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IN THIS ISSUE:
november reminders / question of the week / celebrations of learning / día de los muertos / meet the staff / volunteers needed / learning in action / aftercare note / snapshots / events
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November Reminders
November can feel like a busy month for students and teachers as we head into more field trips, get in-depth with projects ahead of Celebration of Learning, and as we settle into rainy days on campus. Here a a couple of reminders and tips to help your students this month.
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Good Gear = Happy Kids!
Layers and Back Up Clothes
If you haven't checked recently, now is a good time to make sure your child has rainboots, rain jacket, and a full set of back up clothes at school. Some students like to get all out there in the elements and they can benefit from having the right gear to protect them (and/or dry items to change into).
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Supporting Emotions
Anticipating Feelings
In November, students are working hard, powering through tricky subjects, practicing for Celebrations of Learning, and more. Additionally, schedules get more varied with holidays, special events, and activities. As the days get darker and the weather gets a little gloomier, we're used to seeing an uptick in big feelings, at home and at school. As always, we're here to work with students and parents to support kids in all the seasons!
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Upcoming Celebrations of Learning
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At Gardner, Celebration of Learning is an important component of our child-led, inquiry-based approach for students. Having an authentic audience helps students think through the "why" of their work in a different way, and students and teachers partner in the conversations about how to show our families what classroom learning looks like. Students work to produce their best work, prepare presentations, overcome nerves, and build confidence and pride in their work through Celebrations of Learning.
This fall, we have a few different rounds of Celebrations of Learning:
Last week, Tumtum started us off with their Celebration of Learning. You can read more about their presentation below.
Coming up on Friday, December 1st, our first grade students in Pahto will hold their Celebration of Learning at 3:00 pm.
On Wednesday, December 13th, Mazama will showcase their learning at 12:00 pm.
And lastly, on Thursday, December 14th at 2:30 pm, our Kalama, Loowit, Wy'East, and Klickitat students will present to friends and families, starting in the Great Room and moving into classrooms afterwards.
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Tumtum's Celebration of Learning
In our Early Childhood program, we offer students a chance to explore many topics, while following the interests of the children. This year, our Tumtum students were ready to share their first thematic a little early, and families joined their students for display of their work and a circle time performance. This is a big step and can be very overwhelming for young children (let's face it, most adults find public speaking difficult too), so giving them short opportunities like this periodically is a great way to gain confidence in themselves and courage to try new things!
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Cultural Connections
Día de los Muertos
We're grateful our students get to learn about different cultures and celebrations, and last week, Teacher María shared the traditions of Día de los Muertos with our students in an assembly. Bringing back a tradition from the past, the Wy'East students performed a traditional dance in makeup and costumes, and María taught students about ofrendas, traditional toys, delicious pan de muerto, and more. Our students are getting real world connections to the learning they do in our Spanish classes, and get a chance to learn from one another, too.
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Staff Member Introduction
María Flores
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María, a native of Guadalajara, México, has been teaching for more than 20 years, with 14 years at the Gardner School. María loves teaching Spanish and works with all of our students, from preschool through 6th grade. She especially enjoys introducing them to her native language through games, songs and storytelling. If you've had a preschooler in one of her classes, you've likely heard those Spanish songs at home and learned something, too!
María holds a B.A. from the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional and a M.Ed. from Centros de Estudios de Postgrado from Guadalajara, México. She moved to the US in 1998. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and son. María loves traveling and enjoys good food with her family.
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Volunteers Needed!
Pancake Breakfast Volunteers Time!
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Learning in Action
Kalama Scientists
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Our kindergarten students are working on observation skills with science exploration on campus, and Teacher Joyce is partnering with Teacher Jared for ongoing opportunities. Recently, Kalama worked with our digital microscopes to investigate rocks they found on campus, while talking about properties of rocks, experiences with rocks, and more. One of the unique things at Gardner is that our kids get to know all our teachers on campus, and these relationships over the years fosters a true sense of connection for our students.
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No Aftercare Friday, December 15th
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Our staff will have their annual holiday party on this day, and no aftercare is available. Thank you!
*If you have a child in Tumtum or Mazama with an older sibling, they can stay up to the K-6 pickup time at 3:30.
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Campus snapshots
Last week was full of color and costumes, but also, hands-on science, art, and learning!
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Upcoming Events
Friday, 11/10
Veteran's Day, No School
Monday, 11/20- Tuesday, 11/21
Teacher In-Service Days, No School
This year, in response to past attendance trends, our teachers will have in-service meetings on Monday 11/20 and Tuesday 11/21. Important topics around assessment, support of neurodiversity and learning differences, and NWAIS accreditation work will be covered. No student attendance these days.
Wednesday- Friday 11/22-24
Thanksgiving Break, No School
Friday, December 1st
Pahto Celebration of Learning, 3:00 pm
Join your Pahto student for their Fall Celebration of Learning event! Check classroom newsletters for more details.
Wednesday, December 13th
Mazama Celebration of Learning, 12:00 pm
Mazama students will have a presentation to share with families at the end of the school day on Wednesday, December 13th at 12:00. Stay tuned for upcoming classroom newsletters with more information!
Thursday, December 14th
Kalama, Loowit, Wy'East, and Klickitat Celebration of Learning 2:30 pm
Meet in the Great Room for schoolwide presentations before touring your students' classrooms for more examples of their work from the year so far.
Friday, December 15th
Pajamas, Pancakes, and Pizza!
This fun tradition continues, with the Triple P- It's Pajama Day, where we'll start the morning with a schoolwide pancake breakfast, followed by Pizza Friday as usual for lunch. Each classroom teacher will share plans for classroom activities or parties, and volunteers are welcome! Contact Assistant Head, Courtney Tomlinson, for more info.
Friday, December 15th
No Aftercare Available
Our staff will have their annual holiday party on this day, and no aftercare is available. *If you have a child in Tumtum or Mazama with an older sibling, they can stay up to the K-6 pickup time at 3:30.
Monday, December 18th through Tuesday, January 2nd
Winter Break, No School
We will see you back on campus in the New Year! Classes resume on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024. Wednesday is an early release schedule.
To see and subscribe to our calendar of events, click below!
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