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Category: Educators at Work

Posted
April 23, 2026
Category
Educators at Work

Westmore Elementary: Operationalizing Collaboration Through Goal Setting

At Westmore Elementary in School District 45 (D45) in Illinois, the 5th grade team is demonstrating what it looks like to move a Portrait of a Graduate from vision to daily practice.

As part of their ongoing work this school year, the team identified a consistent challenge. As 5th grade teacher Katheryn Zalabak shared, “We are struggling with their ability to work as a group, stay on task, and respect their peers.” 

Rather than addressing this as isolated behavior, the team anchored the work in D45’s Portrait of a Graduate, specifically the competencies of Emotional Intelligence and Responsibility.

From there, the team translated these competencies into a clear, student-facing goal within Thrively. Focused on cooperation and collaboration, the goal provides a structured way for students to practice the skill throughout the day.

This is where the progression becomes visible.

Students are engaging in ongoing reflection and daily check-ins tied to the goal. These moments create a growing body of evidence that shows how students are developing collaboration over time, not as a one-time observation, but as a skill that is practiced, tracked, and strengthened.

In this model, the work is aligned and intentional.

The Portrait defines the skill. The goal makes it personalized. The Thrively Digital Portfolio captures the evidence of learning. 

Westmore’s 5th grade team is not adding something new. They are organizing what already exists into a system that makes student growth visible and actionable. This is what it looks like to move from poster to practice to positive impact, where Portrait competencies are actively developed and made visible through daily student experience.

Posted
March 23, 2026
Category
Educators at Work

Laying the Foundation for Whole-Child Success at Roosevelt High School

At Roosevelt High School, the partnership with Thrively began with a focused and strategic entry point: engaging 9th grade students in building self-awareness, identity, and future direction.

In the early stages of implementation, Roosevelt has already made meaningful progress in activating student voice through the Strengths Assessment. To date, 103 ninth-grade students have completed their assessment, establishing a strong foundation for understanding who students are as learners and individuals. Early data reveals a compelling student profile. Roosevelt students are demonstrating high levels of Flexibility (81.6%), Resilience (68%), and Analytical thinking (67%), highlighting a student body that is adaptable, persistent, and capable of deep thinking. These strengths create a powerful opportunity for educators to design learning experiences that challenge students while honoring how they learn best.

Beyond strengths discovery, Roosevelt has begun introducing key components of Thrively’s whole-child framework. Students are starting to engage in goal setting and reflection practices, with over 100 badges awarded and initial reflections logged, signaling early movement toward building agency and ownership of learning. Career interest data is also beginning to take shape, offering insight into student aspirations. Students are expressing interest in pathways such as doctor, actor or actress, and digital content creation, providing a valuable starting point for connecting learning experiences to real-world futures.

While this represents the beginning of Roosevelt’s Thrively journey, the foundation is clear. Students are starting to see themselves more fully, and educators now have access to meaningful data that can inform instruction, advisory structures, and school culture. As Roosevelt looks ahead, the opportunity is to deepen this work by expanding implementation across grade levels and embedding strengths, goals, and student voice into everyday practice. With a strong ninth-grade launch and a clear data-informed starting point, Roosevelt is well-positioned to grow into a model for whole-child development aligned to a Portrait of a Graduate vision.

Posted
March 10, 2026
Category
Educators at Work

Shoutout to Westminster Expanded Learning for Leading the Way in Strengths-Based Learning

Shout out to the Westminster Expanded Learning Team (CA) for intentionally and creatively integrating Thrively into their daily programming. Frontline staff are actively bringing Thrively’s Core 4 learning conditions to life Strengths, Well-Being, Hope, and Connections by embedding them into routines, student recognition, and the physical learning environment. Across their programs, the team has made strengths visible through engaging initiatives such as strengths-themed bulletin boards, a Thrively room decoration contest, “Thrively Student of the Month” certificates, and information boards that help families understand the impact of strengths-based learning.

A special recognition goes to Mr. Ryan Nguyen and his team at the Fryberger Boys and Girls Club ASES afterschool program. As a dedicated Thrively Champion, Ryan has led his team to remarkable progress they are currently just 1% away from reaching 100% Strengths Assessment completion. Their commitment reflects how Expanded Learning programs can create powerful environments where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive both during and beyond the school day.

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