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IN THIS ISSUE:
wheels in school / heard on campus / importance of play / meet the board / klickitat overnight / picture days / learning in action / attendance and health / snapshots / events
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Wheels in School this Friday!
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On Friday, September 15th, Wheels in School returns! For this fun Gardner tradition, students are encouraged to bring non-motorized scooters and bikes along with safety gear like helmets (required) and pads (if preferred). During recess, our students ride around the loop with the parking lot safely blocked off and monitored. Plan for a little more time at drop off and pick to accommodate the extra loading time of gear.
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"This place is an oasis of joy for students, families, and staff."
- Lori Cohen, Gardner Board Co-Chair
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Program Spotlight
The Importance of Play
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Last Thursday and Friday, our students had the chance to participate in the first Field Day of the year. While the water fight, foam play, bubbles, and obstacles are all ways to have fun on campus, the approach we take at Gardner to play has a lot of intentional planning and research behind it.
"Play is the work of children" is a phrase many people have heard, and we see it in action daily at Gardner. Early Childhood students play imagination games to practice social situations, older students use math games as entry points to math concepts, and children are busy with play at our multiple recesses throughout the week. Physical play supports brain breaks and are shown to support emotional regulation and increased ability to focus in class, setting students up for success.
Along with the academic benefits, we also see Gardner students and staff form meaningful connections through play. Figuring out friendship dynamics, working through conflict, practicing advocating for yourself and others, getting to know one another, and just laughing together are all benefits we see on campus from our ample opportunities to play.
We hope over the course of this year, families will join us to play alongside our students while chaperoning field trips, volunteering for events, and spending time on our campus. If you have some time after pick up this week, consider asking your child for a tour of our wetlands. You can ask about the games they've played out there, the best hiding spots, and what makes them laugh while they are at school. What's their favorite way to play at Gardner?
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Board Member Introduction
Adriana Baer
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Meet Gardner parent and Board of Trustees member, Adriana Baer!
Adriana is a director, teacher, and professional speaking coach. She has directed all around the US and internationally. Among other institutions, she has taught for Portland State University, Columbia University School of the Arts, The Acting Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Portland Community College. She has lectured as a guest speaker at dozens of colleges and universities nationwide. Adriana holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MFA in Directing from Columbia University.
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Experiential Learning
Klickitat Student Overnight!
Our 5th and 6th graders are getting prepared for their first overnight of the year, a trip to the Mount St. Helens Institute next week. This group of students had planned a similar trip back in 2020, and had to cancel it due to the pandemic. The programming will be a different for our older students than it would have been when they were in 1st and 2nd grade, but it still will provide awesome opportunities to learn about this important geological landform. In addition to the thematic connection, this fall field trip will serve as a great opportunity for team building early in the year for our oldest students.
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Get your picture packets in!
School Picture Days 9/28-9/29
Paul Quackenbush Photography returns for our school picture days! Most students will take their pictures on Thursday, September 28th, with an opportunity for our Early Childhood students to also get their pictures taken on Friday, September 29th.
Each child needs their own photography packet, with an additional packet for sibling photos. More packets are available in the front office, or email your homeroom teacher to request them to be sent home.
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Learning in Action
Science is Electric!
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Last week in our 1st grade classroom, science was electric! They learned about static electricity and positive and negative charges. The takeaway for most of Pahto kiddos is that opposite charges attract and same charges push away. Students learned that by rubbing a balloon on our heads, the balloon becomes negatively charged and our hair becomes positively charged and attraction happens! This silly and fun way to teach big science concepts really helps the information "stick" with kids!
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Attendance and Health
Have an attendance question, need to pick up early, or report an illness? Office Manager Lisa Linderman covers it all!
You can email her at llinderman@gardnerschool.org. Please include your child's homeroom teacher in the email, too, so all parties are notified.
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Campus snapshots
Last week on campus, students and staff continued the work of the beginning of the year with routines, assessments, and community building. We're off to a great start!
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Upcoming Events
Friday, 9/15
Wheels in School
Wheels in Schools is a favorite event at the Gardner School! Your child can bring their non-motorized bike or scooter, along with any safety gear for fun at recess time. Helmets are required to ride. Please allow for some extra time at drop off and pick up for loading.
Monday, 9/18- Friday, 9/22
Back to School Parent Meetings, 3:00 pm (EC) and 4:00 pm (K-6)
Each class will have a scheduled in-person meeting to review curriculum, meet other families, and connect with your child's homeroom teacher. Free extended care is provided for the meeting time!
Monday, 9/18- Klickitat and Wy'East (4:00 pm)
Tuesday, 9/19- Mazama and Tumtum T/Th class (3:00 pm)
Thursday, 9/21- Loowit and Pahto (4:00 pm)
Friday, 9/22- Tumtum M/W/F (3:00 pm) and Kalama (4:00 pm)
Thursday, 9/28 and Friday, 9/29
Picture Day
Paul Quackenbush Photography will be here to take pictures of individual students, classes, and siblings! More information and ordering packets will be sent home from your child's homeroom teacher.
Friday, 10/6
First Friday Parent Social, 8:15 am- 9:30 am
Come join other parents and staff in the Farmhouse after drop off for baked treats and hot beverages for conversation, questions, and connections!
Friday, 10/13
Teacher In-Service Day, No School
Our teachers will be preparing for parent conferences, no student attendance.
Friday, 10/13
Gardner School Community Book Swap, 10:00 am- 1:00 pm
Our second annual Book Swap event will be held on Friday, October 13th from 10:00 am- 1:00 pm. This event promotes reading while supporting a greener way to recycle and share books. This event is open to all in the community, no need to be enrolled at Gardner to attend, and all guests leave with new-to-them books! Used book collection is starting now and are being accepted in the Farmhouse.
To see and subscribe to our calendar of events, click below!
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One our our youngest students and one of our oldest students sharing a sweet moment at EC Field Day. We love these special opportunities for bigs and littles to connect!
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