School-wide Theme

Our 2023-2024 school-wide theme was STRENGTH! The many definitions of strength, both mental and physical–firmness, durability, power–was integrated into curriculum across disciplines. Together we investigated mental, physical, and scientific strength and the aspects of struggle that lead to strength, as well as how to create and develop strength. We encouraged our students to believe in themselves and their personal strength as we examined strength of character, the strength to be yourself, the strength to take appropriate risks, the strength to say “no,” and the strength it takes to be upstanders.

Our 2022-2023 school-wide theme was IMPACT! Defined as having “a marked effect or influence,” impact was integrated into curriculum as together we investigated how we might embrace “impact” and explored the impact on the environment, the social emotional nature of impact, and impact on all disciplines. We encouraged our students to believe in themselves, their ideas, and their voices, and recognize the impact they have in their daily lives at The Willows and in the future of our nation and global society.

Our 2021-2022 school-wide theme was DREAM, which was selected by our students during our 2020 study of the election process to parallel the 2020 elections in our nation and bring voting, elections, and the democratic process to life for our students. We explored how to use our imagination and dream while also focusing on the work that must be done to achieve our dreams. Dream related directly to our school credo: all things are possible.

Our 2020-2021 school-wide theme was ILLUMINATE which lit up our year with optimism and a bright outlook. We spotlighted our students, cast a light on topics to gain new perspectives, and dug deep to enlighten ourselves, and brighten the world around us. “Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness,” wrote Anne Frank whose words speak directly to our world today. 

In honor of our 25th Anniversary and in honor of our founders, we brought back the inaugural 2000-2001 school-wide theme "The Ties that Bind Us" as our 2019-2020 school-wide theme. Since 1994, our ties have been strong, uniting all of us through the years. We celebrated our ties to each other, to our unique educational program, to our traditions, innovations, and our phenomenal progress. Our students explored their individuality as well as their ties to our community, family, city, state, and the world around us. As a school, we closely looked at our cross-disciplinary, integrated learning and the ties that bind all subjects.

The 2018-2019 school-wide theme was "Story." The theme of story was incorporated into curriculum in numerous ways as we investigated how each of us has our own personal narrative, how stories enhance empathy and understanding, and how stories passed down create history. Story has a natural relationship to language arts, reading, and the library but also to each discipline including word problems in math, the story of a science experiment, an athletic team's story each season, and the story of a work of art or a piece of music.

Our 2017-18 school-wide theme was "REACH." During that year, students explored "reach" as it pertained to their studies, personal lives, and the world around them. Reach was investigated in relation to our community members reaching beyond themselves and gaining a better understanding of each other and our globally connected world. 

2016-2017 Power
2015-2016 Action
2014-2015 Time
2013-2014 Bridges
2012-2013 Becoming
2011-2012 Inspire
2010-2011 Courage
2009-2010 Balance
2008-2009 Possibilities
2007-2008 Choices
2006-2007 Perspective
2005-2006 Teamwork
2004-2005 Celebrations
2003-2004 Time
2002-2003 Communication
2001-2002 The Environment
2000-2001 The Ties that Bind Us