What happens when Mercer Island educators take their conversations beyond the classroom and into the world of podcasting? Two local educators are finding creative ways to connect with teachers, families and the broader community through their podcasts.

Randi Fielding, assistant director of special services for the Mercer Island School District, brings years of experience in education to How To Do School. Before joining Mercer Island School District, she worked as a teacher, instructional coach and school administrator in Arizona, serving as a dean, assistant principal and principal. Her own experience as a parent navigating the school system also shaped her desire to create a podcast that makes schools and the education system easier to understand.

Abbey Espegard, instructional coach at West Mercer Elementary, has spent 20 years in education, including teaching kindergarten and first grade, working as an elementary instructional coach and mentoring new teachers. She created Commuting with Coach Abbey in 2024 as a way to make instructional coaching more accessible and shine a light on the collaboration happening behind the scenes in Mercer Island classrooms.

Making School Easier to Understand

For Randi, How To Do School is about opening the door to conversations that families and educators may not always get to hear.

The podcast is designed primarily for Mercer Island parents, caregivers and educators, with the hope that students may tune in as well. Randi sees it as a way to help listeners better understand how the school system works, while also helping educators gain insight into the experiences and challenges of families.

“I see the podcast as a way to include more folks in these conversations,” Randi says. “My goal is to shed light on the mysteries of the school system to help folks have better experiences at school.”

Episode topics are shaped around guests who can speak broadly and deeply about a particular subject. Randi is also intentional about including diverse voices and perspectives that represent the many roles and backgrounds within the Mercer Island community.

If you’re new to How To Do School, Randi recommends starting with Episode 1, which introduces the purpose of the podcast and gives listeners an opportunity to get to know Randi and the superintendent.

Taking Coaching on the Road

While How To Do School focuses on helping the community better understand the school system, Commuting with Coach Abbey takes listeners inside the work of teaching and instructional coaching.

Abbey created the podcast initially for West Mercer staff. She wanted to make instructional coaching available in a format that fit into busy schedules. Episodes are intentionally brief, generally no longer than 10 minutes, making them easy to listen to during a commute.

The podcast covers educational resources, instructional practices and the work teachers do together to support students. As Abbey has invited colleagues to participate, the podcast has also become a way to share the collaboration happening throughout West Mercer classrooms.

“ The behind-the-scenes work of teaching often goes unnoticed by the public,” Abbey says. “I would like to see Commuting with Coach Abbey also become a platform for sharing the high-level of collaboration and instruction taking place across our classrooms.”

One of Abbey’s favorite episodes featured the West Mercer third-grade team, and followed a coaching cycle that focused on writing instruction. Rather than using notes or a script, the teachers simply gathered around an iPad and started talking about their work. What began with some nervous energy quickly became an enthusiastic and authentic conversation about teaching and learning.

Give Them a Listen

Both podcasts offer a different perspective on Mercer Island schools and the people who make them work.

How To Do School can be found on the Mercer Island School District website, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Visit MercerIslandSchools.org/podcast to listen. You can also follow the Mercer Island School District on Instagram @mercer_island_school_district, as well as on Facebook @mercerislandschooldistrict and LinkedIn for updates when new episodes are released.

Commuting with Coach Abbey is available on Spotify by searching for Commuting with Coach Abbey. Archived episodes from the 2024 and 2025 school years are available on Abbey’s Google site:  https://sites.google.com/mercerislandschools.org/commutingwithcoachabbey/home.

Both podcasts are made possible with support from colleagues throughout the district. Randi credits MIHS broadcast media teachers Natalie Woods and Lauren Schechter for providing access to the KMIH 88.9 The Bridge studios and helping her learn more about Adobe Audition, which she uses to record and edit the show. Abbey credits West Mercer principal Megan Isakson for encouraging her to pursue podcasting and helping spread the word and the West Mercer staff whose stories of collaboration have already been featured on the podcast. Ian Henry, MISD Communications Director, has also been a strong supporter and has been instrumental in helping both podcasts reach a wider audience.

Together, the podcasts offer something valuable: a closer look at the people, ideas and collaboration happening inside Mercer Island schools. Whether you are a parent trying to better understand the school system, an educator looking for a quick dose of inspiration, or simply a community member curious about what happens behind the classroom doors, there is plenty to discover.