Former teacher hosts monthly APS podcast
Albuquerque Public Schools is now in your car speakers, your headphones. It’s your background noise while you walk the dog and make dinner. It’s the faint audio above the pattering shower water.
That’s all to say the school district launched a podcast.
It’s called the “APS Open Book Podcast” and each monthly episode will take on a new subject in a 20- to 30-minute information punch.
Hosted by Mark Goodrum, a 60-yearold former APS teacher, Open Book jumped into heavy subject matter for its debut episode that launched on Feb. 12.
Goodrum and the lineup of guests talk about suicide — how to prevent it, its effects and its frequency.
Goodrum told the Journal other topics planned include an interview with APS Superintendent Raquel Reedy, a school security chat and a fine arts feature.
Other than having taught television production, Goodrum comes at this pretty green. But he is confident that after teaching middle school for 26
years, he can handle what the interviewees throw his way.
You can listen for yourself on APS’ website, www.aps.edu, Spotify, Apple’s Podcast app and YouTube, among other places.
For those traditionalists out there, the podcast will also air on the district’s radio station, KANW 89.1-FM, which produces the podcast.
CONSERVATION
CONVERSATION: APS has a Water and Energy Conservation Committee, or WECC. WECC the heck is that, you ask? It’s a team that aims to make the district’s goal of reducing water and energy use by 20 percent in 10 years a reality.
WECC has launched schoolbased teams to get students involved. With the help of custodians, teachers and administrators, the teams collect and analyze energy and water data from the school, develop a management plan and even report utility usage on a monthly basis.
These teams are created through an APS and Public Service Co. of New Mexico partnership. PNM gives the district a quarterly stipend for a percentage of the savings.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
DASHBOARD: A new online tool is mapping out where early childhood services are across the state. Parents can go to ccpi.unm. edu to check it out.
A unique thing about the map is that it compiles all types of early childhood programs such as the state Children, Youth and Families Department’s and state Public Education Department’s prekindergarten programs. Head Start, home visiting and registered child care are also on there, among others.
Users can customize the data search to home in on the type of program they want to send their kiddo to. Or they could use it to look at all the programs available in their county.
The dashboard also shows how many funded slots are available in the programs.
The online tool was created through a collaboration of the Early Childhood Development Partnership and the University of New Mexico Cradle to Career Policy Institute.