Woven Portland Village School Quarterly In this issue: Winter Memories 7th Grade Volunteer Project Chinese New Year Interview with Ms. Molter St. Lucia Day Winter 2014 Winter Memories I always enjoyed it when my dad would help me with my paper route on Christmas Day. Growing up in Ohio, the snow was usually piled high on Christmas morning. It was hard to want to put my new presents aside and bundle up to deliver newspapers in the cold. Instead of just telling me to go get it done, my dad would bundle up with me and even carry the newspaper bag for me. We’d set out together, vividly imagining that we were on a rescue adventure to help get the medicine to the good people of Nome, Alaska. The companionship of someone who cared made a not-so-fun job into a really fun time with someone I loved. Before we knew it we were back home, sipping hot chocolate. – Dorine Nafziger, PVS Parent 7th Grade Knits for Newborns by Medessa Cheney It started with an impossibly small, orange, knitted cap. PVS parent Kim Lehecka showed it to seventh graders and shared her experience as the mother of a premature baby. Her son Sam wore the orange cap in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) years ago, and Kim remembered being touched by the fact that a volunteer had handmade it. When Kim asked the students if they would be interested in making and donating such hats themselves, nearly every hand in the room went up. The project has grown to include both seventh grade classes and teacher Ryan Harvey, who volunteered in spite of not knowing how to knit. Just a few weeks into the project, handwork instructor Jessi Herbert has amassed a collection of tiny, brightly colored hats. Impressed with their dedication and enthusiasm, Ms. Herbert allowed students to borrow needles for use outside of handwork class. Signs of their industriousness are everywhere. “I have never seen so many kids randomly knitting in the halls!” Development Director Emily Saxton observed recently. Mr. Ryan is pleased with his decision to permit knitting in the classroom: “It is quite a transition for me as a teacher to be leading a discussion, or teaching a lesson, and to look out at my class and see little knitting needles wriggling, but students are able to concentrate on learning and make progress on hats at the same time, so we are feeling really productive!” The project has grown to include both seventh grade classes and teacher Ryan Harvey, who volunteered in spite of not knowing how to knit. Many students cited personal reasons for wanting to be involved. Some like Emma Soles were preemies themselves: “I was born at 28 weeks and had a small chance of surviving.” Nearly all know a friend or family member who was born prematurely. For Cherai Bales, it is her mother, and for Sidney Spencer-Mylet, her two younger sisters. The students also spoke of wanting to bring warmth, color, and individuality to the babies. Kim Lehecka, whose own experience as a preemie parent sparked this project, agreed that these bright, handmade objects are a welcome contrast to the cold and sterile hospital environment. “As parents, we love these hats!” The hats will be donated to Emanuel Hospital later this winter. 7th graders knitting hats for premature newborns Winter Memories My story is about cocoa. Scalded, burning hot cocoa with an aroma that made me wrinkle my nose in disgust and nausea. Growing up in New Jersey and New York, we always had plenty of snow and cold weather in the winter. So, out would come the cocoa. My father worked constantly, thus it was only on very special occasions when my parents would pack us up and we’d head to upstate New York or beyond for a wonderful day or weekend at a ski resort. My mom would always, lovingly and insistently, have the cocoa ready. It was something she took pride in, managing the food and drink, since she did not ski. Somehow, that cocoa was always scalded though, with an unappetizing skin forming on top. My younger brother and I would have the hardest time drinking it down. Our wonderful father who seemed to take it in stride just drank it effortlessly, I believe, to please his wife and to get on to the main event of the day on the slopes! They say that scents are a powerful influence on our memories. I know this to be true. When I smell cocoa, I often remember our mom pouring that scalding, burning hot cocoa into cups for us, in the back seat of the car or out in the parking lots near our rented cabin or the lodge. We would beg to have SMALL cups! What it reminds me of most though, is the sparkling winter snow and crisp, clear days, waking up and seeing the deer who had been peering in our cabin windows, the love my parents had for each other and us, and the magic of those special, joyful weekends with my father who we lost to an inoperable brain tumor when I was ten. – Heidi Vorst, Folk Dance Teacher by Doe Hatfield On January 31st in China and in communities around the world, the noise of the Lion Dance and pop of firecrackers will welcome in the Year of the Horse. At Portland Village School, students will host a Chinese New Year assembly and prepare to exchange Chinese for Spanish, or Spanish for Chinese, as Lower and Upper Schools move to the second chapter of PVS’s dual language program. “By offering two languages,” says Principal Paul Berg, “we are really stressing the importance of exposure. Learning not just another language, but another culture as well. The Chinese culture is so different than what most Westerners grow-up with.” “We make a bridge to understand each other,” says Lucy Li, Portland the Year of the Horse Village school’s Mandarin Instructor, as she pulls out a vibrant red envelop from a large basket of materials. “We celebrate the Chinese New Year because it is important to China, and because it is important to me!” Much more than just a day to mark a new calendar year, Chinese New Year is one of the most significant holidays of the Chinese calendar. Celebrations carry over two weeks, honoring deities, calling in good fortune, and sweeping away the disappointments of the previous year. Many, many Chinese return home to relatives to share a family meal. The red envelopes, covered with symbols and often used for giving gifts of money, are a part of Lucy Li’s thoughtfully crafted lessons this month. She explains the symbolism of the fish that decorates the envelope. “In Chinese, the sounds for ‘fish’ is very close the Chinese word for ‘abundance.’ We eat fish for abundance in the new year. This authentic material,” she says of the envelope, “it goes in the children’s ‘storage.’ One day they are walking with a parent in the Lan Su Chinese Gardens or Fubonn Market and they see this red envelope, and they remember.” This kind of experience is the goal of the PVS language program. “Our barometer,” says Mr. Berg, “is, are the students exposed to the language and culture? Are they interested in pursing it further?” Lucy Li shares this commitment. “Chinese culture is not perfect,” she says, “but there is so much there. I like students to see what is authentic Chinese, just like this red envelope. You open a window, you open a door where they can go in and explore.” Did You Know... At the beginning of each school year, the teachers “sage” all of the classrooms. A Conversation with Ms. Molter by Tanya Kaiteris Each edition of Woven will feature an interview with a different member of the PVS staff Theresa Molter is the current 8th grade teacher at PVS. She is considered a “founding faculty member,” as she was hired the spring before the school opened. Theresa worked with other faculty and PVS stakeholders to establish the school’s mission and handbooks. It was fun to sit down with Theresa and listen to her reflect about her history with the school and what the future holds! Q: You’ve been with the school a long time. What are the major changes you’ve noticed? A: The growth has been insane. The school has tripled in size since its inception, going from 140 to 400 kids. I feel like the teaching staff has turned over in a positive way. The longer we’ve been around and established ourselves, the more we have been able to attract great teachers with clear vision and direction. The administration also feels very grounded. It’s been exciting to watch the middle school program grow. Q: You’ve focused on middle school lately. What do you enjoy about that level? A: I love teaching middle schoolers. By eighth grade the kids have gotten over their need to be “cool” and they realize it’s their last year. There is a real sense that they want to enjoy this “last year of childhood.” They are so smart and ready to learn challenging material, but they aren’t afraid to be silly and playful. A lot of the drama and bullying gets downplayed here at PVS since the kids know each other so well and understand each other. They feel safe together and feel they can speak up. They also know their teacher well and the teachers are really always present - they just see a lot more. And of course the parents know each other – and are involved. It makes it a really nice model for this age group. Q: In your opinion, is PVS competitive with other comprehensive middles schools in the area? For example, do you feel students are well prepared for high school? A: The evidence is yes. There have only been two groups thus far that have graduated. By and large the kids seem to be successful, and they have gone off to attend a wide variety of local high schools including Roosevelt, Grant, Central Catholic, and St. Mary’s to name a few. The longer we do this, the better we will get at preparing them because we are learning exactly what they need as they go forward. We do our best to make our program rigorous but there is a shared responsibility with the student taking on the work and the parents supporting this at home. We continuously “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein look forward as a staff at evolving the middle school program. It continues to change to meet the needs of our students. Q: How is teaching at PVS different than in other settings? A: This is a very unique model. It is different than a private Waldorf school in that it is free and potentially more accessible. It is also freed from some of the dogma that might be associated with private Waldorf schools. And in that same idea it is freed from some of the bureaucracy and perhaps over focus on assessment of some neighborhood schools. Teachers have freedom to teach what is developmentally appropriate, and they are expected to integrate the arts and are given time for artistic and creative projects. On the other hand, we are held accountable to state standards and requirements, so we are pushed to prepare our students well for high school. The St. Lucia story is used to teach students about the importance of giving and the idea of mercy and kindness. Q: What do you feel have been your greatest accomplishments since coming to PVS? A: Well taking a class from 3rd through 8th grade was an accomplishment I’m pretty proud of! Also, two years ago I went to Iceland to present at an international teaching conference on teaching math through art and story. It was an amazing experience. Q: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work? A: I love to be outdoors. I like yoga, running, knitting, hiking, skiing, and camping. I also play the fiddle and sing. Q: Thank you for your time, Theresa! The kids are about to come back in… what is your lesson plan? A: Well it’s the day before break and we’re studying carbohydrates, so we are going to be doing some food chemistry in class. We are making fudge – I think the kids will enjoy it! 2nd graders sharing rolls on St. Lucia Day with Mr. Harvey Parent Education: Waldorf rituals explained St. Lucia’s Day by Tanya Kaiteris If you visited Portland Village School on December 13th, you would have seen second grade students dressed in white, walking down the hallways and singing songs. You might have smelled the scent of freshly baked bread and seen seven-year-old children delivering small crescent rolls to each teacher. These gifts of song and bread were part of the celebration and deeper meaning of St. Lucia’s Day. Centuries ago, December 13th was considered the longest night of the year. People yearned for the return of light, and this became personified in St. Lucia – one who brings light and food. The story goes that Lucia was a very wealthy girl who lived in Syracuse, Sicily in A.D. 304. She was keenly aware of the poor and suffering people in her village. When her family gifted her with a great dowry, she did not use it to get married as they were expecting but rather donated it to the needy in her village to ease their suffering. Second grade teacher Erik Kolstad stated that the story is used to teach students about the importance of giving and the idea of mercy and kindness. They learn the story, and then they are actually able to put giving into action by delivering the bread and singing songs to other classes. The second graders definitely filled the halls of PVS with light, hope, and charity this December 13th! 6th graders playing ukeleles and flute at Winter Assembly Winter Memories Going to elementary school midway up the biggest hill in town has its drawbacks. The only students who played the cello were those who took the bus to school. Students who had seen their older siblings drop instruments at the top of 17th street and watch them crumple under the wheels of cars on 12th knew that violins were a more manageable choice. I could distinguish neighbors’ cars shifting from 3rd gear to 2nd as they chugged up Easton Street, and an early lesson about the challenges of pedal brakes made me an early believer in bike helmets. For a few magical days every year, though, living on South Hill was sheer delight. When snow started to fall on Bellingham in the evening, it rarely stopped before morning, leaving kids across town dizzy with anticipation of a snow day. Even before cancellations were announced on the radio, my brother and I would be in the garage pulling our sleds down from the rafters. As the oldest, I was the rightful heir to my mom’s old Flexible Flier, leaving Andy with the plastic toboggans we bought at Fred Meyer in November and smashed up by December break. There were so many kids, though, Join Us! If you would like to be involved in producing the next issue of Woven, please contact Medessa Cheney or Kathleen Courian-Sanchez at newsletter@portlandvillageschool.org Photography Cover header: Lori Shikuma Chinese New Year, Ms. Molter, St. Lucia, & Winter Assembly: Krista Wheeler 7th grade newborn hats: Kathleen Sanchez and so many sleds, that after a few rides down the hill, endorphin rushes gave way to generosity and personal property was more or less interchangeable. We’d go to the top of Taylor Street, wait for the kid ahead of us to clear the intersection below, and push off, gaining speed from the half-a-minute ride from 17th to 12th. Sensing danger, we were committed to our rules: Wait in line, walk up the sidewalk and not up the tracks, don’t go home with someone else’s sled. We poured water to ice trails down the street, sparred for our turf against the college kids who showed up mid-afternoon with their filched cafeteria trays, and called the Callahan boys’ mother when all three of them inevitably tried spiraling downhill in the same “flying saucer.” Neighbors took turns guarding the intersections, a responsibility I can only hope to imitate with my afternoon traffic duty at school. – Emily Saxton, Development Director Did You Know... These names were considered for PVS: Rainbow Bridge Charter School Two Rivers Charter School Bridgetown Charter School Share your stories! In honor of all the class plays slated for spring, we’d like to hear about your school play memories! Please submit true tales of your adventures in drama (no more than one paragraph) to newsletter@portlandvillageschool.org by April 30. Responses will be featured in our May issue.