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IN THIS ISSUE:
from the head of school / auction activity highlights / summer camp registration / gardner market / klickitat at oregon symphony / volunteers needed / campus snapshots
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From the Head of School
Dear Gardner community,
Every year, our students love to share the signs of Spring that they see, and talk about the changing seasons and weather. We're beginning to see the first spring bulbs come up, while over the weekend many of us experienced a little bit of snow. The changing seasons are a time to observe, discuss, and learn about our dynamic Earth - and these signs showcase the continual transitions we go through. Change isn't always dramatic; sometimes it's the gradual unfolding of petals and the daily growth of leaves on trees. Change isn't always linear either, and it may feel like things are stagnant or even going backwards, until you look around and realize how much is different and how far we've come! With the cold, dark and rainy few weeks we have had, I can sense the community looking forward and feeling hopeful. Warmer weather, longer days, less rain and more sunshine - moods improve and it's easier to look forward with optimism. Soon, the flowers will bloom and there will be jackets strewn all over the playground!
This is the time of year that student growth really takes shape, and I don't just mean that suddenly everyone seems taller and their hair needs cutting! Our students are showing tremendous progress in their learning - academically, socially, and emotionally. I'm always in awe of how much we ask of our young learners - to flex their creativity and art skills while taking on new math concepts, as they are learning literacy skills and working to be physically stronger, too. This is where the support of teachers is so vital. Our teachers' knowledge of each child as an individual, their growth trajectory, and the way to support them to get from one place to the next is one of the things that makes the Gardner School special. The conferences we just concluded are an important time to talk to your child's teacher, to celebrate growth, and to check in on where else your child continuing to learn and improve. I am thankful for the important parent, teacher, and child connections, and encourage parents to connect with teachers throughout the remainder of the year.
I'm looking forward to seeing our community present on campus, especially at our upcoming events! Please take a moment to mark your calendars with the details below about upcoming Gardner Auction and our Celebrations of Learning, Our community is strongest when we all participate in it together!
With gratitude,
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Gardner Auction - March 16th, 5:00pm
Auction Activity Highlights
We are in the final preparations for our unique fundraiser, the Annual Gardner Auction, and we're excited for another amazing evening with our Gardner Community. In addition to raising important operating funds for our school, we give attendees the opportunity to see what it's like to be a student at Gardner, by offering creative, teacher-led activities as part of the evening's events:
Crafting Custom Candles - Use colorful melted wax to create works of art
Gardner Escape Room - Can you Escape Klickitat?
Mexican Huichol Seed Art - Eco-friendly, ethnic-inspired artwork
Science is Magic! - Learn science tricks to amaze your friends
Radial Pattern Painting - Use Notre Dame as inspiration for your own art
Paint and Sip - A Gardner twist on this popular paint-along tutorial activity
Get your tickets online to attend our fun evening of activities and fundraising! After you register, you'll receive a follow-up email to gather your preferences to enroll you in the evening activities. Please note, this event is limited to adults 21 years and above. |
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Summer Camp News
Summer Camp Community Registration open March 4th!
Our early registration period for Gardner families has passed, and we are now open for summer camp registration to our wider community! Friends, family, neighbors are all welcome to participate in our range of exciting camps. Share the news! Signup is available online.
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Summer Camp Spotlight
Robotics!
Science teacher Jared has led a fun, educational Robotics camp for the last several summers. Campers are taught the basics of programming, and then use their knowledge to program robots to obey commands and run various events and courses.
This year we are happy to announce that we're purchasing a set of Edison robots! This means not only will students have the chance to work with yet another variety of robot, but for a $50 materials fee they will be able to take their new robot friend home at the end of camp! Spaces in this camp are limited, so sign up today! (Open to students currently in 3rd through 6th grades.)
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Gardner Market Buzzing with Success!
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Our annual Gardner Market gives our students an opportunity to develop a product or service, create their branding and in-person marketing strategies, and get experience with live sales. It also introduces them to the important concept of philanthropy, as each year the students vote on a local non-profit to receive the profits from our market.
Kalama and Pahto students work collaboratively to create products that the full class sells as a team, and by Loowit students have the skills necessary to run their own booths by themselves or with a partner. Every year students look forward to both selling to their classmates and shopping the various products for sale! The young entrepreneurs can choose to keep half of their proceeds to offset their product costs, or they can donate the entire amount.
This year's hot items included made-to-order quesadillas, a variety of baked goods, soaps, crayons, custom keychains, plants, dog treats, jewelry, stuffed animals, and numerous other creative offerings, many of which sold out well before the end of the event. Altogether students beat last year's total by nearly 30%, raising just shy of $1900 for their chosen charity, The Vancouver Bee Project. To bring the experience full circle, students and administration will present the non-profit with a check at our Community Meeting on March 8th!
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Program Spotlight
Klickitat at Oregon Symphony
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On Leap Day this year, Klickitat enjoyed a morning of classical music performed by the Oregon Symphony! Students were treated to a variety of arrangements relating to various world mythologies, including Greek and Norse. The conductor explained the various pieces, engaged with the students in the audience, and made the experience truly educational and entertaining. This field trip tied in to Klickitat's previous thematic of Greek Mythology, so it was a perfect call-back to earlier learning this year.
Field trips like this are made possible partly by the donations received through our fundraising efforts like Giving Tuesday in the fall and our annual Gardner Auction in the late winter. Join us at the upcoming auction and help us raise funds for more wonderful experiences!
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Volunteers Needed!
Auction in Action!
March 16th is approaching quickly, bringing with it our annual Gardner Auction! We are in the final stretch of our planning and preparations for another wonderful event.
It takes everyone in a community to support a school, and we couldn't do what we do without each of our families and our community supporters. We're hoping that all of you will attend our fun evening of activities and fundraising! And if you have some extra time and enthusiasm, we would love your help with our auction logistics on Friday the 15th or Saturday the 16th. We can use help setting up rooms, arranging our rental furniture, and then help taking down at the end of the night.
Sign up here for a time to volunteer! |
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Campus snapshots
What's happening on campus
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Upcoming Events
Saturday, March 16th
Gardner Auction 5:00pm - 8:00pm
The annual Gardner Auction is our key fundraiser, supporting all our student programs, facilities, and educational goals for the coming year. Attendees will enjoy a variety of charcuterie and drinks, attend unique Gardner-style activities, and raise money for the school through an Art Auction and Paddle raise. This year we have some fun new twists, so be sure to get your tickets soon!
Monday, March 18th
In Service Day, No School
Thursday, March 21st
Picture Make Up Day, 9:00am
This day is a make-up day for any students who missed the fall picture day, or who have joined Gardner after that date, so we can include them in our yearbook! Please contact llinderman@gardnerschool.org for more details.
Wednesday, March 27th
Mazama Celebration of Learning, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Our Mazama classroom is looking forward to sharing their Science of Fairytales thematic with our community! Students will present a short program, and then lead families on a student-guided exploration of their thematic in the classroom. We look forward to seeing you there!
Thursday, March 28th
K-6 Celebration of Learning, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Our Celebration of Learning is the culmination of our Winter thematics for our Kindergarten through 6th grades. Students will present a short program in the Great Room, followed by classroom activities. We hope your families can join us to celebrate all our students' hard work this Winter!
Friday, March 29th
Pajamas, Popcorn, and Projectors Day
We continue our fun tradition of Pajamas on the day before a long break! Wear your favorite (warm) jammies to school, bring a stuffed friend, and expect some fun!
Monday, April 1st - Friday, April 5th
Spring Break, No School
Monday, April 8th
In Service Day, No School
To see and subscribe to our calendar of events, click below!
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