Summers-Knoll Parent Blog

Calculating the Speed of Mess

2010-11-15T13:38:00.000-05:00

I have to believe that if Garth Sundem lived in Ann Arbor, he'd be a SK parent. This delicious bit of parenting nerdiness is from Garth's Geek Dad column at Wired Magazine. Enjoy!

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Calculating The Speed of Mess

By Garth Sundem
November 14, 2010 |

Jonathan Liu's inspiration for this post

Equations relating speed and mass go back to Newton and beyond. But after I got geeky with an equation for Halloween candy, Geek Dads Jonathan Liu and John Booth hit me with an intriguing question: what about relating speed and MESS? Simply, how fast should you expect a clean kids’ room to get messy?

Said GD’s did the better part of the brainstorming and I did the factor slapping, to produce the collaborative equation below. Plug in your family’s numbers to discover how many square feet per hour your kid’s room will accumulate non-traversable junk. For the über geeks out there, keep reading below the equation for more mathematical sweetness you can do with the Speed of Mess.

Here, for your practical use and cerebral edification is the mathematically certain (wink, wink) Speed of Mess:

.

.
• K_#= The number of kids playing in the room
• K_A= The average age of K_#
• K_B1= Is one of K_# a boy between ages 6 and 13? Enter 1 for yes and 0 for no.
• K_B2= Enter age of boy between 6 and 13. These are the planet’s messiest beasts.
• F= Fodder: Generally, how much junk (toys, clothes, books, reptiles, etc.) does your child’s room contain? 1-10 with 10 being Lloyd from the show Hoarders
• N= In days, the newness of any single game, toy, or book
• P_E= Parental energy: 1-10 with 1 being “new baby” and 10 being “methamphetamines”
• P_S= Parental strictness: 1-10 with 10 being Sir, yes sir! and 1 being Duuuude!
• T= In Fahrenheit, the temperature outdoors (add 25 “degrees” for sleddable snow)
• S= Storage: 1-10 with 10 being wire bins to the ceilings and ample closet space and 1 being bare, padded room (though let me also point out the usefulness of the latter)
• C= Percentage of occupied time in which K are using a computer, TV, game console or other screen-based entertainment

SOM is the square feet per hour that your kids’ room will collect mess that precludes passage. Max for three, 10-year-old boys with no storage, lax, exhausted parents and lots o’ stuff is 85.33 ft^2/hr and min for one, 17-year-old with strict, energetic parents, with little stuff and ample storage (on a nice day, etc.) is 0.21 ft^2/hr.

Further mathematical sweetness:
Notice that the speed of mess is like a velocity. By calculating “velocities” for each hour in a single day and summing these velocities, you could discover how many square feet of junk accumulates per day (those willing to get down with calc could do it more accurately). Then, using the total area of the room and the percentage coverage at which point you go batty, you could calculate how often you need to instigate a massive cleaning effort (MCE). There’s lotsa other cool stuff you could do with SOM—any suggestions?
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Taking Flight

2010-10-19T21:17:00.002-04:00

I love after-after-care time. Usually my kids are running in and out of the house, playing with friends, grabbing an apple or a drink and sharing little bits of the day as my husband or I cook dinner. I catch glimpses and glimmers of David's school day in these moments, stories of his wonderful music class with Jan or how Ruth challenged them to draw a portrait. There's always something about Mrs. Carpenter's exciting science adventures or Imogen's leaping back in time in Latin. But today's conversation was something unique, something that both taught us a little bit about appreciation. It went something like this:

Me: So, D, what was your favorite thing in school today?

D: Well, Christian Bok came and did poetry, really cool poetry, poetry without words that just had sounds in it.

Me: Huh, like what?

D: [making the most amazing popping and zipping sounds]

Me: What's that about?

D: Oh, Dada poetry, Mama.

Me: Dada poetry? You are studying Dada poetry?

D: Uh, yeah... [insert a "duh" like sound here]

Me: D, do you realize that I didn't even know what Dada was until I was 13 years old?

D: [shocked] REALLY?

Me: Yeah, and remember last year in Latin when Imogen talked about water and the poetry of Ovid? I didn't know about Ovid until I was 13 either. Or French, I didn't start to study French until I was 13 either.

D: [mouth open] REALLY?

Me: Really.

D: Mama, when did you study Chinese?

Me: [blink, blink] I have never studied Chinese, D.

D: [blink, blink] Wow.

You can imagine that this went on for quite awhile, us rehashing the whys of why it took me 13 years to get to study the things he is experiencing in 2nd grade. Frankly, I didn't have a whole lot of good answers for him. We talked a lot about the way that some schools have changed and why engaging and creative schools like Summers-Knoll are so special and what going to a progressive, hands-on school gives to kids (lots of agreement here). He asked me a lot about what I liked about my old school (reading, which I seemed to do for hours after I finished my worksheets) and what I didn't like (being bored, mean kids) and I asked him what he liked about his (everything) and what he didn't like (leaving at the end of the day). It was one of those talks where you know that it's worth it, that this is the right time for your child to be so enamored of school, that these experiences lay critical foundations for a lifetime.

Truth be told, I think often about the gift that this school is to my son. I think about the families, alums and friends who contribute to our Annual Fund to support scholarships and ongoing expenses not covered by tuition (tuition that in another city would be thousands more). I think of the volunteer hours people put in to make sure the school operates smoothly. I think of the parents who ensure that kids have a chance to meet amazing people like Christian Bok (thanks Christine!). I think about the parents that know my child by name and care about the day he's having and about the teachers who get him and love him and the HoS that I can call on when I need advice. Yes, it's amazingly cool that he studies Dada and Latin and Chinese and learns about Leonardo's Flying Machine. And it's cool that he's doing great math and learning about punctuation and how to spell like a champ and all of those other skills that are needed too. And it's all part and parcel of the bigger broadening and developing of his mind that will keep his curiosity and thirst for learning alive for far into the future.

Solid ground to stand on, wings to fly.

If your kiddo comes home asking about Jimi Hendrix...

2010-09-15T13:46:00.001-04:00

there's good reason.

Along with the great creators and innovators that the children are studying as part of the Renaissance theme, Hendrix's genius was of topic at this morning's school gathering.

Jimi Hendrix? How in the world would Jimi Hendrix make it into an all-school meeting? Elaine's brilliance of capturing the moment, that's how.

This morning Elaine led the school gathering and mentioned that since there were no student birthdays to recognize, she thought she'd talk a little bit about someone's birthday that she'd heard about on the radio this morning.

She told the students a little bit about Jimi Hendrix, who is considered by many to be one of the greatest guitar players of all time.

She mentioned that Jimi had mastered the guitar at a young age and, with that mastery, was able to free his mind to create some of the most amazing guitar music. She said he created music with the guitar that people couldn't ever imagine could happen.

And then she looked across the room at all of these beautiful faces and told them that she thought of our Summers-Knoll students when she was thinking of how Hendrix worked hard to master something and then made something so beautiful and amazing out of his passion. That they were working hard every day to learn and master math and writing and science and art and that she believed that they too would do and create things that would be just as amazing as Jimi Hendrix's work.

[This would be the part where I got totally teary.]

And these beautiful kids looked right back at her with the confidence that they too could be the next Hendrix or maybe the next Leonardo or Galileo. That their potential was limitless and that their gifts and talents could be used in the venue that best suited their lives. As Leonardo used the pencil so Hendrix used the guitar. That's what was so amazing (and what set off the misty eyes). Elaine's gift for taking something in the moment and weaving this great story of mastery and passion into what she thought our children could accomplish themselves. Plus the look on the faces of the kids who live daily with the knowledge that their guides on this journey of learning believe in them and in their abilities in such a profoundly cool way.

So I leave you with Little Wing and hope that this post finds you fulfilling some powerful part of yourself, something you've mastered and feel passionate about, something that you can share with the world that expands the mind and fulfills the heart.

(The school gathering: Which I love, by the way. What a cool way to start the day as a community, centered on learning and seeing everyone's smiling faces!)

The Creativity Crisis

2010-09-08T09:50:00.000-04:00

I just received this great email from Miina (mom to Emi and Ella) and thought I'd pass it along. Great article. Thanks, Miina!

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Hi Fran,
I thought maybe this article about creativity would be of interest for
SK parents to read...? If you think so too, please add the link to the
parents blog.

The Creativity Crisis
For the first time, research shows that American creativity is
declining. What went wrong—and how we can fix it
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html

I think especailly this paragraph fits very well to S-K's way of
teaching (or how it should be done):

"Researchers say creativity should be taken out of the art room and put
into homeroom. The argument that we can’t teach creativity because
kids already have too much to learn is a false trade-off. Creativity
isn’t about freedom from concrete facts. Rather, fact-finding and deep
research are vital stages in the creative process. Scholars argue that
current curriculum standards can still be met, if taught in a different
way."

Thanks!
Miina

Begin the Begin

2010-09-07T21:27:00.000-04:00

The school looked so fresh and lovely today after what must have been hours of cleaning and readying by our faculty and staff. New faces came peering around corners and looking down the hall while old friends gabbed and laughed and celebrated another chance to learn and play and grow.

This is the third year my son David awoke to begin his school year at Summers-Knoll and as I looked at the sweet Kindergartners coming in this morning, I could barely believe that the time had flown from when he himself walked through with big, anxious eyes. In our family, each year we "begin the begin" (with that fabulous REM song rocking in our ears)...we do a mad dash out for school clothes, scrub the dirt from our bare feet and get to bed early to train for the upcoming mornings. We talk excitedly of new teachers (full of surprises) or old teachers (comfortable as slippers) and what may happen with school approaching. We nest a little, prepare a little, Fall blows in to remind us that it's time and that the beginning is beginning. And then we walk, once again, into the familiar beauty of a that stone-covered building which has become a second home, into the arms of waiting friends who bring stories of their summer days and who, like we, are full of anticipation for what is to come.

Any of you who have peeled through old posts on this parent blog know that I am amazed at what transpires at Summers-Knoll. The deep relationships children develop amongst themselves, the camaraderie between faculty, the appreciation I feel for so many parents knowing my child by name and meeting him with a warm smile and a kind word. His brain is alive in this space and his eyes dance and thrill at the experience of new adventures, scaffolded by loving, thoughtful and intentional guides who want him to develop into a smart, competent and responsible young man. And, goodness, how did he get to be in second grade already? This school is a gift to us, magical and sound. Lovely. Real.

So here is to the beginning of our journey together. If you are new to our community, it is now *your* community. Grab a returning parent and ask a question, linger for coffee and talk to Joanna and the faculty about what is going on with you and your family. Your family's threads strengthen the fabric of our community in special and important ways.

[and, if any of you would like to write for the parent blog, please let me know!]

Fran Loosen
(mom to David Giardino, 2nd grade).

Great kids, great families making a difference.

2010-05-03T08:46:00.001-04:00

Today over my morning cup of Mighty Good Coffee, I had the chance to catch Paul Schutt (Dad of Oli in Mrs. Adhikary's K/1 class) on Michigan Radio describing his "3 Things" he'd do to improve Michigan.

Paul's response was fantastic and reminded me of the amazing parents we have in this school who work daily to build community, improve our economy, seed arts and culture and weave the fabric of what makes this area special. Take a minute to go beyond the drop off "hello" with any SK parent and you will find smart, connected, caring and giving people who have wonderful passions to share.

Walking a Step Behind

2010-03-22T22:36:00.004-04:00

I am an orange and my son is a blue. I sit a few kids down from him in the lineup, our white uniforms only differentiated by the belts we have earned in our time under Master Fancher's watchful eye. David ranks above me, having studied longer than I and having (in reality) put much more heart and soul into the study of Tang Soo Do in his short time as a student. When he's the senior belt, the customary Korean salutation comes easily off of his lips at the end of our work. As a student, he is eager to respond to Master Fancher's questions at the close of class. He bows with deep respect to Master Fancher, not only his teacher but his best buddy Toussaint's dad. This is his space of confidence and competence. Once we were talking about the things that kids are good at in school. "Stanley R. is a math guy", he said "and he knows all of the bus routes in Ann Arbor. You could ask him anywhere to go and he could tell you. He's that good." So I asked what his 'thing' was, and he thought for a minute, his dark eyes a bit narrowed while he considered it. "Karate," he finally said with an enormous smile. "I think I am really good at karate." (above: David G. gets his blue belt)

I started studying Tang Soo Do after taking David to martial arts classes for a couple of months. Parents who were participating in the class would say "Oh, it's just a matter of time until you join...it's fun, why not work out if you are going to sit there?" And, slowly, nearly all of the parents joined, drawn a bit by the "why not?" of the class, a bit by the bond that it created with their child. Now we have Ollie G in our class, Ian B., Amelia M. and Stanley C....followed by Karen G., Kristen B. and Steve C. who aim great kicks, work hard and take seriously the work at hand.

(Karen G. rockin' the flying side kick)

But walking a step behind my son in this process has added a dimension to our relationship that I never would have anticipated. For the hours and days this child has spent in my tutelage, he is now a bit of the teacher...and a gentle and loving one at that. "Mom, so I was thinking about your stance tonight," he says, with sweet and honest eyes, "when you are kicking your arms are too far away from your body. Someone could hurt you. You should try to keep them in tight, to defend yourself." And, he's right. When doing my kicks tonight I noticed that I was not keeping close to my core, that I felt off balance. He'd noticed and been able to give me that feedback in a way that not only did not make me defensive, but made me want to ask him more. "What else did you see, D?" "Well, you do really well on that front kick, and the side one, those are your best two. The back one you don't do as well. But I think if you keep working on it you will get it. It's just a matter of keeping with it. That's what Master Fancher says."

And to that, I smiled. My 4' tall warrior providing me with insights that were valuable and honest, but loving and fair at the same time.

There are so few times we get a chance to walk a step behind our children, to let them teach us what they know and to share insights that maybe we have missed along the way. Being at S-K has taught me that teaching-- from child to child, adult to child, child to adult-- is the highest form of learning. By letting our children share with us what they know and engage in their learning, we both win. As the ancient saying goes "when one teaches, two learn".

P.S. If you are considering martial arts for your child, there is no greater teacher (in my humble opinion) than Master Mark Fancher, S-K parent. Classes are held multiple times per week at the Washtenaw Community College Occupational Ed building. Mark is amazing with the children and does this work (after his day job and multiple community commitments) because of his love for the Tang Soo Do tradition and what it brings to young people.

The 5 Codes of Tang Soo Do:
1) Be loyal to your leaders
2) Obedience to parents
3) Honor friendships
4) Always finish what you start
5) In fighting, choose with sense and honor

A little thought to ponder.

2010-03-04T12:57:00.000-05:00

"I don't believe children can develop in a healthy way unless they feel that they have value apart from anything they own or any skill that they learn. They need to feel they enhance the life of someone else, that they are needed. Who, better than parents,... can let them know that?"
- Mister Rogers

How do we give children the opportunity to show that they are valued beyond their skills and possessions? How can we let them know that they are empowered to do great things and make real change in the world? Something to think about as we parents help shape the future through our children.

Not So Ready for the Summer...If It Means No Math!

2010-02-09T17:04:00.001-05:00

David and I were driving to school today, peering out at the snow blowing about and singing Lisa Loeb's "Are You Ready for the Summer?" at the top of our lungs. The song was revving into "No more math and history/summer time has set us free!"when David stopped singing, looked at me and said "No more math? AWWWWWWW! No fair!"

I nearly fell over laughing. Here is my 6.5 year old kid pining away for the sun and the thing that he thinks of first in being "freed" from school is the idea that he won't be able to work in his math book.

The kid. loves. his. school.

I walked inside still chuckling and told Susan Carpenter about the exchange in the car. She confided that when the kids in her class are chatting a little too much, she shakes her head and says "hey guys, you're cutting into math time", to which the kids respond with an "oh no!" and get back with their work.

Her kids. love. math. (and spelling too...all sorts of things, actually)

It's still so amazing to me to watch kids zoom into school, excited to learn, feeling that what they do is fun and enjoyable, not arduous and boring.

Recently I read a paper written by a researcher at the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota that was describing what they call "Authentic Intellectual Work", work that "requires high-level cognitive performance (i.e., rigorous, in-depth understanding instead of only superficial acquaintance with memorized bits of knowledge) and it results in personally, aesthetically or socially useful products and services, instead of completed exercises that were contrived only for the purpose showing of competence or to please teachers." (Avery, Patricia G. Authentic Student Performance, Assessment Tasks, and Instruction)

Now, they don't talk about fun here, and they don't talk about missing your math book in the summer or wanting to take your spelling list out on the playground, but they do talk about work that is personally meaningful. Work that resonates with children beyond simply showing what they know or scoring well on a test.

The paper demonstrated two assignments given to two different 8th grade geography classes in Minnesota.

The first thing that struck me was that the Figure 2 assignment is a (somewhat simplified) variation of the kind of experiences that our K-5th graders have every day at S-K.

The second thing was the contrast in the depth of learning that each assignment enabled.

The third thing was that our S-K project would integrate art, music, food and culture into the assignment. Children would be working in groups to discover and synthesize the information. Each would bring his/her own talents to the team. They would learn together and work to the best end as a team.

Imagine what information a child holds in his or her mind after a textbook-based assignment like Figure 1 versus a project-based learning experience like Figure 2.

The article concluded with some excellent questions designed to spark thinking about the quality of learning experiences for students:

1) To what extent does the task require students to organize, synthesize, interpret, explain, or evaluate complex information? (Student Construction or Knowledge)

2) To what extent does the task require students to use methods of inquiry, research or communication characteristic of an academic or professional discipline? (Disciplinary Content and Process)

3) To what extent does the task require students to address a question, issue or problem similar to one they have encountered, or are likely to encounter, in life beyond the classroom? (Value Beyond the Classroom)

Peel through the layers of the teachers' blogs and see how the projects they do in class ignite and excite the learning mind and how they stack up to those questions. As the authors of another paper note, "Participation in authentic intellectual activity appears to motivate students to invest in the hard work that learning requires, including learning the basics, more so than traditional schooling. Teachers report that authentic work is often more interesting and meaningful to students than repeated drill aimed at disconnected knowledge and skills. Research also indicates that students exposed to authentic intellectual challenges are more engaged in their schoolwork than students exposed to more conventional schoolwork." (Avery, 1999; Kane et al., 1997; Marks (in press); Newmann & Associates, 1996).

Our classrooms abound with amazing learning that leads children to stretch their inquisitive minds and become critical thinkers and creative problem solvers as adults. And budding math nerds who sigh that summer means the loss of math time even in the deepest winter snow. :)

Hopefully the weather will clear and permit us to gather together this Thursday for our S-K Community Meeting. I look forward to seeing you all there.

P.S. In case your own kids aren't ready to give up math for the summer, be sure to check out S-K's amazing assortment of math, language, science and creative arts programming for summer camp. Brochures are available at the sign-in desk and hurry to register as there are indications that the camps will be in high demand this year.

The Narrative

2010-01-05T21:06:00.001-05:00

I posted the following bit to a parents' listserv that I am part of in Ann Arbor (arborparents, it's great!) and thought I would add it here even though it is only a little slice of what we do and was in response to a previous poster's question about independent schools.

Our fantastic new parent, Karen Godwin, noted the other day that we don't spend enough time on the story of what happens with children at Summers-Knoll in our materials and publications and she is so right. Amazing, funny, excellent stories abound here every day. Each child has his/her own path that led to S-K, and each has his/her own story of learning that is waiting to be told. The stories are most alive in the teacher blogs and in Joanna's posts, but we don't hear from parents nearly enough.

So over the next few months we will be asking for and celebrating the stories of our families and children in order to give more life to our narrative and let our community know what a unique and special place this is.

"Magical"as Karen describes it.

I couldn't agree more.
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Posted on Arborparents on January 5th, 2010

I love more than anything hearing about parent's great experiences with independent schools in the area. Ann Arbor is lucky to have a number of really great school options, each very different from the next. And, because I am a shameless promoter of the wonderful school my son attends, and because this is the season when parents are getting into thinking about schools, I wanted to throw out the value of looking at a school like Summers-Knoll.

My son started at S-K last year after having been at a Montessori school for a couple of years (and aged out). The transition to S-K was extremely smooth. Teachers at S-K are amazing and have a facility with multiple modes of teaching. If a child needs something sensorial, they may employ Montessori techniques or pull from Reggio Emilio or Waldorf. Because the school is not tied to one pedagogical practice, teachers can be fluid with the needs of the child. The school is fundamentally a progressive learning environment, meaning that children learn through hands-on work and experiential learning. The emphasis is both on community learning (learning as a community within the school and breaking down the walls of the school to learn in the larger community and globe) and individual mastery. The community learning piece is huge piece of what makes the school so special. Not only do we have multi-age classrooms, but we have an integrated learning environment that engages the entire school body on monthly themes and encourages children to transfer learning between disciplines. For example, September's theme was North Africa and within that theme, children worked with math, language, science, culture and history--and all of these beautiful synergies happened like studying the geometric forms dominant in Islamic art and discovering the movement of language across the northern continent and the like. The month then culminated in the children researching from N. African recipes, harvesting vegetables at Tantre Farms and producing a feast for 196 people with Alex Young of Zingerman's Roadhouse, really breaking down the walls of the classroom to take learning into the community. Because of the truly small class sizes (capped at 12-14 per class) and talented teachers, there is a lot of discovery and flexibility that happens in the classroom and the children carry those threads from one experience to another. In another month where "farming" was the theme, the 4-5 class teacher introduced Shakespeare's "As You Like It" for its pastoral scenes and the students themselves took off with it and produced and presented an entire production of the play at the Kerrytown Concert House before the break.

S-K is a school for bright, creative and gifted students which, like Chris noted for Emerson, means that we have children who learn at different levels and have different talents in different areas. One area that this shines for S-K is in our math program. We use Singapore Math, which is a fantastic self-paced program that allows children to race ahead if they need to or to work at grade level, whatever their need, as the backbone of the program as well as all sorts of different hands-on, creative, real-life, exploratory math that utilizes different resources as appropriate (Montessori, etc) . All kids do math at the same time, so children move to other classrooms to work with their learning peers and we have a fabulous Phd who comes in to do work with kids who are learning at a really accelerated rate. The value that this brings to children is immeasurable. Parents have told me that their children say "I don't have to wait to do my work" and "I can work as quickly as my mind wants to". This is where the "individual mastery" of the program comes in. Children learn solidly across all disciplines and are able to explore and dig deep in areas that give them exceptional excitement. There is a love of learning in that school that I have never before seen in my life.

We have a phenomenal Orff-based music program, an art program that rivals any I have seen in highschool (figurative model making in 4th grade, ceramics, drawing--you wouldn't believe how cool it is) and an exciting and engaging french and Latin program starting in Kindergarten. My son still muses about the Muses that he discovered in Imogen's class as a Kindergartener. We are also an urban campus (right off of Washtenaw near Trader Joe's) on County Farm park, so we utilize the best of both the natural environment and what Ann Arbor has to offer. Being on the park and such a part of the city demonstrates to the students that they are stewards of public goods and that they have a responsibility to work for and care for what the community offers to them. This is not a fancy or flashy school. 30% of our kids get some form of financial aid and the emphasis is really more on using what you have well, something I really appreciate.

I could go on and on, obviously, but the other thing that I will finally say about the school is that it is like a family in many ways. One parent commented that S-K is "like homeschooling on steroids" and I really agree with him. The school, for our family, is an extension of our family's personal values and the truly personalized attention that my son gets is unmatched in any school around. The children are engaged in a environment that asks them to understand themselves both as individuals and in the context of community. Community service is a big part of the curriculum as is teamwork, leadership, compassion and diversity. The 2/3 class works deeply in "tribes", learning about differences and similarities, about solving problems and handling conflict. The school believes that the child's emotional, social and interpersonal development is every bit as important as the intellectual challenge they find at school. In other words, you can be the smartest kid in the world but if you can't work well with others, you will never be able to achieve all that is possible with your talents. It makes me want to go back to grade school, something I never thought I would say in my life. A friend whose son started K this year describes S-K as "magical". She's watched him race ahead in math, french, writing in ways she never knew possible in just a few months. He dazzles her daily with what he knows and runs into school every morning, eager to start his day. She's kind of in love with the place, just like I am. :)

So, I truly believe we are lucky to have all of these fantastic schools in A2, each with their own, distinct personality. I think you know when you walk through a school what culture would work for your child. We visited S-K first and came back to it after looking far and wide, and really took the time to see it through the eyes of an elementary-aged child. The tight-knit parent community, the fact that parents know the names of all the children walking through the doors, the connected relationships with the teachers that parents have...these were all important to us and very much a part of S-K's DNA. It's also a really wonderful place for a child to land if a family is moving to A2 from a different community mid-year. The children embrace new children, as does the parent community. It's a safe spot and a wonderful transition into a new space.

I'd be happy to speak to anyone about Summers-Knoll and what led us to our choice and can elaborate on things like financial aid, our explorations classes, after-school enrichment activities, etc. Obviously I am biased but I truly believe that the choices out there are wonderful and it is really a matter of what is the best fit.

Best,

Fran

A Peek Into the Future

2009-12-07T22:22:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of going to a "wall walk" for the UM School of Information 501: Contextual Inquiry and Project Management class. Summers-Knoll has been paired with an amazing team of information specialists (of all sorts of stripes) who are helping us to figure out a more workable registration process for our ever-growing (fantastic) summer camp.

I smiled hardest as the presentation began. There stood a group of five bright, talented, thoughtful students who could have been our own all grown up. They had been thoughtful in their inquiry, had considered all the important angles, had synthesized the information to form excellent conclusions and presented it in an inviting and inclusive manner. Each had his or her own special skill to contribute to the team, each had a role in the work that was vibrant and important. They were so excited about what they had experienced at SK, too. The team noted, each of them, that they wished they'd had the chance to learn in such a cool, creative, and engaging environment as the one they had seen at SK. Which, in my mind, is the biggest compliment there is.

Sitting there, taking it all in, I couldn't help but smile thinking of our 2/3 classroom students (who spend so much time on teamwork) and imaging any one of our wonderful students doing the same presentation, some time in the future. In that moment, I imagined Erin and Lea and Lukas leading the discussion, Atty and Ian throwing in the color commentary, Trent and Freya pointing out some interesting detail, Selden and Stanley giving the data to support the findings, Noah and Melissa making the audience crack a smile and Toussaint coming up with a story to connect it to the organization. Any combination of those children working together, doing what they loved and felt passionate about, helping an organization like SK that provides a place of learning that resonated with their adult selves as much as it did when they were children. It gave me goosebumps, frankly. It was incredibly cool.

So let me say a huge "thank you" to Purdom, Ben, Jessie, Isabela, and James for their great work and for their interest in helping us with this project. The School of Information should be proud of the excellent students that represent its vision and work. We look forward to future partnerships!

Be sure to GoodShop!!!

2009-12-06T09:28:00.001-05:00

JIT for your holiday shopping! Summers-Knoll gets a cut of every purchase that runs through GoodShop. All you do is put the name "Summers Knoll" in the "who do you goodshop for" box and the site pops up a number of great stores. You are then sent to the stores' websites and can place your order. And the...they are really good stores that you all frequent...and good donation amounts!

It really adds up.

Even easier, you can add the GoodShop toolbar to your browser (I use Firefox) and every time you go to a site to purchase something, you will see how much of that purchase will go to Summers-Knoll. Which is really sweet if you are the type of person, like myself, that only remembers to go to the GoodShop site after she's clicked the button.

http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/mode/

Only the Shadow Knows...

2009-12-04T14:46:00.000-05:00

About half of our population at the school hails from Ypsi, did you know that? I'm not sure if it is half, but let's just say that there are many very cool families who come from Ypsi for school at SK. And Ypsi is full of awesome stuff, in part because of these fantastic families who, you guessed it, are at our school.

One such thing is happening this weekend, the Shadow Art Fair, which is produced by a group called the Michigan Design Militia (hmmm, know anyone in that picture?), sponsored by another fabulous creative group called VGKids (ooh, who is that guy in the last picture at the bottom?), featuring such cool organizations as FLY Childrens Art Center (hey, we know the fly mama who runs that!) and demonstrating the craft of ultra-cool zine artists like Linette Lao (yeah, that Linette).

Legend has it that its the coolest art experience around, about 40 amazingly creative local artists whose work is on display for purchase. So go, if you can, and if you need any enticing, check out the fantastic Flickr feed.

It's at the Corner Brewery, too. That's a serious bonus. Saturday, December 5th, 12p-12a. See you there.

Pieces/Peaces

2009-11-19T12:44:00.003-05:00

I was out of town last week when the faeries came to spread their goodness in the school.

Faeries?!

Parents told me that children were running from paper to paper, calling out to each other what they said. "I found one! It says 'My laughter is eff, eff, effervescent!'" "This one says, 'My mom thinks I am great. (She's right)'...awwww!". It was a flurry of delighted children discovering pieces of love and appreciation scattered throughout the school.

On Monday, I walked around and read them all with just the slightest lump in my throat. So thoughtful, those faeries, to realize that sometimes kids (and adults) need to be surprised by how much they are loved and how they walk in the world.

It was affirming and warming and kindling enough in my heart that I want to read them every day.

[Psst, see above: Proof that faeries are right.]

There were messages about our ability to move through difficult things and come out fine, about resolving conflict or finding a solution.

There were little things we hope people know about us, and the delightful way it feels when someone acknowledges it to be true.

There were messages that told us that we didn't need to waste a minute to make a difference in the world.

...that others see in us even more than we ourselves know.

Faeries know that the arms of our community open wide, even to embrace "family" who don't spend our days and nights together under one roof...

and that we are all important here.

In my family and friendship circles, we have a practice where we all go around the table at Thanksgiving and say something that we were grateful for. It is amazing to listen to the things that flow from people's hearts that provide a lens into things that they held dear during the year, things they didn't take the opportunity to say on a daily basis. Sometimes things like Thanksgiving or a faerie invasion free those things up for us.

So let me say it now: I am thankful for you, the Summers-Knoll community, for the love you give my children, the learning that goes on here that challenges the mind and cultivates the spirit, the caring that parents show to children who are not their own. I am thankful for what I learn from each of your children every time I step foot into the building. I am thankful for what I learn from the teachers and staff who I turn to for support and guidance on this rocky path of parenthood. I am thankful for joy and for things that are precious to me and for the gift of time. I am thankful for people who put their hands to the work to make this school shine and for others whose support comes from building relationships, making financial contributions and sharing with others their belief in what we can accomplish.

And finally, I am grateful for Joanna, Kim, Shan, Karen, Anita, Elaine, Susan, Renata, Jan, Jesse, Ruth and Imogen. I can't begin to extol your talents and virtues. I don't say it enough, friends, but you are loved and treasured. Thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving, all. See you next week.

Fran

McLaren Stroller Recall

2009-11-09T10:40:00.002-05:00

Hi all,

Just a quick note to let you know about a recall of the popular McLaren stroller:
It is reported that all Maclaren strollers from 1999 to present day will be involved in the recall, but we are still waiting to learn what those model numbers are.

The reason for the recall is due to children's fingertips getting amputated by the hinge on the affected strollers.

http://www.product-reviews.net/2009/11/09/maclaren-stroller-recall-childrens-fingertips-amputated/

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5587358n

Magic Carpet Concerts!

2009-10-29T12:40:00.000-04:00

From our own Johanna Eriksson, a really cool event to check out!

The Magic Carpet concerts, Nordic Weave, at 10 AM and 12 AM on Saturday, are for children, featuring Scandinavian classical music. The audience get to draw on big papers on the walls in response to the music. Everybody should bring their own magic carpets to sit on! (Blankets, pillows etc. The seating will be on the floor). IKEA has donated cookies and drinks that will be served after the concert.

Ticket price $15 per family, at Kerrytown Concert House.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, I mean School...

2009-10-14T22:18:00.000-04:00

Traffic was really a nightmare on Washtenaw today, clogged from 94 all the way up to Whole Foods. I was sitting in my car realizing that I was going to be late, hating the traffic and cursing myself for having chosen this route instead of Packard when, out of the corner of my eye I saw a van pull up next to me.

I looked over and whose fantastic smile and wave did I see but Pare Gerou's, in her own car and heading to the same spot I was...and stuck in the same traffic! Now, I drive a car that many, many people drive and I, for one, never know what kind of cars other people drive. Kids, yes, cars, no. But when she edged forward in her lane, I caught sight of her S-K magnet on the back of her car. "That's it!" I thought, "I bet she recognized me from the magnet!"

Sure enough when we caught up with each other at school and I asked her how she knew it was me, Pare said that she'd seen the S-K sign that I was sporting with pride on the back of my otherwise typical car.

I have been reading a lot lately about "tribes", communities who share a sense of connection through commonalities, ideas, purpose and the like, and I am really drawn to the idea of identity, community and support. Seeing Pare today brightened my dreary drive not only because of her friendly wave and cheerful smile, but also because it was someone familiar to me in a sea of unknown faces. I love that about our school. We are a tribe, we are a group of people drawn together because of our desire to educate our children in an open, thoughtful and compelling way. Our size as a school means that we are tight-knit. When something happy or sad happens to one of our tribe, we all feel it in some form or fashion. It's a true community, a family in many ways, a touchstone and a sense of belonging that is important to children and adults alike.

Wow, all of this from a magnet sighting on the back of a car? Yes. That experience really gave me pause and made me think of how happy I am to know you, each of you. I am happy to be able to wave at you on the road and have my kids smile when they see your S-K sticker in an unusual place (like at my daughter's daycare or in a parking lot downtown--two sightings in one week!).

So, please consider showing your tribe identity and make a space for that magnet on the back of your car (and, wash off the metal first, they stick better!). We have so much to be proud of at this school. We are passionate, creative, curious and thoughtful people who have made choices and sacrifices for our children (and, by default, ourselves) to be part of this special community. We have fantastic faculty and amazing staff and caring supporters and alumni who are all part of the S-K tribe. And our children are learning every day to create their own sense of community by recognizing diversity and similarity, of tribe by understanding and supporting what they have and tending it. I am glad I am here, thank you for being here too.

See you this weekend at Curious Epicures. And ask the wonderful Susan Carpenter about how she uses tribes in her classroom. Amazing stuff, worth exploring!

Fran

Cool event tomorrow at UM: ID Day for Natural History

2009-10-09T09:39:00.000-04:00

Here's something groovy tomorrow (Saturday, Oct 10) that your budding scientist might be into:

"Bring in your treasures and discover ours! Experts join us from the fields of paleontology, anthropology, archaeology, botany, zoology, and geology. Please bring your: shells; rocks and minerals; invertebrate fossils;Arrow heads; Shards of pottery; Vertebrate bones; Insects; Skulls; Seeds, leaves, twigs; Fish. Sorry, no appraisals."

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/exhibitmuseum

Lunar mission on Friday, Oct. 9th!

2009-10-06T21:38:00.000-04:00

Vanna Diptiman, mother of Veda in Mrs. Adhikary's class, wrote with this interesting piece of science to share:

"Thought that there might be a few other kids (and/or parents) at SK, who might be interested in the proposed double impacts of spacecraft on the Moon on Friday, October 9 on a lunar-water-finding mission! Sadly there is no local observatory in MI where the public can see the show. Regardless, more info is available at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/05oct_lcrossvg.htm?list69285

including a chance to download a specatular slideshow."

Thank you, Vanna, for passing this on and please, other parents, share if you have something to post to the parent blog. Together we will have even more fun and enriching things to share with our children.

Welcoming Fall with Moon Cakes and Lights

2009-09-30T21:58:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note about an upcoming event!

My friend Linh Song works with the Mam Non Organization and they are putting on a most fantastic sounding Mid-Autumn Moon Festival on Friday, October 2nd. It's a wonderful way to welcome Fall, eat the most wonderful Moon Cakes and enjoy a breathtaking lantern parade (200 Vietnamese lanterns at night!) You can find out more about it here: http://www.mamnon.org/ Enjoy!

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Friday October 2, 2009
6:30-9:00PM
6:45PM (Teen and Pre-Teen Meetup)
Three Cedars Farm
7897 Six Mile Rd.
Northville, MI 48167

Mooncakes
Crafts
Lantern Parade
Hayride
Corn Maze
Bonfire
Facepainting

Performers
Storytelling by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang
Breakdancers
Pair of Bananas

Feed others with your brain

2009-09-14T14:47:00.000-04:00

This is a site that is so geared to kids that like to challenge themselves and help out at the same time. My friend send me an email with a link, so I thought I would pass it on:

***
I just came across this cool site today. Many of you may have already
seen this, but I thought it was pretty neat. Basically you go to
www.freerice.com and you can take a number of quizzes (spelling, math,
etc) and for every answer you get right, they donate rice to those in
need (they are partnered with the World Food Programme)....the more you
know, the more they FEED.

I can see this being a great way to 'do good' and have fun with your
kids....and educate them about the world around them too!!!
***
Sounds like a cool project and a great way to get kids excited about using their brains for good. I love that idea: use your brain to help others. What a great idea!

Begin the Beginning of a Journey Full of Light

2009-09-13T14:13:00.001-04:00

Amid the bustle of this incredibly busy and exciting first week, I had a minute or two to gather some glimpses of what families are thinking and feeling about our community. So many of our children are new to S-K, and their excitement is palpable. Comments like "My child came home the first day and taught me what he'd learned in french, he's just soaking it up!" and "I have been amazed at the many conversations I've had with my child's teachers--already! How amazing it is that I can reach out to them with questions or just to check in." Other parents told me about the excitement their children felt about school. One student woke up at 6am every day dazzled with excitement about what lay ahead while another sighed "Isn't school WONDERFUL?" as she rested in the evening with her brother. Time and again, I heard parents say that this school feels meant for their child in all the right ways.

For students new and old, this is a tremendous time of discovery. Reading Renata's blog gives me chills when I think of the diversity of things students in her classroom took to explore last week.Walking through the lunchroom and seeing Ruth's diagrams of geometric patters found in North African art demonstrates the synergy in learning here. It's not just math or art or writing or science, each in their own separate silos. It is the weaving of learning across all of these disciplines, the warp and woof of a student's learning and the creativity and joy of discovery. (I suggest subscribing to all of the blogs, even if it's not your child's classroom--it's so exciting to see what everyone is doing!)

Leaving the picnic in the park today, I was struck by the faces I love seeing and the many friendships we have forged over the past year. But, I have a confession to make. When we were considering where to send David to school, I was anxious about not choosing our neighborhood school. "Will he still have friends in the neighborhood? Will he miss being able to walk to school every day? How will it be with him having friends all over?"...all of these thoughts would work their way into my mind on a daily basis. I was most worried that he would have to choose between a community at school and another in our neighborhood. Today as I watched my little guy race down the soccer field with teammates from our neighborhood team and then, not much later, defend "Water World" with buddies from school, I realized that my concerns were for naught as he truly has the best of both and, for that, we feel incredibly lucky.

So, thank you, again, for being part of this community of ours, special as it can be. Here's to an auspicious start to a really fabulous year!

Fran

Have a Little Time to Research Grant Options?

2009-09-09T08:18:00.004-04:00

Hi all,

We need a volunteer to research grant opportunities to fund programs and scholarships at Summers-Knoll. You can either do an online search through the Foundation Center or go to the NEW Center (where there is a librarian to help). If you are also interested in grant writing (or learning to write grants), that would be a huge plus too.

The time commitment would likely be 8-10 hours, but can be spread out over days.

If you have time to help with this important initiative, please email Fran Loosen at fran.loosen(at)gmail.com. Thanks for getting involved!

Welcome, welcome one and all!

2009-09-06T12:54:00.000-04:00

Hello Parents and welcome to Summers-Knoll!

My name is Fran Loosen and I am mother to David, a 1st grader in Ms. Anita's class and a member of the Board of Directors. I also dabble a little bit here on the parent blog as a way to keep the parent community engaged from a "parent's" perspective.

It's hard to believe that Tuesday is the first day of school. I am sure for many of you it's hard to believe that your child is embarking on a new experience in a new learning environment. As filled with intrepidation as these first days can be, our community of teachers, staff, parents and students is here to welcome you!

If you are new to the school or have been at S-K for years, you may notice some excitement in the air this year. We have opened a new (second) K/1 classroom, we are blending new faculty with our fabulous core team of talented teachers, we have gained even more visibility in our local community for what an incredibly special and amazing place S-K is for children and parents alike.

My son David came here for his first year last year. In Elaine's capable hands, he had one of the most important years in his personal development. He literally ran into school every day, smile on his face, eager to learn and explore. He met amazing and wonderful friends and grew so much in a year that we could barely keep up with him. His experience was an amazing amalgamation of great teaching, a warm and thoughtful community, progressive pedagogy and a spirit of discovery that has kept his mind and person engaged and excited. His experience brings a strange yearning to me, making me wish that I had had this same opportunity when I was small...to love learning and feel challenged, to be appreciated for talents, to learn to work as a community and support each other's gifts and strengths. This is a truly special spot at a very important time in a child's life and I am thankful, every day, that David has this school to call his learning home.

So welcome to S-K. In the coming weeks, I hope to meet and connect with every new family and reunite with all returning ones. In the meantime, if you have any parent-related questions, do *not* hesitate to email me at fran.loosen(at)gmail.com. And, please sign up to follow the blog so you can keep up with what is going on in the parent community. Welcome!

Progressive Education: Why It's Hard to Beat, Why S-K's got it.

2009-06-04T14:27:00.004-04:00

One of the topics that came up at the recruitment/marketing meeting last night was how to define "progressive education". For those of you interested in learning more about the meaning of the term and how it is the basis for the curriculum and culture of our community at S-K, there is a great article by Alfie Kohn that talks about the value and values of progressive education from the magazine Independent School.

Progressive Education: Why It’s Hard to Beat, But Also Hard to Find

http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/progressive.htm

There is another good entry about progressive education on wikipedia (although obviously the editors feel like it came from another source). I particularly like the bullets that describe the qualities of progressive ed...you can really see how this takes root and becomes manifest in our classrooms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_education

When I've tried to describe the magic of S-K in the past, I usually wander around in words until I finally say "you really have to see it in action to believe it!" I hope that these articles help others as much as they have helped me to be able to make the culture of the school concrete and real for others.

If you have any other great articles on progressive ed, brigh/creative/gifted children and learning, please pass them on. Thanks!

Money Without Thinking About It, Recruitment and Adieu

2009-06-03T16:02:00.006-04:00

Hi Families,

It's incredible to me that the end of the year is upon us. The whole school came to the lunchroom today for a demonstration on Tunisian cooking (hand-rolled couscous in olive oil, gorgeous sauce made with olives, preserved lemons and harissa facilitated by Ari Weinzweig (Zingerman's) and Majid and Onsa Mahjoub) and as I looked out across all of the beautiful faces, my throat caught a bit. What incredible children make up this community. Smart, interesting, sweet, loving, spunky, articulate, gentle, generous, courageous. All of these things and more. It's a pretty inspiring group of kiddos who will make a tremendous impact on the world in the near and far term. That's why our family is part of this community and that's what makes it hard to say goodbye until next year. I hope to see many of you at summer camp and we should try to have a gathering at some point just for fun to reconnect and tell stories of what our lives are like in the lazy days of summer.

***
Recruitment: But before everyone packs up their assessments and idea books and heads off for a summer of fun, I wanted to say that if you have any fantastic ideas for recruiting highly-qualified and spectacular kids for our (2nd) K/1 and our 4/5 classrooms this summer, please do not hesitate to either give me a call or email me at fran.loosen (at) gmail.com. Your ideas have been *fantastic* so far and we are hitting the ground running pursuing many of them. No idea is too out of the box, keep the creative juices flowing. We will have to prioritize our activities, but your input and insight is great. For those of you coming to the recruitment meeting tonight, thank you! Your energy is much appreciated.

***
Free Money: I am a real Sally-come-lately but somewhere in there I missed that Summers-Knoll is a beneficiary of the Take Charge for Education program at Target and figured others might be too, so I'm going to mention it here on the off-chance that others are reading this. It's pretty cool. You use Target's credit card and they contribute 1% on all your Target purchases or 1/2% on all other purchases back to the school. For years I've played the airline miles game and have always paid annual fees for miles I rarely use. This year maybe I'll see how this works to support S-K without even really thinking about it.

If you have found opportunities for the school to benefit from this somewhat passive fundraising, please let us all know. Remember that goodsearch and goodshop are still great options. Every little bit counts.

***
Finally: To our teachers, staff and volunteers...you are simply amazing. Thank you. You make such an important impression on the lives of these children. They are uplifted by your intelligence and warmed by your kindness. There's just not enough time or data storage space to say to thank you for all that you do and for the many instances of care and compassion that go unrecognized. You are a true gift.

Safe travels and happy summer to you all. I will keep putting things up here during the summer just as a way to stay in practice, but I hope to get other parents involved in this blog and *really* hope to get a PTO of sorts up and running. If you are interested in helping out (or, I could just find you) please let me know. It's a great way to socialize with families and to help the school grow.

Eudaimonia, parent volunteers and on and on...

2009-05-12T21:40:00.006-04:00

It's horrifying to realize it's been 5 weeks since the last parent blog post. Sorry to anyone out there reading and hoping to catch up on what's been going on at school that may relate to parents. First, I hope that everyone enjoyed our first kinda-fancy, really fun fundraiser, Eudaimonia. Joanna has lots of good thank yous on her blog so I won't repeat them here, but I will say that there was a moment when I looked up at parents, staff and board members running around, decorating, putting things into place and making this gorgeous event and thought "WOW! This is utterly amazing!" People were fully into the work. Delightful pictures were being hung on walls, tables were being set with vibrant orange cloth, our own children's art work was being displayed...all in a great act of care and anticipation of a great evening. I was proud of what we were able to accomplish together and felt an even greater connection to the Summers-Knoll community than I had before.

But it also demonstrated to me that parents are more than willing and able to help make things work for the school, especially if they are given an important role. One of the Board members was mentioning at the last meeting that S-K used to have a very vibrant PTO and maybe it's time for that PTO to come back. Parents are a critical element to the success of the school...could there be a great way to organize efforts so that parents can be involved in activities that engage their interests and skills in the best way possible? But creating something like a PTO has to come from the parent community. What would be the best way to think about it/make it happen? How about this being a topic at an upcoming parent coffee?

Finally, we have a fantastic group of parents coming in to the school next year (as well as some we hope will be recruited in the following months--keep your recruiting caps on!). I know one of the biggest draws for our family was the parent community at S-K. What are some ideas for bringing new parents and kids into our community in ways that make them feel welcome, engaged and appreciated? If you have a good idea, please share it here or talk about it at the parent coffee.

Thanks again to all of you who either came to Eudaimonia or helped in some form or fashion. If you have feedback on how the event went, please feel free to email me at fran.loosen (at) gmail.com and I will pass it on to the development committee, or (of course) reach out to Joanna or the staff.

Enjoy the weather, have a wonderful week.

Earth Day Benefit: Dance for the Earth

2009-04-02T22:08:00.003-04:00

Our very own teaching wonder, Susan Carpenter, alerted us to this great event in town: the 5th Annual Earth Day Benefit "Dance for the Earth".

Saturday, April 25th from 8 - 11p.m. at Downtown Home and Garden. Here is more info: http://www.ecocenter.org/events/introduction.php

(Psst...as a side note, Susan was one of the people who worked on a very cool quilt that is part of a silent auction and we hear reports that it actually turned out GORGEOUS...)

Powwow: April 4th and 5th

2009-03-29T08:49:00.004-04:00

Miina Ohman sent in this great event that is happening on April 4th and 5th: 37th Annual Ann Arbor Powwow: Dance for Mother Earth

From the website: Powwows are gatherings that Native American people use as a place to meet, dance, sing and otherwise renew and strengthen our rich culture. These gatherings are held year–round and many Native people travel great distances to attend them. The Ann Arbor Powwow is one of the largest student–run powwows in the country, with more than 1,000 of North America’s greatest singers, dancers, artists and craftspeople.

http://www.umich.edu/~powwow/index.html

If you've never been to a powwow, it's breathtaking. The dancers and their regalia (not costumes!) are beautiful and intricate and made with incredible skill, the tradition of Native American dance is amazing and the feeling of community is palpable. More information on the dancing, drumming and outfits are at http://www.umich.edu/~powwow/visitors/regalia.html.

Hope to see you there. Thanks, Miina, for the idea!

Robot Invasion, Luckiness and Moon Wolf(s) and More!

2009-03-22T18:46:00.013-04:00

UPDATE: Sorry it's been so long since we've had a parent's blog post. It's long (sorry) but we have *lots* of catching up to do!

***

ROBOT INVASION: I just saw this on the 826Michigan site through friend Myra Klarman...anyone interested in going to the robot creating party together? (in italics from the 826Michigan site)

Robot-Costume-Building Workshop & FestiFools invasion!
Sunday, April 5, 2009, 1pm.

First off, if you are unfamiliar with FestiFools, please check out their website here.

FestiFools is, basically, one of our favorite Ann Arbor events. Imagine ten-foot-tall papier mache puppets taking over Main Street in their very own parade. Imagine drummers, and dancers, and a huge crowd gathered to watch the festivities. Now you’ve got the general IDEA, but honestly, it is one of those “have to see it to believe it” kind of events.

This year, we’re staging a (parade-sanctioned) Robot Invasion of the FestiFools parade.

Join us at 826michigan on Sunday, April 5, at 1pm. Robot builder/collector/artist Elaine Reed will guide you (and your family and friends!) as you make your very own, one-of-a-kind robot costume(s). Then, shortly before the parade starts at 4pm, we’ll walk up the block and join the fun as honorary Festifoolians.

This family friendly event is open to the public and completely free! Please email amy@826michigan.org to reserve your spot(s) in the workshop.

FestiFools is not to be missed either. It's FANTASTIC! http://festifools.org/ A must-see. A carnival of coolness right in your own town.

***

LUCKINESS: I'd be a fool if I didn't plug S-K's 50/50 raffle. The deal is that S-K is selling (legally, mind you!) 200 raffle tickets at $200 each. "WHOA!", you say, "that seems like a lot of dough!" Hmmm...$200 for a chance to win $20,000. $20,000 is a good chunk of someone's salary for the year, it's an amazing vacation, it's a nice nest egg. And, people can go in on the ticket price together. Four people contribute $50 and have the chance to split the winnings.

But this is the cool thing about the raffle. First, the chance is to win 50% of the incoming cash. So that's $20,000 in someone's pocket if we sell all 200 tickets. Second...that's $20,000 in S-K's coffers to offset costs for next year that aren't made up by tuition (think scholarships, think salaries, think electricity and think field trips...). As we all know, the tuition doesn't cover all of our expenses, no matter how lean we are. So, if you know 5 people who you can ask to buy a ticket (and, you'd be surprised at how many people are interested...one family is has sold 12 and counting), get them engaged while the getting is good. If we don't sell all 200, we still split the proceeds 50/50 with the winner either way.

Forms will be coming out in your mail box to order tickets, but you can also have interested folks send checks to Summers-Knoll and Kim will send out the tickets for you. Thanks!

***

MOON WOLF(S): Have you had a chance to see the chicken-skin-raising gorgeousness of the Moon Wolf book that Summers-Knoll is publishing? Moon Wolf was a brilliant collaboration between our incredibly talented Joanna Hastings and children from across the school. Joanna's written about the experience of creating the work with the children and Ruth and James Marks (and Melissa Bruzzano and our own Kim Guizel) but you really must see it to believe it. In addition, we are going to be selling framed prints of the artwork and celebrating the book's launch at our Eudaimonia event on May 9th at the Ann Arbor Art Center (oh yeah, it's going to be soooo cool). But, the current run of the book is limited, so please get in your forms to make sure you get all the copies you need for doting grandparents, impressed aunties, creative nieces/nephews and more. An order form went home with you last week and orders will be filled first come, first served.

***

RECRUITMENT: Finally, hats off to Joanna and the staff for welcoming so many interested families to S-K this Spring. The school's goal is to fill all 48 slots with wonderful candidates this year and you, as S-K families, are the *best* ambassadors the school has. So please, keep the recruitment going! It is definitely the lifeblood of the school and the way we will continue to grow this fantastic place for young minds. We really need to make this happen.

Being a small school, we are not as well known in the community as other private schools, so the more you can talk up the school to friends, colleagues and anyone who will listen, the more we will become known. Word of mouth recommending goes farther than any other form of marketing.

One of the best ways to get people to know S-K is to invite them to our summer camps. As our summer camps are open to the general public, they offer the community a chance to get to know the school without having to enroll. And, summer camp provides S-K with critical revenues that help supplement our ongoing fundraising needs. So helping to recruit for summer camp is like helping to fund the school year 'round. We want to fill every slot in the camp this year, so spread the word far and wide.

****

If you have any ideas to share on the parent blog, or want to get involved in any parent-related activities, please don't hesitate to email Fran Loosen at fran (at) loosen-giardino.com. Thanks, as always, for your great support of S-K. What a wonderful community we have!

Don't Miss Brick Bash

2009-02-16T10:51:00.004-05:00

This came off of a local online parents group, Arborparents (a very cool group, if you are interested):

Brick Bash is Saturday, March 21, 11am-5pm, and it's still free! The
location is the Courthouse Square Apartments at 100 South Fourth, as Huron.
This is the same building Performance Network and was once the Ann Arbor
Inn.

Brick Bash (www.BrickBash.com) is a public LEGO building exhibition produced
annually by Bricks for Brains (www.BricksForBrains.org). There will be LEGO
models built by both adults and kids, trains, free robotic lessons, and
piles of LEGO, Duplo and Bionicle to play with.

Volunteers are needed, and I believe high schoolers can meet their community
service requirements because Bricks for Brains is a 501c3 nonprofit
organization.

[P.S. The coordinator, Duane, also said that if people want to display their LEGO creations at the event they can contact him at duane (at) collicott.com. Since it's a month away, perhaps there is a group from S-K that would want to create something to submit?]

Way cool opportunity to check out a pipe organ!

2009-02-09T22:39:00.002-05:00

Hello parents, there is a cool free event for kids to learn how a pipe organ works.
How often do you get to understand how a pipe organ works as explained by an engineer? Thanks, Sunny, for this heads up! Please be sure to send things to share with the parent community our way and we will post it to the blog!

..........................................................
Detroit engineer and organist Stephen Warner will demonstrate how the pipe organ works in a special presentation for children between 8 and 12 years of age. Elementary and middle schools in the Ypsilanti, Willow Run, and Ann Arbor areas have been notified about this unique extra-curricular event. All kids are invited to register for this rare opportunity! Register online at ypsipipes.org/register.php .

The location is First Presbyterian church of Ypsilanti at 300 North Washington Street, Ypsilanti. The time of event is 10 am on Saturday, Feb 21.

Sports Things--Need help coordinating teams!

2009-01-24T16:29:00.005-05:00

We just got a notice in the mail about opportunities for kids to play soccer through Rec and Ed. The teams are assigned based on their public school attendance areas, or private school teams can be formed if the grade/registration requirements are met and 9 players are on a team. I don't think we will be able to fill a whole team from any of the grades (single gender teams from a single grade), but there may be alternative options such as forming a combo team with another school.

Priority registration runs until Feb 5th. If there is anyone who is interested in taking on investigating this as an option, I am sure that would be welcome from many parents. Any takers?

If you are interested in learning more, you can also visit www.aareced.com for more info.

On a side note, David (my son-K) and Toussaint (1) are both playing basketball at the Y. They are on different teams, but have really been excited to be doing this "together". I know for David, having a buddy who is also into basketball has made him super-excited about participating, which is something he wasn't particularly into even last year. I hope we can create opportunities for our kids to play team sports with each other and make this an exciting and enjoyable part of their time at S-K.

Please email me at fran.loosen (at) gmail.com if you are willing to help research options for these kinds of student sports opportunities.

100% in More Ways Than One

2009-01-12T19:35:00.007-05:00

Joanna just wrote a lovely post thanking parents and all contributors for their support of S-K through the annual campaign, but I wanted to take a minute to make a special mention of the staff and their commitment to our children.

Our teachers and staff give 100% of their effort to our kids. You can see it in the way they manage and redirect children in the classroom, the high fives kids get when the group does something spectacular, the smile that comes across their faces when the lightbulb goes on. I can't begin to imagine how hard the work of challenging the minds and diverse personalities of our fantastic kids must be. Days must be tiring and sometimes challenges must outweigh the gains. But each in her or his own way keeps things moving forward, building a wonderful learning experience for a group of creative and excited children who will carry this love of learning and their memories of this special place far in life. It's beyond a job, and that's the 100% effort that is so evident.

So I was incredibly touched and overwhelmed this year when 100% of the staff and teachers gave of their own personal funds to support the school. To me, this message said "We believe in your children, we believe in this school and what it offers to kids, we believe that this is not only worth the investment of our time and emotion, but of our money as well." Wow. It's pretty amazing to realize that people are willing to support your children in such a meaningful way.

So thank you, staff and teachers, for all you do and for all the value you bring to the lives of our children. And thank you for giving 100% across the board. Your commitment helps to make this school ever more strong and vibrant. There is nothing we can't achieve if we work together and we are so happy to take this journey with you.

A few cool things coming up

2009-01-12T13:53:00.005-05:00

Just to let everyone know of a few cool things coming up.

January 15 tickets go on sale for Maya Angelou, who will be giving a talk in Detroit on March 18 at 7:30. She is fantastic. If you decide to go, let me know and perhaps we can buy tickets together.

January 19, U of M is having its annual MLK celebration. It is suppose to be fantastic and it is free. They have MLK centered children's activities all day long from 8:30 to 3:00 (you can drop your child off and food is provided and it is free). Nicholas will be there as will David Giardino. The site to pre-register your child is umich.edu/-tauep/MLKDay.hml.

January 22, local "Lost Boy" from Sudan will be speaking after a showing of the 2004 PBS documentary on the Civil War in Sudan - this is an amazing story and the speaker, Jacob Atem, should be a great speaker.

MLK Day Children and Youth Program at UM

2009-01-10T16:22:00.000-05:00

The wonderful and connected Melissa Bruzzano pointed out that UM has a very cool (did I mention free? 8:30-3:00?) MLK Day program for children aged K-12. Pre-registration is recommended. If your child is K-12, s/he can attend on her/his own. Children under 4 have to be accompanied by a parent.

If you are thinking of going, please leave a note in the comments and I can contact UM to see if we can get a spot together or you can buddy up with another person in the comments. Here's a note from the event coordinators on groups participating:

If your child is planning to come with, or meet up with, a friend we can place them in the same classroom, as long as the request is indicated clearly on the registration form. Buddies are limited to two per registered name. Large groups of names will be split randomly to even out the same age-group size. We try to keep group sizes under 15. Assigned rooms will NOT be switched the day of the event.