TSS School Store is Open!

The Welcome Center houses the TSS store, stocked with many items ranging from Journeys School fleece items to TSS water bottles, decorated notecards, gift items, etc. You may stop by anytime between 8:00 and 4:00 pm if you’d like to shop in the store or call 733-1313 with questions about what is available.

Graduation / End of Year Celebration

Graduation ceremonies will be held June 14th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Following graduation will be the all-school end of the year potluck picnic. Everyone is welcome to attend both graduation and the potluck. As always, we hope to make this a “green event” so please bring food in recyclable containers or with minimal disposable packaging. (label dishes!) Carpool with others, if possible. Because the dining lodge will be set up with chairs for the graduation ceremony, please plan to eat outside. You can bring blankets or chairs and enjoy a picnic outdoors. Drinks will be provided.

As a change from the “first letter of your last name” method, please bring a dish to share according to the following grade level schedule: (more than one student? Please go by your oldest student’s level)

Preschool: bring a dessert

Elementary School (grades K-5): bring a main dish

Middle School: bring a salad (pasta, greens, jello, etc)

Upper School: your choice...dessert, main dish or salad

Come prepared for Community Day Tomorrow!

For a successful day of community service projects, ALL Journeys School students, Pre K-12, need to bring the following to school on June 6:

   ·non- microwavable field lunch (Drinks and dessert will be

    provided!)

  · appropriate outdoor/work clothing and shoes (no Tevas or

    sandals, please)

  · water bottle

  · sunscreen/ bug repellant

12th Grade Capstone Journey Presentation:

Sea Turtle Ecology and Tropical Rainforest Dynamics in

Costa Rica

Date: June 8, 2006

Time: 5:30 – 6:30 pm

Place: Journeys School, Middle and Upper School Building, First Floor, South Classroom

You are invited to attend a presentation by the 12th grade Capstone students detailing their 12 day journey to Costa Rica. The hour-long program will include a virtual tour of the coastal and tropical rainforest ecosystems that were explored on the Caribbean slope. A slideshow and species accounts will introduce you to leaf cutter ants, poison dart frogs, leather back sea turtles, butterflies, spiders, rare birds and more! Students present digital scientific posters and share their experiences from a visit to a bilingual Costa Rican high school. Please join us to learn about the value of conservation, the thrill of speaking Spanish, and the power of community and travel.

Discover How Your Child Learns

‘To treat everyone the same is to treat them unequally. We are making a plea for the understanding of diversity, for greater flexibility in education, so that every child can find success in his or her own way.” -Dr. Mel Levine, M.D.

On the evening of Monday, June 5th, Teton Science Schools’ Teacher Learning Center and Journeys School will host:

      All Kinds of Minds: How Every Child Can Succeed
                           Presented by Dr. Mel Levine

Dr Levine is a professor of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Medical School in Chapel Hill and Director of the University’s Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning. He is a nationally renowned pediatrician and author.
Dr. Levine is also co-founder of All Kind of Minds, a nonprofit institute that focuses on different ways of learning. All Kinds of Minds developed the Schools Attuned Program, which is based on 30 years of significant brain research. (The Schools Attuned Program will be implemented at Journeys School next year.)

The presentation will take place at:

7:00 – 8:30 p.m. June 5th, 2006
Jackson Hole High School Auditorium
No charge for admission
Please join us for this extraordinary experience!
For more information contact: bonnie.jones@teacherlearningcenter.org
All Journeys parents are encouraged to attend!!

Pre-Kindergarten

Announcements:

Community Day

Tuesday, June 6, is community day on Jackson Campus. We need parent volunteers to substitute throughout the day. All teachers will be off-campus for a Mel Levine workshop. Please look for the schedule of events and volunteer times in the Parent Zone.

Social Skill of the Week -Dealing with Anger

We will explore alternatives to physical action and aggressive words. Please help your child at home to remember to pause a moment between an impulse and action.

Parent Survey Response Letter

We appreciate your comments and any additional feedback you may have.

Curricular Updates:

Science workshop

After a very informative workshop on integrating science in the classroom, Mandy learned about many great ways to incorporate mapping in our classroom. The goal is for the students to be aware of where they are in regards to Jackson and to understand how to use map keys and symbols. One activity involved the students searching for their favorite rock outside. They either drew a map of how they found the rock, or they drew a map of how to get to the rock’s home. The students used different colors and shapes as symbols for objects and places on their map. Another place-based mapping activity involved the students using a big piece of butcher paper as a space for their interactive map of the school. Using rocks, sticks, leaves, sage, etc, they chose what these objects symbolized and made a map of the Jackson campus. These activities led the group to reading real maps of Jenny Lake, Teton National Park, and Jackson. We discussed what symbols these maps used and why. We will use our mapping skills throughout the capstone journey to Jenny Lake as well.

Spanish

Spanish has continued to grow and develop as a very successful activity in terms of academics and fun. All of the students join in on the songs “Estrellita Brillaras” and “Los Pajaritos…” They easily identify basic colors in Spanish, as well as, animals that make good pets. We have Spanish every Tuesday and Wednesday morning at 9:00am. Please stay the morning, if possible, to see your child’s progression.

Tune in next week to read about the exciting adventures that the K-2 students experienced on their Spring Journey.

Announcements/Reminders:

Library:

This afternoon, Debbie Schlinger from the Teton County Library visited us to introduce the library’s summer reading activities for elementary school students. Debbie also met with rising 5th graders last Friday. Last year, Journeys Elementary had the most student participants relative to school size. Ask your child how he/she would like to be involved with summer reading activities at the library!

Community Day:

On Tuesday, June 6, students in Grades Pre-K through 12 will participate in a Community Day. Students in Grades 3-4 will participate in a service project at the Conservation Research Center’s swan ponds. Students in fifth grade will help remove fence posts along highway 22 or plant willows at Cody and Spring Creeks. Students will need a full water bottle, non-microwavable lunch, and appropriate clothing for their service project. Gloves will be provided. The students will conclude the day with an All School Meeting in the Dining Lodge where they will share what they learned.

Capstone Presentations: Fifth Grade students will present their capstone work on Thursday, June 8 and Friday, June 9. Each student will have 15 minutes to share his or her learning. Fifth grade students should be working on preparing note cards for their presentations at home following the guidelines given in class. Note cards are due June 2nd. Students will have ample practice time in school June 5-7.

Curricular Updates:

Human Growth and Development:

During our first Human Growth and Development class on nutrition, Janet Garland talked to us about total daily caloric intake and how exercise can increase the amount of calories we can consume and use each day. We saw how much sugar is in various sized soft drinks and discussed the larger sizes promoted in our society today. We examined food labels using a finger rule. More specifically, students read food labels and held up one finger for each of the following: 10% of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Protein, and Fiber, for a total of 6 fingers, and then lowered a finger if the food had 10% of total fat or 200 calories or more. If any fingers remained up, the food was deemed nutritious. Students figured out that nutritious foods include raisin bran, prunes, almonds, potatoes, carrots, tofu, orange juice, mozzarella cheese, and whole wheat bread. Foods that were eliminated from the nutritious category include brownies, graham crackers, tortilla chips, root beer, and Doritos. Thanks to Janet Garland for creating a hands-on lesson using many items from her own pantry!

PowerPoint Presentations:

Students completed their state PowerPoint presentations last week. Creating these presentations was an amazing integrated experience. Students researched their states during social studies, learned how to use PowerPoint as a presentation tool during science, and learned how to actually create their presentations during computer class. It is amazing to see how savvy the third, fourth and fifth graders have become with the PowerPoint program. The computer and presentation skills they learned during this project will serve them well as they move on to middle and upper school.

Announcements:

Thank you..

- to Loren Kapelow for treating the middle school faculty to front row seats at the Off Broadway opening show of “How I Learned to Drive.”

- to Anne Muller for the presentation of her photos of the people of Tijuana and the US/Mexico border last Friday.

Save the Date:

The mornings of June 15 and 16 are 8th grade Capstone presentations. In between presentations, we will view the culminating project films that will premier at the Jackson Hole Film Festival.

Study Hall and Rainbows

Study hall and rainbows has ended for the year. Make sure your student knows where to go on Wednesday afternoons.

Fundraising Carwash

Capstone students are planning their fundraising carwash for the afternoon of June 9th. Support our students by bringing your car to Hungry Jack’s in Wilson or Staples in town (this location is tentative), from noon to 2pm.

Culminating Projects

Students will begin their culminating project, a film about middle school culture, on Wednesday, June 7th.

A Cappella

Our a cappella members will debut their new songs and practice for our graduation concert by performing at the Hootenanny tonight, Monday, June 5. This will be an opportunity for us to practice for the public, as well as to allow the community to see our talents! The Hootenanny open-mike has been a Jackson Hole tradition for years. Come see local musicians and support your a cappella singers!

Where: The performance will be in a banquet room adjacent to

              the Snow King ice rink.
When: The Hootenanny begins at 7:00pm with a set break at

             8:00pm. We will perform during the first set.

Admission is $3.00. Entry is free for performers. The Hootenanny has a concert atmosphere and audience members should be respectful of all performers. Do not talk or leave in the middle of a set.

Thank you again for supporting your children and this community event. Please call or email Margot with any questions, 733-3729, ex 1112, margot.martin@journeysschool.org

Curricular Updates:

Social Science:

Social science is winding down a very interesting and educational year. Last week, students experienced the Jackson Hole Historical Society’s downtown walking tour with our very own intern, Betsy Flint. Betsy taught us all new things about the old things in Jackson. Students have also now finished downloading and installing Microsoft MovieMaker. Most students will be using this program to help create their culminating project movie this week. The students also downloaded a sample digital movie. This movie was used to explore the capabilities and functions of MovieMaker. For the last assignment of the year, students were asked to reflect back on the class. They were tasked with looking back at our theme of cultures and deciding which aspect has had the greatest impact on their lives.

Level 1 Math

The students are taking charge of their learning for our last unit, “How Likely Is It?” a unit on probability and statistics. In small groups, students are keeping track of their assignments, working through problems and assigning themselves homework. This allows students to work at their own pace and collaborate with their peers more.

Language Arts

Last week students in the Writing Workshop worked with their Pre K buddies to begin writing their Coyote Canyon-based stories. These stories were inspired by special spots the students found while exploring the canyon’s west-facing hillside together. Middle school students helped their buddies through the writing process, asking them questions to help them generate ideas for characters, setting, plot and themes. Middle school students are also writing their own short stories, set in Coyote Canyon, using the ideas that they generated with the Pre K to enhance their stories. Pre K students illustrated their stories, and they will be shared with the rest of the middle school next week.

Students in the Reading Workshop, or “Book Club,” have finished their books and are writing essays on various topics that they developed. Each group will also present a non-written project, to demonstrate their learning, next week during Daily Practice. Don’t be surprised if Fahrenheit 451, Dune or 1984 are on your child’s summer reading list!

Announcements:

Gracias

Thanks to Irwing Bernal Moye who represented Teton Science Schools for Teton Literacy Program's parent information forum for Spanish speaking parents from La Puerta Abierta. His experiences with summer programs and the Journeys School combined with his energy and magnetic personality drew a crowd. Muchas gracias.

Service Learning in Action

Congratulations to Kelsey Green for her acceptance to NetAid. Kelsey's application was approved, and she will now represent the Journeys School with this online forum to discuss global poverty and increase awareness in our community. NetAid’s motto is "Know the issues, be inspired, and take action." Look for Kelsey to lead programs during the 2006-2007 school year!

Final Announcement

Eleventh grade students will receive book awards at the June 7 all-school meeting in the Jackson Campus Education Center. The program will begin at 2:15pm. All are invited to attend.

Curricular Updates:

12th Grade Capstone Journey

Sea Turtle Ecology and Rainforest Dynamics in Costa Rica

85 ºF. 90% humidity. No electricity. Soft rains. Vibrant colors. Always rice, beans, and plantains. Background noise of bugs, frogs, birds, lizards. Large turtles emerging from the sea under moonlight. Even larger spiders keeping watch outside our windows. Conversations in Spanish to learn about new friends. Laughter. Thinking. Learning. Reflecting. We feel lucky to be alive.

Heather Marks and the 12th grade Capstone students just returned from a 14 day journey to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica with Ecology Project International. After a warm welcome by our instructor in San Jose, and our first of many delicious meals of rice, beans, and plantains, we set out for the Pacuare Nature Reserve, a protected area with over 2,000 acres of forest and 4 miles of beach. Our main objective was to monitor a population of critically endangered leather back sea turtles. This field research station was also home to a community of international researchers conducting projects related to turtles as well as many other plants and animals species found on the Caribbean coast. Collaborating with other scientists was a highlight during our stay. We had a full schedule to say the least. In addition to classes and hiking during the day, students were part of night patrols on the beach to work with nesting female sea turtles. Data was collected about the physical condition of the female as well as parameters related to the nest. We collected data for a long term study as well as data related to individually designed research questions. Students were trained to relocate nests in order to protect them from poachers. The research biologists were impressed with our field skills, scientific knowledge, and positive attitude. All students were lucky enough to work with several turtles over the course of their patrols. Cool, fresh water showers shooting stars, fireflies, delicious food, good conversation and sand fleas were plentiful. It was a unique experience to work on “turtle time” to support conservation measures for this amazing creature.

We then traveled to a private, old-growth rainforest reserve that bordered the 1.5 million acre La Amistad International Peace Park shared by Costa Rica and Panama. It was an ecological paradise! Early morning bird watching (Jane saw her cherished toucan!), long hikes through dark primary rainforest where the canopy was 250 ft above our heads, touring a gigantic Heloconia garden, and tree climbing (with protection, of course), kept us learning about this critical migratory corridor for tropical wildlife. Our Costa Rican guides had amazing knowledge regarding the diversity and ecology of the tropical rainforest. We were also able to spend time writing and drawing along braided rivers that reminded us a lot of home. We caught up on sleep in our luxurious forest bungalows.

Before leaving the Pacuare Reserve, our students analyzed the sea turtle data and prepared research posters in Spanish. The end goal was to present and share our research to other Costa Rican high school students who are also involved with projects related to leatherback sea turtles. Changing into our only remaining clean clothes, we drove to Limon to visit the Caribbean School, a K-12 independent bilingual school. Caribbean High School students presented their research in English and Journeys students presented their research in Spanish. The Spanish speaking ability of our students is impressive! After the academic program was finished, students then enjoyed each other by sharing things that they had in common – music, dancing, food, and sports!

Overall students conducted over 40 hours of coursework and 40 hours of field research. It was a time to celebrate their 13 years of school, the friendships made at the Journeys School, and the choices they have made for the next steps in their lives.

If you would like to learn more about our Costa Rica journey, please attend a program presented by the 12th grade Capstone students.

Date: June 8, 2006

Time: 5:30 – 6:30 pm

Place: Journeys School, Middle and Upper School Building, First Floor, South Classroom

         

           Upcoming Editorial:

          How Standardized Testing is Used

                   at Journeys School

                    by Karl Van Sycle

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© 2005, Basecamp News, Journeys School of Teton Science Schools.