Blog
First Peek at the Week for 2010-2011
August 23, 2010First Peek at the Week for 2010-2011
September
| 1 | Middle School new parent orientation, 6:30pm in the Middle School Commons |
| 2 | Middle School orientation for all students |
| 3 | No middle school |
| 7 | First full day of middle school |
| 13-14 | Fall sports practice begins |
| 14 | Middle School photo day |
| 14 | Middle School sports information night |
| 16 | Middle School Back-to-School night for parents |
| 22-23 | Middle School Discovery Days |
| 24 | Middle School Campus Day |
A Note from Paul Andrichuk, Middle School Head
Communication
As you transition into the school year, I wanted to give you important contact information.
As a rule teachers and staff prefer e-mail communication rather than using the phone extensions that are published in the Catlin Gabel directory.
Here are great points of contact:
· Your child’s C & C advisor. New students will learn these on the first day of school.
· Chris Bell, the Middle School AA.
· Individual classroom teachers.
· Each grade level has a team leader. The following faculty are team leaders:
6th grade: Carter Latendresse – latendressec@catlin.edu
7th grade: Lynda Douglas – douglasl@catlin.edu
8th grade: Paul Andricuk – andrichukp@catlin.edu
Financial Literacy
My first year in teaching, I had a student’s parent show up aghast at her first monthly statement. It seems her son had gone to the athletic office everyday for a pair of shorts and his current tab was $400.
Students at Catlin Gabel do charge lunches and some do go to the bookstore to purchase books or Catlin gear (and this does not even include bake sales).
Which gets us to the question of financial literacy………….especially personal financial literacy.
During this economic downturn, an interesting opportunity presented itself to several independent schools in New York City. One school discovered that students were interested in (and understood) aspects of the recession. However, they were confused by elementary aspects of personal finance, such as check writing or explaining the difference between credit and debit cards (one student was particularly confused by their overdraft).
(According to MSN Money: “Robert Manning, author of "Credit Card Nation: The Consequences of America's Addiction to Credit," [reports] the number of incoming college freshmen with credit cards tripled between 1999 and 2002.”)
Here are some interesting questions to consider in talking with your Middle Schooler about money management:
What are allowances?
What are allocation instructions (with money) given to Middle Schoolers?
What do students do to “earn” allowance?
What choices are Middle Schoolers involved with regarding economic choices that pertain to them (e.g., martial arts or French camp)?
Where do we (as adults) have conversations with kids about marketing, especially the pressure and desire they feel to buy and to acquire. Indeed, one President of an L.A. ad agency shared their thoughts about marketing: “Advertising at its best is making people feel that without their product, you’re a loser.” Urgh, toss a little Middle School angst into the mix.
How do we share budgets and the budgeting process with kids?
Here are additional resources for you:
Surely, some of you are wondering what the school’s role in all of this is. After all, we make it easy to “charge” things.
Here are a few things:
1. Early C & C activities will discuss charging in the barn. Whose money is this? What amount did you charge today?
2. Over the past two years we have tried to make used or recycled books easier to get, rather than simply charging all students for new books.
3. We will notify you of bake sales through the Peek.
4. A critical aspect of the 7th grade involves speaking with students about marketing techniques that focus on tweens and teens.
Here are commonly asked questions at the beginning of a school year.
How much HW is there?
This question varies considerably from person-to-person, based on processing speeds, time management (particularly as it relates to long-term assignments), and individual investment.
While we do not have a homework policy per se, we do want to hear when students are spending too much time on work.
How much time is there between classes?
There are 5 minutes of passing time in between classes.
This is a true passing time, rather than a socializing opportunity.
A bell is sounded to allow for travel time only before school, at the end of break, and at the end of lunch.
There are additional times when students have to be more mindful of their transitions. Distances to the Arts and PE might make students late if they are distracted be important matters such as socializing.
When will we get our schedules?
Schedules will not be distributed until Thursday, September 2nd.
What’s for lunch?
Although it is not posted as of this writing, lunch menus are posted at the following link:
What if I lose something?
There are multiple answers.
Visiting with Chris Bell and having a note placed in the daily announcements helps.
There is a spot for lost and found in the barn, the locker rooms, and the MS commons. In addition, items found in Commons areas are often turned into teachers, the MS Office, or placed in the closest cubby.
How do I track assignments?
All students will receive HW agendas on either Thursday, September 2 or Tuesday, September 7.
This allows students (and parents) to track assignments day-to-day and week-to-week. Long-term assignments are typically broken down to manageable assignments that are documented in the agenda.
A quick note, when nothing is entered in the agenda; there are several possibilities as to why:
- There is no HW.
- This Middle Schooler knows the HW (for each of their classes).
- It was not written down.
Cell Phones
A note about cell phones………while students can have these, we ask that they remain turned off and stowed away from the time they arrive until the end of the school day.
I’d like to share some of the thinking, which has developed over time.
Cell phones are an important safety net, especially for students who are keeping busy schedules or traveling to and from school on their own. You may be more comfortable allowing them to take public transportation on their own if they are reachable. They are indispensable during emergencies.
At the same time, continued and repeated conversations with kids about the following are important as well.
- Being reachable means you are always reachable. If your son or daughter is calling or texting you too often, what is the reason? Are they forgetting homework or soccer uniforms? Are they struggling socially? Are they worried about you or another family member? This constant communication can make independence an illusion.
- We were seeing more students talking on their phones at breaks, in between classes, and at lunch; this, rather than interacting with classmates or meeting with teachers as needed.
- Texting and camera features are great, but we have to remind students about appropriate uses for these.
- We were seeing more students comparing phones as measures of status. Kids are envious of others’ phone colors, features, and accessories.
- Cell phone accessibility during trips, especially class trips, takes away from the experience, both for the individual student and the group.
- Family situations and circumstances might require that students carry a phone to stay in touch with family members during an emergency. It is important that an adult here be appraised on the situation. Better still, we recommend that the kid be with an adult here when any such life changing information is relayed.
If you have questions and comments, feel free to call.
Religious Holidays & Student Absences
In order to help you plan for absences for spiritual and holy days, here is what you can expect from the Middle School.
Chris Bell or the blockheads can be notified by e-mail of absences for observing religious holidays. Planned absence forms are not necessary, however it is important that we know who will be here in the interest of class planning.
Teachers and students will connect about missed class time when students return. Ideally, students will arrange this check-in.
Some teachers will require that HW be completed but we will be flexible on the due dates.
Please call Paul if you have questions or concerns.
Study Halls Start Monday, September 13!
There are formal study halls scheduled on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30—4:30 in Parallel Universe and the library. There are several important changes regarding MS study halls.
Study halls will be proctored by Sara Dier as well as trained US student tutors.
Study halls are ideal for Middle Schoolers who need additional support with study skills or homework. It is a logical first step in student support.
Students will be signed into study hall. If they are not being picked up immediately after study hall ends they are asked to check in to ASC. Drop-ins are welcome.
In some cases, students will be required to attend.
Study Halls will not be held on the following dates up to winter break:
Thursday, September 23—Discovery Days
Thursday, October 7—PNAIS is the following day
Thursday, October 14—MS Conferences are the following day
Thursday, November 25—Thanksgiving Break (no school)
Contact Sara Dier or Ann Fyfield if you have questions.
MS Back to School Night is Thursday, September 16th
Food will be available in the MS courtyard beginning at 5:45. The evening will begin promptly at 6:30.
MS Back to School Night is intended for adults only.
Parents will receive a folder that contains the schedule, nametags, Discovery Days permission slips (which can be returned that evening), and other relevant handouts.
School Supplies
School supplies are required as of Tuesday, September 7th. Clicking on the link below can access a detailed school supply list:
Fall Athletics
All Middle Schoolers are eligible to play sports in the fall. There are two boys soccer teams, one or two girls soccer teams, two girls volleyball teams, and a co-ed cross-country team. A detailed practice schedule will be posted the week of September 6. In addition, there will be an informational evening for parents to hear about MS sports on Tuesday, September 14 at 6:30 pm in the Middle School Commons.
Emerging Artists Exhibition
Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Thursday, Oct. 21
Cabell Center Lobby
Come view this exciting show featuring 2010 BFA and MFA graduates from Lewis and Clark, Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA), and Portland State University. The show features a diverse collection of quality work from seven artists: Deanna Bredthauer, Gregory d'Hemecourt, Kathryn Miller, Tuna Poanessa, Miles Sprietsma, Colleen Stokes, Laura Jane Walker, and Stephanie White. Works represent a variety of techniques and mediums in painting, drawing, photography, textiles, wood, metal, and mixed media.
Do you like art?
Come meet the Emerging Artists and learn about the Catlin Gabel Art Exhibition Committee. We will be helping the artists hang their work Tuesday, Sept. 7, starting at 8:30am. We will have coffee, tea, snacks, conversation, and interesting art to look at! For more information contact Lee Stewart at (503) 827-6658 or lrstew@qwest.net.
Are you going to ride the Catlin Gabel route buses to and/or from school this year?
This year’s bus routes along with the required documents to sign before riding, as well as current billing and general information about riding the bus is now posted on the School’s web site: www.catlin.edu. Click on PARENTS from the headings near the top of the page and then on Bus Service from the list running down to the left.
Please note that the required documents must be signed each year and returned to Division AA’s before students ride.
If you have questions about the bus routes, contact Ed Sallia, Transportation Coordinator, at 503-297-1894 x401, 503-820-1059, or salliae@catlin.edu.
For billing questions, contact Chris Balag at 503-297-1894 x274 or balagc@catlin.edu
David Bragdon '77 joining New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration
Oregonian article, August 2010
8th Graders Climb St. Helens
WE DID IT (all of us!)
This climb of Mt. St. Helens was open to graduating 8th graders. The students and their parents came to a pre-trip meeting to discuss the trip, training and equipment—from the beginning, everyone seemed engaged.
For training, the students joined some upper schoolers on a training hike up Dog Mountain in the Columbia Gorge—students were slowed down by conversation, but it was a good opportunity to talk about appropriate clothing and fitness for the climb.
On June 17 we met at Catlin at 10am, packed the bus, and drove up to the trailhead on St. Helens, stopping in Woodland for an adventure in Safeway (team game to find high-quality trash bags). The weather was great and we hiked 1.5 miles to a snowy slope to do “snow school” (kicking steps, self arrest, glissading).
We woke early the morning of June 11 for our summit attempt, hiking over compacted snow before proceeding to treeline. 
The climb alternated between open snow slopes and the rocky, gravely ridgeline. The group moved quickly through intermittent clouds and sun. The wind began to pick up at about 6,000 feet and we ascended into a veritable whiteout. We dropped packs about 1000 feet below the summit, and celebrated reaching the top by eating “Summit Tarts.” Visibility at the summit was about 30 feet, which was somewhat disappointing, but everybody was in a great mood.
We had the most incredible glissade ever!!! We were back to our packs and down the slope in an hour! Everybody was giddy with enjoyment.
We left camp at 7:30 pm, reached the summit around 12:30 pm and returned to camp around 3pm. We were back on campus at 6:30. ~SPEED RECORD~!!!
Learning to glissade.
BRAKES
Chutes and chutes.
Summit. Not a lot of visibility.
Action Jackson
Accelerating
This is what ascending into a whiteout looks like.
Safeway challenge.
Snow school.
Bliss. Cold bliss. But bliss nonetheless.
Freedom!
It's a big world. Gotta be Tank Top Tuesday somewhere.
Checkin' out.
Post-glissade lunch.
Digging in.
Challenge.
We got very, very good at glissading.
More ascending. More whiteout.
Grrrr.
Is this Switzerland?
Redefining Community: Linking the Global & the Local
By Spencer White
From the Spring 2010 Caller
Our heads fill these days with reports of environmental degradation, the unraveling of indigenous communities, and the harsh realities of human conflict on our globe. I find this overwhelming and sometimes downright scary. I can only imagine how these problems make my 11-year-old students feel as they move through school, becoming more aware every year of the issues we, or they, will live through. Regardless of the life paths our students choose when they leave Catlin Gabel, they will face a world characterized by ever-increasing communication and collaboration with international communities. Technology has brought us the ability to maintain relationships and conduct business with people just about anywhere on the globe, at any time of the day. How our students engage in these relationships— in essence, their diplomacy—is of great importance to our world.
Our global education program seeks to foster global competencies in our students. Among these is the ability to work and communicate effectively across national, cultural, and linguistic boundaries. So how do we do this? Besides teaching world languages, or providing travel opportunities, how do we help our students build cross-cultural communication skills? The answer is, we practice. We practice by taking advantage of every opportunity we can to get kids to collaborate with their international peers.
Teaching students to be literate in cross-cultural communication requires two intentional activities. The first is creating meaningful relationships with people around the world—initially through email exchanges and interactive Skype conversations, and eventually through global travel.The second act is linking these relationships to local peer groups. Our students must practice communicating about a specific issue, problem, or goal not only with local peers, but with peers of other cultures, languages, and nationalities. In this way we redefine the idea of community for our students, explicitly teaching that our actions and decisions affect not only our local community, but also those far away.
“Looking back in my journal I see how I have really never felt a connection with someone that far away from home before.” —Catlin Gabel student traveler
For example, Carter Latendresse’s 6th grade unit on food teaches students to critically examine how food is produced in the U.S. and compare our levels of consumption with that of other global communities. Making this tangible, the Garden Club’s new vegetable beds allow students to grow their own organic produce, as well as understand the influence the global food industry has on how we produce, transport, and learn about the norms of global food consumption.
Teachers David Ellenberg, Becky Wynne, and Laurie Carlyon-Ward, chaperones on this spring’s trip to Nepal, prepared 13 high school students by viewing Food Inc., a documentary on the U.S. food industry. Nepali students at the Sattya Media Arts Collective screened the film for our students’ visit, and together they talked about the arrival of fast-food restaurants in Katmandu. This spring, the students who traveled to Nepal will visit Carter’s 6th graders to talk about the perspectives of their Nepali peers.
Our community’s response to the Haitian earthquake in January most tangibly collected a sizeable sum of money to support Mercy Corps’s disaster relief work. But more notable was the fact that our Lower School students created pastel drawings with messages in French and Haitian Creole that were delivered personally by parents who traveled to Haiti to assist in the recovery. Our community grows stronger and more unified by working together to affect change in a distant place. From these collective efforts our students learn about the disparity between resources and power structures in our world—but they also see that they are not powerless in the face of all the world’s daunting problems, and that when we reach out to communities far away, we in turn strengthen our own.
“I really care about conserving water. I mean I did it before, but not nearly as much as I do now.” —Catlin Gabel student traveler
The Viewfinder Global Film Series is another example of how we challenge our community to unite around global issues, in the interest of educating our students. In its inaugural year, the series has hosted 23 films over 8 months of the school year—attended by more than 600 parents, students, and teachers. Far more impressive than the numbers, though, are the post-screening conversations that ignite passionate debate and reflection about how our school sees its place in our local and global communities.
“I was really surprised when I got back at the sheer amount of resources we use every day, how easy it is for us to have a hot shower, and how we take so much for granted.” —Catlin Gabel student traveler
As our students move into Upper School, their opportunities for local and global collaboration increase. Model United Nations challenges students’ diplomatic skills, while twice a week students board a bus to Aloha to help Latino children with homework. Many of these same students recently returned from Cuba. Apart from the humanitarian nature of the trip, the travelers learned the power of creating relationships with their Cuban counterparts and the life-changing nature of convening with a community so vastly different than their own. Leah Weitz ’10 saw this in action in Cuba, and she’ll never forget it: when she told their Cuban cabdriver about the humanitarian nature of their visit, he gratefully told her their ride would be free.
As an 18-year-old at Lewis & Clark College, I traveled to Argentina and Chile as part of my Hispanic studies degree. Six months in Mendoza living with modest third-generation immigrants of Italian descent taught me the power and potential of creating emotional connections with people outside my own community. Shy of the cliché of calling them my Argentine family, especially when talking with my “real” mother on the phone, I was shocked at how close I felt to them and how utterly dependent I was on their parenting and care. Perhaps I was an independent, self-sufficient young adult in the U.S., but in Argentina I was vulnerable and far from home. Here was my new community developing before my eyes.
“There is no real way to explain what has changed about me. What I can say is that the way I see things is as if I am seeing it on two planes, two perspectives. I see things the way I see it from Costa Rica and from the U.S.” —Catlin Gabel student traveler
We are fortunate at Catlin Gabel to have the opportunities and the means to develop international relationships through travel, technology, and the study of language. We are in the business of redefining for our students what community means, what it means to become a global citizen, and what it means to consider the global effects of daily decisions. In my mind, this fortune comes with a commensurate degree of responsibility. We have the responsibility not only to purposefully seek and create relationships in international communities, but we must always make an effort to connect these relationships to our daily curriculum, our school initiatives, and our local service work. These collaborations linking local action with global realties serve as important reminders of our need to change the way we think about community.
Spencer White is Catlin Gabel's global education coordinator. He also teaches Middle School Spanish.
Teachers & Students: The Heart of the Community--Carter Latendresse
Middle School language arts
"Everything I ask them to do, I do"
From the Spring 2010 Caller
In my classroom I think about the kids a lot. I like and understand the middle school-aged kid. I’m excited to be part of early adolescents’ transition from concrete to abstract thinking. They’re able to say, “I come from here, and my parents come from there, and maybe this affects the way I see things.”
Self-consciousness peaks in 8th grade. It’s really painful to watch. I try to protect them from an invasion of “I want to be cool, I don’t look good, I don’t say the right things.” I help them see that body image is a product of the media, and we work to analyze the media to give them tools that will help them accept themselves and accept diversity in others. We learn how “normal” is a fallacy. What’s important for middle school teachers is understanding the role of hormones and the way the kids are changing, and liking them and being their ally.
Middle school teaching is not an accident. We become middle school teachers because we understand and love the kids we’re working with. We want them to grow, accept themselves, and become great community members who have integrity and honesty.
I come to my class with the idea that the kids and I are in a community of readers and writers. I share my reading and writing with my students. They see that it’s not just something we do for the curriculum, but that it’s a real part of life.
I try to create other situations where we grow as a community. I include everyone’s voice in writing examples. I share my own life and talk about my own bad decisions in middle school. I talk about my relationship with my son, who is developmentally disabled. I want them to see me as a person who struggles, like they do. I have firm convictions, but I have good and bad days, just like them. None of us is perfect, but it’s important we try to improve ourselves every day.
My relationship with kids out of the classroom is also important. I love being a coach in cross country and running with them. Everything I ask them to do, I do. Every writing assignment I give them, I’ve done first. If I ask them to run a mile and a half at full speed, I do it with them. If I work hard alongside them, they’re more willing to push themselves. I also work right beside them in the garden, and I have the blisters on my hands to prove it. They see that I do everything with them.
I can be a goofball in class, and make faces and noises. I’m part actor, part comedian, part strict rule-setter, and part editor. You just have to be really flexible.
Teachers at Catlin Gabel try to see themselves in the kids’ places, and we want students to experience what others are experiencing. Teachers here are artists, scientists, athletes, parents, and writers. We have passions outside of school that we bring to school, just like our students do. We want our students to see that their teachers are growing, learning, and changing. We also see that our students are engaged in the making of their lives in a way that is dramatic and inspiring. The people here are therefore evolving together, in community.
Carter Latendresse has taught 6th grade language arts and coached middle school cross country at Catlin Gabel for three years. He previously taught at Seabury Hall in Hawaii. He’s a graduate of the University of Washington with a master’s in English.
Teachers & Students: The Heart of the Community--Carol Ponganis
Middle School science & math
"The starting point for all real education"
From the Spring 2010 Caller
Teaching is all about the relationship between a student and teacher. The discipline I teach just provides the venue to get there. Teachers can’t expect to transmit information, let alone transform a child, if they haven’t formed a connection.
The very first day of class I always ask my new students to tell me a story about their name. Everyone has a story about their name. In that story I often find out personal things that begin to establish the connection. I assume that if you don’t know someone’s name, you don’t know even the most basic thing about that person. A teacher has to understand the student’s needs, point of view, background knowledge, interests inside and outside school, family lives, assumptions and biases, and cultural differences. In turn, the student needs to understand the teacher.
I try to establish a classroom where students can expect to be treated fairly and respectfully. If that doesn’t happen, they won’t be able to learn. They’ll be constantly guarding against embarrassment rather than paying attention to the lesson.
I compliment my students as a method to encourage them. I say, “I can’t believe the quality of your project!” or “That was a great solution you thought up!” They feel they’re doing better when you point out their good works. You get what you expect. I want to spend an equal amount of time on all my students, whether they’re average, or doing well, or doing poorly. I want to spend as much time with the kids doing right as those doing wrong.
We teach who we are. I know that I have to stay aware of my views, my values, and my assumptions— and accept those of my students— to be an effective teacher. A fellow teacher once told me that affirming our own identities is one of the most powerful things teachers can do. If we do that, students feel free to express and explore their own identities. Creating a community that values diversity teaches students to be open-minded, and they start to understand the complexities of life. This is where personal relationships begin. That’s the starting point for all real education.
One way I establish a culture of caring is that I “catch” my students being good. I reward them with a small candy called Swedish Fish. They are so tiny, we nicknamed them Swedish guppies. Publicly handing out these guppies indirectly shows other students the kind of behavior I value and what I expect in my classroom. I give them out as pats on the back for acts like asking a great question, helping out a fellow student, or volunteering to clean up the lab.
We celebrate each child’s birthday with a quick ritual. I want students to know that I care about their special day. I also acknowledge the holidays that students observe by asking silly questions like: Who tried something new to celebrate New Year’s? What is your favorite side dish at Thanksgiving? What was the weirdest gift you received for Christmas or Chanukah? These questions let students bring their personal lives into the room. It lets them know that I am interested in them as more than just my science students. These little acts help create a sense of community in my classroom.
Carol Ponganis has taught at Catlin Gabel for 22 years. She holds a BA in biology from the University of California–Santa Cruz and an MS from Portland State University in curriculum and instruction.
Teachers & Students: The Heart of the Community--Pat Walsh
Upper School history
"Students know I'm on their side"
From the Spring 2010 Caller
What makes teaching young people so special is that they give back so much. We cover subjects, but I’m willing to let there be serendipity. They know that if something occurs to them, they can raise their hands, and we’ll kick it around. They learn American history, but they also learn that what they know is valued. That’s what learning is: constantly applied knowledge.
I talk about my own experiences, and my family’s ancestors. I talk about my father, and why he voted for Eisenhower, or signed a loyalty oath to teach at the University of California. History is about stories and trends, but it operates on a human level. When we talk about immigration, I talk about when my family got here from Ireland, and I ask if they know when their families came here. When we talk about the growth of labor unions, I talk about my grandfather, who joined the United Auto Workers. I use his story as color in terms of big trends, like the explosion of union membership.
What happens before and after class is important. We talk about our families, and I tell them about taking my mother, who has Alzheimer’s, out to lunch. I’m trying to show them there’s no boundary here. Our lives are saturated with history, and an educated person brings that to bear on daily life. I find that pleasurable. I model behavior for my students: this is how someone who is curious about the world lives his life.
I was more professorial when I started teaching at Catlin Gabel. I’ve become more informal: I walk in, say hello, ask what’s for lunch today. The feeling is that we’re all in it together and having a good time. If I act naturally, it seems to match what students are looking to find in a teacher. I never have to dumb it down for them. Students are respectful, kind, and polite to me. No one needs to prove who’s in charge.
I try to create bonds with students during extracurricular activities. Besides coaching Mock Trial, I play basketball at lunch with sophomore boys. It’s great when a student comes in his first day of history and we know each other from playing basketball. He’s already seen me in this vulnerable place, since I’m old and slow, and has come to see me as a person.
At C&C you get to know students on a completely different level, more as a mentor than a teacher. Students are free to argue or disagree, and my opinion doesn’t matter more than theirs. It’s not social or academic, it’s community-building. We talk about assemblies or special schedules, or admire someone’s clothes. Sometimes kids bring things they’ve baked. It mixes up different social groups and ages, and that sloshes out into the rest of their school experience.
Students know I’m on their side. They’ve learned that their success has nothing to do with how I feel about them. I don’t like a student better because he or she does better in class. It’s all about them as people. If they’re struggling in my class, I get to know them best and have the best relationship, because we get to meet and chat. I try to give them a taste of success so they don’t feel like a bad student or a loser. Sometimes life makes it hard to be successful. I have yet to meet a bad kid at Catlin Gabel, just kids having a hard time.
Pat Walsh came to Catlin Gabel in 2006 from teaching at Minnesota State University, Concordia College in Minnesota, and the University of Texas–Austin. He was also a Fulbright lecturer in Germany. He is a graduate of the University of Texas–Austin and California State University–Chico, and he holds a PhD from the University of California–Berkeley.
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