This article was written for the April edition of the Community Compass newsletter.
MCPASD students continue to exemplify the key elements of a Cardinal’s Journey, the District’s future-preparedness framework that provides a comprehensive guide for student success.
Teachers and staff are celebrating students who demonstrate the four Cardinal Mindsets (Curious, Community-Oriented, Accountable, and Self-Aware) and the four Cardinal Foundations (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Adaptability) by nominating them for a Cardinal’s Journey Award. This award from the Board of Education focuses on a different mindset or foundation each month. The focus for April is the Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Foundation.
Strong critical thinkers and problem solvers are individuals who use a variety of informational sources, perspectives, and strategies to find solutions to complex problems. They also find new opportunities within problems, seek long-term solutions, and apply and share their knowledge in broader contexts.
Five elementary, middle, and high school students have won the award for their excellence in this foundation: Radhika Gupta, Isla Holmstrom, Jacob Jensen, Anna Larson, and Martin Ortiz Calderon. They will receive their awards from Board of Education President Bob Hesselbein during the April 27 Board meeting. Staff members who nominated the students shared how they model critical thinking and problem solving in their school communities.
Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue nominated Gupta. In Gupta’s nomination form, Dr. Monogue shared:
“Radhika has developed an app that helps high school students organize information from clubs and activities they are involved in. She has been working on the app for almost a year. She saw a problem that needed to be solved — students being bombarded with information on a variety of platforms — and created a one-stop solution that will be attractive to high school students across the country!”
Middleton High School Teacher Sara Schulz nominated Holmstrom. In Holmstrom’s nomination form, Schulz shared:
“I have had the privilege of working with Isla both as a student in graphic arts classes and as a design colleague for a client within our community, and in every setting, they consistently demonstrate a remarkable ability to approach every project with a level of insight, creativity, and intentionality that sets them apart from their peers. Isla not only expresses their own ideas in compelling and thoughtfully refined ways, but also has an outstanding talent for interpreting the concepts of others and transforming them into meaningful, impactful final products. Their creative process is grounded in strong problem solving skills as they carefully analyze challenges, explore multiple solutions, and execute their ideas with precision, originality, and purpose. Just as importantly, Isla clearly articulates their thinking, ensuring that clients and collaborators feel heard, understood, and confident throughout the design process.
Additionally, Isla is a driving force in the classroom community. They consistently contribute to the growth and success of their peers by offering insightful and constructive feedback to encourage others to think critically and expand their own ideas and technical skills. Isla brings empathy, respect, and enthusiasm to every interaction, while their drive, passion, and dedication to their craft is evident in all that they do. Whether creating independent work or collaborating with others, Isla consistently elevates the quality and impact of their work. Isla’s unique blend of creativity, critical thinking, visual communication, and collaboration makes them not only an outstanding graphic designer and artist, but also an inspiring student who truly embodies the qualities within a Cardinal’s Journey.”
Park Elementary School Teacher Lisa Breunig nominated Jensen. In Jensen’s nomination form, Breunig shared:
“Recognizing critical thinking and problem solving in kindergarten is vital because it shifts the focus from ‘getting the right answer’ to ‘valuing the process.’ Jacob shows these qualities on a daily basis. He uses persistence in problem solving and tries different strategies. One example is in math. During math games, he adjusts if things don't go as expected and tries a different strategy. In reading, he can answer ‘why’ and ‘how questions to deepen his understanding. Jacob can stay with a difficult task until it is completed. When other students see him persevering through a difficult concept, they begin to take more risks as well with their learning. Jacob is a role model who is helpful and well liked by his peers. We are lucky to have Jacob in our kindergarten class this year.”
Elm Lawn Elementary School Library Media Specialist Dan Stuntebeck nominated Larson. In Larson’s nomination form, Stuntebeck shared:
“Anna was strategizing a way of helping her classmates learn material for the library — we do something called ‘skill checks’ to be more independent users of the library. Since library time is limited, Anna took the initiative to make out her own practice cards for classmates to use outside of class time — a wonderful model of seeing a problem and finding creative solutions.”
Kromrey Middle School Bilingual Resource Teacher Cindy Muralles nominated Ortiz Calderon. In Ortiz Calderon’s nomination form, Muralles shared:
“Martin demonstrates great problem solving abilities in math class and shares his thought process with the rest of the class, making sure his classmates also have a new way of looking at problems. Additionally, Martin has navigated the English language effectively and quickly to adapt to a new country, language, and culture. We are so proud of his perseverance and his desire to help others!”
Join us in congratulating all of these students on their achievements! Their awards follow earlier recognitions for the Collaboration and Communication Foundations as well as the Curious, Community-Oriented, Self-Aware, and Accountable Mindsets. In May, students will receive awards for demonstrating the Adaptability Foundation.