"All students can shine and achieve to the very highest level."

That's from École Crescentview School principal Marie Gauthier-Patenaude on one of the highlights from their writing residency program with Sandy Figueroa, a literacy expert from Tucson, Arizona, who recently came out to the school for a week to mentor the teachers on writing strategies for their students.

Gauthier-Patenaude comments on the program.

"I think there were many highlights throughout that residency program but I think, as some of our teachers expressed, it's seeing our kids in a bit of a different light and always expecting the absolute best from them. Trying to draw out, in many different ways, everything that they know. Getting them to express that orally before expecting them to write and really, what we discovered through that is that all students can shine."

She notes, for her, the best part was seeing the students so successful and joyful about writing.

For grade one teacher Jodi Harder, the writing residency program was a career highlight.

"For me, this was the highlight of my career as far as P.D because it was in action with our staff, in our school, and it would benefit our students directly."

Harder adds Figueroa is an incredible educator who has an excellent rapport with kids.

"She draws them in instantly by making it very personal and telling them about herself and then also learning about the kids and spending the time talking to them. So, she said how important it was that we bond with our kids so that they trust us and then they can learn."

ÉCVS grade three teacher Allana Boschman notes they've learned a lot through the two years of the residency.

"I think that [Figueroa] coming in for that one week just kind of reaffirmed that we are all learning great things and doing things, but she was giving us tools to enhance what we already do. I think, going forward, those little things are going to make such a huge difference in not only the kids but in our own teaching."

ÉCVS vice-principal and guidance councillor Paula Neill notes it was a great opportunity for all the teachers at the school to work together and learn from each other. She explains it was "great to see 435 kids and 50 staff members all engaged in the same topic and working together."