Gardner Weekly Newsletter December 2nd, 2024
Celebration of Learning / FROGS News/ Learning in Action/ Spread the Word / Winter Extracurriculars / Board Service / No After Care December 20th/ Events
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Celebrations of Learning are an important step for our students as they gather materials, finish projects, and think about how to best share their learning with an authentic audience. The students practice their public speaking and performances in homeroom classes and with specialists, and they demonstrate courage and grit!
For our Mazama families, please meet in the Great Room at at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, December 18th for the start of the Pre-K program. From there, the students will host you in the Mazama classroom to share more of their work!
For our K-6 families, please meet in the Great Room for on Thursday, December 19th at 2:00. Our students will share some group performances there, and then friends and family will head to classrooms to check out more samples of their fall learning. After you've finished in your child's classroom, feel free bring your child to visit our other classrooms to see what learning looks like across the ages; this is a great time to look ahead to the classroom your child will be in next year! We also welcome participation on the K-6 day by all our Early Childhood families. Being part of a greater community that values and demonstrates creative, hands-on learning is a key tenet of Gardner School and a benefit of a Gardner education!
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Read the latest FROGS newsletter
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Everyone is welcome to join FROGS (Friends and Relatives of Gardner School). Hop on into the next meeting! Learn more on the website and read our latest newsletter here.
Next meetings (8:30am in the Farmhouse):
- Thursday, December 19th
- Thursday, January 16th
Volunteer opportunities coming up:
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Learning in Action - Dip and Flip!
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In addition to the usual academic and specialist subjects, our Gardner teachers are experts at teaching students autonomy and self-help skills! Our littlest Tumtummers arrive in the fall sometimes not able to put on coats and Oaki suits by themselves, as those are both tricky physical activities that take practice and coordination to learn. One tactic Teacher Sarah uses is the Dip and Flip method for putting on coats. Students lay the coat on the floor face up, and stand at the neck. They dip down, put their arms in the sides, stand up, and flip it over their heads. Voila, the coat is on and behind them! Then they get to practice the intricacies of zipper, snap, and button closures, all great practice for fine motor skills!
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Spread the Word!
The majority of our families found out about us through word of mouth recommendations. As you connect with friends and neighbors over the break, please share about your Gardner School experience!
Pick up some flyers in the lobby at the Celebration of Learning to hang up at your office, favorite gym, or staff room at work. Adding reviews to Google or Facebook is a wonderful way to help us connect with future families, too.
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Dungeons and Dragons Coming Soon!
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Calling All Adventurers!
Welcome to the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Hero Kids and more! We have simplified the basic fantasy roleplaying game genre for 1st through 6th graders, and are seeking players!
The Quest
- Thursdays, 4-5pm
- Beginning January 9th, 2025
- Each "campaign" runs 6 weeks
- $75 per campaign, and you get a set of polyhedral dice to keep!
- $40 additional one-time charge if you want your own Players Handbook to keep! (We will have copies for use during club time)
Our Dungeon Masters
- Jared Renfro (Science Teacher)
- Lisa Linderman (Director of Campus Operations)
- Andrew Buckner (Pahto Parent)
If your student wants to embark on this adventure, please contact llinderman@gardnerschool.org. We will send an invoice and a brief enrollment questionnaire in preparation for January!
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Board Service at Gardner School
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What does is mean to be part of a non-profit school?
- We are a mission driven organization; our mission is to cultivate authentic learning through integrated experiences in a supportive community.
- Our school is governed by a Board of Trustees whose role includes strategic planning, financial oversight, and setting broad school policy.
- The Board of Trustees is made up of unpaid volunteers who bring their professional expertise to the community.
- Some trustees are parents of currently enrolled students, some are leaders at other schools, and others are professionals in the Clark County community and beyond.
Our Board of Trustees is looking to meet with community members interested in volunteering their time to support this work. Do you have an interest in non-profit leadership, care deeply about high quality education, and feel your professional background could support the strategic work for our school? You can learn more by reading this document, and you can send your questions or interest to Sarah Grenert-Funk, Board Chair or Adriana Baer, Vice Chair and Governance Chair to express your interest. Current and alumni families welcome!
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No After Care Friday, December 20th
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A reminder that there is no After Care available on Friday, December 20th, so our staff can celebrate together at our holiday party.
Children in Tumtum or Mazama with older siblings can be picked up at 3:30 when K-6 students are released.
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Wednesday, December 11th
"Secure" Action and "Evacuation" Action safety drills
During school hours, no alarms to be sounded. For more information on our new Standard Response Protocol drills, please see the parent handout in the FACTS Family Portal Resource Documents.
Wednesday, December 18th, 12:00pm
Mazama Celebration of Learning
Families join us in the Great Room and Mazama to see what Mazama has been learning!
Thursday, December 19th, 8:30am
FROGS December Meeting
Join our Parent Teacher Organization, the FROGS (Friends and Relatives of Gardner School) in the Farmhouse for planning and information!
Thursday, December 19th, 2:00pm
K-6 Celebration of Learning
Families join us in the Great Room for a short program and then visit classrooms for a showcase of thematic learning.
Friday, December 20th
Pancake Breakfast and Pajama Day
Students can wear pajamas to school! Pancakes and other breakfast items will be served in the Great Room by our FROGS in the morning, then pizza at lunch!
Friday, December 20th
NO AFTER CARE
Our staff will be meeting for a holiday party right after school on this last day before Winter Break. No After Care this day!
December 21st - January 5th
Winter Break
No school! See you in 2025!
Monday, January 6th
Teacher In-Service Day
No school! Teachers return this day.
Tuesday, January 7th
First Day of Winter Term
Students return Tuesday, 1/7, for the first school day of 2025!
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