The Redefining Rural Podcast

Career Connected Learning in the Colorado River BOCES

In today’s episode, Michelle Murphy, Kirk Banghart, and Denille LePlatt are joined by Ken Haptonstall (Executive Director, Colorado River BOCES) to discuss the integration of career and technical education (CTE) in rural communities. Haptonstall’s extensive experience and expertise with rural school districts in Colorado brings an eye-opening perspective to this conversation. Haptonstall emphasizes the importance of workforce development and industry certifications for students, infusing career connected learning into schools, and the challenges and solutions these initiatives face in a state predominantly focused on college readiness. Tune in to learn more about the real-world experience Haptonstall hopes to bring to rural schools in Colorado.

We are back with Career Connected Learning

We are back for our fifth season of Redefining Rural! In the opening episode Kirk, Michelle, and Denille talk with David Blackburn, the Superintendent of Salida Schools District, about the power of Career Connected Learning and the critical impact that the state grants have made to this work! We will also discuss how the end of these grants will hurt students across the state and possible solutions to keep the work going.

UCD’s: The Partnership for Rural Educator Preparation

Have you ever thought, “I want to become a teacher but I don’t want to leave my rural community”? In this episode, Valerie Sherman and Cindy Gutierrez from CU Denver talk about the exciting T-PREP program - a pathway for individuals and local talent who live and work in rural Colorado to earn a Bachelor’s degree and teacher licensure without needing to uproot or commute! Learn about how T-PREP leverages relationships with local community colleges, provides flexibility for families and working folks, and utilizes the role you may already perform in schools to meet licensure requirements. https://linktr.ee/redefiningrural [https://linktr.ee/redefiningrural]

North East BOCES and Student Bus tours

New Episode Alert! Tamara Durbin from NE BOCES shares creative teacher recruitment strategies with us! Through a partnership with Robert Fulton at UNC, 19 junior and senior students received an immersive experience in rural education this month. Get excited about the future of rural recruitment and retention by listening to the full episode here: https://linktr.ee/redefiningrural [https://linktr.ee/redefiningrural]

Season 4 Episode 4- TREP Program

Listen to this month’s Redefining Rural Podcast where Kirk talks to Erica Ryan, Post-Secondary Workforce Specialist at CDE. In this episode they discuss the new Teacher Recruitment, Education, and Preparation program (TREP) that offers the opportunity for high school students to have two years of higher education paid for by the state. Check out this podcast to learn more about TREP!