Retreat = Work, Fun, Team-Building, Planning

Nearly 70 teachers, administrators and board members are attending a two-day retreat this week, and while there has been ample laughter so far, the learning surpasses the fun. Or in most cases, learning and fun are happening simultaneously!

PCSC employs roughly 600 employees who span six schools, a pre-school and administration building, so it should come as no surprise that many people don't get to know their peers in other buildings - unless they attend something like this week's retreat. 

With the primary facilitators coming from Discovery Education (@STEMancipate, #DESTEM), conversations have centered on preparing students for careers that don't yet exist, encouraging more girls to pursue math and science courses and careers, and incorporating inquiry-based lessons that don't punish students for mistakes but rather encourage trial and error. 

And in the last morning activity, teams were given a variety of basic materials with which to construct a functional windmill, one which had to stand up to the wind created by a table fan. Working together, creating, messing up and testing new theories, and learning one another's strengths (and weaknesses) are just a few of the lessons learned. And there was PLENTY of laughter.