Teachers are getting into the holiday spirit this week with a week-long elf searching contest, in which teachers are given clues to find an elf hidden around the school, as well as an ugly sweater contest Wednesday. 

The elf-searching competition is organized by the counseling department to promote this month’s social emotional learning (SEL) theme of curiosity.

“We have students and teachers having fun looking all around, getting clues working together,” counselor Lanae Rainey said. “And I mean, when you’re looking, you’re usually smiling. So this time of year, that’s a win.” 

Calculus teacher Kathyrn Schalla is currently in the lead in the competition, and she just sees it as a fun way to encourage curiosity.

“I just like to find stuff and so it’s really fun going around the school and searching for things,” Schalla said. “I’ve definitely seen a few teachers searching with me, and there’s always like a group of us in the math department that are searching together.”

The yearbook staff is also promoting the holiday spirit by hosting an ugly sweater contest and photoshoot for teachers.

“It was something that was able to come to fruition after a month of organizing in order to help not only promote school spirit, but also holiday spirit with the teachers,” yearbook editor-in-chief, senior Samantha Natividad said.

It also aims to brighten the mood as the fall semester comes to an end on Dec. 22. 

“It’s also just to kind of have fun and take a break from all the stress that they might be having at the end of the semester,” Natividad said. “If they show that they’re being positive and energetic towards the end of the year, or even just in general, hopefully they’ll kind of bring up the students mood a bit.”

Yearbook advisor Elliot Parkman thinks Wednesday’s ugly sweater contest and photoshoot will be an enjoyable way to bring teachers together.

“I will have my ugly sweater,” Parkman said. “Hopefully I’ll get my picture taken with a couple other coaches. I think it’s just a good way to get all the teachers to collaborate together and kind of just have a little bit of holiday cheer just before the break.”