The Woodlands at Bruin Lake

Offering transformative experiences at our new Center for Thriving Educators

After months of planning, renovation, program development and team building Washtenaw Promise is proud to launch our new Center for Thriving Educators. We are now offering highly engaging and innovative professional development programs for teachers and other educators, as well as providing hosting for other organizations interested in profoundly impacting experiences.

Time in the outdoors can rejuvenate and restore the mind. Green, natural environments can stimulate curiosity, focus and engagement, while helping us to release stress and renew energies. At the most basic level, time to run through the grass, play in the dirt and connect with the mystery of life in the natural world are the simplest joys of childhood. Experiencing The Woodlands at Bruin Lake means that you may well be awakened again to these pleasures, finding joy, renewal and added empowerment as you bring your talents and dedication to your students and colleagues.

Unique Professional Development for Teachers

We have gathered an exceptional team of experienced professionals and partnered in new ways with the education and business communities. In the summer of 2024 we launched our first Project Based Learning (PBL) workshop, in partnership with Bosch Global and the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. Below are just a few of the responses from the 14 teachers that attended the three day workshop. Each developed a comprehensive PBL experience for their students during the workshop and will implement their plans at their schools with ongoing consult and support from our master teachers throughout the 2024-25 school year. Each teacher also received a $1000 stipend and $500 in additional funds for classroom materials.

Offerings at The Woodlands Include:

Washtenaw Promise provides professional development experiences to focus on one or more of the following topics:

Health, well being and personal empowerment; The Personal Realm
A variety of activities, challenges and opportunities are offered to explore personal motivation, confidence, intrapersonal goal setting and the strengthening of intention. Other elements of this topic include stress analysis and management (related to student social/emotional challenges and institutional stress), relaxation, general emotional health, and development of an asset mind-set.
Growing Teaching Skills and Resources; The Professional Realm
Activities, trends, and cutting edge curriculum are offered in the “3 Ps” of best practice; Project Based, Problem Based and Placed Based education. Emphasis is on STEAM education, offering teachers and administrators specific experience with, and examples of integrating these effective educational practices into the classroom and the school. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is introduced in this workshop with teachers getting significant time to investigate and learn about this extremely powerful tool. Also developed in this workshop is an increased understanding of “intentional teaching” and the importance and practice of reflective thinking.
Leadership and Communication
This topic area focuses on the elements of sound leadership, including the practice of effective interpersonal and organizational communication, goal setting and feedback loops. Targeted at administrators who seek to strengthen their leadership skills, and faculty or staff who may wish to take on leadership roles in the school. Also designed to support communication challenges in our schools and classrooms.
Team building, networking, and support for collaborative work
In this topic area, participants experience the strengthening of relationships with colleagues within their organization, expanding their abilities to connect with other professionals and to establish sustainable support between themselves, helpful experts and others. Many of the activities and opportunities are appropriate for students as well and can be effective for teachers in achieving similar goals in the classroom.

Please consider joining us at The Woodlands at Bruin Lake for an experience of our design or yours. We are excited to keep you updated on this page of upcoming opportunities and programs!

What Are Teachers Saying About The Woodlands?

The Washtenaw Promise team was amazing. I wish that I could have them more often for my professional development. Tim, Scott, and Andy were awesome! Anyone who works with them is going to get an amazing experience. You were all so helpful and truly care about all of us being successful. Your dedication to helping teachers and their students is inspirational!

Thank you for this week! I've been feeling stagnant in my teaching for a few years and the past three days have made me excited to try new things in my classroom this year

I cannot say enough about how much I have loved this training! I thought that the use of the nature activities was a wonderful addition that allowed us to get outdoors and think like our learners.

I loved the mix of activities and felt the time on each really was just right. This was a great experience for me and I am VERY excited to get back to school and get out in nature with my new crew and to explore!