08/21/2026
WHAT MATTERED AT WILLIAMSFIELD SCHOOLS THIS WEEK?
August 17–21, 2026
Another week is in the books at Williamsfield Schools, which means it’s time to stop for a minute and think about what mattered.
Here are a few of the moments that mattered around Billtown this week...
🔎 WE NOTICED.
Mrs. Fuller’s 4th-grade classroom had a pretty special moment this week. She noticed that a new student, who had been almost completely silent last week, was beginning to interact with his classmates. She intentionally modeled how he could approach others and join a conversation.
Later, at milk break, she watched him use what she had modeled—on his own—to begin connecting with another classmate.
A friendship beginning matters.
Mrs. Krans realized how much she had missed something incredibly simple: hearing kids read. As her second graders read their story this week, she found herself thinking, “Boy, I missed this.”
And she knows how cool it will be to hear those same kids at the end of the year and realize just how far they’ve come.
Growth matters.
🤝 WE CONNECTED.
Mrs. Bruner had a former preschool student seek her out when her hair clip broke because she needed a hair tie.
A hair tie.
Years after leaving her classroom, that student still knew exactly which adult she could go to when she needed something.
Mrs. Bruner said it perfectly:
“Being the person they still come to after so many years matters to me.”
It matters to us, too.
Our new SLP, Raven Stoneking, experienced that sense of connection from the other side. As she navigated and adjusted to a new school, she said our students and staff were incredibly welcoming and helpful.
Making somebody feel like they belong matters.
And one of the moments that mattered to me this week was pretty simple.
A student stopped by the office who didn’t really need anything “principal-related.” There wasn’t a problem to solve or a situation to handle. They just wanted to talk.
So we talked. We laughed. And then they went on with their day.
After all these years, I’ve learned that those few minutes with a kid can sometimes be more important than half the things sitting on my desk.
That mattered to me.
⭐ WE CELEBRATED.
Mr. Hart’s first graders learned about seasons, why leaves change colors and, perhaps most impressively...
they learned to say CHLOROPHYLL! 😂🌿
Mrs. Bosnich heard five words this week that could probably carry a teacher for quite a while:
“I didn’t know 3rd grade was going to be this fun!”
That’s a win.
In Mr. Mahn’s class, Kaydence Stocker had that moment every teacher loves when something difficult suddenly clicked as she figured out how to simplify imaginary roots.
He also celebrated students completely locked in on math on a Friday afternoon, donuts from Mr. Mills, and someone sharing cucumbers from their garden.
Sometimes it’s imaginary roots.
Sometimes it’s a cucumber.
Apparently, it all matters at Williamsfield. 😂
Mr. Lynn’s senior Personal Finance students wrapped up their work on auto insurance with a group breakout game. It ended in a tie and required a Jeopardy-style finish. Watching the entire group collaborate, get competitive, and genuinely care about getting the right answer brought smiles and laughter throughout the room.
And Mr. Rigg’s students continued learning something they can carry with them long after graduation: a trade. Learning skills like finishing drywall can help someone become a capable homeowner someday—or perhaps even introduce them to a future career.
Learning something you’ll use beyond these walls matters.
❤️ WE STEPPED IN.
Mrs. Tucker watched one kindergartner notice another student who needed some help while they practiced writing numbers 0–5 on their dry-erase boards.
No adult told the student to help.
The child simply said:
“Here, watch me.”
And one little Bomber started teaching another.
I love that.
Ms. Raaf watched a student have a rough moment in class this week. But instead of allowing that moment to define the rest of the day, the student recovered and moved forward.
Sometimes success isn’t having a perfect day.
Sometimes success is having a hard moment and deciding it doesn’t get to have the rest of your day.
And in Mrs. Brakenbury’s middle-school ELA classroom, something pretty special is happening through their Poetry “Writing Playground” journal warm-ups.
Students are experimenting with different styles and beginning to discover their own voices. Some are now asking to write more when they have extra time. Even better, some students are discovering that writing can give them a place to put thoughts and feelings they need to get out, adding another tool to their social-emotional toolbox.
But maybe my favorite review of Mrs. Brakenbury’s class this week came from a student walking down the hallway who announced:
“I’ve waited all night to be back here!”
I’m not sure there’s a better evaluation than that. ❤️
And that’s another week.
None of these things individually are earth-shattering.
A hair tie.
A math problem finally making sense.
A new friendship.
A kid helping another kid write a number.
A rough moment that didn’t become a rough day.
A student finding a voice through writing.
A conversation in the principal’s office that wasn’t really about anything at all.
But maybe that’s exactly the point.
We spend a lot of time in education measuring the big things. Test scores. Grades. Attendance. Championships. Awards.
Those things matter.
But after spending enough years in a school, I’ve become convinced that the things we can’t measure are often the things our kids remember.
That’s why our four daily actions aren’t complicated:
NOTICE. CONNECT. CELEBRATE. STEP IN.
They’re simply reminders to pay attention to the moments happening right in front of us.
And this week, there were a whole lot of them.
Thank you to our students and staff for creating these moments—and to everyone who sent something my way this week and helped me see the ones I otherwise would have missed.
Have a great weekend, Bomber Family.
We’ll be back Monday to make some more.
WE ARE WILLIAMSFIELD SCHOOLS.
WHERE EVERY DAY MATTERS.
-Principal Binder
