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IN THIS ISSUE:
from the head / first friday chat / reserved parking / preschool camps / celebrations of learning / best of clark county / campus snapshots / upcoming events
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From the Head of School
Dear Gardner community,
Welcome back! I hope every family had the Spring Break they were looking forward to, whether it involved travel or time at home, and whether it was focused family time or friend time, and even if it included dealing with illnesses or other minor bumps that happen in the regular course of life! However you spent it, we're glad to welcome everyone back, and we're excited to start our last thematic units and end the school year strong!
Yesterday's in-service workday after the break is an important time for for our teachers to reset their classrooms following our wonderful Celebrations of Learning, and to get prepared for new curriculum. Our teachers spent time working together and reflecting on student learning during the last thematic, as well as looking ahead to prepare and plan for a successful end of the year. We did important collaborative work on integrating and showcasing our core values, work our teachers spearheaded last year that we're excited to share with you all in the coming weeks.
In these last months of school, we're excited to be focusing a spotlight on our core values, and to begin to fully integrate them into the everyday language of Gardner. You can see more information on our website here, and on Facebook and Instagram. In the coming weeks, you will be seeing highlights and examples of these pillars of what we as a Gardner community hold dear - Courage, Curiosity, Creativity, and Connection. While we see these values showcased every day, in every classroom, we are delighted to share more about what these look like, what they represent to our students, staff, and families, and the impact they have on the Gardner community.
Looking forward to seeing you back on campus this week!
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"First" Friday Parent Chat - April 12th!
Since the first Friday of April happened during Spring Break, we have rescheduled the First Friday parent coffee social to Friday, April 12th! As always, drop by the farmhouse after drop-off, between 8:15 am and 9:30 am, for a cup of coffee or tea and a treat, and catch up with staff and parents in a relaxed, informal setting. This month, we're sharing Girl Scout cookies donated by our campus troop- just in case your stash has run out! Hope to see everyone there!
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Auction Raffle Winner
New Reserved Parking Spot!
In the past, there was a tradition to auction off a special reserved parking spot on campus during our annual auction. This year, we decided to bring back the tradition in the form of a raffle! The winner had their choice of parking spots to claim for a full year, from the 2024 Auction until the 2025 Auction.
Congratulations to Marie and Kevin Koschoreck! Their parking spot is now marked, parallel to the flow of traffic on the south side of the Garden. Please reserve this spot for the Koschorecks at all times.
Want your own parking spot? Come to next year's 30th Anniversary Auction and enter to win!
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Summer Camp Spotlight
Preschool Camps
Our Preschool camps have filled quickly, but we now have additional space in Winter in July and Space Camp! Alychiphey has kindly offered to work with Carli on these two camps, so we can take more kiddos
These will likely fill up quickly, as we already had a waitlist, so if you're looking to get a spot in one of these camps, check out our Summer Camp webpage soon!
(Beach Camp remains full, but we're taking waitlist names!)
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Celebrations of Learning Highlights
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Our Winter thematics wrapped up before Spring Break with back to back Celebrations of Learning! On Wednesday, March 27th, Mazama welcomed their families to campus to share exciting experiments and conclusions from their Science of Fairytales thematic. Students began with a short performance in the Great Room, then continued in their classroom, showing off their "giant" beanstalks and leading their guests through other Fairytale Science stations. Families then got to take home some of the sourdough starter the class made.
Families of our K-6 students filled the Great Room for their Celebration of Learning the following day, March 28th. Kalama and Pahto shared the stage for two Spanish songs, starting off with Pahto playing music while Kalama sang and ending with both classes singing "Los Pollitos". Loowit shared the stories of Diwali and Carnaval, Wy'East gave us a Soundtrack to the Solar System, and finally Klickitat performed a very enthusiastic live rendition of Billy La Bufanda. Families were then invited to visit individual classrooms, where students shared more of their thematic learnings and projects.
As we come into the end of the school year, we look forward to our final Celebrations of Learning June 4th (Tumtum), 5th (Mazama), and 6th (K-6), as well as our Klickitat Graduation on June 10th. Please watch newsletters and the FACTS Family Portal for more information on dates and times as we get closer to these dates.
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Best of Clark County 2024
Nominate Gardner for Best of Clark County 2024!
The Columbian's Best of Clark County awards are a wonderful way for our school to get noticed in the Clark County area. Last year, we were the runner-up for Best Childcare and a finalist for Best School and Best Preschool. Let's make this the year we take the top spot!
Gardner School is a unique and needed school in Clark County, and we hope you will support us in making it to the voting round by nominating us today. You can nominate us in the following categories:
- Best Preschool
- Best School
- Best Childcare
- Best Summer Camp
We hope you will take a moment to nominate us in all categories, and share with your friends and family to vote, too. We'll share posts on social media, also, for easy sharing. Nominations close April 30th.
Thank you for your continued support of our mission to cultivate authentic learning through integrated experiences in a supportive community.
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Gardner Talent Show Auditions
Now Open!
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Gardner's Got Talent - and we're ready to show it off! All students are encouraged to showcase a talent at our annual Talent Show on Thursday, May 2nd, at 2:30pm. Can your child sing? Dance? Do a magic trick? Recite a poem, juggle, ride a unicycle, or do all three at the same time? Parents, please help your students fill out an Audition form so that we can plan our show! Students are more than welcome to form small groups for their performances, or they can be a solo act.
Audition forms due by Friday, April 12th, and rehearsals (during school) will start next week!
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Campus snapshots
What's happening on campus
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Upcoming Events
Thursday, April 10th - Friday, April 12th
Wy'East at Audubon Marmot Cabins
Wy'East will be off on a fun three-day, two-night adventure to the Audubon Society's Marmot Cabins near Sandy, Oregon!
Friday, April 12th, 8:30am - 9:30am
"First" Friday Parent Social
The first Friday of April was over Spring Break, so we're moving the First Friday parent coffee social to April 12th! Join us in the Farmhouse for a cup of coffee or tea and a treat, and catch up with admin and other parents!
Thursday, April 25th
Wy'East and Kalama at the Oregon Zoo
Wy'East and Kalama are going on a Reading Buddy trip to the Oregon Zoo. If your student is in one of these classes and you're interested in driving and chaperoning, contact your student's homeroom teacher!
Friday, April 26th, 8:15am - 10:00am
Hike with the Head
Join us at drop off and take a walk down to WSU with our Head of School, Emily Davis. See the route the kids take when they explore the WSU trails, get some exercise, and enjoy a walk and talk with the head of school and other parents.
Thursday, May 2nd, 2:30pm
Gardner Talent Show
Auditions opened right after Spring Break, and students are hard at work. Join us in the Great Room to cheer on our unique, impressive Gardner Talents!
To see and subscribe to our calendar of events, click below!
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