Next year, the Steller staff is going to pilot using schoolwide essential questions and we’re inviting everyone to submit a question for consideration. Essential questions are “big idea” questions that do not have simple right or wrong answers. Our goals are to encourage critical thinking on a similar topic throughout our community and to spark collaborative conversations among students, parents, and staff. Throughout each semester, students will explore the questions in their advisory groups, and, because the question will be interdisciplinary, teachers will be able to incorporate it into their lesson plans. The semester’s exploration may culminate with seminar-style discussions as part of our All Community Meeting. We will explore one question per semester and plan to have them chosen this school year. Question suggestions can be put in the essential question box in the office, or you can email them to Danielle at Sjoden_Danielle@asdk12.org. Please submit them by Friday, April 1st. For question criteria and the rationale for using essential questions, see the article about the school we’re modeling this after: http://www.jcsd.k12.or.us/sites/jcsd.k12.or.us/files/files/using%20schoolwide%20essential%20questions%20to%20drive%20learning.pdf Thanks in advance for your support.