ETON EDITION Vol. 35 No. 2
November 2012
From the Head of School
Benefits of an Eton Education The welcome I have received at Eton, and the hospitality my wife and I have experienced since our move here, has truly been generous and moving. Members of the community have been genuinely interested in making us feel at home at Eton and on the Eastside. For that, we are grateful. Once the frenzy of the start of the school year gave way to the comfort of routine, I frequently heard the same question: “What do you think of Eton so far?” At the same time, I am often presented with the perception of an issue related to Eton’s identity given the Montessori curriculum and structure of the Pre-Elementary and Lower Elementary levels, and the absence of Montessori curriculum in the Upper grades. As I have told several of you, I believe that the “issue” of identity is not related to inconsistency between levels, but rather a matter of articulation regarding the common threads that run throughout the Eton experience. Our school (and the Middle School in particular) does not have the luxury of preparing our students for one high school program. Instead, we have a responsibility to prepare our students to succeed in any high school. This means that we must meticulously ensure that our students are prepared academically, emotionally, and socially. Those students must have self-confidence, be able to succeed in any academic environment, be independent learners who can work with others, and have a love of learning. Knowing that this is what we want of an Eton graduate, our faculty and administration in the Upper level review and revise our program to ensure this goal is being met. Happily, as I look at what our Upper program is achieving with our remarkable students, it is apparent to me that our Lower Elementary program also effectively prepares our students at that level to be successful in the Fourth Grade and beyond, while the Pre-Elementary program provides a solid foundation for students before the move up to the Main Building. In my opinion, there is great congruency running through the Eton experience from the first year of the Pre program to the Eighth Grade graduation ceremony.
On its web site, the American Montessori Society sums up the “Benefits of Montessori” this way: Given the freedom and support to question, to probe deeply, and to make connections, Montessori students become confident, enthusiastic, self-directed learners. They are able to think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly — a skill set for the 21st century. I maintain that these same benefits are evident in an Eton graduate, and that the foundation for that graduate is constructed and made stronger each and every year. Dr. Russell Smith, Head of School E-mail: russellsmith@etonschool.org
In This Issue Board Corner: A New Year........................................ 2 Eton Parent Council................................................... 2 Admission Events....................................................... 3 Development Office................................................... 4 Grandparents Day....................................................... 4 Mr. Smith Retires....................................................... 5 Annual Auction........................................................... 6 Culture Fair.................................................................. 7 Student Activities....................................................... 8
Class News.................................................................. 12 Health and Safety...................................................... 17 Learning Specialist................................................... 18
From the Office......................................................... 19
Eton School Newsletter
Board Corner: A New Year
Hello Everyone, The school session is now in full swing and I hope your children are enjoying the school year. Dr. Russell Smith, our new Head of School, has transitioned very nicely into his new position and the school is well underway into another successful year. Some months ago, the Board set up a transition team to help the school honor Eton’s past Head, Dr. Patricia Feltin and to welcome Dr. Smith. We feel that the transition has been very smooth and the work of the team is now coming to an end. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the members of this team for their time and energy. The Board has had an eventful couple of years during the Strategic Planning phase and the Head Search phase. Now that we have a new Head, the work of the Board reverts to working on the long-term vision and implementing the Strategic Plan elements.
The next important milestone that we have in front of us is the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS) and American Montessori Society (AMS) accreditation in the spring of 2013. Quietly behind the scenes, a team has been working on the requirements of this accreditation. All constituencies of the school are involved in this process, including the Board and Parent Council. We will be keeping you all informed about the progress in future posts. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful community. On behalf of the Board, I wish you all a very happy holiday season! Vibhas Chandorkar President, Board of Trustees
Eton Parent Council
A Busy Start to the New School Year Our Parent Council meeting with Dr. Smith on October 4, was a great success. We had a fantastic turnout from Eton parents, perhaps due to the free childcare and pizza! Dr. Smith talked about the benefits of an Eton education. Make sure you read his article in this Eton Edition to learn more about his thoughts. We also received some very valuable feedback from parents about what you might want from your Parent Council. We have been processing all your feedback and it will help shape future Parent Council activities throughout the year. Thank you for coming. The next meeting is on January 16, 2013. Mark your calendars! Eton’s fabulous teachers have already quickly responded to one of the requests made by parents at the October meeting. Parents asked for some pointers on how to engage the younger children in conversations about what they have been doing during the week. Last Friday, many journeys home were interspersed with conversations
about how bats fly, what ladybugs eat, and who has celebrated a birthday. Thank you teachers! We are delighted to announce that Kristi Mallios has been sworn in to the Parent Council committee as Treasurer. Kristi has two girls in the school and she has been an Eton parent for 4 years. She will help keep us on the straight and narrow over the coming months. Finally, thank you to the parents who helped with the Apple Fund Lunch for the teachers. For those of you new to the school, this is an event where parents help out by providing lunch for the staff during their busy parent conference days. Special thanks to Nikki Rehman, Angela Ting, Rashmi Chopra, Yoko Sase, Berengeria Roppo, Judi Hoskins and Sona Mulye. If you have any questions or suggestions please get in touch with us via e-mail at parentcouncil@etonschool.org. Catherine Manney, Parent Council President Elect
Important Dates School Closed November 9
School Closed November 12
School & Clubhouse Closed November 22 & November 23
School is closed on November 9, for teacher in-service. Clubhouse is open. Childcare must be prepaid and reservations are required. Reservations can be made online.
School is closed on November 12, in honor of Veterans Day. Clubhouse open. Childcare must be prepaid and reservations are required. Reservations can be made online.
School and Clubhouse are closed on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Childcare will not be available either day.
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VOL 35 NO. 2
Admission Events
Come One and All to Eton’s Open Houses Eton’s Fall Open House took place on Sunday, November 4 from 12:30-2:30 pm. We invited all Eton families to attend. The event was especially helpful for those families with children moving up to a new level or grade. All teachers were present in their classrooms ready to talk about the details of their program. Those interested in learning more about the lower program, attended the panel presentation given by the lower teachers immediately after the General Welcome, which took place in the Activity Room. This year, our Winter Open House takes place during the school day on Thursday, January 17 from 9:30 to 11:00 am, instead of on a weekend. Parents will enjoy seeing classes in session at all levels. Once again, we invite all Eton parents to attend, especially those wanting to observe classroom activities at the next level/grade.
We encourage you to take advantage of both the Open Houses. Be sure to pass the invitation on to your friends and co-workers who are considering Eton School for next year. Word of mouth from current families has been our best source of new families.
Eton Hosts Independent High School Night On Thursday, September 27, Eton School hosted the Independent High School Information Night. Families with 7th /8th grade students exploring their high school options were invited. Eton families, along with those from other middle schools on the Eastside attended. Eleven high schools, all members of the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools participated in the event. Those schools attending included Annie Wright, the Bear Creek School, the Bush School, Eastside Catholic, Eastside Prep,
Independent Schools Admission Events Eton School and eleven other independent schools on the Eastside hosted several neighborhood admission events. The goal of these events was to introduce and promote independent schools on the Eastside. Several frequently asked questions about independent schools were addressed during a PowerPoint presentation: What are independent schools? How do I find the one that best fits my child? How do I apply? Can I afford it? Following the presentation, families talked individually with schools and asked any remaining questions. All schools participating in these events are members of Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools.
Forest Ridge, Holy Names, Lakeside, the Northwest School, the Overlake School and University Prep. Following a brief introduction, guests attended three-20 minute presentations from the high schools of their choice. School representatives provided information about their programs and key admission dates. Guests appreciated the convenience of seeing several schools at an Eastside event, instead of attending one in Seattle. Attendees left with a better understanding of the many options for high school along with a more focused action plan.
Coffee with Russell Russell invites people to either come to one of the Coffees that we have scheduled here at school or to make an appointment to come in to chat. The Coffees are a great way to learn about Russell’s background and hear how supportive and enthusiastic he is of our amazing Eton program. He understands and beautifully articulates a vision of the evolution of Eton that has been created by faculty and staff here over the years. There is a Coffee scheduled for 9:00 am on Thursday, November 15, in the Activity Room in the Main Building.
Cherie Goetz, Admissions Director
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Development Office
Annual Fund: Your Participation Benefits the Children Please join us in participating in this year’s Annual Fund! By now, you should have received your Annual Fund letter with a cool magnet and an even cooler remittance envelope! Independent nonprofit schools like Eton count on the philanthropy of its current and alumni families to strengthen and embellish their educational programs. Gifts to the Annual Fund benefit your children immediately with the purchase of classroom materials and supplies, supporting our operational costs, or by providing for enriching curriculum experiences. Your donations could help pre‑elementary classes bring in outside resources that give music or science presentations or it could go to the purchase of beautiful Montessori materials. It supports the lower elementary in their studies by going on theme related field trips or bringing in a theater group to perform historical plays. In the upper level, the Annual Fund donations could go to the purchase of new science equipment or it could support their physical education
programs at places like Stone Gardens for rock climbing sessions. So far, 75% of Eton School’s faculty and staff have made a gift to the Annual Fund. This is a true demonstration of people going above and beyond the enormous amount of work they already do here by making a financial commitment to support our students and the Eton School Mission Statement. Eton is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit institution so all contributions made are tax deductible and are eligible for employer matching gifts. If you have any questions about the Annual Fund, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to stop by my office any time in Casa IV (by the 4th grade), e-mail me (mmaling@etonschool.org) or give me a call at 425-881-4230 ext. 61 We hope that you will join the Eton teachers, administrators, assistants, and specialists in participating in this very important community building campaign. Thank you! Monica Maling, Development Director
Grandparents Day
Making Connections with Grandparents and Grand Friends Day Eton celebrates the connection between generations on November 21, with Grandparents and Grand Friends Day. This is one of our favorite traditions at Eton School and the students and staff look forward to hosting our guests. We have scheduled two programs (see schedule) in order to ease parking and crowded hallways. grandparents and grand friends begin their visit with a short welcome and student program in the Main Building’s Activity Room. Following the program, grandparents and grand friends are off to the classroom to visit with their grandchild, have a memory photo* taken and have refreshments. We look forward to celebrating this day with your family. *Photos of students with their grandparents or grand friends will be shared with all families after the Thanksgiving break.
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Grandparents and Grand Friend Day Schedule 9:15 am, Main Building Activity Room
Grandparents and grand friends with students in: Pre-elementary: Mezzo B, Mezzo 1, Mezzo 3 Lower elementary: Room 5, Room 6 Upper level: Grades 4, 7 and 8
1:15 pm, Main Building Activity Room
Grandparents and grand friends with students in: Pre-elementary: Mezzo A, Mezzo C, Mezzo 2, Mezzo 4 Lower elementary: Room 1, Room 3, Room 4 Upper level: Grades 5 and 6 VOL 35 NO. 2
Mr. Smith Retires
Thanks Rich Smith for Being a Part of Eton! Rich Smith has shared his talents and expertise at Eton School for over twelve years. I remember, well, when he first came. We were seeking a Facilities staff member and a Business Officer. I was cautioned that I would probably never find one person who could cover the two diverse positions. A committee helped interview applicants and we could not believe that Mr. Richard Smith brought experience in just what we needed. He had recently sold a family-owned roofing business, so he knew the financial side of an outdoor endeavor. His wife was working in a school system, so he was sensitive to the uniqueness of being around children. And he was personable and did not mind interacting with a predominantly female staff. Rich first interfaced with my husband, whose responsibilities he was replacing. He quickly learned the job(s) and subsequently made them his own. Mr. Smith endeared himself to teachers and other staff members as he fulfilled their requests, both for equipment repairs and human resource issues. He was the go-to person when there was a leak in the roof or a problem with a toilet. He carried a set of keys everywhere he went and a walkie‑talkie to communicate with his assistant, Mr. Vitaliy Sad. There were many days when school was closed because of snow, that Rich and Vitaliy were on campus clearing the sidewalks and checking the tree limbs. He was the one emptying trash containers during events such as the Cultural Fair, carrying tables for activities or setting up for the outside graduation ceremony. He contacted and maintained a relationship with vendors and suppliers Rich and Vitaliy Sad prepare a mural for hanging. for Eton’s four buildings. He negotiated health insurance benefits for the staff members, prepared payroll and reconciled the checking account. Rich communicated with the school’s accountant and made sure the books were in order. One of his biggest projects was facilitating the move of seven classrooms. A few years ago, three pre‑elementary rooms (Casa I, II and III) relocated into the Mezzo Building. The fourth, fifth and sixth grades simultaneously went from Mezzo 1, 2, 3 and 4 to the Casa Building. One can imagine the coordination NOVEMBER 2012
required to get dozens of boxes of materials; much electronic equipment; and numerous shelves, desks, and chairs from one space correctly into another building. There was the raising or lowering of sinks, Enjoying dinner at the hoedown with staff. cleaning of carpets and painting of walls needed in each of the seven rooms as they were transformed into new environments. Rich demonstrated his patience and resolve during that notoriously complicated summer. What was most gratifying was that Mr. Smith fit in socially. He enjoyed getting to know the students and he willingly (?) participated in the Variety Show and Halloween dress-up. He liked helping with the assemblies
and joining us in staff parties and Apple Fund luncheons. His special golf trips were always a topic of conversation as we heard about his successful rounds. Rich is a Cougar fan and loved the friendly competition with those of other loyalties. In the most recent times, he shared details of the weddings of his daughter and his son. The birth of his first grandchild, Ella, allowed Rich to join others in showing off pictures of her ongoing antics. Rich Smith has been a beloved part of the Eton School family. He worked hard and gave generously. He will be missed as he leaves for retirement. We know that he will be found sitting on the deck, or out fishing, at his family get-away place on Whidbey Island. We wish him the very best! Submitted in friendship and with respect, Patricia Feltin October, 2012
Rich poses with Ellen Gatton, Latin Teacher at his retirement celebration with staff.
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Annual Auction
Save the Date for the 2012–2013 Auction! The annual Eton School Auction will be held on Saturday February 9, 2013 at the Glendale Golf and Country Club in Bellevue. Our theme this year follows the all school theme of “Connections.” We have already started the planning and coordinating and we would love to have your help! Right now, we are specifically looking for people who could help in these roles: 1. Lead Coordinator(s) — The main role of the lead is to direct the committees, keeping them focused and on schedule. They work closely with Monica Maling, the Development Director. 2. Invitation coordination — We are looking for someone with an artistic or graphic art ability to design the invitations and coordinate the printing and distribution. We have people who can help with this, but we need a creative person to take the lead!
3. Procurement — If you feel comfortable talking to people and asking for donations, then we need you! We are looking for energetic people who can help procure great auction items! Ideally, several people are needed to help get items for both the Silent and Live Auction sections. If you are interested, please contact Angela Ting (hkting@hotmail.com). Please look at the Google Doc Volunteer Spreadsheet that is posted on the Eton web site to see if there is an area you would like to help with. There are all sorts of interesting jobs as part of the planning stage committees —decorations, silent auction coordination, data entry or helping out on the day of the event with set up, registration, or clean up. Please come join in the auction planning fun Thursday mornings at 8:45 am in the Mezzo Lunchroom!
Procurement Tips for Everyone! Procurement is critical to the success of the Eton Auction, and it is something where every family can be involved. Nevertheless, it can sometimes be intimidating to parents who are new to the school or have not had previous experience with auctions. Not sure where to start? We thought we would provide some guidelines you can use in your search for items to procure. Think of the type of items on which you would be interested in bidding and consider the various procurement avenues. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Explore your connections. Friends, relatives, acquaintances and neighbors are often happy to help. The hardest part is usually doing the asking! 2. Utilize your skills—teach a class, cater/host a dinner party, help with home maintenance. 3. Target businesses you frequent. Businesses often have a budget for this type of donation and they are used to being asked. It is often easiest to make a casual inquiry while doing business and then return with a donor form/proprietor letter if an individual shows interest in participating. It is surprising how friendly and supportive local businesses are—but you will not know unless you ask! 4. If you do get a “no,” be gracious and thank them for considering a donation. They may participate next year.
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Here are a few ideas for items that are always a hit and support this year’s theme of Connections: • Enriching and fun experiences for kids or families • Sporting and performance experiences for kids and/or adults • Adult wine, chocolate, and culinary experiences • Travel and vacation experiences • Family-fun-at-home items • Relaxing and rejuvenating experiences Happy Procuring! Eton Auction Committee
Donating to the Auction We would love every family to donate one item to the auction! The Procurement Committee has sent home a letter with a procurement form and a helpful sheet of ideas for great items to try to obtain. Please take the time to ask your favorite restaurant for a gift card or get a donation from the salon where you get your hair cut. Remember that money raised at the auction goes right back to our children as it benefits them, their classrooms and their teachers. Thank you!
VOL 35 NO. 2
Culture Fair
Connecting through Culture Eton was magically transformed into an international festival as we celebrated diversity with our annual Cultural Fair on September 29. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful opportunity for students and their families to share their cultural backgrounds and interests. Our children develop an appreciation and a respect for different cultures and their perspectives through experiences such as the Cultural Fair. It was also the perfect opportunity to welcome Dr. Smith and his wife, Rebecca to Eton School as they came to join in the festivities. We learned a lot about Dr. Smith as he hosted a booth and shared different things about his life with us.
An enormous thank you to all the parent and student volunteers who helped in many ways to make this year’s Cultural Fair a huge success. Families hosted booths from China, Syria, Nepal, France, United States, United Kingdom, Israel, India, Germany and the Philippines. Parents and students helped with the food, set-up, clean up, the sound system, decorations, entertainment and so much more. It was a wonderful team effort that produced a spectacular result that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. If we have inadvertently left your name off the list (below), we do apologize and please know that we are very grateful for your help. Thank you to everyone!
Volunteers for Cultural Fair: Beth Douglass, Judi
Manney, Juliette Stephenson, Parisa Behzad-Pour, Nikki Rehman, Shuo Shen, Qun Guo, Erika Klimecky, Nir Mashkowski, Amy Yu, Jenny Mashkowski, Jiangqian Zhao, Yun Fang, Zaiwei Du, Alex Zhu, Nisha Jain, Lee Keller, Diana Vank, Hao Sun, Tanya Matskewich.
Hoskins, Ying Li, Smita Jain, Fuhui Long, Amal Alissa, Rupal Mehta, Ken Young, Xiaoyu Yao, Minee Verma, Blair Hotchkies, May Gross, Shelly Bajaj, Regine Horteur –Edjalali, Kalsom Wali, Mahendra Shah, Laurence Kancherla, Sharon Gonzalez, Megha Anand, Nidhi Chaudhari, Angela Ting, Monika Kher, Bina Shukla, David Meltzer, Awring Mahmud, Fiona Luan, Punam Agrawal, Rupa Gadre, Jinliang Fan, Katherine Min, Sapna Sharma, Melissa Adams, Ping Huang, Rajani Battula, Michelle Goble, Shao Ping, Roxana Tzau, Cristina Nardini, Xinli Zou, Lena Lomone, Lin Jiang, Dong Wu, Anne Terry, Trisha Johnston, Rich Smith, Tanja Couture, Michele Dehmer, Chris Klimecky, Kathryn Hammer, Afshan Ijaz, Vitaliy Sad, Ikuko Ito, Yasser Ibrahim, Yan Zhen, Tia Smith, Sona Mulye, Katie Adams, Catherine NOVEMBER 2012
Students: Tiffany Horteur, Sofia Guerrero, Madrona
Maling, Melia Maling, Alex Klimecky, Gitu Devadoss, Dipu Devadoss, Jon Zhu, Katrin Zender, Janik Zender
Alum Students and Friends: Alyssa McGehee,
Leah McGehee, Kayla McGehee, Mihika Srinivasan, Angelina Kang, Layth Rehman, Theresa. And the many family members and friends of Eton who came to offer their support and enjoy this wonderful day. ETON EDITION | 7
Student Activities
Still Time to Join and Support Eton’s Phoenix Teams Ms. Monica Maling
University of Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Louisiana State University. What do these colleges have in common besides being in the Top Ten ranking for college football? They all also have highly competitive Ultimate Frisbee clubs for both men and women. In fact, most colleges, small and large, around the country have ultimate teams that compete against each other in leagues and tournaments. Ultimate is a super fun and exciting team sport played on a field comparable to a narrowed football field. There are seven people on a team and a co-ed team consists of 4 men and 3 women. Ultimate is very popular here in the Seattle area and we are fortunate to have a strong youth program. Elementary, middle and high school leagues are organized by Disc Northwest, the Ultimate governing body that organizes adult and youth leagues. Check out this you tube video to see a high school ultimate game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2-D4aCNN0E. This is the third season for the Eton Phoenix Ultimate team. Last year we had a 5th grade team and a 3rd /4th
grade team that competed in the Elementary School league of 24 Seattle area schools. We are excited that we have enough enthusiastic 6th, 7th and 8th graders to field a middle school team led by Coach Gil. Ultimate has certainly grown in popularity here at Eton as it now looks like we have two elementary teams as well. I am coaching the elementary teams and we may bring in another coach to help. Marjie Butler is our super coordinator who takes care of all the administrative duties and helps with coaching. Students have eagerly been asking when the practices start and the time has come! We start practicing the week of November 5, with a few practices before winter and then we step up practices in February to get ready for the spring season in March. The invitation is still open for any 3rd – 8th grader to come join the team! There are no referees in an Ultimate game, players call their own fouls and learn to work out any disputes themselves. They learn fair play, good sportsmanship, and a great sense of personal responsibility because of this aspect, which is called the “spirit” of the game. This links in beautifully to our Montessori inspired philosophy of how we educate our children to be responsible, respectful and independent especially in the way of conflict resolution. Come out and support the Eton Phoenix! We will be posting about games in the spring and we would love for you to come out and cheer us on. Go Phoenix!
Trick‑or‑Treat for UNICEF: Kids Helping Kids Mrs. Nasreen Shamsuddin For Halloween, Eton School’s pre-elementary students had the opportunity to collect money by trick-or-treating for UNICEF. The small change they collected makes a BIG difference in providing health care, nutrition, safe drinking water and education in developing countries. This year UNICEF supplied us with plain white boxes and the children had great fun designing them. Each
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box reflects their creativity and their desire to help. The children used this box to collect money while out trick‑or-treating. They returned the box to the classroom teachers as soon after Halloween as possible. The pennies collected by the pre-elementary students go a long way to help less fortunate children around the world. What a wonderful way to build empathy and for kids to help other kids just like themselves. Thank you to the pre‑elementary families for their support and participation. VOL 35 NO. 2
Student Activities
Celebrating Halloween Across the Levels Pre-elementary
The Cat in the Hat, Jack Be Nimble, Cinderella, Harry Potter, Charlotte, Peter Pan, Aladdin, Sir Lancelot and all of their friends came to school on Halloween Day. Indeed the pre-elementary classes made the characters from children’s classic literature come alive!
information, put together a costume and design a prop that the person in question might have used in her or his daily life. The culminating event is an assembly on Halloween where every lower elementary student gets up on stage and presents their information. It is amazing to see even the youngest first grader speak in front of an Activity Room filled with people. Not only does this event help each child gain confidence in presenting, but also we always learn something new and find connections with people from all over the world.
Upper Level
The Halloween celebrations went on all morning as parent volunteers guided the children through craft and game activities. Favorite projects included wooden masks, salt dough ghosts, and pumpkin lanterns. The children tossed Ping-Pong balls into jack o’ lanterns, played Pin the Nose on the Ghost and even bowling! All had a great time. Many thanks go out to the enthusiastic parents!
Halloween day is a culmination of preparation and anticipation for upper level classes. It is a wonderful opportunity to integrate subjects and allow students to enjoy games and activities with friends and classmates from all grades. Fourth grade created a bat cave, demonstrating their research on life cycles within the cave and the role of bats. Fifth grade displayed pumpkin math, collecting data on pumpkins during math class, then converting their pumpkins to beautiful works of art with paint and carving. Fifth grade language arts
Lower Elementary
Every year the lower elementary students at Eton School celebrate Historical Halloween. At the beginning of October, the students are introduced to biographies. Their homework projects for the month involve reading biographies and choosing an historical figure whom has made a positive contribution to the world. The students read about their person, decide how to present their
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discussed The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with plot and character descriptions, discovering a combination of truth and legend. Sixth graders found inspiration in mysteries, including Big Foot, the Bermuda Triangle, Slender Man, the Mexican Chupacabra, Edgar Allen Poe, and some special Halloween treats. Seventh and eighth grade displayed mummies created in art and entertained each visiting group with mummy humor, monsters and card games. There are important connections made in the process of Halloween preparation. Students find research motivating and decide how to present information to an audience with displays, posters and PowerPoint. They plan and implement events in which they present their findings and share their knowledge to the delight of their audience. Finally, it is a wonderful time for building community, with parents helping and joining in the festivities! ETON EDITION | 9
Student Activities
IslandWood: A Fourth Grade Experience! Ms. Sonja Everson and Mrs. Tricia Wray
In order to strengthen our fourth grade community, we set off to IslandWood during the last week of September. There we learned about each other as well as our relationship with nature. We had many experiences that integrated scientific inquiry, Evan Suty and Antonio Yang investigate a crab molt at technology, and the arts. Blakely Harbor. We hiked all over including during the nighttime where we used our senses to hear crepuscular forest sounds. Some were lucky enough to hear the resident barred owl, Gus. We hiked down to Blakely Harbor where we dissected crab molts and checked out plankton under a microscope. Back in the garden, we helped restore a strawberry patch, picked herbs to make tea, and dug into a vermicomposting bin.
Our lodgings at the Ichthyology (study of fish) Inn were a comfortable reminder of home, with beautiful bunk beds carved from tree trunks and a giant stone fireplace. The delicious food from the dining hall also helped ease many students’ first trip away from home. We enjoyed homemade Ayush Nagrani, Amelia Goeppelle-Parrish, rolls with strawberry and Shiv Rajurs test the pH level of water jam, salads from the from Mac’s Pond. garden, and fresh baked brownies! IslandWood is a special highlight of the fourth grade year, and we are sure our students will remember it forever!
Behind the Big Events of NatureBridge Mr. Pete Kashevarof
As water cascades off of Marymere Falls on the Olympic Peninsula, it may be easy to focus only on the fall of the water, yet there is plenty of action leading up to and following the 90 foot drop. Similarly, the fifth and sixth graders often come home from their week long trip to NatureBridge talking only about the big events, like seeing Marymere Falls, climbing Mt. Storm King, and canoeing on Lake Crescent, though these events are surrounded by educational experiences that are just as important, if not more so, than the events themselves. Each day, the students spent time team building and bonding, all while discussing issues critical to the Elwha River, Olympic National Park, and other places near and far from home. River models were used to show the power water has over the land and our lives. Drawing and journaling activities provided personal time to reflect on the beauty of nature, but also the impact that humans have on the world. Daily hiking kept the students active and immersed in nature. And
even meal times were tied into their daily lessons as the students discussed what happened to their food waste and how animal populations are effected when humans leave food behind in the woods. The NatureBridge trip was wonderful, Fifth and sixth graders overlooking Marymere Falls. and even though we, as parents, teachers, and friends, only hear about a few highlights from the students, we can rest assured that there were innumerable, unspoken of activities that enriched and supported those highlights.
7/8th Grade Science and Sailing on a Research Vessel Ms. Laura Moore
The seventh and eight grade class spent three days on Puget Sound with Salish Seas Expeditions as their fall outdoor experience and the students had a blast—experiencing was the key here! We traveled on Carlyn; a 61-foot research sailboat sampling all that life on Puget Sound had to offer.
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Salish Sea Expeditions conducts a student-directed trip—the students decide their sailing course and mooring locations, so that they can conduct their science experiments. Before the trip, Salish Science Educators visited our class twice, helping them understand VOL 35 NO. 2
Student Activities the Puget Sound ecosystem and develop a hypothesis. We learned that copper from brake pads is leaching into Puget Sound so we decided to compare the dissolved copper concentration to plankton concentration. Our hypothesis was “If we are in developed areas, the plankton concentration will be less and the copper more, because copper is heavy and it comes from runoff and kills plankton.” We tested water samples in developed areas around the Duwamish River outlet and Eagle Harbor, and we tested water in less
developed areas to compare. We are analyzing our data now with the support of Salish educators. During our trip, the class was split into Wind and Water Watches, so one group was in charge of sailing, while the other group conducted Science experiments. We planned and cooked our own meals, battled hungry raccoons on Blake Island, played games of Camouflage, Green Ghost, Dip and Go and Ninja. It was a trip that we will always remember!
Student Council Election Results Dr. Susan Walker and Mrs. Claudia Toner
Twenty-seven courageous students stepped forward to run for student council offices. They made posters, rehearsed speeches, and braved a supportive audience in the hope of winning a spot on this year’s council. This year, the council’s role will be to create community-building activities, solve problems, and research, plan, and develop service learning projects for Eton School. With the goal of bringing pre-elementary and lower elementary greater awareness and involvement in student council, two new positions were created: pre-elementary student advocate and lower elementary student advocate. These students will work with faculty advisors to educate the lower and pre-classrooms about whole school events being planned by student council. We look forward to an exciting year! Administrative Advisor: Mrs. Claudia Toner Upper Faculty Advisor: Dr. Susan Walker Lower Faculty Advisor: Miss Angela Kim Pre-elementary Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Sudha Vaghul
Student Council Officers (l to r): Back row—Kevin McDermott-Charney, Julian Adams, Madrona Maling, Hana Mahmud, Gitu Devadoss, Megha Murali. Front row—Heather Johnson, Mehek Gosalia, Kathryn Lau, Eliza Bian, Awsumb Hardy, Olivia Finkelstein. Not pictured: Tiffany Zhang.
President: Megha Murali Vice President: Heather Johnson Secretary: Kathryn Lau Treasurer: Madrona Maling Pre-elementary student advocate: Julian Adams Lower elementary student advocate: Eliza Bian Eighth grade representative: Kevin McDermott‑Charney Seventh grade representative: Gitu Devadoss Sixth grade representative: Hana Mahmud Fifth grade – 1 representative: Olivia Finkelstein Fifth grade – 2 representative: Awsumb Hardy Fourth grade – 1 representative: Tiffany Zhang Fourth grade – 2 representative: Mehek Gosalia
NOVEMBER 2012
ETON EDITION | 11
Class News
Mezzo 1: Grace and Courtesy Ms. Lynette Oshiro
What a wonderful start to the school year! Each month, we work on a virtue. Respecting the environment as well as each other is our virtue for this month. There have been many lessons in grace and courtesy and they will continue throughout the year as we grow in our interactions and social skills with one another. The older children are eager to assist our younger friends making them feel that they are part of our community and to feel welcome in their new classroom. It is amazing to see the camaraderie emerging. We welcome Mrs. Mythili Pillalamarri to Mezzo 1! She has a daughter in high school and a son in elementary school. Last year she was an intern at another Montessori school. She embraces the Montessori philosophy and it shows in her dedication and her gentle approach to the children. We are very elated that she is part of our community and the children adore her. Our annual potluck picnic was a success. Everyone had a great time, especially the children. Thank you
for sharing your delectable dishes from your heritage. It was nice seeing the families getting acquainted with each other. The colors of fall inspired the children in their activities that included water coloring leaves, painting pumpkins, leaf pressing and rubbing. In connection with our fall units of study, we have been reading books by Gail Gibbons about pumpkins, bats and spiders. We also visited the fourth grade class and walked through their “Bat Cave” on Halloween. We are learning about volcanoes and Hawaii. Natural landforms in Hawaii are primarily the result of volcanic activity and erosion. We are studying the layers of the volcano and the different types of lava and rocks that formed the Hawaiian Islands. Did you know the Hawaiian rocks are formed by volcanoes and from once‑living coral reefs? A huge thank you to Dr. Martha Riggers (Sophie’s mom) for planting flower bulbs with the children. She also brought in a variety of bulbs for the class. The children had a fantastic time. Also, thank you to all of our many volunteers who came to help with our Halloween party. The children enjoyed the activities and your company.
Mezzo 2: Getting to Know Each Other Mrs. Holly Fleming and Ms. Michelle Lee
We are off to a good start this year. The children have learned the routines well and are enjoying our first unit of study on the solar system. They learned about the planets, stars, constellations, comets, black holes, and the phases of the moon. In November our study focuses in depth on our own planet, Earth. We enjoyed a little gardening on those beautiful sunshiny days. The children weeded our garden plot and planted rows of crocus and galanthus bulbs. Hopefully, we will see some flowers come spring. Does your child have chores at home? Children love to do real life work. Currently chair washing is popular with our students. This multi-step Practical Life task requires children to find a dirty chair, carry it to a vinyl mat, mix a drop of
dishwashing liquid and two small pitchers of water in a bowl, scrub the chair, wipe off the soap, and dry the chair. We have discussed the virtues of respect and forgiveness. On a daily basis, the children are encouraged to greet and care for each other. Several friendships are developing as the children get to know each other.
Mezzo 3: Learning about Our Human Body Mrs. Sudha Vaghul
The changing colors of the leaves, nut-gathering squirrels and cooler weather are sure signs that fall is upon us! Our class has been engaged with activities that reflect the new season with gourd and pumpkin scrubbing, and making fall art collages.
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The Parent-Teacher conferences gave us a valuable opportunity to connect and set goals for the children. We had a wonderful and fun-filled morning on Halloween with the children dressed up as characters from their favorite storybooks. Parent volunteers put together an VOL 35 NO. 2
Class News exciting celebration with crafts, games and food. A big thank-you to all those who made this possible! Meanwhile, our exploration of the five senses has led us to our study of the human body. We began by learning about the circulatory system. The children were fascinated to learn facts about the heart, veins, arteries,
red and white blood cells, platelets and each one’s role in helping us stay alive. Many thanks to parent physicians Gaytri and John Scheel who brought in a human skeleton and x-rays to give the children hands‑on exposure while we explored the skeletal system. Fall is a time for family gatherings, festivities, and strengthening bonds. At Eton School we look forward to meeting many grandparents and special friends on Grandparents Day. As no gathering can be complete without food and this will serve as the perfect segue way into our investigation of the relationship between nutrition and health.
Mezzo 4: Developing Connections Mrs. Madeline Lee
After an unusual warm and dry summer, fall has come to our area, and it feels like the beginning of a new school year. The children have settled into our “routines” and working hard in class as well as enjoying recess time. Our them for this year is “Connections.” We connected our school with the hometowns of the children in our “Neighborhood Connections.” We placed children’s pictures on houses, and everyone has connected to Mezzo 4 at Eton School by roads. Miss Spektor and the children connected with the land by clearing out our garden and planting spring bulbs. With soil, water, and sun, we will have some beautiful colors in our garden. We also talked about the oceans and that they are really connected around the Earth. We talked about an ocean food chain and how tiny plankton are just as important as the larger fish and ocean mammals. We will continue
our studies about the oceans through December with a plan to study fish and ocean mammals. During Fire Prevention Week, we talked about fire engines, hydrants, extinguishers, matches and lighters as tools, and exit signs. Most of the children also knew to call “911” in an emergency, so we talked about what is an emergency. Thank you to the parents for the awesome potluck we had in September and for taking time to meet for conferences. Thank you also for the crafts, snacks and volunteers who made our Halloween Celebration a great success. We will continue to connect throughout the year. Look for upcoming opportunities.
Mezzo A: Songs, Poems and Facts
Mrs. Nasreen Shamsuddin and Mrs. Sharon Gonzalez
There is a busy hum in the classroom, as the children move around exploring the different areas. The very popular practical life section is always teeming with excitement. The children pour, spoon, transfer and clean. Through these activities they build concentration, coordination and independence. The sensorial area is another section where the children spend a great deal of time. They enjoy the art and craft work on the shelves and learn the art of building friendships. The returning students are always nearby to give their new friends a lesson or two, or to help when they are unsure. That is the beauty of the multi-age Montessori classroom. We are learning the names of the various continents. A song with the names of children NOVEMBER 2012
who live in these continents is sung with great joy and gusto. Ask your child to sing “Like You and Me” for you. We are also learning about ladybugs and their lifecycle. The children can name the various parts of this insect. Counting, matching, and sorting activities as well coloring in the life cycle and parts of the ladybug reinforces their knowledge. Songs, poems along with fun facts help to make this special bug even more interesting. The sounds we are covering are c as in cat, a as in apple, t as in tiger and s as in snake. Thank you for attending the class Potluck and for bringing in all the delicious food. It truly was a wonderful evening and a great opportunity for meeting and greeting Mezzo A families and teachers. The Parent‑Teacher conferences were another example of working as a team to set goals and discuss your child’s progress. Hope you found them to be as meaningful as we did and any questions or concerns that you may have had were answered. Wishing you a happy fall and a wonderful Thanksgiving! ETON EDITION | 13
Class News
Mezzo B: A Peaceful Community Ms. Kalsom Wali
The children are well on their way to becoming a peaceful community of children by working purposefully and cooperatively. In addition, the new children show the first step to independence as they walk into the classroom by themselves. All the children spend a great deal of time in practical life area with activities that provide the framework to developing greater sense of independence, fine motor skills and concentration. New friendships occur spontaneously as the returning children extend a helping hand to clean up spilled beans or a wet floor. Their ability to take turns and to share their ideas at group time is increasing by the day. Everyone participates enthusiastically during Spanish, music and library sessions. It has been exciting to learn about all the land, air and water transportation—especially when we stumbled
Mezzo C: From Whole to Part Ms. Susan Baccellieri
Fall is in full swing, both inside and out. Leaves of orange, yellow and red carpet our campus and the children cannot resist picking up the lovely samples to decorate our classroom. We have started our leaf texture jars using the empty jars many of you supplied for our room. A timely zoology unit is the study of bats and the children are rather impressed that bats belong to the same family as they do! Sorting a bat book collection into fiction (make‑believe) and non-fiction (information) has convinced Wesley that indeed bats are real and not pretend. Other fall activities have included leaf poetry, squash scrubbing, jack o’ lantern sewing and counting ghosts! Many thanks to the parents who contributed to the Halloween Party this past Wednesday. We all enjoyed the fun celebration and the creative costumes that supported the theme of Characters from Children’s Literature!
upon a book called A Rainbow Balloon, written by Ann Lensses, a local author. Designed to entertain and teach at the same time, the book teaches the children about the mechanics of hot-air ballooning along with the basic concepts of rise and fall, push and pull, hot and cold and more. A big thank you goes out to all the parents who volunteered to prepare the fun Halloween projects for the children. We appreciate the time and effort you gave to make the party a successful one. We could not have done it without you!
A major tenant of Montessori philosophy is presenting information from the whole to the part. Giving the children the widest view possible allows them to then “file” information into relatable folders. We started the school year with learning about the parts of the globe. The children can easily find the imaginary line of the equator and the North and South Poles. From there, determining where the Polar Regions, the Temperate and Tropical Zones are located becomes the focus. The REALLY BIG GLOBE has been used for some of these activities, which have included labeling the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the seven continents. By looking at various pictures of flora, fauna and landforms, the children are beginning to discover what kind of habitats these different zones support. As the school year unfolds, we will be learning about the connections of nature that make a habitat and biome along with the different types that make up our planet. One necessary component for every biome is water, which is our first “connection” focus. Salt and fresh water exploration will open this focus along with naming the oceans and rivers of the world. It is a good thing we have a whole school year!
Picture Day and Picture Retakes Once again, School Picture Day has come and gone and thanks to our wonderful parent volunteers, the day ran smoothly. Thank you to Nausheena Ghouse, Neetika Gu, Leela Rao and Susan Robinson for giving of their time to support our school. If your child missed picture day or needs a retake, do not worry as picture retakes are scheduled for November 14 starting at 9:00 am. If you have questions about your child’s pictures, please contact Eton’s Community Relations, Mrs. Claudia Toner at 425-881-4230, ext. 19 or e-mail ctoner@etonschool.org.
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Class News
Room 1: Montessori Lessons and Material Ms. Regan Becker
This fall, we enjoyed learning about Maria Montessori’s First and Second Great Lessons, the Coming of the Universe and the Coming of the Earth. Students heard creation stories from cultures around the world, as well as those of scientists who rely on evidence rather than imagination. Children collaborated on the Stellarnucleosynthesis model and made booklets demonstrating the emergence of elements into the world after the Big Bang. They also started research into planets, and third year students have even started exploring the Periodic Table with the use of a wooden model of Nils Bohr’s diagram of the parts of an atom. Younger students enjoy unrolling a length of twine down the hallway, showing the relative length of time in the history of the universe from its inception to the formation of our sun and planet Earth. The students enjoyed a beginning study of biomes with research into wetland animals in North America and a field trip on wetland wildlife at the Washington Park Arboretum, where
they learned about food chains and the food web, as well as which living things are producers, consumers, or decomposers. Students demonstrate flexibility while moving through the Cosmic curriculum, as well as through lessons in math and language—such as the first years’ introduction to grammar with the noun lesson and the second years’ in-depth work with equivalent fractions using the Montessori fraction inset materials. This year, we are making our way through the three‑year-cycle of learning with intentionality, going to greater depth in our studies, and working together to make connections with each other and the interdisciplinary nature of education at the 6–9 level. In the winter, we look ahead to a month-long study of Native American cultures that greeted Christopher Columbus when he explored the Americas. Students will research the customs, fundamental needs, and arts and crafts of these indigenous people. Parents and their children will help us celebrate the Indian holiday called Diwali in early November, and in early December, students will give after-school lessons to their parents during our Montessori Moment. Before the end of the calendar year, we will also investigate the layers of inner Earth, gems and minerals, and different kinds of rocks before we begin our land and water unit with a special emphasis on islands.
Room 3: Great Lessons and Field Trips Miss Angela Kim and Ms. Cindy Merritt
So much has happened in the past few weeks. The weather was beautiful for our first three sessions of golf with the First Tee Program at the Par 3 Golf Course. They worked on good sportsmanship, respect, and courtesy on the golf course and in the classroom. A big thanks to the parent volunteers who drove us every week. We started our Great Lessons with the Coming of the Universe beginning with Creation Stories and moving on to the Big Bang with students creating their own universe in a jar. They learned about subatomic particles, parts of an atom, and the elements created as a result of stellar nucleosynthesis. The sixth graders came to our
classroom and taught us about rocks and minerals. Then the sixth graders joined us for a field trip to the Red Town Trailhead, where we met with Geologist Kevin for a “rock walk.” We enjoyed meeting with you at the Parent‑Teacher Conferences, and appreciate all of your insights regarding your child.
Room 4: Connecting with Fall’s Transformations Ms. Jeannine Blink
Fall is upon us! As the leaves outside change into their bright, beautiful colors, I am reminded of the wonderful transformations taking place in our classroom. Students are settling into the daily routine. New academic and social connections are being made. Younger children are motivated by their older friends, who are always ready to share their expertise. NOVEMBER 2012
After reading many creation stories from around the world, we started out the year with a Big Bang, otherwise known as The Scientific Theory of Creation, an introduction to Montessori’s First Great Lesson, Birth of the Universe. The children created gorgeous interpretations of the expanding and exploding Singularity. To see the concept of expansion up close, ETON EDITION | 15
Class News we made bread with rapid rise yeast. We measured the distance between two toothpicks, before and after expansion. The children were pleasantly surprised when our dough almost doubled in size. However, the best part of the activity was baking and eating our yummy experiment! Our fall potluck provided a perfect opportunity to reconnect with returning students and families, and to welcome new ones. The start of the season also took us on our first field trip to Remlinger Farms. The children had a blast on our Guided Pumpkin Harvest Tour. We were treated to an interactive musical show, a walk through a colonial house, a romp through a hay maze, and a scenic train ride. Picking out our own pumpkins topped off our visit. What great connections to fall! We started our yearlong study of the guitar. Students have learned the parts of the guitar, basic posture, circle
Room 5: Focusing on Work
strums, and the one-finger G chord. There are many songs that can be played with this chord, including the ever popular, “Frere Jacques.” I am so pleased with the enthusiasm of our little musicians. We continue to focus on the virtues of character. So far, we have read the biographies of Elizabeth Fry (kindness), Harriet Tubman (helpfulness), and Beethoven (generosity). We have made meaningful connections via discussions, writing, and artwork. Our precious gems vase is rapidly filling as the students practice these virtues. Hopefully, you are also seeing results at home. Conferences were fun and enlightening. I learn so much about your amazing children during our meetings. I am extremely fortunate to be a part of your lives. What a fantastic job our students did during the Historical Halloween presentations! Thank you so much to all the parents who made our Halloween party a huge success. Save the dates! On Tuesday, November 20, we will be going to the Bellevue College Planetarium. On Friday, December 14, at 6:30 pm, Room 4 will present “We Are All Connected,” songs of peace and joy.
Ms. Kris Meyer Gaskins and Mrs. Catie Zarski
The children have settled in nicely to the school routine. They come in, get their Work Plans out and get started working. Some students love starting with the daily board work. Other students get out math fact or computation work. Some students love starting their day off writing or drawing in their journals. It is great to see them focus on their work. We have continued to learn about our Universe the last few weeks. The children worked in small groups researching elements from the Periodic Table of Elements. They recently learned about protons, neutrons, and electrons and how to build elements on the Bohr Diagram. Older students helped younger students learn about the properties and uses of different elements through books and our online Britannica Encyclopedia that is accessible though our library. The lesson, The Birth of the Solar System, is directly linked to a science lesson using oil, water, pepper and food coloring. The Planetary Distance lesson is incorporated into PE as the children run the distance of a cord measuring out the distance between the sun and all the planets. We are planning to learn about constellations and eventually focus on earth and the Coming of Life. First year students have learned about polygons by using popsicle sticks to build triangles through decagons. At the end of the lesson, they heard the story, The Greedy Triangle. Second year students learned about prefixes through objects and cards. Third year students worked on compare and contrast in their literature group. Learning happens daily in large group, small group and individually.
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Our first field trip to Marra Farms was fun. The children learned about Lettuce Link, an organization that grows food to supply the food banks and shelters in the south Seattle area. Marra Farms is the only farm in Seattle. As the children and adults walked the farm, we were able to try leaves, tomatoes, celery, and broccoli. The children were able to dig in a worm bin and see a set of beehives. At the end of the tour, the children worked the soil and planted a type of pea that will add nitrogen to the soil to make it nutritious for the plants that will be planted in the spring. On November 5, we will go to the Burke Museum to learn about Native Americans and on December 5, we will go to the Frye Art Museum for a tour and an art activity. Thank you to all the parents who drove to Marra Farms and who will drive on our upcoming field trips. It was great to speak with all of you during conferences. We always learn a lot when we share information about your very important little person. Please watch for information coming home in November about Grandparents Day and Montessori Moments and thank you all for making our Halloween party so fun! Enjoy the beauty of the fall! VOL 35 NO. 2
Class News
Room 6: Connecting with Our Community Ms. Sadie Reitz
The students have been connecting with local organizations this school year! We visited the Seattle Humane Society in Bellevue to learn how homeless and stray animals are helped in parts of King County. We saw cats, dogs, rabbits, and rats. On the tour, we learned that the Seattle Humane Society does about 60 loads of laundry per day to keep the animals clean, healthy, and cozy while in their care. They give thousands of pounds of pet food per month to members of our community who cannot afford to feed their pets. The average amount of time a kitten remains at the Seattle Humane Society before being adopted into a loving home is two days. We also learned some valuable tips for pet owners! Next month we will visit a greenhouse used for King County’s Department of Natural Resources program, Salvaging Native Plants. We will work in the greenhouse to transplant native plants taken out of construction sites prior to construction beginning. Once these construction projects in King County are completed, the Salvaging Native Plants program goes back and replants those vital native plants. Our students will be working with their hands to maintain and protect the plants, while learning about native plants in King County and the Salvaging Native Plants program. The visits to the greenhouse will hopefully continue, once per month, for the rest of the school year. As the students study botany and all things plant-related in the classroom, this hands-on experience will help to further solidify in their minds the work they do in class. We are thankful for being able to use our hands and brains in a different way outside of class, but still be able to connect that experience back to the work we do here at Eton School. Driven by the all school theme, Connections, and wanting to strengthen our connection with the Salish Sea (northern Puget Sound), the students symbolically adopted an orca from The Whale Museum on San Juan Island! Each student received a certificate of adoption of the young orca, L117, also known as “Keta.” We received study guides and research material from The Whale
Museum as well. As we talked about this symbolic adoption, many questions arose. Some were: “Do we get to take the orca home?” “Can we keep Keta in our bathtubs?” “How can we be Keta’s adoptive parents if we don’t get to see her?” “How can we help Keta grow up to be healthy and strong?” “Do we have to pay for Keta to go to college? Wait, do orcas go to college?” Our discussion was amusing and inquisitive to say the least! Our students are extremely proud to be “parents” to one of the Southern Resident Orcas. There are several research projects going on in class about orcas and their habitats. At the end of this school year, in June, we will visit The Whale Museum once again during our weekend family field trip. This will be our third year visiting The Whale Museum. They offer three different programs for us to participate in. During the past two years, we learned about orca behaviors and studied cetaceans. This year we will learn about “Puget Pinnipeds.” (Bonus Question: What is a pinniped?) This weekend field trip not only allows the students, teachers, parents and grandparents to connect, but it enables all of us to develop a stronger connection with the breathtakingly beautiful nature that we are so lucky to live in here in the Pacific Northwest. Lasting connections and memories will be made throughout this school year as learning, discoveries, and adventures take place.
Health and Safety
Child’s Absence: When do I Need to Notify the School? If your child is ill, please call or e-mail your child’s classroom teacher or Eton School’s Health and Safety Coordinator, Dreslaine Haistings (425.881.4230 ext. 58, dhaistings@etonschool.org). The health Department requests that we keep track of the flu and we are required to inform parents and families of other illnesses (e.g., strep throat; conjunctivitis; hand, foot and mouth disease). Also, as a courtesy, we ask that you inform your child’s teacher NOVEMBER 2012
or our Health and Safety Coordinator, if you child has a lice episode. Lice only become a problem if they spread throughout a classroom and then throughout the school. It is respectful of other families to inform them that their children might have been exposed. Early detection and removal is easier for children and their parents. Dreslaine Haistings, Health and Safety Coordinator
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Learning Specialist
Sounds Like Fun Three-year-old Teddy and his mom are driving to school. Mom says, “Teddy, let’s play a game. I’m going to say some words that all begin with the same sound and you’re going to say the first sound in each word. Ready? Man… monkey…might.” Teddy thinks for a second and says, “mmmmm!” “Yes!” says Mom. “Try these: can, keep, quit.” Seven-year-old Katie and her dad are also driving to school. Dad says, “Katie, let’s play a game. I’ll go first and then it’s your turn. Name three words that rhyme with tree.” Katie says, “Be, she, he. OK, Dad try this: nickel.” Dad says, “tickle, pickle, trickle.” There are many enjoyable games you can play with your child to build awareness of the sounds in language. Educational research has established the critical link between a child’s ability to hear and play with the sounds in language and his/her later success with reading and writing. Children who begin learning these essential skills at home have a much easier time in school. Here are some games to play to build your child’s phonemic awareness: Listening Listen to sounds in the environment. Take turns naming them. Rhyming • Read rhymes such as Mother Goose and books with rhyming text. As your child becomes familiar with the rhyme, pause and prompt him/her to supply it.
• Choose a word family such as –at. Take turns saying words that rhyme. Older children can go through the letters of the alphabet in order, try each one and decide if it makes a word or not. For instance, -at is a word, so are bat and cat, but dat is not. Beginning Sounds • “I’m thinking of a word that begins with…” Give the SOUND of the letter, not the name. For example, “I’m thinking of a word that begins with /b/. It’s a yellow fruit that you and monkeys both like. What is it?” • Say two or three words that begin with the same sound. Ask your child to say the sound. For example, “city, sleep, say.” Ending Sounds • I’m thinking of a word that ends with…” Give the SOUND of the letter, not the name. For example, “I’m thinking of a word that ends with /g/. It’s a kind of pet. What is it?” • Say two words that end with the same sound, e.g., kick and talk. Ask your child to say the ending sound. Go online to phonologicalawareness.org for lots more activities to play with your child. Diana Butler, Learning Specialist
Eton Habitat Fall Leaf Campaign Got Fall Leaves? If so, we can use your help! The 6th Grade class would like to help the school winterize our Wildlife Habitat by tucking it in under a blanket of leaves for winter. You can help by bringing in your leaves – perhaps in a large garbage bag or cardboard box. The leaves prevent weeds from taking hold in early spring, they mulch our plants and they help protect the plants from cold weather. You can drop leaves off with your student’s teacher or at the Veladare Building.
Thanks for your help!
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VOL 35 NO. 2
From the Office Tuition Payments for 2012-2013 School Year
Eton School Clubhouse (Childcare)
Eton School Calendar September - October 2012
The eighth tuition payment was due at the beginning of October. The ninth tuition payment will be due on November 1. Eton School’s installment plan for tuition payments for the 2012-2013 school year began immediately with enrollment documents. Many parents elected to pre-pay the entire amount in order to receive a 2% discount. The 2% discount was also offered to parents who signed up for ACH automatic withdrawal from their checking accounts. The installment plan is set up for 12 payments to ease the family budget – March through the following February. If you selected the ACH method, your payments are debited on the first, but no later than the fifth of each month. There is a second ACH run for parents needing the debit to occur mid-month (by request). These transactions debit on the eighteenth of the month, no later the twentythird of the month. If you are a family that joined late, you will have received a different fee schedule. If you have questions about that or need to refresh your understanding, please call Cindy Mattix at 425-881-4230, ext. 66 or e-mail cmattix@etonschool.org. She will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have. Please remember that Eton School does not send home billings and that payment is due the first of each month. If not received before the fifth, a $20 late fee will be assessed by the Business Office.
Eton School’s Childcare billing is connected to the individual student clock-in. The electronic clock-in system calculates a rate based on the time used. Pre-payment in minimum increments of $170 is required for daily or drop-in care and will be changed at the $8 hourly rate. There is a maximum charge of $380 per child per month for any month except those with Weeklong Breaks—February, April, June or August. For the extra time during Weeklong Breaks when school is not open, there will be an additional cap of $300 per week with a minimum charge of $80 per day per child. In summary, all Childcare will be charged on an hourly basis ($8) with two maximum circumstances:
November 04 All School Open House 12:30 pm–2:30 pm Welcome Presentation in the Main Building at 12:30 pm
Checks Payable to Eton School
All checks should be written to “Eton School.” If your child’s last name is different than the name printed on the check, please be sure to note your child/children’s name on your check in the memo portion. Please write separate checks for tuition and clubhouse. NOVEMBER 2012
• $380 monthly cap - except February, April, June, August • $300 weekly cap with a minimum charge of $80 per child- additional, for use during Weeklong Breaks Clubhouse must be paid via check or cash and not as a credit card transaction.
Parent Handbook, Student Directory and Eton Edition These documents are available online in the password-protected Current Families section of Eton’s web site. The Student Directory will be updated simultaneously with the upload of the newest Eton Edition. Please notify the Office or e-mail info@etonschool.org with any changes of contact information to ensure continued correspondence with the school.
November 06 School Spirit Day All Levels November 09 Teacher Inservice School Closed/Clubhouse Open November 12 Veterans Day School Closed/Clubhouse Open November 13–30 Montessori Moments Pre and Lower November 14 Picture Retakes All Levels November 21 Grandparents/Grand Friends Day November 22–23 Thanksgiving Break School and Clubhouse Closed December 03–07 Pre-elementary and Lower Elementary Montessori Moments December 13 Upper Level Chorus Performance December 24–January 04 Winter Break School and Clubhouse Closed For more information, visit Eton’s online 2012-2013 School Calendar
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Vol. 35 No. 2
November 2012
Save the Dates (See inside for more information)
Picture Retakes
Coffee with Russell
Wednesday, November 14 Thursday, November 15
Grandparents/Grand Friends Day Wednesday, November 21
ETON SCHOOL 2701 Bellevue-Redmond Road Bellevue, WA 98008-2253 425.881.4230 | www.etonschool.org