Blue Jays Flock Together for Teambuilding Event
Bentwood teachers gathered for some teambuilding activities at Pinot’s Palette.An article that was published in the Olathe School District Intranet news letter.
Aug. 15, 2016 ~ Just like the four blue jays featured in Bentwood’s new mascot logo, the school’s staff members are like a big family. They work as a team, enjoying new experiences and facing challenges together.
Teambuilding activities popped up across the district during the final few days before school started. For Bentwood teachers, it involved paint smocks and easels as they tried their hand at painting in the Pinot’s Palette studio. Bentwood’s new mascot painting was designed by the owners of Pinot’s Palette, who also happen to be parents of Olathe students.
“We had to be good listeners to follow the lead of the instructor; the activity was well-planned and well-executed, as well as broken down into manageable steps for the audience to be successful with the experience,” Principal Cathy McDonald said. “We enjoyed the opportunity to encourage each other and enjoyed the camaraderie of the shared experience. It was a first-time experience for many of our staff.”
McDonald appreciates the time built into each pre-service calendar so her staff can work on teambuilding and instruction content.
“Teambuilding is an essential component of back to school preparation,” she said. “Working together, having fun together, and sharing memorable experiences together help bridge the times when we have to buckle down to work through the grit required of being a public school teacher.”
A few hours and a few paint-smudged smocks later, each teacher had his or her own version of the new mascot logo.
“They will hang it in their own teaching space as a reminder of the experience, the motto, and the perseverance needed for new situations and new learning,” McDonald said. “Mine is already hung in my office.”