Winter 2007 Newsletter

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ARCHWAY SCHOOL

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"To nurture and sustain children's love of learning ..... The other day I ran across a little monograph written years ago by our founder Lois Foster in which she reflects on her inspiration t.o start the school we now know as Archway. On the heels of our strategic planning effort it seems a timely opportunity to take a glimpse back at our humble beginnings 35 years ago. Even if you've heard the story many times, it rings as true and apt to our present as to our past. As a former elementary school teacher Lois served as a volunteer science teacher in the Oakland public school district and in the course of her days would meet with classes at each grade level from kindergarten to sixth grade. It was her personal mission in this job to engage her students by bringing to her classes exciting and hands-on sci­ ence activities. After some time she began to notice that while kindergartners were invariably eager and excited by these activities, there were at each of the higher grades fewer kids who "still had that twinkle of interest ... " Disturbed by the "fading of the light" in the eyes of the older students, it became Lois's vision to "devise a school that would keep the light shining, for more kids, for longer than just the nrst few years of school." This school year began with a restatement of our mission as "Preparing Learners for Life." A product of the collective wisdom of all who participated in the planning effort - from teachers and students, to families and board members, to representatives from our fellow independent schools - it hopes to capture what Lois intended should drive us. She envisioned us as a school which understood the fundamental connec­ tions between academics, community, responsibility, and hands-on learning; and one - for which nurturing and sustaining these connections would be essential in preparing learners for life. The measures of our success (some of which you may read about in other parts of this newsletter) may be difficult to quantify but are easy to spot. I continually marvel for example at the joy and conndence and creativity possessed by members of the 81h grade classes each year. Having watched many of their members grow up at Archway I can attest to the light in their eyes never flickering. They are enthusiastic students, proline writers, exceptional math students, astute scientists, able athletes, and critical thinkers. They.go off to high schools eager and equipped and come back for visits assuring us we did well by them. To Lois Foster we owe an enormous debt of gratitude for her vision and unflagging perseverance in creating this special place where the lights in our students' eyes can shine right through the 811. grade, where learners are indeed prepared for life, and for a past and future of which T am proud to be a part. Sarah Flowers Head of School

ACADEMICS • RESPONSIBILITY • COMMUNITY • HANDS-ON LEARNING

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.' Claremont House K-4 Singers on Tour Our young singers took it on the road (or more accurately-down the street) this week taking their gathered nerves, cleared throats, and polished repertoire for a con­ cert at the Claremont House (a retirement community in our Oakland neighborhood). The selection of songs was enthusiastically performed and equally enthusiastically received. Fourth Graders debuted their self-composed percussion pieces with confi­ dence and pride. Before the curtain closed, the audience delighted the performers with an invitation to join them in a rousing sing­ along of "You Are My Sunshine." When all was said and sung, the young performers presented the residents with handmade ap­ preciation cards. A small and clearly joyful event for the Claremont House residents, this was to our Archway School students an opportunity to share their voices, meet their neighbors, and warm our own hearts.

Annual Giving

ASP and Summer Income

Jen Baker

Close the Gap! Join the Annual Giving Campaign Today ifts made through Annual Giving are what close the gap between the actual costs of educating an Archway student and what is covered by tuition and fees. Annual Giving allows us to keep tuition low and programs uncompromised. We need every­ one's support! Please send your tax-deduct­ ible donation - large or small - today.

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Chalk for peace when Halloween ap­ proaches and children's thoughts turn to cos­ tumes and candy, a second tradition is underway at Archway. Each year the students focus on a particular Fall holiday: El Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Day of the Dead, an important tradition in Latino culture, is a celebration of the lives of loved ones who have passed away. It is a time to remember that death is part of life. Families build an ofrenda, or altar, full of gifts for the deceased. The ofrendas contain mementos of the loved ones and religious symbols both Christian and Aztec. Light from the candles is said to guide the spirits back to the altar where refreshments await to rejuvenate them after their long journey. Each year the students at Archway School - with the help of their teachers Ms. Kelly and Ms. Hilda - turn their Spanish/Art classroom into a huge ofrenda. Framed in traditional marigolds, the altar is constructed and decorated with candles, student-produced papel picado (cut tissue paper), and depictions of angels, skeletons, loved ones, and pets. Classes discuss the ancient religions of Central America, and how those religions have mingled with Christianity as it was introduced by the Spanish conquest. Chattering in Spanish, students examine their own perspectives on life and death as they add pictures of their loved ones to the altar. Families and teachers are invited to contribute their own pictures and stories, and the altar grows as all participate. Honoring their ancestors, collaborating with teachers and each other, creating traditional artworks, and gaining perspective on the rich cultural heritage of Latin America all come together - culminating each year in one glorious display. Hilda Ortiz and Shauna Sullivan As ALL ACROSS AMERICA

each Fri­ day morning, students come together in multi­ age groups (or "tribes") where they explore issues and work on projects in a supportive and cooperative interaction. The result is always interesting and often inspiring. Working together on a recent Friday, the tribes decided to "chalk for peace." Beginning with a presentation on how one person with a powerful and positive message can impact a community within moments. the student usecl colorful sidewalk chalk to make messages or symbols of peace for passersby to see. Within their tribes, they set out to spread their ideas around the perimeter of the campus. Watch­ ing them work together - older kids assist­ ing younger ones, peers complimenting one another - was a gratifying glimpse of Archway values in action. Neighbors were supportive and thrilled to see the students engaged and enthusiastic about their assignment. As Archway, students "chalked for peace" on this particular weekend, people across the nation were also working to spread the message of peace. It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. On this morning, Archway students worked on images that spoke one word in a very big way. AT ARCIIWAY'S LOWER SCHOOL CMIPUS

Fourth Grade Leaders and Learners three new students and a new teacher to the fourth grade! As the biggest and the oldest students on the lower campus, the fourth graders take great pride in their responsibilities as leaders and conflict managers. As conflict managers they will be the first responders on the yard when conflict arises. Excited by the opportunities and eager to earn the accompanying respect, they have embraced their training with enthusiasm and purpose. Fourth grade is an exciting time for a stu­ dent at Archway. Weekly classes with Kindergar­ ten buddies provide a time when the oldest and youngest learners come together. Already we've helped with reading, math and art projects, and we're only partway in to the school year! \Ve've gotten off to a good start on our math and language arts curriculum; and in our geography lessons have begun creating a large mural of the nited tates in our classroom. In our science classes we've made a scale model of the solar system on the yard and begun our fall garden­ ing project - just some of the many ways we've been exploring our place in the community, from the gala,,'Y, down to the planet, right down to our humble campus in Oakland and - as we get to know each other better as we work together - the cherished relationships we find within. THIS YEAR WE WELCOl\lED

Scott Muir

lelissa Castello

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,'W alkathon· ~

CROSS COUNTRY SEASON has started with a sprint! The Archway team of six enthusiastic runners has already begun to compete on courses of 1.0 and J.2 miles. Balancing hard work-outs with having fun, our runners have exemplified Archway team spirit in its finest sense. Support­ ing and cheering each other on through their races, they look forward to the championships In ovember when all are invited to see them in action. In the meantime, look for the blur of our blue and white jerseys and wish us the best for a successful season!

Saul Zippin

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A BEAUTIFUL AND SUNNY SUNDAY in October set the stage for Archway School's 15th Annual Fall Walkathon. As the day began you could feel the coJJective enthusiasm of 100 costumed kids readying to begin their !4 mile laps. Excitement on every corner urged them forward - the candy corner on the first block, followed by the temporary tattoo table, crazy hair colors and costume station, and flllally the snack and lap counting station. As the course closed for lunch you could smell the grills firing up and hear the sounds of the 5'h grade hand as they prepared for their lunchtime performance. Three of their original songs followed by vocal numbers performed by the 1" and 2 nd grade students provided the entertainment. Adults and walkers alike enjoyed the music while feasting on grilled chicken and vegetables, salads, and cookies all prepared by Cindy Tsai and her fabulous Food Committee. Restored and re- hydrated, everyone was back on the course as soon as lunch was over - eagerly hoping to match predetermined miJe-

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stones and could earn an incentive prize or two. Popcorn was popping; the Sno-cone machine was working overtime; and the fun stations were filled with lower school kids making buttons and getting their faces painted. At day's end 100 walkers had walked 1,926 laps (racking up 482 miles) and raised more than $18,000! It was a quintessential Archway Commu­ nity gathering, one which happens only through the astonishing efforts of our hard working parent volunteers. Thanks are owed everyone who walked, popped, painted, and cooked. To our tireless 2007 Walkathon committee - Mat­ thew Levett, Jackie Lemoine, Cindy Tsai, Jacqui Richter, Laura Turnbull, Amy Herman, Victoria Gutierrez, Julie Johnson, Marjorie Herman, and their indefatigable leader Bridget - thank you from all of us for orchestrating and executing, in true Archway style and spirit, this wonderful event. Bridget Rivezzo

Rocks. Crayons. Dirt and Oreo Cookies about the ground you walk on using rocks, dirt, and Oreo cookies? Plenty if you're in a middle school Earth Science class! In their continuing study of our planet's composition, formation and processes, the sixth, seventh and eighth grade science classes have been engaged with a number of hands-on projects. Students began by studying the charac­ teristics of and differences between igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks and explor­ ing the rock cycle. Crayons were made into sediment, then compressed and compacted (or lithified) into sedimentary rock. With the appli­ cation of a bit of heat these sedimentary rocks were transformed into metamorphic rock. A bit more heat turned rock into magma, which then WHAT CAN YOU LEARN

cooled into igneous rock.

Soil collected from students' backyards was

the next topic of close study and observation.

This soil was combined with samples of sand and gravel in a watery depositional environment creating layers upon layers of sediment. The dynamic processes that result in volca­ noes, deep ocean thermal vents and earthquakes are related to plate tectonics. Working witb maps, volcano and earthquake data students are gaining an understanding of how the Earth's crust fits together like a puzzle, and where the various tectoni plates are located. Oreo cook­ ies were happily consumed as they were used to demonstrate three types of tectonic plate bou ndaries. Barbara Wall

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ARCHWAY

SCHOOL

250 41st Street Oakland, CA 94611

1940 Virginia Street, Berkeley 94709

www.archwayschool.org

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