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Chris Sarkonak

@csarkonak.bsky.social
722 followers 428 following 96 posts

Former Physics/Math teacher (17 yrs). 2026 NSTA Yager Award, CERN HST2019, E+2022, MAMT Murray McPherson Award 2022, CAP Physics Teacher Award 2022, Perimeter Institute Regional Coordinator for Manitoba, PASCO Champion, #Ungrading

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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Looking forward to presenting at IDEC next weekend and sharing how I worked with students to design their learning! Making Ss the integral part of the classroom design that they always should have been made for a much healthier classroom with more authentic learning for all. #assessment #ungrading
The International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC) starts next weekend from September 11-13, 2026. Register at www.idec2026.org
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Canadian Assessment for Learning Network @caflnetwork.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
CAfLN is excited to welcome leading experts to Yellowknife, NWT, from October 1–3 for an inspiring three days of professional learning. Registration is now open! Visit cafln.ca/events to learn more and reserve your spot. #CAfLN2026 #AssessmentForLearning
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I'm very excited to be presenting at IDEC 2026 on Sunday, Sept 13! This is an amazing conference that I would highly recommend to educators everywhere! #ungrading #assessment #democraticeducation
International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC) 2026. Presentation by Christopher Sarkonak titled "Finding Agency in a Traditional School System" on September 13, 2026. The virtual conference takes place September 11-13 and you can get tickets at www.idec2026.org
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Very excited to share my first peer-reviewed, research article! Dr. Watson has been an incredible mentor and research partner. We look at how collaborative grading affects Ss self-determination! Check it out at www.academia.edu/164930248/Em... or www.atasciencecouncil.com/alberta-scie... #ungrading
academia.edu
Empowering student self-determination through collaborative grading in high school physics
Educators and educational researchers have been calling for reconsideration of traditional grading systems; however, these systems remain rarely challenged in science classrooms. This article describe...
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Very excited to share my first peer-reviewed, research article! Dr. Watson has been an incredible mentor and research partner. We look at how collaborative grading affects Ss self-determination! Check it out at www.academia.edu/164930248/Em... or www.atasciencecouncil.com/alberta-scie... #ungrading
academia.edu
Empowering student self-determination through collaborative grading in high school physics
Educators and educational researchers have been calling for reconsideration of traditional grading systems; however, these systems remain rarely challenged in science classrooms. This article describe...
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Katie White @katiewhite426.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind event that is equal parts learning, collaborating, and experiencing Canada’s north, register for this conference today! Like all CAfLN events, it will be memorable. 🎯 Register here: cafln.ca/events/ to be part of something truly special! #edusky
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The Worthy Educator @theworthyeducator.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Christopher Sarkonak gets #celebratED for receiving the Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award! We are grateful for all the ways he is an ambassador for the sciences, and we are excited for what’s next in his impactful career! www.get-celebrated.com/post/christo... #EduSky
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Teacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
"I want class to feel empowering, and I want learning to feel like a journey, not a series of disconnected tasks." Check out the shifts that helped T Chris Sarkonak put his vision into practice:
teacher2teacher.education
This Is How Learning Should Feel
Watching students grow into confident, curious thinkers is the ultimate reminder of my “why.”
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Canadian Assessment for Learning Network @caflnetwork.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Join us on Mon, Mar. 2 for another engaging conversation. This session will focus on student self-reflection. What works in your setting? How do we get students to go deeper in their thinking? Visit cafln.ca for registration information. This will be a good one!
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
If anyone is looking for some amazing PD that focuses on evidence-based, student-centered practices, then check out LearningInspirED's Student Power Summit in LA, March 9-10! I had the opportunity to take part last year and it's easily the best PD in my career! www.learninspired.org/events
learninspired.org
Events — Learning InspirED
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Grow Beyond Grades @growbeyondgrades.org · 06/02/2026
The presence of grades takes psychological safety away from students, putting them into states of anxiety or apathy, neither of which allow for learning. @csarkonak.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/the-ung...
growbeyondgrades.org
The (Un)grading Spectrum — Grow Beyond Grades
Ungrading is more of a philosophy than a single model that says “do this and your students will learn.” Chris Sarkonak explores ungrading as a spectrum of possibilities that moves us away from the har...
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Grow Beyond Grades @growbeyondgrades.org · 04/01/2026
With the phrase going gradeless, we hope to express the idea of moving—gradually or rapidly—away from the pernicious influence of grades, and toward more humane and effective methods of assessment and feedback. growbeyondgrades.org/start
growbeyondgrades.org
Start Here — Grow Beyond Grades
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Grow Beyond Grades @growbeyondgrades.org · 28/12/2025
If standard-based grading is to progress beyond the real difficulties that beset it, it must espouse curiosity over defensiveness, openness over dogmatism, empathy over insularity. @achiaravalli.bsky.social www.growbeyondgrades.org/blog/we-need...
growbeyondgrades.org
We Need to Talk About Standards-based Grading — Grow Beyond Grades
While standards-based grading purports to put the focus squarely on learning, practitioners have noted how this is not always the reality. Arthur Chiaravalli points out the ways that SBG “has at times...
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Grow Beyond Grades @growbeyondgrades.org · 19/12/2025
It was a joy to talk going gradeless with the O.G. @mssackstein.bsky.social & @crystalfrommert.bsky.social for Learner-Centered Spaces. www.teachbetterpodcastnetwork.com/show/learner...
teachbetterpodcastnetwork.com
Arthur Chiaravalli grows beyond grading.
https://growbeyondgrades.org/ LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-chiaravalli-0903a51/] On today's episode, we're joined by Arthur Chiaravalli, House Direc…
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
I’ve been using it for years, along with portfolio-based grading, and it’s been great! Ss can focus on what they need and pace it out so they can actually be successful!
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Grow Beyond Grades @growbeyondgrades.org · 19/09/2025
Our second Growth, Not Grades winner is Sharlyn Barrett 🎉 Sharlyn writes how chasing perfection — whether pounds on a scale or letters on a page — left her ready to give up. She imagines an education that values growth and self-acceptance. Read and share! growbeyondgrades.org/blog/degradi...
growbeyondgrades.org
The Degrading Scale — Grow Beyond Grades
In her essay, Sharlyn Barrett recalls how the pursuit of perfection—whether on a scale or on a report card—stripped joy from both learning and life, and how messages about perfection left her exhauste...
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MC @martc.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
I am too exhausted to care about other standards of perfection, like grades. Insecure in my personal life, I give up trying at school because I can’t bear being judged anymore. @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/degradi...
growbeyondgrades.org
The Degrading Scale — Grow Beyond Grades
In her essay, Sharlyn Barrett recalls how the pursuit of perfection—whether on a scale or on a report card—stripped joy from both learning and life, and how messages about perfection left her exhauste...
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MC @martc.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
I want my learning to be measured by how much I’ve grown, how deeply I’ve understood, and how boldly I’ve tried, not just by the shape of the letter at the top of the page. @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/a-lette...
growbeyondgrades.org
A Letter to Letters — Grow Beyond Grades
In this letter, Subhiksha Sreeram breaks up with grades, recalling how letters once ruled her worth and turned learning into a numbers game. She shares how chasing A’s left her anxious, perfectionisti...
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Day 9 cont: worked with the 11s on what this course should look like and be about. The goal was for them to think scientifically about their experiences in school and how we can build an environment that promotes scientific thinking and learning. Ss should feel empowered, not helpless #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Day 9 cont: 12s did some work at the vertical whiteboards in random groups looking at the vector nature of force. With what they already know about force and the Mu of a Shoe lab earlier, it's almost self-taught and they are doing great! #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Day 8/9: I was away yesterday. Today, the 9s started on to Activity 5 of @perimeterinstitute.ca's Nature of Science resource, resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/products/the.... This is a great activity that looks at what fast radio bursts are and gets them doing some astronomy! #teach180 🎢
resources.perimeterinstitute.ca
The Nature of Science
This free, customizable lesson compilation explores how scientists think by making observations and inferences, building models and finding patterns.
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
Day 7 cont: finishing up discussion with the 11s on hadron therapy for curing cancer, electricity generation, a Tesla coil demo, a BagelGen demo, the work at @ligo.org, some @stepupphysics.bsky.social resources, and clearing up many misconceptions (such as "quantum pendants")! #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
Day 7 cont: 12s came in to find out we were doing our 2nd lab of the year with "mu of a shoe!" Turns out many Ss are not wearing their best footwear at this time of year! Great way to intro the vector nature of force and connecting forces to motion that we only started to explore in 11 #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
Day 7: 9s continued on their exploration of the periodic table and we had some detours discussing how electricity is generated, how stars are formed and where the elements come from. Some great discussion and Ss seemed very curious. #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Day 6 cont: talked to 11s about the importance of physics, drawing on my experiences from @cern.bsky.social, @triumflab.bsky.social, @perimeterinstitute.ca, and others! Discussed proton therapy in curing cancer, this was shocking to Ss, and some of the other "by-products" of physics! #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Day 6 cont: 12s worked on @cossettej.bsky.social's passionatelycurioussci.weebly.com/blog/kinemat... and had a blast! Great conversations, recalling what they learned last year. They were all into it, working collaboratively, and wanted to figure it out without any hints or help from me! #teach180 🎢
passionatelycurioussci.weebly.com
Kinematics Crime Scene
​I have found that my kinematics unit is basically an equation-fest where students rearrange and solve word problems. Most of the practice that we do is very sterile and typically only involves the...
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Day 5/6: Was out sick yesterday, but back today. 9s started looking at the periodic table in @perimeterinstitute.ca's Nature of Science resource, Activity 4, resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/products/the.... Some great connections and students are very much enjoying these #teach180 🎢
resources.perimeterinstitute.ca
The Nature of Science
This free, customizable lesson compilation explores how scientists think by making observations and inferences, building models and finding patterns.
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Day 4 cont: 11s were introduced to @eeugenia.bsky.social's ISLE approach with a thrilling video of watching paper dry! Ss learned the importance of observations and were very creative in their stories explaining what was going on. Model building and scientific thinking is so important! #teach180 🎢
Students documented their observations of the video shown. One table started by saying what they saw and then we went around the room, table-by-table, getting students to add or revise observations.Students were instructed to come up with creative explanations that they could use to tell a 5-year-old what's happening. The explanations may sound silly, but at the heart of them are three main candidates for explaining the evaporation of alcohol from the paper in the video: 1. air carried away the alcohol; 2. the alcohol dispersed across the paper so it was no longer visible; and 3. the alcohol left the paper on its own.
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Day 4 cont: 12s continue their motion review with the first random group, vertical whiteboard work of the year. After completing @cossettej.bsky.social's motion graph matchmaker and using equipment to determine real-world scenarios, they derive the "big 5" kinematics eqns from the graphs #teach180 🎢
Whiteboards filled with derivations of the "big 5" kinematics formulas.
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Day 4: Today the 9s finished up with the @perimeterinstitute.ca Nature of Science Activity 3 on the senses. They were given tech cards to determine how they enhance different senses and asked to come up with a plan for how to address a situation they were randomly dealt. #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Day 3 cont: 11s start by creating 3 models for the mystery tube I demo'd at the front, they then presented their worst model, they could have me do 1 "move," then had to revise their models and present their best model, then they got their own to investigate and then present that model #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Day 3 cont: First lab on day 3!! 12s continued their review of kinematics by building on Friday's motion graph matchmaker activity. Today's task was to familiarize themselves with the Pasco SmartCart systems and figure out the real-world scenarios to create each of these sets of graphs. #teach180 🎢
Motion graphs from Joe Cossette's motion graph matchmaker activity.
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Day 3: 9s discussed the limitations of our senses using @perimeterinstitute.ca's activity 3 from resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/products/the.... 11s continued building models using mystery tubes, based on the Making Models activity from resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/products/the.... #teach180 🎢
Set of mystery tubes, six built using white pipe of varying sizes and one from black pipe with googly eyes. The ropes are connected inside in different ways and students must build models based on their observations.
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
Day 2 cont: 12s review motion and get to know each other with @cossettej.bsky.social's motion graphs matchmaker, passionatelycurioussci.weebly.com/blog/motion-.... Printed cards and randomly deal them out to Ss until they're all gone. Ss then talk to each other and figure out the sets #teach180 🎢
passionatelycurioussci.weebly.com
Motion Graph Matchmakers
Motion graph cards with pairs of displacement vs time and velocity vs time graphs that describe the same motion
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
Day 2: Today the 9s worked through @cern.bsky.social's mystery boxes, scoollab.web.cern.ch/mystery-boxes to continue developing an understanding of the nature of science. 11s did Taming the Particle Zoo from @perimeterinstitute.ca's resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/products/bey.... #teach180 🎢
scoollab.web.cern.ch
Mystery Boxes | S'Cool LAB
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
Day 1 cont: 12 Ss started with @cossettej.bsky.social's passionatelycurioussci.weebly.com/blog/game-of.... This is a great way to kick-start the 12s and we talked about the challenges of figuring out the rules of the game from within the game #teach180 🎢
passionatelycurioussci.weebly.com
The Game of Science
Students must complete this first week science task to determine the rules to a board game just by observing how it is played
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
Day 1: I believe that what we focus on first sets a tone in the classroom and communicates values to Ss. There were no course outlines or talk of grades today, 9 & 11 Ss learned about the nature of science with @cossettej.bsky.social's inquiry cubes and @perimeterinstitute.ca's resource! #teach180 🎢
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
I'm inspired by some amazing teachers doing #teach180 and thought I'd give it a try this year... but I'm already 2 days behind so I'll start by catching up! This semester I have 2 sections of 11 Physics, 1 class of 12 Physics, and 1 class of 9 Science (which will be my 3rd time in 17 years!) 🎢
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Grow Beyond Grades @growbeyondgrades.org · 03/09/2025
“Why focus on how to improve when the verdict has already been delivered?” 📫 High school senior, Subhiksha Sreeram, describes the way grades cut off real learning. Her essay A Letter to Letters is the first of three winners in our Growth, Not Grades contest. growbeyondgrades.org/blog/a-lette...
growbeyondgrades.org
A Letter to Letters — Grow Beyond Grades
In this letter, Subhiksha Sreeram breaks up with grades, recalling how letters once ruled her worth and turned learning into a numbers game. She shares how chasing A’s left her anxious, perfectionisti...
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 24/08/2025
Absolutely!! Grades interfere with learning and put focus on the wrong things (ie getting points instead of understanding). Teaching Ss to think about their learning, self-assess, and make meaningful plans to grow should be the conversations we are having more of! Get Ss involved in their learning!
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Dr. Heather Leslie @heatherleslie.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
I truly believe traditional grades (already problematic) only exacerbates the transactional problem of education when coupled with AI.
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Canadian Assessment for Learning Network @caflnetwork.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
The Summer Institute has been such an amazing event, with so much more great learning ahead. #assessment
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Canadian Assessment for Learning Network @caflnetwork.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
Today we gather on Treaty 1 territory to begin our @caflnetwork.bsky.social Summer Institute. We look forward to rich, engaging conversations. #assessment #teacherpd
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
I’ve been playing around with changing my Skills-Tracking form into a Growth-Tracking form. Reflection is so important, but I’ve never been quite happy with the skills-tracking form. One version of the growth-tracking form is wide open and the other is a re-imagining of “two stars and a wish.”
Skills tracking form that allows students to reflect on how they did at the skills assessed on each week’s assessmentGrowth-tracking form that is setup for students to reflect on one thing they did well that week and one thing to work on for the next weekAnother variation of the growth-tracking form where students reflect on two things they were proud of and one thing to work on for the next week
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Teacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
Mistakes are where the learning happens! Here's how T @csarkonak.bsky.social encourages learners to embrace them:
"Encourage students to celebrate their mistakes by: 1) Prioritizing looking at mistakes as a class. 2) Creating a collaborative environment where students feel safe enough to make those mistakes and take risks in front of each other. 3) Mitigating the importance of grades for the things you want students to take risks on, where you can." —Teacher Chris Sarkonak
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Teacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Looking to build a more S-centered classroom practice? T @csarkonak.bsky.social offers these three strategies that have transformed his classroom: buff.ly/dSWMFnd #EduSky
buff.ly
This Is How Learning Should Feel
Watching students grow into confident, curious thinkers is the ultimate reminder of my “why.”
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
This was such an influential book in my #ungrading journey! It was some of the best PD and at just the right time! Now, inspired by those that contributed to this book, I try to share what I can about my journey and where I’m at so others may find something helpful from my story.
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Ss need to feel safe. A constant stream of grades takes that away from most Ss and Ss stop focusing on learning. Build a system with Ss that removes anxiety and honors growth and the classroom is filled with collaboration and community. Ss become risk-takers and learning will be far more efficient
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Your work has been such a huge inspiration to me! I’ll always include you in a list of who to follow! Thank you!
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Chris Sarkonak @csarkonak.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
A4: assessment: @achiaravalli.bsky.social @humanrestorationproject.org @covingtonedu.bsky.social @leeannjung.bsky.social @mssackstein.bsky.social @davefrangiosa.bsky.social @stacieoliver.bsky.social @jessifer.bsky.social 🎢: @cossettej.bsky.social @joemilliano.bsky.social #T2Tchat #EduSky
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