Headlines     -                                 September 27, 2013

A tour of the school…

I thought I would give readers a snapshot of our school on a typical day.  So, at 1:00 pm on Thursday, I took a tour of every classroom.  I started downstairs in the middle school and worked my way back to the K/1 classrooms.  Here is what I found:

In 6^th  grade social studies, students were taking turns presenting their research findings on early explorers.  Each student stood in front of the wall map and discussed the time, route, and contributions of their chosen adventurer.  In the 7^th/8^th social studies class, a student was giving a presentation on his poster about Bayard Rustin, an early civil rights activist who worked extensively with Dr. King in the 50’s and 60’s.  The 5^th graders were having art, and the room was filled with students producing optical illusions on paper with pen, pencils, makers and paint.  Each student was sketching a different design to share with the rest of the class.

Upstairs, it was very quiet.  As it turns out, the 2^nd/3^rd grade classes were on a field trip to Way Fruit Farm to learn about growing apples and running a farm.  I heard soft music from the 4^th grade and went to investigate.  The students were writing responses to questions in their journals.  They were so quiet and engrossed in their work that besides the music, I could only hear the sound of pencils on paper. 

In the front of the building, there were more smiles than I could count.  Teacher Michelle’s K/1^st grade class was having a ball with Teacher Kelsey in PE.  They were doing their warm-up exercises and getting ready to play a game.  In Teacher Lisa’s K/1^st grade classroom, students were working with Teacher Aracely on counting in Spanish and decorating their Spanish folders.  While drawing on their folders, groups of students were practicing their Spanish numbers with each other.

In this very short tour through all of our classrooms, I was thrilled to see the quality of direct student participation.  Not once did I see the “sage on stage” method of instruction.  Students had control of the classroom and were being made responsible for their own education.  Whether doing research, writing personal responses, or practicing words with their classmates, the students were actively engaged in their learning.  I also suspect the students on the field trip were also reaping the benefits of this hands-on approach to education.  Our school stresses the importance of student involvement as key to quality education and academic growth and, on this day at 1:00pm, it was in full bloom.

Announcements and Reminders

The All-School (K-8) Potluck is Tonight!  - We expect lots of folks to come and invite you to enjoy your meal in the Community Room or picnic style on the lawn.  Please bring a dish to share and your own place settings.  This event is a great way for families to build community within the school.  We hope your family will join us.

Saving for College? - Are you beginning to wonder how to afford college?  The school is hosting an informational seminar on Pennsylvania’s 529 College Saving Program on Wednesday October 2^nd from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.  This public service session is presented by the PA Treasury Dept.  All parents are encouraged to attend, and to invite an interested friend.

School Lunches are back. -  In addition to Pizza Fridays, Café Karla will be cooking healthy, hot lunches for our school community every month.  Look for the order form and volunteer opportunities in this week’s Friday Folder. If you’d like to join your child for a hot lunch, just add yourself to the order!

“Ask Dan” - Parent Coffee - On Thursday, October ^10th from 8:30 – 9:30 am, all parents, especially those who are new to the school, are invited to attend a Q&A session with Head of School, Dan Hendey.  Please join us for an hour of conversation, fellowship and treats.

Inservice Days, October 17 and 18 -  Thursday and Friday, October 17^th and 18^th are inservice days for our faculty. Although there will be no school for students, we do offer a child care program here at school on all inservice days. If you’d like to use the program for part or all of either or both days, please register by Monday, October 7^th.  You can register your child by calling the school or sending an email. Please be sure to specify which days and the approximate hours your child will attend.  The fee for our child care program is $4.00 per hour. Please note that school bus transportation is not provided on inservice days.

Have a great weekend
Dan