School-wide Design Week

In early September, Campbell School of Innovation (CSI) proudly hosted its inaugural School-Wide Design Week.

In early September, Campbell School of Innovation (CSI) proudly hosted its inaugural School-Wide Design Week. This week-long initiative, centered around the Design Thinking Process: Seek, Learn, Lead, was a result of thoughtful experimentation and refinement that began with last year’s successful Design Day.

The idea for Design Week was prototyped at the end of last school year, when CSI tested its first school-wide design sprint. After collecting valuable feedback from students and teachers, we iterated on the first prototype.

The feedback from the first event highlighted several "pluses," which we further elevated:

• Cross-Grade Collaboration: Students from different grades worked together, allowing for a broader exchange of ideas and perspectives.

• Whole School Focus: The entire school community engaged in a unified theme, fostering a shared sense of purpose.

• Creative Constraints: Challenges were designed with creative boundaries, encouraging students to think within structured limits.

In the spirit of innovation, CSI also addressed areas for growth that were identified as "deltas" from last year’s event:

• Start Earlier: This year’s Design Week started at the beginning of the school year.

• Flexible Scheduling: Teachers and students had more flexibility to schedule within a week instead of a single day.

• Development of Design Thinking Skills: Several Design Weeks are planned this school year with an intentional focus of deepening Seeking, Learning, and Leading skills.

When receiving a design from her partner, a 4th grader shared, “"When she presented it to me it felt like I was just gifted something that was exactly what I liked. They really listened!".  Mrs. Boehm and Mrs. Jamie’s 4th and TK classes excitedly chimed in, “We feel like we have new friends now!”

By using feedback from its community, CSI ensured that Design Week was a resounding success, inspiring students to approach challenges with creativity, collaboration, and confidence!