Episode 7 (Part 2): Live from the Innovation Fair

We’re back with Part 2 of our special live episode from the Upper Perkiomen Innovation Fair, where students, staff, and community members share innovative ideas to support learning and strengthen our schools.

In this episode, we hear from:

• Aubrey Clayton & Jake Tankelewicz – All-Year Schooling Proposal
• Bobby Kurzweg & Sarah Conrad – Athletics Community Sponsorship Program
• Ruby Reinstein, Max Thackray & Mackenzie Lauman – Technology Use in Schools
• Paige Long & Maelyn Bolinsky – Sponsor a Scholar
• Trina Schaarschmidt – Research-Based Achievement Correlation
• Sharon Shipe – Community Education Program

This episode continues highlighting the creativity, research, and collaboration that make the Upper Perkiomen Innovation Fair such a powerful showcase of ideas.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and BuzzSprout.

Stay tuned for more stories and voices from across the Upper Perkiomen School District on Inside UP! 🎙️

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

With your host, Upper Perky Oman School District Superintendent, Dr. Alan Roche.

unknown 0:12

We are Upper Perkins.

SPEAKER_00 0:13

And we're back for part two of the podcast, an overview of the Innovation Fair. Please welcome two students that are going to talk to us about all-year school and stay tuned all the way to the end to hear from one of our school board members. And we're back. We're hitting it out of the park tonight with another student duo. Let's welcome Aubrey and Jake, who's going to talk to us a little bit about all-year schooling. So wow, that's a big concept. That would be life-changing for some of us, right? So thanks for joining me tonight at the podcast. Thanks for really putting your uh your hard work out there and presenting. So welcome.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

So talk to us a little bit about your idea, what what motivated you to first of all come up with the idea, and then to say, you know what, we're going to put ourselves out there and and and present at the innovation fair.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

So definitely we decided that we wanted to do it because um it would help students overall in general and the district as a general because it helps with regression and definitely it keeps students more social and it keeps them from being burnt out at the end of the year. Because as like school months go on, more and more work piles up and students just get tired. So having like the model we looked at was 45 days on and then 15 days off. Okay. So then it would be like 45 days of school and then three weeks.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

Yeah. Right. Three weeks, three-week break. Right. Okay. How about you, Jake? What are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Um in Mr. Parada's um social studies class, we had a question that said, would you like all year-round schooling? And I dug a little deeper into it and I'm like, man, this is this is a great idea for uh for something for our school. And just having that efficient schedule continuing and having the students uh be affected by this, being burnt out less, and just overall having that 15-day break to communicate with friends, and um just having a good time during that 15 uh day break would just be uh very good for our school and our students.

SPEAKER_00 2:23

What's the setup for the classes? Is it still a normal day with six or seven classes um go rotating through?

SPEAKER_02 2:30

Yeah, so it would be like still like a normal school day, except it would be for the nine weeks.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Right.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

And then you would have your three weeks off. So it'd still be our normal schedule, like 7.35 to like 2.30.

SPEAKER_00 2:41

Right. But to help reduce on regression, I guess the materials would be taught. It would almost be like the self-contained unit closing out at nine weeks and then a little break and then picking up some new material. So what are you hoping comes out of tonight uh when you're presenting your ideas and getting some feedback from people?

SPEAKER_02 2:56

Um we're definitely hoping that like some people would take it into consideration. And we've had a lot of people come up and talk to us and say that they wanted us to like do more research on it because they would be really interested in taking the idea and like trying to run with it.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Trying to run with it. Yeah, there are states. I have a my niece uh teaches in Virginia and she's on a similar schedule with and she loves the three weeks off. She's able to go back to home and try to do a little travel, and uh and she's she swears by it says it's it's just fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 3:25

That was one of our key points too was family vacations because a lot of times like parents they still work over the summer, so even if their kids don't have school, they might not be able to get off of work.

SPEAKER_10 3:36

Right.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

So it having those 15 day breaks throughout the year would help with you know parents being able to get off work and taking their kids on a vacation during those 15 days instead of pulling them out of class where they're losing learning time and not getting, you know.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Yeah. In other states, Oklahoma specifically, the whole state, the college, K K K through 12 and colleges are all in the same spring break for that exact reason. So that people can plan as a family. Doesn't matter if you're in elementary or secondary or even in college, they're promoting that. So that's an interesting concept. All right. Well, thanks for joining me today on the podcast. I look forward to going out and and listening to your presentation. Thank you for having us. Thank you for having us. Thank you. Our next presenter that's presenting tonight at the Innovation Fair is Sarah Conrad. She's working with Mr. Kurzwig, our athletic director, on the topic of athletic community sponsorship programs. So welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_07 4:34

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 4:35

I see you have your presenter button on there. Absolutely. Ready to go. Talk to us about this concept of uh sponsorship programs for athletics.

SPEAKER_07 4:42

Yep, so currently we have an athletic sponsorship program, which is um a banner sponsorship that is a one-year you purchase the banner, we hang it up in Keeney Stadium during the football season. We're looking to revamp that completely and go into a tiered system, um, which allows you to purchase a one-year, two-year, or four-year agreement sponsorship. Um, we're also changing the uh levels so that it includes um aluminum signs versus mesh signs. Um, it adds the ability to put sponsorships on our school's website, um, on our athletics website, as well as game day sponsors to come to a football game, set up your own promotional table, um, and be involved in the game itself to you know support your business.

SPEAKER_00 5:28

Would that include like this first down is sponsored by the right? Quarter break sponsors or game sponsors. Correct. Yeah. Maybe walking out to the center of the field, that type of thing.

SPEAKER_07 5:40

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 5:41

I see that from different games and things that I've been into. So besides football, what what are the other things that are in the stadium that if I was a prospective sponsor, would I have access to? We know football.

SPEAKER_07 5:52

Yep, so we want to branch this out. Currently, it's only been in KD Stadium, so we're looking to bring this to Tribe Stadium, Bonnetemper field, the softball field. Um you have the opportunity to pick your location of your sign as well to display if you have a preference or you have a child on a team, or there's an area where you think you could um, you know, get to your customizable.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

Yes, correct.

SPEAKER_07 6:16

That's great. So it'll be uh a change, but something that we're looking forward to pushing out uh this upcoming school year.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Yeah, I think the the interesting part is how does a business that gets approached by many people find the value in supporting the program, knowing that it could be a little more than that has been in the past, but how are they getting that return on investment for themselves?

SPEAKER_07 6:38

Absolutely. And our goal is you're going to see changes within our facilities. And we have uh produced a five to seven year plan that we hope to um be able to use this funds for, and you're going to be able to see that change moving forward.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

So the sponsorship money would be directed into athletics. Correct. Because I know people get frustrated with anything goes to a school, it goes in the general fund. And then it's not going where it wants to go. So a separate program like this, if it's funneled and written in a certain way, would go directly back to athletics. Correct. Yep.

SPEAKER_07 7:06

Yeah. So it brings the student experience to our kids and their athletic experience. It changes the whole game. Right.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

This has the potential to be ready for next fall.

SPEAKER_07 7:16

Yep. Our goal is to push this out the late spring or early summer to prepare for the fall season so that you'll be able to see these new signs, new businesses getting involved from the community, local area out on our field during those games.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Great, great. Well, thanks for being here tonight. We appreciate hearing this. And look forward to coming out and hearing the presentation in a little while.

SPEAKER_07 7:36

Awesome. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

Thank you. And we're back with our next presenters. Can you believe it? We have two more students that are joining us here that are a part of a much larger group of students that are presenting on Sponsora Scholar, an AT test support program. So please welcome Paige and Maylin to the podcast. Welcome.

SPEAKER_06 7:55

Hi, thank you for having us. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

So, what inspired you to say, you know what, we're going to put our idea in there and present it to the community?

SPEAKER_08 8:02

Well, we noticed a great need for help for students who necessarily can't afford the amount for the AP tests because some students are taking multiple, and it's just a large sum for them to bear, sometimes by themselves or sometimes that their parents can't help afford for them. Standard average cost is$99 per the exam and then$53 if you're in the free and reduced lunch program.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

Okay. And the you could take two or three, it's still the same amount. No, the discount as it goes up.

SPEAKER_08 8:33

No discount.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

No. Okay. And you say most students either pay for it themselves because at that point they're probably working a little bit.

SPEAKER_08 8:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

Or your parents for it.

unknown 8:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

So what's the idea? What are you what are you pitching as part of the innovation fair tonight?

SPEAKER_06 8:47

So the overall idea is that students who want the financial help, they can uh take an application. So they'll be able to put themselves into a uh group of people where uh a grant committee who we haven't decided yet, but it will probably be uh some administrators will be able to approve these students and will be able to ask the community or anyone who really wants to donate for donations in order to uh sponsor a scholar. So they'll be able to apply and get the chance at uh having their tests be paid for, which would allow the students to uh want to pass and get them uh a possibility for college credit.

SPEAKER_00 9:24

Do we know how many students take the AP class but don't take the exam?

SPEAKER_08 9:28

Like is there a percentage typically or so in our original uh research we found through Google Form that we did around 70 students answered back, and of those 73-ish students, we had 14 respond saying that they weren't able to afford the AP tests. And of those 14, we found that interestingly enough, seven of those kids were in the free and reduced lunch program, and seven of those children were not in the free and reduced lunch program. So we found a similar need based on no matter your financial situation or what you're classified in at the school, there's still a financial need no matter what your subject is in in that school financially.

SPEAKER_00 10:07

So just doing rough math, and just I'll tell you a secret, I've I never took an AP exam when I was in high school. Um but about 20 percent is what you pretty much roughly average there. Yeah. Are there students that go into the AP that take the AP class and say, I'm I'm not taking the exam from day one? I'm just I'm just here for the quality points or whatever it would be as part of the GPA.

SPEAKER_06 10:26

Just for that challenge there, yeah.

unknown 10:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 10:27

There's definitely students who uh take AP classes who don't intend on taking the AP test, or they don't end up taking it for other reasons, like they miss the deadline, and they don't want to have to pay the additional forty dollar fee for the late.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

That's college board, right? That's yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_06 10:42

Yeah. So it's an additional forty dollars if you turn in the form for registration late, which is another financial burden for the students. So it would be probably our priority for them to get it in early and not have to worry about that extra forty dollars. But many students, uh, it's not only a financial thing, but they just have other personal reasons that they don't take the test.

SPEAKER_00 11:01

So how do we get the starting money? How do we get the seed money to the to get this going? What's the initial thought or the initial ask?

SPEAKER_08 11:07

Yeah, so we're basically just seeking to start this up by initially AP classes and eventually build ourselves into dual enrollment, SAT, ACT, but we're looking for donations from local alumni, community members like community businesses, and just anyone who's looking to donate to the betterment of our high school students here.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Right. So it's wide open.

SPEAKER_08 11:29

Yeah, wide open to anyone who's looking to just give back to the students' academic success.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

And ha have has has uh been in contact with the education foundation? Yes, yes, we have. I thought I did when I talked to Mrs. Hilllights this concept, the idea was out there a little bit.

SPEAKER_10 11:42

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Good. Well, what are you hoping today? Coming at it tonight, your your I just saw your everyone smiles and happy and when I just popped my head out there, it seemed like there's a good crowd coming through, getting some feedback. What what are you hoping a week from now, two weeks from now, three weeks from now, that there's some energy behind it?

SPEAKER_06 11:57

Yes. We're really just hoping for uh the community to be aware of it and hopefully be seeing that it'll be implemented soon. And we just kind of want it to be known before it gets sent out there that they have the opportunity to help the high schoolers. And tonight we're here just to uh kind of get our word out there and ask people of the community if they would be willing to donate, alumni, anyone who really alumni is a good good angle for that because if they've gone through, they've been successful, they see they know the value.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

AP is definitely a standard. Yes, that they know it's not just a class, so to speak, there's definitely a standard, and and and uh we're proud of our AP teachers, we're proud of our AP students and and the work that you guys do. Yeah, so awesome. Well, thanks so much for joining me on the podcast. I look forward to seeing you. Absolutely. Thank you.

SPEAKER_06 12:41

Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 12:47

Okay, our next presenter is an administrator here at Upper Perk, Mrs. Sharon Scheipe. She's gonna be see that our innovation affair talking about community education programs. So welcome.

SPEAKER_03 12:56

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

So talk to us a little bit about the idea and the concept that you're uh sharing tonight of community education.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

So the community education program is something that I believe we had many, many years ago in the community, and then it fighted it faded away. Um so it's something that I really see is a need to bring back. Um it would be great for the adults who are away from the community during the day because they work, and then they're here nights, weekends, summers. Um it's not something that would compete with existing um resources in the community. It's something that would fill the gap and provide another opportunity for people to engage in all types of classes to learn things. And you know, we have the senior center, we have the Y, we have lifelong learning, the library, the Chamber of Commerce, they they all offer various educational opportunities, but most of them are during the day. And so the the working crowd of people, of parents, of um folks maybe who don't have children in the district and don't have a reason otherwise to interact with the district by offering a community education program. We would be bringing all of those folks to the district. Um, they'd get to utilize our resources. Um we have a lot of great resources here. We've got our X lab, we've got gymnasiums, fields, classrooms. Um, and in addition, we have a wealth of knowledge within our community of folks who are very talented in their um in their area of expertise. We've got people with gardening, with AI, with computer technology, with investing, painting, various types of art. And so really just connecting people who want to learn something with people who want to share their knowledge. And ultimately a moneymaker both ways because the people who are sharing their knowledge are making a little extra income doing that, and the district is making a little extra money by um, you know, having the registration fees.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

So the title as I'm looking at it here, connecting talented community members with learners of all ages through district-based enrichment programs. So really it's it sounds like it's at the what's offered is at the whim of the teachers. So their area of expertise or something that's passionate that they're passionate about, whether it's a program that we have uh facilities for, it could be knitting, it could be anything, like you mentioned lifelong learning. I can see something like that. Um really the the topics are limitless.

SPEAKER_03 15:30

Right, right. And so I think my vision for the program would be that we would initially do a community survey and see what types of topics people are interested in, and then we would base the initial set of course offerings off of that. So popular courses could be offered over and over again. Um and then you could also have things that change by season because maybe you're inside for something, maybe you're doing gardening in the spring, but not necessarily in the fall. Um Right, so so we would just be able to see it's really about meeting the need of the community and um also about finding out what what are people looking to um learn, but what are people also available to teach.

SPEAKER_10 16:12

Right.

SPEAKER_03 16:13

Because it's connecting learners and connecting those who want to learn.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

So yeah, I've seen and I've seen this type of program be successful in other districts that have that. They said it was here at some point and it's and it's not at the time.

SPEAKER_03 16:26

So Right. Um it's Perkman Valley and Southern and Central Bucks are the the closest ones to us. And um they offer programs for children, but they also offer programs for adults as well, right? Um you know, all throughout the year. And like I said, it it just ends up being a win-win. It's it's a win for the district, for um getting folks into CR facilities. It's a win for the people who are looking for an opportunity to learn something and they don't have a place right now nearby to go to. And it's a win for the people who have that knowledge and are willing to share it by teaching a class.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Right. Great. Well, it's got some great ideas there. So I'm looking forward to seeing some of the feedback, and I'm gonna be coming around a little while to hear your presentation.

SPEAKER_03 17:11

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

All right, thanks for joining me.

SPEAKER_03 17:12

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

And our next presenter is another student. So excited to have Mackenzie Lowman on to talk about how less technology can improve school life. So welcome. Good to see you. Thanks for being here tonight. Tell us a little bit about your project.

SPEAKER_09 17:31

We are doing how less tech can benefit the school because not many students like technology, and it takes kind of a long to open your Chromebook. If you forget your charger, your badge, it takes kind of long.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

When you say your badge, you mean the clever badge to get in? Okay. So what's the solution in terms of some of the programs that we're doing? The teachers are using the Chromebooks with classes.

SPEAKER_09 17:54

We think that two main programs that we use, IXL and Accelerated Reader, they cost a decent amount per year. For example, IXL cost$14,000 per year for middle school and high school, and accelerated reader cost$4,000 just for middle school. Okay. So we think by reducing them by like teaching those IXL skills in an actual classroom and maybe doing the like the accelerated art reader tests like more on paper that it could less like the app and it could like less use technology.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

So for some people that are listening today and they don't understand what IXL is, is it a part of your math class? Is it a part of your regular class? Can you just explain that a little bit?

SPEAKER_09 18:43

Yeah, we use it in math, ELA, science, and that's it.

SPEAKER_00 18:48

Okay. So you you use them to supplement some of the work that the teachers are so they are teaching. It's not an online course altogether. It's it's it's a separate thing that they set you up on and get you going for some additional practice. Yeah. So you're saying if that was happening with the teacher or in a different, less technology way, that we could save some money as well as um be maybe more connected.

SPEAKER_09 19:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

Great. What what is your hope by and what what inspired you to come to present tonight?

SPEAKER_09 19:13

Well, we thought that there we usually like have debates. Me and my friends, we have like debates on like stuff that the school would like do better. And then when we saw it on the announcements, we were like, hey, we should come and present one of our ideas we debate about.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Yeah, that sounds good. I mean, that's first of all, that's awesome to hear that you guys are talking about how to make school better and that you stepped up to uh to do that. So who are your fellow presenters? You want to give a shout-out to your fellow presenters that aren't right here with us?

SPEAKER_09 19:37

Max Backray and Ruby Reinstein. Sh Ruby can't couldn't make it, but we she still helped a lot with the project.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

Right. So are you excited to pitch your ideas to some people as you walk through?

SPEAKER_09 19:48

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Awesome. Well, I'm looking forward to seeing it as well. So thanks so much for joining me.

SPEAKER_09 19:52

Of course.

SPEAKER_00 19:58

Next up on the podcast is one of our presenters who's actually a school board member as well as a parent and a community member, Mrs. Trina Scharschmidt. So welcome.

SPEAKER_04 20:06

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 20:07

And I have the topic as research-based achievement correlation. So explain to me what that is.

SPEAKER_04 20:12

Well, um, families having dinner together is one of the top indicators of student success. So I talked about how the school could support families, making sure they understand how important that is and um making some space for families to be able to do that. I um thought of some different ideas and I was um thinking about the cost of things too. I didn't want something to be another initiative that cost more money to the district. So I thought of ways that, for example, in the athletics department, if they could merely just say more frequently, um, okay, we have practice from this time to that time, and then from say five to six, that's your family time. Bring your family out to the game or to the practice, and we can set aside a tailgate area or a place your family can put down um like a blanket, do a little picnic at the at the baseball game or something.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

So being very specific and targeted to those opportunities for families to be included as well as to enjoy the the school as well.

SPEAKER_04 21:14

Exactly. And Upper Park does do a lot of this. I just thought maybe um a more direct push from some specific um different cur areas of in the curriculum, like the athletics department and the music and the arts, um, they could be more um specific about this is going to be time if your family comes, this is how you guys are gonna have dinner together. For example, I my daughter was taking a sport, and um she her coach would tell the kids that you know we have practice, it starts at three right after school, and then you know, we have the game and nobody gets home until 10. And I asked my daughter, Are you going to pack a lunch? And she said, My coach didn't tell me to. So it's like maybe just if

SPEAKER_00 22:00

It's enough for the power of influence, the power of being strategic.

SPEAKER_04 22:05

And I also think that some families aren't really aware of the correlation between student success and family dinners. So I thought maybe spreading more awareness about that. In addition to family dinners, that one thing that helps students be more successful is better attendance. And family dinners do influence that as well as scores. So I talked about incentives that students could receive for good attendance, like maybe they could join a raffle for a free ticket to the prom or something like that.

SPEAKER_00 22:40

That'll motivate people. We actually as a student out there, we were just talking about parking spots.

SPEAKER_04 22:44

Yeah, it's a good idea. A preferred maybe like customer of the month, except you know you had great attendance. And I was careful not to say perfect attendance necessarily, but improved and consistent attendance is something that's definitely trackable. Um that because some students have certain things they have to have to tend to, which I understand.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

Awesome. Well, thanks for joining me today. Was there anything that really said that you're like, I'm gonna do this? Um the idea is out there and I'm gonna throw my throw my ideas out there.

SPEAKER_04 23:15

For the innovation fair.

SPEAKER_00 23:16

Yeah, for just for the innovation fair.

SPEAKER_04 23:17

Uh I was uh thrilled that you you know when this idea was pitched, I I was just thrilled. This is something that as a young teacher I had on my bucket list of things to do. And I thought that as like a ninth grade English teacher, I would get the community in, and we would do a big event, and and you did it.

SPEAKER_00 23:35

Yeah, thank you. I'm looking forward to seeing uh everybody that's out there.

SPEAKER_04 23:38

So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:40

Thanks so much for joining me. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 23:41

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 23:42

Thank you so much for listening to our entire part one and part two of our podcast. Stay tuned for our next episode in April, where we're gonna hear more great things about what's taking place at Upper Perk. As always, I am proud to be UPSD.