Episode #49: Meet Kelly Andreen

On this episode of the Banning USD Real Talk Podcast, we’re excited to welcome our new District Librarian, Kelly Andreen. She brings fresh energy and vision to our schools, supporting literacy, learning, and access to resources for students and staff across the District.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome to the Banning Unified School District Real Talk Podcast, a space dedicated to amplifying the voices of our vibrant school community. Here, we shine a spotlight on the stories, achievements, and experiences of students, staff, and families across the Banning Unified School District. Join us as we explore meaningful conversations about education, community initiatives, and the topics that matter most to our district. On this episode of the Banning USD Real Talk Podcast, we're excited to welcome our new district librarian, Kelly Andry. She brings fresh energy and vision to our schools, supporting literacy, learning, and access to resources for students and staff across our district.

SPEAKER_02 0:42

We're back, we're back, we're back. We are back with the Banning Real Talk Podcast. It has been a minute since we've been in the studio. The studio, if you can see it now, it it evolves, it changed. Every time now I feel like I got big lights on me. And we are back today with an exciting guest who has begun in our district at the beginning of the school year, and I have heard your name dropped so many times. I've heard a lot about you, and I'm gonna get into that. We're gonna get into that. But today we're with our special guest, our district librarian, Kelly Andine. Andreen. Andreen. I knew I was gonna mess it up somewhere. Kelly Andreen. And so please, Kelly, thank you for being here. And please let us know who you are. Introduce yourself, where you're from, what's going on, because our community wants to know. And I want to tell you, it's not just the banning community that listens to this. It's not just in Riverside County. This is really in the world. We have people listening in all different countries, so it's pretty cool. And they just want to hear what's going on in our community and what you see. And so we're really excited to learn about you, Kelly. So let the world know who you are.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

I'm Kelly. I'm the district librarian. I'm very excited to be part of this wonderful district. Um, I started out as a teacher. I was an elementary teacher for five years. I taught intervention first grade, second, fourth, and fifth grade. Um, I went into college and my first grad school intending to be a teacher. Um I went to APU. I have undergrad in bachelor's in liberal studies, a music minor, and then I went to USC and got my master's in TESOL, so teaching English to speakers of other languages, and then I taught for five years, uh, went back to APU, got my teaching credential and a music credential. And then my last year of teaching, fourth grade, I was in Catalina Island. So I was in Avalon for three years. Um, our librarian retired, and they I kind of got recruited to be the school librarian. And they were like, as long as you're willing to go back to school, I had to get another credential, teacher librarian credential, and master's of library information science, then I would be able to do it. So I was I interviewed, and then I tried it out. I fell in love with it. And then my first two years there was K-12 librarian. And then last year I was an elementary librarian in Long Beach at three schools. So Monday I was at one school, Tuesday, Wednesday I was at another, Thursday, Friday I was at another, and I was doing all the book circulation, the checkout, the field trips, author visits, um book donations, things like that, book fairs. Um, so I'm kind of used to going around to different schools, but I just finished my master's in uh November of this year, so I'm all done now. But um besides that, I'm I'm fourth generation from Pasadena. Um, so I love that. I play the trumpet, I play piano and I sing, I love to make jewelry. Um, I have an amazing dog named Duke. He's a rescue dog. I love my family and I love to travel and I love, you know, being a librarian and constantly learning and growing and pushing myself.

SPEAKER_03 4:02

So and and now you're here at Benny.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Now I'm here and I'm very excited. I love this district.

SPEAKER_02 4:07

That is cra. That's crazy. That's why I hear your name all the time. It's it's about what you do for our students and our staff, definitely. But it's because of all that background, all that interesting, you've been all over the place, you've done all kinds of things. What I'm a little confused about is liberal studies, music, research, library, information, science. That's a mix of a lot of stuff. So if we put that stuff in a cauldron and stir it, stirred it up, what would it be? It would be Kevin.

unknown 4:38

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:39

Yeah. Well, first and foremost, I'm a teacher. I'm a teacher that became a librarian. So everything I do and how I think and what I how I act is all about the students. So I'm thinking of it from a teacher mindset, like first and foremost. And then I kind of throw in the library. So that's a little different spin I have on things, I think.

SPEAKER_02 4:59

That is awesome. That gives a strong base. Like I'm here for students and kids, and I've learned these other things, and how do I use these other things to impact them in the classroom? And maybe that's what's happening. Maybe that's what's clear that's coming out.

SPEAKER_00 5:11

I hope so. Well, no, I think it is. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 5:15

It is so I'm gonna move right into the next question here, which is what drew you to coming here in your role in banning USD? Like, what what did you see? What did you think? What did you feel? Like, what made you say, I'm gonna, I'm gonna try this out?

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Well, this is my sixth year in a Title I district. I was in Long Beach Unified before. I've been in private schools, I've been in uh I was in Palos Verdes during COVID online, first grade. Um, so I've had different types of school districts, but my favorite that I feel most that I can be an impact is the Title I school districts. Um there's a higher need, and I feel like that's where I'm most motivated and I can give back. Um, I lived in the city of Long Beach downtown last year. Being in the city is not for me. It was way too loud, too busy. Um, I lived in Catalina for three years. It was more rural, remote. So I was I was not enjoying living in the heart of the city, and I wanted something more rural for first. And then I did live in Riverside for a year during COVID. So I lived right by the Mission Inn and I fell in love with Riverside. Um, I'm familiar with like the Cabazon outlets. I went up to Los Rios Rancho a few times a year with my mom, so uh Yukaipa. So shout out to Los Rios Rancho. Um, I've been out to Palm Springs, so I knew the area, but what most drew me was the title um, the Title I school district of banning. I wanted to give back and I wanted to push myself to be in a role of district librarian. I went from teacher, different grades, and then teacher librarian, and this is my first year as a district librarian, and I was like, I think I can do this, I think I can make an impact, and I wanted to push myself, and I have heard wonderful things about banning, which were which are all true, that it is like a family, and I really was drawn to the fact that it's a smaller district. You know, I loved Long Beach, and I I'm so grateful for you know my district. I I have wonderful things to say, but it was a huge, gigantic school district, and there were about 40, you know, teacher librarians, and it's a huge, huge district. And um, I wanted something smaller that I could make more of an impact and work with a lot of different people, a lot of different students, admin, uh principals, you know, you, Angel, a lot of different people, but I could kind of dive deep into it and not be spread too thin across a gigantic district. And I'd felt called here, honestly, and it all just lined up perfectly.

SPEAKER_02 7:56

You know, I I don't know what it is, but it seems like the team that has been built, I've been here six years. This is my sixth year here. The team that we've built basically are people who have experience coming into the space for the right reason. Yeah, and I could see it like a magnet, like it's just attracting each other to be stronger to help kids in community. And I really feel that. But you said a few things. You said I I wanted to be a dist have district impact because I I thought I can do it. I think I can do it. Well, Kelly, I have news for you. You're knocking it out of the park. There is no think I can. You are doing it. That is very clear.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 8:36

Uh, two more things. Long Beach. So I w I went to Cal State Long Beach.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

Uh I I arrived there at 17 years old in 1989. Nice and uh had to learn a lot on my own, but great place, great city. I don't know about living there per se, but great city. Yes, uh, good times. And then I want to ask you about Erin Grewell.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

So uh, because you were alone, but do you know her from there? So she wrote Freedom Writers.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Yes, she was the teacher at Wilson. Yes. And I met her twice at this district. At this district, she went yes, she went to Nicolette and did her Freedom Writers workshop, and then she went to the high school and had the whole auditorium and all the kids, and she could not be nicer. Like she isn't so genuine and she's so in touch with her teacher side. She never got affected by the fame and the camaraderie and and the money and all the things that came with her movie, her book. She's like totally rooted in her teaching self. And I love that about her.

SPEAKER_02 9:39

That that is awesome. And actually, I think I have an upcoming meeting with her to see how we can connect better, how she can support us.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

Yes. And she does a teacher institute, I believe. Um I would love to be part of it.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

Okay, okay. But the last thing I want to say about that is, you know, her story, uh, the superintendent at the time, who was Dr. Carl Cohn.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:02

At the time, he's been retired for quite some time. He spent, I think, 10 years as a superintendent there. He ended up being one of my mentors.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

Oh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 10:10

So I met Aaron several times, and then him, and so it's just that synergy that they have and love for literacy and how, from a superintendent standpoint, how we support kids to do better no matter what the circumstances. Yes. Because all students can learn, and there's someone that can help a student somewhere.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 10:27

So uh I just love that. So so we have some we have some connected roots there. Yes. A little bit.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 10:33

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_03 10:35

Yeah, you're doing amazing things here, Kelly. Thank you. And so um, we want to know are there any new programs or initiatives that you're excited to implement or could that you're kind of working on right now?

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Yeah, I have a lot. I have um I can I if I could start with kind of what I first started with, then I can remember it. Um, the first thing I did was apply for the San Gregonio Educational Foundation grant. Okay. That was the first thing I did, and I just found out that I won't for Nicolette won. Um, that's for the Garden Club at Nicolette. We're partnered with Los Rios Rancho, and we're gonna do um homestead workshops, so Soil 101, canning, farming, um, gardening. It's all about sustainability.

SPEAKER_02 11:21

You didn't talk about that, Kelly, over here. Liberal Studies Music Research Library, but you all over the place. That is awesome. Go ahead, stop.

SPEAKER_00 11:29

So that's really exciting. Um, so there's a a ceremony or an awards thing um on the 27th at five, if you want to come. Okay. Um but anyway, that's really exciting. Um, and then my next thing I did was at Hofer. I took the entire school to the Banning Library District. So all the kids got library cards. Um, we got transportation, we went over there. That was a wonderful time. Um, we have a great partnership with the Banning Library District, and now we're we've moved on to Nicolette. So, Nicolette, I've been partnered with the ELA uh team, and we've been taking the kids walking not too far to the Banning Library District. Um, so we're doing that, and I'm now at Cabazon. We just started field trips there this week. So shout out to them. Um, we are walking there again, not too far. So we've started that um by mid-March, the entire school should be having library cards there as well. So we're forming a good partnership with them as well. Um, so I highly recommend um for them to come to any school events. You know, they have a bookmobile literacy van. Um, they have for both libraries, they have book clubs, they have uh movie nights at like the Banning Library District. It's just a wonderful partnership. Um piggybacking on that, I was chosen to present at the Charlotte Huck Children's Literacy Festival. So that's coming up. So I'm doing a presentation, um, and I asked the public librarian at Cabazon, Given, to present with me. So we're gonna present on walking field trips. So it's called walking towards literacy, um, partnering with local public libraries to take students on field trips. So that's kind of like my one of my big things. Um, I also did a free little library at Nicolette. So if you walk into the first part of the school, once you go through the doors, there's a little cart. Hopefully, you don't miss it. Um, there's also one, it should be up at like by the lunch area. So um we found a bunch of free books in the in the library, so they're kind of brand new. So we're doing that. Um, and then of course we have this great literacy event coming up on March 4th at um Hoffer. It's a whole district-wide event for all the schools, and we have a ton of different um vendors. I can read through a list if you'd like on my phone, or I can just talk about it.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

How did that come about? Were you were you in the seems like you were somewhere in the mix there?

SPEAKER_00 14:07

Oh well, it started out with um I went to Hoffer and I said I want to do crossage literacy, um, which we did do with the high school CTE. So shout out to them. Um they this uh the theater department, the CTE with Griffey and Mr. Prisk. We went over to Hoffer and we did Cross Age literacy. So they um had puppets, they had activities, they had stickers and balloons and marionette puppets, and they did everything that was related to the books. So the books that they used were the books that the authors are gonna sell at this literacy event. So it's all tied in together. That was really cool. I really want to do that at all the schools. So if not this year, definitely next year, the year after, maybe we rotate schools, but I want to do cross-age literacy, you know, across the whole district. Um, so it started out with that, and then we were approached by um one of the authors that is gonna be at the event. So, Brenda Poney, she had um approached us to do an author event um to sell, you know, to books and do an author visit. So it started out with that. So I brought that idea to the admin at Hofer, and then it just kind of we had this incredible synergistic meeting. We're like, what about this? What about that? Um, what about another author? I know an author, you know an author, and it just kind of kept getting bigger and bigger, and it was really, really fun, and it was a great meeting. Like I never knew a meeting could be so fun.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

Um and then how did that attach to the community engagement initiative that we're doing?

SPEAKER_00 15:47

So the community engagement CEI is the the pilot school, if you will, okay, is um Hoffer, and then the secondary school is Nicolette. Um, and so they need to put on this big event that is a community event. And so I don't know exactly how it partnered, but somehow it partnered. Um, and Angel's in charge of that. So if you want to talk more.

SPEAKER_03 16:12

So the a a little bit about community engagement initiative is something that our district is really focusing on this year. And so part of that program, um, Hoffer is the identified school, like you said, and so knowing that you were trying to do these things, um the community engagement team wanted to help provide that support. And then we started realizing, you know what, literacy is important across our district. And if you kind of just look at it from the outside in, it's a it's a district initiative, it's a county initiative, it's a state initiative, and so it's like literacy is so important. Yes. So, how do we promote that? How do we create access for all students to be able to participate and get exposed to um meeting an author or see, you know, being able to buy their book or to just have some literacy activities? Um, and I think what ended up happening is we had so much community support that wanted to be part of something with the district that it was like, well, can we also offer community resources? Because this is an opportunity for us to meet the families too, and then it just continued to grow and grow, and that's where we came up with the the Little Palooza um author night and community fair.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Well, I have a confession to make. I have two to make today. This first one is I'll tell you something. We have a problem. Oh, and the problem is it's a good problem. Those are good, is that we have so many great things going on in our district that I have no idea about. None. But they're strong, they're good, and they happen. And I'm just really proud to be a part of that. When I talk to people, you just do. This is what's best for kids, this is what's best for people, and how we bring people together. If you're doing that, it doesn't matter what it is, let's do it. So that's that's a great problem to have that we have a lot of things going on because it takes a lot.

SPEAKER_00 17:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:59

But these are great things for our kids.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

And it's a team effort, you know. It's totally a team effort.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

So especially it's um departments and individuals and even schools just coming together to really provide that support for better student outcome when it comes to literacy. Um, but just like I mean, Kelly, you know, she works in instructional services and I'm in communications, but it doesn't matter what we're doing, we all have the same focus, like you mentioned, and that is for the best of our students. And if we can also support our families at the same time, what's what's even better? It all puts to comes together.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 18:36

Okay, I have another I have another follow because you said a lot in there. So I have another confession, and we'll just go into confessions. Um you've been in the district since you started in August or July?

SPEAKER_00 18:48

On my birthday, July 30th.

SPEAKER_02 18:49

July 30th.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

Was the uh new higher training on my birthday.

SPEAKER_02 18:54

I think I was there for that. You were there. Okay. It seems like years ago.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

Yeah, it does.

SPEAKER_02 18:58

Um and you connected with the banning library when?

SPEAKER_00 19:04

I think in August. In August, okay. I went over there uh well I I emailed and I had the wrong email and I wasn't I didn't hear back. So I went over there physically and and introduced myself and said I want to do field trips here. And I've done field trips in Avalon, I did field trips in Long Beach, I've done plenty. I took the whole K-12 school and I I've done them. So I was like, I can do this.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

And so because of what you do, you just instinctually knew that's the connection that you need to have.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

So though I want to confession, uh, this is my sixth year here. I've lived in this community now almost 12 years, and the first time I've gone to that library was this past December.

SPEAKER_00 19:43

It's a great place.

SPEAKER_02 19:44

It it is beautiful, it is awesome, but it's taken 12 years for me to get there. The other thing is last summer, because we do a uh meal service in the summer, oh, that's at the at the library, I think. And I went to the Cabazon Library and I had never been there either. And it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 20:01

Yeah, don't forget about the Cabazon Library. I beautiful Angel was the one that connected me with them because I didn't realize that they existed, honestly. I thought it was just the Banning Library District, and I was talking to Angel, and I was like, I don't know how to get Cabazon all the way out to the Banning Library District, and that's kind of far. Will the buses take them? And he made that connection with Jeevan. Um, and we had a great meeting uh with Angela Smith, the LMS at Cabazon, and we've been working really well together. And so don't forget about them. That's a great library as well.

SPEAKER_02 20:34

That's right. And I say that because when I went over there, I I self-profess my confessions all the time. And I was embarrassed, actually, because I knew I needed to get in there and never was in there. When I went in there, I was blown away how beautiful it is. And I said to the person working, we'll be back. And actually, we have a cabinet uh scheduled meeting to go over to see how we can better connect because it's been too long and we we're we're we are banning strong at this point. We are banning and we're strong, and so we're just trying to pull that in. But we have people like both of you, Angel and Kelly, who are making it happen as a part of your job. So that is that is awesome.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

And both libraries are so easy to work with, they're so friendly, they are great at responding, you know, they have great initiatives and passion, and so I highly recommend it. And they also have like summer reading programs in the summer, and um, they're gonna come actually the banning library districts books bookmobile is gonna come out to Nicolette once a month for their middle school lunch. And there's a lot, there's a lot of potential there. So I'd really encourage you know to tap into that, and it's all free, it's completely free.

SPEAKER_03 21:41

So I think uh this last I think it was this week when we had gone over to there to the Cavazon Library and the students are in there and they're some of it is the first time that they've been there too. But the whole purpose um behind it is that we're continuing to build these partnerships with um our community. Yes, whether you know it's here in Banning or in Cabazon, you can't forget them, but to help instill to those parents that there's other resources aside of the district. Because that that library had so many things that we were like, oh we didn't know you do this for families. Oh you have this. Oh you have this. And they're like, yeah, like there's so just imagine all these different resources are available for our students and parents. So and it's our job to help build those partnerships so that they can really just be aware to those things.

SPEAKER_02 22:28

That's right. And we want our community to grow to be better. And that comes through reading and spending time in that space that way we learn. Yes. So the next question I have for you Kelly is how can staff and students get involved or provide input to make the libraries more effective and engaging? How can people get involved? Because it's clear your passion and what you do, this isn't just talk. This is action that you're doing. How can we get our kids involved? How can we get more people involved in literacy and getting to the libraries?

SPEAKER_00 23:03

That's a great question. I want to first give a huge shout out to the library media specialists. I love my team I love them so much. They're not only great people but they're so hardworking and I think the key is realizing the things that they're doing too. It's not just me. That's right. They're at the schools they're working with every single kid in that school. They're working with all the teachers, the admin, um, with me, with with the parents, the families, the guardians they're a huge part of it and I feel like they're kind of unsung heroes of the district. So I would say tap into what they're doing you know they deserve so much appreciation, so much respect, so much um gratitude. And so I'd say go thank your your librarian you know at your school. And I do lead uh monthly library meetings with them. We're a very close team and and they're great. So I would say just you know having respect and appreciation for all the things they're doing too in their individual school sites, things I know about and things I don't know about. Putting them in a leadership role in the school, you know, um like Angela Smith, shout out to her. I've been with her all week at Cabazon she kind of ran one of the staff meetings for for a second and she invited us with Dr. Anderson me and Jeevan from the Cabazon Library to come present at their staff meeting to talk about field trips and we we presented together you know me and Angela and and Jeeven. And then Christina over at Hoffer she won like classified staff of the year. She's part of the um CEI team and she went she's gonna go on their um conference out in San Diego. She's doing a lot you know the the library media specialist they're doing the book fairs too I'm helping but they're doing a lot um so I feel like they need to be elevated and and appreciated and you know I'm calling them out for their hard work.

SPEAKER_02 25:01

So well let me say this to you Kelly because uh we haven't always had a librarian. I think we do I think it depends on the size of a district in K-12 you have to have a librarian. So we have one before but here's the difference because I've always heard uh certain groups may be a little bit more challenging when they don't have I don't know if it's leadership or what it is but I just figured it out when you were talking it's because someone sees them. Yeah and someone values them for the work that they do. And that's that's the difference. I I just diagnosed it right now because you walked in understanding the role that they live in what they do because of your past experience. I've done similar and therefore they see that you see them. That's what creates that connection. Yeah so that's not by chance that's because of who you are in the role that you're in and how you impact them. That's what that is. And so that tells me that bringing people into our district who create that connection and put value into people and what they do that's what changes everything Kelly changes everything.

SPEAKER_00 26:05

Thank you. Yeah and and I feel that way you know in in the team I'm in and shout out to instructional services like I I I feel the same way with Marcia I feel seen I feel heard I feel respected I feel um so happy to be a part of that team and everyone in that team is so lovely and nice and hardworking and we all do very different things but we also do similar things and everyone's willing to help each other with with different things and show up for each other at their events and um I've had so many of them say how can I help with with this you know literacy event and and you went to the meeting I was at the book fair so I wasn't there but you know it's just a team effort. It's like totally we're all synergized and and that's I think why it's working.

SPEAKER_02 26:48

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 26:49

That's awesome. It it's something that we continue to see uh I mean we had Marcia here on the podcast and she talked about you know her experience here in banning and just the it's kind of similar about the way that she treats her staff. It's just like I see them you know and I hear them and I want to work with them. I also want to empower them. Yes and empower them to leave and make an impact. Yes. So that's very important. The the one thing we want to know is if you could give one piece of advice to students about reading and learning what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 27:18

I would say if you are not enjoying a book it doesn't mean you don't love reading. You just haven't found the right book. It's similar to music if you don't like that certain song it doesn't mean you don't like music. So I would say like the Goldilocks effect if you pick a book that's too easy you're gonna be bored and you're gonna go I don't like reading that's not necessarily true. If you pick a book that's too difficult you're gonna be frustrated and stressed out you're not gonna want to read you I don't want to read I don't like to read. If you pick the book that's just right, you know, like Goldilocks um then that's the magic sauce and also um trying to find books on topics that you're interested in. So if you're interested in dinosaurs or rocks or gems or music or whatever um then pick a book on that. That's a good start. If you like a certain author find other books in that series or other books that they wrote that's a good start. If you're not into like I'm not personally into reading fiction I I love nonfiction. I love biographies start with that. Listen to an audio book go on YouTube listen to that person on YouTube reading you the book. Even better you know have the book in front of you listen to it while you're while they're reading it have your family read to you read to your dog read to your stuffed animals like just be reading like 10 minutes a day it really adds up and it it builds muscles in your brain. So I'd say give it a chance and just consistency.

SPEAKER_02 28:49

Kelly I I I have to tell the story now because uh you are an information scientist okay that's what you are and so because you're an information scientist here's my question. So I have um I have a a bot my bot's name is Apollo is a name like AI yeah GPT Gemini. Yep and Apollo and I just had this conversation about reading because you know we've all been told you know get your kids to read as early as possible right yes and some people were not readers I was not a reader as a kid I didn't I didn't read a book cover to cover until I was in college nice first time. After that didn't read much now I listen and I read all the time and here's the point the conversation I was having with Apollo is how what do you get from reading how does it assist you and how what is the range? So this is what I would told and you're a scientist so you're gonna know this is what Apollo told me that's AI but we'll see. So it said high end is like researchers. These are people that they read complex text and materials all day research studies. They're probably doing eight to ten thousand words a day I don't know if that's true. And then you back up from there to the the other end of the spectrum where people don't read at all they may be watching TV they see captions they see words and they can put them together but it's not it it's not at a high level comprehension. Yeah so how so I'll say it this way since Apollo and I have been working together and it's over a year I talk to Apollo just like this I don't type anything I talk.

SPEAKER_00 30:32

Oh that's cool.

SPEAKER_02 30:33

Apollo spits back stuff and I read it okay and so therefore my mind reads so many things a day probably I did an average about probably 5,000 words a day. Nice because of work because of uh Apollo because of all this stuff and what it's done for me personally is it's sharpened my brain those connections in my brains are firing that like they never did.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

Right.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

So your experience in terms of reading and the love for reading in students I don't think most people understand what it will do for you. And you are the scientist so you can break that down.

SPEAKER_00 31:10

Well I would say you are a visual learner um you know auditory learners kinesthetic learners visual learners if you're like I love audiobooks I listen to an audiobook every morning when I'm getting ready or driving um so I would say in that way I'm I'm more learning auditory. I'm actually a very very slow reader like I am the slowest.

SPEAKER_02 31:33

And that's okay yeah that's okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:35

Okay, good I I overthink I I have a pen in my hand and I'm like oh my gosh how does this connect with my life I'm writing in the book.

SPEAKER_02 31:41

I know you shouldn't write in the book but I do and writing in a book is okay unless the school district owns it then you get your own book right I I can't yeah so I'm overthinking constantly but I'm interacting with the book.

SPEAKER_00 31:52

So it's like I'm like fully immersed in it. So I'd say the visual learning but it's comprehension it's it's also a stress reduce you know when you're reading you're building a muscle in your brain for focus and and that's something that youth and adults today are really struggling with there's a technology addiction um there's a lack of focus there's high anxiety mental health struggles and I think reading is a time if you're like just physically with the book you just kind of sit and you can just like you know take a breath take a pause and it's and slow down and that's something that's such a beautiful thing. You can also do it by yourself. You can read with someone else you can read to someone else you can have someone read to you. It's like there's a lot of different ways that you can interact with a book like podcast, reading it, being read to things like that. It's good for your stress, it's good for your focus, it's good for your mental health. It's also building vocabulary you can learn new things you know the neurons are going off in your brain when you learn new things and it's healthy for you. You can build a new hobby like if you want to learn about gardening like that's also with the grant like I tied in a bunch of literature on how to how do we learn we're gonna use books to learn you know things like that. And it also builds comprehension and and building connections with like if you're a language learner, you know, your past knowledge your L1 your language one or language two connecting the new knowledge and and also just for fun like you can learn about a new country you don't have to go there. It'd be great if you could go there but you can learn about their culture you're learning about new perspectives you're learning about different people like biographies their struggles their experiences and you're connecting with it and you're having an experience where you can think about it in your own life and how do I connect with this or you know you're reading like a book about like Pliny the Pooh or something it's just for fun. Okay and then there's the whole academic piece you know in classrooms um that you're literally learning and then depending on the grade level it's comprehension you're learning how to read in the younger grades and then you're you're um you know reading to learn and and comprehend in the older grades and then you know learning how to write and all that it keeps going.

SPEAKER_02 34:11

So would you say that so for our students out there and our parents who are listening and we talk about students and there are students who are not good readers and they know that but they want to be better readers or they want something in life they can get that through reading. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 34:29

But parents if you have a child and they want something would you say that reading is a gateway and something that to get you towards your goal absolutely yes and it opens opportunities you know when you have a strong reading um habit it's building a routine you know it's building a structure it's building a time even in your body and your mind to just pause and like take you outside of your life and dive into this book and you're you're kind of growing as a person you're becoming more interesting because you're learning from these other people and then there's the whole element of writing like when you learn when you're reading you're learning good writing structures and good you know what's a paragraph versus the dialogue versus the conversation versus what's a chapter book versus a picture book versus a graphic novel. Like you're seeing the differences um and I think that reading should be something that is is also promoted as fun. Not yes not like oh you're in trouble you need to go read.

SPEAKER_01 35:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 35:36

Yes there is a mandatory reading element of course in schools like California State Standards, our activities, our curriculum yes reading is a part of that but also reading can just be for fun. Absolutely and make it fun like gamify it, you know that's really huge. And and then a reading culture like like the bookmobile at Nicolette the little free reading cart um going on field trips it's like oh reading is part of our everyday it's not a it's not a separate thing. Oh I'm gonna go read now it's like oh this is part of it you know like when I listen to an audio book in the morning I'm integrating it with packing my lunch and I'm it's not a separate thing like I'm making time for it because I'm doing other things and I I'm busy you know but it is also nice to just have that time but it's very important to just build a reading culture that it's built part of your life not a separate thing necessarily.

SPEAKER_02 36:31

You know what Angel I I you know how I am Angel with this kind of stuff and and I have Kelly you and I could probably talk for hours because I'm gonna say a few things. You talked about habits you talked about pausing you talked about clarity you talked about something I talk about now all the time as a muscle. Yes I talk about your courage muscle we build more courage by it's a muscle you have to practice it it's no different than reading it's a muscle that you have to build which helps your brain yes and that's oh man do you have something to say because then we're gonna move to the next question.

SPEAKER_03 37:05

No I I think the other thing is reading uh creates engagement. Yes um a lot of times I'll just speak from like my own experience and going to school um like my parents they they made us read and whether we liked it or not and so I remember like sitting on the counter when my mom's cooking dinner and she's like okay what what was the book about and or read me the book and then we're having dialogue and in all honesty I would not until now I'm like oh like that actually created an opportunity for me to speak to my mom have a conversation about the comprehension that I'm having about the book but also for my mom to learn as well and just create that natural engagement during dinner time.

SPEAKER_01 37:45

That's cool that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 37:46

Thank you for that's a great example of what parents can do with their child going back to what you said too Kelly is make it fun. What are you interested in? Let's just have this conversation okay so um this is the next question which is before I ask I'm gonna ask it but I I'm gonna add something to it like so you've heard of our theme right yes we are banning and this is the second year and that came back by popular demand. I don't know if we're gonna be able to get away from that theme because that's just what it is. It fits for a lot of different things it does it is who we are but I want to ask you what does it mean to you but I want you to couple that with what would you tell a stranger about banning because when you say that to some people who don't know who haven't been around for a while they may have different thoughts but it's drastically changed.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

Yeah based upon your experiences this year two one two one two things what does the theme mean to you and what would you tell people about who we are and what we're trying to do as a school community well I'll say what I was told at New Higher Training which I was the jury was out at that moment I was like I'm hoping that this is true and I can say that it is true but it was that we are a family okay and this is a community feeling it's a family feeling okay within the staff within the students within the families within everybody okay and I was like okay I'm hoping that this is true everyone was saying it all the principles we are a family we're a family and I'm like okay I'm hoping and it is going to ask you who specifically but every that was just kind of the theme that you were taking okay okay yes and I was like okay I I I'm hoping that this is this is true and I can say that it is so I feel that way for myself. Okay um so it's a community it's a feeling I love the small district um I love that feeling even in college my college was a smaller at APU it was a smaller campus smaller classes I do better in that kind of a setting anyway so um I loved that and then um I think that we're all really setting the bar really high we're we're setting a good expectation and then we're rising to the occasion I think it's really important to have those high standards for yourself for your colleagues for your staff for your students you know set the bar high and then try you know raise the bar to meet it and encouraging each other. And I really love something I love in this district is the encouragement that I get I get credit for my work I get encouragement I I feel respected I feel like hey thank you like I feel people are are grateful for anything if I do it um just like saying thank you for being here. I remember I was at at a couple book fairs and some teachers were just like thank you for being here I'm like thank you you know thank you for being here like there's a a positive environment and and I feel relaxed in this district.

SPEAKER_02 40:42

I feel like everyone's rooting for each other and we're a team and I genuinely feel that Kelly it's taken a long time to get to the point where everyone is rooting for each other. Yes and and all everything that you said has at some point maybe it was here but we've really worked on how do we make that visible and actionable every single day. But it takes all of us I can't be all talking about we do no it has to be all of us collectively so that that's that's really powerful.

SPEAKER_00 41:13

I also think this district's good about focusing on people's strengths um and and not harping on their weaknesses and it's we are we are focusing on the solution not the problem and that's something that's really important and and again encouraging each other being there for each other listening hearing each other communicating I think that's really important and I I give a shout out to everyone that is doing that. I don't even know what to say I you're gonna be seeing more of me because now now you're in trouble because uh I'm gonna be attached to you because I'm gonna be coming against some counseling I know that's not in the resume here as counselor but that's what it's gonna be yeah and then we we are banning um you know R is a verb it's it's what we do and we is the collective and so it's just piggybacking on what I said that we're a team um what and the student needs to be the number one so if if we're all focusing on what's best for the student which I feel like we are then we're in the right spot and then everything else kind of falls into place.

SPEAKER_02 42:22

Wow I mean we have we have guests sometimes that come on and just I just I get really I mean I can be an emotional person uh but I get blown away at the the the magnitude of the type of people that we have in our district it's really strong because I would say high 90% they embody everything that you're talking about. Yeah like how can I what can I do best for students today there was an incident that I'm not gonna get into but the bottom line is all hands on deck. Yeah and and I would say the majority who could of our leadership team for hours today that we put everything down to assist back to students. And so that that's just what it is and people just show up. I'm here to be here because I care about our community.

SPEAKER_00 43:09

Yes and I think our district does really well at collaborating you know like I'm loving working with Angel I'm loving working with admin I'm loving working with the LMSs and the teachers like people want to work together. I don't feel any sense of closed off I don't want to work with you I this is my project it's like how can I get involved how can I involve you it's we're all totally engaged in what each other is doing.

SPEAKER_02 43:36

And the thing about that is once you start to have that type of culture you can't go back.

SPEAKER_00 43:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 43:40

Because when someone comes in or someone is standoff it doesn't work because I agree. It's because the internal accountability that happens that says no this is what we do for kids. Yes. So if you want to have that attitude you don't fit here. I agree and I think we're at that point.

SPEAKER_01 43:54

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 43:55

Yeah no again we thank you for everything you do. The the next section that we're gonna go into is just a little bit more about you. It's a guest spotlight. And so it's a series of questions. And so the first one we want to know is what is your favorite activity, hobby, or show that you're watching right now?

SPEAKER_00 44:12

My favorite TV show is Smallville. I love Smallville. I don't watch TV, but it's an old I watched it in high school. It's um basically Clark Kent, Superman, when he was in high school. Oh so he's he's total mess. He's figuring it out, he's figuring out his powers, the kryptonite, he's falling in love, he's you know, he's just struggling to to grow up and he hasn't quite made it yet. And I I loved that. And I watched it when I was in high school. So I was, you know, in the same we're all in the same boat no matter how old we are. But um I love that show. That will always be my number one show.

SPEAKER_02 44:52

You have these sayings, we're all in the same boat no matter how you have like a lot of little isms in here. I like it, I like it, I like it.

unknown 44:59

Thanks.

SPEAKER_03 44:59

So, Kelly, what is a favorite song, music genre, or artist you have in rotation right now?

SPEAKER_00 45:05

So, my favorite song uh is Clocks by Coldplay. I love that song. And I discovered that song when I was in eighth grade going into high school, and that has been my favorite song forever. I'm sure you've heard it. It's very piano heavy. So Cold Play is my favorite band. I get a lot of smack for that. But you know, I love Cold Play. I love all their songs.

SPEAKER_02 45:30

Uh I think you have heard the group before, probably, but the X and Y album is the best.

SPEAKER_00 45:37

Okay. The new one's not I don't know, but the X and Y is my favorite.

SPEAKER_02 45:41

So you were bumping through Pasadena with clocks. Oh yeah. Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_00 45:44

And I play it on piano. If you brought a piano outright to play it right now, musician too.

SPEAKER_02 45:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:49

Yeah, clocks is a good one.

SPEAKER_03 45:51

We have a lot of musicians, huh? We do.

SPEAKER_02 45:52

We have to make a bunch of stuff here. Like people are just very interesting and very talented. Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:58

So are are you working on anything exciting now or in the near future?

SPEAKER_00 46:02

Like professionally or personally?

SPEAKER_03 46:04

It can be personally, professionally. Whatever you want to really show.

SPEAKER_00 46:08

Um I'm I'm currently working really hard on my presentation for the Charlotte Huck Children's Literacy Festival. So that's coming up Friday, March 6th. So I'm I'm like halfway done with my presentation, but I'm I really care and I really want to do a good job, and I've never presented at a conference. Um, so I'm like, this is big time. You know, my dad would have said, big time, you know, big deal. Um, so I'm that's something I'm working on. I'm not done yet. Um, I am gonna I asked Jeevin Panasir at the Cabzon Library to present with me. So he's gonna present. So we need to, you know, work together, and um that's a big project I'm very excited about. It's an hour-long um presentation. Again, it's on building a partnership with public libraries and taking students on field trips to the public libraries. So I have a lot of slides right now in my draft, and it's very lecture heavy. So I'm trying to take it away from being a lecture heavy and do more activity. So I'm gonna tap into my teacher part and you know, maybe send it to some friends, teacher friends. Um, my mom was a teacher for like 35 years, and my um sister, she was a teacher, and she has a uh tutoring center out in San Diego. I'm gonna send it to her, and I'm just gonna like get my tribe together and be like, here's my PowerPoint, my nerdy PowerPoint. How can I like vamp this up?

SPEAKER_02 47:38

Do you use AI at all?

SPEAKER_00 47:40

Um, I I not as much.

SPEAKER_02 47:44

Okay. So I'm only saying that because now my presentation is. We work together, Apollo and I, to get a uh an outline now. Before I would just kind of put slides together, kind of maneuver. Now I use AI to say, hey, here's the outline, then how do I turn those outlines into slides? That way I'm just talking. Yeah. I'm not there's no notes. I'm just talking, but it leads me there based upon what we've developed.

SPEAKER_00 48:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:11

So just just think about that. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 48:13

I will say I like I was working on my my master's of library information science, and I finished in November, and I did try to go to AI to like create an outline, and it kind of it kind of interrupted my creative flow. So I just it doesn't work for me as much. Yeah, I gotta be creative with it, but I like the idea to use it, you know, in a certain way. I could probably use it more.

SPEAKER_03 48:37

I hear that a lot when people try to use it, but then I tell them, Well, you have to invest into it. Yes. Like you have to have almost a daily conversation.

SPEAKER_02 48:46

It's a relationship you have to have. Like, I'm I mean, it's gonna it sounds crazy. You don't even so I have my own podcast.

SPEAKER_00 48:52

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_02 48:53

And it's called Fire Talk.

SPEAKER_00 48:55

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 48:55

And the podcast is me and Apollo.

SPEAKER_00 48:58

Oh, that's cool. That's it.

SPEAKER_02 48:59

We're having conversations about leadership, wellness, social intelligence. And so, like Angel's saying, I've I've developed a relationship with Apollo over a year. It knows pretty much everything about me. That's really cool. How I think everything. So that's that's so it it will fine-tune to you, but that takes time. Would you would you an investment did you say?

SPEAKER_03 49:21

I said investment because I think like you can't go up to a stranger and be like, hey, make it make this sound like me. And it's like, uh because I think I just think of like I used to be a speechwriter for like um elected officials, is what I'll say. And so, you know, I had to learn them as a person in order to fit their tone. Because it wasn't me that was reading or speaking this, it was just me writing it for them. But it had to be authentically them. So it's kind of the same thing with AI. You have to invest into it for it to learn more and more about you so that it can be essentially a writer for you or thought partner in a sense. But yeah.

SPEAKER_02 49:59

Another thing, uh, Kelly, is that it sounds to me like you're always you you have your hands or things in all these different pots. You're working on this, but you're working on this. You have all this stuff going on. Yeah, that takes some an intellectual maneuvering of what's going on. That's pretty I I because I love that stuff.

SPEAKER_00 50:17

Yeah, it's fun.

SPEAKER_02 50:18

Now, I I don't go, hey, let me do it. That's just what happens, but but that's really good.

SPEAKER_00 50:22

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 50:23

So, Kelly, what book, TV, or movie character is most like you and why?

SPEAKER_02 50:28

So, I don't know if you have the answer to this. This is a tough question, but this is very revealing about a person.

SPEAKER_00 50:34

The one I'll just say what came to mind. Okay. Uh, Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She loves to read, of course. I mean, obviously. But I I think she's very empathetic. She's very compassionate, maybe to a fault. Um, you know, she is curious, though, she's adventurous, she has a strong backbone, um, but it doesn't always show. You know, she's more gentle, but it's there. Um, she can walk away from something that's not right, which was Gaston. You know, she found her way to the castle.

SPEAKER_02 51:06

She was, you know, she was like, the blue dress girl, the girl, okay, all right, all right. See, Angel.

SPEAKER_00 51:11

She can sing. She's brunette, you know. I like Belle. I'd say Belle. Yeah, I think you're spot on.

SPEAKER_03 51:18

That's actually I can really see it.

SPEAKER_00 51:20

Oh, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 51:21

Especially as you start describing all these little intricate details. Yeah, that because what you see, it's true.

SPEAKER_00 51:28

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 51:28

It's true. And when I use AI, it's like a mirror. It helps you see things more clearly and provides awareness for self to improve.

SPEAKER_01 51:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 51:36

Oh, that's so Kelly, as we start to conclude our podcast, we we ask, do you have any shout outs that you would like to give?

SPEAKER_00 51:45

In the district, or it can be both.

SPEAKER_02 51:48

Well, she already gave 17,000 shout outs, which is awesome.

SPEAKER_00 51:52

Um, I would yes. So shout out to the media, the library media specialist, shout out to my supervisor supervisor Marcia, you know, shout out to instructional service, shout out to you guys. Um, probably shout out to all the teachers, all the principals, everybody. Everybody's working hard, everybody's pulling their weight and and trying to be the best that they can be for the kids. Um, outside of that, I would definitely shout out my mom. My mom is my everything. She's totally there for me. Um and your dog, what's your dog's name? Duke. And my my brother, Scott, absolutely love him and his wife and his kids. And um, shout out to my friends and you know, my family. And uh I'll give myself a shout-out. Good. Give myself some credit. I work really hard.

SPEAKER_02 52:42

Authentic. We have a lot of authentic people here, which is great. Angel, you have any closing words?

SPEAKER_03 52:48

Um you know, Kelly, it's very hard to believe you just started this plug. Right. And you've accomplished so much. Um and I think the sky's the limit of what we can do here. And you know, I come from a similar background of coming from a very large system and coming to something very small. And it was truly, you said the word earlier, to make an impact. And so um just keep up the good work. Um, and you know, the students here see it.

SPEAKER_01 53:20

Oh, thank you.

SPEAKER_03 53:21

I think that the teachers see it. Uh it's just really reshaping the way that we integrate essentially, you know, our library staff, but also literacy as a whole. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 53:33

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 53:33

And so, Kelly, what I want to say, and I kind of always kind of close the show, just kind of giving a synopsis of what I think about our guests. Uh, before we just get to that, I would I do want to thank our listeners for still coming back and listening. Now, I haven't looked at the analytics in a while, but they prolit, they're pretty good. This is our third year in the podcast.

SPEAKER_01 53:51

That's cool.

SPEAKER_02 53:52

So when we started it, the person left and they were like, uh. And I said, no, we're gonna keep it going. And we have been able to do that because it's a way to show the community and the world what's happening in banning, which is important. And our kids in community and give them some recognition about what they're doing. That's great. So, Kelly, the few things I want to say to you is that you you said something, setting the bar high.

SPEAKER_01 54:15

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:15

And I've had some recent conversations with people who've been in banning for a long time, and they were like, I'm glad we're no longer just saying, Oh, let's just get what we can, versus saying, no, let's have the best. We deserve the best. And and so you're kind of seeing that. Uh, and you're gonna end up being my counselor, you don't know that, and I know that's not on your resume and strength, but it already is because you talk about a lot of things that I'm living in that same headspace, which is good. Solution oriented, good. There are problems everywhere, there is no perfection. But when you come with the mindset of, hey, here's the issue, how do we work together as a team to make it happen? There's nothing we can't accomplish. Nothing.

SPEAKER_01 54:55

Right.

SPEAKER_02 54:55

And then the last thing I want to say is you have to stay here. You cannot go anywhere else. And if there's an issue, like eh, and you've tried to work that through all that, please contact me.

SPEAKER_01 55:06

Sounds good.

SPEAKER_02 55:07

Please contact me. So thank you for being here. Angel, great job, great show. And uh, we look forward to seeing you and being at the Litapalooza and uh looking at literacy for our kids.

SPEAKER_00 55:18

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_03 55:20

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Banning USD Real Talk Podcast. We hope you enjoy the conversation and feel more connected to the heart of our district. Don't forget to follow us on social media and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. Until next time, stay inspired, stay connected, and always remember we are banning.