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Welcome to the HGS Newsletter!
The Howard Gardner School is a small, progressive independent high school for college-bound learners in Alexandria, Virginia. With a focus on environmental science and the arts, the school's mission is to help bright, creative non-traditional learners use their unique strengths to thrive academically, intellectually and emotionally. Hands-on learning and weekly field studies keep students active and involved, and internships let students explore their interests through work.
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Second Trimester Electives |
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Each trimester we offer an exciting range of electives, which over the course of the year tap into all nine of Howard Gardner's  intelligences. This trimester students can build a computer, write a novel, focus on the Civil War, learn to paint, improve their photography skills, or study the development of comedy in films.
You will be able to view some of their work at the Arts & Sciences Exhibition on Thursday, March 26th at 7:30. Mark your calendars now! |
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HGS Subject of Doctoral Research |
| Jocelyn Drakeford, a long-time educator and principal, has written her doctoral dissertation for The George Washington University educational leadership doctoral program about The Howard Gardner School. Jocelyn has been following our progress since we began in 2004, and has developed a case study of our school as an example of "schools that work." Much of her supporting research involved gifted and talented education. When asked why by one of our students, Jocelyn replied that many of the principles and strategies used at HGS are based on gifted and talented research, and that we are clearly a school for the "Bright and Creative!" |
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Climbing the Walls at HGS |
Our PE climbing class wraps up after another great season. From  beginners to experienced climbers, all of our students gained strength and confidence over their ten sessions at Sportrock climbing gym. With guidance from Addie (who has recently started a non-profit dedicated to helping injured vets and others get into or back into climbing) our kids belayed, climbed, and traversed at all levels--and had a wonderful time doing it. |
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Senior Intern: Jesse Kahaner |
Senior Jesse Kahaner enjoys a wide range of interests which have been reflected in his internships! As a junior, Jesse worked at the Invertebrate Exhibit at the Smithsonian National Zoo.
Beginning this past summer and continuing through his senior year, Jesse has been interning at Tango, a software firm. Jesse has been doing programming and customer service--which he says is a challenge!
Jesse's mentor reports that he goes to Jesse when he needs help with his computer now! |
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Teacher Profile |
Shelly Witiak
Shelly, a founding teacher at HGS, returned from sabbatical for our second trimester recharged and inspired, with lots of exciting ideas to share with students and staff. After working on her art portfolio, applying to graduate school, and researching new teaching strategies, Shelly is excited to apply what she learned to her classes--and we are all excited that she is back! 
Shelly studied art and earned her degree in Education at Juniata College, but didn't immediately put her degree to use. After several years in the corporate world, Shelly began teaching art classes and tutoring in math in space shared by Emily Pavot and Katherine's Reach for the Stars program. As Emily and Katherine began planning The Howard Gardner School, Shelly played a critical role, and before she knew it she became a founding teacher!
Shelly uniquely combines math and art, and the theoretical and the practical in her classes. She provides challenging yet accessible activities that inspire both kids who think of themselves as "math people" and kids who do not.
A recent example of a project in Shelly's painting class that also incorporated ratio and proportion was an edible study of grayscale values. (See cupcakes below!)
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Building Update... from Katherine |
| Chad and I (we are married for those who don't know!) went to North Carolina this month to tour the factory where our new building will be fabricated, and to visit a Deltec building that will house a progressive charter school in Asheville.
The factory tour was impressive. The factory itself is "green," featuring one of the largest solar power installations in the area. Waste has been cut to almost zero, with what waste there is being recycled. Technology and human craftsmanship combine to provide consistently high quality. Each six foot by eight foot exterior panel is built to spec, with six inch deep walls, sheathing, installed windows and siding, and is ready to install right off the truck. The roof trusses are designed so that no interior walls are load-bearing, allowing us great flexibility in design.
It was very helpful to visit the charter school building as it nears completion. The building is exactly the size of ours, 2,500 square feet built on a walk-out basement of another 2,500 square feet, so we were really able to get a good feel for the space. Their school is planning to house their seventy-student middle school in the building, so our community should fit with room to spare.
The quality of the space in these buildings is extraordinary--it is light-filled and cheerful, with an exceptionally open feeling because of the rising ceiling. The roundness of the building is welcoming, organic, and somehow peaceful (although we'll see how peaceful it remains when it is full of kids!). I can't wait until we can all experience our own HGS space! | |
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This is the third edition of our monthly news and information for parents, students, alumni, and friends of HGS. Please send us any updates on our kids or alumni so we can include them in future issues.
We hope you have enjoyed it!
Sincerely,
Katherine Keith
The Howard Gardner School |
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