"Our mission is to give every learner opportunities to reach their highest potential in a safe and supportive environment which embraces diversity and individual worth. Our goal is that our students become a light to others and shine like the stars we know they are!"

~Whitley Road Elementary School

If there's one school that realizes the positive impact an engaging and rewarding environment has on performance levels, it's Whitley Road Elementary School in Watauga, Texas. It is apparent when reading the school's mission statement, and also when walking the halls and classrooms within.

The teachers and staff at Whitley Road Elementary use the VariQuest Poster Maker and Awards Maker in creative ways, and Michele Clenin, the school's office manager, shared just some of the many applications with us.

Poster Maker

At Whitley Road Elementary, the Poster Maker is used largely as a communication and mind mapping tool. There are signs and labels posted throughout the school; many of the signs contain reminders or words of encouragement. One poster in particular that caught our attention was pertaining to character education. It listed eight expectations that were all about treating each other with respect.

Regarding mind mapping, teachers use the Poster Maker to print large graphic organizers, such as Venn Diagrams and Main Topic Detail Webs, then laminate them for repeated use during group work or presentations.

           Progress tracking is another common application of the Poster Maker at Whitely Road Elementary. The fourth grade held a camp fundraiser and measured their efforts along the way by creating a large chart and posting it in the hallway for all students to see. Additionally, teachers and staff will plot test data on an 8 ½" x 11" sheet of paper and use the scan-to-print function on the Poster Maker to enlarge the data and then hang it up in the administrative hall. As you can see, and according to Michele, "The possibilites are endless!"

Awards Maker

Similar to some of applications of the Poster Maker, the Awards Maker is used by the teachers and staff at Whitley Road Elementary as a motivational tool by encouraging and recognizing achievements. At the end of last school year, each grade designed its own unique award from the VariQuest Software's customizable templates, and then every student in the school received an award plaque unique to their grade or class. According to Michele, students needed more than the paper certificates presented in the past for academic achievement. They needed something to really make them smile and feel proud, something they could hang on the wall and keep for a long time.

Whitley Road Elementary also announces Teacher of the Year awards at the end of each school year and now present those outstanding teachers with award plaques made using the VariQuest Awards Maker.