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February 2010
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Issue No. 2
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Update Your Calendar - Spring Break March 22 - 29.
An extra day has been added to spring break. Enjoy the longer holiday!
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| Board of Directors |
Piper Park, Founder
Scott Howard, Chairman
Gary Maffei, Treasurer
Robert Campo
William A Furman
Harry A Merlo
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P.O. Box 34
Marylhurst, Oregon 97036
503.697.6213
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Letter from the Director
Dear Friends, Board Members & Colleagues,
This month brought some very exciting developments here at Park Academy. As you know, we're growing and space has been a real problem for us! Once again our gracious hosts at Marylhurst University have opened up space to meet our needs. Read all about it in the article below.
Also this month we welcomed two new students to our school, and a new faculty member, well-known musician, Blake Sakomoto. Welcome Blake!
It's a busy place at Park Academy. We hope that if you haven't had a chance to stop by and see the school lately that you will take the time to visit and see what's new.
Sincerely,
Paula Kinney, Ed. D
School Director
P.S. Our students are collecting donations for Haiti to give to the Red Cross - you can place your donation in the collection bottle in the main office!
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We're Growing - Cozy Donations Needed!
Marylhurst Provides New Classrooms & Performing Art Space
The success of our program has resulted in more students, more programs and a need for more space. Once again, Marylhurst University has come to the rescue. We are very excited to announce that the University has provided an additional classroom in Davignon Hall for middle school art, and is making Baxter Hall available for our use at selected times for our music and theatre classes.
This is big news for our
lower/middle school. These changes mean they now have their very own
classroom. No more sharing! Lower/middle School Teachers Jennie
McCarthy and Ivy Patton send a big THANK YOU to Marylhurst and the Park
Academy Administrative team for working out this great solution.
Lower/middle School Students in their New Art Room
Can you help us make our new classroom space inviting?
We now have room for a cozy reading corner in each lower/middle school classroom. We're looking for some low book shelves;a gently used loveseat or two for the reading area; age appropriate books for grades 4-7; a round rug; bean bag chairs; and some comfy pillows!
Please email Ms. McCarthy or Ms. Patton if you think you have serviceable items to donate. And don't forget - all donations are tax deductible - ask for your "Gift-in-Kind" receipt!
Coming soon - photos of Ms. McCarthy & Ms. Patton's classrooms will soon be on our Web site via the teachers "Teacher Web" site. Find it through their staff listing .
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Real Life Experience Adds Depth to Academic Instruction
Welcome Our New Music Teacher - Blake Sakomoto
We're excited to announce the latest addition to our instructional team
- Blake Sakomoto. Blake
is a local celebrity with deep connections in the music industry. He
will be teaching high school music on Wednesdays and Fridays where
students will learn composition and can learn to play ke yboard, drums,
guitar, flute and tambourine.
In 2008 our faculty was enhanced by the addition of Tassia Bronston,
OMSI trained scientist, and Rebecca Singer, a professional actor and
director. In 2009, Ivy Patton joined our staff with a background in
broadcast journalism. History and Language Arts Teacher, Chris Morrison has his
own band. In 2010 Jennie McCarthy brought her perspective from her tour in Iraq and our
parent group recruited South African Artist, Ian Yallop, as
Artist-in-Residence and
Park Academy places high value on the fact that our instructors have real life experience which strengthens their academic teaching and captures the imagination of students as they consider their own futures.
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Unlocking Learning through the Arts
Integrated Arts Program Springboards Education
"Skyline" by Ian Yallop  | We're really excited about the benefits of an integrated arts program for our students. Recent strategic planning confirms this new focus and we are actively working toward full integration of the arts in our curriculum.
Our experience has shown that the arts provide a pathway to learning that helps kids who struggle with language to learn transferable skills. These skills enable students to focus and succeed in other subjects. We believe in using all the arts - creative writing, theatre, music, video production, dance, and visual arts - as a springboard for learning in other disciplines. A student who has a short attention span in math, for example, can learn to focus on an art project and then transfer that skill into his or her math studies.
Arts Based Learning for students challenged with dyslexia helps identify their gifts and strengths while demonstrating to them that they can learn. Once a student uncovers a strength and experiences success, suddenly they have a tool which teachers can intentionally channel to inspire and help the student learn more challenging material.
Read on for a student profile that demonstrates the success of this approach to learning!
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Fulfilling the Mission - Learning through Service
Becoming Responsible Citizens & Community Leaders
At Park Academy academic learning is balanced with service learning projects both locally and globally.
Park Acad emy students were moved by the plight of the Haitian people in the wake of the Earthquake on January 12. The student led Leadership Advisory Team initiated a fund drive for the relief effort. The students urge everyone to give something to help and hope that their initiative will inspire others to give. Donations collected through our school will be sent to the Red Cross. So far the fund drive has resulted in nearly three hundred dollars in donations!
On the home front, the Leadership Advisory students adopted plans for an All-School River Clean Up Day to focus on cleaning up the Downtown Willamette Waterfront. All faculty and students will participate in this community service activity. Watch for more details about this upcoming event.
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Park Academy Students Turn Water Into Power
High School Science Unit Studies Hydrogen as an Energy Source
One part water, one part electricity, wait, and presto, you've got hydrogen power!
Okay, it's not quite that simple. Ask any Park Academy high school student and they can tell you.
High school stud ents put their scientific minds to work to create hydrogen using electrolysis reactions this past month. Each student was given two test tubes, an electrolysis kit, a 9v battery, some wire, and a cup of water and then they were asked to create a fuel. Given their recent studies on hydrogen, they were able to create hydrogen gas. They collected data on the volume of oxygen vs. hydrogen and used excel to graph their results as well as to understand the use of hydrogen as a fuel. This activity was part of a unit on hydrogen as an energy source.
Later this month, each student will make a presentation explaining a different career in a hydrogen economy!
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The Boy Who Wouldn't Write - Can't Stop!
Creative Writing Unlocks Learning for Park Student
Jesse came to Park Academy in 2009 as a junior. He was writing at a third grade level. He had no confidence whatsoever in his ability and initially refused to even pick up the pencil in his creative writing class. With encouragement, he was willing to try and has emerged as an enthusiastic writer with epic ideas! Today it is difficult to get him to wrap up his assignments on time because he loves writing so much. He has handwritten a five page story and shared it with his class to great acclaim.
Jesse has entered a cycle of confidence: He is now willing to write, so when asked to write a report in another class he doesn't freeze up. Because he's writing more he is also reading more. Success breeds success and suddenly - the boy who wouldn't write can't stop!
Today Jesse is interested in learning the mechanics of writing because he wants to be able to express himself better. He is willingly studying spelling words and improves every day. He has a way to go, the difference is now he wants to go there.
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My Guitar
by Jack Cornelius
Stretched tight against hard wood of grace,
Vibrating the air into haunting tones
That breath the only hold
Keeping myself from the jump into oblivion
Quick hands and a quicker mind
I move in rhythm, my guitar.
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Congratulations to Patrick Meadors!
Park Senior Places in Statewide Debate
Linfield College has been hosting debate tournaments for over eighty years, making it one of the
oldest sponsors, not only in Oregon, but
in the United States as well. For high
school debaters, Linfield is one of the biggest tournaments in the state, and
placing in the final rounds is, in itself, an accomplishment. Patrick Meadors, who joined the Lakeridge
High School Speech & Debate team in January 2009, secured 5th
place in Novice Extemporaneous Speaking (information below) at the Linfield's
Singletary Tournament February 5th-6th. The topic of his speech was, "Is the
chaos in Haiti likely to lead to human trafficking?" In the state districts
that are coming up March 12th - 13th, only three
Extempers are allowed from each debate team, and Patrick has been given one of
those positions by his coach. Congratulations Patrick, and good luck!
Extemporaneous
Speaking is an Individual Event where a speaker is given a choice of three
current event topics that could be national or international in focus. The speaker chooses one to give a speech on,
and is then given 30 minutes to prepare a speech by reading and analyzing news
articles that their debate team has cataloged over the prior seasons. Once their 30 minutes are up, they head to
their room to give a 7 minute speech on the chosen topic, and are not allowed
to use notes without penalty.
As well as
being an Extemper, Patrick is fond of Public Debate. Public Debaters consist of two-person teams
who go against another team. Before the round, the people organizing the
tournament decide which team will be Affirmative or Negation in the round. Affirmative argues for the topic that is being
debated, and the Negation argues against it.
Similar to "Extemp" Speaking, a choice of three topics is given, but the
selection differs. The "Aff" gets the list
first, and crosses off one they don't want to debate, then the "Neg" gets the
list and crosses off one they don't want to debate. The remaining topic is the
one debated, and the two teams are given 15 minutes to prepare their case. The only knowledge they can use is that from
their own minds, which means the debate teams need to keep up on the current
news.
*Editor's Note - this article was written by Patrick Meadors at the editors request - excellent job Patrick!
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Sign-up for March Enrichment Classes - Introduction to Guitar
Scholarships Available from the Begonia Charitable Foundation
Sign
up for March Enrichment Classes by March 1:
Introduction to Guitar taught by Park Academy's very own Chris "Cool Cat Morrison".
Introduction
to chords, strumming techniques and basic guitar.
Class Times: Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30
Class Dates: March 2, 9, 16 & 30
Fee: $25.00 for the entire four week session.
Scholarships
are available, provided by Begonia Charitable Foundation.
Please
register with Fawn Morris at Park Academy 503-697-6213
Registration
deadline Monday March 1st!
Bring your own guitar!
If
you do not have a guitar, Begonia Charitable Foundation
will provide one for you but you must contact Fawn
Morris to register for the scholarship fund.
Many thanks to the
Begonia Charitable Foundation and the Milock family for their support
of our art and music enrichment classes!
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Read Across America at Park Academy March 2nd!
Sponsored by the Lower/Middle School
Invite your friends, young and old, to Park Academy on March 2 as we participate in the 13th annual Read Acr oss America Day. Bring your PJ's, pillows and blankets, snacks and books you love. More than 45 million readers nationwide are expected to participate in celebration of Dr. Seuss' Birthday!
Members of the Park Academy family and the community are invited to volunteer as guest readers. We also are looking for volunteers to provide lunch - and of course we need children to read to - so come on in with your pre-school children and join the fun! Dr. Suess books will be provided to readers, or you can bring your own favorites. Drop in and read between 9:00 - 3:00 p.m. Stay for a few hours, or stay
for the day!
As an incentive to good reading habits we are seeking donations of $5.00 book store gift certificates. Thanks for joining us for this fun reading event!
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Park Academy provides a college preparatory education to students with diverse learning challenges. Specializing in Dyslexia since 2005.
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