Middle School Peek At the Week
Peek at the Week for February 3-10, 2012
February 3, 2012Peek at the Week for February 3-10, 2012
February
| 4 | Catlin Ski Bus begins, 6:15am-5:00pm |
| 9 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & student ERB testing |
| 10 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & student ERB testing |
| 16 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 17 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 20 | President's Day observed, no school |
| 24 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 27 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
March
| 12 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
| 14 | Middle School Service |
| 20-23 | Breakaway |
| 20-23 | No am or pm Catlin bus service during Breakaway |
| 26-30 | Spring Break, no school |
Message from Barbara
Next week promises to be bustling in the Middle School. While Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are fairly normal school days, with ERB testing and parent-teacher conferences on Thursday and Friday, everyone is working towards a full week of active engagement. On Wednesday morning at 8:15 we will have our typical Friday assembly with special 8th grade music and drama rotation performances. If you have not seen the culminating work of one of our performance-based arts, this would be a great opportunity to join us.
Upcoming Conferences
Teachers have been collaborating with one another and conferencing with students in preparation for the upcoming conferences on Feb, 9, 10, 16 and 17. By now you should know the time of your conference. Sixth grade families should plan to meet in Secret Garden, 7th grade families should make their ways to Atelier, and 8th will meet in Zot. The purpose of these conferences is to hear firsthand from your child’s teachers how the year is going and ask questions. If there are any issues you would like discussed at the conference, please contact Carter, Lynda or David respectively at the three grade levels. Please arrive promptly, this will help us stay on time. Thank you ahead of time for providing sustenance on these days as well!
ERB Testing
We’ve been talking about them for weeks, and finally this Thursday and Friday the middle schoolers will take the ERB tests. Special thanks to the PFA for sponsoring the parent information session last Friday night! I hope it was informative.
On Tuesday we will have classroom assignments posted around the Middle School so students will know where to go on Thursday morning. Students must arrive at school by 8:15 on both Thursday and Friday. On Thursday they will be done by 11:30 am, and on Friday they will complete testing by 11 am. **PLEASE NOTE, if you are a 7th grade parent with a child in a morning conference on Feb. 9th and 10th, you know your child has an alternate schedule.**
On Thursday, students will take three tests: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Math 1. On Friday, students will take the Reading Comprehension & Math 2 sections. Students may use and should bring calculators for Friday’s Math 2 section. We will provide pencils and scratch paper for all students. Aside from calculators on Friday, students do not need to worry about bringing supplies.
Students should:
- Get good night’s sleep before the tests
- Eat a high protein breakfast
- Bring a snack and drink to the tests
- Dress in layers for various temperature levels
- Not worry if they don’t finish a section
- Be reminded by you and us that this is a practice test
- Guess on answers they do not know- on this test it is beneficial to guess.
The results of these tests will help us reflect upon our teaching and curriculum. It will also provide another data point for you and us about your child’s achievement. Depending on absences, results may take up to three weeks. There will be more information about how to read the results when we send them out. If you have questions, please let me know.
All School Survey
As a school we constantly strive to assess our programs and ourselves as a school in order to ask the question, “Are we doing the best we can?” In particular, this year we are dedicated to writing a self-study document for our accreditation process. Early next week all families will receive an email from Lark Palma, our Head of School, asking each family to take an online survey. This data will help us assess our programs and inform the self-study. It will be open two weeks- please make time to take it. It is greatly appreciated!
Next MS Parent Coffee- February 27 8:30-9:30 in MS Library
Do you have questions or topics you would like to cover? Please email me directly.
Catlin Gabel bus service during Breakawy
A reminder that we do not run regular morning or afternoon bus routes during Breakaway. All of our buses are needed to transport students to their various Experiencial Days, Breakawy, and Winterim experiences. We thank you for your understanding and are sorry for any convenience this might cause.
8th grade News
Special Program
Throughout January and February on Tuesdays and Thursdays during PE class, 8th girls and boys have been engaged in separate, yet parallel activities, surrounding gender issues.
For the third year at Catlin Gabel, 8th grade girls are participating in the GirlStrength program sponsored by the Portland Police. GirlStrength is an offshoot of WomenStrenth designed to teach self-defense tactics and strategies. The program explores issues surrounding trust, intuition, boundaries, assertiveness, stereotypes, women role models and other issues surrounding growing up female and becoming a woman. Thus far in GirlStrength our focus is fostering awareness, demystifying fear, and empowering girls to be strong & confident! We recently completed our eighth session together and the girls have explored such topics as cyber-bullying, positive assertiveness and what it means to be a peer ally. In asking the girls directly what they feel confident in taking away from the lessons, they have replied:
"I feel like I have learned the true meaning of assertiveness, and know how to carry myself in unfamiliar surroundings."
"I can be up front and direct with my friends when they cross a boundary, and not come off as rude or insulting."
"It takes confidence and believing in yourself, to trust and follow your intuition."
To learn more about GirlStrength please visit http://www.portlandonline.com/police/index.cfm?c=35911
The boys do not have a program per se, yet have been engaged with a variety of issues surrounding growing up male, stereotypes, movement, yoga and soon self-defense tactics and other topics designed to support boys as emerging men.
Guest from BAM (Boys Advocacy and Mentoring) engaged boys in issues centered about thebelief in the ability of boys to be healthy, happy individuals who are positive contributors to community and family life – not always the societal norm. To learn more about BAM:
Parkour Revolution introduced boys to Parkour’s characteristics of efficiency and speed, taking the most direct path through an obstacle as rapidly as that route can be traversed safely. Often times simply getting away, going the other direction is the smartest path, the one of least resistance. More about Parkour:
Despmnd Spann is a free style, spoken word artist who worked with the students on self expression and courage through language. This clip shows Desmond performing:
Author Dr. Thabiti Lewis engaged 8th graders in conversation about self confidence and self examination and the so called “rule book for boys and men” The author of Ballers Of The New School, Dr. Lewis conducted a fascinating and fun look at boys growing up as nerds, jocks and everything else, strong and weak, with swag or no swag and the challenges presented by society’s norms.In the end he proposed that kids make up their own minds, feel good about who they are and develop tools to build lasting self confidence and happiness from within. http://www.thabitilewis.com/
Coming next week will be two sessions of Fusion Yoga which will focus on stretching, breathing and the art of mindfulness. Following our Yoga experience will be Carlos Valdes from Therapeutic Trainers. Carlos specializes in making training fun and useful. His creativity in the field of fitness is remarkable. He will do some basic self defense work with the students too. http://therapeutictrainers.com/aboutus.html/
Please contact Len Car if you would like more information on what has been happening on these Tuesdays and Thursdays during 8th grade PE.
From 8th Grade History
Since returning from winter break, the unit of study is an examination of the mid-20th century Holocaust in Europe. Students use ideas about human behavior and governments failing to protect citizen rights to understand how Nazi atrocities came to be. The issue of good government going terribly wrong is part of the discussion as students realize that Germany in the 1920s was a republic with elected officials.
As course work moves closer to the war years, students are currently researching historic themes from the time of World War I through World War II. Over the first conference break (February 9 and 10), students will complete a slide show presentation about a given topic.
Expectations are for students to read and learn as much as possible, download images appropriate to their topic, and build a graphically attractive presentation that combines text and image. In-class time is budgeted for starting the project and getting quick advice concerning questions to explore, and coaching about qualities of best presentations. Students will track research sites using the MLA format, first used with the essay writing of the Civics Unit.
Current themes can be challenging; please check in with students and see how they feel about the harshness being confronted. Be in touch with questions and comments.
PFA News
February parent community meeting moved to Wednesday
Wednesday, February 15
8:30 – 10 a.m.
Gerlinger
The February community meeting for parents has been moved from Thursday to Wednesday because the Middle School does not have classes on Thursday.
Knight Family Scholars Program director Chad Faber and PLACE director George Zaninovich will present. Chad will outline his vision for the Knight program and talk about this year’s recruitment efforts. George will discuss Catlin Gabel’s urban studies program and other student projects. Sponsored by the PFA.
Care Club:
The Care Club will hold our first meeting on February 2, 2012 at 8:30-9:30am in Jubitz. All parents are welcome to attend.
Middle School Athletics – including 6th grade basketball!
Our basketball seasons for our 7th and 8th grade teams are in full swing and going very well measured by overall enthusiasm and spirit, participation, basketball team skill building and in terms of wins and losses. Everyone is encouraged to come out and support the teams. The kids are a lot of fun to support, they love having interested fans in the bleachers, and the quality of play improves at every outing.
The Catlin Gabel Upper School teams too are deep into their seasons, with playoffs looming. It is not too late to pick a date and come on out one evening to support the home team. Concessions are always open and there is no admissions for regular season matches.
All schedules appear on the school’s webpage – please go to Quick Links and select Athletic Schedules http://www.catlin.edu/athletics/schedules
6th grade basketball is finally here. It all starts next week with practices only. Boys and girls play on two separate teams with two separate schedules. The team travels to some away schools for games and hosts some. The first game for both teams is on February 15.
Games and practices will be weekdays after school. Of special note, a few practices and games will be held at the Hoop in Beaverton. http://www.ymca-beavertonhoop.org/beaverton_hoop.html (9685 Southwest Harvest Court Beaverton, OR 97005 (503) 644-2191)
There is no sign up per se, interested players just show up for practice next week dressed in basketball attire (PE outfits are fine).
Practices:
2/2 3:30-4:30 Tennis Ct #1-boys
2/3 3:30-4:30 Tennis Ct #1-girls
2/7 3:30-4:30 TC# 1 & 2
2/13 3:30-4:30 TC# 2
2/27 3:30-4:30 Location TBA
3/5 3:30-4:30 Location TBA
3/12 3:30-4:30 The Hoop
Coaches for the teams are Len Carr (boys) and Carrie Blank (girls).
Feel free to contact Len Carr at carrl@catlin.edu as needed for additional information.
Go, Eagles!
Admissions News
Due February 17
Re-enrollment contracts will be emailed to families in the next couple of day. The admission office is introducing an online re-enrollment system this year. If you have any questions about your re-enrollment process please contact Karen Warton at wartonk@catlin.edu. Re-enrollment contracts are due back by February 17.
“LET CREATIVITY BLOOM”
A distinguished panel, from artists to doctors and entrepreneurs, will discuss the vital importance of creativity in work and learning
Seven panelists whose careers have been enhanced by their creative powers will discuss the central role of creativity on Tuesday, February 21, at 7 p.m. in the Cabell Center. The event, this year’s Esther Dayman Strong Lecture, is free and open to the public. The panel discussion honors the late Joan Shipley, a former Catlin Gabel staff member and parent of alumni, who was an ardent supporter of the arts.
THE PANEL
THE ESTHER DAYMAN STRONG LECTURESHIP
The Esther Dayman Strong Lectureship in the Humanities was created in 1987 by the Catlin Gabel School board of trustees to honor Strong, who was principal of the Catlin-Hillside School from 1944 to 1958. The board wished to establish a living memorial to the human and academic values Esther Dayman Strong nurtured throughout her life, and her legacy of lifelong learning.
Gambol 2012 .bmp)
Portland. Inspired.
March 3 at the Governor Hotel
We are excited to unveil a livelier format for this year’s Gambol. The new look and feel celebrates Portland’s weird...er…unique…qualities. The Governor Hotel 3rd and 4th floor ballrooms are getting full-on Portland-centric makeovers.
Doors open at 5 p.m. for patrons, who get to bid early on silent auction items including class art projects, job shadows, and party sign-ups. General admission opens at 5:30 p.m. with continued silent auction bidding, a golden ticket raffle, and wall of wine roulette. Guests will be treated to a full spread of complimentary appetizers, microbrews from Ninkasi, and wine from Catlin Gabel family wineries Apolloni Vineyards, Elk Cove Vineyards, Hamacher Wine, Ponzi Vineyards,Garden Vineyards, and Wahle Vineyards. As the silent auction closes, guests will make their way to theater-style seating for a fast-paced live auction and special appeal for financial aid. The speedier live auction leaves plenty of time before the night is over for mingling, dancing, and a buffet dinner with open table seating. Late night munchies will be sated by sweet selections from Voodoo Donuts, Cupcake Jones, and Ruby Jewel.
Peek at the Week for January 27-February 3, 2012
January 27, 2012Peek at the Week for January 27-February 3. 2012
January
| 27 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 27 | ERB parent information night in the Commons, 8:15-9:45pm |
| 27 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:15pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 30 | Mayoral candidate debat, 7:00pm in the Cabell Theater |
February
| 2 | Teaching & Learning Center lecture, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 9 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & student ERB testing |
| 10 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & student ERB testing |
| 16 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 17 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 20 | President's Day observed, no school |
| 24 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:15pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 27 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
Message from Barbara
It's been another great and busy week in the middle school with your children. I hope to see many of you at the ERB presentation which begins at 8:15pm in the middle school Commons or in the pick up line at 10:00pm when you come for your child after the dance.
Special Assembly – next Friday, February 3, 8:15-8:55 in the Middle School Commons
Next Friday, February 3 the Middle School is pleased to host a special assembly featuring Portland's Green Village Schools organization and its director Mohammad Khan Kharoti, M.D. Accompanying the director will be the organization's Board chair and former Catlin Gabel parent Steve Boyer, M.D. Green Village Schools is a Portland, Oregon, based non-profit organization committed to building a generation of hope in Afghanistan. Their vision is to foster schools in Afghanistan that offer children a basic education and empower young people and their communities to become actively engaged in building a future of hope for their country. Green Village Schools also seeks to build thriving communities through support to school health services for students and local villages. Green Village Schools believes that investing in the education and health of young people in Afghanistan will ensure a future of hope for the country.
To learn more about the organization, please visit: http://www.greenvillageschools.org/
Middle School Athletics – including 6th grade basketball!
Our basketball seasons for our 7th and 8th grade teams are in full swing and going very well measured by overall enthusiasm and spirit, participation, basketball team skill building and in terms of wins and losses. Everyone is encouraged to come out and support the teams. The kids are a lot of fun to support, they love having interested fans in the bleachers, and the quality of play improves at every outing.
The Catlin Gabel Upper School teams too are deep into their seasons, with playoffs looming. It is not too late to pick a date and come on out one evening to support the home team. Concessions are always open and there is no admissions for regular season matches.
All schedules appear on the school’s webpage – please go to Quick Links and select Athletic Schedules http://www.catlin.edu/athletics/schedules
6th grade basketball is finally here. It all starts next week with practices only. Boys and girls play on two separate teams with two separate schedules. The team travels to some away schools for games and hosts some. The first game for both teams is on February 15.
Games and practices will be weekdays after school. Of special note, a few practices and games will be held at the Hoop in Beaverton. http://www.ymca-beavertonhoop.org/beaverton_hoop.html (9685 Southwest Harvest Court Beaverton, OR 97005 (503) 644-2191)
There is no sign up per se, interested players just show up for practice next week dressed in basketball attire (PE outfits are fine).
Practices:
2/2 3:30-4:30 Tennis Ct #1-boys
2/3 3:30-4:30 Tennis Ct #1-girls
2/7 3:30-4:30 TC# 1 & 2
2/13 3:30-4:30 TC# 2
2/27 3:30-4:30 Location TBA
3/5 3:30-4:30 Location TBA
3/12 3:30-4:30 The Hoop
Coaches for the teams are Len Carr (boys) and Carrie Blank (girls).
Feel free to contact Len Carr at carrl@catlin.edu as needed for additional information.
Go, Eagles!
Teaching and Learning Center Lecture
INSIDE/OUT Lecture Series—Thursday, February 2
Please join Catlin Gabel classroom teachers, learning specialists and Dr. Ajit Jetmalani next Thursday, February 2nd at 7 pm in the MS Commons.
It’s becoming harder to live an attentional life. Busy, scheduled lives and technology have complicated our lives and made it more difficult to attend.
It’s problematic for the adults, for sure, but what about youngsters, both when they are in class, on fields, and at the dinner table?
This evening will consider the effects of ADD and ADHD on adolescents at home and school. What do attentional issues look like at home for parents, especially as they relate to family life and just as importantly, the intersection of home and school? What do ADD/ADHD look like in the classroom?
Dr. Jetmalani joined the OHSU faculty in 2007 as Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Education after practicing in the Portland area since 1988. In August of 2009, he was given the Joseph Professorship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Education and in September of 2010 he assumed the position of interim Director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Catlin Gabel Garden Club
The Garden Club needs parent input to organize the plant sale at Spring Festival. Please come to the next Garden Club meeting in Narnia on Tuesday, January 31, from 3:30 - 5:00 PM. Email Carter, latendressec@catlin.edu with questions.
PFA News
Care Club:
The Care Club will hold our first meeting on February 2, 2012 at 8:30-9:30am in Jubitz. All parents are welcome to attend.
Admissions News
Due February 17
Re-enrollment contracts will be emailed to families in the next couple of day. The admission office is introducing an online re-enrollment system this year. If you have any questions about your re-enrollment process please contact Karen Warton at wartonk@catlin.edu. Re-enrollment contracts are due back by February 17.
Student newspaper sponsors Portland mayoral debate
Monday, January 30
7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Cabell Center Theater
7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Cabell Center Theater
The Upper School's CatlinSpeak newspaper is pleased to host a debate with the three front-runners in the 2012 race for Portland mayor: Charlie Hales, Jefferson Smith, and Eileen Brady.
The event is free and open to the public. Invite your friends!
In recognizing the importance of youth involvement in politics, CatlinSpeak has invited students from Portland high schools to the event. CatlinSpeak seeks to heighten awareness of the mayoral race, especially among teens nearing voting age.
Catlin Gabel Baseball
The Catlin Varsity Baseball Staff and Friends will be holding a Catlin Gabel Youth Baseball Clinic from 10am to 1pm on Sunday January 29th. Catlin players, boys and girls, from grades 2nd-6th are welcome to join. The clinic will take place in the Catlin Gym and Tennis Courts.
We will be covering base running, fielding, hitting, and throwing fundamentals. Please have players dress in baseball attire and bring a small snack along with their baseball equipment. Catlin players will not be charged a fee for the camp, however, if a player would like to bring a friend who does not attend Catlin Gabel, the fee is $20 per player.
Please RSVP via email to tchocker@gmail.com if your child will be attending, as I would like to have an idea of how many kids will be attending.
Baseball Matters at Catlin Gabel
Travis Chock, MAT Phys Ed, Health
Upper School assembly: poetry festival
Thu, 02/02/2012 - 10:40am - 11:40am
Location:
Cabell Center Theater
Seven local poets, including two Oregon Book Award finalists, present at this special assembly. The visiting poets will also work with students in classes on Thursday and Friday.
Carl Adamshick, Michael McGriff, Matthew Dickman, Paulann Petersen, Emily Frey, Endi Hartigan and Jae Choi.
Guests are welcome to attend the assembly. However, questions will be limited to student audience members.
Sponsored by Pegasus, Upper School literary magazine
“LET CREATIVITY BLOOM”
A distinguished panel, from artists to doctors and entrepreneurs, will discuss the vital importance of creativity in work and learning
Seven panelists whose careers have been enhanced by their creative powers will discuss the central role of creativity on Tuesday, February 21, at 7 p.m. in the Cabell Center. The event, this year’s Esther Dayman Strong Lecture, is free and open to the public. The panel discussion honors the late Joan Shipley, a former Catlin Gabel staff member and parent of alumni, who was an ardent supporter of the arts.
THE PANEL
THE ESTHER DAYMAN STRONG LECTURESHIP
The Esther Dayman Strong Lectureship in the Humanities was created in 1987 by the Catlin Gabel School board of trustees to honor Strong, who was principal of the Catlin-Hillside School from 1944 to 1958. The board wished to establish a living memorial to the human and academic values Esther Dayman Strong nurtured throughout her life, and her legacy of lifelong learning.
Peek at the Week for January 20-27, 2012
January 20, 2012Peek at the Week for January 20-27, 2012
January
| 24 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
| 27 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 27 | ERB parent information night in the Commons, 8:15-9:45pm |
February
| 9 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & student ERB testing |
| 10 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & ERB testing |
| 16 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 17 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 20 | President's Day observed, no school |
| 24 | Viewfinder Global Film Series in Humanities bldg., 6:15pm |
| 27 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
Message from Barbara
Heads Up- Two Important Communications
It is 3:06- This year’s Breakaway catalog is now available online. The Middle School teachers have created some wonderful Breakaway opportunities this year. Please look it over, share it with your children, discuss it, print out the last page and fill it out. Please fill out your top 5 Breakaway choices. Please do not choose a Breakaway in which you have already participated. Parents please sign the form. Students should bring to school on Monday morning and turn in to C&C advisors. Please let me know if you have questions. Here is the link: http://www.catlin.edu/middle/breakaway
All School Survey
As a school we constantly strive to assess our programs and ourselves as a school in order to ask the question, “Are we doing the best we can?” In particular, this year we are dedicated to writing a self-study document for our accreditation process. Early next week all families will receive an email from Lark Palma, our Head of School, asking each family to take an online survey. This data will help us assess our programs and inform the self-study. It will be open two weeks- please make time to take it. It is greatly appreciated!
Next MS Parent Coffee- January 24 8:30-9:30 am in MS Library
Do you have questions or topics you would like to cover? Please email me directly.
Teaching the Bully and Victim a New Dance
Part 2
By Kristin Ogard, LPC
Middle School Counselor
We at Catlin Gabel have embarked upon a cross divisional curriculum that will help teach students the skills for solving social conflict. The three counselors, Jonathan Weedman, Kristin Ogard, and Kate Grant, spent time over the summer creating and adapting a program that meets the developmental needs of all students campus-wide. Each division’s faculty, as well as our after school care staff, has been presented this material. We want our students to know how to address dominating behavior in a clear and intentional manner that is honest and genuine rather than defensive and combative. Using these response styles de-escalates conflict and returns a sense of personal empowerment to the victim. Students are learning how to build the specific skills both explicitly and implicitly.
It is important that we meet with both bullies and victims to help them identify contributing factors. In the case of the bully we aim to help them identify what they need or hope to get from various aggressive tactics. Often times, they have been victimized themselves and are trying to re-instate their power by bullying back or by choosing a vulnerable target. Our goal is to help them recognize that ultimately they do not gain overall respect of the class by choosing these methods. In fact, bullying is a desperate tactic suggesting the bully does not truly feel confident and secure underneath it all.
In order to teach the skill sets for victims, we role play scenarios both the wrong way and the desired way. During the wrong way skit the counselor plays the victim role. The child watches the victim (counselor) responds defensively and or/aggressively back. It is a clear course of conflict and the acting aggressor (child) has fun watching the victim (counselor) react and get upset. Soon the child realizes what is like when the bully sees them get upset. On the right way skit, the counselor uses language that is not emotionally reactive and the student finds that the bullying is not fun anymore because of the lack of defensiveness and anger on the part of the intended victim. This shows directly how to de-escalate the situation. In order to truly illustrate the concept in detail, I am including an actual wrong way and right way role play.
Wrong Way practice role play
Counselor: “Hey I want to sit at the table with you guys.”
Child: “No way! We got her first, you can’t sit here. There is no room for you.”
Counselor: “That is not fair I always sit at this table.”
Child: “So what. We don’t have room.”
Counselor: “But I want to sit here and you are mean.”
Child: “You are such a whiner.”
Counselor: “I am not.” (leaves very angry)
Right Way practice role play
Counselor: “Hey I want to sit at the table with you guys.”
Child: “No way! We got here first, you can’t sit here. There is no room for you.”
Counselor: “Can we just pull up an extra chair?”
Child: “We said no, there is no room.”
Counselor: (calmly) “That is not very nice I’d rather sit somewhere else anyway.” (finds another table)
In the middle school our students are learning the difference between tattling and reporting. Middle schoolers tend to avoid telling adults about conflict for fear of peer retaliation. Additionally, developmentally, they want to assert their own right to handle or avoid their own conflicts as emerging young adults. Tattling is whining to an adult in hopes that they will punish the other child. Reporting is giving facts to an adult when it is warranted and when a safety issue exists. We are helping our students to recognize when they can and should empower themselves to respond to dominant behavior and when to enlist adult help. In the cases of extreme harassment, and targeting related to racial or ethnic identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or persons with disabilities, students are taught to get help from an adult. Teaching to recognize the differences is very important.
Dominant behavior is a serious issue and it impacts a person’s sense of belonging, safety and security in any given environment. At Catlin Gabel we want to teach students to be resilient, we want to give them skills to handle social conflict and we want to interview them for strength and good intelligent problem-solving abilities and ideas. This mind-set will empower students to become stronger now and in the years to come. We uphold the notion that each child possesses inherent empathy and has the ability to achieve success with confidence and good self-esteem. We are always striving to creatively deliver these messages and to teach to this goal. Ultimately, we all want for our kids to be resilient, empowered, and to engage in healthy social dynamics.
Gambol News:
Got Wine?
Do you have some bottles of wine you'd love to donate to the Gambol? Well, we'd love to have them! We are looking for donations for bottles of wine (still and sparkling) for our Wall of Wine at the Gambol. Here's the skinny:
1) Value of wine need to be $20 or greater per bottle.
2) Fill out a donation form (then you get the official charitable donation) located at the bottom of this web site http://www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol/donations.
3) Starting February 1, drop off wine and donation form at Toad Hall reception desk
Easy as that!
Are you looking for a cool way to contribute to the Gambol? We are looking for one-day job shadows for Upper School students to attend during summer break. Student leaders brainstormed ideas for placements that would provide real-world applications for the skills and knowledge they gain at school. Their suggestions include medical research, industrial engineering, publishing, computer technology, advertising, architecture, graphic design, fashion, film, and food service. The one day you offer this summer could open a world of possibilities for a student. Please let us know if your Upper School student has a specific request and we’ll see what we can do! For more information or to express interest in offering a one-day job shadow at your workplace, please email Cath Swanston at cathswanston@gmail.com. Thanks!
PFA News:
Catlin "Care Committee"
The Catlin Gabel “Care Committee” is forming, with the first meeting scheduled for February. School community members do a great job of helping each other through serious health problems and other difficulties, often providing meals, rides, etc. The purpose of the committee is to complement what is already happening by keeping school leaders and faculty informed of major issues affecting a family and finding ways for Catlin Gabel to provide additional support. Please contact Kayla Reich, k.reich@comcast.net, if you would like to play a part in defining the role of this developing committee.
Student newspaper sponsors Portland mayoral debate
Monday, January 30
7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Cabell Center Theater
The Upper School's CatlinSpeak newspaper is pleased to host a debate with the three front-runners in the 2012 race for Portland mayor: Charlie Hales, Jefferson Smith, and Eileen Brady.
The event is free and open to the public. Invite your friends!
In recognizing the importance of youth involvement in politics, CatlinSpeak has invited students from Portland high schools to the event. CatlinSpeak seeks to heighten awareness of the mayoral race, especially among teens nearing voting age.
Catlin Gabel Baseball
The Catlin Varsity Baseball Staff and Friends will be holding a Catlin Gabel Youth Baseball Clinic from 10am to 1pm on Sunday January 29th. Catlin players, boys and girls, from grades 2nd-6th are welcome to join. The clinic will take place in the Catlin Gym and Tennis Courts.
We will be covering base running, fielding, hitting, and throwing fundamentals. Please have players dress in baseball attire and bring a small snack along with their baseball equipment. Catlin players will not be charged a fee for the camp, however, if a player would like to bring a friend who does not attend Catlin Gabel, the fee is $20 per player.
Please RSVP via email to tchocker@gmail.com if your child will be attending, as I would like to have an idea of how many kids will be attending.
Baseball Matters at Catlin Gabel
Travis Chock, MAT Phys Ed, Health
Head Baseball Coach, The Catlin Gabel School
Head Baseball Coach, The Catlin Gabel School
www.catlinbaseball.com<http://www.catlinbaseball.com><http://www.catlinbaseball.com>
(503)757-2131<tel:%28503%29757-2131><tel:%28503%29757-2131>
(503)757-2131<tel:%28503%29757-2131><tel:%28503%29757-2131>
"Life is an occasion, rise to it."
Upper School assembly: poetry festival
Thu, 02/02/2012 - 10:40am - 11:40am
Location:
Cabell Center Theater
Seven local poets, including two Oregon Book Award finalists, present at this special assembly. The visiting poets will also work with students in classes on Thursday and Friday.
Carl Adamshick, Michael McGriff, Matthew Dickman, Paulann Petersen, Emily Frey, Endi Hartigan and Jae Choi.
Guests are welcome to attend the assembly. However, questions will be limited to student audience members.
Sponsored by Pegasus, Upper School literary magazine
“LET CREATIVITY BLOOM”
A distinguished panel, from artists to doctors and entrepreneurs, will discuss the vital importance of creativity in work and learning
Seven panelists whose careers have been enhanced by their creative powers will discuss the central role of creativity on Tuesday, February 21, at 7 p.m. in the Cabell Center. The event, this year’s Esther Dayman Strong Lecture, is free and open to the public. The panel discussion honors the late Joan Shipley, a former Catlin Gabel staff member and parent of alumni, who was an ardent supporter of the arts.
THE PANEL
THE ESTHER DAYMAN STRONG LECTURESHIP
The Esther Dayman Strong Lectureship in the Humanities was created in 1987 by the Catlin Gabel School board of trustees to honor Strong, who was principal of the Catlin-Hillside School from 1944 to 1958. The board wished to establish a living memorial to the human and academic values Esther Dayman Strong nurtured throughout her life, and her legacy of lifelong learning.
Peek at the Week for January 13-20, 1212
January 13, 2012Peek at the Week for January 13-20, 1012
January
| 16 | Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday observed, no school |
| 24 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
| 27 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 27 | ERB parent information night in the Commons, 8:15-9:45pm |
February
| 9 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & student ERB testing |
| 10 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day & student ERB testin |
| 16 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 17 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 20 | President's Day observed, no school |
| 24 | Viewfinder Global Film Series in humanities bldg., 6:15pm |
| 27 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
Message from Barbara
My message to parents and families is short and sweet. I humbly offer a middle school-centric parent To Do List for you.
1. Know when your February teacher-parent conference is happening and plan life to arrive on time
2. Ask your child how s/he is feeling about upcoming ERB testing and discuss it openly, reminding them of the low-stakes of the tests. Last Wednesday we spent time with students talking about the test. All students walked away with packets highlighting strategies and some practice questions so they know what types of questions to expect.
3. RSVP to Chris Bell (bellc@catlin.edu) to the ERB parent information night on Friday, January 27 8:15-9:45 pm in the MS Commons.
Next MS Parent Coffee- January 24 8:30-9:30 am in MS Library
Do you have questions or topics you would like to cover? Please email me directly.
Teaching the Bully and Victim a New Dance
Part 1 of 2
By Kristin Ogard, LPC
Middle School Counselor
Traditionally, we think of bullies as the typical tough kid who picks physical fights with smaller or more vulnerable children. The classic image is a rough character who swaggers about the school grounds looking for potential prey. Behaviors like stealing lunches, punching kids, threatening others and teasing classmates relentlessly come to mind. The customary conditioned response is to punish the bully and console the victim. The aftermath: a scene outside the principal’s office of the bully scowling angrily and waiting for the hammer to comedown! Unfortunately, this behavior pattern tends to repeat itself despite the reprimands and punishments. What about the true psychology behind the bully/victim dynamic and how that impacts this cycle?
In the past decade significant amounts of research have been devoted to explore the concept of bullying and the dynamic behind the behavior. According to David Smith of the University of Ottawa, the majority of anti-bullying programs do not work. It is mainly because they do not address the psychology behind bullying. Similarly, according to Izzy Kalman, a progressive psychologist looking into this phenomenon, these programs do not work because they neglect to understand human nature. Instead, such programs look to administer zero tolerance policies and other punishment strategies which ultimately fail and have very little effect in changing behavior.
Zero tolerance programs do not teach students to actively problem solve. Nor do they encourage the bully or victim to be self-reflective in order to understand what led up to an incident. Programs that are effective according to Kalman, teach problem solving and require students to be reflective about both sides of behavior in order to understand it. Productive programs help students learn positive and pro-social responses to bullying, and help students avoid the simplistic tendency to just blame the bully.
Vital to our new approach is instilling and reinforcing resiliency in our children. We want our children to become productive problem solvers who will be successful and independent adults one day. Obviously, learning to be a good problem solver has life-long benefits. So, rather than quickly moving to comfort a victim and ending the process prematurely following an incident, it is recommended that you help the victim see that they have the ability to effectively deal with an aggressor. If you merely offer comfort, the message to the child becomes one of “I will rescue you and you are not capable of learning to care for own interactions in the world”. Therefore, interviewing a child for pain and suffering does not build resiliency for the child. Asking questions like “what have you tried to address this“, and “what else might you try?” start the child thinking about their own individual power and how to take some action in the direction of problem solving vs. being a victim. This is where the coaching conversation begins.
As we look more closely at bullying we understand it better. It is an intentional misuse of dominant behavior with an imbalance of power and /or strength that takes many forms including verbal, cyber, physical, and emotional targeting. Particularly in middle school we observe forms of exclusion, gossiping and subtle sarcastic humor that puts someone down. Younger aged children are not as sophisticated and dominant behavior comes out more blatantly with little or no awareness that it is not acceptable according to social and societal norms. Because dominant behavior is inherent in all primates, this is an age-old problem that cannot be addressed by zero tolerance mandates. In fact, all of us have at some time or another been on both the receiving and giving end of dominant behavior. It is human nature. It is not a fixed state or trait.
Best practices involve helping both the giver and receiver of dominant behavior. Believing that someone is just a bully or just a victim closes the door on the goal of helping students become better problem solvers and individuals who can develop stronger empathy skills. Although humans are hard wired for aggression, a growing body of research also shows that we possess a biological component of compassion. Empathy is a skill that can be developed and will inevitably help a bully and the victim. This is one of the keys to successfully addressing both sides of the dynamic. There is a spark of recognition. The bully sees the victim as a person like themself. The victim sees the bully as a vulnerable soul.
News from the Teaching and Learning Center
We’ve spent four class sessions in Christa’s 7th grade English classes in order to discuss reading. We started with simulations and activities for decoding and comprehension. In each case, the students were asked to decode symbols and sounds. Most believed that their days of struggling with decoding were over because they had learned to read, but some disagreed. “What about foreign languages or difficulty scientific words,” they argued?
We also looked at attention and recall as essential elements of reading comprehension. In this activity, students are asked to read a scientific passage that is disappearing as they read it. Worse still, the assessment is emphasized before the reading even begins.
These activities (which you are welcome to try) can be found by clinking on the following link.
In addition, the students filled out a survey that asked them to consider both how they approach a text and the strategies they use to more fully understand what they are reading. These include ideas for pre-reading, how they interact with the text, and (perhaps most importantly) how they organize their thoughts about what they are reading.
These surveys will be part of a discussion we have with 7th graders as we administer informal reading inventories with each student. This will give us another data point as to comprehension and recall. We’ll share these with teachers to see if this matches what is seen in the classroom, and adjust strategies based on what the students indicated in their surveys.
Catlin Gabel Baseball
The Catlin Varsity Baseball Staff and Friends will be holding a Catlin Gabel Youth Baseball Clinic from 10am to 1pm on Sunday January 29th. Catlin players, boys and girls, from grades 2nd-6th are welcome to join. The clinic will take place in the Catlin Gym and Tennis Courts.
We will be covering base running, fielding, hitting, and throwing fundamentals. Please have players dress in baseball attire and bring a small snack along with their baseball equipment. Catlin players will not be charged a fee for the camp, however, if a player would like to bring a friend who does not attend Catlin Gabel, the fee is $20 per player.
Please RSVP via email to tchocker@gmail.com if your child will be attending, as I would like to have an idea of how many kids will be attending.
Baseball Matters at Catlin Gabel
Travis Chock, MAT Phys Ed, Health
Head Baseball Coach, The Catlin Gabel School
Head Baseball Coach, The Catlin Gabel School
www.catlinbaseball.com<http://www.catlinbaseball.com><http://www.catlinbaseball.com>
(503)757-2131<tel:%28503%29757-2131><tel:%28503%29757-2131>
(503)757-2131<tel:%28503%29757-2131><tel:%28503%29757-2131>
"Life is an occasion, rise to it."
PFA News:
Parent community meeting: college admission preceptions and misconceptions.
Thursday, January 19
8:30-10:00am in Gerlinger
Guest speakers are Upper School college counselors Nancy Donehower and Blythe Butler, admission director Sara Nordhoff, and Knight Family Scholars Program director Chad Faber. All four speakers worked in college admission before coming to Catlin Gabel. This meeting is sponsored by the PFA.
Catlin "Care Committee"
The Catlin Gabel “Care Committee” is forming, with the first meeting scheduled for February. School community members do a great job of helping each other through serious health problems and other difficulties, often providing meals, rides, etc. The purpose of the committee is to complement what is already happening by keeping school leaders and faculty informed of major issues affecting a family and finding ways for Catlin Gabel to provide additional support. Please contact Kayla Reich, k.reich@comcast.net, if you would like to play a part in defining the role of this developing committee.
Student newspaper sponsors Portland mayoral debate
Monday, January 30
7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Cabell Center Theater
The Upper School's CatlinSpeak newspaper is pleased to host a debate with the three front-runners in the 2012 race for Portland mayor: Charlie Hales, Jefferson Smith, and Eileen Brady.
The event is free and open to the public. Invite your friends!
In recognizing the importance of youth involvement in politics, CatlinSpeak has invited students from Portland high schools to the event. CatlinSpeak seeks to heighten awareness of the mayoral race, especially among teens nearing voting age.
Gambol News:
Are you looking for a cool way to contribute to the Gambol? We are looking for one-day job shadows for Upper School students to attend during summer break. Student leaders brainstormed ideas for placements that would provide real-world applications for the skills and knowledge they gain at school. Their suggestions include medical research, industrial engineering, publishing, computer technology, advertising, architecture, graphic design, fashion, film, and food service. The one day you offer this summer could open a world of possibilities for a student. Please let us know if your Upper School student has a specific request and we’ll see what we can do! For more information or to express interest in offering a one-day job shadow at your workplace, please email Cath Swanston at cathswanston@gmail.com. Thanks!
Peek at the Week for Dec. 16-Jan. 6, 2012
December 16, 2011Peek at the Week for Dec. 16 - Jan. 6, 2012
January
| 3 | Classes resume |
| 5 | 8th to 9th grade at Catlin Gabel transition evening for parents, 7-8:30pm in Gerlinger |
| 11 | Middle School Service |
| 16 | Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday observed, no school |
| 24 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
| 27 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
February
| 9 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 9 | ERB testing for middle school students |
| 10 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 10 | ERB testing for middle school students |
| 16 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 17 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 20 | President's Day observed, no school |
| 24 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities Bldg. |
| 28 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
Message from Barbara
I cannot believe it is time for winter break already! It seems like just yesterday we welcomed the students back from summer vacation. It is particularly incredible to think of all of the students’ accomplishments over the past few months. Countless projects, tests, quizzes, presentations, orations, debates, movies, performances, art pieces, poems, essays, experiments, and robots have been sprinkled between discovery days, service days, assemblies, guest speakers, sports games, choir practices, and adolescent socializing. It’s been a fun-packed, learning-rich fall for students in large part due to their teachers’ work and orchestration of meaningful learning and to your ability to support the daily stresses, manage challenging schedules, and offer unbridled love and support. Thanks to teachers and parents for a wonderful fall, middle schoolers are lucky to have you partnering in their lives!
As we look ahead to our winter months, we are beginning to plan for the important transitions between divisions. Preparing our 8th graders to move on to the Upper School and welcoming the 5th graders into the Middle School are equally important to us in the Middle School. We will be communicating with 5th and 8th grade families about special transition events in the months to come. The first of these comes for 8th grade families the week we return from break. Please see the invitation below from Upper School head Michael Heath.
Regardless of what your holiday plans entail, on behalf of all of us in the Middle School, we wish you and your families a peaceful and restful two weeks together. While students do not have homework, we hope they will pick up a book to enjoy. Read below for some great options!
See you on Tuesday, January 3rd.
8th Grade Parent Transition Evening
Thursday, January 5, 7 – 8:30 pm – 8th Grade Transition Meeting, Gerlinger Auditorium
All parents and guardians of current 8th graders are encouraged to attend this special evening hosted by the Upper School faculty/staff, and current students. Bring your questions about life in the Upper School, and hear from a wide-range of voices about this important transition in your child’s life. We look forward to an evening rich with inquiry and conversation. Light refreshments served.
Middle School Library News:
Young Adult Dystopian Fiction
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not. ~ Dr. Seuss in The Lorax
nothing is going to get better. It's not. ~ Dr. Seuss in The Lorax
Recently, Young Adult dystopian fiction has become exceptionally popular amongst middle readers. Two recent articles provide some possible answers. One in the New Yorker, titled Fresh Hell by Laura Miller questioned: “what’s behind the boom in dystopian fiction for young readers?” The second, Dark Materials: Reflecting on Dystopian themes in Young Adult Literature posits some answers. Some say youth are living in a carefully controlled world with limited power or respect, so it is no wonder dystopian novels speak to them. Others suggest that we are handing off a world significantly depleted and damaged, so young people want books that will tell the truth about what is really going on.
I suggest that Young Adult dystopian literature is popular and very different from the adult counterparts because in the end, the hero almost always is victorious. Our young people are not yet jaded and can still see possibilities for good triumphing over evil. In these novels, one typically disenfranchised young person or a small group really can make a difference. The other reason I see a boon in popularity of the genre is the inclusion of more female protagonists and budding romances. This opens up the traditionally male dominated science fiction genre.
The increase of girl protagonists invites more girls to read and also begin addressing social problems including bullying, technology/communication issues (Matched), and the influence of mass media (Unidentified). There is a concern with environmental issues, which can involve a major collapse of sorts due to pollution, depletion of resources, war, or the effects of ozone reduction (The Other Side of the Island). Grandparents or aging special friends may take on a more pivotal roll (Restoring Harmony, Drought, and 13 Treasures).
Young Adult dystopian fiction is a sub-category of science fiction. It portrays a society that is damaged or dysfunctional, but where young people are willing/able to take corrective action for themselves and the ones they love. These societies mirror our own in all too familiar ways—often characterized by violence (Hunger Games), oppression, war (Bones of Faerie), disease, poverty, pollution, climate change (Birthmarked), and/or the abridgement of human rights.
The real appeal, I believe, is the possibility of overcoming all these problems: our powerful dystopian heroine (Girl in the Arena), who just fell in love for the first time (Blood Red Road) gives us all some hope for humankind as she begins to unravel the system (Birthmarked).
Follow this link to find titles of this genre: www.catlin.edu/middle. Once you reach the main middle school page from the above link, please look at the bottom of the page for the Winter Break reading list and click on it.
By Lynn Silbernagel, Middle School Librarian
FUSION YOGA
Catlin Gabel Middle School students are invited to explore the basics of Yoga including stretching, breathing, and the practice of mindfulness for six sessions of yoga this winter. Participants can expect to get some "Time In" and "Down Time". Incorporated will be some science in a fun way. Yoga students will be introduced to a “Healthy Mind Platter”, some “Brain Rules”, and using the breath to pause and engage the parasympathetic system. The class will be oriented towards beginners and we will use yoga postures and movement to explore the relationship between the body and the mind.
All Middle School students are invited and welcome to join Suresh Srinivas and for 1hour on Thursdays after school for six weeks.
Dates for the Fusion Yoga class will be: January 5, 12, 26 and February 2, 16, 23
The fee will be $60 for 6 classes (billed to student accounts in February.)
Class will be in Fenway from 3:30-4:30pm. Students will be provided with Yoga Mats and props. Students are expected to wear comfortable and appropriate clothing for Yoga.
SURESH SRINIVAS is a Computer Scientist, Principal Engineer at Intel Corporation and MS parent. He is also a Registered Yoga Teacher. He is on the board of Street Yoga and has taught Yoga at the CGS Lower School for the last 3 years and at Intel, as well as volunteering at OutsideIn teaching yoga to homeless youth.
TO REGISTER: please print this page from the Peek, complete the form below, and return it no later than Thursday, January 3 to Len Carr or Chris Bell in the MS office
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Registration form for FUSION YOGA Cost: $60/6 weeks – billed to accounts.
Name of Student____________________________________________ Grade____
Best email to contact family______________________________
Parent Consent Signature____________________________________
Catlin Gabel Ski Program
The mountain snow is flying and that means the Catlin Gabel Ski Program is starting to crank up. The Ski Program has been running for well over 40 years and this season looks like another great one. Catlin Gabel’s Ski program is now ready for sign-ups online through Mt. Hood Meadows - the 6-week package would make a great holiday gift! Catlin Gabel faculty and staff will drive Catlin Gabel buses to the mountain and chaperone student participants while on the mountain for a fee paid directly to the Catlin Gabel program. This program is available to 5th through 12th graders, with grades 5th through 8th being required by Mt Hood Meadows to sign up for lessons. The dates for this year include six Saturdays from February 4th through March 10th. While Meadow’s fees have gone up, the school’s transportation/chaperone fee remain the same. Please note that financial aid is available and readily awarded through the ski bus program. Please check the Catlin Gabel website for forms and links here: http://www.catlin.edu/news/ski-program-information , or contact Group Organizer Kathy Sloan (who doubles as a math teacher in the upper school) at sloank@catlin.edu for more information. Middle School participants should feel free to contact Len Carr or Chris Bell with questions, and Peggy McDonnell is the 5th grade contact.
Peek at the Week for January 6-13, 2012
January 6, 2012Peek at the Week for January 6-13, 2012
January
| 11 | Middle School Service | |
| 12 | Teaching & Learning Center lecture series, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons | |
| 16 | Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday observed, no school | |
| 24 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am | |
| 27 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn | |
| 27 | ERB parent information meeting in the middle school Commons, 8:15-9:45pm |
February
| 9 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 10 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 16 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 17 | Middle School parent/teacher conference day |
| 20 | President's Day observed, no school |
| 24 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 28 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
Message from Barbara
I hope winter vacation was a wonderful time for you and your families. Carlos, Lydia and I spent most of our break in San Diego visiting with family and friends. Everyone spoiled Lydia and our happy faces re-affirmed to our families the great decision to move to the Northwest to join the Catlin Gabel community. But by the end, both Carlos and I were ready to come back home to Portland. I truly hope our students found time to be kids, and perhaps found themselves a little bit bored. If they did, I am certain this feeling has quickly passed and they are back in full swing at school, sports, and friends.
Conferences
In the next few days, you will receive an email from me with the February teacher-parent conference schedule. As a reminder the conference dates are February 9, 10, 16 and 17. These conferences are opportunities to hear about your middle schooler’s progress directly from the individual teachers. As you can imagine, creating a schedule that works for all of 184 families is a daunting task. I ask you that please prioritize making your assigned day and be on time. More details and information regarding conferences will be included in the email with the schedule.
ERB Testing
Another important task on our Middle School docket is preparing students to feel confident and ready to sit for the ERB testing which will happen on February 9th and 10th. As my letter to you in December indicated, this is not a high stakes test for us as a school. The main impetus for offering a standardized test is to allow students the opportunity to experience this testing environment and learn important test-taking skills which they will need moving forward. Nonetheless, I recognize it can be anxiety causing for students, and at times for parents as well. We have set aside dedicated time to teach students some of these strategies with intentionality and consistency across all grades. After service next Wednesday we will break up the entire Middle School into small groups, by grade level, to begin this conversation with them. The following week, during arts period, I will follow up with each grade as well. We will remind students of strategies, provide some practice opportunity, pre-fill bubble sheets, etc., all with the purpose of increasing their comfort and confidence.
In addition to preparing the students, I am aware that there are many parent questions regarding testing and the ERB in particular. Please mark your calendar for a parent ERB information session the evening of January 27th from 8:15-9:45 pm in the MS Common with Louise Saladino from ERB and me. This evening program is opposite the next Middle School Dance the same evening from 7-10 pm. My hope and intention is that this time will allow for easy parent attendance, as well as give time for student drop off, a quick dinner, and then return to campus before dance pick up at 10 pm. Please RSVP to Chris Bell.
As the dates near, we will continue to communicate with them and you about important information. But below is the most important information for your families in a nutshell:
Students must be at school from 8:15 am to 11:30 am on Thursday and from 8:15 am to 11:00 am on Friday. SPECIAL NOTE FOR 7th GRADE FAMILIES: PLEASE READ THE FORTHCOMING CONFERENCE LETTER AND SCHEDULE BECAUSE 7th GRADE HAS A SPECIAL ERB TESTING SCHEDULE. Tests are taken with #2 pencils that we will provide for all students, as well as any necessary scratch paper. On Friday, students may use calculators on the Math 2 section- students should bring their calculators for the test. We will work with families and the Learning Center to make sure students who qualify for extended time receive it. More to come in the weeks ahead!
Next MS Parent Coffee- January 24 8:30-9:30 am in MS Library
Do you have questions or topics you would like to cover? Please email me directly.
Breakaway News:
Middle School Breakaway is right around the corner. The Middle School equivalent of Lower School Experiential Days and Upper School Winterim is currently being planned by the Middle School faculty. Some favorite offerings from last year will be returning and new offerings are being polished up. Breakaway philosophy can be found here. For the past few years, the Breakaway catalog and sign-up forms have been distributed in electronic form. This year, the Breakaway catalog will be posted on Friday, January 20 at 3 pm. Please discuss choices with your child, print out just their choices form, sign the form, and have your child return their choices to their C&C leader on Monday, January 23. Please contact Barbara if you have Breakaway questions.
6th grade News:
I am writing to request that you send in work gloves and hand pruners (not loppers) for the apple tree pruning lesson that the students will have next week in our apple orchard on Friday, January 13. I will keep the gloves and pruners locked away in my closet until the day we need them, so if you want to send them in today, that is fine.
Same as last time: please write your last names on the gloves and pruners so that your children can easily grab them and bring them home at the end of the day.
Thank you.
Carter
Teaching and Learning Center
The Teaching & Learning Center Presents
Perception, Myth, and Reality:
Underage Drinking
Thursday, January 12
at 7 p.m.
Middle School Commons
Rosemary Schwimmer, parenting for prevention coordinator at the Oregon Partnership, and Upper School counselor Kate Grant discuss ways to talk to teens and prevent underage drinking.
The general theme is “Perception, Myth, and Reality: Underage Drinking,” and we’ve chosen to combine Rosemary’s expertise in facilitating parent to child conversations about underage drinking with communication about the steps the school has taken to accurately assess use. Part of this later discussion will include Kate sharing the statistics based on Catlin’s work with Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD).
In addition, we’ll include comparative numbers from the state of Oregon. This will give parents a sense of student use among 8th and 11th grade peer groups across the state.
Finally, I’d like to make a special appeal to Lower and Middle School families. While this may seem a generalized and distant concern, it’s equally true that good information, coaching, and making this topic part of a normal and regular conversation are all critically important.
The Teaching & Learning Center Inside Out Lecture Series offers opportunities for adults to hear from leading community experts. This program is open to the public.
Hit the slopes with the Catlin Gabel Ski Bus!
The Catlin Gabel ski bus runs on six Saturdays:
February 4, 11, 18, 25, and March 3 and 10.
This Catlin Gabel ski program is supervised by faculty members from all divisions, and lessons are taught by Mt. Hood Meadows ski and snowboard instructors. The program is open only to Catlin Gabel students in 5th through 12th grades and the deadline to sign up is Friday, January 13th. » Details about the ski bus program.
Middle School Outdoor Program
Cross-Country Ski Overnight to Clear Lake Butte Fire Lookout!
January 15-16
Join us for a wonderful winter trip that will allow you to actually sleep in a Forest Service lookout- thirty feet above the surrounding landscape. This trip will involve a 70 mile drive up to a sno-park near Clear Lake southeast of Mt. Hood. Here the group will put on its cross country skis (which we will stop and rent in Sandy) and ski on Forest Service roads for about four miles to the lookout. Most of our time after that will be spent frolicking in the snow, practicing skiing, and hanging out in the lookout. Students will cook dinner and breakfast for the group, and sleep in the lookout. Card games will be played.
Students do not need to be experienced cross country skiers, but definitely should be comfortable being in the snow and in cold environments. We will rent ski gear on the way, which is included in the price of the trip. There is a nice warming fire in the lookout, though once the fire goes out at night, it will be chilly.
The trip is open to all Middle Schoolers. The cost for the trip is $70 and includes food (except a sack lunch on Sunday), skis, boots, poles, and lodging.
To sign up, send an email to David Zonana (zonanad@catlin.edu).
Cross-Country Skiing at Trillium Lake for Middle School Students
January 22
Join us for a glorious day of skiing the gentle slopes around Trillium Lake, near Mt. Hood. Students will ride the school bus up to Government Camp where we will rent skis, boots and poles. The cost of the rentals is included in the trip cost. Students will ski through the old growth forests and along the roads around the Lake for the balance of the morning and early afternoon. We will break for sack lunches, brought from home, along the way.
It will be a great opportunity for students to experience the joy of being with their friends in the outdoors during the winter months. No previous cross country skiing experience is necessary, though participants should be comfortable with spending a day in the snow in potentially cold weather. The leader of the trip will be Len Carr.
The cost of the trip is $30, which includes skis, boots and poles.
The trip is open to all Middle School students.
To sign up, send an email to Greenp@catlin.edu
6th Grade Snowshoe Trip to Lower Twin Lakes
January 29
January 29
Calling all students in the 6th Grade class! The Outdoor Program will be taking a group of adventurous students on a beautiful daytrip to the shores of Lower Twin Lake on Mount Hood. We will stop and rent snowshoes in the town of Sandy on the drive up and do a short lesson on donning and travelling in these useful devices. The trail winds through beautiful Mountain Hemlock forests that are draped in Old Man's Beard. We will have lunch at the lake, play in the snow, and maybe even build a snowman before heading back to the bus. This is a beautiful area that is worth visiting in all seasons.
This trip is open to 6th graders only. No experience necessary. The estimated cost for this trip is $30. This includes cost includes equipment rentals. Financial aid is available.
Please contact David Zonana (zonanad@catlin.edu) to sign up!
Mathalosophy
Starting 1/11, parent Jason Stevens will be offering Middle School students a new after-school activity. Mathalosophy is a fun look at the use of math and logic in philosophy, history, science and current events. Through group activities and discussion, students will look into what Ancient Greek paradoxes can teach us about Truth; what a mathematician might think of the Declaration of Independence; why psychologists believe that people are fundamentally illogical; why we can't prove the law of gravity (but why we should believe in it anyway); and other topics.
Mathalosophy will meet Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00.
Catlin Gabel welcomes prestigious children’s performing troupe from Shanghai
China’s Little Companion Art Troupe performs at the Upper School assembly on Thursday, January 12, from 10:40 to 11:40 a.m., in the Cabell Center Theater. Everyone is welcome!
The troupe will also perform on Friday, January 13, in the Middle School commons first thing in the morning. Following their abbreviated performance on Friday, the children will interact with our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who study Chinese. Again, visitors are welcome.
From the China.org website: “The 800-member CWI Children's Palace Little Companion Art Troupe is the first of its kind in Shanghai, and is also China's most famous children's art troupe. Founded in 1955 by Soong Ching Ling (Mme. Sun Yat-sen), honorary president of the People's Republic of China, it includes seven companies where children are trained in singing, dancing, musical instruments, acting, folk theatrical arts, calligraphy, painting and handicrafts.”
Learn more about the troupe http://www.china.org.cn/travel/expo2010shanghai/2010-06/03/content_20177581.htm
Lark Palma asks James Furnary '12 about college counseling in this two-and-a-half minute video.
Sea of Blue – Friday, January 13
Come to our annual “basketball homecoming” match and help us fill the gym with a sea of blue (wear your Catlin Gabel blue) as our Catlin Gabel Eagles face-off against the Ardvaarks from OES. Games begin at 4:30. 7th and 8th graders will be featured at halftime of the girls and boys varsity matches playing fun, mini, intersquad games to delight the fans. This is always a great, spirited event featuring some talented teams and loads of fun. Go, Eagles!
FUSION YOGA
Catlin Gabel Middle School students are invited to explore the basics of Yoga including stretching, breathing, and the practice of mindfulness for six sessions of yoga this winter. Participants can expect to get some "Time In" and "Down Time". Incorporated will be some science in a fun way. Yoga students will be introduced to a “Healthy Mind Platter”, some “Brain Rules”, and using the breath to pause and engage the parasympathetic system. The class will be oriented towards beginners and we will use yoga postures and movement to explore the relationship between the body and the mind.
All Middle School students are invited and welcome to join Suresh Srinivas and for 1hour on Thursdays after school for six weeks.
Dates for the Fusion Yoga class will be: January 5, 12, 26 and February 2, 16, 23
The fee will be $60 for 6 classes (billed to student accounts in February.)
Class will be in Fenway from 3:30-4:30pm. Students will be provided with Yoga Mats and props. Students are expected to wear comfortable and appropriate clothing for Yoga.
SURESH SRINIVAS is a Computer Scientist, Principal Engineer at Intel Corporation and MS parent. He is also a Registered Yoga Teacher. He is on the board of Street Yoga and has taught Yoga at the CGS Lower School for the last 3 years and at Intel, as well as volunteering at OutsideIn teaching yoga to homeless youth.
TO REGISTER: please print this page from the Peek, complete the form below, and return it no later than Thursday, January 3 to Len Carr or Chris Bell in the MS office
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Registration form for FUSION YOGA Cost: $60/6 weeks – billed to accounts.
Name of Student____________________________________________ Grade____
Best email to contact family______________________________
Parent Consent Signature____________________________________
Peek at the Week for Dec. 9-16, 2011
December 9, 2011Peek at the Week for Dec. 9-16, 2011
December
| 12 | 7th grade FAME - Japan presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 13 | 7th grade FAME - China presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 14 | 7th grade FAME - Byzantine Empire presentation, 8:30-9:45am |
| 15 | 7th grade FAME - England presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 16 | 7th grade FAME Food Festival, 11-1:00pm |
| 19-Jan. 2 | Winter Break, no school |
January
| 3 | Classes resume |
| 11 | Middle School Service |
| 16 | Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday observed, no school |
| 24 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
| 27 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
Message from Barbara
It turns out St. George was indeed canceled today, but I am still glad to report Waldo was found, St. George beat the dragon, and the fairies flew away leaving a glittery trail!
The 8th graders' production of St. George and the Dragon, with the support of the entire 8th grade team and Deirdre Atkinson at the helm, went off just as planned. Kudos to all of the students and their teachers! What a wonderful Catlin tradition!
One of our many commitments as a school is to provide aspiring educators with opportunities to see, collaborate, and learn from our master teachers. We, as a school, have a wonderful partnership with Lewis & Clark College. Len Carr oversees the internship program in the Middle School. Read below for more details.
Student teaching in the Middle School
If your child attended the Lower School you know about our master’s in teaching intern program and partnership with Lewis & Clark College in grades 1-5. We have similar opportunities for teachers in training in the Middle School. Lewis & Clark MAT candidates and graduate students from other colleges and universities are carefully placed with Middle School master teachers. We believe teachers who work with young adolescents should have distinct professional training that focuses exclusively on the needs of this age group. At Catlin Gabel we know how important the early adolescent years are in shaping students’ future academic and social success.
The classroom, as an educational laboratory, is a time-honored value and at the core of much that we do at Catlin Gabel. To this end, we embrace student teachers working side by side in the ‘laboratory’ with our Middle School teachers. Catlin Gabel teachers are inspiring educators who weave a variety of great ideas into integrated classrooms that are developmentally appropriate, thematically focused, creative, and steeped in experiential education. At the heart of our intern program we strive to help develop teachers in this manner.
Interns who work in the Middle School are preparing to think and teach critically and creatively. After completing their year with us, they have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to facilitate learning in classrooms, make informed decisions as teachers, and become vital members of teaching and learning communities wherever their careers take them.
We are fortunate to have three wonderful interns in the Middle School this year: Michael Larsen in 7th grade English with Christa Kaainoa, Shelly Redden in art with Dale Rawls, and our most recent addition, Shanna Hammons in 8th grade English with Holly Walsh.
As the school year progresses, our three interns will move from observing and helping to teaching. During the days before the winter break interns begin to take on individual classes with teachers nearby and carefully mentoring. From January to March, interns will be in charge of one class – some days this could like co – teaching, but ultimately the intern will assume responsibility for one class. By spring Michael, Shelly, and Shanna will have full responsibility of up to three class periods. Mentor teachers will observe, coach, and counsel. Everyone benefits from this partnership; students always enjoy the infusion of new energy from the student teachers and learn a great deal about life long learning from this experience.
Please contact Len or Barbara if you have any questions about interns and student teaching in the Middle School.
6th Grade News:
The sixth grade has been busy at work the last few weeks finishing off 2011 and getting ready for the winter holidays. As a way to celebrate the holidays and come together as a group before Winter Break, the sixth grade likes to prepare a feast on the last day of school. This year it will be on December 16th. For many years we have had students bring potluck food, but this year, the sixth grade is building on its theme of food, garden, and ancient civilizations by preparing our own Middle Eastern Feast, in celebration of our studies of Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The morning will be spent making hummus, tabbouleh, baklava, and even homemade pita bread in our new cob oven.
There is nothing for your children to bring in the way of dishes because the cost of the food will be charged via the barn as an entrée dish of $4.00. What we are asking the children to bring from home on that day are the following:
· A labeled cup
· Plate
· Utensils in a mesh bag.
We will use camping style plates in preparation of our Arago trip in which they will need to have these items on hand to eat from, and yes, wash on their own, as they will do on Friday, December 16th.
The Sixth Grade Team appreciates all the care and support you give to your children and to Catlin Gabel. We wish you all a happy holiday season.
7th Grade News:
FAME presentations start Monday!
Seventh graders are putting the final touches on their FAME presentations. Thank you to all the parents who have been consulted regarding medieval costuming, inventions, after-school scheduling, essays, etc. The order of presentations is
Monday—Japan
Tuesday—China
Wednesday—Byzantine Empire
Thursday—England
On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, presentations start at 9 am. Wednesday, we will start at 8:40. Parents usually arrive by about 8:50 with cameras (still and video). Parents in the past have been quite creative in hanging tripods from lights, beams, etc., in order to video the kids. Feel free to bring tripods and duct tape to secure cameras. And, remember, even if your children have told that no other parents ever come to FAME…..they all do. Special note to parents of the England group (Thursday), you are welcome to grab a cup of coffee after FAME as you head down to Chipmunk Hollow for the 7th grade drama presentation. Of course, all the kids are looking forward to next Friday's FAME Food Festival. Please feel free to email Paul Monheimer if you have questions about FAME week.
8th Grade News:
Throughout January and February on Tuesdays and Thursdays during PE class, 8th girls and boys will be engaged in separate, yet parallel activities, surrounding gender issues. For the third year at Catlin Gabel, 8th grade girls will participate in the GirlStrength program sponsored by the Portland Police. GirlStrength is an offshoot of WomenStrenth designed to teach self-defense tactics and strategies. It also explores issues about trust, intuition, boundaries, assertiveness, stereotypes, women role models and other issues surrounding growing up female and becoming a woman. To learn more about GirlStrength please visit http://www.portlandonline.com/police/index.cfm?c=35911
The boys do not have a “program” per se, yet will be engaged with a variety of issues surrounding self-defense tactics, stereotypes, movement, yoga and other topics designed to support boys as emerging men. We have a variety of visitors, films and activities lined up for the boys. Please contact Len Car if you would like more information.
The Middle School Student Association (MSSA) hosts Former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury for lunch next Tuesday!
Bill Bradbury, a dynamic and engaging public speaker, was first elected as a State Representative in 1980. For fourteen years he served in the Oregon Legislature, representing the southern Oregon coast. He was elected to the State Senate in 1984, where he was elected Senate Majority Leader in 1986 and Senate President in 1993. From 1999-2009 Bill served as Oregon’s Secretary of State.
Bill’s career has focused on environmental protection and economic development. He worked to pass legislation to establish Small Business Development Centers at community colleges and he developed the Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program (STEP). Bill was also responsible for first implementing Oregon’s hugely successful vote by mail system.
Bill was a member of Al Gore’s first “An Inconvenient Truth” training team and has given more than 200 presentations throughout Oregon. Bradbury was appointed to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council in 2010 as one of two Representatives from Oregon. We’re excited!
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Lark Palma asks James Furnary '12 about the leadership skills he has honed at Catlin Gabel in this one-minute segment. Link to video.
Middle School Outdoor Program News:
ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT!
The Middle School Rock Climbing Club is coming back in the New Year! The club will head to the Circuit Bouldering Gym on SW Macadam on Thursday afternoons. The bus will leave directly after school and will return by 6pm. The first session will be on Jan. 5th and the club will run every Thursday until Feb. 16th. The estimated cost of participating is $90, which includes shoe rentals.
Climbing is a fun physical and mental challenge. This program is an after-school club designed to help students learn about the technique, movement, and fun of the sport of rock climbing. This course is open to all MS students, regardless of experience level. The club will be limited to the first 18 students who sign up! Although the sport encourages individual efforts, students will support and encourage each other in a team environment. Catlin Gabel, under the leadership of David Reich will provide transportation, instruction, logistics, and inspiration. Other adult chaperones will accompany the group each session. Please email David Reich (reichd@catlin.edu) to sign up for this great experience.
Catlin Gabel Ski Program
The mountain snow is flying and that means the Catlin Gabel Ski Program is starting to crank up. The Ski Program has been running for well over 40 years and this season looks like another great one. Catlin Gabel’s Ski program is now ready for sign-ups online through Mt. Hood Meadows - the 6-week package would make a great holiday gift! Catlin Gabel faculty and staff will drive Catlin Gabel buses to the mountain and chaperone student participants while on the mountain for a fee paid directly to the Catlin Gabel program. This program is available to 5th through 12th graders, with grades 5th through 8th being required by Mt Hood Meadows to sign up for lessons. The dates for this year include six Saturdays from February 4th through March 10th. While Meadow’s fees have gone up, the school’s transportation/chaperone fee remain the same. Please note that financial aid is available and readily awarded through the ski bus program. Please check the Catlin Gabel website for forms and links here: http://www.catlin.edu/news/ski-program-information , or contact Group Organizer Kathy Sloan (who doubles as a math teacher in the upper school) at sloank@catlin.edu for more information. Middle School participants should feel free to contact Len Carr or Chris Bell with questions, and Peggy McDonnell is the 5th grade contact.
Snow day closures
When school does not open in the morning or opens late due to inclement weather, we notify the media before 6:45 a.m. and the School website is updated.
We do not notify the media when school runs on a normal schedule.
We will post a newsflash on the website alerting families that we are open when conditions are uncertain.
The School avoids mid-day weather closures whenever possible.
Catlin Gabel does not necessarily follow the decisions made by Portland Public or Beaverton schools because our students come from a wide geographic area.
Eric Shawn, plant manager, and Lark make the decision to close school or delay opening based on conditions on campus and throughout the Metro area.
Personal decisions
The safety of students is our primary concern. Parents should make personal weather-related safety decisions for their families. If it does not seem safe where you are, keep your children at home. If conditions deteriorate in your neighborhood during the day, you may pick up your children early (making sure to notify the division administrative assistant).
The safety of students is our primary concern. Parents should make personal weather-related safety decisions for their families. If it does not seem safe where you are, keep your children at home. If conditions deteriorate in your neighborhood during the day, you may pick up your children early (making sure to notify the division administrative assistant).
Snow day Bus service
Sometimes school is in session, but bus service is canceled because of inclement weather. A message is posted on the website as early as the decision is made. If buses are canceled in the morning, they are also canceled for the afternoon regardless of weather con
Sometimes school is in session, but bus service is canceled because of inclement weather. A message is posted on the website as early as the decision is made. If buses are canceled in the morning, they are also canceled for the afternoon regardless of weather con
Peek at the Week for Dec. 2-9, 2011
December 2, 2011Peek at the Week for Dec. 2-9, 2011
December
| 2 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 2 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 7 | Middle School Service |
| 9 | 8th grade performance of St. Georgia & the Dragon in Cabell Theater, 1:45pm |
| 12 | 7th grade FAME - Japan presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 13 | 7th grade FAME - China presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 14 | 7th grade FAME - Byzantine Empire presentation, 8:30-9:45am |
| 15 | 7th grade FAME - England presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 16 | 7th grade FAME Food Festival, 11-1:00pm |
| 19-Jan. 2 | Winter Break, no school |
January
| 3 | Classes resume |
| 11 | Middle School Service |
| 16 | Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday observed, no school |
| 24 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
| 27 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
Message from Barbara
Winter Break Push
At least twice a week each grade level team meets to collaborate on upcoming activities, discuss student progress, and share curriculum and classroom happenings. Conversations at this week’s meetings focused on the next two weeks leading up to the winter holiday. It struck me that these next two weeks are quite busy! All three grades have several academic projects and drama performances in the works, as well musical productions and St. George for 8thgraders, FAME for the 7th graders, and a curricular-driven Fertile Crescent Feast for the 6th graders.
While this is a busy time, it is important to remember a few things.
1. Teachers know it is a busy time and communicate with each other to coordinate work.
2. Teachers intentionally structure student work. This structure includes scaffolding concepts, spreading out work between homework and classwork, and talking to students about time management.
3. Organizing and managing time is a crucial skill students must develop during the middle years.
4. Hard work in academic pursuit is a lifelong lesson we hope to teach each day. Grappling with ideas, figuring out concepts, and finding success in the process are at the core of molding these young minds. Our brains are muscles that need practice, stretching them academically is an important exercise.
1. Teachers know it is a busy time and communicate with each other to coordinate work.
2. Teachers intentionally structure student work. This structure includes scaffolding concepts, spreading out work between homework and classwork, and talking to students about time management.
3. Organizing and managing time is a crucial skill students must develop during the middle years.
4. Hard work in academic pursuit is a lifelong lesson we hope to teach each day. Grappling with ideas, figuring out concepts, and finding success in the process are at the core of molding these young minds. Our brains are muscles that need practice, stretching them academically is an important exercise.
5. If your child tells you s/he does not have homework, do not believe them! All students have something to do between now and the winter break. Dig deeper in your questioning!
6. For some families these periods of time entail important decision making. Many students have rigorous outside of school commitments that increase their personal stress levels. Often these include missing school days, arriving late or leaving early, sleeping less, etc. Striking a balance for each child is a family decision, but I encourage all of us to be realistic. If children are up late or miss school for rehearsals and do not have the same time for homework or miss class time, the same learning cannot happen. This is a personal family choice, but let's be realistic and help students manage themselves in healthy ways.
7. Perhaps most importantly…there is no homework over the winter break! So this pre-vacation push has a very bright light at the end of the tunnel!
7. Perhaps most importantly…there is no homework over the winter break! So this pre-vacation push has a very bright light at the end of the tunnel!
Two special invitations for you!
One result of this busy season is amazing student performance. As always, but of special note, you are all invited to St. George and the Dragon and morning assembly on December 16.
One result of this busy season is amazing student performance. As always, but of special note, you are all invited to St. George and the Dragon and morning assembly on December 16.
Friday, Dec. 9th @ 1:45 pm in Cabell Center Theater
St. George and the Dragon is the traditional 8th grade mummers play put on by the entire 8th grade class with the support of the entire 8th grade team! A hero, a dragon, girls acting dippy, and boys in tutus- what more could you want? This decidedly 8th grade show is a perennial favorite that has been performed to the delight (and horror) of Catlin Gabel audiences since the 1940s. Borrowing from the same basic plot (we use the term loosely), each class reflects its own personality in St. George and the Dragon.
Friday, December 16th @ 8:10 in Middle School Commons
This is an opportunity to see THREE arts performances in one morning. The 6th and 8th grade drama classes will perform their rotations’ productions and 8th grade music will share its work. Rarely do we have such an exciting morning. It is a fabulous opportunity to see the arts in action. We’d love to see you there!
Reports Mailed Home Next Week
By the end of next week you should receive fall reports for your Middle School student in the mail. These reports are written by each teacher to reflect student progress from the beginning of the year. As you read the reports, keep in mind they are both summative and formative in nature. They provide a snapshot of student achievement in each class, while at the same time hopefully provide constructive feedback that helps form student goals and informs their approaches for the next few months. I encourage you to discuss these reports with your child. Please be sure to talk about what they are doing well in addition to areas for improvement, acknowledge strengths and passions and be specific when discussing areas of concern or skills that need emphasis.
In January, the first day back from winter break, all students will do a written reflection on their reports. They will have time at school to read them thoroughly and respond in writing. The time to reflect upon accomplishments, as well as set goals for the coming months, is essential in developing their metacognitive abilities. After completing this reflective exercise, C&C advisors will review student comments and discuss them with the students.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about reports, please contact the teacher who wrote the report directly. If you have general issues or feedback, please contact Barbara.
Contacting Teachers is Easier Than Ever!
Contacting all of your child’s teachers is now easier than ever. Like the 7th grade, all three grades now have one email address to help with communication. All teachers for each grade level will receive messages sent to the following email addresses and they will reply as needed.
6th Grade- 6thGradeTeachers@catlin.edu
7th Grade- 7Teachers@catlin.edu
8th Grade- 8thGradeTeachers@catlin.edu
Middle School Athletics News:
Middle School Basketball
7th & 8th grade basketball is just around the corner. Please note that the entire basketball practice schedule is posted on the school’s website on the Middle School page. Games do not begin until January. The game schedule is located on the main home page – go to Quick Links and scroll to Team Schedules, then locate your team.
Tryouts will start on Monday, December 5. To this end, we will be creating two teams for boys and girls. A Blue and a White. The Blue team will be open to more experienced and skilled players. The White team will be for the less experienced players. Teams will practice together and be placed appropriately into league play.
Coaches for the teams are:
Girls White – Jessica McGrory
Girls Blue – Carrie Blank
Boys White – David Long
Boys Blue – Deonte Huff
Remember, 6th grade basketball is a late season commencing in February.
Please feel free to contact Len Carr should you have any questions at Carrl@catlin.edu
Information Technology News:
Are you thinking about getting your son or daughter a laptop for the upcoming holidays or for a birthday or special event? If you are planning on purchasing through Catlin Gabel, please place your order no later than Tuesday, December 8 to ensure that the order arrives before winter break. If you plan on purchasing the laptop on your own, please note we only support Lenovo ThinkPads or the Apple MacBook or MacBook Pro. If you plan on purchasing a laptop on your own, or have any questions, please contact Daisy Steele at steeled@catlin.edu or 503-297-1894 x264 to ensure that your purchase will meet the specifications required by the Catlin Gabel Upper School laptop program. We urge you to purchase the 4-year AppleCare protection program and the 4-year accidental damage protection to safeguard your purchase. More information about the Catlin Gabel School 1:1 laptop program can be found here: http://www.catlin.edu/upper/technology/laptop-program
Middle School Outdoor Program News:
The Middle School Rock Climbing Club is coming back in the New Year! The club will head to the Circuit Bouldering Gym on SW Macadam on Thursday afternoons. The bus will leave directly after school and will return by 6pm. The first session will be on Jan. 5th and the club will run every Thursday until Feb. 16th. The estimated cost of participating is $90, which includes shoe rentals.
Climbing is a fun physical and mental challenge. This program is an after-school club designed to help students learn about the technique, movement, and fun of the sport of rock climbing. This course is open to all MS students, regardless of experience level. The club will be limited to the first 18 students who sign up! Although the sport encourages individual efforts, students will support and encourage each other in a team environment. Catlin Gabel, under the leadership of David Reich will provide transportation, instruction, logistics, and inspiration. Other adult chaperones will accompany the group each session. Please email David Reich (reichd@catlin.edu) to sign up for this great experience.
Conversation
Head of school Lark Palma and student body president James Furnary ’12 talk about the importance of supporting our school. Check out the video conversation at http://www.catlin.edu/news/upper-school/catlin-gabel-video-conversations-2
Middle School Spanish Language Families
I write with a special opportunity to host Catlin Gabel's Costa Rican exchange student, Nimsi.
Nimsi is here as a 10th grader for the 2011-2012 academic year from the Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, Costa Rica. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, and loves spending time with other kids – especially helping with Spanish. She is a 15–year old dynamo, who is soaking up every moment of her year so far. She's just finished a great fall soccer season and will likely not participate in winter sports.
Please, contact Spencer White directly if you are interested in inviting Nimsi into your home.
Catlin Gabel Robotics News:
Catlin Gabel hosts BunnyBot competition on December 17
What better way to ring in the holiday season than to snuggle around and watch menacing 120-pound student-built robots fling and shove defenseless stuffed bunnies? The FIRST robotics game this year is a demented mash-up of capture the flag and Nerf dart tag. Fun for the whole family.
The BunnyBot scrimmage offers an opportunity for Oregon teams to bring new members up to speed before the intensity of the January and February build season sets in. The BunnyBot event is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 17, in covered tennis courts 1 and 2.
The rules and video from last year are at http://www.oregonfirst.org/events/bunnybot/bunnybot-2011/.
Photos from last year are at http://picasaweb.google.com/106999374581443680286/2010BunnyBot?gsessionid=bacaDNm_ZOnP4m7cx5Ri7A
Bunnies needed
The Upper School robotics team seeks stuffed bunnies for the BunnyBot competition. The bunnies need to measure between 9 and 12 inches tall (ears not included). Bring your donation to the Nutshell or Outback robotics labs after school. If you have any questions, please email Dale Yocum, Robotics Program Director.
Catlin Gabel Ski Program
The mountain snow is flying and that means the Catlin Gabel Ski Program is starting to crank up. The Ski Program has been running for well over 40 years and this season looks like another great one. Catlin Gabel’s Ski program is now ready for sign-ups online through Mt. Hood Meadows - the 6-week package would make a great holiday gift! Catlin Gabel faculty and staff will drive Catlin Gabel buses to the mountain and chaperone student participants while on the mountain for a fee paid directly to the Catlin Gabel program. This program is available to 5th through 12th graders, with grades 5th through 8th being required by Mt Hood Meadows to sign up for lessons. The dates for this year include six Saturdays from February 4th through March 10th. While Meadow’s fees have gone up, the school’s transportation/chaperone fee remain the same. Please note that financial aid is available and readily awarded through the ski bus program. Please check the Catlin Gabel website for forms and links, or contact Group Organizer Kathy Sloan (who doubles as a math teacher in the upper school) at sloank@catlin.edu for more information. Middle School participants should feel free to contact Len Carr or Chris Bell with questions, and Peggy McDonnell is the 5th grade contact.
Catlin Gabel Gambol 2012
We are pleased to announce that plans for the 2012 Gambol are well under way. This year’s event will be a wonderful blend of philanthropy and party with a new format that reduces seat time and increases FUN.
Inspired by community feedback from auctions past, the 2012 event has been re-imagined as an evening that supports Catlin Gabel’s innovative faculty and remarkable financial aid program, while also celebrating the vibrant community that makes the school unique.
We hope you join us on Saturday, March 3, for the main event, and participate in the process. We welcome and appreciate your contribution in any form. If you are interested in donating an auction item please see our wish list for ideas, or go freestyle and come up with your own (visit http://www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol). Please contact Kecia Welt (weltk@catlin.edu) to volunteer or find out about advertising and sponsorship opportunities.
We look forward to working with all of you in the coming months to create a festive evening of celebration and community.
Join us on Saturday, March 3, at the Governor Hotel for a new kind of Gambol.
Snow day closures
When school does not open in the morning or opens late due to inclement weather, we notify the media before 6:45 a.m. and the School website is updated.
We do not notify the media when school runs on a normal schedule.
We will post a newsflash on the website alerting families that we are open when conditions are uncertain.
The School avoids mid-day weather closures whenever possible.
Catlin Gabel does not necessarily follow the decisions made by Portland Public or Beaverton schools because our students come from a wide geographic area.
Eric Shawn, plant manager, and Lark make the decision to close school or delay opening based on conditions on campus and throughout the Metro area.
Personal decisions
The safety of students is our primary concern. Parents should make personal weather-related safety decisions for their families. If it does not seem safe where you are, keep your children at home. If conditions deteriorate in your neighborhood during the day, you may pick up your children early (making sure to notify the division administrative assistant).
The safety of students is our primary concern. Parents should make personal weather-related safety decisions for their families. If it does not seem safe where you are, keep your children at home. If conditions deteriorate in your neighborhood during the day, you may pick up your children early (making sure to notify the division administrative assistant).
Snow day Bus service
Sometimes school is in session, but bus service is canceled because of inclement weather. A message is posted on the website as early as the decision is made. If buses are canceled in the morning, they are also canceled for the afternoon regardless of weather conditions.
Sometimes school is in session, but bus service is canceled because of inclement weather. A message is posted on the website as early as the decision is made. If buses are canceled in the morning, they are also canceled for the afternoon regardless of weather conditions.
Peek at the Week for Nov. 18-Dec. 2, 2011
November 18, 2011Peek at the Week for Nov. 18-Dec. 2, 2011
November
| 21-22 | Middle School teacher report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 | Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 | Classes resume |
December
| 2 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 2 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 7 | Middle School Service |
| 9 | 8th grade performance of St. George & the Dragon in Cabell Theater, 1:30pm |
| 12 | 7th grade FAME - Japan presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 13 | 7th grade FAME - China presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 14 | 7th grade FAME - Byzantine Empire presentation, 8:30-9:45am |
| 15 | 7th grade FAME - England presentation, 9-10:00am |
| 16 | 7th grade FAME Food Festival, 11-1:00pm |
| 19-Jan. 2 | Winter Break, no school |
Message from Barbara
When I wrote about the changing of the seasons last week I did not realize how fleeting the enjoyment of my favorite tree on campus would be. One day the luminous leaves on the tree behind the middle school basketball hoop dangled in delight at the wind’s whim, and the next day their remains, still dazzling, blanketed its trunk.
This fleeting chance to enjoy nature’s beauty reminded me of the old saying, “Stop and smell the roses.” This saying’s meaning varies, but to me it means taking time to appreciate our surroundings and one another. As we break for Thanksgiving to share time with family and friends and give thanks for our lives and time to share together, I would like to thank a special group of people that have worked tirelessly over the past three years to add to the natural beauty of our community and campus. This group has intentionally created a space and a place that allows for connections with nature, curriculum, and one another as members of this special Catlin Gabel School community. The special group of which I speak is our garden club.
Under the leadership of Carter Latendresse, sixth grade team leader and English teacher, a seed was planted and has grown into a meeting and teaching place for students, teachers, parents, and even prospective families if you attended Open House last Sunday! Just a few weeks ago a cob oven was completed as a centerpiece to our community garden that allows for cooking together. If you have not walked through the garden, you are missing out on one of our school’s jewels.
But Carter is the first to admit that this amazing corner of campus would not have been possible without the able hands of countless volunteers including teachers, parents, students, grandparents, friends of Catlin Gabel School, and alums. In particular two Catlin Gabel alums, Owen Gabbert and Kai Yonezawa, Class of 2002, volunteered literally hundreds of hours since last February sharing their landscaping and building knowledge to guide Phase 3 of the garden from student originated ideas to professional drawings and construction. Owen started at Catlin Gabel in kindergarten to graduate twelve years later; he is therefore affectionately known to us as a lifer. After earning a BA in History and American Ethnic Studies from Willamette University in 2006, Owen began working as a project manager at Green Gables Design and Restoration, a local design/build company. Kai started at Catlin Gabel in the third grade and graduated with Owen nine years later. He went on to earn a BA in Architecture from University of Oregon, and he has worked at Green Gables as a designer alongside Owen for the last four years.
Being a small school, we always recognize the power of our own human resources, but the commitment and passion of Kai and Owen to Catlin Gabel through their oversight of this third and final phase of the garden has been exceptional. Thank you Kai and Owen!
Check out the garden club online right now: http://www.catlin.edu/all-school/garden-club
As we go into Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful for our wonderful Catlin Gabel School community whose support sustains all of us as it members. I wish you and your families as members of our community a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. I hope it brings fun and memorable times! Enjoy the time away from school with your middle schooler!
Peek Updates:
You might have noticed you are receiving this week’s Peek on Friday. From now on, please expect the Peek on Fridays instead of Thursdays. The next Peek will be December 2nd.
Arts Reports Next Week
Early next week Arts Reports will be mailed home for the first two rotations of sixth grade and the first rotation of seventh and eighth grades respectively. This is a change from last year allowing for students and parents to have feedback in a timelier manner after the end of art rotations. This change was spearheaded by the Arts Team themselves with a desire to share their insights with their students as close to the end of their time together as logistically possible. Thanks to them for their extra efforts to close the feedback loop more effectively!
Choir Performance at MS Assembly on December 2nd
As usual, but of noteworthy mention, all are invited to MS assembly on December 2nd for the Middle School Choir’s performance. Assembly begins promptly at 8:15 in the Commons.
Contacting Teachers is Easier Than Ever!
Contacting all of your child’s teachers is now easier than ever. Like the 7th grade, all three grades now have one email address to help with communication. All teachers for each grade level will receive messages sent to the following email addresses and they will reply as needed.
6th Grade- 6thGradeTeachers@catlin.edu
7th Grade- 7Teachers@catlin.edu
8th Grade- 8thGradeTeachers@catlin.edu
C&C Parent-Advisory Brief Survey- Completely Anonymous Feedback
We would appreciate a few minutes of your time to take a brief survey regarding your experience at your C&C Parent-Advisor conference two weeks ago. As always your input and candor are greatly valued. http://inside.catlin.edu/survey/378. Thank you, Barbara
WE NEED YOU - THIS SATURDAY – PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND!
2011 3A/2A/1A Girls Soccer Championship
November 19 @ Liberty HS (Hillsboro) 10:30 AM
Your defending state champion, #1 ranked Catlin Gabel Eagles will play Oregon Episcopal School for the girls state championship soccer title.
OES will have their fans out in force – we invite and hope that the entire, greater Catlin Gabel School community will show up to cheer on the team.
Please pass the word to all friends of the school, alums, parents of alums, neighbors, relatives and friends.
This is a huge game. Your fan support will be greatly appreciated
Admission – cash or VISA/MasterCard only - Adult - $8 Student - $5
Spectator Info: http://www.osaa.org/soccer/2011/4a3a2a1ascfinalsspecinfo.pdf:
Directions to Liberty HS: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=21945%20NW%20Wagon%20Way,%20Hillsboro,%20OR
Go, Eagles!
Middle School Athletics News:
All Fall middle school athletes should turn in their jerseys ASAP to Len or Brian.
Middle School Basketball
7th & 8th grade basketball is just around the corner. Please note that the entire basketball practice schedule is posted on the school’s website on the Middle School page. Games do not begin until January. The game schedule is located on the main home page – go to Quick Links and scroll to Team Schedules, then locate your team.
Our first week will simply be a series of optional, relaxed “open gyms” to ease into the season. Tryouts will start on Monday, December 5. To this end, we will be creating two teams for boys and girls. A Blue and a White. The Blue team will be open to more experienced and skilled players. The White team will be for the less experienced players. Teams will practice together and be placed appropriately into league play.
Coaches for the teams are:
Girls White – Jessica McGrory
Girls Blue – Carrie Blank
Boys White – TBD
Boys Blue – Deonte Huff
Remember, 6th grade basketball is a late season commencing in February.
Please feel free to contact Len Carr should you have any questions at Carrl@catlin.edu
Catlin Gabel Transportation News:
Please note that a minor adjustment has been proposed and adopted for the Green bus route in both the morning and afternoon. The stop on SW Vista will move up to the stop sign at the intersection of SW Patton/SW Broadway (also known as the “Fountain” stop).
The schedules and the map on the school website have been corrected to reflect this change.
Middle School Outdoor Program News:
The Middle School Rock Climbing Club is coming back in the New Year! The club will head to the Circuit Bouldering Gym on SW Macadam on Thursday afternoons. The bus will leave directly after school and will return by 6pm. The first session will be on Jan. 5th and the club will run every Thursday until Feb. 16th. The estimated cost of participating is $90, which includes shoe rentals.
Climbing is a fun physical and mental challenge. This program is an after-school club designed to help students learn about the technique, movement, and fun of the sport of rock climbing. This course is open to all MS students, regardless of experience level. The club will be limited to the first 18 students who sign up! Although the sport encourages individual efforts, students will support and encourage each other in a team environment. Catlin Gabel, under the leadership of David Reich will provide transportation, instruction, logistics, and inspiration. Other adult chaperones will accompany the group each session. Please email David Reich (reichd@catlin.edu) to sign up for this great experience.
Smith Rock trip for Middle Schoolers: Dec. 3-4
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to scale the beautiful rock faces of central Oregon?
Have you ever wondered what the high desert looks like in the winter? Come join the outdoor program for a weekend of rock climbing and hiking in central Oregon, and you can find out. No climbing experience is necessary.
The plan is to head over the mountains on Saturday morning in a small yellow school bus, arriving about 11:20 a.m. We'll grab harnesses, shoes, and helmets (provided upon request) and make the short walk to the rock. Students will get a day of personalized rock climbing instruction on Saturday. On Sunday we will hike along the beautiful Deschutes River in Tumalo State Park .
Saturday night we will cook a big meal and sleep indoors in yurts! at Tumalo State Park.
The trip is open to Middle School students.
The cost of the trip is $60. Financial aid is available.
To sign up- contact Peter Green at Greenp@catlin.edu
Peek at the Week for Nov. 11-17, 2011
November 11, 2011Peek at the Week for Nov. 11-17, 2011
November
| 13 | Catlin Gabel Admission Open House |
| 15 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara, 8:30-9:30am in the middle school library |
| 16 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 21-22 | Middle School teacher report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 | Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 | Classes resume |
December
| 2 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 2 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 7 | Middle School Service |
| 9 | 8th grade performance of St. George & the Dragon in Cabell Theater, 1:30pm |
| 19- Jan. 2 | Winter Break, no school |
Message from Barbara
A poem by Robert Louis Stevenson
Autumn Fires
In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!
Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.
Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall.
I have to admit I am beginning to feel the excitement of this fall and the approaching holiday season. I also admit I have listened to the Holiday Music tab my Pandora once or twice. This season allows for a slightly slower pace of life to enjoy good times with friends and family. Given our first winter in the Northwest, the changing colors are strikingly beautiful to me. The lush green landscape of just last month has morphed into what in many ways looks and even smells like another place. The sun shining through the golden rod leaves looks like glittering goodness from above. Perhaps most poignant is the smell of the dried leaves blanketing the trees’ trunks. This earthy leaf smell actually reminds me of my preschool years- those were good times!
As we shift seasons, we also think about creating and scheduling memorable family moments by planning for the upcoming vacations. While this time together is essential, missing school days for the benefit of travel convenience is not ideal. The school’s calendar has been designed with several breaks over the course of the year to provide families with time for travel. Families should plan their personal trips using this time. While some work can be made up at home, class time cannot be recreated, so families are encouraged to think carefully before pulling a student out on school days, and to use great discretion when making these decisions. Should there be a need for an extended absence, please contact all of the teachers and me as far in advance as possible. Students should also be sure to fill out the Middle School Student Planned Absence Notice (available online and in the office) and submit a copy to the office. This forms helps ensure communication with teachers and holds students responsible for speaking with teachers in person. If a student is absent for a reason other than illness, families are asked to assume responsibility for any tutoring students require because of personal absence. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Middle School Parent Coffee
8:30-9:30 am in MS Library, Tuesday, November 15
Next Tuesday Lark and Barbara welcome Middle School parents to join them for coffee and conversation. Hope to see you there.
A Brief Survey Please:
As we continually strive to look at our practice and how to best serve students and families, we would appreciate a few minutes of your time to take a brief survey regarding your experience at your C&C Parent-Advisor conference two weeks ago. As always your input and candor are greatly valued. http://inside.catlin.edu/survey/378. Thank you, Barbara
7th graders want FAME!
The FAME (Feudal Asia, Medieval Europe) project has begun. Children have been taking notes and many have begun writing the first of two essays related to FAME. Research or presentation preparation should occur every night in some form. Libraries, the Internet, and talking with your children are all appropriate forms of research. One essay will be assigned after Thanksgiving and is due December 9th. That way there is no big project hanging into winter break. The final FAME test will be in January. The weeks of November 28-December 9 will be very busy for the kids. They will be making the visual aids for their presentations. Costumes, game boards, artifacts, etc. are all possibilities. Oral presentation order is Feudal Japan, China, Byzantine Empire, & England. Presentations will be the week of December 12. Parents are encouraged and invited to attend their child’s presentation. In the past, parents have photographed and videotaped the presentations. Honestly, most parents attend. If your child says otherwise, please call me to discuss attendance. If a parent is unable to attend, please ask for the video. For the most up-to-date information, please visit Paul Monheimer’s classroom web page at http://tiny.cc/wcult. This web page also contains links for students doing Internet research on their FAME civilization and project “green” sheets for families to download. To celebrate the completion of the written and oral projects, students will bring in food from their civilization on Friday, December 16th. More information will be forthcoming. All civilizations will want to dress up on their presentation day. Please encourage children to remember to bring weather appropriate clothing. This is Oregon, not Istanbul! And, remember, “Fame costs....”
Middle School Athletics News:
All Fall middle school athletes should turn in their jerseys ASAP to Len or Brian.
Middle School Basketball
7th & 8th grade basketball will start on Monday, November 28. Please note that the entire basketball practice schedule is posted on the school’s website on the Middle School page. Games do not begin until January. The game schedule is located on the main home page – go to Quick Links and scroll to Team Schedules, then locate your team.
Our first week will simply be a series of optional, relaxed “open gyms” to ease into the season. Tryouts will start on Monday, December 5. To this end, we will be creating two teams for boys and girls. A Blue and a White. The Blue team will be open to more experienced and skilled players. The White team will be for the less experienced players. Teams will practice together and be placed appropriately into league play.
Coaches for the teams are:
Girls White – Jessica McGrory
Girls Blue – Carrie Blank
Boys White – TBD
Boys Blue – Deonte Huff
Remember, 6th grade basketball is a late season commencing in February.
Please feel free to contact Len Carr should you have any questions at Carrl@catlin.edu
Fusion Yoga
Catlin Gabel Middle School students are invited to explore the basics of Yoga including stretching, breathing, and the practice of mindfulness for a quick yoga sampler over the next few weeks. This is a free, drop-in class. Should interest dictate, we may extend this as a fee based class starting in January.
About the instructor: Suresh Srinivas is a computer scientist and Principal Engineer at Intel and CGS MS parent. He is also a Registered Yoga Teacher. He is on the board of Street Yoga and has taught Yoga at the CGS Lower School, Intel, as well as volunteering at OutsideIn teaching yoga to homeless youth.
The remaining dates for the yoga sampler will be Tuesday November29, and Dec 6th after school, 3:30-4:15. The class will take place in Brox. Bring your own yoga mat if you have one.
To sign up, reply to Len Carr at carrl@catlin.edu or sign up on the Yoga Sign Up sheet on the counter in the Middle School office.
Catlin Gabel Service Corps:
21 Days for Bienestar project. Collections have begun and will continue until Friday, November 18.
Bienestar provides quality affordable housing and resident services to farmworkers and other low income families. The 21 Days for Bienstar project builds on our successful Upper School homework club paretnership and last year’s Service Corps book drive.
Please collect the following items for Bienstar. The MS collection site is on the benches in front of The Commons.
Clothing for infants and toddler under age 5.
Used or new toys and books for babies and toddlers. Educational toys and board or cloth books preferred, but toys age appropriate for under age 4 would be great!
Infant and toddler diapers.
Here is the link to sign up or for more information:
Peek at the Week for Nov. 3-10, 2011
November 3, 2011Peek at the Week for Nov. 3-10, 2011
November
| 4 | Middle School choir begins today in the Upper School choir room, 3:30-4:15pm |
| 10 | Teaching & Learning Center parent lecture evening, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 11 | Middle School Coffee House, 7-8:15pm in Narnia |
| 13 | Catlin Gabel Admission Open House |
| 15 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara, 8:30-9:30am in the middle school library |
| 16 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 21-22 | Middle School teacher report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 | Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 | Classes resume |
December
| 2 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 2 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities building |
| 7 | Middle School Service |
| 9 | 8th grade performance of St. George & the Dragon in Cabell Theater, 1:30pm |
Message from Barbara
Welcome to the “quiet” month of November. I encourage fun family dinners, movies and discussions, family book clubs- anything to take advantage of some time to spend together as life speeds up sooner than we know!
Huge kudos to the athletes and coaches for a wonderful fall season. Thanks to Len for overseeing all the sports and guaranteeing safe travels and good sportsmanship.
Our headlining remarks this week come from Len Carr, the Assistant Head of the Middle School regarding a great first sports season!
Middle School Fall Sports Wrap
By Len Carr
Congratulations to all Middle School student athletes who competed on our various teams this fall. There were approximately 105 students who competed in cross country running, volleyball and/or soccer. If success were measured solely by team bonding, skill development and fun – the season was a wonderful success. But in terms of competitiveness - put this season in the win column too.
The girls cross country team won districts and placed second in state. All of our runners were fierce competitors throughout the season. Our volleyball teams improved weekly. The Blue team went to playoffs and their season ended in a tense, scrappy final match where our team really jelled and matured, demonstrating their best talent of the season.
Our soccer teams had great success across the board. We were fortunate to have loads of talent distributed between two boy’s teams and one girl’s. In the end, our girl’s team fell one game short of the league semi-finals after playing competitively in every game throughout the season. Likewise our boys white team was a plucky, scrappy group who improved steadily. Our boys Blue team competed Tuesday night in the league championship match, earning league runner up honors.
We are immensely proud of our young Eagle athletes. Furthermore we tip our caps to all our coaches for their tireless efforts, good spirit and all around enthusiasm and leadership helping to make this fall season the enormous success that it was. Parents too – thank you for your fantastic support and good sportsmanship.
November tends to be a quiet sports month in the Middle School – a chance to turn attention to other interests and to focus on studies.
7th & 8th grade basketball will begin immediately after Thanksgiving break. Boys will begin practice on Monday, November 28 and girls on Tuesday, November 29. The basketball practice schedule will be posted soon and we will publish our game schedule on the school’s website once it is completed. But note that it is practices only through winter break. Practices will be 3:30-4:30. Games do not start until January. 6th grade basketball starts on approximately February 1.
Please feel free to follow our Upper School teams into the post season. Girls cross country competes Saturday at the State Championships in Eugene. The boys and girls soccer playoff schedule can be followed by visiting: http://www.catlin.edu/athletics/schedules
It’s been a great fall for Catlin Gabel athletics!
Go, Eagles!
What a season!
A Brief Survey Please:
As we continually strive to look at our practice and how to best serve students and families, we would appreciate a few minutes of your time to take a brief survey regarding your experience at your C&C Advisor-Parent conference two weeks ago. As always, your input and candor are greatly valued. http://inside.catlin.edu/survey/378. Thank you, Barbara
Middle School Fall Choir Begins Tomorrow!
The first group meeting is tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 4th 3:30-4:15 pm in the Upper School music room across from the Barn.
Middle School Science Olympiad:
In the next few weeks the Catlin Gabel Middle School will form a team to compete in Oregon's Science Olympiad tournament in late April (TBD) at Western Oregon University.
Science Olympiad teams are similar to school sport teams in that they “practice” to compete in a state tournament. Science Olympiad teams compete against teams in their own state, with the state champion moving on to compete against the best teams in the nation. Individual medals and team trophies are presented to winning competitors.
The Science Olympiad tournament will have 23 events in the various science disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, environmental science, engineering and technology.
Teams can have up to 15 members, with each member working in groups of 2 or 3 to prepare for their chosen events at the tournament. Catlin Gabel’s Science Olympiad team participated in the national tournaments in Delaware 2002 and Madison 2011. If you'd like to join the team, or want more information about the competition, bring your lunch to meet with Larry in Treasure Island at 12:15 on Mondays and Fridays beginning this Friday, or contact him at hurstl@catlin.edu.
Catlin Gabel Service Corps News:
Tree Planting!
And all are welcome...........
WHEN: Saturday, November 5th -- the planting starts promptly at 9:00am. The planting should conclude no later than 1:00pm.
A bus will leave from the theatre @ 8:30.
WHERE: Valley Memorial Park, 3809 SE Tualatin Valley Highway, Hillsboro
WHAT: Friends of Trees will provide gloves, tools and trained guidance, as well as breakfast treats and coffee. Dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy shoes.
To let us know a number, please signup here.
We are also starting our
21 Days for Bienestar project. Collections have begun and will continue until Friday, November 18.
Bienestar provides quality affordable housing and resident services to farmworkers and other low income families. The 21 Days for Bienstar project builds on our successful Upper School homework club paretnership and last year’s Service Corps book drive.
Please collect the following items for Bienstar. The MS collection site is on the benches in front of The Commons.
Clothing for infants and toddler under age 5.
Used or new toys and books for babies and toddlers. Educational toys and board or cloth books preferred, but toys age appropriate for under age 4 would be great!
Infant and toddler diapers.
Here is the link to sign up or for more information:
Artist in Residence
Eric Adjetey Anang, a Ga Fantasy Coffin sculptor from Ghana, will be an artist in residence at Catlin Gabel November 7th to the 11th. We have invited him here to demonstrate his amazing art of sculpting a coffin out of wood in whatever shape a family feels best represents their deceased elder. He will be sculpting a woodworker’s hand plane, approximately 7’ long, 3’ wide, and 4’ high on the front deck of the barn. Please come ask him questions, watch him work, and feel free to participate in the building of the hand plane. Eric will give a slide lecture on Monday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gerlinger Auditorium
Two years ago, Michael de Forest, the LS Wood Shop teacher, traveled to Ghana for a summer and studied with Eric in his carpentry shop in Teshie, near Accra. There is also a proposed US trip planned for Ghana this summer July 29 to to Aug 19th, 2012 where students will be working in the Kane Kwei Carpentry Shop with Eric.
Follow the link below to see Eric's work.
Fusion Yoga
Catlin Gabel Middle School students are invited to explore the basics of Yoga including stretching, breathing, and the practice of mindfulness for a quick 3-session yoga sampler over the next few weeks. This is a free, drop-in class. Should interest dictate, we may extend this as a fee based class starting in January.
About the instructor: Suresh Srinivas is a computer scientist and Principal Engineer at Intel and CGS MS parent. He is also a Registered Yoga Teacher. He is on the board of Street Yoga and has taught Yoga at the CGS Lower School, Intel, as well as volunteering at OutsideIn teaching yoga to homeless youth.
The dates for the yoga sampler will be Tuesdays November 8, & 29, and Dec 6th after school, 3:30-4:15. The class will take place in Brox. Bring your own yoga mat if you have one.
To sign up, reply to Len Carr at carrl@catlin.edu or sign up on the Yoga Sign Up sheet on the counter in the Middle School office.
Teaching & Learning Center:
The summer issue of The Atlantic included the cover story, “How the Cult of Self-Esteem is Ruining Our Kids.” It highlighted resilience in the face of disappointments and failures and emphasized the importance of setbacks in forming fully developed and psychologically resilient adults.
Lack of resilience is a major issue for young adults — so much so that college administrators have labeled some students “teacups” as a metaphor for those who easily break at the slightest stress.
Please join us next Thursday, November 10 @ 7 pm in The MS Commons to hear from Nancy Donehower, Director of College Counseling and Psychologist Paul Myers, Director of Student Health at The University of Portland.
Middle School Coffee House:
Friday, November 11th 7—8:15pm
In the spirit of risk-taking, independence and autonomy, we invite all students in the MS to perform or listen at Coffee House. Kids recite original poetry, sing, play instruments, perform monologues, do stand-up comedy, lip synch to favorite songs or do impersonations. Riotous clapping follows each act. Sorry, the days of snapping are over. It all happens in the transformed setting that is Narnia/Treasure Island. Tables and chairs are removed for couches, throw rugs, pianos and low lights. Due to the size of the room, guests are not allowed and we ask that parents do not attend, allowing the students to take full ownership of this event. Students should go home between the end of school and the beginning of coffee house. Contact Spencer White at whites@catlin.edu with any questions.
PFA News:
Parent Community Meeting, November 17th
Gerlinger Hall, 8:30am
COURAGE TO BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE
Do you have the courage to foster resilience in your kids, when the culture is telling you to rescue and prop them up? Do you have the courage to be truly compassionate not only to others, but to yourself, too? Learn how to model authenticity, honesty, and self-care in order to empower your kids. Join us as Kathy Masarie speaks about resiliency.
Peek at the Week for Oct. 27-Nov. 3, 2011
October 27, 2011Peek at the Week for Oct. 27-Nov. 3, 2011
October
| 28 | Grandparents & Special Friends morning, 8:00-11:15am |
| 29 | Catlin Gabel Service Corp work day at Oregon Food Bank |
November
| 4 | Middle School choir begins t |
| 10 | Teaching & Learning Center parent lecture evening, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 11 | Middle School Coffee House, 7-8:15pm in Narnia |
| 13 | Catlin Gabel Admission Open House |
| 15 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara, 8:30-9:30am in the middle school library |
| 16 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 21-22 | Middle School teacher report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 | Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 | Classes resume |
Message from Barbara
As we wind down our first service learning day of the year, I am struck by the connections, growth and real life experiences days like these provide the entire community. We had students playing with 3-year-olds in Head Start programs around Portland, conversing with senior citizens just down the street at Regency Park, preparing food for the homeless at a variety of agencies downtown, to only name a few of our activities. The morning excitement began with assembly led by Len Carr highlighting the commitment we have to one another to do good deeds and contribute to the world so it becomes the place we all hope it can be. He shared the value of connections in the form of relationships upon which much of our commitment to service begins and is sustained over the years. After lunch, community service transformed into community members and their service stories, a bit of a play on words, as about 15 leaders of service organizations and Catlin community members held small seminar style sessions with the students. Often volunteering at these places allows for us to do a lot, but hearing the history and the actual impact the work has on others and society can be lost. This afternoon they had the opportunity to hear this first hand!
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Mead
Today our 185 middle schoolers accompanied by their C&C advisors contributed about 600 hours of service to the greater Portland area. While we did not change the world drastically, I know Catlin Gabel students left a positive mark on Portland today! Ask them about it!
A special thank you to Len Carr for organizing service learning in the Middle School, and for a great afternoon of speakers today!
Boo! Halloween in the Middle School
Halloween is in the air. The Middle School tradition invites students to wear their costumes if they want first thing Monday morning, October 31. We will have a “Halloween fashion show” during a special Monday assembly, which entails groups of students, usually by grade, showing off their outfits. Typically students bring a change of clothes which they change into at break or lunch.
In the spirit of kids being kids, there will be light, if any homework at all on Monday night. Trick or treat away!
Individual Pumpkin Carving Contest. Bring your beautifully handcrafted, carved jack-o-lanterns to school for display. Bring them no earlier than Friday and no later than next Monday. MSSA will judge them on Monday. Categories include: scariest, funniest, most creative and original, and classic. Prizes!
Middle School Fall Choir Begins Next Friday
If you signed up you received an email from Glenn Burnett. There are over 15 students signed up for choir! If your son or daughter still wants to sing, it’s not too late. Let Barbara know. The first group meeting is next Friday, Nov. 4th 3:30-4:15 pm in the Upper School music room across from the Barn.
Catlin Gabel Service Corps News:
In its second year, the Catlin Gabel Service Corps presents four opportunities for multi-generations to work together in service to the greater Portland community. Please visit the web page for details about upcoming volunteer opportunities at the Oregon Food Bank on October 29.
This Saturday's Service Corp kick off at the Oregon Food Bank has spaces available for last moment sign up should you be interested. Your efforts at the Oregon Food Bank are terribly needed. Sadly, Oregon is amongst the national leaders with regard to state-wide hunger. Come Saturday and roll up your sleeves with others from the Catlin Gabel community, have some fun and work to fight hunger locally.
Here is the link to sign up or for more information:
Grandparents & Special Friends:
Grandparents & Special Friends morning in the middle school is coming soon. Please issue an invitation to a grandparent or special friend for Friday, October 28th. Registration will be from 8-8:15am outside the Art Room in the middle school. We will move to a welcome assembly in the Commons at 8:15am. After the assembly grandparents and special friends will visit classes with their student. At 10:35am Barbara Ostos, middle school head, will be available in the library to talk about life in the middle school or to answer any questions. The morning visit with our special guests ends at 11:15am and students are expected to remain until the end of the day.
News in the middle:
7th grade Open House host students needed for Sunday, November 13. This is a big day at Catlin Gabel when we open up the school to the public and show off our great place. Your job as host is very important. You will be handsomely rewarded for your efforts that day, 1:00-4:00. Please see Len if interested and be sure to come to Thursday's lunch meeting to learn more. We will meet in Brox.
An afternoon with Bats and Dr. Pete
Dr. Peter Ritson (our very own 7th grade science teacher) and his wife, Christine Portfors, associate professor of biology at Washington State University Vancouver, host their annual Bat Talk from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 29, in the Dengerink Administration building, room 110 at Washington State University in Vancouver. This event is an especially fun fall activity for families with children ages 4 – 12 and is free and open to the public.
While the season often calls for depicting bats as blood-sucking, vicious creatures, now families have an opportunity to see live bats up close and learn why these animals are largely misunderstood. In addition to teaching guests about bats, Christine and Peter will offer fun children’s activities including arts and crafts.
In their presentation, Peter and Christine dispel popular folklore and teach guests about the beneficial role bats play in nature managing insect pests, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. They will showcase different bat species and introduce guests to a few of their captive tropical fruit bats.
WSU Vancouver is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Avenue off the 134th Street exit form either I-5 or I-205. Parking is free on weekends.
Artist in Residence
Eric Adjetey Anang, a Ga Fantasy Coffin sculptor from Ghana, will be an artist in residence at Catlin Gabel November 7th to the 11th. We have invited him here to demonstrate his amazing art of sculpting a coffin out of wood in whatever shape a family feels best represents their deceased elder. He will be sculpting a woodworker’s hand plane, approximately 7’ long, 3’ wide, and 4’ high on the front deck of the barn. Please come ask him questions, watch him work, and feel free to participate in the building of the hand plane. Eric will give a slide lecture on Monday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gerlinger Auditorium
Two years ago, Michael de Forest, the LS Wood Shop teacher, traveled to Ghana for a summer and studied with Eric in his carpentry shop in Teshie, near Accra. There is also a proposed US trip planned for Ghana this summer July 29 to to Aug 19th, 2012 where students will be working in the Kane Kwei Carpentry Shop with Eric.
Middle School Coffee House:
Friday, November 11th 7—8:15pm
In the spirit of risk-taking, independence and autonomy, we invite all students in the MS to perform or listen at Coffee House. Kids recite original poetry, sing, play instruments, perform monologues, do stand-up comedy, lip synch to favorite songs or do impersonations. Riotous clapping follows each act. Sorry, the days of snapping are over. It all happens in the transformed setting that is Narnia/Treasure Island. Tables and chairs are removed for couches, throw rugs, pianos and low lights. Due to the size of the room, guests are not allowed and we ask that parents do not attend, allowing the students to take full ownership of this event. Students should go home between the end of school and the beginning of coffee house. Contact Spencer White at whites@catlin.edu with any questions.
Catlin Gabel Gambol:
Calling all party people. You know who you are and you know how to make things fun. We're kicking off this year's Gambol auction planning with a come one, come all meeting at 8:30 AM a.m. on Tuesday, November 1, in Jubitz. We have some exciting changes in store for the 2012 event -- Join us!
For more information contact Kecia Welt, Auction Coordinator at weltk@catlin.edu or 503-297-1894 Ext. 242.
Save the Date!
Gambol 2012
March 3, 2012
at the
Governor Hotel
PFA News:
Parent Community Meeting, November 17th
Gerlinger Hall, 8:30am
COURAGE TO BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE
Do you have the courage to foster resilience in your kids, when the culture is telling you to rescue and prop them up? Do you have the courage to be truly compassionate not only to others, but to yourself, too? Learn how to model authenticity, honesty, and self-care in order to empower your kids. Join us as Kathy Masarie speaks about resiliency.
Peek at the Week for Oct. 20-27, 2011
October 20, 2011Peek at the Week for Oct. 20-27, 2011
October
| 21 | Middle School parent/C&C advisor conferences, no middle school |
| 21 | Viewfinder Global Film series, 6:30pm in Humanities bldg. |
| 26 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 26 | Parent evening on bullying, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 27 | Photo re-take day |
| 28 | Grandparents & Special Friends morning |
| 29 | Catlin Gabel Service Corp work day at the Food Bank |
November
| 10 | Teaching & Learning Center parent lecture evening, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 11 | Middle School Coffee House, 7-8:15pm in Narnia |
| 13 | Catlin Gabel Admission Open House |
| 15 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara, 8:30-9:30am in the middle school library |
| 16 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 21-22 | Middle School teacher report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 | Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 | Classes resume |
Message from Barbara:
Tomorrow we look forward to welcoming parents into the Middle School to share insights about their children during the C&C conferences. Thank you to all of the parents who are providing sustenance for the faculty for lunch.
Next Friday is perhaps one of my favorite days of the year, Grandparents and Special Friends Day. I hope many of our students’ grandparents and special people will be able to join them at school to see and feel their daily experience. One of the great blessings in my life was growing up with a set of grandparents who picked us up after school and took us to ice cream, came and cheered us on at athletic events, let us swim in their pool until 1 am when we had slumber parties, to name only a few highlights from my childhood. While these are memories of what they did with or for us, they do not begin to capture what they taught us through modeling, conversations, and question asking. Somehow questions from Yayi and Aton never seemed as annoying as when they came from my mom. Their explanations of why something was right or wrong never seemed like lectures, they seemed like the truth and logic. And even when they would become a little upset at our antics, their love in the form of constant hugs, praise and kisses poured over us like warm sunshine on a crisp cold day.
I share these thoughts in the spirit of thinking about intergenerational experiences, how much we learn from the different generations in our lives. Sometimes the special people who teach life lessons intertwined with hugs and laughs, are not our own grandparents, but other special people in our lives. Regardless of who it may be, my hope is that our students have a chance to hear great stories, get a little spoiled, and learn the value of talking and interacting with them. Next Friday will be a great time for those special people to see what the kids do each day. I can’t wait for their conversations after the morning together!
Grade Level Welcome Coffees with Barbara
Lark Palma will be joining us for our coffee on Tuesday, November, 15 to give us an update on the Creative Arts Center. You've seen the article over the summer in the Caller and you've no doubt seen the bulletin board in the first grade hallway - now come and hear the latest and greatest on the campaign to get this building built!
The next all Middle School coffee is November 15th.
Grandparents & Special Friends:
Grandparents & Special Friends morning in the middle school is coming soon. Please issue an invitation to a grandparent or special friend for Friday, October 28th. Registration will be from 8-8:15am outside the Art Room in the middle school. We will move to a welcome assembly in the Commons at 8:15am. After the assembly grandparents and special friends will visit classes with their student. At 10:35am Barbara Ostos, middle school head, will be available in the library to talk about life in the middle school or to answer any questions. The morning visit with our special guests ends at 11:15am and students are expected to remain until the end of the day.
Bullying Isn't What It What It Use To Be: Strategies for Coping with Bullying
All school parent meeting
October 26, 2011
Time: 7:00pm
Middle School Commons
The psychological science of bullying has taken many turns throughout the years and social psychologists are learning more and more as to what works for combatting bullying dynamics. This parent night is a school-wide discussion about these strategies and how Catlin Gabel uses them. We hope you’ll join us and add your voice and questions to our discussion!
Please note that there is no child care available for this event.
Service Learning in the Middle School
Small Acts of Great Love!
Service Learning is an important opportunity to share with the larger local community. One Wednesday a month, Middle Schoolers fan out across the Portland metro area to work on a variety of Service Learning projects. Students arrive to the Middle School for an 8:15 a.m. assembly, and we depart from the Commons at approximately 8:45 a.m. Students are transported on Catlin Gabel buses or they take public buses and/or MAX. Upon our return from Service Learning at approximately 12:00 students go to grade level or C&C activities from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., everyone is dismissed at 3:05 pm. Please avoid making medical appointments for your student on Service Learning dates. It's important for everyone to attend school on these days.
Here are the Middle School service dates for the 2011-2012 school year (Please note that they are all Wednesdays):
October 26
November 16
December 7
January 11
March 14
April 18
May 16
June 6
November 16
December 7
January 11
March 14
April 18
May 16
June 6
Some C&C groups will work with young children at organizations such as Albina Head Start or sort food at the Oregon Food Bank. Others will assist the elderly in senior centers, collect and distribute food for Urban Gleaners, or build trails at the Audubon Society. Please ask your child what his or her C&C will be doing for Service Learning.
But what do these experiences mean to middle schoolers, and why is Service Learning integral to Catlin Gabel's mission?
Service Learning is about the real world--it invites students to be members of the Portland community.
Our campus is spectacular, from its buildings to the grounds. Our curriculum and experiential activities speak to the importance of human rights, empowerment, and personal risk taking.
Service Learning is about acting on our core values and our mission!
There is a fundamental difference between reading and writing about homelessness and working with the homeless or those that advocate for them.
Service Learning teaches empathy, leadership, citizenship, and personal responsibility.
Service Learning is really about community involvement and action. Instead of simply talking about an issue, middle schoolers are engaged in the issue through service experiences. This is the first step in helping them understand that individuals can make a difference. Making a difference is measured in the reward of helping others.
A middle schooler describes the impact of his Service Learning: "I think that doing it [service] has helped me think about other people's needs and not just mine."
Service Learning is about selflessness.
What do social service agencies, nonprofits, or private citizens need? What can we selflessly give?
Our area of interest is important, but the needs of the Portland community are the priority. Listen to the wisdom of an 8th grader:
"Over the last three years of service, I have learned what it means to be a member of the community. It means that you do your own part, whether it's feeding hungry 3rd graders or cleaning up trash."
6th grade news:
On Monday, October 24, sixth graders and their teachers will be going to Apolloni winery to help with the annual grape harvest. The bus will leave at 8:30 AM and return by 3:00 PM. Students will see a family-owned local vineyard in action and help to get the grapes from vines to barrels. Students will also draw and paint, eat lunch there, and play frisbee. Everyone needs to bring backpacks on that day along with a hearty lunch with snacks, rain gear, waterproof shoes, if they have them, and a hat.
We are also requesting parents to send hand-held bypass pruners like the kind you see below.
Please write your family name on the pruners so that we can get them back to you on Monday afternoon.
In a related vein, we are also collecting sedums for the two green roofs in the garden. Please bring some sedums into school and put them on the potting table in the garden next to the green house. Questions? Email Carter at latendressec@catlin.edu.
Catlin Gabel Baseball News:
Baseball based Strength and Conditioning training begins this Friday, October 21 at 3:30 in the Catlin Gabel weight room. While this is intended for Upper School athletes, interested Middle School baseball players are encouraged to attend these sessions. The focus will be SPARQ/Strength training to prepare for the spring season. On Sunday, October 23 we will be having another SPARQ/Strength work out followed by an open practice. Middle School interest in baseball should be directed to Len Carr. You may also feel free to contact coach Travis Chock at ChockT@catlin.edu
School Photos:
School photos are in and have been given out to students by C&C. If you ordered a package and haven't seen it, ask your child where it might be. Picture re-take day is October 27th. If you want a re-take, please have your child bring the original and complete photo package with them to school on the 27th. This package must be turned in on that day to receive a re-take.
News from the Teaching and Learning Center:
Middle School Coffee House:
Friday, November 11th 7—8:15pm
In the spirit of risk-taking, independence and autonomy, we invite all students in the MS to perform or listen at Coffee House. Kids recite original poetry, sing, play instruments, perform monologues, do stand-up comedy, lip synch to favorite songs or do impersonations. Riotous clapping follows each act. Sorry, the days of snapping are over. It all happens in the transformed setting that is Narnia/Treasure Island. Tables and chairs are removed for couches, throw rugs, pianos and low lights. Due to the size of the room, guests are not allowed and we ask that parents do not attend, allowing the students to take full ownership of this event. Students should go home between the end of school and the beginning of coffee house. Contact Spencer White at whites@catlin.edu with any questions.
Catlin Gabel Service Corps News:
In its second year, the Catlin Gabel Service Corps presents four opportunities for multi-generations to work together in service to the greater Portland community. Please visit the web page for details about upcoming volunteer opportunities at the Oregon Food Bank on October 29, Friends of Trees on November 5, the first-ever Catlin Gabel service fair on November 8, and our 21 Days for Bienstar project.
Here is the link:
PFA News:
Parent Community Meeting, November 17th
Gerlinger Hall, 8:30am
COURAGE TO BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE
Do you have the courage to foster resilience in your kids, when the culture is telling you to rescue and prop them up? Do you have the courage to be truly compassionate not only to others, but to yourself, too? Learn how to model authenticity, honesty, and self-care in order to empower your kids. Join us as Kathy Masarie speaks about resiliency.
Artist in Residence
Eric Adjetey Anang, a Ga Fantasy Coffin sculptor from Ghana, will be an artist in residence at Catlin Gabel November 7th to the 11th. We have invited him here to demonstrate his amazing art of sculpting a coffin out of wood in whatever shape a family feels best represents their deceased elder. He will be sculpting a woodworker’s hand plane, approximately 7’ long, 3’ wide, and 4’ high on the front deck of the barn. Please come ask him questions, watch him work, and feel free to participate in the building of the hand plane. Eric will give a slide lecture on Monday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gerlinger Auditorium
Two years ago, Michael de Forest, the LS Wood Shop teacher, traveled to Ghana for a summer and studied with Eric in his carpentry shop in Teshie, near Accra. There is also a proposed US trip planned for Ghana this summer July 29 to Aug 19th, 2012 where students will be working in the Kane Kwei Carpentry Shop with Eric.
Peek at the Week for Oct. 13-20, 2011
October 13, 2011Peek at the Week for Oct. 13-20, 2011
October
| 13 | Teaching & Learning Center parent lecture evening, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 14 | Teacher in service day, no school |
| 21 | Middle School parent/C&C advisor conferences, no middle school |
| 26 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 26 | Parent evening on bullying, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 27 | Photo re-take day |
| 28 | Grandparents & Special Friends morning |
November
| 13 | Catlin Gabel Open House |
| 15 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara, 8:30-9:30am in the middle school library |
| 16 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 21-22 | Middle School teacher report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 | Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 | Classes resume |
Message from Barbara:
This week we have dedicated additional time to our C&C advisory groups in preparation for next Friday’s parent-teacher conferences. While we prepare to share an overview of your children thus far at school, please start thinking about what you need to share with us. The purpose of this time together is to engage in a conversation with your child at the center. For our current and returning 7th and 8th graders who we already know, we need to hear any updates, novelties, concerns, and excitement from you. What learning happened over the summer for your child? Is there a newfound passion we can encourage? Did you notice particular growth or maturation? For our new 6th, 7th and 8th graders, this is the first time to sit down one on one with your child’s advisor. Tell us about your child. Show off- don’t be shy! We want and need to know what makes him or her tick to be supportive here at school. It is a partnership. After the C&C parent-teacher conferences, the C&C advisors will share back with the students’ teachers what they’ve learn, so we will have collective knowledge of your child.
Please arrive on time to your meeting, as running behind will have a trickle down effect and we want to be respectful of your and our time. If you have specific questions about the day, please feel free to contact your C&C advisor or me directly.
Viewfinder - First night is October 21 - Focus on Global Schooling
Important Note:
If you are interested in screening Race to Nowhere, please pre-register for a seat! (There is no charge) If we run out of seats we'll know to move the screening to a larger venue.
Jonske Visiting Lecture/Artist Presentation, Thursday, October 20th
Please join the Upper School in welcoming Michael Schulteis as our Jonske Visiting Lecture/Artist next Thursday in Cabell Center at 10:40. Michael will be addressing the Upper School students and faculty, but parents from the whole community are invited to attend as well. Michael “likens his canvas to a chalkboard, and creates paintings consisting of layers of mathematical notations and drawings that describe the form and motion of three-dimensional geometric shapes.”
For more information about our visiting artist visit his webpage: http://www.michaelschultheis.com/
Middle School Fall Choir 2011
COME ONE, COME ALL! We have a good core group, if you want to do choir, let me know! FINAL CALL!
We are excited to offer a month long, intensive choral group to meet 10 times over the course of a month and then perform at the December 2nd Middle School assembly.
The group will meet 3:30-4:15 pm on the following days:
Friday, Nov. 4
Monday, Nov. 7
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Thursday, Nov. 10
Friday, Nov. 11
Monday, Nov. 14
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Monday, Nov. 28
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Thursday, Dec. 1
Performance, Friday, Dec. 2
If your child is interested and able to make the majority of these dates, please email Barbara asap!
Parent Coffees with Barbara
Lark Palma will be joining us for our coffee on Tuesday, November, 15 to give us an update on the Creative Arts Center. You've seen the article over the summer in the Caller and you've no doubt seen the bulletin board in the first grade hallway - now come and hear the latest and greatest on the campaign to get this building built!
The next all Middle School coffee is November 15th.
Middle School Coffee House:
Friday, November 11th 7—8:15pm
In the spirit of risk-taking, independence and autonomy, we invite all students in the MS to perform or listen at Coffee House. Kids recite original poetry, sing, play instruments, perform monologues, do stand-up comedy, lip synch to favorite songs or do impersonations. Riotous clapping follows each act. Sorry, the days of snapping are over. It all happens in the transformed setting that is Narnia/Treasure Island. Tables and chairs are removed for couches, throw rugs, pianos and low lights. Due to the size of the room, guests are not allowed and we ask that parents do not attend, allowing the students to take full ownership of this event. Students should go home between the end of school and the beginning of coffee house. Contact Spencer White at whites@catlin.edu with any questions.
Transportation News:
Parking and Traffic Survey still open
There is still time to send in your feedback about parking and traffic at Catlin Gabel. Your participation will help prioritize initiatives and also inform our decisions as we work toward reducing on-campus traffic.
Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey:
The survey closes on Monday, October 17, at 3:30 p.m.
Blue Bus Route News:
The Blue Route morning stop at Wallace Park on NW 25th has been adjusted to account for changes in traffic conditions. This change has been made to the posted schedule as well as the bus route map. If you use this bus in the morning, please check the revised schedule and remember to be at your stop at least five minutes before the scheduled stop time.
News from the Teaching and Learning Center:
Lower School News:
Have an Old Lower School Gambol Art Project You Aren't Displaying?
The Lower School was recently painted and this has been a great opportunity to redecorate! If you have a Lower School Gambol art project you wouldn't mind parting with, please contact Vicki Roscoe, Head of the Lower School at roscoev@catlin.edu
Bullying Isn't What It What It Use To Be: Strategies for Coping with Bullying
All school parent meeting
October 26, 2011
Time: 7:00pm
Middle School Commons
The psychological science of bullying has taken many turns throughout the years and social psychologists are learning more and more as to what works for combatting bullying dynamics. This parent night is a school-wide discussion about these strategies and how Catlin Gabel uses them. We hope you’ll join us and add your voice and questions to our discussion!
Please note that there is no child care available for this event.
Peek at the Week for Oct. 6-13, 2011
October 6, 2011Peek at the Week for Oct. 6-13, 2011
October
| 13 | Teaching & Learning Center parent lecture evening, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 14 | Teacher in service day, no school |
| 21 | Middle School Parent/C&C advisor conference, no school for middle school students |
| 26 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 26 | Parent evening on bullying, middle school Commons |
| 27 | Photo re-take morning |
| 28 | Middle & Upper School Grandparents & Special Friends morning |
November
| 13 | Catlin Gabel Open House |
| 15 | Middle School parent coffee with Barbara in the middle school library, 8:30-9:30am |
| 16 | Middle School Service Learning |
| 21-22 | Middle School report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 | Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 | Classes resume |
Message from Barbara
An After School Tale
It’s 5:45 pm, you’ve just picked up little Pat from school. It’s cold, rainy and all you want to do is get home, cook up some dinner, and relax with the family. The drive home is typical.
Parent: “How was school today, Pat?”
Pat: “Fine.”
You take your exit off the freeway, and begin brainstorming dinner…something easy, healthy, and delicious. Pat has been at school since 3:05 pm, did not have soccer practice or a game, and seems in good spirits, so surely the homework is complete.
Parent: “What are you going to do when you get home, honey?”
Pat: “Take a shower and watch some TV.”
Clearly this response indicates the homework is indeed done, but something is gnawing at you and you can’t resist.
Parent: “Is your homework all done, sweetie?”
Pat: “Hmmm…kind of.”
Parent: “What’s that mean?”
Pat: “I started it but need to finish up.”
Parent: “How much time did you spend between 3:05 and 5:45 working on your homework?”
Pat: “I don’t know…well…maybe like 15 minutes, but then my friend asked me to play so I did.”
It’s 6:30 pm. As you pull into the driveway, suddenly the calm evening of dinner and relaxing begins to feel more stressful because you’ve been down this road before. Pat will likely get home, take a shower, need and want to eat something, and then, around 8 or so, settle down to start homework. And feel really tied by 8:45. Then what?
I will let your imaginations finish this short, but somewhat typical story that does not even include managing sibling schedules, non-Catlin sports commitments, longer commutes, and music lessons to name only a few of the activities many students are managing. I share this after school tale in the context of talking with your children about juggling commitments, time management, and making good decisions with their after school time.
What is a good decision with their after school time? That is precisely the conversation I encourage you to have with your child.
It is important to recognize that we are members of a far-flung community and that some of the time after school should rightly be spent connecting with friends and socializing. After school is also a time to see peers and Upper Schoolers in athletic competitions. Equally as important is instilling a sense of organization and planning. Review schedules with your children and allow them to make decisions, but encourage decisions that allow for good time management within the days schedule . For instance, if you know you are picking up your child at 5:15, set a plan and expectation that 45 minutes of after school time be dedicated to starting homework. Alleviating the load of what needs to be done at home each evening can really enhance family time and hopefully result in a more restful time for students- both very healthy and important aspects of all of our lives.
Here in the Middle School we have the benefit of Study Hall every Monday and Thursday afternoon from 3:30-4:30. During Study Hall students have a quite space, usually Parallel Universe, in which to sit and work. Additionally, there are Upper School students available for questions and support. Aside from the structure of Study Hall, the Middle School Library is open every day from 7:50 am-4 pm and is a wonderful place for students to work. Further, many teachers are in their classrooms working and welcome students to come in and work. I have been happily surprised and impressed with the number of students spread out in the Middle School Commons after school doing homework and working together.
We too are having these conversations with students about how they spend their time and make good decisions. Together we can send the message that planning ahead, using their resources, and making wise decisions with time management results in positive experiences and more free time. Who can’t use more free time!
Middle School Fall Choir 2011
As you may have noticed from the dates below, choir will be offered during the Catlin athletics off period, which means students will not have to balance Catlin sports and choir!
We are excited to offer a month long, intensive choral group that meets 10 times over the course of a month and then performs at the December 2nd Middle School assembly.
The group will meet 3:30-4:15 pm on the following days:
Friday, Nov. 4
Monday, Nov. 7
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Thursday, Nov. 10
Friday, Nov. 11
Monday, Nov. 14
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Monday, Nov. 28
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Thursday, Dec. 1
Performance, Friday, Dec. 2
If you child is interested and able to make the majority of these dates, please email Barbara at ostosb@catlin.edu asap!
Grade Level Welcome Coffees with Barbara
Thank you to those who attended the grade level coffees and thanks to those who wanted to be there, but could not make it. Tomorrow Barbara will send out via the Parent List Serve individual summaries of all three coffees. If you have questions, please email or call her.
The next all Middle School coffee is November 15th from 8:30-9:30am in the middle school library.
Grandparents and Special Friends Morning
Grandparents and Special Friends morning is Friday, October 28th. As in the recent past, we ask parents and students to issue an invitation to the special adults in their lives to come and share a morning at school with them. There is no need to RSVP. The morning activities will be from 8:00-11:15am.
Outdoor Program News:
6th Grade Farm Overnight -- October 15-16
All 6th grade students are invited to join us for a beautiful Fall weekend for two days of laughing, exploring, eating great food, and learning about life on a local organic farm. We will transform ourselves into farmers for an amazing overnight on Duyck's Peachy-Pig Farm in Cornelius, which offers orchards, hiking, farm animals, and a pumpkin patch.
The plan is to board an activity bus at 11:00am on Saturday and head to the farm for a day of harvesting, tending to animals, and learning what it takes to run a productive farm. We will camp Saturday night in the orchard, and will be rewarded for our work with a big farm breakfast on Sunday before doing more exploring.
We hope to be back to Catlin Gabel by noon on Sunday. We will leave the weekend with new friends and a new connectedness to our food and the places where it is grown. Interested students should email David Zonana (zonanad@catlin.edu) to sign up.
Challenge Course Opportunity for Families
Experience the new Catlin Gabel Challenge Course with your son or daughter!
On Saturday October 22 the Challenge Course will be devoted to Middle School parent-child pairings for a fun filled and thrilling four hour session. This is a great chance to spend time with your son or daughter, renew or strengthen connections, and share in a joint challenge. The session will be from 9:00-1:00pm. Lunch will be provided. No previous experience is necessary. To sign up, send an email to David Reich, Challenge Course Manager, at reichd@catlin.edu. The cost for the session, including the lunch, is $20 per person.
Catlin Gabel Service Corps News:
In its second year, the Catlin Gabel Service Corps presents four opportunities for multi-generations to work together in service to the greater Portland community. Please visit the web page for details about upcoming volunteer opportunities at the Oregon Food Bank on October 29, Friends of Trees on November 5, the first-ever Catlin Gabel service fair on November 8, and our 21 Days for Bienstar project.
Here is the link:
Bullying Isn't What It What It Use To Be: Strategies for Coping with Bullying
All school parent meeting
October 26, 2011
Time: 7:00pm
Middle School Commons
The psychological science of bullying has taken many turns throughout the years and social psychologists are learning more and more as to what works for combatting bullying dynamics. This parent night is a school-wide discussion about these strategies and how Catlin Gabel uses them. We hope you’ll join us and add your voice and questions to our discussion!
Please note that there is no child care available for this event.
Catlin Gabel Bus Service News:
Green route bus stop added at Vista and Park Place
In response to family requests Catlin Gabel is adding a bus stop on a trial basis. Starting Monday, October 10, the Green Route bus will pick up and drop off students at the TriMet stop on Vista at Park Place. The bus is expected to arrive at 7:20 a.m. and 3:49 p.m. These times may be adjusted as the new plan goes into effect.
Riders getting on at this stop are urged to be at the stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is due to arrive and to stand at the curb so there is no delay in boarding.
News from the Teaching and Learning Center:
Parking & Transportation Forum
Let’s talk about what’s working, what’s not.
Share ideas about improving traffic and parking.
Learn some of the parking facts, constraints, and behaviors.
Wednesday October 12
8:30-9:30am – Gerlinger Hall
Forum leaders:
Laurine Apolloni (MS & BS Parent)
Kym Herbst (LS & BS Parent)
Sponsors:
Michael Heath (Assistant Head of School, US, MS & LS Parent)
Kayla Reich (PFA President & MS Parent)