27. 2026 DMPS State of the Schools

<p>Welcome to The Become Here Project: A Des Moines Public Schools podcast. This episode is live in front of a studio audience at the Central Campus auditorium for the 2026 State of the Schools event. </p><p><strong>Amanda Lewis</strong>' student co-host is <strong>Irene Alobo</strong> of North High School and Central Campus. Guests joining the Reimagining Education discussion are: Des Moines Mayor <strong>Connie Boesen</strong>, DMPS Interim Superintendent <strong>Matt Smith</strong>, Reimagining Education Project Manager <strong>Dr. Bekah Harris</strong>, and By Degrees CEO <strong>Emily Westergaard</strong>. </p><p>Learn more about <a href="https://reimagine.dmschools.org/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Reimagining Education here</a>.</p><p><strong>Come Here. Become Here.</strong></p><p><strong>Follow DMPS: </strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/desmoinespublicschools/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmps" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Flickr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DMschools" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/dmpstv" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Hosted by Amanda Lewis</p><p>Produced by Kyle Knicley, DMPS-TV</p>