As summer hits the midway point, it's time to start thinking about welcoming your faculty back to campus. Are you looking for some creative, fun, active ideas? I have a few ideas to share from our campus, Ipadpalooza in Austin and ISTE in Denver this summer.

The first is an experience  that we offered on our campus last year. Using Goosechase, our faculty participated in a scavenger hunt.  We are a comprehensive high school with a large zone. We chose to do a scavenger hunt for a few reasons. We wanted teachers to have an opportunity to meet teachers they didn't know. We let teams form on their own with one rule. The one rule was that there could not be more than one other person from a department on a team. Teams formed in groups of 5. We also wanted teachers to explore the geographic zone in which our students live. The scavenger hunt was also an opportunity for teachers to visit and thank the businesses that support our school throughout the year. In Goosechase, you can pre-select missions that they have designed or design your own. We had a creative member of our admin team design our tasks to make them specific to our community. Many of the missions he just tweaked from an idea that Goosechase provided in their mission bank. Each mission was worth a different amount of points.  The teams set out in cars to compete for the grand prize which was a half day off during the year. Teachers are motivated when you give them "time".  The feedback that we received from the scavenger hunt was wonderful. Funny stories of the time spent together in cars and getting to know each other were shared  during the post hunt debrief.  Throughout the scavenger hunt, teams posted pictures as they accomplished a mission.  Posting to social media earned them extra points. The images that came in were great and shared the story of the day our teachers had with our community. Great PR as well.  Watch a one minute video of a Goosechase scavenger hunt.  *Please note that there is a fee to run a Goosechasewww.goosechase.com/solutions/k12/ Scavenger Hunt as a large event or school wide. Teachers can use the tool for free with individual classes. 

The next idea for team building is to design an Amazing Race for your faculty to compete in. Janelle Maurier shared her free iBook at IpadPalooza. The iBook, Professional Learning AppMazing Prescription, is available to download for free in the iTunes store. I can't create a link to it but if you go to the itunes store and search you will find it.  It's an electronic interactive book with great ideas to create your own race organized using the tool Thinglink.  

At ISTE, Josh Gauthier shared additional information about creating an Amazing Race.  His presentation can be found under ISTE in Denver 2016 "Amazing Race Instructions". Theme music from the Amazing Race can be played in the background when you introduce the challenge.  The feedback from educators that had participated in this in the sessions I attended was positive.  These two resources should get you going in the right direction to create your own Amazing Race!

The next idea is Breakout EDU. The Breakout EDU bus was onsite at #ISTE2016 and Breakout EDU CEO Adam Bellow's along with Steve Dembo from Discovery Ed ran a great session on PD. The Breakout EDU approach creates a gaming challenge for teams to work in. ​

Breakout EDU does require a basic kit so that the games can be played. Kits can be purchased through Breakout Edu or the can be assembled by a school by gathering the supplies that are listed at Breakout Edu's website. 

Over 200 Breakout EDU games have already been written. Some of the games are more polished than others. Any of the games can be adapted to your own needs as well.  Breakout EDU games are all  Open Source. You’ll need to register with Breakout EDU and then access the games and their details behind a password protected site.

Summertime is the perfect time to fill your cup of mojo! Here are TEN surefire ways from the Compelled Tribe to keep or get back your mojo this summer.

Exercise – @Jennifer_Hogan
I find that when I get to exercise, it keeps me motivated, energized, and confident. Exercise is a time when I can disconnect from the world and just be “inside my head.” It allows time for ideas to percolate without interruption… time that I value and appreciate. It also provides the whitespace I need as an introvert. For me, it encourages creativity and problem-solving while the endorphins are being released! Done consistently, it’s a true mojo-maker!
Connecting – @jon_wennstrom
For me, I draw energy from being around positive people. Connecting with educators during summer learning sessions, sharing and learning from others on Twitter about books we’ve read, and of course blogging and reading blogs. I’m definitely an extrovert and being around other educators helps inspire me and always leads to new ideas to implement and helps me keep my mojo!
Theater – @sandeeteach
I love Broadway musicals, plays, and other theatrical productions. It’s a way for me to escape and immerse myself in a story. One of my favorite theaters spoofs popular shows. For example, this year two of the shows will be “Indiana Bones Raiders of the Wal-Mart” and “Captain American Fork The Worst Avenger”. (American Fork is the city where I grew up.) The actors and actresses are masters of improvisation which makes for a night of laughter. Another favorite theater performs in the round which is always a delightful experience. There are beautiful theaters in downtown Salt Lake City for Broadway musicals and outdoor shows in many local communities. For a few hours, I can lose myself in another world. But upon further reflection, I always relate the experience to teaching because that’s just what teachers do. We get ideas that benefit our students from everywhere.
Find a good read, or two – @Vroom6
There are lots of ways to find joy and rejuvenate during the summer months. And, I am all about work hard, play hard. With that, one of the greatest joys I get from the summer months, and a way in which I keep my mojo running full steam ahead, is by catching up on some of that much needed reading that took a back seat during the school year. Often times the days we are in session with students and teachers are filled with more scripted reading and writing. So for me, it is the summer months that I get to find that much anticipated new release on best practices in our field. Whether striving to become a better leader, or a better learner, it is the books that I carry with me to the beach, the pool or the park that I enjoy the most.
Dream big together – @allysonapsey
When my mojo needs a pick me up, I dream about what could be for our students, but I don’t do it alone. Just like everyone else, I find myself focusing on the trees rather than the forest from time to time. When monotony sets in, I push back by collaborating with the amazing teachers I work with. I am astounded after each conversation–we feed off each other, we divide and conquer, and we multiply our creativity for the sake of our students. Through these type of conversations this year, we came up with an amazing service learning project, we started plans for a Makerspace, we piloted new
reading initiatives, we shared professional reading that has inspired us and so much more. While we are dreaming big together, we are building stronger relationships, laughing, and challenging each other.
Pause and Reflect – @KarenWoodEDU
When my mojo needs some rejuvenation, (and it sometimes does), I first take a few minutes to reflect.  I find that sometimes my initial desire to “rejuvenate my mojo” may have my efforts focussed in the wrong areas or in areas which may not be productive for educators or students in the long run.  Reflection leads to focus and clarity.  From clarity goals can be set and then the fun begins!  Once my goals are established I jump in full force and do so with collaborative efforts.  It is very important that the shared vision of success is truly understood by all.  The last strategy I feel is essential for rejuvenating mojos is time to step away from work.  I admittedly do not do this well, however I find when I can clear my head (by going to the beach, going for a walk, kayaking, swimming, or practicing yoga/meditation, etc.) I return refreshed, focussed, and ready to ramp up my mojo and the mojos of others around me.
Get into some music! – @PrincipalStager
I was a music major in college and a music educator prior to becoming a principal. Whenever I need to get my mojo back or need to decompress, I find a piano and PLAY. I play in a group at my church so I have the opportunity to play rather often. I understand not everyone has the ability to sit down and play a musical instrument, but when I don’t have a piano to play, I drive in my car or just put my headphones in and JAM! There is nothing like a great playlist of uplifting and energetic music to get your energy back and your cup overflowing! This is my sure-fire way to get back on track.
Make a “bucket list” – @jodiepierpoint
I decided to make a “bucket list” of things I wanted to accomplish within a year, but I’m finding summer is a perfect time to accomplish them.  Things such as volunteering and baking cookies for friends have been real pick me ups! Training for a quarter marathon has led into a half, simply because I’m out with great friends chatting while I’m doing it.  I check my list all the time, call a friend, and pick an activity to do – it’s a great way to rejuvenate not only myself, but others too!
“What if People” & Quiet Time – @Debralcamp
I do my best thinking when I am with people that like to say “what if”.  There is something about the words “what if” that allows walls to come down.  When discussions are lead with the words “what if” it takes away the threat of there being wrong answers and allows for brainstorming to happen in a way that doesn’t in a lot of conversations.  I find it very motivating to be pushed and pulled by other people’s thoughts and ideas.  Positive energy comes when people work together and create as a group. There is a collective product that is created as well. I find on the flip side that quiet time and reflection after being with “what if people” takes me to a space in my head where more ideas can be generated.  Revisiting and reflecting again with the same group consistently allows for new ideas to develop and to be tried. (They don’t always work but the process sure is fun and motivating.)
Balance – @Abond013
Often times when I am feeling overwhelmed, I find that I need to prioritize. It is important for educators in any role to find time to take care of themselves. We need to give students our best and that is challenging when we are running on empty. Besides exercising, traveling, and spending time with family or friends, I find that fueling my passion keeps me going. For example, if you are passionate about literacy, continue to take interest and learn more. Surround yourself with people who share your passion.

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Transition defined is the passage from one state, subject, or place to another. The morning of our graduation rehearsal this year I read a post by Seth Godin on transition. The post struck a cord with me. What did our system look like to transition our seniors out successfully? We have a comprehensive plan in place to transition our 9th-grade students into our high school. Yet, we had never formally reflected on how we transition students out of our school four years later. 

Research has shown that three core factors are critical in transition. They are; the need to feel safe, the need for information and the need to feel connected. As our seniors move towards their next big adventure, we need to address all three areas.
 
We cannot control the setting that our seniors are transitioning to. But, we can make sure that we have resources in place for students to explore their options.  Students need to establish a sense of trust and knowledge with their chosen destination. A dedicated College Center serves as a physical and emotional location for students. College counselors provide support, encouragement and follow up for students.  As students narrow their choices and make their college selection, they need guidance. Seniors need to see how and where they can connect and find their place in the environment that they are transitioning to. 
 
Clear lines of communication between the school and students need to be in place. Information should be accessible in a variety of ways to both seniors and their families. Resources should be available in a comprehensive state on a school's website or LMS. Communication should go out in chunks through social media, email, and individual announcements. Ask for feedback from families. Is there anything that is not clear or confusing that we have posted?  Work to make it as simple as possible. Graphics are critical to simplifying information whenever possible. 

Seniors need to feel safe.  Anxieties for seniors rise as they begin to realize they will be leaving family and friends. Seniors need to know that while they are leaving high school, they will always have a home at your school.  The emotions and feelings that seniors are experiencing need to be validated and acknowledged. 
 
Graduation is a celebration and an exciting event. Students walk away with their diploma and final paperwork at graduation.  Schools have an opportunity within this paperwork to include personal letters and notes from faculty. When personal items are included with the documents that a senior takes away from that evening, it magnifies the connection, and those personal notes stay with their official paperwork for reflection years later.
 
This year we added a final communication to our senior families with links to social media postings along with good wishes after graduation. Going forward, this is something that we will continue to do.

Godin's state's in his blog post, "Humans remember the transitions, because it's moments of change and possibility and trepidation that light us up." 

What tips do you have to share on transitioning seniors out of high school? ​