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Feature Friday: Laurie Pochette on teaching with intention, adapting with purpose & staying the course

And after nearly eight years at DSST, science teacher Laurie Pochette (pictured far right) found something rare in education: a place where she can grow, lead and make a lasting impact without ever leaving the classroom.

"My unwavering commitment to the communities we serve anchors my work," Pochette said.

That commitment has taken her from DSST: College View Middle School, where she spent five years, to DSST: Conservatory Green Middle School, where she's been since November 2022. She started as an associate teacher in her first year and has been an eighth-grade integrated science teacher ever since. She's served as a house leader, taken on the role of science data lead and now mentors new teachers as they find their footing in the classroom.

It's the kind of career trajectory that reflects what Pochette values most: continuous growth in service of students.

"My mindset lays the foundation for what I can accomplish," she said. "Hope, and the understanding that difficult seasons pass, keeps me grounded."

That mindset was forged early. In her first year at DSST, Pochette kept a student after school for science tutoring and forgot to log it in Compass. When the front office called, she brought the student down to find her mother visibly distraught. The student's father had recently been deported, and her mother feared ICE had taken her daughter to a detention center.

"In that moment, I fully grasped the gravity of what I had assumed was a small oversight and learned how essential clear, consistent communication with families truly is," Pochette said.

It's the kind of moment that could break a first-year teacher. But for Pochette, it became a defining lesson in what it means to serve the communities DSST works with. And it's why she's stayed.

"How much you love your students, content or coworkers can't be the only thing that keeps you at DSST," she said. "You have to create your own happiness with what is in your locus of control."

For Pochette, that means setting boundaries, making time for herself and being intentional about where to put her energy. But it also means finding purpose in the work itself.

"I love that the mission statement has evolved to allow educators to encourage students to lean into their interests," she said. "Yes, we want to give the real world young adults who are capable of reading, thinking critically, questioning ideas and validating information, even if college isn't the end goal."

Pochette believes deeply in preparing students for a world that's changing faster than ever. She knows a college degree doesn't guarantee a secure job anymore, and she sees her role as helping students develop the skills and mindset to navigate whatever path they choose.

"As the dynamics of this world are shifting, a lot of traditional trades are being lost,” she said. “Yes, college isn't for every single person, but there's something out there for everyone."

That philosophy shows up in how she teaches and leads. As the science data lead at Conservatory Green, Pochette helps her colleagues use data to drive instruction, supporting the kind of continuous improvement that makes schools stronger over time. And as a mentor teacher, she's helping the next generation of educators find their footing, offering the kind of support she wishes she'd had in her first year.

"Instead of complaining and holding onto the past, I operate with the mindset that change is inevitable and I expect it to come at any time," Pochette said.

After nearly eight years at DSST, Pochette has learned that staying in this work isn't about finding the perfect conditions. It's about building the internal resources to weather difficult seasons, creating your own sense of purpose and showing up with hope, even when things feel hard.

It's that adaptability, combined with her deep commitment to students and her work as a mentor teacher, that makes Pochette the kind of educator every school needs.

DSST Center Program students get into the holiday spirit at the 2025 Winter Carnival (Clone)

Our 2025 Winter Carnival was an unforgettable celebration! Students from Center Programs across the DSST network came together for an afternoon filled with music, joyful games, creative crafts, tasty treats and the always-popular moon bounce!

DSST High School STEM Pathways give hands-on learning experiences that lead to real-world success

At DSST Public Schools, preparing students for college isn't just about academics; it's about opening doors to careers that can change students’ futures. That's where DSST STEM Pathways come in.

Families get into the holiday spirit at the Cole Winter Wonderland Craft & Community Fair (Clone)

On Saturday, Dec. 6, our DSST: Cole campus hosted their Cole Winter Wonderland Craft & Community Fair. They welcomed families from all over the area for a festive day packed with fun activities, including a hot chocolate bar, shopping from local vendors - including DSST families - and adorable family portraits.   

Where every student thrives: One DSST family's story

Meet Kathy, a first-generation American whose four sons all graduated from DSST.

Kathy Duda experienced the richness of an ethnically diverse school from a young age. As the daughter of Polish immigrants in Chicago, she attended Polish school on Saturdays, but spent weekdays at her neighborhood school with friends from Greek, Italian, and Jewish backgrounds, just to name a few.

Fast-forward to 2008. When her oldest son Nathaniel was in 5th grade and it was time to think about middle school, DSST: Montview MS had just opened in their Central Park neighborhood. 

Duda wanted her children to “have the same cultural enrichments I had,” and it was at DSST: Montview that she found exactly what she was looking for.

Feature Friday: Sandra Ross turns her reading struggle into her superpower, and a children's book

Sandra Ross remembers sixth grade clearly. Sitting with her advisor at DSST: Green Valley Ranch Middle School, on the verge of tears, working so hard yet still building her reading skills. It was frustrating. It was vulnerable. And it shaped everything that came after.

'Our job is to make students’ dreams come true': GVR Counselors share glimpse into how DSST is shaping futures

When you ask the DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School College Success Team what they’re most proud of, their answers reveal a deep commitment to students, families and the power of opportunity through college access. They are one team out of many across our network, all working towards ambitious goals.  

Celebrating Student Success 

Karla Garcia-Vanderhorst, Campus Coordinator of College Success, beams with pride when she talks about students’ applications and the incredible opportunities they’re pursuing. 

She also highlights the role families play in this journey, and how years of partnership are now bearing fruit.  

Garcia-Vanderhorst shared a story that has stood out to her over her time at DSST. A student who had her heart set on a single opportunity, but Garcia-Vanderhorst encouraged her to keep multiple doors open. When the first application fell through, the second became the lifeline that would have never made it to application. That persistence and guidance changed the course of that student’s future. 

 “Thank you so much,” the student shared when the second letter award arrived, “I can’t imagine what would have happened had you not coached me to keep my options open.”  

Making Dreams Come True 

For Tyler Shanahan, a former higher education professional, the work with students reminds him of his own journey to find college.  

“Our job as counselor is to make students’ dreams come true,” he said with conviction. 

The team invests time in understanding each student, their story, hopes, and ambitions. They start early, building a college-going culture from ninth grade with constant, clear communication with families and students. The majority of GVR HS students were GVR middle school students and have been on a seven-year journey with DSST. 

Shanahan also challenges the myths that college doesn’t have to mirror K–12 experience. He uses his own journey to show students that success is possible and having the agency to choose your future matters.  

Students explore resilience and identity through Indigenous literature

In seventh-grade classrooms across DSST, November means more than turning the calendar page. It's a moment to pause, to listen and to learn from voices that have too often been silenced or simplified in education. At DSST: Aurora Science & Tech (AST) Middle School, English Language Arts teacher Gretchen Pearson is helping students do exactly that through the Modern Indigenous Voices unit, a curriculum designed not just to teach about Indigenous people, but to learn from them.

Feature Friday: Tracey Shipman shows how stability creates collective growth

There's a specific kind of connection that happens when a teacher knows a family so well that the younger siblings show up already believing in what's possible. When a student walks into your classroom and you've already taught their cousin, their older brother. When you don't just know the curriculum, you know the community.

Quantum 5 Presents: Fully covered therapy sessions through the TOCC for the Holiday Season

The holiday season can feel incredibly busy between supporting students, wrapping up the semester, and balancing everything outside of school. It's normal to feel stretched thin, especially this time of year.