Thursday Thriller
March 20, 2025
CELEBRATIONS
Huge shoutout to all of you who went on field trips this week—thank you!
We all know field trips can be exhausting (prep work, sub plans, bus rides and headcounts!), but the payoff is so worth it. The learning, the laughter, the memories—it all matters. Check out some great photos from our 6th and 8th grade trips this week!
6th grade Field Trip to WWCC and Rooks Park
8th Grade Field Trip to Whitman College
NUTS-n-BOLTS
1. If you've had the pleasure of working with the legendary science teacher Peggy Willcuts, you know just how incredible her science expertise is! Here's a great opportunity to learn from her, earn clock hours, and enjoy some fishing!
As you know, STEM Clock Hours are hard to come by when you aren't a STEM or CTE teacher. I am hosting the 4th Annual STEM Workshop this summer so teachers of all grade levels and of any subject area can get all 15 STEM Clock Hours in just 4 days. It is facilitated by me and partners teachers with local scientists to study salmon habitat in a fun, easy learning environment.
2. Activity Day tomorrow-March 21st!
3. Evacuation Drill tomorrow at 9:00. Please review with your students when exiting the building to do so quietly. Thanks!
What if we approached certain routines in a unified way across content areas? Imagine this: anytime students are introduced to a new text—whether it’s an article, background reading, or the launch of a unit—they encounter the same predictable structure of annotating the text. We set the purpose, number the paragraphs, and follow a familiar routine. The experience becomes seamless across classes, removing one more hurdle and allowing them to focus more deeply on what they're reading, not how to approach it.
And what if structured academic conversations were consistent, too? Students would know exactly how to "turn and talk," not just in Dual Spanish or Social Studies, but in PE, band, or shop. Every subject invites students to think and talk together at some point—why not give them the tools to do that confidently no matter where they are?
I can imagine some of you are thinking, “Didn’t we used to do this?” You’re not wrong. There was a time when a whole school might rally around a note-taking strategy or a common vocabulary routine. It doesn’t have to be everything, but choosing a few key practices we all use could make a powerful difference.
Here are some of the benefits—and some of you have likely experienced these firsthand...
Benefits of Universal Strategies:
✅ Consistency & Routine – Reduces student stress and helps them focus on learning, not figuring out new expectations.
✅ Skill Transferability – Strengthens connections between subjects, reinforcing foundational literacy, problem-solving, and communication skills.
✅ Equity & Accessibility – Provides a common framework that supports all learners, including those who need extra scaffolding.
✅ Teacher Collaboration – Creates opportunities for cross-disciplinary planning and professional learning.
What strategies do you think we already have in place, and where might we grow?
I think there are definitely some gold nuggets we could find working together
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WISE WORDS
“Innovation and progress are achieved only by those who venture beyond standard operating procedure.”
― It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy
One of the best books I have read; such a success story!
