Willow and Birch Rooms

The Upper El is rapidly gearing up for the annual Poetry Performance on Wednesday, February 11, at 1:30. On display will be the books each student has made, inspired by a poem of their choosing. A taste of things to come:

  Living silver light

                         Shines onto snow,

               Making it sparkle with fallen stars

          Those who have tumbled from the sky yet refuse to stop glowing

Trees become black silouettes in night

A deep blue dome covers the silent scene

The moon at its highest in the cold, serene, winter night

                          Emeline Stewart

Sunset

Smears of pastel

Orange, pink, red

Lining the horizon

With an eerie glow   

Shining

With its warning

Of night

This streak of color

On the normally blue sky

Talia Loevy-Reyes

Despite the propensity towards Monday snow days, we had a busy and fulfilling week.  The health curriculum continued on Tuesday with Dr. Aida Avdic continuing her classes on anatomy, physiology, puberty, sexual development, and birth control.  Aida will be back for one more class early in March.  In addition, Anna from the Women's Freedom Center facilitated a class exploring media (specifically popular music) and gender attitudes and identity.  Anna will be back next week.

If you venture downtown for Gallery Walk tonight or any time this month stop by Amy's Bakery and take in the middle school's new show.  It is a combination of student poetry and visual art and is stunning!  We want to thank Leslie Myette, former parent and curator for Amy's Bakery, and Amy of Amy's Bakery (another former parent) for hosting us.

Today we talked about the story of the Little Rock Nine and followed that with student presentations as part of the 'Science of Race' curriculum.  Scientific Voices was the topic of today's presentations.  We heard about Linnaeus and classification, pre-Darwin polygenesis, the concept and practice of Eugenics.  The presentations continue next week as we strive to decipher scientific attitudes that have had a profound effect on our relationship and understanding of race.

Tonight a group of middle school students and staff are serving dinner at the Overflow Shelter as part of Hilltop's commitment to helping those less fortunate than us.  When the middle school travels to Boston every other year on our "River of Spirit Odyssey", students often comment on the large number of homeless people they observe on the streets.  We think it is a valuable experience for all of us to recognize our own homeless population and to attempt what Atticus Finch implores us to do: to step into someone else's shoes.

Have a lovely weekend,

Paul, Finn, and Nora
 

Living Memorial Park Snow Sports - a.k.a. T-bar at the Park - is open for business! LMPSS is a non-profit, all volunteer organization that runs and maintains the ski area at the park. Only $5 for an all day ticket, night skiing included. Free lessons on Thursday evenings - just bring your own equipment. 

Check out their website or Facebook page for hours and more information.