In addition, the staff participates in expeditions of its own as a way to foster teamwork and enthusiasm. They have gone together on an Outward Bound wilderness survival program on Hurricane Island, which McCarthy says helped teachers to stop viewing professional development as something to be endured. With each cycle of assessment, the staff looks at what they have done and sets goals for the next years' improvement. This kind of continuous reflection and improvement allows staff to be responsive to new standards, to raise standards as children's performance improves, and to react quickly to any difficulties encountered in new programs or expeditions. What comes across clearly is staff excitement about kids and what they can do when challenged.
Students also display their achievements in public presentations.
Community and family members attend final exhibitions of student work, review student portfolios, and contribute to the process of assessment. Meg Campbell, executive director of ELOB, says that public performance or presentation is an integral part of the Expeditionary Learning design. Expeditions, which are chosen by teachers based on the state or district standards, are to be purposeful, have a service component, and have a real audience, she says. One year, students studied an aquarium proposal for the city, building their own models and explaining them. McCarthy proudly displays some of the students' work in his office.