the Imaginarium Intelligencer - Renaissance School of Arts and

the Imaginarium Intelligencer
Or, what’s going on at A Renaissance School of Arts and Sciences
www.RenaissanceSchoolPortland.org • Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013
From the Directors
Dear Families,
Last night, Charlie Muggins was out for a walk. It was late
and the darkness filled every crack in the sidewalk and every
empty space in the leaf-loose trees. Overhead, the clouds
moved rapidly, shoved and scattered by a mighty wind far
above the rooftops. The stars were alternately revealed and
obscured by the wind’s whim. But they shone, continuously,
steadfastly. The brilliance of some, and relative position of
many, have long anchored the traveler, provided a compass,
and symbolized hope…no matter what direction the prevailing
winds blow. An interesting metaphor…Stars as guideposts,
dream spots.
In this growing winter darkness, graced with night-wish stars and
festivals of light, we recognize the many stars among and our own true
direction. Thank you to each of you who holds the dream-candle firmly,
contributing to the collective light of our school community...
to inquiry, imagination, and inspiration…
to a vibrant way of learning, for our children.
With affection,
S and S
Log On to the Parent Portal
Got to www.RenaissanceSchoolPortland.org
to get even more info and become part of
the conversation.
Achievements!!! I
by Gina Condon
have heard Susan describe this year and last year as
a journey on “whitewater rapids.” Some of you have
witnessed the school’s entire 3.5 year journey, others have
joined more recently during our bumpiest whitewater ride
yet. Currently, we await the build-out of our new long-term
home while we temporarily reside in the lower level of the
NW Children’s Theatre. Our community is not faint of
heart; we are of adventurous stock – energetic, positive, and
resourceful souls!
A Renaissance School was searching for a larger, long-term
home for nearly two years. Our situation is much brighter
now...as we are currently in contract with a long term lease
signed for a large 17,000 square foot building!!! Our lease
commitment is for 20 years with the ability to renew the
lease for an additional 20 years. We have negotiated a very
generous lease rate, one that is significantly below market
rate. The building is beautiful, open, spacious, filled with
natural light and dramatic views of the Willamette River,
bridges, and Mt. Hood.
We have retained the services of a nationally recognized
architecture firm. They will manage our construction project
at NO CHARGE to the school. Their roll is to interface
with the city and streamline the construction phase. They
have an in-depth knowledge of the process and of the city’s
requirements for assembly occupancy.
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 1
Continued on page 5
Three Phases of Glass Castle Construction
Financing the Move
to Bancroft
negotiating the terms of the lease,
heading up the due diligence process
to protect the school, and pooling
Continued on page 5
A
Renaissance School recently applied
for a small business loan through
the Albina Opportunities Corporation.
AOC (www.albinaopportunities.org)
is a non-profit business development
organization that provides smaller
business entrepreneurs access to capital.
The executive director, Terry Brandt,
and Susan hit it off right away. AOC
prioritizes loans to women-run agencies.
Formerly in commercial real estate,
Mr. Brandt understands the pressure to
obtain the right building, one that is safe
and permitted for children, while staying
on a budget and in the city limits.
By Eric Cress
I
t is cool to be safe, maybe that should
be our motto! The truth is that most
kids in Portland spend their days in old,
seismically unsafe, buildings. To start a
new school we must cross that threshold
and either find, build, or retrofit an
existing building to a very high safety
standard. New school buildings must
adhere to current life-safety standards,
which are strict and expensive to employ,
but provide our children with a very safe
learning environment.
the seismic work is $300,000, and
it will take 10 to 12 weeks for this phase
to be completed.
Our Bancroft “Glass Castle”
Phase two will take care of the
additional assembly occupancy
requirements. This will include an
updated HVAC system, sprinklers
throughout the building, new ADAcompliant bathrooms and pathways,
along with electrical and drywall work.
We are currently gathering bids for this
phase. The cost will be around 300,000
and will take approximately 12 weeks.
The building will be ready for us to
move in after phase two.
Phase one will tackle life/safety with
a full seismic retrofit. This will require
minor demolition work, followed by the
installation of steel frames on two sides
of the building. The estimated cost of
Phase three we will call the “fun phase!”
The Renaissance layers start to unfold
and take root in the final phase of
construction. This will include a water
wall at the entrance, plexiglass shelving
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 2
that will allow the natural light to
continue to penetrate and illuminate
learning, the addition of green walls
and soft spaces, a museum and display
elements, and design of individual
spaces that support the pedagogy offered
at A Renaissance School.
At this time we have loosely estimated
this phase to cost $100,000. We will
begin to gather estimates and craft a
more detailed budget for this phase
soon. Phase three will be a time for
in-kind donations that come through
services, such as carpentry, garden
work, painting, tiling, and equipment
donations.
Thank you to everyone who has been
instrumental in making this dream
come true!
Our loan application was given final
approval in September. We negotiated
an interest-only payment for the first
nine months and were able to delay
funding the loan for 60 days to push
out beginning payments. This money
will be designated for one-time capital
expenses for improvements to the
Bancroft building. The money will be
put into an escrow account with an
additional $300,000 from the building
owner and $50,000 from last year’s
capital campaign. The estimated cost to
have the building ready for occupancy
is $600,000. That cost includes seismic
upgrades, sprinklers, ADA requirements,
the ‘Great Room,’ HVAC/ mechanical,
air filtration, sheet rock, lighting,
electrical, legal and engineering fees.
The move to the new building is a
HUGE undertaking which has been
made possible by dedicated parent
volunteers. Jenny Baines has contributed
many hours with our building
committee offering design guidance
and communication with Works
Architecture firm. Cheryl Meehan
volunteered to get all the bids for the
Great Room flooring that is suitable
for a dance studio. Andrea Durbin has
focused her attention on air quality and
environmental health and mitigation,
setting up inspections and researching
options. Eric Cress has assisted in
Moving
Thanks
T
he move from
the bakery
was a heroic
undertaking. Thank
you to each person
who helped with this
monumental effort!
We appreciate the
leadership of Averil
(Sam), Devon (Chloe),
and Lisa (Malena). Thank
you to those who were able
to participate in the boxing,
bagging, lifting, hauling, organizing,
shoving, shoveling, and driving, and
cleaning! A force to be recognized!!!
Jim Campbell
Jenn Pagliaro (Enzo)
Jenny Rideout (Ruby)
Michelle Martin (Casey)
Lisa Stein (Pema)
Erin Dirks (Myla)
Ezra Mounsey (Camille and Bella)
Patricia Yu
Jay Karnes (Chloe and Jace)
Angela Murphy (Rowan and Fionn)
Michelle Elliott (Sutton and
Cooper)
Sharon Urry (Jamie)
Sharon Scheurer (Ben)
Cheryl Meehan (Minna)
Estelle LaBlanc (Lucie)
Dan Sneed (Minna)
Joe Johnpoll (Chloe)
Ryan Weeden (Cyrus)
Chris LeBlanc (Lucie)
Andy Taylor (Zack and Abby)
Emily Harris (Sabina)
Eric Miller (Liam and Kai)
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 3
Chris Hurtt (Aidan)
Mark Berkson (Ethan)
Amy Gannon (Camille and Bella)
Oliver Leonetti (Sophia)
Francesca Gangi (Esme)
Fahti Yamin (Illia and Rohan)
We know there are more… those
who stayed home to tend family fires
so others could support the moving
efforts, and those who escaped unsung.
Thank you to each of you. Your efforts
did not go unappreciated!
Achievements!!!
The Green Team!
Johanna Mercier (Eloise and Annabel)
Jenn Pagliaro (Enzo)
Jane Dolan (Jackson and Wilem)
The Renaissance School “green team” is poised to create a healthy
environment for our children while at school. Although we are
limited as to what we can do while at the theater building, we are
looking ahead to the new building. There are many things we are
planning to implement at the Bancroft site: using natural hand soap,
cleaning with green products, taking shoes off while inside, removing
air fresheners, and using BPA-free plastic water containers. Our hope
is to have the new school “green certified,” thereby creating an even
more attractive (and healthy!) place for learning.
Two great websites to check out for more tips on healthy, green
living for your family are:
Oregon Environmental Council
www.oeconline.org/
Environmental Working Group
www.ewg.org/
The Move to Bancroft
Continued from page 1
Continued from page 3
We now have a clear time line as
to when the building will be ‘move
in’ ready. We have obtained our
scheduled permits! Construction
will begin immediately thereafter
and will take 4 to 6 months.
resources to reduce the cost of the
construction work. Also, we owe a
BIG thank you to attorney Jonathan
Barg for his expertise in negotiating
and moving the lease forward with a
percentage of his time being donated
to the school.
We received a donated climbing
structure and playground
equipment that has just been
installed at the new building.
We have procured $250,000
(outside of tuition money) and that
is set aside for this project.
We successfully completed our first capital campaign less than a year ago raising
$75,000. This was quite an accomplishment for a small community of only 40
students. That money directly enabled us to enter into lease negotiations with the
owner of the Bancroft building.
We kicked off the “Science Walk” in true Renaissance style. This fundraiser
encompassed exercise, sponsors, and a science focus. The stage is set for this walk to
become an annual tradition.
Our school enrollment has increased; we now have 73 children at A Renaissance
School. This is astonishing growth in under 4 years.
Devon Burton & Joe Johnpoll – Annual Walk Coordinators
H
ello Renaissance Families. Last year we had our first annual Wilderness Walk for Science, a pledge-based observational
science walk through Hoyt Arboretum. It was a huge success and raised $7,000 for microscopes and science-related materials
that will be ready and waiting for us when Bancroft is completed and we are moved in.
We plan on doing a walk again next June. The theme of the walk will be based
on the needs of the school on an annual basis. This year we will be raising
money for the safety material under the newly-donated play structure at
Bancroft. Stay tuned for more information about the upcoming walk in the
new year.
We have attracted a very strong parent community that remains committed and
positive through this transition to a long-term home. There is a collective attitude of
“let’s roll up our sleeves and get there.” Now we can see light at the end of the tunnel.
We have two directors who work day and night to support our children, hold their
vision, and smooth out the bumps as we trudge though this transition. In the early
years, they were able to get a business plan in place, file for non-profit status, and
create partnerships with local universities, colleges, and businesses. This past summer,
Renaissance School acquired full accreditation as a K-8 school. We were granted this
status after our first review by a nationally recognized accreditation agency, Western
Association of School and Colleges. Amazing! Our teaching staff has grown and we
have added new specialists.
Of course, the day-to-day teaching of each of child continues in a unique style of
inquiry, fueling imagination with high standards for academic rigor, leadership, and
contribution. We are poised for a successful launch and land is in sight!
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 4
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 5
The process of finding a building
for a school within the city was a
“Tall Order.” We are lucky to have
our broker, Brad Christiansen, who
offered his expert guidance along
the way. Finally, the vision and
commitment of the school founders
who put the school first and foremost
in their busy lives! Thank you to
Susan and Sally for their dedication
to educating our children!
Our
Favorite
Books!
School Favorites, recent
sustained read-alouds:
The third novel of The Familiars
Hugo Caberet
BFG
NEWS OF THE AGES...
Volunteers and Thank Yous
For volunteer activities,
please contact:
Thursdays: Maria Hardison
(Clara & Eleanor)
Door: Eric Miller (Kai and Liam)
Fridays: Sharon Urry (Jamie)
Annual Walk: Devon Burton
(Chloe J)
A Children’s Place Bookstore,
located at 4807 NE Fremont,
sponsored a school fund-raising event.
On December 13, for every purchase
made with a mention of Renaissance
School, the locally-owned bookstore
donated 10% of the proceeds to
Renaissance! A Children’s Place offers
a wide selection of children’s books
and also carries a well-stocked array
of children’s music, cards, stickers,
educational toys, and games. Thank
you to the store and to Jane Dolan
(Jackson and Wilem) for organizing
this very special opportunity!
Play Structure: Chris Hurtt
(Aidan)
Capital Campaign: Gina Condon
(Caleb and Adeline)
Thank you to Chris Hurtt and
his photography partner Stefanie
Silverman for taking the beautiful
photos of our children. Capturing them
in the natural light at the park brings
out their individual personalities; Chris
and Stefanie certainly caught them in
many delightful frames!
Volunteers at the Door
Have you wondered about how to get
involved in the after-school social life
of the school? Well, parent greeters
are in the mix! If you are interested in
that position of service to our school
community, please contact Eric Miller,
our cheerful organizer: chasingmoose@
gmail.com
The purpose of parent greeters is an
all-important one: to keep our children
safe. Greeters ensure that no children
stray upstairs to find their pick-up
person, and they direct anyone not
affiliated with the school in the right
direction. We thank the following
parents who are giving their time to
support the safety of our youngsters
each week!
Mondays: Fahti Yamin
(Illia & Rohan)
Tuesdays: Andrew Collins (Esme)
Wednesdays: Eric Miller and Juliet
Stumpf (Liam and Kai)
We thank Josh Nusbaum (Enzo)
for the design and layout of our
newsletter! We enjoy the elegance
with which he treats graphic design.
Stunning!
Appreciation goes to Franz
Maruna (PZ) for his work on
the website and the new parent
portal that allows families to make
connections easily. Play dates and
parent socials arise!!!!
Thank you to Lisa Ortiz (Malena)
for organizing the Chinook Book
fundraiser and to Jenn Pagliaro
(Enzo) for her work with the Fair
Trade fundraising catalog orders.
Thank you to Maria for shepherding
our first-ever newsletter to its
conclusion! We appreciate her energy,
tenacity, and enthusiasm, supporting
our community!
Gratitude is extended to Gina
Condon for her vigilance in obtaining
a loan through Albina Community
Bank. She worked tirelessly to create a
portfolio and usher us through the
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 6
Adam’s class
Light and Shadow has been at the center of our projects all term long. It has
been a study in which we explored the scientific as well as the fanciful. The
children quickly observed that light is like water, and putting your hand in
the stream blocks its flow and produces a shadow. By twisting, turning, and
introducing elements in light’s path, we are able to transform shadows into
a world of creatures. Carefully tracing and illustrating these manipulations,
the group gave birth to a wide array of creatures that only exists in shadows.
Approaching this discovery as field scientists, they have documented and
compiled information on their findings into a compendium, soon to be bound
and available for all to enjoy. We studied a wide assortment of field guides
to see how information can be documented and presented before designing a
final format of our own. In our collection, you can learn all about the natural
habitats, diets and defenses, as well as their care.
paper trail and process…
a major feat for a new entity!
Congratulations to our
performers! We applaud the talents
of Illia, Minna, Chloe J., Rohan, and
Cooper in Seussical, sponsored by
Cami Curtis. The curtain has risen
on Max, as Michael, in a main stage
role of Peter Pan at the Northwest
Children’s Theater!
Welcome to our bookkeeper
Shellie! Shellie takes on our records
as Jean retires from her temporary
stewardship and relinquishes her 40mile weekly drive to assist us as our
interim support. We send her with
appreciation for her service and good
wishes. Shellie brings experience and
expertise in non-profit organizations.
Welcome to the family!
Falling shadows have also helped the group
understand time and how we acknowledge
it. We live in a waking world of light
(sometimes debatable in Portland) while the
far side of the world sleeps in shadow. As the
day marches on and the sun “slides” across the
sky, shadow creeps up to cover us like a blanket.
But we had to wonder, is our nighttime shadow?
Or silhouette? With the aid of our light table and lamps
we began to explore the difference, which now any of our
experts can tell you about. Falling shadows do help us understand time in
other ways. Recently we began making sundials, noticing how the shadow moves
between the lines indicating hours, similar to the hour hand on a clock. When a
shadows leaves the mark of one hour and heads toward the next, which hour does
that time belongs to? Sundials have also helped us understand north, south, east,
west, latitude, longitude, and our position on the planet.
Using the light table also has helped
us analyze items we gathered on a nature
walk and from around the classroom, in
terms of transparent, translucent, or
opaque. This understanding will be
paramount to our final big project,
which will be on display at the
learning celebration in December!
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 7
NEWS OF THE AGES...
numbers 0 through 10 with our bodies?
In what ways can we compare numbers?
How do we think about word problems?
With practice, the children have become
very independent at the stations. It is
such a joy to watch them become selfsufficient and cooperative in their work!
Coming up next in math: Graphing!!
Emily and Srule’s
learners
Life has been busy in our literacy/
numeracy corner! Story workshop has
taken off with great enthusiasm and
our children have been telling elaborate
stories with their pinecone buddies
through drawings, play, and constructions
with natural materials. The children have
been listening to each other’s stories and
we have been recording their tales and
interactions. What a marvelous process
it has been! Stay tuned for a video that
captures these moments.
The children in Emily and Srule’s group
also thanked John and other actors for
their marvelous performances in The
BFG. Our group made one large ‘thank
you’ card and many individual cards. All
the cards were given to John when we
could finally catch him in his office. He
graciously accepted our creative efforts
(with lively drawings of the BFG and
other characters) with many a “thank
you” to our children for their delightful
show of appreciation.
Recently, we started reading homework
and the children are so excited about
books! We are looking forward to
comparing and contrasting in our
new project for literacy: Animal
transformation poems!
Math has been an exploration of math
game stations and building our number
sense. How many ways can we make the
Continued
Julian’s children
Julian’s group enjoyed a visit from children’s author (and Ezra’s
grandma) Ellen Fischer at the beginning of this month. Ellen read
her new book, The Count’s Hanukkah Countdown, answered
questions, and shared stories about her experiences in the world
of children’s book publishing. Our group was so inspired by
Ellen’s work that they took to the task of creating their own
book, complete with illustrations, summarizing their learning
about the professional writing and publishing world. We’re
looking forward to sharing our completed book in published
form as a Magcloud magazine in the near future!
With the election and all its attendant numeracy now behind
us, we’ve discovered abundant math connections in our
Explorer project. As part of our preparation for virtual voyages
across the globe, we’ve been investigating the mathematics
of measurement. Longitude and latitude, miles vs. kilometers,
and a few yards of Pendleton wool have kept our learners busily
engaged, planning and comparing routes, calculating area, and
hand-stitching flags to commemorate their expeditions.
Looking forward to December, our group was so awed by the theatrical
efforts of their older peers at the October learning celebration that we have been
crafting a staged presentation of our own... We’d share more, but we don’t want to
spoil the surprise!
Zoe’s
cluster
This has been
an exciting and
productive first
few months
in our magical
forest. We
have become
acquainted with
one another
through storytelling, writing,
and community
activities. Each
learner brings an
array of amazing and
unique gifts to our little
community. Our goal is
to blend our questions and
our strengths, celebrate our
accomplishments, and reflect on
our learning together as each project
is completed.
and editing their expository pieces to
accompany Spirit Boxes; these will also
be on display in December.
We began the year with a readaloud novel, Savvy, by Ingrid Law, a
powerful novel about what it means
to be different. The characters seek to
understand their savvy and along the
way we have been discovering that each
person has a savvy, they just may not
know it yet. Wonderful! We have also
been making Fortune Lines, a way of
sharing our own stories in a new and
intriguing format. These will be on
display during the Learning Celebration
in December. Each day, we also touch
on a revision technique, a grammar
guideline, or a free write – a time when
each young author can either respond
to a prompt or have time to write on
their own. Many of the past few weeks
have been focused on writing, revising,
In numeracy we began with a preassessment to gauge mathematical
knowledge. Then we dove right into
discovering number patterns, unlocking
puzzles, completing daily number
studies, and engaging in activities
focusing on different mathematical
concepts. When learners investigate
numbers in ways that emphasize
thinking, they develop and strengthen
their mathematical understanding. Our
daily work also includes mathematical
computations. A goal for this year
focuses on learning multiplication
facts. We are developing strategies for
memorizing these facts.
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 9
More NEWS OF THE AGES...
Susan’s Clan
Sally’s Group
Our children have developed some exceptional habits... I arrive each morning to
see most of my literacy and numeracy children tucked into their work, using their
morning studio time wisely, catching up, finishing or extending a project, and helping
each other. The last bit really warms my heart as they reach out to support their
colleagues with ideas, materials, and encouragement.
These mathematicians center their
warm-ups on the number of the
day, making as many connections as
possible – from history to geography
and literature… How does this
number make a difference or provide
information? A portion of the numeracy
time is allotted to the development of
strategies for mathematical thinking and
computation, along with application to
story problems and individual practice.
In literacy, we completed the novel Stargirl, which seems to have some very insightful
messages for our age group. The author supplies vivid imagery and causes us at
times to wonder how we would explore and write on similar topics. We have been
writing using a variety of structures to support strong, complete ideas and thick
sentences. You might want to ask your young author about “challenge charts,” “train
writing,” and “WWWW introductions.” We have also begun using intersecting
circles, triangles, and the continuous cycle models to wrestle with the complexities
of personalities, the government, and the seasonal cycles (equinox and solstice). We
should also be able to tell you how we write letters of encouragement or appreciation.
Each of our group members is developing a reference journal for our “big ideas” and
a word study book for words that present themselves through context or as “families”
(patterns, synonyms, origins, affixes...) We finished a read-aloud, Sees Behind Trees,
that kept us spellbound. We are currently engaged in partner-reading books written
from Native American perspectives and will soon shift to historic novels that reflect
the times of colonial America.
In math, we have really stepped up the pace,
extending our connection-making to more
complex numbers. We are involved with
composite and composition (in primes),
perimeter/area/volume, substitution,
algebraic problem-solving, fractions/
percentages/decimals, mean/
median/mode/range, positive
and negative integers, quadrant
coordinates, and calculation.
We try to review most of those
spiraling concepts each week
to keep them fresh, flexible,
and usable. Add to that the
mental gymnastics of grappling
with spatial concepts and
flattening three-dimensional
objects in isometric, oblique, and
orthographic drawing! To remain in
this group, the mathematicians agreed
to have their addition, subtraction, and
multiplication facts well in hand by last
month.... fluency (competence and confidence
in rote memory work) allows us to concentrate on
problem solving... our focus!
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 10
In literacy, the group read the BFG
by Roald Dahl (the original and
the theater script) as a precursor to
seeing the performance last month
at NWCT. They then devoured the
magic of The Van Gogh Cafe, definitely
a group favorite! We are now onto
The Birchbark House! Letters of
appreciation and a relationship with a
theater school in California are focus
points for purposeful writing.
the essence of who we are and the
experiences that make us so, our
artists used symbols, color, and
texture in foreground, middleground,
and background arrangements, and
fashioned an overall theme nestled in
a windowed box. We look forward to
sharing those, along with accompanying
expository text and drawings, with you
at the celebration in December.
We also explored the working of the
pull-string lever system through an
inquiry and construction process. These
will be on display in December.
From the
Storybook Theater
Congratulations to our thespians! After
only 20 hours of study and rehearsal
with actor Ben, our Shakespeareans
performed a magnificent rendition of
an abridged (but original language!) A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. Amazing!
CATS was a hit, from dance routines
and memory work (TS Elliott’s poems)
to make-up! We were thrilled by the
results that actress Genvieve achieved
with her litter of kittens. The casts are
still reciting lines and singing! Mid-term
performance for both groups will be a
fine “Memory!”
Spirit Boxes have caught our
imaginations! Inspired by an artist’s
work, the designers in Storybook
Theater have made innovation after
innovation, with some including
electrical work from the Friday Design
Technology workshop. Capturing
SPIRIT BOX
WORKSHOP
FOR PARENTS
The spirit boxes have been so
successful that parents are asking
if they can make their own!
Absolutely. We will host a session
for parents-only in January one
evening so that adults, too, can
capture some of those keepsake
memories in a delightful format!
Stay tuned for details!
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 2013 • Page 11
Content for the Dragonflies and
Damselflies has centered on US
government (the system of checks
and balances, its foundation in the
Constitution, and the current election
and electoral college process.) We
have now dipped back historically to
have a peek at how this all came to be,
from our French and Indian War, the
backdrop of Iroquois governance, the
bases of current English law, and the
American Revolution. Note-taking,
a practiced art at Ren School, during
these story-lectures, is used to assist our
partner re-tellings and will become the
underpinning from which we create
our own playlet version of abbreviated
American history.
School-wide Calendar
Thursday, November 22
Monday, January 21
Monday, May 27
Thanksgiving
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Observance of Memorial Day
No school
No school
No school
Friday, November 23
Monday, February 18
Thursday, July 4
Thanksgiving Holiday
Presidents’ Day
Fourth of July
No school
No school
No school
Thursday, December 20
Thursday, March 21
Thursday, July 18
Family Celebration of Learning
Family Celebration of Learning
Last day of school and
Family Celebration of Learning
3:00-5:00 pm
3:00-5:00 pm
Friday, December 21Monday, January 7
Monday, March 25Friday, April 5
Winter break
Spring break hiatus
Back on Tuesday, January 8
Classes are shortened to Monday through
Thursday, 8:00-2:00, and there is no school
on either of the two Fridays.
As you plan for next year and future years…
please note the pattern we use for our trimesters:
We begin on Wednesday after Labor Day and observe the following national
holidays: Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day,
Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July. We extend Thanksgiving through Friday
and take about two and a half weeks as a winter break, beginning on Thursday and
returning after public schools begin — for more leisurely travel. We also have a twoweek spring break during which we operate four days a week on a shortened day
schedule: 8:00-2:00, the last week of March and the first week of April. Our family
celebrations of learning are the last Thursday afternoon/evening of each trimester,
December, March, and July.)
3:00-5:00 pm
Reminder
December Family
Learning Celebration:
Thursday, December 20th,
3:00-5:00 with a pre-event for the
opening of the BUG CHICKS
videos, written, filmed, and
edited by Fireflies, Damselflies,
and Dragonflies. (Details
coming soon to a
computer screen
near you!)
Winter term 3:00-4:00 classes will shift. Language classes will remain the
same on the same days.
Embracing childhood...transforming learning, leadership,
and civic engagement…for a lifetime.
1819 NW Everett, Portland, OR 97209 (Temporarily) • 971.221.2311