IRSD Spotlight

Stefanie McElhinny, Sam O’Shields and Jesse Steele have all experienced glory on the athletic field. In this episode, we hear their stories.

In this episode, we speak with four administrators – Renee Jerns, Jenna Argo, Corey Dietrich and Kristina Gosnell – who are moving into new positions for the 2025-2026 school year.

It took five years, a global pandemic, extensive value engineering and a lot of uncertainty, but the new Sussex Central High School is finally ready to open its doors to students, staff and the community. In our first back-to-school episode for 2025-2026, we speak with two people for whom the opening of the new school has special meaning.

On the surface, the concept of co-teaching seems rather straight-forward and self-explanatory. But the concept is much more layered and nuanced than you might think. It’s also a key component of the Indian River School District’s special education services. Melissa Whisted and Patricia Harris explain the practice of co-teaching for IRSD families.

Amanda Howard has been a kindergarten teacher at Long Neck Elementary School for the past 11 years and it has been the fulfillment of a life-long dream. On May 8, she received the Indian River School District’s highest teaching honor when she was named IRSD Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026. Amanda's enthusiasm for teaching kindergarten is infectious, engaging and funny. And according to many of her colleagues, she possesses all of the qualities of a truly gifted educator.