Storm King faculty and staff gathered on campus this week to welcome new colleagues, reconnect with returning members of our community, and prepare for the arrival of our students. As part of faculty orientation, teachers participated in a workshop with Glenn Whitman of the Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning (CTTL) focused on the science of how students learn.

The workshop built on this summer’s faculty reading of Neuroteach, authored by Whitman and Ian Kelleher, which explores the connection between educational neuroscience and effective teaching. Teachers examined how the brain receives, filters, consolidates, and applies new information—and how an understanding of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change, grow, and reorganize its structure and connections throughout life, can inform the way teachers design learning experiences.

Through the lens of the Science of Learning, faculty explored evidence-informed strategies for strengthening teaching and student achievement, while gaining new perspectives on instructional design and classroom practice. They also left with practical strategies, resources, and tools they can put to work with their students right away.

Following the workshop, faculty traveled to the Storm King Art Center for an Experiential Education Challenge—a scavenger hunt designed around David Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. Working through a series of challenges, teachers experienced firsthand how observation, reflection, conceptualization, and active experimentation can come together to deepen learning.

Together, these experiences provided a practical foundation for the year ahead, connecting the science of learning with the kind of hands-on, experiential education that is central to the Storm King experience. With students arriving soon, our faculty are ready to bring these ideas into their classrooms and begin another year of teaching, learning, and growth on the Mountain. Welcome back, Storm King!