Stewards of Our Place: Ash Street Field

Ah, Ash Street Field.... Here, we have been scientists, writers, stewards and playful. We have a sense of ownership and responsibility for this place. This role is shared with Metro, the governmental entity that owns this private-use wetland.

To further nurture our role as stewards and fill an authentic need to gage public awareness of this space, the Swallows have created a survey for public in the neighborhoods surrounding Ash Street Field.

We have collected our first round of completed surveys and have begun to analyze the information. We are identifying both what neighbors know (fact and misconceptions) and what they want to know. This will guide our information share with Metro and the public.

The students were all so professional during their interactions with neighbors!

This week, Tom Gamble from Forest Grove Parks and Rec. will visit to share more about the Emerald Necklace trailhead that borders Ash Street Field. Next week, the stewardship coordinator from Metro will meet with us and June 3rd we will have our final information share. Watch for updates...

Playing in the Mud?

While not exactly "play" or mud, making cob at Nana Cardoon's was an absolute giddy joy. Just look at their faces...

Richard guided the Swallows as they mixed soil, clay, sand and water by dancing (really.. we did the twist) to create a building material similar to adobe. With plans to create a cob bench in our school garden, we needed to have some experience with the material.

We shared our experience with our Owl buddies (Level 3, Chris) and then worked with our buddies and the cob to try and create invertebrate inspired bench models. It was messy and tricky, but we learned a lot about working as partners and the limitations of the material. Last week buddies took a step back and drew plans for their bench design. The designs are inventive and indicate applied understanding about the material.

Tomorrow we will meet with the Owls again to create 3-d models of these plans. Our goal is to propose one of these benches for the FGCS garden to be built during the VBC. We will keep you posted.

Goal!

What's Growing on in the Goal Garden?

Make sure you check out the blooms, fruits and veggies that have emerged. Each one indicates a student personal goal was met! This deserves a yippee and hooray for each one also represents the student's initiative, perseverance and collaboration with family and school community.

The front of the school will be even more beautiful because of a student goal to create a butterfly garden, and because of her peers collaboration to make it happen.

18 level 1 and 2 "LEGO- lovers" are getting together and practicing teamwork, cooperation creative expression because of a student's personal goal and the family support to make it happen.

Our community is a little cleaner because of a O&A Trash Collection Contest for level 1 and 2 coordinated by a student personal goal.

There are ongoing goals and new sprouts too (that means new goals)!

We have students who are writing chapter books, teaching science inquiry, making a documentary about volcanoes, co-teaching music with our music volunteer, teaching ballet and jazz to a group of peers, teaching drawing and coordinating a fundraiser for the ASPCA, to name a few.

Thank you again, Families, for your support! These kids see no limits!