“The JDS Pawdcast,” CESJDS’ new podcast series, launched last December in order to “expand [the] content strategy” of the school, according to Director of Marketing and Communications Laurie Ehrlich.

Ehrlich was looking for a new marketing tool to add to the current array of social media pages, staff spotlights and guest blogs that would intrigue a range of people. In an email, she sent out a survey to many members of the JDS community to gauge interest in the JDS podcast series and gather topic recommendations.

“The goal is to bring a live conversation about topics going around the school to a venue where anyone who wants to listen can listen,” Ehrlich said. “I think there is something different about hearing somebody live, hearing a conversation and knowing that the topics being presented are user-generated topics.”

Director of Athletics Becky Silberman was featured in the first episode. She enjoyed her experience recording the podcast and being interviewed by senior Talia Shemony, who Silberman coached in middle school.

Episode two of the series featured English teacher Nancy Wassner’s “This I Believe” assignment, which is a personal statement about a core value of each student based on an old NPR program. Ehrlich thought the idea was a good example of “tak[ing] the roof off the school,” or showing people what goes on inside the school, specifically the classroom.

Silberman agrees, believing that the first two episodes give people a unique inside look at different aspects of the school.

“It is a cool way for people at JDS to learn about things that they don’t know much about and it highlights certain areas that otherwise people don’t necessarily know about,” Silberman said.

Ehrlich says that the goal is to always have a student or teacher host, and she is open to students volunteering to host and offer topic suggestions.

Sophomore Solomon Reichbach, who frequently listens to podcasts as a way to destress and take his mind off of schoolwork, is looking forward to the rollout of future JDS podcasts. He believes that listening to the recordings is interesting to learn about various subjects, both in and outside of school.

“I think it [JDS’ new podcast series] sounds interesting for sure, and I think it will bring more attention to things in the school that are not always talked about and it will attract listeners from in and outside the school community,” Reichbach said.