Tid Bits

How is it already Friday tomorrow? For real! Thank you for the diligent work as we jump back into learning routines after an extended weekend! And? Report Cards and Discovery Nights are all done! We have much to be grateful for not the least of which is your energy and enthusiasm for this calling! 

Black History Month

One of our HC school-wide goals is to enrich and expand our diversity experience and families in our school community. This requires intentional planning, conversing, listening and learning. Listed here are Rose Parks efforts over the past few years in this regard:

• At Rose Park, we added Spanish language signage to the front doors, Spanish bathroom signs, and Spanish Discipleship Practices Flags displayed in the hallways. - 2018-19
• We include Spanish language songs in our Rose Park weekly chapel times, often led by our SI Kindergarten students and an SI staff member. These songs also are introduced and sung in music classes. - 2018-19
• Rose Park’s orchestra students are experiencing Bangladeshi dance brought by one of their classmates and family. - 2018-19
• Rose Park celebrated Mexican Independence Day with our SI students in the Intersection performing a traditional dance in traditional costumes. - 2018-19
• For the second year, 1st graders celebrated the Jewish thanksgiving feast and practice of Sukkot, including building booths, inviting parents and grandparents, and enjoying some traditional middle eastern food together. - 2018-19
• Rose Park: Studying MLK Jr. and following his example of speaking boldly for change through persuasive publications (posters, speeches) - 2017-18
• Rose Park: Numerous read-aloud with class discussion (A Place where Sunflowers Grow, Sister Anne's Hands, Goin' Someplace Special, Martin's Big Words as well as an author study of Ezra Jack Keats). Whole-class reading of the book Follow the Drinking Gourd by F.N. Monjo about the Underground Railroad along with important discussions regarding questions like "Is it ever ok to break the law or tell a lie?" - 2017-18
• Rose Park: A collection of multi-ethnic biographies for students to read on their iPads - 2017-18
• Rose Park: Students learned the Hebrew words for the Shema and recited for chapel  - 2017-18
• Rose Park: MLK activities, in library class, discussion of people whose Big Ideas changed the world (Abraham Lincoln wanting slavery to stop, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, MLK, Inventors, Authors, more - used Nonfiction books about people to show the kids).  Connected this to our school's mission - change the world for Christ. Teachers choose to use read aloud of all different cultures and ethnicities intentionally. - 2017-18
• Rose Park: Students learned about the Jewish festival of Sukkot during Thanksgiving time and it was a faith-formative experience for the kids.  - 2017-18
• Rose Park: Students interview family members and find out how they arrived to Holland. We see differences during these presentations. The class tasted foods and view artifacts that are from many different cultures. - 2017-18
• Rose Park: Students send our Flat Stanley's and visited places around the world. These letters are returned and we compare/contrast different places/cultures. - 2017-18
• Rose Park: In the art room we are always placing the artist in context so students learn a wide variety of cross-cultural experiences throughout the year. Our students (5th grade) have worked with stories from Arabian Nights and thought about how individuals dress and look from the Middle East. We matched skin tones and dress. We thought about how to draw their homes and what it must be like to live in that part of the world. Students also printed patterns that were based on patterns from the Alhambra for our projects.  - 2017-18
• Rose Park: Students in the 3rd grade study cultures from around the world. We visit countries such as Germany, Ghana, China, Japan, Kuna Indians from Panama, Australia, Kenya, South America, the Inuit culture, the Filipino, Dutch, and Mexican. Students see and hear the stories and learn the role of art in these cultures to pass the stories and traditions down to their children and future generations. They often look at the native arts and see how similar our cultures are in many ways. - 2017-18
• Rose Park: Each grade (K - 6) in the art room does a project that relates to MLK Jr. Day. We look at skin tones, how a march might feel and use that to teach rhythm. Students study Romare Bearden and how his art helped record a period in history and celebrate the Harlem Renaissance Movement. We also view famous African Americans and learn to draw in three values.  - 2017-18

Thank you for celebrating and leading the important learning MLK Jr Day offers our students and families. In February, we are approaching Black History Month. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need ideas or questions. This, too, offers transformational learning for our children. At this point we are not asked to document our learning experiences, but please be sure to keep this theme in mind as you are planning learning experiences in the month of February. 

P/T Conferences 

They're coming! This typically means Spring Break is right around the corner (can you hear me trying to sweeten the pot?) Our conferences will be 3/23 and 3/25 from 4:00-8:00. 

Mark your calendars! 

• Orchestra Concert February 19 from 12:40-1:00. This will take the place of chapel at our regularly scheduled time. 
• Market Day February 26

Farm Connections

At our next staff meeting, we're going to engage in some more design thinking regarding our farm. I'm wondering if we can start to collect our initial thoughts, proposals and grade-level curricular content connections with the farm. This document can be messy because we're just in the exploratory/design phase. In my mind, each grade would take a farm "chore" during recess time: bird feeder maintenance, butterfly garden keeper, goat herder, etc. You'll see some of my initial brainstorms on the doc. Would you be willing to list some of the learning and teaching points your students currently engage with that could be enriched or deepened with a real live mini-farm? If this doesn't make sense or you'd like clarification, let's talk! Thank you! 

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February Fun Fridays at Rose Park

Join us for Fun Fridays for the month of February!

Friday Feb 7: Wacky Hair Day
Friday Feb 21: Pajama Day
Friday Feb 28: Silly Socks and Hat Day

Fun Night Date Change

Since our school-wide blog was published last week, our Fun Night date has been moved. We would like to allow as many students and families as possible to attend our Kid Stuff Resale on the previous date. Please note: the Kid Stuff Resale will be held on Saturday, March 7. Our Family Fun Night will be held at Rose Park on Friday, March 20. More details forthcoming!