WHY QUEST? By ANNIE

Why Quest?

As a QUEST educator and parent, I can honestly say that there are so many things that I love about QUEST.  As each year passes, QUEST feels more and more like home to me.  It’s a place I look forward to being every day.  Here are just a few reasons why…

At QUEST, we…

Question.  We are not stuck simply going through the motions day to day.  We question what really matters.  We question our practices and consider what we can do differently to give kids the best education and experience possible.  We question our attitudes and consider how an attitude adjustment can change everything.  J  We never stop questioning, reflecting, learning, and growing. 

Unite.  I think that collaboration is key at QUEST.  In so many different ways, we come together.  We come together to share and learn.  We meet as levels and teams to discuss the amazing things we are doing in our classrooms and support one another.  We meet as a staff to talk about the things that we are passionate about and learn new strategies and technologies to better ourselves as professionals.  And, my personal favorite, we come together for fun with events like Feast Day, Culture Day, Science Fun Day, Field Day, the sled race, and so many more.  We are One QUEST, after all. 

Explore.  We examine new ideas, strategies, and technology.  We learn alongside our students as they engage in Inquiry throughout our school day.  We are open-minded risk takers who try new things and take on new challenges.  And we are engaged in and committed to everything we do. 

Support.  Each one of us is there for every student, every day.  We are physically, emotionally, and mentally present for all of our kids and I truly believe that our students know that they can always count on us.  We get to know our students’ families and support them, as well.  Whether it’s helping a family to cope with cancer or helping parents to make the connection between home and school, we are there.  In many cases, the relationships we build with students and their families go well beyond the years they spend here at QUEST. 
Not only do we support our students and families at QUEST, but we support each other, as well.  Our staff is like one big family.  We may spend more time with some members than others, but we all look out for one another and have each other’s backs no matter what.  We band together to make a difference, no matter how big or small, whenever one of our colleagues is in need.   

Teach.  We teach to all students and we teach the whole child.  We make sure that each of our students leaves the classroom feeling successful every day and we do this through differentiation.  We are not a school with a “one size fits all” approach.  Instead, we tailor our instruction to meet the needs of each individual.  We create a positive environment where kids are comfortable taking risks and we plan for unique learning experiences that keep our kids engaged.  Best of all, we teach students to teach and learn from one another, as well, just as we do as professionals. 

QUEST is truly a unique and wonderful place and I am proud to be a part of it!