Superintendent Castañeda and Eleanore Ryan on School Budgets and Student Support

Welcome to this week's episode of What's Happening Salem! In this episode, Jacob Espinoza speaks with Superintendent Andrea Castañeda and comedian Eleanore Ryan about:

• Andrea's experience leading the Salem-Keizer School District through financial hardship and her commitment to transparency and growth.
• The increasing need for behavioral and mental health support in elementary schools and how the district is responding.
• Why investing in relationships, community engagement, and joy-driven leadership matters for public education.
• And much more!

Timestamps:

00:02:14 – Sharing personal journeys of resilience

00:03:07 – The weight of school budget decisions

00:04:49 – Grace vs. accountability in education

00:13:06 – Breaking down school funding myths

00:27:00 – Expanding behavioral health services

00:41:05 – Embracing leadership during adversity

00:54:07 – Coffee and pastries crawl brainstorm