Let There Be Sun!

The weather finally, finally opened up...on the last full day of school. We've got sunshine and blue skies and believe it or not, warmer temperatures. Whew! We thought for certain that summer got lost and we'd never, ever see it.

But finally it's here and with one day (well, half a day) left, we move the girls onto their 6th grade year. Some of them will be staying at SGS and others will be moving on. New girls will join this class next year. And over the summer, all the girls will continue to grow and change. It's been fun to be a part of their education, but also of their lives on so many other levels.

We wish all of you a gloriously relaxing summer and we hope you find time in your busy schedules to really enjoy each other. This has been a wonderful group of girls and we're so very grateful we spent this past year with them. Thank you.

Now get out there and enjoy the summer. It may not be here for very long!

Ms. GreNini

Moving Up

Well, the summer weather seems to have gotten lost on its way around the world, so our plan to hold the moving up ceremony at Powell-Barnett Park has been changed to the 8th grade lab at SGS. The 8th graders will have moved on so the teachers have generously allowed us the use of their large classroom. This should provide us with ample space to spread out, eat some fine food, and celebrate the end of the year.

Your daughters should have given you an invitation they designed for the Moving Up Ceremony, but somehow we imagine those invitations didn't make it all the way home (perhaps they're out there with the warm, summer weather!).

So here are the details:

When: Thursday, June 12 from 11:00-1:00
Where: Seattle Girls' School 8th Grade Lab
What to Bring: If you daughter's last name begins with
A-M Please bring a Main Dish
N-Z Please bring a salad, bread, and/or chips
We'll supply plates, cups, utensils, beverages, and DESSERT!

We know that it's difficult to attend events in the middle of a work day, but if you can break away for awhile, that would be wonderful. If not, we completely understand.

We hope to see you there! Even more so, we really hope it's sunny out. Regardless, we will be in the 8th grade lab!

Ms. GreNini

What You Find

Julia holds up a snake's skin she found buried under rocks at Silk Purse Farm.

The last two weeks of school are always a whirlwind of "finishes"... finishing up the math packet, finishing up a poem, finishing up growing up...well, for now anyway. Last week, we ventured to Peggy's farm to work again with her horses, but unlike our trip at the beginning of the year, this trip was much more a summation of the changes we've all been through during our year together.

As Julia's picture illustrates, what you find when you really look are often amazing surprises. We asked the girls to reflect on their growth during the year and then, while they worked with Peggy, to focus on that growth and their goals for the future. They wrote letters to Peggy who reported to us (since we promised we wouldn't read them) how amazing and insightful their words were. At the end of the session, we asked the girls to write one word that best described their growth for the year. From that word they wrote a poem that illustrated this growth and titled the poem with the word they chose. We now have a stack of amazing poems with titles such as "confidence," "unique," "wise," and "proud."

We're very proud of all the growth each and every girl has made this year. They have grown as students and as people, but in turn, they have taught us many, many things...too many to list, but lessons we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.

They've taught us patience.
They've taught us to hope in the face of fear.
They've taught us that when your frustrated, it's best to laugh at yourself...just a little bit.
They've taught us that there is not failure, only an opportunity to try again.
They've taught us that there's nothing so miserable that good cup of cocoa cannot overcome.
They've taught us to take care of the earth they will soon inherit.
They've taught us to care about each other even if you struggle with the other because someday you may need them.
They've taught us to look inside and find out our motivation in life.
They've taught us to be silly.
They've taught us to be serious.
They've taught us to model the behavior we expect.
They've taught US to be stewards, to take responsibility for our choices, to feel compassion no matter how painful it can be, and most importantly, to take action when we perceive injustice.

When you spend a lot of time together, working as a community, the road may some days be bumpy, but it can also be rewarding despite the challenges. In fact, it's amazing what you find inside yourself and inside others when you face challenges together. It is truly amazing what you find.

After Culmination

Yes, we know that Culmination is next Tuesday and that perhaps thinking about it being over is premature, but there are still two-plus weeks after May 27 and we have a lot planned as we finish up the year.

First, the school Talent Show is Wednesday, May 28 at 1:15 in the Community Meeting Room. The girls have been practicing their guitar pieces and will be performing at that time.

Second, we head back to Peggy's farm on Friday, May 30. This is an all-day event. We will leave promptly at 8:30 so please have your daughters dressed and ready for the day (warm layers, sack lunch, and close-toed/appropriate shoes) and please, do your best to be on time.

Next, on Tuesday, June 3 the girls will be beach naturalists for students from Puesta del Sol at South Alki. Again, they'll need to dress appropriately and bring a sack lunch and close-toed shoes -- boots are preferable for the tidepools.

Fourth, on Thursday, June 12 we'll have our Moving Up Ceremony at Powell Burnett Park (rain or shine!) from 11:00-1:00. Families need to bring a potluck dish and we'll provide plates, cups, napkins, utensils, and desserts! At that time we'll celebrate the year and wish the girls all the best in their 6th grade year! It will be a time to visit with families and remember those moments throughout the year that have shaped us all.

That night (Thursday, June 12) is 8th grade graduation. Everyone is invited and it's a great event for the younger students as they get to see their 8th grade friends move on as well as picture themselves in those chairs on the stage in just a few years.

Finally, the last day of school is Friday, June 13 and it's an early release day (12:30 with no after care). I know that CAP and families are organizing a celebration for the 5th graders at a pool after that so watch your email for announcements. Thanks for organizing all of that. We know the girls are very excited about the end of the year and their time of play together!

Culmination is fast approaching and we know the girls are excited and nervous about the big event. We have no doubt they'll rise to the occasion and give a stellar performance. We ask that they get lots of rest this weekend (if at all possible) and come in Tuesday ready to go. Students need to be at the Aquarium at 5:30. We know this can be an imposition, but we ask that families and friends not enter the Aquarium until we invite you in as we have set up to perform in between the time the Aquarium closes (5:30) and when our Culmination begins (6:30). We have it down to the most minimal of set ups so you won't have to hang out for too long...we hope!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend and we'll see all of you next Tuesday for Sea. S. I!

Ms. GreNini

Stages of Life

Four years ago, when I first arrived at Seattle Girls’ School, I was offered a wonderful opportunity to create the new 5th grade curriculum. After a long time in the trenches of public education, it was a joy to actually decide which direction my students’ learning should head. In addition, I was offered a chance to put into place ideas I’d had for years about the best ways to teach stewardship to young people.

Teaching has always been a creative endeavor for me – a balance between science and art. I love to design lesson plans, take kids out into their communities to understand the natural connections, and bring inspiring stewards into the classroom. I love to brainstorm ways to teach a specific concept or create projects that get kids involved on levels they normally wouldn’t – through art, through drama, through physical activity.

But all the creative energy I’ve put into my teaching over the past 22 years, has depleted my own creative well. While teaching is a passion I’ve pursued for a long time, I have other passions in my life that have been placed on the back burner. One of them is writing. I’ve been writing, in one form or another, for most of my life, but have never seen myself as a “writer” until a few years ago when I earned my MFA in Creative Non-fiction. At that time I decided that even though I’ve never really been published, it was okay to call myself a writer in a quest to begin seeing myself living a writer’s life.

My other passion is animals, dogs specifically. 15 years ago I almost left teaching to become a dog trainer, but I wasn’t sure if I was willing to leave the teaching of children to pursue a whole new career. Now I am. Working with Rubin in the classroom has brought me back to my original instincts that sometimes the best teachers walk on four legs, not just two. So, in addition to creating more space in my life to write, I’ll be apprenticing with two fabulous dog trainers in Woodinville.

I am both excited and sad about leaving SGS. I will miss the kids the most and of course, my esteemed colleagues (Nini in particular!). I will miss the silliness and drama of middle school girls and their amazing belief in their power to change the world. I will miss the field trips and even Culminations (though not the prep work involved!). Even the tough stuff I will miss, believe it or not.

I’m not sure what the future will hold, but it’s time to find out. At least, that’s what I tell myself in the early morning hours when I panic about by decision to leave teaching. I won’t be a stranger to SGS, though. This place is in my blood and I imagine, in one way or another, I will always be involved with the school and the community. Rubin will want it that way and I’m certain, I will too.

Thank you to all the families, past and present, who have not only trusted me with your daughters’ educations, but have also been supportive of me as a teacher and a person. This has been my best teaching experience ever and I’m so glad I found SGS at the end of my career. It’s a great way to leave the stage.

We’ll see what happens on the next stage…

Check it out!

On the right of this blog you will find the Culmination Invitation! Click on the link and you'll be transported to a rough copy of our invitation. Pass the link onto friends and families and anyone else you'd like to invite to our final culmination of the year!

See you there!

Field Trip Alert!

We have two field trips coming up and wanted to ALERT all families as to the expectations!

On Monday, May 5 we'll head to Carkeek Park. We'll leave school around 9:45, explore the beach from 10:30-noon, eat a picnic lunch (therefore the girls should bring a portable, sack lunch), and then head back to school around 1.

PLEASE remind your daughters to bring a sack lunch, dress in layers, and wear shoes that can get wet!

Next, on Thursday, May 8 we'll head to South Alki Beach at 11:30 (after a brunch in class), explore the beach from noon-1:30 and head back to school around 1:45 at which time the girls can finish up their lunches.

And again, PLEASE remind your daughters to bring a sack lunch/brunch (we'll be eating in the classroom), dress in layers, and wear shoes that can get wet!

Thanks for your support and your "gentle" reminders to the girls to come prepared for each field trip. While the weather looks promising, after this year of late snow and chilly winds, anything is possible!

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us!

Ms. GreNini

Solving Problems

We've put our expert team on the technical difficulties and while they've been unable to solve the Class Photos link, they have figured out the Weeklies link. Therefore, you will find the most current Weekly listed, but not the most current photos.

Good job, team! Keep at it and hopefully we'll be able to post more photos.

Solving problems is kind of what life is all about, isn't it? For instance, just this morning I had to figure out how to get these organic bags of cinnamon poured into my old, empty spice bottle. The cinnamon wasn't cheap so every sprinkle on my counter was money down the drain. But using my old noggin, I realized I could put the bottle in a container (so the container was underneath) and catch the sprinkles without losing them on the floor. It worked beautifully and though it may not be "changing the world," it made my life a lot easier, saved me time and clean up, and in the end, saved me some money.

We try to challenge our students with bigger problems than mastering the cinnamon switcheroo into the old bottle, but sometimes...sometimes life IS about those little problems and sometimes...just sometimes, the simple solutions offer us immense rewards.

This is the focus of our new unit on ACTION. There are a lot of complicated (and depressing) problems in the world. Sometimes they can feel overwhelming and so enormous it's hard to imagine making a difference or even a dent. But there are simple actions we can take and it is those simple actions that can make a world of difference.

For instance, every morning I get up and make coffee. When I'm finished, I wash out the coffeemaker for the next day's brew. All the sudden I realized, "Wow, just cleaning the coffee pot using a lot of water. What's a better solution?" After some experimentation, I was able to cut my water use (for just the coffee maker cleaning) down to about 1/10th of what I used before. Not a huge consumption issue, but as they say, every drip counts (of water and coffee!).

Next, our family decided to attempt one different environmentally friendly action a month. Last month it was purchasing biodegradable garbage bags for under the sink garbage can and this month it's trying to eliminate half of our dependence on plastic. This has meant -- no plastic bags for sandwiches, no plastic wrap on leftovers, and no use of plastic bags for produce while grocery shopping. It's been an adjustment. In fact, my parents were over this past weekend and I asked them (they are in their 80s) what they used "before" the invention of plastic.

My mother laughed. "A lot of dish towels and glass jars!"

Then my father chimed in, "Well, I remember when we went to that potluck at Charlie's house. Remember? He was an engineer and he pulled out this box and said, 'You aren't going to believe this!' and proceeded to stretch the first Saran Wrap over your casserole dish. Remember that?"

"And they thought it would make our lives simpler," my mother replied.

Living simply isn't easy. It requires some tough choices and creative problem solving. As we come to realize that our human footprint is growing larger and more devastating by the second, we'll need to change our old habits and that is never easy.

But it's worth it and as we watch our students grapple with many of the issues we've put before them, we've marveled at how they are thinking of ways to solve problems not just on a global level, but on an individual level as well.

We encourage you to have similar discussions at home about ways your family can adjus their impact on the environment. After hearing what many of you do already from your daughters, we know that you are off to a good start and we also know that those conversations really add to the girls' ability to problem solve on a large and small scale.

Technical Difficulties

As the year winds down (only 6 weeks left!), it's not surprising we're experiencing technical difficulties with this blog. I'm (Gretchen) working on posting the new weekly and uploading more photos, but at this point I may have to erase the past (so to speak) and begin again.

Stay tuned, and cross those technology lucky fingers!

Life's A Beach

We're lucky. We live in such a beautiful place of the world. With the mountains and water surrounding us, the Pacific Northwest is a magnificent place of life! This time of year is not only about learning, but it's also about exploring. While we've studied marine science in the classroom, learning about marine invertebrate phyla and threats to biodiversity, to actually go out into the world and see the natural world all around us, well, it's a whole other kind of education that takes place.

On Monday, we returned from Spring Break and headed straight to Golden Gardens Beach (thanks to the parents who drove and made this happen!). It was cold and windy, but thankfully it didn't rain. Last year, on this same beach, we were disappointed to see very few forms of life at our feet. While the absence of critters gave us a chance to reflect on the environmental pressures facing Puget Sound, it was hard when we didn't find much life out there.

This year, fortunately, the beach was looking healthier. Not only was there a diversity of creatures, but some of the animals who we worried about last year were in abundance. Being on the beach is a great chance for the girls to see real life marine invertebrates just like the ones they've been studying in class. Using their observation skills, the girls found evidence of moonsnails, a variety of sea stars, burrowing sea cucumbers and even a sea lemon!
Here Tate, Katherine, and Tiana point out a sizable red rock crab. And below, Erika points out a chiton hiding on the underbelly of a boulder.


On Wednesday, we boarded the Goodtime II and floated out into Puget Sound to explore the critters who live there even further. Again we were lucky as the weather opened up to be a beautiful spring day.

On board we pulled up plankton, examined it under the microscope, learned about scuba gear, watched a sea anemone swim away from a sea star, and got up close and personal with lots and lots of critters.Above, Jasmine helps gather a water sample... and below, the girls throw over plankton nets to gather in plankton specimens to observe under the microscopes...

























And finally, touching the critters and enjoying every minute...





More photographs will be posted on our class photos link!

And let's hope that the weather that broke loose on Wednesday (sunshine!) blesses us on the rest of our field trips to Puget Sound!

Been Awhile, But Some Important Announcements

Life and work have been swimming by. Keeping it all flowing smoothly has been our top priority and hence, this blog has not been updated recently. We apologize for that and hope to be more on top of it as the last months of school rev on by.

First, we hope you all had a nice Spring Break and got a chance to enjoy that brief sunshine and warmer temperatures. We sure hope it holds for our first week back as we have two field trips planned that will take place outside. READ CAREFULLY...

Monday, April 7:

On our first day back at school, we'll be heading to Golden Gardens beach to work with Janice from the Seattle Aquarium identifying marine invertebrates in the tidepools. The weather looks iffy so it's extremely important the girls come prepared. They will need the following:

1. A sack lunch. We will eat lunch on the beach where there are no microwaves or hot water.

2. Warm clothes in layers. We've been to the beach in pouring down rain and in warm sun and sometimes those extremes happen on the same day. Best to take layers off than have none to put on.

3. Boots or shoes (closed-toe) that are okay to get wet. We'll be walking through tidepools, mind you, and invariably, the girls get wet, wet, wet. If they don't have boots, they can bring an extra pair of socks and shoes to change into when we return to school. Warm feet are the key to staying warm and avoiding chattering teeth.

Next, on Wednesday, April 9 we'll board the Pacific Marine Research boat at 9 o'clock at the Argosy Pier. We must be in line by 8:45 so if you can drop your daughter off at the dock at 8:30 that would help us ferrying the girls to the dock on time. Some of you have already let us know (thank you), but we'd love to know where your daughter will be Wednesday morning -- at school or on the dock. One of us (of Ms. GreNini) will be at the dock meeting the girls and the other will be at school ready to ferry down the remaining girls.

In addition, the girls will need to bring the following:

1. Warm layers again. While we won't be walking around on beaches, we will be on the deck of a boat and again the weather can be unpredictable. Layers, layers, layers will avoid frozen children.

2. Another sack lunch. Again, no access to microwaves or boiling water.

3. Fizzy water, mints, Dramamine? We're on a boat. It can be rocky. Mentos works for some kids, ginger ale for others, and some need the serious anti-motion medication. Whatever it takes...please take the necessary precautions!

At the end of this boat trip, (we'll dock at 2:30) we'll take the bus home to school, but if you'd like to pick up your daughter at at the dock (2:30ish) please let us know and we'll make sure we connect you with your daughter. Otherwise, we'll hope on Metro and be back at school at 3:30.

That's it for now (but wow, it's a lot) and we look forward to the "beginning of the end" as the days will fly by in these last 2+ months.

If you have any questions or need to contact us in any way, please feel free to do so via email or phone or even drop on by. Hopefully we won't be up to our elbows in work!

See you soon!
Ms. GreNini

March 8th ...by Gretchen

I think I've written about this every year since I've started working at SGS, but whenever March lurks around the corner, I am made aware of two important events. First, is International Women's Day, which is observed on March 8th. But around this time another event occurs though the specific date is a bit more difficult to pin down. After four years of observing this event, though, I've come to acquaint it with International Women's Day though I call it Irrational Teenager Day.

It looks like this...perhaps you've seen hints of it around your house:

Scenario One: Beginning of the year...Septemberish

Student 1: Oh no, I forgot my paper.

Student 2: No worries, I have some you can borrow.

Student 1: Oh, thank you so much. I'll pay you back tomorrow.


Scenario One: March 8thish

Student 1: I don't have paper. I can't do the assignment.

Student 2: Me either.

Student 1: So, did you read about Brittney in the paper today?

Student 2: Of course I did!


Scenario Two: Septemberish

Teacher 1: Can I get a volunteer to help rearrange the tables and pick up some garbage in the classroom? (Pause) My oh my, so many volunteers to choose from.

Student 1: Can't we all help?

The rest of the class: Yeah, it's more fair that way.

Teacher 1: Okay, thanks for your help!

All students: You're welcome!

Scenario Two: March 8ish

Teacher: Can I get a volunteer to help rearrange the tables and pick up some garbage in the classroom. (Very long pause) It doesn't have to be a lot of students, just a few. (long silence) Come on, don't make me "volunteer" you. (At this point the students start to look busy, but very few of them move tables or pick up garbage)


Okay, so maybe these are a bit extreme and certainly not every student behaves this way all the time, but more and more, as the girls age, what I call 6th grade behaviors begin to emerge. These behaviors generally take on the above qualities (no longer volunteering, no longer being helpful, demanding versus asking, etc.), but they can also show themselves as a moody silence or an outrageously hyperactive immaturity. It's at this point in the year when the students realize there are more of them than there is of us. While some are still very helpful and polite, others have temporary bouts of politeness amnesia -- they've forgotten their eager, cooperate selves and have instead "matured" into dual personalities -- love/hate, kind/mean-spirited, helpful/lazy, happy/unhappy, level/moody.

Once, I was explaining this to an 8th grade parent. "Remember," I said, "When your daughter loved you one minute and hated you the next?" The parent looked at me confused and said, "I remember the hate part, but not the love part!"

She was kidding of course, but Middle School is time of great fluctuations (remember?) and often, from one minute to the next, the hormones are playing pinball inside the girls and it's difficult to know which student will emerge at any given moment -- the gentle, helpful girl or the moody, perpetually irritated girl.

What do we do at these moments?

Breathe...it's the only cure as well as relishing the times that the sweetness overwhelms the irritability, the generosity overwhelms the selfishness.

Good luck!

Special Guests

While we take a lot of field trips in 5th grade (check out the Upcoming Field Trip link), we also get some wonderful guests into our classroom as well. This week we had two special guests -- Erin McGourty from King County Wastewater Treatment plant and Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales.

Erin's presentation was about the impact of chemicals on our environment. In her presentation, Erin had the girls look at different household chemicals to check out the labeling. When those chemicals enter our habitat -- through sewers and and sewage systems -- we struggle removing them and into our Sound they go. Out of sight, out of mind? No, in actuality it enters the food chain and though it may not feel like it's our food chain, it is.

Jeff's presentation was not only informative, but entertaining. Jeff has a passion for the study of Orca Whales. His passion began in 1970 when he saw his first Orca in Denver. Denver? Well, it was actually at SeaWorld, but seeing that Orca changed his life. In fact today, Jeff is an Orca researcher spending his summers tracking local Orca and the rest of the year presenting his research (and his Orca passion) to schools all around the state.

Both presentations are part of of IMPACT unit, in which we are elbow deep, studying all the ways in which the environment struggles under the various impacts it must endure. This is not a happy unit, but not all learning is "happy" learning. Instead, we're exposing the girls to the reality of our impact hoping to inspire them to take ACTION (our final unit) or better, to become Stewards.

While this unit might be difficult emotionally, what we've found (and are even beginning to see now) is that the girls really take on the responsibility of gaining KNOWLEDGE, use that knowledge to feel COMPASSION, and with their compassion learning to take ACTION.

When we return from Mid-Winter break, we'll also begin our journey to become Beach Naturalists learning about the Marine Invertebrates of Puget Sound.

And yes, there are more field trips on the way...as the weather gets warmer, we'll be mucky around outside more and more.

Have a great vacation!
Ms. GreNini

We're Going!

Dear Families,
After we tallied the results of the NCI survey, we are happy to announce that we WILL BE GOING (March 24-26)! Thank you to everyone for taking the time to fill out the survey as well as dig deep in your pockets to fund this wonderful trip. In addition, thank you to families who provided more money for grants.

We're very excited about the trip for many reasons:

1. It's a beautiful location
2. This year they may even be snow left on the ground
3. It's a great bonding experience for the class
4. The folks at NCI are da bomb
5. The food is to die for
6. And we're super excited that the researchers from the UW may be going with us!

More details about the trip (packing lists, room assignments, etc.) will be coming soon. Also, Lee Whitford, the Naturalist from NCI will hopefully be coming to SGS to present a wonderful slideshow about Mountain School. Often they have a "parent night" as well, but we'll keep you informed as to the status of that event.

Finally, we've reserved a bus to take us to NCI so we won't need parent drivers (we're sure this is a relief as it is quite a drive...beautiful, but long!). Thanks to all of you who offered up your services.

And thanks again for making this trip possible. The girls are very excited (a bit nervous, too), but very excited. We are too!

Stay tuned,
Ms. GreNini

Processed Cheese by Ms. Gretchen

When I was a kid, I thought the word "process" had to do with cheese. My parents would say, "It's all part of the process" and in my head, I thought of huge blocks of Velveeta cheese...that rubbery, unnaturally orange cheese from which my parents made melted cheese sandwiches.

I was not a fan of Velveeta cheese and therefore, not a fan of the word "process." Not until I was in college did I truly understand the difference between process as in cheese and process as in "work to be done to complete a task or reach a goal." But even now, when I hear the word or say the word process, plastic cheese comes to mind.

Be that as it may, Term Two is all about the Writing Process -- the work needed to be done to complete an effective writing task and/or achieve a goal of a polished piece of writing. I know teachers across America teach the "writing process" of draft, edit, rewrite, draft, edit rewrite, but still students in 5th grade struggle with it. While they might be willing to write a draft of a writing assignment and perhaps even take the time to edit it and maybe just maybe rewrite it once, many of the young writers in our class are not willing to do more than one draft let alone three or four.

I try to tell the kids the story of writer Gary Paulson who's written many, many books, his most famous being "Hatchet." He claims to have rewritten "Hatchet" over 200 times, tweaking it again and again to get it just right (just write?). There's the quote from the writer Oscar Wilde who said, "I spent the whole afternoon rewriting my story. I took the word "the" out of one paragraph and hours later, put it back in."

Still, many of our students don't buy it. They don't understand that "process" means doing it again and again until the piece is exactly what you want it to be...though not exactly because there is no "exact" in terms of writing. One of my favorite writers, Terry Tempest Williams, says that you get a piece "to where you are and then you let it go." For Terry Tempest Williams this meant eight years of writing on her memoir "Refuge" and even then she claims she's not satisfied with it.

For many of the girls, getting it where they are is simply doing the writing assignment and then turning it in. They wipe their hands clean of it and give me quite the evil eye when I give them feedback and tell them to write it again. And the death looks increase if I give them even more feedback and tell them to write it one more time.

But this Term we're participating in a "Writers Workshop" that is set up to improve the girls' understanding of "process" as well as help them develop as writers. Writing Workshop works this way: The girls are given a topic (generally a broad one) and they have a week to write a short piece (1-5 pages in length). Then they bring their piece to a small group setting where they share it with their peers. They are given feedback from their classmates as well as from me, then I take the writing home and give it a more fine-toothed comb editing, circling misspelled words, adding and subtracting punctuation, and offering suggestions in the margins.

Once they receive their paper back from me, they rewrite the piece refining and expanding on their original ideas. Next, they read it again to the class and get final comments both from their classmates and from me. In between all of that, I assign another topic so they have two pieces they are working on -- one in its early stages and one in a more advanced stage. A writing coach once told me that if you want to get published, you need to have at least 13 pieces you've sent out to various publications. 13!!! Luckily for the girls, I'll only ask for perhaps 3 to be in the hopper.

The goal, of course, is that the girls will not only have produced some very good writing, but they will be very familiar with the "process" of writing. Not the cheese, mind you, but the bigger picture of process as in that hard work one must do in order to reach a goal or complete a task.

Reentry

Well, we won't lie. Reentry from Winter Break has been rough. On top of illnesses -- sore throats, stomach ailments, and fevers -- the "in-school" dismissals and security guard have made everyone feel a bit off kilter. And if that weren't enough, January is always the time of the year when the girls are wondering, "Why am I here? Who am I as an SGS student?" And then there's report cards. "What will my teachers say about me? What will my parents think? How will my LTM go?"

Oh, and let's not forget the need for independence. We've seen this a lot in class. The girls are speaking up. They're voicing their opinions, they're questioning procedures, they're asking for things to change. We laugh (sometimes) because we spend a lot of time teaching them that it's okay to question, it's okay to be apart of your learning and if that means questioning your teachers, then go ahead. Of course, teaching them to "question authority" always comes back to haunt us because now they're doing it and we must take lots and lots of time to process the questioning.

Recently, the girls asked for a class meeting without having us present. When they were done, they asked to meet with us the next day. We spent 2 hours the next morning listening to their concerns and then, for the last 15 minutes, were granted the opportunity to share our perspectives.

We're here to tell you that it was a rewarding and painful 2 hours. That afternoon, Marja carried on the discussion during Internships. She put 3 columns on the board. One labeled STUDENTS, on labeled TEACHERS and finally one labeled PARENTS. She had the girls brainstorm the responsibilities each group had in the education of the students. They did a wonderful job listing out the qualities of a good student, teacher and parent, but once had all the responsibilities listed, Marja asked them two very important questions.

First, how would they grade themselves on the qualities they listed under the STUDENT category? They were honest, but in their honesty they realized they hadn't held up their end of the bargain consistently. Especially when it came to listening.

Next she asked, if parents or teachers don't hold up their end of the bargain, is that a good reason for a student not to reach their full potential? For instance, does that mean they can't become an astronaut or a politician or a nurse or vet?

It was a brilliant follow-up to our class meeting because the girls grew in their awareness that THEY are in charge of their learning and that with this privilege comes a whole lot of responsibility.

Now, as we type this, the girls are writing their own REPORT CARDS that they will share with their families during Learning Team Meetings. Please remember that Learning Team Meetings are scheduled for Friday, February 1 and that you need to contact Ms. Jessica (jwilliams@seattlegirlsschool.org) to set up your LTM time.

We're excited for the girls to share their evaluations of their performance with you and then, later this week, compare their report cards with the ones they'll be receiving from us. We look forward to our discussions with you about your daughter's progress in 5th grade.

We won't lie. This has been a challenging group. They are all unique individuals who have tested us on many levels. But through these tests we believe everyone of us has shown growth.

Despite the bumpy reentry, we have no doubts that LTMs will set the right tone for the rest of the year.

Onward!
Ms. GreNini

Garbage!

We're kicking off a new project in 5th grade that requires the collection of garbage and recycling. We've outlined the requirements on this week's Weekly, but we wanted to let you know via email as well that bringing garbage to school is EXACTLY what your daughters should do!

All we ask is the you refrain from bringing in garbage that is, shall we say, questionable (stinky, dirty, rotting, etc.). We'll be building a map from the garbage we collect so it's important that it doesn't "sour" over time.

Additionally, we have a 2008 PACKED with Field Trips. We've posted a listing of those field trips and all corollary information. Please take a moment to check out the Field Trip Link.

Have a great weekend and save your garbage!

Ms. GreNini

Welcome to 2008

We're excited to be back for many reasons, but chief among them is the thrilling curriculum we have planned for the New Year.

Now that we've studied balanced Ecosystems and Ecology, we're heading into a new direction -- unbalanced systems and the pressures those systems face, how they deal with it, and how well they are doing under such pressure.

To begin our discussion, we’ll be watching a series of films. The first on our list is “Nanook of the North” a film shot in 1922 by Robert Flaherty. The film chronicles the life of Nanook, an Inuit from the Arctic. It’s a fascinating silent film demonstrating Nanook and his families amazing connection to the environment in which they live. We’ll use this film to kickoff our discussion of Balance and Connection and the IMPACT we have on the world around us.

Next, we’ll be showing two films that require permission from families. “Never Cry Wolf” and “The Snow Walker.” These are dramas, again set in the Arctic, exploring the difference between cultural experiences. “Never Cry Wolf” is based on writer Farley Mowat’s novel and his own experience tracking wolves in the Arctic. “The Snow Walker” was directed by the star of “Never Cry Wolf” and also based on a novel by Farley Mowat. The film explores the misconceptions of survival.

Both films are rated PG for language and some nudity and require parent permission.

If you DON’T want your child to see either or both of these two PG films, please email us back and let us know. We invite you to watch the films yourself, if you haven’t done so already and discuss the themes with your daughters.

Again, only respond to this email if you DON’T want your child to see the film or films (specify which ones) and we’ll find another activity for her to participate in.

Thanks and have a great week!
Ms. GreNini