Community and Belonging

Workshop Wednesday's -

The purpose?
Enhance Caring and Curiosity

We want to:

• Empower kids to change the world
• Discover their passions
• Enhance relationships
• Increase empathy
• Eliminating perceived boundaries

They start with a Morning Meeting

We gather together in circles.

Then our entire community gathers for The Beat

The Beat is an all school community meeting -
and we gather in a circle!

Ms. Billie's Crew
Bravely leading our new framework for The Beat

The first Beat of the year was an All School Drum Circle

Kids then head back to their classrooms for Workshop time - 

Workshop looks different across the grades and will continue to look different all the time! This is a block of time, for students to explore their passions, cross-age collaboration, cooperative responsibility and transparent learning. We are starting slowly, many of us starting in our own classrooms, and will let the work teach us how to reach our vision.

Then we head to Community Lunch -












A time for kids to see friends in other grades
and make new friends!

A fourth grader with her kindergarten buddy

Siblings get a chance to give and get a hug

Kids from many grade levels enjoying a game together

After lunch, there is some downtime in the classroom and then it's time to share together in a drum circle at the close of the day.

Leading a Drum Circle is one way kids get to experience independence and mastery,
and one way for the other students to practice generosity.
 Drum Circles are one way to build community and a sense of belonging to the group.

Can you answer these questions?

Why do we sit in circles?

When we sit it a circle it is a symbol about how everything is connected. There is no sense of hierarchy. There is a different type of awareness about relationship to one another and to the whole when we sit in a circle. It reinforces the idea that when we gather to make connections, we strengthen every part as well as the whole community. The work, like the shape of a circle, is ongoing.

Why do we drum?

The kids will tell you the answer to that question is, "To have fun!" - and it is! They might also say, "To be Crew".

The main objective is to share rhythm and get in tune with each other and ourselves. A new voice, a collective voice, emerges from the group as we drum together. Drumming is an active way to build a sense of belonging to a group and create community.

'Creating Community With a Beat'

What is that Circle of Courage I see in the hallway?

The Circle of Courage is a medicine wheel, which for tribal people in North America represents the need for all things to be in balance and harmony. The four colors symbolize the different races and their equality, while on the four points of the cross are the crucial developmental needs of children: 
belonging, mastery, independence and generosity.


 Belonging: The universal longing for human bonds is cultivated by relationships of trust so that the child can say, “I am loved.

 Independence: Free will is cultivated by responsibility so that the child can say, “I have the power to make decisions.”

 Mastery: The inborn thirst for learning is cultivated; by learning to cope with the world, the child can say, “I can succeed.” 

 Generosity: Character is cultivated by concern for others so that the child can say, “I have a purpose for my life.”

What is The Beat?

The purpose of The Beat is:

• Community building
• Situational awareness

The Beat will:

• Bring our community together
• Generate Collaboration
• Be a tIme for Community Celebration
• Provide opportunities for recognition
• Encourage and actively be leadership opportunities
• Call for acts of courage
• Opportunity for risk-taking in a safe environment
• Challenge by Choice
• Transfer from Adventure Ed

Why Community Lunch?

To meet, greet, talk, play and connected with everyone in our school. 

"Be related, somehow, to everyone you know." 

Ella Deloria

August 5, 2019

Artist: LB (our very own Lisa Beckman)

This is a card created and given to me in early June as we departed for summer. Trust your summer was this picture perfect! 

No doubt, you have neighbors, friends and family who ask you, "So what exactly is your school?" And I'll bet you struggle to answer that question, because we all do! And maybe you're so brand new to our school, you are still trying to figure it out! So, we end up talking about the rituals and experiences that the kids have and muck around trying to explain the bigger idea. Ultimately, there's something about the experiences that the kids are having; something about the way the culture enfolds us, that just feels special and right, so we are okay not having to know the deeper answer and the philosophies that Renaissance is built on.

I was reading the 'Preamble to Design Principles' as I prepared our staff development and the first few lines really jumped out for me as a possible phrase that just might be clear and concise enough for a place to start. 

"Learning is an expedition into the unknown. Expeditions draw together personal experience and intellectual growth to promote self-discovery and construct knowledge."

You need to know the name - Kurt Hahn.  He is the founder of Outward Bound and Expeditionary Learning is built on ten design principles that reflect the educational values and beliefs of Kurt Hahn.

These values have been influencing education for over 70 years, and they are the framework for everything we do at Renaissance. In a nutshell, these values are what makes us who we are. These values are what have called to the professionals here, whose hearts are fiercely devoted to this method for developing curiosity, skills, knowledge, and the courage needed to image a better world and work toward realizing it.

Expeditionary Learning

Outward Bound

Design Principles

These principles guide the teaching, learning and the culture of our school.

1. The Primacy of Self-Discovery

Learning happens best with emotion, challenge, and the requisite support. People discover their abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected. In our school, students undertake tasks that require perseverance, fitness, craftsmanship, imagination, self-discipline, and significant achievement. A teacher's primary task is to help students overcome their fears and discover they can do more than they think they can.

2. The Having of Wonderful Ideas

Teaching in our school fosters curiosity about the world by creating learning situations that provide something important to think about, time to experiment, and time to make sense of what is observed.

3.The Responsibility for Learning

Learning is both a personal process of discovery and a social activity. Everyone learns both individually and as part of a group. Every aspect of our school encourages both children and adults to become increasingly responsible for directing their own personal and collective learning.

 4. Empathy and Caring

Learning is fostered best in communities where students' and teachers' ideas are respected and where there is mutual trust. Learning groups are small, with a caring adult looking after the progress and acting as an advocate for each child. Older students mentor younger ones, and students feel physically and emotionally safe.

5. Success and Failure

All students need to be successful if they are to build the confidence and capacity to take risks and meet increasingly difficult challenges. But it is also important for students to learn from their failures, to persevere when things are hard, and to learn to turn disabilities into opportunities.

6. Collaboration and Competition

Individual development and group development are integrated so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Students are encouraged to compete, not against each other, but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence. 

7. Diversity and Inclusivity

Both diversity and inclusion increase the richness of ideas, creative power, problem-solving ability, and respect for others. In our school, students investigate and value their different histories and talents as well as those of other communities and cultures. 

8. The Natural World

A direct and respectful relationship with the natural world refreshes the human spirit and teaches the important ideas of recurring cycles and cause and effect. Student learn to become stewards of the earth and future generations.

9. Solitude and Reflection

Students and teachers need time alone to explore their own thoughts, make their own connections, and create their own ideas. They also need to exchange their reflections with other students and with adults.

10. Service and Compassion

We are crew, not passengers. Students and teachers are strengthened by acts of consequential service to others, and one of our school's primary functions is to prepare students with the attitudes and skills to learn from and be of service.

Welcome Back to School!

See you all Wednesday morning!!

Deborah

May 29, 2019

Celebrations, Transitions and Wonderings...

We like to keep the energy high and the focus on learning up until the very last dismissal bell! It's busy around here! The best part - it's all about celebrations! One thing that keeps people connected, and a community thriving, are rituals and celebrations. And celebrate we will, it was an awesome year!  Woot!  Woot!


If you happened to be driving by the school today, you would have taken a second look, because kids came pouring out of the building from various doors, running, and re-entering the building with music pulsing outside! What a blast we had practicing and filming our all school dance! No easy feat with 400 students! It was great for the kids to observe the staff problem solving - literally on the run! We can't wait to share it with you...next Wednesday!

Next Wednesday is our All School Drum Circle, first viewing of film of All School Dance, last day of school and send off for our 6th graders. A great day for sure!

This is also the time of year that families are making their own plans for summer and asking us questions about next year. 

Frequently asked questions this time of year:

When will I know who the teacher is for next year?
You will receive an email from your current teacher letting you know the class assignment for next year. If you are a new family to Renaissance, you will receive an email from the front office. That email will go out after 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6th.

Will we hear from the new teacher over the summer?
Yes, teachers will reach out with introductions and a link to sign-up for a Listening Conference on August 5th and 6th.
(This is a 20 minute conference with the teacher for PARENTS. This is YOUR chance to make that important connection, share your hopes, dreams, stories...This not only helps the teacher make that first initial connection with you, and it gives teachers valuable information about your child - as you know them best! We ask that you not bring your student, or siblings, as this is an important time for adult conversations!)

Have you hired new teachers?
Yes! See introductions from our new staff below.

Which teachers are leaving?
Ms. Teresa, Ms. SamAntha and Ms. Ella.  


When do we get Elementary Progress Reports?
These will go live at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 7th, and can be accessed through Parent Portal.

What are the Fall Voyage dates?
These are still being finalized and will be posted on the school website.

Are there changes to the Fall Voyages?
Yes, some. Second grade will stay an additional night at Camp Elim (3 days, 2 nights).
Fifth grade plans are still being finalized.

What happened with transportation for Voyages?
We will not be able to purchase a yellow bus. 
We are in negotiation to see if we can upgrade the two white buses that we have - which are proving to be unreliable and missing a few features (automatic chains, etc.) that we have learned are important.
Meanwhile...REA had reserved the $40,000. allocated for a bus.
Here's what is shaking out....
* Due to having to hire transportation from a charter company, and the rising costs of the program, the school is $21,000.00 over budget for our Adventure Education program.
 I saw that coming. 
I saw that it was likely we were going to need to increase our school fee to cover the increasing costs. District leadership communicated that absolutely no school could increase fees this coming year. 
So...REA voted to allocate 20 thousand of the 40 thousand reserve to the overage on Adventure Education for the 2019-2020 school year, with the understanding that SAC and myself would approach the Board of Education with a fee increase for Renaissance the following year. 
(Important to note that you will likely see an increase to your Renaissance fee in the 2020-2021 school year of $150.00)

The other 20 thousand dollars is still being reserved to see what we can do to upgrade our two white buses.

Registration for Voyages?
This will look a bit different. We are removing it from My School Bucks where you register each year - and it will come to you in a google doc form. 

Do we take our drums home at the end of the year?
No. Only students leaving in 6th grade, or students moving away from Renaissance would take their drum home.

Is the school office open in the summer?
Yes and no! The office staff comes in intermittently during the summer. You can reach me by email over the summer, and you can reach out to all staff this way. Keep in mind that if you do email, it could be a week or more before you get a response. It's important that we 'unplug', so email is not checked daily.

What is the first day of school for kids?
Wednesday, August 7th.

Teacher Appreciation

Talk about setting the climate for celebration!
Thank you volunteers for creating such an atmosphere of celebration!

The attention, food, decorations...all of it was so very appreciated by myself and the staff.
Your kind gestures - okay, spoiling us - means so very much to all of us, and is the boost we need to finish the year 
with enthusiasm and joy!
Thank you so very much!

Art Walk

Thank you Renaissance Artists!
Our building is glowing with the gorgeous art 
that you have created!
This is the very best time of year to walk through the halls!
Thank you Ms. Pam!

Thank you Staci for all your help -
the displays are stunning!

Addams Family Musical

The Musical was superb!
Thank you to all of you in our community who
sacrificed time and contributed your talent to support
this amazing production!

Bravo Mr. Josh!

Archery

Renaissance students were State Champions

 in the Elementary and Middle School Divisions!!

Second Place in Elementary, as well!

98 Renaissance Student Participated-

 More Renaissance students participated than any other school!

Four Students represented Renaissance in Utah last week, 

at the National Tournament.

Tournament is open to all students, every year, and Mr. Doug is already looking forward to next year!

Practice starts in December during PE class,

 and tournament is in January.

These three trophies, join four other trophies, 

 from the past two seasons!

* Look for summer opportunities for archery, badmitton and pickle ball on June 8th.

Showcase Celebrations of Learning

Third Graders celebrating the completion of their Showcase!
Sixth Grade Showcases today!
A very heartfelt thank you to all of our community members who
served on our Showcase Panels.
Having an authentic audience means everything to the kids!!

Our Eco-Warriors have been busy!

4th grade has been working on sustainability passion projects. Students are committed to making a difference, changing behaviors and having a positive impact on their school, community, and world.  Currently, students have procured a USAgain bin to help recycle textiles and are launching this with a clothing drive through May 30th. Crews are collecting clothes and shoes in the hopes of keeping over 500 pounds of textiles out of the landfill.

We have also written a grant and received new recycle bins. All classrooms now have a recycle bin. The students felt strongly that we needed a bin, with a lid,  for the playground and our grant got us one.

Students are also working on revitalizing our school gardens.  They have cleaned the beds, started seedlings and will be planting this week. Students hope to make salsa for the school in the fall and also sell produce at a Renaissance Maker, Craft, and Garden sale.

Students currently are running two worm composter and putting together plans to build 4-barrel compost tumblers.

Many students are using their persuasive pieces to convince the district to put a hydration station in our cafeteria and are working through several options to cover the cost of the station.

Also in the works and hopefully coming soon are a pilot run of mess kits, installation of a milk dispenser, and removal of plastic cups to reduce our cafeteria waste.

Renaissance Educational Allisance (REA)

Welcome Allie Waltee to the REA Board!
Thank you to all who ran for office!

 School Accountability Committee (SAC) :

Members:

 

Riann Benfer-Parent Representative

Charlene Johnson- Parent Represent

Josie Adler- Community Representative

Malissa Stahl- Parent Representative

Jenny Henry - Teacher Representative 

Staffing for the 2019-2020 school year:

Welcome Ms. Rachel to Fifth Grade!

I am thrilled to be kicking off my teaching career in 5th grade at Renaissance next year! I recently graduated from Benedictine College in Kansas where I student taught 5th grade.

Who Am I?

Where I've Lived: Montrose, CO; Frisco, TX; Telluride, CO; Atchison, KS
Pets: Super smart Havanese from Cortez, CO
Siblings: Two sisters (I am in the middle!) 
Favorite Color: Rainbow (I can't choose just one!)
Favorite Candy: Peach Rings
Favorite Season: Autumn

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Hiking and Skiing 
Silly Facts: 1) I am prone to clumsiness. 2) My dog's name is Telluride (T-Ride for short).  

What happened to Ms. Billie???
You'll find her in third grade!

Partnering up with...

Welcome Ms. Makayla  - to our Third Grade Team!

My name is Mikaela Sanders and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to teach third grade at Renaissance.  For the last two school years I’ve been a part of the REMS community as a parent/crew parent. I have loved every moment of my son’s fifth and sixth grade years at REMS and didn’t want my connection to this school to end just because he was moving on.  It is my goal to instill a love for learning in my students, to inspire, and to challenge them each day. I strive to teach with enthusiasm and make learning exciting and engaging. I also enjoy the inspiration the students provide me with; I find myself constantly learning from them.  

I was born in Minnesota but moved around quite a bit as a child.  I graduated from Towson University, just outside of Baltimore, MD in December of 2001. During the years that followed, I taught first, fourth, and fifth grades in both public and private settings in the Baltimore area.  My husband, Will, and I visited CO a few times and fell in love with so many things this great state has to offer; we knew we had to move. In the Fall of 2014 we packed up and made our way to Castle Rock. After our move, I enjoyed a couple years at home with our son, Mason, and dogs, Disco (a mini Goldendoodle) and Olive (a Terrier mix), but was missing the thing I’m most passionate about- teaching!  For the last three years I’ve taught at a charter school as a second grade teacher, for one year, and a literacy interventionist for the last two years. The 2019-2020 school year will be my 16th year of teaching!

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family outdoors hiking, camping, or simply reading a book on our deck.  I also enjoy gardening, learning new things (currently learning to sew), and trying new restaurants and foods.

I am looking forward to a year of growing, learning, and having fun!  

 Welcome Ms. Maria - 2/3 Discovery Teacher - 

"I am so excited to become part of Crew."

I am known as the Rubik's Cube Queen with a personal record of solving the cube in 27 seconds.  

Maria has 22 years of experience in education, with 15 as Gifted Education Facilitator. She holds a Masters in gifted education and is certified by National Alliance of Mental Illness as a NAMI family educator.

"I love creating moral and responsible thinkers.  I teach students to find their answers not ask for the answer.

I've taught tons of exploratory classes.  My favorites are; gardening, building Rubik's Cube, drawing, Chess Club, Magic Club, Spy Club and History with American Girl Dolls.

I have three sons that are young adults and a husband of 37 years.  I am energetic filled with smiles and enthusiasm." 

Have a fun-filled summer!
We will see you in August!
Warmly,
Deborah