February 25, 2010Peek at the Week for February 25-March 4, 2010

March

5	Viewfinder Global Film Series #5, 6:30pm in Humanities Bldg.
9	Martinique trip leaves
10	Costa Rica trip leaves
10	Middle School Service
13	Catlin Gabel Gambol, Nines Hotel
16-19	Middle School Breakaway
16-19	No AM or PM Catlin Route Bus service
22-26	Spring Break, no school
29	Classes resume

 

 

 

Notes from Middle School Head, Paul Andrichuk

  

A Conference Thank You

 

I was remiss in not thanking parents for the lunches provided during conferences. We appreciate your care and thoughts, and this sustained us throughout the day.

 

Breakaway News

 

Students will not know what Breakaway they are in until tomorrow, February 26, and this is a time when we need to work together to support the kids. Finding out which Breakaway students are in creates conflicting emotions. Students might be excited about their experience, but disappointed that close friends are doing something different. In addition, while we try to give students one of their top choices, it is not always possible. Focusing students on the value and excitement of all of these offerings has to be the central point of our conversations with them.

 

On Wednesday, March 3^rd (next Wednesday) students will meet with their Breakaway groups during advisory. This is a time when itineraries, packing lists, and waivers are distributed. In some cases, these will need to be signed and returned to trip leaders.

 

The final Breakaway meeting will be the morning of Friday, March 12^th.

 

Breakaway begins Tuesday, March 16^th, and students will have been told where to meet when they arrive at school.

 

Thoughts About Effort—Can’t you just try harder?

 

I could sense incredible frustration at different times during the conference on the subject of effort. In some cases students are not doing enough. At other times, students cannot invest too or try too hard because it would destroy their notion of how intelligent they are. 

 

Here is some background information:

 

Student intelligence can be developed, especially if students change their theory about what it means to be “smart.”  Teachers are in the unique position to teach students that intelligence can be seen as malleable rather than fixed. The differences in the two orientations are striking. If students believe intelligence is fixed, they become more interested in looking good than learning new things. By contrast, if students have a malleable view of intelligence they are more likely to try new things and take positive risks, like taking a more difficult class. Students with a more flexible view of intelligence believe that if they fail it is the result of a poor strategy or a weak effort, not natural ability. The result of this change in thinking can be measured in how students with opposing views of intelligence respond to difficulties. In the face of frustration students with a fixed view of intelligence put in less effort, display self-defeating defensiveness, and their performance suffers. Students with an incremental view work harder, are more ebullient, and their performance either remains the same or gets stronger.

 

So explore the mindset around intelligence as much as you explore effort.

 

Attention Catlin Gabel Bus Riders

 

Catlin Gabel’s AM and PM route busses will not run on morning or after school routes during Experiential Days, Breakaway or Winterim, Tuesday, March 16 through Friday, March 19.

 

 

  

 

Gambol Auction News

 

Thank you Donors

Donations are closed. Thanks to the generosity of our donors we have fantastic auction items to offer. Look forward to more party and activity sign-ups than ever before, a full-bodied wine auction, and a live auction that will knock your socks off! Our catalog is going to print next week and we will preview the items on the website soon.

 

Registration

Tickets are selling fast and tables are filling up. Don’t miss out on the biggest party of the year. Buy your ticket today at https://catlin.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/Gambol2010TheresNoPlaceLikeHome/Registration/tabid/193738/Default.aspx.

 

Organize a Table

If there is a specific group you would like to sit with at the Gambol, the auction office needs to know. Please fill out the Table Captain form and return to the auction office as soon as possible. Don’t have a group to sit with? No worries, we will make sure you have a great seat.

 

Volunteer Sign-up Open

Organizing a successful auction takes thoughtful preparation and dedication. Proceeds from the Gambol auction directly support our teachers and students. We rely on the generous volunteer support of our community to pull off this big party.

Please take a moment to review the volunteer opportunities that are available to help before, during, and after the Gambol event. Volunteer sign-up available at http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=gambolvolunteer. 

 

More information? Visit the website at www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol or contact the auction office at gambol@catlin.edu.

 

Model Railroad Club Open House

What has 34 wheels, generates more than 5,000 horse power, weighs 1.2 million pounds, can travel 80 miles per hour, and runs on water?

Answer: The largest steam locomotive ever built, the Alco 4-8-8-4 Big Boy.

Come see this and more than 30 other locomotives running in HO scale at the Catlin Gabel Model Railroad Club’s sixth anniversary open house. See the town lit up as well as the six- stall roundhouse. If you want to know how cool the train setup is, just ask the Beginning School Honeybees who recently visited the club.

Thursday, March 4, 3 – 6 p.m.
Friday, March 5, 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 6, 1 – 5 p.m.

Basement of the Catlin Gabel caretaker’s house at 8685 SW Barnes Rd.
Top of the hill behind the facilities building
Look for the yellow sign on the door leading to the basement.

It’s FREE, FUN and TOTALLY COOL!

PFA News