Mountain Mail: 3/26/19
Hi Everyone,
I hope you had a restful weekend after all our excitement on Friday night. It was such a pleasure to see so many of you. Thank you all for contributing to the fun - selling goodies and tickets and providing all the delicious food. And thank you to Cheryl and Max (Nate’s parents) for organizing and to Caitlin and Josh (Will’s parents) for donating all the wine we consumed! These are really tangible ways in which you help support and make our program possible.
And thank you for your lovely children who were so willing to put themselves out there, raw and unfiltered. In this age of mediated messages it is a wondrous thing to see such vulnerability and honesty. They may not quite grasp that yet, but they are brave and beautiful and for that I am very grateful. Working day in and out with that authenticity is an honor. And it is what I love about TMS. We are such an eclectic bunch and all of us need to be - and are - accepted and celebrated.
I have very few pictures, but I am hoping you may all have some stills and footage. If you have please stop by my office and airdrop them to me, or send in an email, or on a flash drive with your child. I will post when I have a collection to share. For now here is a few I took.
This week and next
We are now into our special two week unit about Man’s Relationship with Nature. The students are spending time out and about observing and noting ecological succession and the effects of wild fires and the landscape at certain stages of regrowth. They are learning about Taoism, and analyzing Mary Poppins as well as reading from Emerson, Muir and Thoreau while they are in nature itself. Our upcoming camping trip is an extension of this unit and we will be continuing to explore these themes as we enjoy the delights of the Santa Barbara back country, a place that has seen it own share of ecological changes due to fires and erosion over the last several years.
Tomorrow - Wednesday
Drop off and pick up at school at normal times 8:15am and 3:10pm respectively (carpools as usual). Students will be heading out to the San Gabriel Mountains to Vetter Mountain Outlook as part of their studies. Please make sure your child has snacks, packed lunch, full water bottles and hiking footwear.
Thursday
Students will be on campus all day (ask them over dinner to explain how Mary Poppins and Taoism relate). In the morning they will also be taking their Math Final. Please check in with them to make sure they have been studying and are prepared!
Friday
We will be heading out to Point Mugu for further field observations. Students will need snacks, a packed lunch full water bottles and appropriate footwear (they will be in the canyon and at the beach).
Drop off at school at 8:15 or at Pine Tree Circle at 9:00am
Pick up at Pine Tree Circle at 3:15pm and at school at 3:30pm.
Monday April 1st
NO SCHOOL Cesar Chavez Day
Tuesday April 2nd - Friday 5th - Camping-Sage Hill, Santa Barbara
On Tuesday morning we are off on our Spring camping trip and the second week of our special unit. I am hopeful after all this rain we will find green hills, as well as the creek and our favorite swimming spots full of water!! I am so looking forward to spending this time in nature with your children.
Please find the Informational letter and packing list HERE and the Release Form HERE.
Please return the release along with your payment to the school office.
Monday April 8th - Friday April 19 - NO SCHOOL Spring Break
School resumes Monday April 22nd.
