Post date: May 27, 2018 10:58:37 PM
Hello Room 25 Families,
This weekend I continue the slow process of getting room 25 back to the state it was when I moved in 8 years ago. The newly built hollow cube underwent some modifications during my years of habitation, but it surely changed me more than I changed it. And the students changed even more. Every day brought new rewards and challenges, every season ushered in new explorations and growth, and every year a well-nurtured batch of opening minds and passionate learners moved on to their next adventures.
Four things this week:
1. Rafting Trip: On Monday of this past week all of the 8th graders squeezed into our room for a meeting about the rafting trip. I showed them pictures & videos, discussed the itinerary, packing list, and meal plans, and explained how we wanted them to organize themselves into boat groups and tent groups. If your kid is not yet in a tent group, you might want to ask them if they have a plan. Tomorrow we'll be handing out the liability release from the rafting company and the kids need to return it by Friday -- no exceptions or last-minute scrambling for this thing.
2. Student Work Portfolios: Organization is important to me and useful to the kids, so at the end of this year, each kid will (if they've kept their papers all year) be bringing home a portfolio of their year's work, neatly bound and organized into tab-separated sections. I have bought the materials already, but you can help out this weekend by helping your kid find any schoolwork papers that might be at home, and have them bring the stack to school on Tuesday.
3. Graduation Ceremony and Celebrations: Tremendous praise should go to Pooja and Sara and members of the graduation committee for putting in so much time and effort to collect ideas, organize things, and (most challenging) keeping the rest of us on track. By now you should have received a bunch of information about the schedule, the tickets, and the after party that will make this quite a special occasion. There is also a grade level gathering at Saratoga Springs on the evening of the last day of school.
4. Student Planned Trips: From the many ideas proposed, the students have taken action on two trips: SkyHigh on June 4 and a movie (Oceans 8?) on the morning of June 12 (then joining other 8th graders at the park). We'll be taking the bus to and from SkyHigh and walking to the movie, but you might be getting a request from the organizing committee to drive from Saratoga 14 to Morgan Park on 6/12. We'll keep you posted as trips take shape and get approved.
5. Student Article: Alex on Chromebooks
6. Calendar:
May 30 (Wednesday): Field Day & BBQ
June 1 (Friday): Final Middle School Dance
June 5 (Tuesday): School Musical
June 6 to 8 (Wednesday to Friday): 8th Grade River Rafting Trip Information is here
June 11 (Monday): DCS Maker Day
June 11 (Monday evening) Class (with parents) potluck
June 11 to 14 (Monday to Thursday): Early Dismissal
June 13: (Wednesday): Graduation! Practice at Westgate Church 9 to ~12, ceremony 5 to ~6:30, dance 7:30 to 10 .
June 14 (Thursday): Last Day of School
June 14 (Thursday evening): All 8th grade celebration at Saratoga Springs
June 16 (Saturday): Parent Work Day
July 8 (Sunday): DCS Alumni Boating and Barbecue at Vasona