SPS Podcasts

SPS Extra: Engage IRL aims to slash screen time and increase extra curricular activities

Spokane Public Schools Season 2 Episode 1

In this month's episode of SPS Extra, hear from students about their passions and teachers who see first hand how phones have changed their classrooms. We're talking about the districts new initiative Engage IRL (In Real Life). 

We talk to students, teachers and staff about how critical it is to get students off their phones and engaged in extra curricular activities. Research shows anxiety and depression have more than doubled since 2010, and 95% of teachers say mental health is an issue in public schools.

To combat the mental health issues, SPS hired 5 new Engagement Navigators, whose jobs are dedicated to making sure every child is involved in at least one extracurricular activity. We talked with one of the Engagement Navigators about how they're planning on accomplishing that.