Dear Tree Swallow Families,
First of all, I hope you took advantage of yesterday's absolutely perfection to get outdoors and play, discover something new in your backyard and get a good dose of vitamin D. Today on the other hand, is made for catching up with reading, baking cookies (perhaps for some hammy teacher that you know..:) and for some of us work (for those of us, work is not really "work", right?).
Here we are with just 7 days of this fabulous school year left. Oh and it has been a fabulous year. I have been working to create a Tree Swallow yearbook, compiling highlights from the year. I really tried to focus on key projects, events and studies, hoping to keep production costs and time to a minimal. Last night I was at 26 pages and, like that drum-rolling rabbit, "still going and going...."
About 10:00 pm the program closed unexpectedly, loosing about half of what I had just created; I like to think it was the universes way of offering some perspective.
We have had a year filled with meaningful and authentic projects, relationship building and remarkable creativity. To truly capture this, the yearbook might have to be upwards of 50 pages or " you had to be there". I will do my best to create a summary memento of this year.
One of our most authentic projects just culminated this last Thursday. Recall that the Tree swallows have been stewards and students of a local seasonal wetland, we call Ash Street Field. This space is managed by Metro and will border one of the trailheads for the FG Emerald Necklace Trails. The Swallows wondered what the surrounding neighbors knew and wanted to know about Ash Street Field. We worked together to create a survey and planned how and where this survey would be distributed. We distributed surveys door-to-door, providing many Swallows an authentic opportunity to practice and refine public speaking skills. A few weeks later, the survey came back to us and we worked together to extract and analyze the information.
What did the public know? What misunderstandings did they have? What were their questions? This guided expert group research topics to create our brochure and our information share. The Tree Swallows also created a presentation visual: an informational mural of Ash Street Field out of painted paper. It is gorgeous!
Last Thursday, at the Rogers Room in the Forest Grove Library, the Tree Swallow Stewards of Ash Street Field presented in partnership with two representatives from Metro. To an audience of about 25 (FGCS high-schoolers, Pacific faculty members, our Principal and invited neighbors of this field), four Tree Swallow ambassadors presented on our stewardship of this wetland, our creation of a public survey about this space and survey results. All Tree Swallows "Ash Street Experts" were onstage and at the ready to answer audience questions about the survey project and the wetland. The audience members and Metro received brochures and Metro asked if they could have the mural to display in the Metro lobby in Portland. Wow!
After this monumental event, the Swallows were surprised with ice cream at Joe's. The waitress at Joe's commented on how well behaved and respectful they were.
Congratulations Swallows, we are all so proud, as you must be too!
What could possibly follow this, you ask?
Let's start at the beginning: I hope you have had a chance to work in and/or visit the garden. Last week, the Swallows worked to build the foundation of the benches. The Owls and Swallows worked together to brainstorm possible bench designs. This week, we will work with the Owls to create the back of the benches---a curving worm. In order to accommodate for both classes schedules, we need to take any open opportunity we can. The first is this Monday (tomorrow) morning at 9:00 - 10:00. I just checked the weather and it supposed to be 70 and clear tomorrow (the only day next week). However, it was supposed to be 70 with a 20% chance of rain today, and ummmmmmm, well, see how that worked out? We will be flexible (it is a life skill). The plan is to work with our Owl buddies in the garden, making and applying cob. This gets messy. Please send boots and perhaps a change of clothes for tomorrow. If the weather is like this, we will postpone our bench making for another day this week.
Tuesday: The Tree Swallows will have a well-known substitute for the last hour of the day. I have an appointment. I just want to say thank you for all the support you have given your kids and me during this time. What a family I have.
Tuesday afternoon we will visit the high school classrooms as audience for their poster presentations.
Wednesday: RETURN TO NANA CARDOON'S: This will be our second annual end-of the year celebration in one of our most beloved places, Nana Cardoon Garden. We will leave school at 11:30 and return at dismissal. While there, the Swallows will rotate through stations to steward the garden, prepare for our celebration and just be together as a class family and community. We will be presenting Richard and Charlene with their autographed copy of the treasure book (shhhhit is a surprise for them) and reminiscing about the year. I have spoken to some of you about coming with us. Please let me know if you will be attending and if you are willing to guide/lead a small group during this event.
Thursday: The Swallows will have an extended PA (it is the last for the year and they presented during their PA block last week). This is also scheduled to be the day of our last Authors Tea.
Friday: We will spend our Art period in the garden working on our cob benches. This is our last All School Meeting for the year.
* Third Graders are required to prepare and give a 2-minute speech. The Swallow elders have all selected their topics (something they know some about that they want to teach or share with the class) and some have been working on these in class. This Thursday and Friday, the 3rd graders will present their speeches in front of the class. While there will be blocks of time for the Swallows to write and practice, it might be helpful to offer your child an opportunity to share their speech and practice it with you. Ask your swallow about the scoring guides.
NEXT WEEK:
Monday the 14th: Bridgers will visit their receiving class for 40 minutes. This is Field Day.
Tuesday, the 15th: BRIDGING CEREMONY at Pacific University from 11:00-12:00. School ends this day at 1:05. Happy summer!
Love,
Rachel
