Spartan Strong: With the Mic On!

As we wrap up the first season of Spartan Strong: With the Mic On, we’re doing something special. We’re sitting down with three Superior educators who have spent their lives building the foundation of this community. Joining us today are Mary Kimmes, current Cooper teacher, Heather Krull, current Great Lakes teacher and Don Polkinghorne, high school teacher. Congratulations on your retirement! For a recap of our Salute to Service celebration and video celebration, please visit: https://www.superior.k12.wi.us/news/what_s_new/salute_to_service_2026 To send off one of these or other retiring staff members leave a message on our Facebook posts, honoring each retiree: https://www.facebook.com/SuperiorSchoolDistrict  The Superior Telegram joined us for this episode, see their article here: https://www.superiortelegram.com/news/local/retiring-superior-teachers-built-relationships 

Jamie Wilson, Director of Food Service sits down with Dr. Amy Starzecki to highlight the School District of Superior's food service program, promote Summer Meals, and our Farm to school partnership.  Jamie and his team fuel student success, literally.  Jamie Wilson was recognized as the 2023 Director of the Year by the School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin. You don't want to miss even one morsel of this tasty episode of Spartan Strong: With the Mic on.  Follow Jamie and his team on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schooldistrictofsuperiorfoodservice

Next week is incredibly special—it’s Teacher Appreciation Week. To celebrate our teachers, we’re looking at the heart of our schools through the eyes of those who lead them. With special guests, Kate Tesch and Jason Kalin. Both Jason and Kate started their career as teachers and have not forgotten what it means to facilitate learning in the classroom. A big THANK YOU to all our Superior teachers, admins, and support staff! 

Why do we have "no school" days for students? In this episode, Superintendent Dr. Amy Starzecki pulls back the curtain on how Superior staff spends their professional development time. We discuss the district's transition to new elementary literacy and secondary math curricula and demystify the "Science of Reading"—clarifying that while it's gaining national attention through podcasts like Sold a Story, these evidence-based practices have long been a part of our Spartan foundation. You can find out more about the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment department, or to reach out please visit their website, https://www.superior.k12.wi.us/district/curriculum__instruction_and_assessment.

Join us for this episode of Spartan Strong: With the Mic On, featuring Ella Olson and 2 Spartan Athletes, Addy and Kaden. Dr. Amy Starzecki sits down to talk about the impact of athletics with two of our dedicated senior student athletes. Ella Olson is the Activities Director for Superior High School. Addy was recently named the 2026 Ms. Hockey Wisconsin award winner. Addy assisted in leading the hockey team to this year's WIAA State Tournament. Kaden is a Spartan Student athlete who has competed at every level in multiple sports. Kaden is continuing his football career at UW-Eau Claire after graduation. Check out all our Spartan Activities on our Activities Calendar and GO SPARTANS!    

Today, we sit down with two seniors, Brendan and Veronica, who have left an indelible mark on Superior High School. We’re talking about growth, the 'Spartan Strong' spirit, and what it’s really like to lead the student body.

Sit down with us and special guests and key leaders from Superior Middle School, Aaron Lieberz and Samantha Birman. They will share the great things at our middle schools and disputing the false narrative about middle school years.   During our recording, Maria Lockwood from the Superior Telegram stopped by. Check out the article HERE.

Join us with special guest, David See and community guest, Kelly Peterson for this episode of Spartan Strong: With the Mic On as we focus on Financial Transparency & Budget. We will get a clear, simplified look at the budget process and how funds support classrooms.  School finance and budgets can often be intimidating, but we want everyone in Superior to feel they understand how we spend their investment.  Watch THIS short video, explaining the way Wisconsin public schools are funded. We have created and post videos, documents and historical finance documents on our district's webpage, https://www.superior.k12.wi.us/district/business_office.    

Today we’re tackling a topic that is reshaping our world and, certainly, our classrooms: Artificial Intelligence. For many people, AI feels like a fast-moving, sometimes intimidating topic, raising questions about cheating, relevance, and the future job market.  Dr Amy Starzecki sits down with district Future Ready Members, Dan, Jodie and Kasie to dive into AI and our current reality and next steps for our district. Resources for this week's episode: Edutopia Episode: Why Students Cheat-and What to Do About it Common Sense Media The School District of Superior Information Technology Website. 

This week we are showcasing our unique outdoor education program and the Superior School Forest.  Ms. Lori Danz is joining us for episode 2 of Spartan Strong: With the Mic On.  Lori is our district's school forest coordinator and also Wisconsin’s 2023 Teacher of the Year! Follow Lori on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Superiorschoolforest and TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theforestteacher. 

Spartan Community, let us introduce you to our brand new podcast, Spartan Strong: With the Mic on. Kicking off season one with episode one:  Welcome to the Arena: Meeting Your New SHS Principal. Dr. Amy Starzecki sits down with Superior High School's new principal, Ryan Haroldson, to discuss his vision, priorities, and what makes a Spartan Strong student. Spartan Strong: With the Mic on is dedicated to bringing Superior's schools and stories to life. New episodes every other Friday! Superior High School Facebook, Website and Instagram  

The School District of Superior is launching a new bi-weekly podcast, Spartan Strong: With the Mic On. We're giving you a direct line to our leaders and the heart of our classrooms. Get ready for real talk about everything from our budget to our incredible students. 🗓️ Launch Date: Friday, January 9th