Many teachers dress up for spirit week but one teacher really sticks out: Mrs. Tuley. Tuley is a math teacher and also a volleyball coach. This year she has participated in many of the spirit weeks, and she goes all out.

     “I like to dress up for spirit weeks because I like having the opportunity to get creative (and sometimes goofy) with the themes – it makes the school environment much more interesting! It’s usually a good conversation piece in the classroom and hallways and gives me a better chance to connect with students,” said Tuley about why she decides to always go above and beyond.

     We do a lot of spirit weeks here, most with StuCo, for all different occasions. There is no wrong time for school spirit, but is there a best theme?

     “There have been a lot of great spirit days this year, but one of my favorites was the ‘Grandpa’s closet’ or senior citizen day. It was a cool opportunity to think about what reminds me of my grandparents while channeling my inner-old-lady vibes and retired-grandpa outfit. I also love teacher/student swap days where I get to see what stands out in students’ minds about the way teachers typically dress and/or act,” said Tuley. She puts a lot of thought into her outfits, because it’s not just a way to show spirit but also a way to have fun and conversate with many students and teacher.

     We have always had spirit week, but did the new teacher/colleague dress up as soon as she got there? “I mostly have. It’s sometimes a challenge to find things to fit each day’s theme, but dressing up from the start of my time here helped me get acclimated to the atmosphere at Holt by engaging with students and other teachers about it,” said Tuley.

     Did her school spirit start when she became or teacher or did she always dress up? Many students do not like to break out of their shell and try out our crazy themes, Tuley was not one of those kids.

      Mrs. Tuley loves spirit days and the thought behind them, because she always dresses up for them what would her own spirit day idea be? “I would try to come up with a spirit day that could be interpreted in several different ways, but wouldn’t be too hard for students and teachers to participate in. I would like to see the difference in how the theme is interpreted between different groups, because that shows people’s unique ways of thinking and creativity, but still having plenty of people involved is the most fun,” said Tuley.

      “I think our spirit weeks could improve if we have more students that know about it and get involved in the dress up days. I like seeing students and teachers come together to show their spirit and make school a little more fun and interesting for all of us. The other thing I like about spirit days is simple: I’m a person that lives in athletic shorts and t-shirts at home, and some days give me the chance to have a similar level of comfort while teaching. Who’s going to say no to that?” sais Tuley. There are many positives to all of these spirit weeks, it more than just dress up. Dressing for the theme of the day could potentially set you up for many fun conversations who are dressed the same or just love your outfit! Everyone should have Mrs. Tuley’s mindset on spirit week; the school would be much more fun and cheerful.