Summer is here! Grades are being finished up...new class lists are distributed and you will all receive a welcome letter from me very soon.
Next fall will be exciting. We will have a potluck for the middle school at the end of August, home visits in the first week of September, and start up again on September 8th.
We have a new team: Nina, Amy, Kurt and myself. We will also usher in a new class/project rotation in advising, but the schedule will for the most part stay the same (other than going to semesters for the classes).
I had a wonderful year, and I am looking forward to a refreshing break and an amazing 2008-2009 school year; the "golden age" of Trillium.
Kirk
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Fourth Quarter
Happy Spring!
The fourth and last quarter begins on April 7th. New schedules will be handed out and we will be off and running.
The project fair went extremely well. Look for one more round of project exhibitions at the end of the year, more literacy (book reading and writing) through advising, and more getting out into the world!
There is outdoor school and the campout coming in May.
We have nurses from Linfield college coming to offer a series of workshops throughout the term on sex education, drug and alcohol awareness, nutrition, and more.
It is also a time when we will look in a concentrated way at how the PLP format has worked for your student and how the project-based style of the school has been successful.
My classes are largely the same with the exception of musical theater which is now back to being one of my more "standard" drama classes (Little Shop of Horrors was sadly not able to get off the ground). There are already plans in the works for next years' production(s)!
Syllabi are forthcoming and I will have due dates, performance events, field trips, campout location and sign-up options, and advising deadlines posted with more regularity as we finish up the year. Thanks!
Kirk
The fourth and last quarter begins on April 7th. New schedules will be handed out and we will be off and running.
The project fair went extremely well. Look for one more round of project exhibitions at the end of the year, more literacy (book reading and writing) through advising, and more getting out into the world!
There is outdoor school and the campout coming in May.
We have nurses from Linfield college coming to offer a series of workshops throughout the term on sex education, drug and alcohol awareness, nutrition, and more.
It is also a time when we will look in a concentrated way at how the PLP format has worked for your student and how the project-based style of the school has been successful.
My classes are largely the same with the exception of musical theater which is now back to being one of my more "standard" drama classes (Little Shop of Horrors was sadly not able to get off the ground). There are already plans in the works for next years' production(s)!
Syllabi are forthcoming and I will have due dates, performance events, field trips, campout location and sign-up options, and advising deadlines posted with more regularity as we finish up the year. Thanks!
Kirk
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Q3 and more
Well, I haven't posted in a while so here is a lot of information for you all!
1. We are into a new quarter and report cards should be arriving at your door at any moment from Q2.
2. We have been testing, and are still in the midst of it...scores have been the best ever this year for MS.
3. ALL-SCHOOL project fair is coming up on March 20th (6:30 pm). It is a mandatory part of all students' curriculum to create work for this exhibition.
4. Middle school dance on Friday, February 22nd.
5. This is a short quarter. It ends on March 21st and then spring break begins (two weeks off). So academic concern notifications are being produced this week.
6. NEW advising grade breakdown is attached below. Students have been increasingly disengaged. Part of this is the time of year, and it is cyclical. I thought that a % breakdown might help...
Thanks! More soon,
Kirk
NOTE: Advising is a block class that has three distinct sections. Clear examples and grading percentages have been assigned so that students and their families can see that time must be spent with thoughtfulness and respectful engagement.
There is rarely, if ever, a time when a student has nothing to do. All of the below listed items are happening each week. The % also allows for a pass/no pass policy to be more clearly defined (70% and above is passing).
Attendance & Participation: 50%
• On-time to class/announcements (very important)
• Current event discussions
• Buddies
• MS meeting
• Class meeting/duties
Projects, PLP work: 30%
• Fairs and exhibitions
• Choices designed by students
• Projects worked on in-class
Assigned Work: 20%
• Fridays
• Circle of Friends
• Service
• Lit. Circle
• Read Aloud
• Literacy
1. We are into a new quarter and report cards should be arriving at your door at any moment from Q2.
2. We have been testing, and are still in the midst of it...scores have been the best ever this year for MS.
3. ALL-SCHOOL project fair is coming up on March 20th (6:30 pm). It is a mandatory part of all students' curriculum to create work for this exhibition.
4. Middle school dance on Friday, February 22nd.
5. This is a short quarter. It ends on March 21st and then spring break begins (two weeks off). So academic concern notifications are being produced this week.
6. NEW advising grade breakdown is attached below. Students have been increasingly disengaged. Part of this is the time of year, and it is cyclical. I thought that a % breakdown might help...
Thanks! More soon,
Kirk
NOTE: Advising is a block class that has three distinct sections. Clear examples and grading percentages have been assigned so that students and their families can see that time must be spent with thoughtfulness and respectful engagement.
There is rarely, if ever, a time when a student has nothing to do. All of the below listed items are happening each week. The % also allows for a pass/no pass policy to be more clearly defined (70% and above is passing).
Attendance & Participation: 50%
• On-time to class/announcements (very important)
• Current event discussions
• Buddies
• MS meeting
• Class meeting/duties
Projects, PLP work: 30%
• Fairs and exhibitions
• Choices designed by students
• Projects worked on in-class
Assigned Work: 20%
• Fridays
• Circle of Friends
• Service
• Lit. Circle
• Read Aloud
• Literacy
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