WE GOT THE SPIRIT!

"WE GOT THE SPIRIT! YES, WE DO! WE GOT THE SPIRIT! HOW ABOUT YOU?"

Back in my elementary cheerleading days, we used to chant something that feels oh-so-appropriate as I talk about my love for Spirit Weeks. I've been able to participate in these fun-filled events at a few different schools as a student and as a teacher. I always get a kick out of seeing everyone - staff and students alike - get involved.

As the head of Student Council, I've been tasked with organizing more than one of these celebrations. When it comes to planning a Spirit Week, I always try to keep things fresh and exciting. That means brainstorming new dress-up days that haven't been done before, and tying each day's theme to the week's overall purpose.

Most recently, I'm pretty proud of the lineup I've put together for our state testing kickoff week. I wanted to make sure each day was relevant to testing, and also included a helpful testing tip for students.

HERE WAS OUR SCHEDULE FOR STATE TESTING SPIRIT WEEK:

Monday - Get Prepared:

Our theme day was all about gearing up for the upcoming test. Students were encouraged to do everything necessary to prepare and dress in preppy clothing. It's always so cute for me to students dress preppy, so I had to include that day.

Tuesday - Kick Off Testing The Right Way:

To kick off testing the right way, students were reminded to wake up early, get dressed, and arrive at school on time. The theme for the day was "Dress for Success," with a twist of wearing their favorite kicks. Initially, the attire was their favorite kicks with unique socks. However, after a colleague shared this idea that Treadwell Elementary came up with, I had to change it because it was cute to me.

Wednesday - Throwback Learning:

In my opinion, there's no way that a Spirit Week can be great without a Throwback Day. Dressing up in "The Good Ole' Days" attire is so fun. I'm the biggest fan of the 80s and 90s, but usually leave the option open. With this spirit week, I tied the theme to students thinking of the past standards and skills they've learned. We had so much fun on this day. As expected!

Thursday - Teacher's Choice:

I was really proud of creating this day. Many times, when I'm planning the week I have different suggestions from teachers and students. Again, I like to do days that aren't too common or have been included in previous week that year. Creating this "Teacher's Choice" day, allowing each teacher to pick a theme for their class and I was able to easily align a tagline for the day.

My class chose for our day to be "Joggers and Nikes".

Friday - Aim for Green and Blue:

Friday brought a burst of school spirit. The theme was "Aim for Green and Blue on the Test," challenging students to wear different shades of these colors, because I didn't want to just have a "Wear blue or green" day. Green and Blue are the colors of proficiency and advanced on our state testing. This message was too aim for that, but remember that simply trying their best is what's most important.

We had a lot of fun on these days. Spirit weeks, if done correctly, can easily bring some cheer and excitement into the building. What are some of your favorite theme days? Share in the comments.