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Pine Ridge students showcase Ranger tickets, yearlong sketchbooks in instructional highlight
Summary
Pine Ridge Principal Nathan Phelps and art teacher Sarah Sorrell presented the elementary school’s fourth‑grade Ranger ticket redesign and yearlong student sketchbooks, saying both build leadership, creativity and classroom culture across grades.
Nathan Phelps, principal at Pine Ridge Elementary, opened the board’s instructional highlight by describing art as a long‑term culture builder for students. "Culture isn't built overnight," he said, and credited art teacher Sarah Sorrell with creating opportunities for students to develop leadership and creativity.
"And every year, our 4th graders redesign our Ranger bridal tickets, and they are used throughout the school to recognize students who show our pride expectations," Sorrell told the board. She described a multi‑class project in which students brainstorm, sketch drafts, receive feedback and produce final artwork used across the school. Student participants explained the work bolsters pride and leadership: "I think it's really cool in 4th grade you get to design a ticket," one student said.
Sorrell also described the school’s sketchbook practice, which gives every student from junior kindergarten through fourth grade a personal sketchbook to track growth, experiment and develop artistic identity. The teacher said sketchbooks are used for uninterrupted creative time called "sketch to self," modeled on independent reading practices, and that students return to their books across the year to see improvement.
Board members applauded the presentation and the students who joined the meeting. The school leaders said the projects connect classroom instruction to broader PBIS expectations and community traditions, giving younger students goals to work toward as they move through the grades.
