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Assateague Island Trip |
Our camping trip to Assateague was a wonderful way to wrap-up the year. The setting is pristine, and this year the weather was beautiful! Our tents survived the wind and we were able to fend off  the wild horses as they attempted to steal our lunch--although they did get away with our swiss cheese.
With workshops on ocean ecology, the history of bird hunting on the Chesapeake, a math lesson on the beach, and a reflections on the year seminar in English, our students continued our tradition of learning wherever they are.
We worked together to set up camp, cook our meals,  and clean up. But there was still lots of time to play on the beach, swim at the life guard  station, and hang out. Altogether, a great trip with a great group! |
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Class of 2009 Senior Trip |
| Our senior trip this year was to the Southwest: New Mexico and Arizona. Teacher Alex Castle accompanied the students for the entire three-week trip, while teachers Addie Helmke and Shanna Carvell split the time.The students planned their itinerary, their menus, and made campground reservations before they left.
When the group arrived in Albuquerque, they boarded the RV and van that would serve as their moving home base while they camped in tents or slept out in the open. After exploring southern New Mexico and playing on the dunes at White Sands, the group spent a week working, building a house with Habitat for Humanity in Santa Fe. After leaving Santa Fe, they traveled to Arizona, where they hiked through canyons and swam in hidden pools.
Photos: Shanna Carvell |
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Announcing our Fall Bonding Project |
| We are announcing our Fall Bonding Project early this year so that we can tap into the many talents of our community members over the summer.
This September our school community will build a "natural playground" at Carpenter's Shelter in Alexandria. Carpenter's  Shelter serves many families with children, and it is our goal to enrich their existing play area with opportunities for imaginative play and interaction with nature.small children can play and interact with nature. Called a "natural playground," the play area will really be a child's discovery garden, planted with low-maintenance native plants, featuring a sand pit, natural obstacles such as boulders and tree stumps for jumping and climbing, and vine-covered structures for hiding and pretend play.
If you are interested in helping, please let us know. To check on our progress at www.kaboom.org, select join a project, and then search for Howard Gardner. |
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Research Updates |
Paul Gorski, professor of Education at George Mason University (also Beth and Dar Silver's future son-in-law), has asked The Howard Gardner School to participate in a research project called "Through Students' Eyes." Dr. Gorski invited us to participation after a group of HGS students visited with and spoke to students in one of his education classes at GMU. Dr. Gorski was impressed by how articute and self-aware our students were about their school experiences--and our kids enjoyed talking with Dr. Gorski's education students.
In this ongoing project, students at several Washington, DC area middle and high schools document--through photography and writing--how they experience their own education. The results of this project will be used to help new teachers look at school from their students' point of view.
While the study was originally designed to look at issues specifically affecting inner-city youth, in this latest round of competitive grants the Carnegie Foundation is seeking to widen the focus to include students froma variety of backgrounds.
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Teacher Appreciation Lunch |
A group of parents provided a delicious lunch for our teachers  during an end-of-the-year teacher workday. This delightful treat was a fun, relaxing way for our teachers to celebrate the end of another successful year. It also gave us a great venue for a small bridal shower for teacher Addie Helmke, whose wedding is this summer.
Thanks to our parents from all of our teachers! |
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Building Update... from Katherine |
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Our engineers have resolved a disagreement between the Fairfax County Transportation Department and VDOT. They have incorporated all feedback from the various departments and are preparing to resubmit the site plan for final approval. I am starting to see the light at the end of the approval process tunnel!
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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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