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The district's teachers allowed their creativity to shine Friday morning when they presented their visions for improving the schools.

During Friday's teacher in-service day, small teams from each of the district's four schools presented skits that told the history of the buildings and the teachers' goals for the future.

As part of a process called Narrative for Success, the district last winter began surveying staff to determine their views on the schools' identities and futures.

Superintendent Patrick O'Toole said the program began as a one-time presentation during an in-service day, but was expanded to become an ongoing project.

Motivational speaker and business consultant Leanne Meyer of Pittsburgh-based Mindman offered her thoughts on how individuals in businesses can have an impact in their work and environment, rather than waiting for someone else to improve their situation for them.

"Leanne softly delivered a positive message," O'Toole said. "She said each of us has a choice of whether we want to be a victim or a victor."

O'Toole said the district's teachers and administrators took the message and ran with it. Instead of a one-day workshop, they extended the program into a long-term project.

To assist the district, Mindman joined with Psychoguys, a Pittsburgh company that takes a community approach to improving work environments.

Frank Lehner and Michael Sipiora, founders of Psychoguys, helped teams from each school create unique stories that told each building's past, present and future.

Lehner and Sipiora, professors at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, said this was the first time they introduced their philosophy to an educational setting.

A team of teachers and administrators from each school presented stories that combined the use of technology and sometimes humorous skits.

Teachers from South Butler Primary School went first to tell the "Never Ending Story" of their school. They used costumes, puzzle pieces and a storybook approach to recounting how the district once had separate schools in each community that recently joined into one central building.

The primary school team said their goal was to live happily ever after by giving children a solid foundation.

The South Butler Intermediate Elementary School presentation featured a video montage of serious segments. But Principal Tom Tibbott spliced in cartoon and movie clips that had the audience of teachers laughing so enthusiastically they at times drowned out Tibbott.

Tibbott was able to convey the message that the intermediate school will continue to act as a bridge for young elementary school children preparing for secondary education.

The teams from Knoch Middle School and Knoch High School each used an electronic presentation and speeches to tell their schools' stories.

The middle school team showcased how teaming teachers and students together and combining elements from across the curriculum had improved their school.

The high school presenters stressed maintaining continuity in administrators as a key to a bright future.

A common thread in the stories was the pressure teachers face to maintain a positive and encouraging environment amid the stresses of No Child Left Behind mandates, looming changes to educational funding, and lingering bad feelings from the contentious contract negotiation last school year.

"The external demands and pressures on public education are enormous," O'Toole said.

O'Toole and Assistant Superintendent Lyn Logelin encouraged teachers to continue working toward the goals they had set up in their stories.

"Answers that are generated from inside the schools are better than anything that comes from outside," Logelin said.

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