With the popularity of podcasts rising, principal Dr. Demaree decided to hop on the trend in order to build better connections with not only students, but parents too. Despite their short length, each episode is packed with information.
Many big events that happen get told through conversations between students, and Demaree wants to change that through voices of teachers and students. Our accomplishments have a great impact on our students, staff, and school.
“A lot of what people say about us is a narrative that’s told through conversations. It’s told through incidents that happen in our building. They’re all true things that we need to talk about and address, but they don’t get to see the greatness of our school,” Demaree said.
The podcast inspiration came to Demaree two weeks before the school year started and was launched a week before teachers came back.
“Every year, there’s a big conference. It’s all the principals of Johnson County… the keynote speaker was talking about being a principal today versus being a principal in the ’90s or 2000s and really talking about who our community is and who our parents are… If you’re a principal and your only form of communication with your community is a newsletter… there are people who don’t tend to read newsletters, but they will listen to a three or five-minute podcast,” Demaree said.
The podcasts are meant to be more lighthearted and are different than the weekly newsletters sent out to parents due to topics and student involvement.
“We do talk about some unique things like we had an interview with two students about the MLK contest because it’s a big deal here at South and we’ve always had a great turnout for that, so we’re trying to amp that up even more,” Demaree said.
Dr. Demaree is the producer, editor, and main star. He strives to be impromptu and genuine.
“A little-known fact about me is I really enjoy improvising…I never sit down and write a script. I like to just speak from the heart so it’s more authentic for students. For the podcast, I usually decide the morning of… It’s just a five-minute video of whatever seems interesting that day,” Demaree said.
Demaree interviews students in some of his podcasts, but plans to get them more involved. He has already interviewed clubs and projects, such as the Academic Center and Falcon Landing.
“My hope is throughout this year start adding more and more things, including, like we have some more community partners interviewing them and or even partnering some students on some projects,” Demaree said.
In a world where understanding and connection are more important than ever, Demaree’s vision serves as a reminder of the importance of community and the shared narrative we all contribute to.
“My hope is that this is another way to share our story with the community… sometimes parents don’t fully know what’s going on in the school. My hope is just to tell our truth, that this is who we are like. You will see our students, you’ll see our teachers, you’ll see a principal who’s invested in the school, helping share our story, but also to get people excited about who we are,” Demaree said.
Through this innovative podcast, Dr. Demaree is not just sharing
Information, but he is creating a narrative that reflects the essence of the school community. His efforts strive to ensure that every voice is heard and every story is told, uniting parents, students, and teachers alike.
