Welcome to Basecamp News

We here at Journeys School are excited to welcome all of the families, new and returning, to our weekly newsletter. In this newsletter you will find announcements and updates that are posted by each level each week. It is a great way to learn about what is going on at your child’s level, and throughout the entire school. Every other week a Faculty editorial will be posted at the end of the news letter. These editorials will cover topics that correspond with our school culture, education and curricular advancements.

Sign up for Parent Council Committees

If you did not get a chance to sign up for a committee at the

Parent Picnic Potluck last Thursday evening and are

interested in joining, please contact Nate McClennen at nate.mcclennen@journeysschool.org. This is available (and optional) to all parents as a way to participate in the school community. The following is a list of committees:

Classroom support committee:

This committee is for parents who are interested in volunteering in the classroom, on journeys or even substitute teaching when there is a need. The specific jobs will be created by each level and given to the Parent Council Committee to distribute among all interested parents. Please indicate if you are interested in any of the three following categories and at what grade level: classroom volunteer (helping with various daily activities), journeys chaperone (if needed) or substitute teaching (carry out a lesson plan for a teacher who is sick or absent).

Event support committee: This committee works with the Administrative Director to help coordinate food, setup and cleanup for the three major events: Parent, Picnic, Potluck in the fall; Winter Celebration in the winter; and Graduation/End of the Year Potluck in the spring.

Annual fund support committee: This committee works with the Associate Director of Advancement to help support the annual fund with sending out solicitation mailings and supporting major annual events. This group also can help to create other annual fund support activities in conjunction with the Advancement Department.
Social events committee: This committee develops and sponsors group activities for children and adults to promote a strong community outside of normal classroom activities or school events. It has existed in fledgling form in the past.

Parent education committee: This committee coordinates a set of yearly discussions among parents on various topics both facilitated by current parents or by an outside expert. A faculty representative will sit on this committee.

Admissions committee: This committee works with the Director of Admissions to give tours, help with open houses, and talk to prospective parents.

Calendar Available On-line

The Journeys School calendar is available on the website at www.journeysschool.org on the Academics page for those of you planning holidays, vacations, etc.

START Bus Pass Questions

In response to questions about purchasing START bus passes, we’d like to clarify the process. Because our campus is not a regular START bus stop, Journeys School has contracted with START for a set price to provide service twice per day on two separate routes (west bank and town). Journeys School does not pass this cost along through tuition increases for all students but rather through bus passes for those that use the bus. Therefore, passes obtained through other avenues (i.e. raffle/auction items, ski pass purchases) can not be honored for Journeys School transportation because it does not help offset the cost to Journeys School in providing this service to the students. Passes must be purchased through Journeys School in order for your student to ride the bus to school each day.

Student Photos Next Week!

Student photos are scheduled Monday through Thursday of next week. A flyer will be sent home this week with details, and you can call or email Rhonda with questions. Volunteers are needed to help on picture days. The schedule is:

Monday: middle school and all-school group

Tuesday: pre- kindergarten and grades K-2

Wednesday: pre- kindergarten and grades 3-5

Thursday: upper school

September Lunch Menu

Parents are needed to help for Friday lunches. If you are available, you can come to the dining lodge at 11:20 and help serve food, get drinks, wash dishes, etc. A flyer was sent home last week detailing the lunch program, which begins this Friday, September 15. Each meal includes a glass of milk. Although the menu is subject to change without notice, this month’s menu is:

September 15th: Macaroni & Cheese, Broccoli & Bow Tie Pasta, Garlic-Cheese Toast, Tomato Salad, Grammy Bars

September 22nd: Cheese Enchiladas, Spanish rice, Fruit Salad & Brownies

September 29th: Pizza

Summer Reading Program for Teachers!

All faculty and staff participated in a book discussion group this summer. During the faculty/staff retreat held a few weeks ago, teachers met in groups to discuss the books and how we could apply the knowledge gained to the Journeys School program. Books read included:

1) Geography of Childhood: Why Children Need Wild Places by Gary Paul Nabhan

2) Working in the Reggio Way: A Beginner’s Guide for American Teachers by Julianne P. Wurm

3) Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope With the Crisis in Childrearing by Robert Evans

4) A variety of books by Mel Levine

Coffee Fundraiser!

Thanks to Tessa Johnson, a Journeys School parent and Organic Coffee Broker, families and friends of Journeys School can support the Journeys School Financial Aid Fund when they purchase Journeys School Organic Coffee: custom roasted, socially responsible & certified organic.  Journeys School Organic Coffee is roasted the day that it is shipped. Delivery via UPS in most locations in the United States and Canada. Pass the word on to relatives and friends in far away places so that they might offer year round support to the Journeys School Financial Aid Fund.

To order online visit:
http://www.FreshOrganicCoffee.com/journeys.html

or call (307) 733-8046.

Pre-Kindergarten

Announcements:

Thank yous:

Thank you to Jackson Paint and Glass for donating glass for our green house. We will begin that project soon with the help of some of our Pre-Kindergarten parents.

Thank you to all parents for supporting us in numerous ways with the beginning of school. Many of you helped clean the classroom prior to school, participated in our picnic, and have donated supplies to our classroom. You are all greatly appreciated. As a team we are excited by your eagerness to participant and we look forward to building stronger relationships with you.

Thanks to David Watson (Trevor’s dad) and Liza Kemmel (Lucy’s mom) for going with us on our journey.

Things to bring to school

1. Parents please bring a pair of indoor shoes, for your child, to stay at school in your child’s cubbie. This can be anything from another pair of sneakers to slippers…just something to wear around indoors to prevent the classroom from getting too dirty. It is also important that children are wearing shoes at all times in the event of a fire, so that children can get outside quickly. (Writing your child’s name on every article of their clothing is advisable.)

2. We are creating a community clothing box that can be used to outfit any child in the event of an accident. We are hoping that each parent can send a set of clothes for that box; this will be considered a donation. Parents will be expected to wash the clothes and bring them back to put in our “oops” collection.

3. Please send a cup without a lid for your child. Please find a cup that your child can easily recognize and label it with their name. We will wash these at the end of each day. We have decided that it would be much easier to offer your child their own cup to drink from throughout the day then to have to give them a clean cup three times a day.

4. Lastly, please bring your child to school with sunscreen already on as we will make an effort to get outside each day. If you forget there will be a supply at school on top of the cubbies and we just ask that you try to apply it before saying goodbye. We will reapply sunscreen in the afternoon.

Curricular Updates

Our First Week:

Children are beginning to form relationships with each other and the classroom environment. There were many new faces and materials to provoke children’s interests. It has been wonderful to see them engage with each other so quickly. They explored making potions in the science area, mixing colors in the studio, and creating shadows with the projector. They are all emerging scientists discovering and experimenting with new materials and their environment.

On Friday, the class visited the Swan Pond on Teton Science Schools’ conservation research land near Indian Springs Ranch. We split into three groups and hiked past two big ponds. Many signs of animals were found such as bones, scat, prints, and feathers. At one of the ponds, Anna’s group spotted minnows and green algae. All of the groups saw Trumpeter Swans at the big pond, and Mandy’s group discussed different types of bird homes. Charlie’s group passed around different objects like cottonwood leaves and discussed what senses they could use to describe the leaves. Prior to departure the children were encouraged to think about what they might smell and to notice smells near the pond. We will continue to investigate our sense of smell.

Announcements:

Welcome to Basecamp News
Basecamp News at the K-2 level is a great place to learn about what your child is doing at school each week. Depending on the week, we will include updates in math, literacy, science and/or thematic developments. In addition, we will often post reminders, announcements, and thank you notes. We hope you enjoy reading about the exciting events taking place in K-2 each week.

School-to-Home Communication
Each week faculty and parents will have several

ways to communicate:

1. Basecamp News is one way we as faculty can pass on updates and announcements to parents. Please make sure to tune in to BCN each week.
2. A Student Folder comes home with your child each afternoon and should be returned to school each morning. You will find important reminders, letters and behavior reports in your student’s folders. Please use these folders to pass on notes, reminders or requests to faculty as we check the folders each morning.
3. Each student has been assigned a k-2 Faculty Advisor for the entire school year. There will be an advisor/advisee list sent home in your child’s folder today. Please feel free to contact your child’s faculty advisor at anytime. They are here to answer any questions, field concerns or just to talk with you about your child’s progress at Journeys School.

Pizza Day This Friday
Beginning Friday September 15 Journeys School will offer a pizza lunch to students who would like to participate. If you are interested in your child participating, please make sure that you send back the sign up sheet that was sent home with students last week.

School Photos
K-2 students will get their photo taken on Tuesday, September 19th. Please make sure your child is ready for their photo upon arrival to school.

Thank Yous
Thank you to Henry Holdsworth for bringing in an amazing hummingbird specimen last week.

Thank you to all parents who donated supplies for this school year. We greatly appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness.

Labels Please
As the new year begins, we are reminded of how easy it is for things to be forgotten or misplaced. Please label your child’s belongings, including lunch box, backpack, clothing, jacket, etc. We do have a lost and found in each of the k-2 mud rooms, however we have found it is much easier to keep track of things when they are labeled.

Fall Journey Information
Our K-2 Fall Journey is just right around the corner. It is scheduled for October 4th and 5th. A journey information packet will be sent home in your students folder this afternoon. Please read through the information and contact your students advisor will any questions.

Curricular Updates
Beginning of the Year Routine
The first couple of weeks of school are an exciting time in K-2. Students are getting oriented and taking time to learn about the members of their new community. During this time, faculty members are busy getting to know and assessing each student. We think it is important that parents are aware that the first couple of weeks of school are designed to successfully introduce and integrate students into the new school year. We are having a terrific time getting to know and reuniting with your students. If you have any specific questions about the beginning of the year routine, please feel free to contact your child’s advisor.

2006-2007 K-2 Theme

This year our theme in K-2 is Explorations! Students are very excited to become explorers themselves and have already come up with topics to explore. We will begin by exploring ourselves, our campus, and what it means to be an explorer. Then we’ll move into larger scale explorations, such as the Muries and other local explorers and naturalists, journaling and observation skills. It’s going to be an exciting year and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to explore with your child!

3 T’s
The Journey School has established a set of community guidelines that each level will adhere to. These guidelines are refereed to as the “3 T’s.” They include “Treat all with Respect, Take Responsibility and Try Hard.” We discussed the 3 T’s with the k-2 students last week, and they came up with many ideas of how we can successfully follow these guidelines. We have them posted on each of the k-2 classroom walls as a reminder to all students and faculty.

Announcements:

Picking up your child from school and Messages:

Due to increasing student numbers, Rhonda has requested that each family do their best to create an end-of-day routine with their children. Please make sure your child knows how they are getting home when they are dropped off in the morning. Changes pertaining to pick-up can be communicated via a note in your child’s folder.

Morning Meetings and Advisors:

Due to the large number of students in Grades 3-5 this year, we will have two morning meetings each day. Sydney, Laura, Andie, and Laura and Andie’s advisees will meet on the south side of the building. Tina, Kristen, Sarah, and Kristen and Sarah’s advisees will meet on the north side of the building. Tina’s advisees will be divided between the north and south morning meetings. Your child’s advisor and their telephone extension are listed below:

Andie (3rd grade, ext. 1117): Henry Jones, Henry G., Henry H., Cosette, Innes, Noelle, Sydney

Kristen (3rd grade, ext. 1128): Dakotah, Syler, Annika, Michelle, Jack, Samantha, James, Ryan

Laura (4th grade, ext. 1121): Dylan, Caden, Madeline, Katie Broyles, Mia, Sam, Henry Hawks, Jimmy

Sarah (4th and 5th grade, ext. 1127): Garrett, Katie Blann, Alex, Ellie, Helen, Kathleen, Faith, Lyons, Ariella, Brooke

Tina (5th grade, ext. 1118): Daniela, Charlotte, Melissa, Asa, Sascha, Shelley, Ruby, Nicole, Ella, Tara, Connor, Tige

Curricular Updates:

Curricular Theme: Our 2006-2007 curricular theme is Pathways. We are enthusiastic about this theme because it offers many possibilities for integration across the curriculum. We have brainstormed countless ideas of how to study pathways through reading, writing, science, social studies, math, music, art, and Spanish.

Art: We’re going on our first art journey of the year! Last spring, 3-5 artists studied the art of Andy Warhol in depth. We made prints of place-based wildlife in Warhol’s style, and now we are ready to see his prints in person. During art on Tuesday, September 19th, students in the north den will be journeying to the National Museum of Wildlife Art to see an exhibition of Andy Warhol’s endangered species prints. Students in the south den will journey to the museum for the same exhibition on Thursday September 21st. Students really enjoyed learning about Warhol’s art and unique style last spring and are looking forward to seeing his artwork in person next week.

Fall Journey: We are excited for our fall extended Journey to the Murie Center in Moose, Wyoming. The dates for the fall Journey were listed as October 16-20 in the chart that went home over the summer. More specifically, each student will spend 2.5 days of that week at the Murie Center, either Monday through Wednesday or Wednesday through Friday. Your child’s assigned dates will come home with more information about the Journey in a few weeks. Students who are not at the Murie Center will have a regular school day, so plan for a full week of school with only two nights on a Journey.

Field Days: Today we kicked off our science program with a field day! We will spend three full days in the field this week (Monday, September 11, through Wednesday, September 13). Each day, students should come to school with a backpack containing a field lunch (non-microwavable), rain gear and a full water bottle. Students must wear sturdy shoes for hiking on field days.

Announcements:

MS Journey to Yellowstone: Tues Sept. 19 – Thurs Sept. 21

Please make sure your Journey fee is submitted by Sept 18 (as mentioned in the summer mailing). Students should bring packs filled with necessary gear to school Monday Sept. 18 for the pre-trip equipment check. Arrival and departure times will remain the same Monday and Friday. Students should also arrive Tuesday and depart Thursday at normal times.

Thank You

Thank you to all families that sent in school supplies!

Curricular Updates:

2006-2007 Middle School Theme

The overarching theme for the middle school this year is Conflict and Cooperation. The fall trimester theme is Revolutions. All classes will incorporate these themes into their various curricula. For instance, in science students will study evolution, in language arts they will read Inherit the Wind, and in social science students will study the American Revolution and the Civil War.

Middle School Faculty

As the MS student body grows, so does the MS faculty. We’d like to take this opportunity to tell you a little more about ourselves!

Charles Grayson spent the past year enjoying the graduate program on the Kelly Campus of Teton Science Schools. He is looking forward to teaching math and life skills in the middle school, as well as working as the learning specialist for the middle and upper schools. Charles came to WY after teaching in Massachusetts at a high school for students with learning disabilities, and completing his graduate work at Simmons College in Boston.

Joanna Snyder joins the middle school staff after teaching 8th grade science for three years in the Boston area. She will be teaching level 3 math, and Levels 2 and 3 science. Since completing the TSS graduate program in 2000, Jo worked on research sailing vessels and completed her MA in Education, always returning in the summers as a research assistant for the CRC. She is ecstatic to call Jackson her home again.

Charlotte Quesada comes to Journeys School from Washington where she taught Spanish at the Seattle Girls’ School. She loves speaking Spanish, traveling to foreign places, cooking all kinds of foods, and reading. In her spare time, she can be found biking or skiing with her husband Brad or volunteering at the Teton Literacy Program. She is so excited to join the Journeys School community.

Karl Van Sycle returns to the middle school for his fourth year. He teaches social science and level 2 math. A native of Montana, he grew up in Texas. Karl taught at Red Top Meadows School before joining Journeys.

Chris Horne taught middle school math for two years outside of Washington D.C. and participated in the TSS graduate program nine years ago. Since then he completed his MS in Conservation Biology in 2001, and he is returning for his sixth year at Journeys School. Chris is teaching level 1 science and level 1 math this year as well as performing administrative work as the middle school lead teacher.

After graduating from Colgate University with a B.A. in Biology, Margot Martin participated in the TSS graduate program in 2000-2001, where she became hooked to the valley and the innovative teaching practices of the TSS. Last year she completed her Masters of Education through Montana State University-Billings. This is her 4th year at Journeys School, teaching language arts and math. You may also see her directing the MUPS (middle and upper school) a cappella group, which performs at various school functions and community events.

Announcements:

Buddhist teacher Phakchok Rinpoche visited upper school teachers on Wednesday, Sept. 6. The Rinpoche is the highest level of Buddhist teacher and Phakchok recently completed the equivalent of a Ph.D. in Buddhist philosophy at the age of 25. He is the sixth incarnation of this Rinpoche. Phakchok Rinpoche spoke to students about the nature of relative reality vs. true reality. The talk challenged students’ notions of reality and also spoke well to the upper school’s fall essential question: What do we observe? The essential question is used to focus and integrate curricula. Upper school students and faculty graciously thank Dr. David Shlim for arranging the visit. We were honored to have Phakchok Rinpoche in our classroom.

Curricular Updates:

In two weeks time, there will be many details to share about the upper school students journey to the Wind River Range.  They are currently on a five day backpacking trip.

Look for editorials on the third and first week of each month.           

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