Camp: Week 2

Another fun week at camp with a focus on teddy bears, volcanoes, toys, and acting. My stepson, Nick came with his remote-control plane for a demonstration. Hilarity ensued after a crash landing!

Darcy, our PE teacher and I hosted the 2-3 class to a campfire cookout - it was an item at the Parker auction. The kids went wild in mud, collected firewood, played a marathon pop-up penguins, concocted delicious foil dinners and gorged on banana boats and s'mores.

Sean Fagan's acting camp premiered scenes from "Oliver" and "Annie" - it was a moving and rousing success.

Rally!

What a week! Camp was all about alternative powered vehicles. It culminated today with a vehicle rally. We had plug-ins, hybrids, diesel, and even the Honest Weight Co-op Grease Bus that runs on vegetable oil from Bombers Burritos.

The kids had worked all week on their own vehicles: gravity powered, balloon powered, rubber band powered and even fuel cell powered. The sun came out at last this afternoon and the solar cars were flying.

Having fun is a valuable 21st Century skill

Just one week has passed? So much has happened in school life it's hard to believe!

Field Day dawned rainy, but the rain cleared and water events, climbing tower, and ice cream sundae bar ensued! Eighth graders beat the teachers at soccer 3 to 0 - despite Natalie's heroic (but unfortunately illegal) efforts.

On graduation day, twin maple trees were planted, one in memory of Gene Valle, Max's dad and Lynn Scheiner's husband, and one the eighth grade gift. In future years when we sit in the shade of these beautiful trees, we will feel Gene's spirit. His commitment to work days and his dedication to making Parker the best it could be will not be forgotten.

At graduation our eighth graders made us proud with beautifully written and spoken speeches. Their sentiments reflected love of their friends as well as appreciation for their teachers. They spoke of learning about themselves and finding confidence from the challenge of writing a thesis. The strongest theme was the fun they all had together. There is nothing more valuable for their future success than intellectual curiosity, resiliency, making and keeping true friends, and the ability to have fun.

The fun continued with the limbo at the graduation dance!

Now, nine weeks of summer camp have begun. There is an alternative-fuel vehicle rally planned for Friday as part of Energy Quest. Kids are making vehicles of all kinds and several local companies will bring the latest ethanol, hybrid and diesel autos - come join the fun!

An exuberant day

Exuberance describes this day! The excitement has been building all week and finally this morning arrived. At assembly pre schoolers performed, K-1's danced in African garb, and 4-5's shared their moving and funny immigrant stories. We sang Lean On Me, the baton was passed to the new Fun Fact team, tears were shed, and laughs were shared.

Afterward were shows of work in K-1 and 2-3 with a blacksmith shop and wigwam, a beaver being dressed by the audience, demonstrations of butter making (and eating), an African safari and village marketplace. There was a picnic with ethnic food and a bowl of Three Sisters salad. Buddies shared a tasty dessert and lots of time together at recess. At the graduation singing rehearsal everyone sounded beautiful.

Next week brings field day, a Pre K picnic, and graduation. How did the year rush by? Why does time passing seem so surprising?

Reunion

It was so great to see old friends! We love our alumni!! They are amazing kids with so many wonderful things going on. Thank you to all who came by.

Their stories include becoming a playwright, graduating from Bryn Mawr and Bowdoin, attending Hamilton, getting the top grades in their high school in several advanced classes, and working for a think tank in Washington D.C. They are staying connected with Parker friends - and making us all so proud!

Post script

I had so much fun having a Director for the Day! My young friend was like a politician besieged by favor-seekers and a celebrity hounded for autographs. And he handled it with grace! One note: Maurice's visit to the office was convincingly staged. When Jackson asked Maurice why he was talking in class, Maurice said, "Because it was funny!" Jackson told him, "Still, some funny things are inappropriate." Wisdom from a third grader.

My Day as the Director for the Day!

My name is Jackson. Today I am the guest writer/Director for the Day! I started out by greeting kids as they came into school. After that I got to lead the Twist in Assembly. Also I announced an extra recess and Popsicles for everybody!

While I was in the office, Maurice was sent down from math class because he was talking in class and Shelli told him to go out of the classroom, and he threw an eraser at her!! I told Maurice he needed to apologize to Shelli and I also made him read our school motto.

I led recess today and surprisingly nobody got hurt! Then we went out for lunch at Alexis Diner. I took my best friend, too - Dylan. (See picture #5) We had cheeseburgers, milkshakes, and french fries. It was an awesome lunch!

When we came back it was time for the extra recess. I handed out Popscicles with Dylan to grades Pre K - 8th and the teachers, too! After the extra recess I demanded an hour-long gym class. After that I made this blog!

Satisfaction

It takes a community. Parents and teachers came on Work Day to build raised beds. On Tuesday K-1's took their plants from the greenhouse and transplanted them to the raised beds. They will tend their garden. Over the summer campers will help. In the fall - a harvest!

Seeing a project from start to finish is one of the simple pleasure of life, I think. I used to tell my children that their reward was the satisfaction of a job well done - often the only reward we get!

I just came from a week of graduations for two of my children - my daughter graduated from Colorado College and my step-daughter from Elon University. I think our whole family feels the satisfaction of a job well done. An ending and a beginning both.

Our eighth graders gave thesis presentations on Project Night last week. 6-7's presented their bridges. Pre K presented a slide show and K - 5 worked on projects with their families - weaving African artifacts, building bows from twigs, and sending a balloon to the moon!

The strong beginnings were evident in the excellent results. The thesis presentations were succinct and done with confidence and flair. Pride was evident in the smiles all around. Showing the beginnings (Pre K slide show) and endings (thesis and bridges) and the middle of things (the process of "doing" in K-5) highlights the satisfaction of a job well done that meaningful learning gives.

Picking flowers, building bridges

6-7's spent much of the week in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) cooperative activity. They formed teams of three: civil engineer, materials engineer, environmental engineer. They researched bridges and then were charged to design and build a bridge in a particular location to withstand natural disaster: earthquake, hurricane, flood, etc. They had multi-million dollar budgets, with drinking straws, spaghetti, or paper as materials. Glue was $1,000,000 per tube.

West Point Bridge design - a free download - is an amazing simulation of bridge building. The blueprints went well. Frustration set in with slippery straws and brittle pasta, but ultimately, experience prevailed and the results were impressive and even elegant.

After team presentations on Friday afternoon, a cool treat in the spring sun was in order!

Just the beginning...

The greenhouse is open for business! Thank you to science teacher, Kate Perry, who with her husband completed the greenhouse over the weekend.

On Wednesday, K-1's nurtured plants in their classroom then paraded them down for a warm welcome.

"It's hot in here!" "The sun comes in, but it can't get out!" Our librarian, Carol brought them a stack of greenhouse books to begin a quest to find out all about it.