“Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers.” — Parker Palmer

Thank you, Josh!!!

Today is Custodian Appreciation Day—an excellent opportunity to thank Josh for all he does at Venture. Josh, your steady dependability and constant willingness to step in whenever something needs attention are deeply appreciated. You play a big part in making Venture a supportive place for students and staff alike. The way you involve students in your work helps them learn responsibility and take pride in their surroundings. Your quiet dedication keeps our school moving forward, and we are grateful for the care you bring to your role each day.

Spotlight on Thinking Strategies  

One of the staples of our Instructional Framework is Thinking Strategies—the tools we use to increase learner agency and deepen understanding. Over the past week, I’ve seen so many powerful examples of this in action across classrooms: thoughtful use of protocols, intentional wait time, and teachers responding to questions with more questions that stretch student thinking even further.

Here’s what I didn’t see very much of—and it’s worth celebrating: teachers asking a question and then immediately answering it themselves. Not long ago, that was almost the norm in schools everywhere. It’s something most of us grew up with, and many of us carried into our early teaching years.

So kudos and gratitude to each of you for resisting the urge to fill the silence. By leaning into that quiet moment, you’re giving students the chance to process, grapple, and problem-solve. That shift may feel small, but its impact on learning is enormous.

October 3 – Cross-District Collaboration

Location: Coeur d’Alene High School
Goal: Build an understanding of how our Instructional Framework meets the needs of every student and connects to our district strategic plan and HRS goals.

Friday we’ll be joining colleagues from across the district at Coeur d’Alene High School. It’s an early start, so grab some coffee on the way in and plan on breakfast when you arrive. The day is designed to give us time with Scott Murphy and with each other to think more deeply about how we’re using the Instructional Framework in our work.

As Parker Palmer reminds us, “Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” This day is not about new tricks or quick fixes—it’s about the deeper work of how our teaching identity and shared framework shape what happens for students.

What to Bring

• Phenomenal Teaching

• Notepad and pencil

Schedule at a Glance

• 7:00–8:00 AM – Doors open, continental breakfast, check-in, welcome loop presentation

• 8:00–9:20 AM – Welcome from Dr. Hocker; Workshop 1 with Scott Murphy on the Instructional Framework

• 9:20–9:30 AM – Break

• 9:30–10:10 AM – Workshop 2 with Scott Murphy: Collective efficacy and our work with the framework

• 10:10–11:00 AM – Breakouts by Instructional Framework Staples (facilitated by teacher leaders/admin)

• 11:00–11:30 AM – Breakouts by school building: “Now what?” conversations led by principals

• 11:30 AM – Dismissal

Notes

• Breakout room assignments by staple will be provided on site.

• Scott Murphy’s video explains the breakout protocol (link shared separately).

Thank you for the way you consistently bring your best to these collaboration days. As John Hattie puts it, “The biggest effects on student learning occur when teachers become learners of their own teaching.” That’s the spirit we’re bringing with us—learning together so that we can return to Venture better equipped for the students who need us most.

Let’s Talk Clutter

Clutter is something many of us wrestle with—kids and adults alike. For those who struggle with ADHD, trauma, or even just organization in general, clutter tends to build up quickly. The challenge is that clutter doesn’t just take up space; it creates a sense of chaos that makes it harder to focus and manage daily tasks.

That’s why it’s often recommended that classrooms remain as tidy as possible. A clean, orderly environment helps students focus on learning. This doesn’t mean your classroom should be bare—anchor charts, posters, and other purposeful visuals are powerful tools. But random stacks of materials or piles of “stuff” can easily shift from helpful to distracting.

I want to be clear: I don’t want the job of going room to room deciding what’s too cluttered (maybe Mantz would enjoy that task . That’s for each of us to determine. My ask is simple: take a look at your own space and make the call about what needs to stay and what needs to go.

A related thought—before bringing anything from home into your classroom, pause and ask yourself: Does this contribute to learning, or does it just contribute to clutter? At the end of the school year, or when your time at Venture comes to a close, please plan to take personal items home so our maintenance crew doesn’t end up with the job of disposing of them.

And finally, about the “giveaway” stack in the workroom—it’s been overflowing lately. Josh moved a table to the back hallway where you can place items for others to take. Please limit how long things stay there to about a week. If no one picks them up, the responsibility is yours to remove them—either take them home or throw them out. This helps us discourage clutter throughout the building.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to think about your spaces. A little effort from all of us goes a long way toward keeping Venture a calm, welcoming, and focused place for our students. A clutter-free environment not only lightens the load for us—it shows our students the pride we take in their learning space.

Week of October 6
Bus Duty: Tacke and Cooley
Monday:  
Tuesday: Kennedy, Mantz out @ am
Wednesday:  
Thursday: Kennedy out
Friday: Non Work Day

Week of October 13
Bus Duty: Hamilton and Hook
Monday:  
Tuesday: Kennedy and Mantz out am
Wednesday:  Kennedy and Mantz out am
Thursday: 
Friday: Non Work Day

Week of October 20
Bus Duty: Levy and Crysewski
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday:  Certified Staff Collaboration day

Week of October 27
Bus Duty: Wilson and Penske
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday: Non Work day

 

September 26 Staff Meeting Update

Our next staff meeting will be Friday, September 26:

8:00–9:00 a.m. in the library. During this time, we’ll complete a self-assessment using the instructional framework.

9:00 - 9:30 a.m. School-connect in library (this is only for those who have been invited.  The company limited the number who can attend.

9:30 - 10:00 advisory in library

10:00 - 11:00 dept. mtgs.

11:00 - 12:00 - Leadership meeting. In the conference room: Kennedy, Mantz, Levy, Mires, Mahoney, Njoku

Several of us will be attending a School-Connect training on Friday. If you have particular questions about School-Connect that you’d like addressed, please email them to me so we can be sure your questions are included.

At this point, we do not yet have access to Homeroom Evaluations, so we will hold off on working on IPLPs. However, you are encouraged to continue talking within your departments about the goals you will set for this school year.

Thank you for the energy, thoughtfulness, and care you continue to bring to your work—it makes a real difference for our students and our community.

From Community to Discourse

Last week we looked at how routines, space, and relationships lay the groundwork for community. This week, let’s build on that idea by focusing on one of the most powerful outcomes of community: student discourse.

When students feel safe and connected, they are more willing to share ideas, listen deeply, and take intellectual risks. Discourse is where respect, belonging, and structure translate into learning. Wendy Ward Hoffer emphasizes, “When students are invited to do the thinking, they grow capacity and confidence.” Discourse is one of the key ways this happens—when students explain their reasoning, challenge one another, and build on peers’ ideas, they are constructing knowledge together.

When we design for discourse, we are doing more than shaping an academic routine—we are responding to a deeper human need. As Parker Palmer reminds us, “The human heart yearns for connectedness. We need connections to ourselves, to others, to the worlds of history and nature, to the circle of community, to the mystery of the universe.” Discourse in the classroom helps answer that yearning. It gives students a place to connect with ideas and with one another, transforming learning into something that is both intellectual and deeply human.

At Venture, we regularly use protocols—Chalk Talk, See–Think–Wonder, Save the Last Word—to amplify student voice, balance participation, and shift ownership of learning toward students. In October, we’ll have the chance to step back and reflect on how these moves connect directly to Domain 2 practices and the culture of learning we’re building together.

Between now and then, I encourage you to pause and notice:

• When students talk, are they mostly talking to you—or to each other?

• How might routines open space for more voices?

• Whose thinking is being highlighted, and how can it be expanded?

Just as routines create a culture of belonging, discourse creates a culture of shared thinking. Together, they transform classrooms into communities where every student has a voice—and every voice matters.

Reflective Question: As you look ahead to October, what is one way you might strengthen discourse so that students are talking to learn—not just talking to answer?

Credits, Credits, Who Wants a Credit?

Here is the registration link for Fall 2025 UI Professional Development courses.  Participants must register online through the link(s) provided below by December 19, 2025.  Please note that educators must first create an account in Keeplearning.uidaho.edu  to register and pay.

Venture Academy Fall 2025 PD

Supervision of Instruction (if your name is not on one of these lists, please let me know)

Kennedy will supervise instruction for:

English Dept: Levy, Hamilton, Cysewski, Blank, 

Social Studies:  Wilson, Tacke

Online: Mires, Doering, Smith, Mahoney, Orchard, Sewell, Vaughan

Zimmerman, Kayne, Durk

Mantz will supervise:

Math: Gonzalez, Knight, Mazhan, 

Electives: Hook, Cooley

Sp.Ed: Njoku, Kenner

Smotherman

Science: Penske, Nettles

Hernandez, Bond, Griffitts, 

In the next week we will send out a sign up sheet for observations.

Week of September 29
Bus Duty:  Blank and Knight
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday:  Custodian Appreciation Day - Thank you, Josh!!!
Friday: 7:00 am Cross District collaboration- certified staff

Week of October 6
Bus Duty: Tacke and Cooley
Monday:  
Tuesday: Kennedy, Mantz out @ am
Wednesday:  
Thursday: Kennedy out
Friday: Non Work Day

Week of October 13
Bus Duty: Hamilton and Hook
Monday:  
Tuesday: Kennedy and Mantz out am
Wednesday:  Kennedy and Mantz out am
Thursday: 
Friday: Non Work Day

Week of October 20
Bus Duty: Levy and Crysewski
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday:  Certified Staff Collaboration day

 

Week Two Reflections: Building Belonging at Venture

We’re only two weeks into the school year, and already the heart of Venture is shining through. Last week, I wrote about the power of showing up together to launch the year. This week, I want to celebrate what I’ve seen happening across our advisories and classrooms: the intentional work of building community.

In advisory, I’ve noticed students engaging in cooperative activities, laughing together, and having real opportunities to connect. These early steps—getting to know one another, sharing experiences, and building trust—are not “extra.” They are the foundation of a strong and supportive culture.

I’ve also seen something equally important: advisories working together across groups. When the two freshman advisories gather for a shared activity, or when sophomores, juniors, or seniors come together, students begin to form a class identity. This sense of “we belong together as the Class of 2029” (or 2027, or 2026…) helps kids feel anchored. They see themselves not just as individuals but as part of a team moving forward side by side. That kind of belonging is powerful—it builds pride, unity, and resilience.

As Parker Palmer reminds us, “We teach who we are. Teaching, like any truly human activity, emerges from one’s inwardness, for better or for worse.” The work you are doing to cultivate belonging in your advisories and classes flows directly from who you are as educators—your care, your integrity, and your belief in these students.

So as we close out week two, I want to thank you for investing in relationships. Each icebreaker, group activity, and advisory circle lays the groundwork for the thriving Venture community we’re building together. Strong relationships are not only the key to our culture—they’re the spark that will carry us through challenges and help our students see themselves as capable, connected learners.

Preparing for October: Classroom Environments That Build Belonging

This past week I’ve been struck by how intentionally you’re shaping the student experience. I’ve seen advisories and classrooms where students are laughing together, building trust, and making new connections. I’ve also seen classrooms where routines are beginning to take hold, giving students the structure they need to engage and belong. These efforts—both relational and practical—are laying the foundation for a culture where learning can thrive.

In October, we’ll take a deeper look at how these early moves connect to Domain 2 of the Danielson Framework: The Classroom Environment. This domain highlights five key components that influence how students experience school every day:

• Respect and rapport
• Culture for learning
• Procedures and routines
• Behavior expectations
• Use of space

These ideas are echoed in Phenomenal Teaching, particularly in the chapter on Community. Hoffer reminds us that “learning is a profoundly social act, best supported when we cultivate a community of thinkers.” Just as Domain 2 emphasizes the environment we create, Phenomenal Teaching underscores that belonging and shared responsibility are essential to meaningful learning.

The connections are clear:

• Respect and rapport grow out of the stance we bring into the classroom.
• Culture for learning develops through the workshop model and thinking strategies, where students see themselves as capable thinkers.
• Procedures and routines provide the structure that frees students to take intellectual risks.
• Use of space and behavior expectations shape a sense of safety, equity, and shared accountability.

When we meet in October, you’ll have the chance to:

• Experience protocols (Chalk Talk, See–Think–Wonder, Save the Last Word) from a student perspective.
• Analyze how these strategies support Domain 2 practices.
• Reflect on how routines, space, and teacher moves shape culture and belonging.
• Identify one specific move to carry forward in your classroom.

Between now and then, I encourage you to pause and notice:

• Which routines are helping students feel safe and engaged?
• Where do you already see equity of voice emerging?
• How does the arrangement of space support (or limit) collaboration?

At Venture, our best teaching emerges from the communities we intentionally build. The daily choices you make—in relationships, routines, and environment—are the foundation of that community.

Fire Drills and Lockdowns

Please take a few minutes this week to review fire drill expectations with your classes:

• Exit quickly and quietly through the assigned route.
• Stay together with your class and teacher.
• Remain silent so directions can be heard.
• If students are in the bathroom, hall, or another location separate from their class, they should leave by the nearest exit and rejoin their class outside.
• Once outside, take your class roster and emergency binder with you.
• After accounting for your students, hold up the green sign. If you are missing a student or unsure of their location, hold up the red sign so we know to assist.

Skylar will be scheduling an after-school meeting soon to review lockdown and modified lockdown procedures. Until then, thank you for preparing your students and ensuring everyone knows what’s expected.

Week of September 15 
Bus Duty:  Gonzalez and Mazhan
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  Kennedy and Mantz out @ am
Thursday: 
Friday: Non work day

Week of September 22 
Bus Duty:  Nettles and Vaughan
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday: Certified Staff Collaboration Day

Week of September 29
Bus Duty:  Blank and Knight
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday: Cross District collaboration- certified staff

Week of October 6
Bus Duty: Tacke and Cooley
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: Picture Make-up day
Friday: Non Work Day

 

Welcome Andrew Allen to our Special Education Department and Tylar Sewell - Science teacher for online students.  We are very happy to have you on the Venture team.

The Power of Small Moves

As we settle into the rhythm of the new school year, it’s worth remembering that instructional excellence isn’t always about grand reinventions. Often, it’s the small, intentional moves we make that ripple out the furthest.

Wendy Ward Hoffer emphasizes in Phenomenal Teaching that when we design classrooms around thinking, discourse, and inquiry, we aren’t just teaching content — we’re equipping students to become curious, capable learners for life. Every time we ask a better question, press a student to explain their thinking, or pause to let them puzzle through an idea, we’re reinforcing habits that matter far beyond the walls of our classrooms.

The 1% Mindset

Dr. Hocker talks about the value of improving by just 1% in some area of our practice. Alone, a 1% change may feel too small to notice. But as those small improvements compound — day after day, week after week — the effect is transformative.

This week, I encourage you to notice your “1% moves”:

• Asking one more follow-up question when a student responds.

• Giving ten more seconds of wait time before calling on someone.

• Shifting a worksheet into a discussion prompt.

None of these alone will transform a lesson — but collectively, they create the culture of thinking and learning we want for Venture.

Moving Forward Together: “Collective teacher efficacy is the number one factor influencing student achievement.”— John Hattie

We don’t have to do it all at once. If each of us commits to just 1% more intentionality toward deeper learning and richer discourse, our collective impact grows exponentially. As John Hattie reminds us:

“Collective teacher efficacy is the collective belief of teachers in their ability to positively affect students. It is more than three times as powerful and predictive of student achievement than socioeconomic status, and it is the number one factor influencing student achievement.”

Thank you for the creativity, persistence, and heart you bring every day. The work isn’t easy, but the difference you make is immeasurable.

What’s one 1% move you’ll try this week?

Week of September 8
Bus Duty:  Wilson and Penske
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday: Non work day

Week of September 15 
Bus Duty:  Gonzalez and Mazhan
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday: Non work day

Week of September 22 
Bus Duty:  Nettles and Vaughan
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday: Certified Staff Collaboration Day

Week of September 29
Bus Duty:  Blank and Knight
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: 
Friday: Cross District collaboration- certified staff

 

Welcome Back, Venture Team!

Sharpen those pencils, dust off the Chromebooks, and grab your coffee mugs — it’s time to launch another school year at Venture Academy! After a summer of rest (and maybe a few adventures), we’re back together to do what we do best: create a place where students feel seen, supported, and challenged.

 New Roles + Fresh Faces

This year brings a mix of familiar faces in new roles and brand-new teammates ready to jump in:

• Skyler Mantz – now serving as our Assistant Principal

• Marita Durk – stepping into the role of College and Career Assistant

• Madelyn Knight – joining us as our new Math Teacher

• Shelly Blank – joining us as our new Title I Teacher

• Mary Hamilton – joining us as our Freshman & Sophomore English Teacher

• Ashley Kenner – joining us as our new TSC Teacher

 Buckle Up for Skyward

Heads-up: things might feel a little different this year. With the rollout of Skyward, a lot of the scheduling tools Rachelle used in the past are no longer available on her end. She can’t see rosters or make quick changes to classes, teachers of record, or room numbers anymore. Instead, all of those requests now have to filter through the District Office — which is currently buried under a mountain of similar requests.

Rachelle is doing everything she can with the access she has, but it may take longer than we’re used to. We’re all on this roller coaster together, and your patience, humor, and grace mean the world. Thanks for supporting one another and keeping the ride as smooth as possible for our students.

First Week Schedule

Here’s how we’ll kick things off:

Monday (7:00–3:00)

• 7:00–8:00 – Work time

• 8:00–12:00 – All staff in library:  PPT

• 12:00–12:30 – Lunch on your own

• 12:30–3:00 – Work time

Tuesday (7:00–3:00)

• 7:00–8:00 – Work time

• 8:00–10:00 – All staff in library for Qmlative training (bring a Chromebook)

• 10:00–10:15 – Break

• 10:15–12:00 – In-person teaching staff only in library- PPT

• noon–12:30 – Lunch on your own

• 12:30–3:00 – Work time

Wednesday (7:30–3:30)

• 7:30–8:00 – Work time

• 8:00–11:00 – In-person staff only in library

• 11:00–11:30 – Lunch on your own

• 11:30–3:30 – Work time

• 1:00 - 3:30 - Open house

Thursday (7:00–3:00)

• 7:00–8:00 – Breakfast at Lake City High School (Classified staff welcome to join in the library)

• 8:00–8:30 – District Welcome

• 8:30–noon – Breakout sessions on timely and relevant topics

• Noon–3:00 – In classrooms completing Vector training, etc.

Friday (7:00–3:00)

• Workday from the location of your choosing 

---

We’ve got an amazing year ahead, filled with growth, collaboration, and plenty of moments to laugh along the way. Let’s roll into Monday ready to support each other and our students.

Let’s do this, Venture! 

 

As we wrap up another school year, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the heart, effort, and resilience that each of you has brought to Venture Academy. This year, like so many before it, was full of challenges that demanded creativity, flexibility, and patience—and you rose to meet them with compassion and grit.

Every hallway conversation, each difficult student interaction handled with care, every late night planning lesson materials or supporting a colleague—all of it matters. All of it adds up to a school environment where students know they are seen, valued, and believed in. That is no small thing.

We’ve built a place where at-risk students get another chance, where relationships are the intervention, and where growth is measured in more than just grades. You are the reason this works. From our teachers and paras to our counselors, secretaries, support staff, custodians, and kitchen team—everyone contributes to the culture of care and possibility we’ve created here.

Take time to rest this summer. You’ve earned it. I hope you return refreshed, reminded of your impact, and ready for another year of the meaningful work we do together.

With gratitude,

Teresa, Bri, and Skyler

 

To the Whole Venture Crew—Thank You

It’s the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week, and at Venture, that means we’re celebrating all the teachers in the building—and not just the ones with whiteboards and gradebooks.

Because here, teaching happens in every corner of the school. It's Rachelle helping students figure out both their presents and their futures.  It’s Josh sweeping up through chaos and calm alike. It’s Marita, Eliseo, Lucy, and Bob offering support, structure, and steady presence. It’s Caryn and Karen making the front office and online office run like a well-oiled (and frequently interrupted) machine. It’s Officer Noble keeping us safe and steady. It’s Val and Marybeth not only feeding everyone, but doing it with grace—even after cleaning up a mess none of us planned for this week.

Which brings us to... the lockdown. That was not the appreciation gift we had in mind. And yet, every one of you stepped up. Calm under pressure, caring toward students, focused on keeping things safe and running. It was a reminder—like we ever needed one—that this staff is something special.

This week may be “Teacher Appreciation Week,” but around here, we know that job titles don't define the difference-makers. You all teach—through kindness, patience, teamwork, humor, and grit.

So as we wrap up this week of gratitude, know this: You are appreciated. You are admired. You are the reason Venture works.

Thank you for being exactly who you are.

—Teresa

Week of  May 12 
Bus Duty: Cysewski
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: Trent visiting Venture
Friday: Cross District collaboration 7:30 - 

Week of  May 19 
Bus Duty: Vaughan
Monday:  
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: Trent visiting Venture
Friday: Non Work Day

Week of  May 26 
Bus Duty: Levy
Monday:   Memorial Day
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  
Thursday: Trent visiting Venture
Friday: Certified Staff Collaboration 8:00 - 3:00

Week of June 2
Bus Duty: All Hands on Deck- outside, in the halls, in the commons
Monday: 
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:  Final Grades posted for seniors at 3:30 pm - no exceptions.
Thursday:  Finals for all students Seniors arrive at 3:00 Graduation 6:00
Friday: Teacher clean up day.

Week of June 9
Monday: Certified Staff Work Day - flex.  This day is a flex day in exchange for working the graduation.  Thank you!

Have a great summer!