Dear New Roots Families,

As Bill McKibben has said, “in reality, climate change is the biggest thing that’s going on every single day.”

This morning, I awoke to the news of a snow storm in the Northwest that dumped up to four feet of snow on parts of Montana this weekend.  In this season of harvest, my thoughts went immediately to the farmers, farmers like the young families I purchased tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers from just yesterday at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market.

In 2008, New Roots was granted a charter by the State of New York to create an innovative new model of education that would put the skills and knowledge to be the leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators who will act with “informed optimism” and create lives of purpose and meaning in the face of this crisis. Our whole school model is designed to educate for this outcome.  

We are all in this together, but our children and their children will bear the brunt of this storm. In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Al Gore reminds us that the future is knocking on our door right now. “Make no mistake,” he says, “the next generation will ask us one of two questions. Either they will ask: ‘What were you thinking; why didn’t you act?’ Or they will ask instead, ‘How did you find the moral courage to rise and successfully resolve a crisis that so many said was impossible to solve? 

The lives of your children -- and mine -- will be defined by how we respond to this crisis, in ways big and small.  I look forward to working with you, every day, to give your children the best possible education, one that will empower them to weather this storm.

Onward,

Tina

Tina Nilsen-Hodges
Principal

Growing Students for a Just and Sustainable Future
www.newrootsschool.org

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Empowered by our school mission: "Our interdisciplinary academic program features hands-on, community-based learning that supports students in solving real-world problems" students in our Environment Science 101 class are learning about ecology and biodiversity, while planting 20 trees, and clearing out 100 square meters of invasive Privet at Lighthouse Woods, an important habitat for migratory birds. The project goal is to provide a habitat for migratory birds and the insects they thrive off of.

Family Action Committee
1st Meeting Thursday (10/3)

Our Family Action Committee is an opportunity for families to support and give back to a school that empowers our students on a weekly basis. Please join us for the first monthly Family Action Committee meeting from 5:30-6:30pm on Thursday, October 3rd in the school lobby. Teachers and administrators will share areas where the school needs community support and ways that families can become involved. Thanks for your support!

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Many American schools celebrate this time of year with a tradition called "Homecoming." This tradition involves a large community gathering at a football game based on a culture centered around athletics. The culture at New Roots is a bit different, as we celebrate around the arts and the natural world that sustains us. With that, we're inviting you, your family, and your friends to join us for our first annual Community Harvest Picnic. This is a great opportunity to share any freshly harvested crops that you have and/or your favorite family harvest meal. Most importantly, we want to use this opportunity to welcome new families to our community and reunite our families after our summer adventures. Please help spread the word and let us know if you'd like to contribute in any way. Please RSVP via ParentSquare. Details below.

Global Climate Strike

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New Roots opened on September 9, 2009, with a school vision “to empower young people as citizens and entrepreneurs that create just, democratic communities, and thriving green economies that restore the natural world that sustains us.” 10 years later on September 20, 2019, our students shared their vision with young people around the world as they marched to Bernie Milton Pavilion during school. The strike was inspired by the leadership of Greta Thunberg, who was in NYC for the Climate Strike.

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Following our Community Harvest Picnic at Stewart Park, our LGBTQ club will transform the pavilion into a Pride Dance for high school aged students throughout the community. This is intended for anyone who identifies with the LGBTQ community as well as allies of the LGBTQ community. Details below.

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We're excited to announce that we have an expanded soccer schedule this year. We have 4 games in the month of October and everyone is invited to come out and support the New Roots Newts. Our soccer team is led by our Dean of Students, Jhakeem Haltom, and fundraising efforts have been led by Austin Abrundza's family. Thanks to everyone who supported the fundraiser at the Apple Harvest Festival over the weekend!