younger students don't always have those internal filters fully squared away yet, and sometimes they say things that are h

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.1 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

4.3 / 5

7 ratings

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Guest appearances

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