09/29/2026
Golden Apple Monthly Newsletter
By: Kristi Calvery
Golden Triangle Curriculum Cooperative Director
September 2026, Golden Apple
I hope you have begun the school year with a renewed sense of purpose, energy, and commitment to your students, your schools, and our shared educational community.
The Golden Triangle Curriculum Cooperative (GTCC) Summer Institute offered a wide variety of learning opportunities that sparked meaningful conversations among teachers and administrators about new practices, tools, and possibilities for integrating content in innovative ways. It was exciting to hear ideas taking shape and to see some of the plans, resources, and products that bloomed from those conversations. I applaud your dedication and willingness to continually strengthen your pedagogy and practice through research-informed ideas and thoughtful reflection.
We learn. We refresh. We reset. And then we return to the work with new perspectives and renewed purpose.
This summer, America marked a significant milestone: 250 years since men such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and the other 54 delegates representing the 13 colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. As I walked through a historical exhibit created by the Montana Historical Society and Humanities Montana, I was especially drawn to the stories of Montanans whose lives and contributions have influenced our state and our nation from 1776 to the present.
The tapestry display begins with the Dakota phrase Mitakuye oyas'iĆž, a concept echoed across many Indigenous cultures and languages that expresses the idea that everything is connected. Events, actions, and ideas do not exist in isolation. The innovations and contributions of authors, artists, public servants, advocates, and cultural and historical keepers throughout our nation's story have created lasting influence. We also acknowledge grievous mistakes, tragedies, and periods of struggle. Yet alongside those difficult chapters are stories of perseverance, ingenuity, courage, and meaningful change.
As I moved quietly through the museum's tapestries and exhibits, I found myself contemplating the value of pausing to reflect—to step back and view our past from different perspectives and, in doing so, weave meaning from the experiences, people, and events that have shaped us. We carry those lessons forward. The past does not simply remain behind us; it informs how we understand the present, and how we imagine what comes next.
With that perspective in mind, we turn toward the future.
Educational legislation, funding, and emerging initiatives are creating new pathways and opportunities as we consider what it means for our Montana students to be Future Ready. The needs of society continue to evolve alongside technology and innovation. Technical and vocational fields require new competencies, new college degrees and areas of study continue to emerge, and careers that did not exist a generation ago are becoming possibilities for today's students. The future is full of promise, even as much of it remains undefined.
As leaders and educators, we are navigating this changing landscape together. We are learning how to respond to new expectations while remaining grounded in what we know matters most: knowing our students, building relationships, fostering curiosity, and creating meaningful opportunities for every learner.
Researchers and educational leaders such as John Hattie, Glenn Whitman, Ian Kelleher, Christina Cipriano, Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, and Evelyn Blanchard invite us to examine our practices with both curiosity and care. Their work encourages thoughtful reflection on what has served students well, where gaps remain, and how we can make purposeful adjustments. Across areas such as literacy, mathematics, technology, and science, current research continues to emphasize the importance of depth of knowledge, critical thinking, engagement, and meaningful application.
We are also gaining a richer understanding of the conditions students need in order to learn and thrive. Frameworks that emphasize belonging, connection, care, and support for students' social and emotional development remind us that academic growth and human development are not separate pursuits. They are woven together.
And perhaps that is where our work connects most clearly with the lessons of history: we are part of something larger than ourselves. Each classroom, conversation, instructional decision, relationship, and act of leadership becomes part of a larger story. What we choose to learn, preserve, reconsider, and create together will shape the educational experiences of the students entrusted to us.
As we begin this new school year, may we continue to ask thoughtful questions, listen to one another, learn from both research and experience, and remain open to the possibilities ahead. None of us has to navigate this changing landscape alone. Our collective wisdom, collaboration, and willingness to grow are among the greatest resources we bring to our students.
Here’s to a year of learning from the past, engaging fully in the present, and building—together—a future worthy of our students.
With gratitude,
Kristi Calvery
Upcoming Professional Development Learning Opportunities:
Wednesdays - OPI Standard Implementation Webinars for Math and English, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Virtual: Register Here: https://share.hsforms.com/1fxzOvWs8Rt2ywFAKI2x9YAq0vx
October 1 - GTCC Leadership Conference/Future Ready CTE Register Here: https://forms.gle/yjcJqqiYqDzvrX4Q9
October 5 - GTCC International Teacher’s PLC RSVP Here: https://forms.gle/Vtdx9nP5JBFfmkRBA
October 7 - GTCC Technology Coordinator’s PLC RSVP Here: https://forms.gle/5hJAZAhceVDd7iZ17
October 15-16 - MFPE, Great Falls
October 26 - GTCC Technology Revision ( #5)
October 27 - GTCC The Arts-Music Revision ( #5)
October 28 - GTCC World Language Revision ( #5)
https://www.gtccmt.org/new-blog
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