One of our favorite things to do is to talk with graduates about the wonderful things happening in their lives in high school and college. It's so inspiring and helpful to listen to their stories, insight, and advice.
We want you too to be part of this informative and uplifting dialogue. That's why we're working hard to make this year's Alumni Night particularly special on April 17th at 6:00 PM. You will be able to hear first-hand how graduates are doing and what they think about the education they got at Journey.
If you are a graduate of Journey School, you will soon be receiving an email linking to the 2013 Annual Graduate Survey. Please fill it out as soon as possible, so that we may share the results at Alumni Night in two weeks.
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| GALLERY WALK -- THIS WEDNESDAY! |
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The students will transform their classrooms and the MPR into an educational "gallery" on Wednesday, March 27, for their parents and grandparents so that they may experience the beauty of the students' learning journey from Kindergarten to Grade 8.
Learning displays will be on exhibition for all to see from every class, including student main lesson books, writing, art, poetry, math, science experiments, and displays of all the specialty classes. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to interact with the teachers and each other, share refreshments, ask questions, and learn more about Journey School.
All current parents and grandparents, prospective new parents, and community members are invited to attend. This evening is for babies in arms only (parents will need to find their own childcare as the school is not able to support this aspect).
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| HEAD, HEART, AND HANDS ON WEDNESDAY! |
Parent Education, Bringing Waldorf Home
Wednesday, March 27th from 9:00-11:00am in the Parent Cottage
Miss Tammra leads the discussion for parents on Creating Clear Boundaries, Communicating with Our Children.
- What are boundaries and why/how do we set them?
- What boundaries do you have in your family life?
- Is it working?
Explore various healthy-happy-effective communication tools as well as the Virtues Project inspired boundaries that help us use our authority in service to our children's personal, educational and spiritual life. This workshop will focus on fostering a culture of respect within our families.
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Hands-On Science Picks Up STEAM
Perhaps you've heard of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)? At Journey School, we practice STEAM - an integration of arts into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. In fact, teaching this way is intrinsic to the definition of Waldorf education. Everything is integrated with everything else!
"Teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are discovering that by adding an "A" -- the arts -- to STEM, learning will pick up STEAM."
For example, this is what Physics looks like at Journey School:
How Levers Work
Lifting a Truck
Balance
Read more about STEAM:
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8th GRADERS NEED YOUR HELP!
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As you may or may not know, each 8th grader completes a year-long project that includes a written research report and a hands-on project. They are required to have a mentor who they can ask questions of regarding their project. There are a few 8th graders who are still looking for someone to talk to - this is where you come in!
- Daniel needs an experienced "shaper" who knows some facts about the history of surfing and how to make an Alaia.
- Annie needs a mentor who is an expert in the science of dreams, or dream interpretation.
- Maddy is searching for someone who has the knowledge, and experience in techniques on how to make her own self portrait.
- Nick is searching for men and women who are serving or have served in the military, so he can interview and get information on the differences of each branch.
If you can help any of these 8th grade students please email their teacher, Carrie Ferguson ( fergrex@gmail.com).
Thank you for your help and support and we hope you can all attend our 8th grade presentations in May!
Written by Daniel, Maddy, Annie, and Nick
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Program Updates:
- Students have planted almost all of the raised beds with seeds for summer crops (corn, arugula, onions, basil, parsley, dill, and sage).
- Jodi and Earthroots Field School have been working with 6th graders on our waste reduction program 4 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot). Please continue to pack zero waste lunches. Read more on our "Eating Healthy" web page.
- Patti Connolly and the faculty make the garden and ecoliteracy integrated into each grade's curriculum. As their seeds grow and blossoms turn to fruit, students will feel connected to the food they harvest.
- If you'd like to help maintain the outdoor classrooms, contact Michele Whiteaker at ocplayparks@gmail.com.
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HEALTHY COMPETITION SEASON
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7th and 8th Grade Track & Field
During the 7th and 8th grade years, additional team sports activities are introduced, while attention is given to perfecting technique and learning through practice. At the end of each year, students participate in regional track and field events. Emphasis is on sportsmanship as students develop an inner-respect for rules, guidelines, and discipline.
6th Grade Medieval Games
Each year, sixth graders from regional Waldorf schools gather to complete their study of the Medieval period in style - with a Medieval style feast and tournament! The annual Medieval Games are a much anticipated event in the Waldorf world, and for the past three years, Journey School has been lucky enough to host the Games. Upon arrival, the students split up into "shires," allowing students from different schools to meet and interact. Students feast with their shire and enjoy stories and other activities. Tournament style challenges offered at the games include archery, javelin, tug-o-war, and much more! The shires show a great deal of team spirit and support for one another.
5th Grade Pentathlon
Throughout the fifth-grade year there is a strong focus on the honor, beauty, and grace of athletics and physical movement. In the classroom, learning is closely connected to ancient Greece. To bring history alive, students participate in a regional Greek Pentathlon which brings hundreds of Waldorf students together to compete in javelin, discus, long-jump, wrestling and running.
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JOURNEY SCHOOL STORE RESOURCES
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The Journey School Store "The Oak and The Acorn" is a valuable resource for obtaining books relating to Waldorf education. Soon, thanks to a grant, it will house a Lending Library. But, in the meantime, visit with parent volunteers Johanna & Ruth to get direction regarding Waldorf titles for sale in the store.
Also, the Store Cafe is meant to be a warm and welcoming place for parents to come together and share a coffee or tea at the outside tables -- or take a crafting class.
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The front play yard now has a beginnings of a new nature playscape - sandbox, fort building, and stepping logs - thanks to the 40 or so parents who stayed after the dads workshop or came to the work day. Volunteers also painted the games shed and assembled two new storage sheds for the middle school games and science equipment. Special thanks to Thom Dillingham (8th & 4th grade parent) for leading the design work and Tania Marquez (K & 1st grade parent) for coordinating the barbecue.
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6TH GRADERS THANK PARENTS FOR SHEDS
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Dear David, Warren, Jason, and Han who built our new sheds,
We feel so grateful that you took your time to come this past weekend and put together the much-needed sheds. It makes it easier to Mr. K to organize his games and it gives our class more time to play and get our energy out. With these new sheds, the games equipment is closer and we can quickly get to the equipment we need. Mr. K used to have to keep the equipment in a much larger room, which had all sorts of storage for the school. We sometimes thought it was hard to find what we needed and it just didn't provide order for the equipment.
We are so grateful!!! Thanks again!
Ariel, Anna, Mekai, Max B., Joshua, Gage, & Nate
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