VariQuest Tools: Design Center Software | VariQuest Tools: Cold Laminator 2510 | VariQuest Tools: Motiva 400 | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta® Q36 | VariQuest Tools: Cutout Maker 2800
Bulletin boards are primarily found throughout the halls of preschool and elementary settings, where bright visuals, changing themes, and interactive elements are part of everyday learning. As students move into middle and high school, those same hallway spaces are often found empty or decorated but left unchanged for months at a time. With the VariQuest® Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite, educators can rethink how bulletin boards play a part in secondary settings, transforming blank walls into interactive spaces that support student voice, engagement, and community building.
A Fresh Perspective
A recent newsletter from We Are Teachers highlights why bulletin boards don’t lose their value as students get older. While mostly seen as an elementary classroom staple, interactive bulletin boards are making a comeback in middle and high school settings for one important reason: they help build community.
Interactive bulletin boards can support multiple important goals in high school settings. They help build community by giving students a shared space to express their thoughts and see the perspectives of others. They also support learning by reinforcing communication skills, reflection, and social-emotional growth through discussion prompts students can engage with throughout the week. Just as importantly, interactive boards inspire creativity and ownership, allowing students to take pride in seeing their ideas displayed around their school.
The Question of the Week bulletin board idea that inspired this project focuses on reflection, conversation, and connection. By giving students an engaging prompt and a place to share their thoughts, bulletin boards can support social-emotional learning and classroom culture at any grade level. You can read the original article that sparked this idea here.
Designing a Question of the Week Bulletin Board with the VariQuest Suite
Using the VariQuest® Learning Suite, educators can create an interactive bulletin board that’s easy to update, looks great, and is designed to keep high school students engaged throughout the entire year.
VariQuest Design Center
The Design Center makes it easy for educators to jump right into creating without starting from scratch. With access to premade templates from our Engage Every Learner® Content, you can quickly find designs that are ready to use or customize. It also makes it simple to choose different fonts, shapes, and sizes, so everything you create fits your space and style while saving time along the way.
Cutout Maker 2800 Digital Die-Cut Machine
The Cutout Maker 2800 Digital Die-Cut Machine makes it simple to create high-quality, reusable cutout letters and shapes for bulletin boards. A title like “Question of the Week” can be cut once and used all year, while other shapes or accents can be switched out weekly to match new themes. It’s a simple way to save prep time and keep boards looking fresh and put-together.
Perfecta® Q36 Poster Design System
For a colorful backdrop, the Perfecta Q36 Poster Design and Print System makes it easy to design and print a custom background for your bulletin board. Whether you choose school colors, a funky design, or a modern layout, a printed background helps the board feel intentional and inviting, making students more likely to participate.
Motiva® Specialty Printer
To encourage student participation, educators can use the Motiva® Specialty Printer to create a premade collection of the Building Community Discussion Cards from our Engage Every Learner Content. On your bulletin board, these cards can be swapped out weekly and used as thinking prompts for students. Having the ability to print these cards in-house makes it easy to customize questions and reflect student interests along with school culture.
VariQuest Cold Laminator
To help bulletin boards last longer, the Cold Laminator makes it easy to protect the materials you plan to use throughout the school year. Laminating titles, discussion cards, and other materials keeps them durable, easy to clean, and ready to reuse again and again. It’s an easy way to save prep time, cut down on reprinting, and keep your boards engaging.
Conclusion
Bulletin boards don’t have to be time-consuming to maintain or boring to look at. With the right tools in place, they can become purposeful, engaging displays that support community and learning across your school. The VariQuest Learning Suite helps educators easily design, print, cut, and display materials that turn unused wall space into interactive activities students genuinely connect with.
Want to know more about our VariQuest Learning Suite? Request a virtual demonstration with one of our expert education consultants or see for yourself how easy it is to put together an engaging and interactive bulletin board in the video below!
