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IN THIS ISSUE:
message from the board / board service / gardner gala / NWAIS news / earth day / hiring/ snapshots / health screening reminders / events
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Dear Gardner School Community,
I am still beaming from Saturday’s Gardner Gala, Beneath the Stars. The weather was gorgeous. The food and beverages were excellent. The courses, taught by Gardner’s fabulous teachers, brought joy, laughter, and a left a few rogue marshmallows strewn about the Great Room floor. The auction was inspiring.
The premiere moment of the Gala (in addition to community members sporting their greatest “trashion” or crawling on the floor with a minute to win it) was the art auction. One piece of artwork created by the Tum Tum class, was entitled, “A Year of Weather at Once.” In it, the sun is shining, there are rainbows, tornadoes, snow, and of course, a groundhog and its shadow. In addition to looking at it and thinking it was the sweetest piece of art ever, I also thought, Yup, that’s what the past two years have felt like: a year of weather at once. This Gala was the first time we have gathered as a community. And like a groundhog seeing its shadow, knowing brighter days are soon to come, this picture reminded me that amidst a chaotic time, the brighter days already exist right now, here at Gardner.
Special thanks to trustee and Board Vice Chair, Anamaria Bambaren Call, whose creative genius and steady efforts brought this event to life. I also want to thank our teachers, admin staff, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and all those whose generous time and contributions allow our students get what they need to thrive. And finally, thanks to you, the constellation of community that makes Gardner a special place.
Board Updates
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New Board Member: This month we welcomed a new Board member: Sarah Grenert-Funk. Sarah is Head of the Upper School at Oregon Episcopal School and brings a rich array of experiences in education and school leadership. We’re excited to have her as part of our board.
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NWAIS accreditation: On Friday, April 22, we received news from NWAIS that the Gardner School is a candidate school for accreditation! This is a milestone in the school’s 26-year history, and we are thrilled to begin the path towards becoming a fully accredited school.
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Strategic Planning: As we plan for the 2022-23 school year, we will be engaging in a strategic planning process with consultant, Alexa Carver, who knows our school well. Our work with Alexa will allow us to continue our school’s thoughtful financial planning for the future; lift up, define, and live more deeply into our values; work towards NWAIS accreditation. This process will involve all facets of our community, and we’re excited to get started.
Thank you for your continued support of the Gardner School,
Lori Cohen, Board Chair
Anamaria Bambaren Call, Vice Chair
Paula Savage, Secretary
Aaron Christian, Treasurer
Kevin Fischer, Trustee
Denise Case, Trustee
Saumya Kumar, Trustee
Brynnen Guthrie, Trustee
Juna Kim McDaid, Trustee
Sarah Grenert-Funk, Trustee
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Are you interested in Board service?
Our Board of Trustees is actively recruiting for its committees and for trustees for the 2022-23 school year. If you would like to give back to this community in ways that are inspiring and fulfilling, and if you like to work alongside dedicated and generous people who love the Gardner School, consider joining us. You’ll have an opportunity to
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support this incredible school
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gain a deep understanding about how nonprofit organizations and independent school boards work
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receive skills and organizational tools for effective agenda design and meeting facilitation
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develop leadership skills and habits that are transferable to your jobs
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work with people from a range of professions and backgrounds, people you may not get to meet in your current roles.
Please email Head of School, Emily Davis (edavis@gardnerschool.org) and Board Chair, Lori Cohen (boardchair@gardnerschool.org). We’d love for you to take part in keeping Gardner a special place where every child knows they belong.
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An out of this world success!
Thank you for a wonderful gala!
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"Beneath the Stars" was a resounding success! Our community showed up to support the mission of the Gardner School, and the time spent with friends, family, and staff was a joy. From future Garder familes to founding members of the Gardner School, this evening was a reminder of where we've been and where we're going as a school, all in service of providing a special educational experience that is transformative for the children who attend. Thank you for all the ways you all showed support, from volunteering to donating. Stay tuned for a Gardner Gala email later this week highlighting more specifics about the evening and an exciting surprise!
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A Milestone Moment for the Gardner School
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Becoming a candidate member of NWAIS has been a goal of the Gardner School for over 20 years, and the work that has been done at our school in the last four years to improve our programs, develop our board governance, and strengthen our finances has made that goal a reality. We are proud of the work it has taken to get here, and we are ready for the important and inspiring work ahead as we ensure the Gardner School continues to be a place of growth and learning for both children and adults.
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Program Spotlight
Earth Day Celebrations
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Our students celebrated Earth Day on Friday, April 22nd by taking care of our environment in a number of ways. Students in our Klickitat class took a walk to WSU Vancouver, and collected litter along the way. Our Mazama students continued their study of the environment by creating a collaborative story about how mermaids were being affected by ocean plastic, and how we could help prevent pollution. And thanks to a wonderful parent volunteer, many of our students got out into the garden for planting, weeding, and learning.
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Summer Camp Classes
Some space still available!
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We are excited to see so many families signing up for summer camp, and we are updating our website to let parents know if a class is full or if space is still available.
Share our camps with your friends and neighbors, and sign up today!
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We're Hiring!
We are hiring for the 22-23 school year, and we're looking for creative, dynamic, and passionate educators to join our team. Our open positions are:
- 3rd/4th Grade Homeroom Teacher
- K-6 Art Teacher
- K-6 After Care Specialist
- Substitute Teachers (for immediate start)
Please forward this message to those you may know who could be a great fit for our school. We love recommendations from our community!
Candidates can go to www.gardnerschool.org/careers for more information and reach out to us directly at careers@gardnerschool.org.
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Missing something?
Don't forget to check the Online Lost and Found page!
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Campus snapshots
Students are happy, learning, and sharing in play at the Gardner School, every day!
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Keeping all of our students in school depends on our families following the requests below for screening for symptoms.
1. In the last 72 hours, has your child had one or more of the following symptoms: fever > 100.4 F, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea and/or vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of smell/taste?
2. Has your child been in close contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19 or has a public health or medical professional told your child to self isolate or self-quarantine because of concerns about COVID-19 infection?
3. If any of the answers to these questions are yes, have you emailed health@gardnerschool.org and been cleared to be on campus? If not, please remain off campus until cleared.
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Upcoming Events
Friday, 4/29
Scholastic Book Club Orders Due
If you'd like to place an order, go to the website by today to be included in the next shipment. With a $25 order, you can pick a FREE $5 Book (use code: READS).
Monday, 5/2
Gardner Parent Book Club Meeting, 8:45 in the Farmhouse
You don't have to have done the reading to join the group! If you are interested in joining this book club or future ones, please click on this link to share your interest!
Wednesday, 5/4
PTO Virtual Meeting on Zoom, 9:30 am
If you would like to connect with other parents and find out ways to volunteer, reach out to ptochair@gardnerschool.org for more information.
Tuesday, 5/24
Talent Night!
It's always a great evening event when our students share their talents with the Gardner School community!
Friday, 5/27
No School, Teacher In-Service Day
Monday, 5/30
No School, Memorial Day
Wednesday, 6/1
PTO Virtual Meeting on Zoom, 9:30 am
If you would like to connect with other parents and find out ways to volunteer, reach out to ptochair@gardnerschool.org for more information.
Friday, 6/3
Gardner Parent Book Club Meeting, 8:45 in the Farmhouse
You don't have to have done the reading to join the group! If you are interested in joining this book club or future ones, please click on this link to share your interest!
Friday, 6/3
Gardner Market
This exciting tradition is back! Stay tuned for more information.
Monday, 6/13
Graduation!
Join us in celebrating with the Klickitat graduates from our 21-22 school year.
Wednesday, 6/15
Last Day of School
Have a wonderful summer!
To see and subscribe to our calendar of events, click below!
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