May newsletter

Oak Farm Montessori May 2018

HIgh School Intersession HIghlights!

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Bridget York, Secondary Director & HS Students

his morning, the famous Dr. Seuss story ran through my head as our two HS Intersession groups prepared for an amazing week of personal discovery and learning experiences. How lucky are our HS students student to get to experience these two themes?!

At school, we said goodbye to each other with hugs and high fives; an air of excited anticipation of the week’s events could be felt. I found myself wishing I could teleport between the two intersessions as I jumped into Bonnie’s van and we headed to Fort Wayne. Little did I know that we would be able to teleport in the Virtual Reality Art space at Artlink and reconnect with the other group.

It is a strong belief that the life experiences the OFHS students will have this week will help to shape them as individuals and will enrich them today, tomorrow, and into adulthood. I am so proud of them as they travel, grow with their peers, test their limits and explore their own unknowns. It is SO cool to be a part of this HS community. -Bridget C l a i r e ,

F i r e

D o m i n i c ,

a n d

G a v i n ,

W a t e r M a r i a h

&

V i o l e t

We are at In ‘N Out Burger on our way from Vegas to Flagstaff. We’re trying to decide if the famous french fries here are as good as Five Guys fries. The debate continues...

We spent the morning hiking around cliff dwellings and a volcanic field, which let to a search for water.

Although we didn’t catch any crayfish, wading in Oak Creek was fun! Now we’re having ice cream while enjoying the Red Rock views in uptown Sedona! Our hike in the Grand Canyon this morning was amazing; exhausting, but amazing! If you look very closely in the picture of the canyon you will see our group. We have gained a first-hand understanding of how important water is for our daily functions while trying to stay hydrated. Now, we are taking a break to recharge before heading to Lowell Observatory this evening.

We had an incredible time paddle boarding today!

Tonight we are playing games and having dinner at an English style pub. We’re all checked in for our flight home tomorrow after we tour Hoover Dam. Wow! The Hoover Dam was breathtaking!

Afterwards, we took advantage of our extended time in Las Vegas to have lunch at the Bellagio Hotel.

Local Arts & Culture A bby, Ca l l ie & Em m a

Highlights: Virtual Reality Art created at Artlink, Backstage and Beyond at the Louis Khan Arts United Building and Civic Theatre, Unruly Artists, Gel Prints, Toledo Art Museum Glass blowing lesson, Newfields Hello Spring Garden Exhibit & Indy Museum of Art. Meals: 3 Rivers Coop, El Tipico (Toledo), The Loft (Indianapolis), Tolon, Debrands, and a collaboratively created organic dinner created by the group.

Performances: Backstage at Youth TheatrePinocchio, Heather Parrish Gallery Opening at Artlink and Progressions by the FW Ballet.

One of the things we heard artists say today was, “You have to think backwards.” It reaffirmed the importance of trusting the creative process.

Internship Opportunities: Artlink, Arts United, Civic Theatre, Youth Theatre, FW Ballet

“I enjoyed Exploring the seeing the grand canyon and African exhibit experiencing nature in because the bead a whole new way, was something that helped work inspired my jewelry making.” me to grow and discover who I am/who I will be - Callie “I really enjoyed as a young adult..

“Today was really fun and spontaneous since our previous arrangements didn’t work out- but I liked it BETTER that way!”-Emma

seeing how glass blowing is done- until today, I really didn’t understand how it was done.”- Abby

The Arizona trip was amazing, I highly recommend it to new comers to Oak Farm! Dominic

-Claire

BOOKS ON THE MOVE ALEX MEYER, LIBRARIAN

“A home without books is like a room without windows.�

Horace Mann

This year the book fair looked rather different than it has in the past. The location itself changed, which allowed for more space and a different set up, but a change even bigger than the location was the actual books available at the fair. From the beginning, Oak Farm has used Scholastic book fairs because this was the only way for the school to offer books for sale. However, over the past few years there had been a growing sense of frustration with the quality of the books that Scholastic provides; in terms of both the content and the actual structural integrity of the books. Because of these concerns, the library decided to go in an entirely different direction with the book fair this year.

Oak Farm was able to pre-order and absorb the cost of providing quality literature that would meet the needs and interests of students of all ages here at the school. Thanks to all of your generous support, this new book fair model proved to be a great success. There were as many books sold this year as there were last year through Scholastic.

Another reason to celebrate is that because the fair was done completely by Oak Farm, the library is able to directly benefit without having to pay a portion to Scholastic. Despite this initial success, we are all lifelong learners and looking to grow and improve! If you have any feedback you would like to share about how the book fair went this year, please feel free to email the library at: ameyer@oakfarmschool.com

Building the Bridge...

Tracy Reincke, Toddler Teacher

Leadership is one of the four characteristics of an Oak Farm graduate. One way students learn this skill is by mentoring to younger students.

This month, the Middle School students prepared a special field trip for our Toddler students. The Middle School students did a fabulous job of organizing the entire event; from entertaining to educating their Toddler friends. We enjoyed beautiful weather that engaged all of our senses.

The Toddlers toured the farm (sight and smell), pet the animals (feel), read animal stories (listen), colored pictures and climbed over hay barrels, tires and compost piles (proprioceptive!).

Gathering together as a community to picnic (taste) was a great way to end the morning. What an adventure we had! Seeing the full circle of former Oak Farm Toddler students now grown up and organizing/running the field trip is truly amazing.

These students fulfill our mission of providing a Montessori environment that inspires children to reach their potential through meaningful work.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrowmindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.

Mark Twain

Oak Farm 8th Years Take Manhattan, NYC 2018 Jon Agler, Secondary Business Teacher & MS Students

The 8th Years chose to create an all new NYC Odyssey this year. The students have decided to tackle environmental topics that are relevant to Oak Farm and the NYC area.

They researched and wrote persuasive essays about topics ranging from safe drinking water to sewage to the need for healthy bees to create food. This was a journey of social change, practical life and personal empowerment.

The students also planned the week long trip with highlights like: Times Square, walking up to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge, the ACTUAL Egyptian Temple at the Met, Whitney Museum, Central Park, the High Line and many other experiences like eating at the theme restaurant Ninja and seeing Wicked and The Blue Man Group (premium splatter seats)!

“Being in another major class city made me really appreciate the simplicities in life.” - Alex

“New York City pushed me outside my comfort zone. Being with so many different people and cultures was amazing to me. New York was really crowded and hard to navigate through at first. We had a ton of support from the teachers which helped us get to where we needed to be.”- Rowan

“Experiencing the city and learning the ways of the subway taught me to think on my feet and make decisions fast, I also learned a lot about how different people act in different places, it was overall a great experience” - Carson

“Going to New York City gave me an awesome experience of real life and made me realize what kind of person I want to be when I grow up.”- Gianna

“NYC was a big city and I learned a lot of navigation. It was a REALLY cool trip!”

-Trevor

“Ellis Island gave me a new appreciation for immigrants. Being there taught me how terrible the experience was for some people. It really makes me thankful that I never had to experience it.” -Keegan

“I really enjoyed Ellis Island and I learned so much from the whole trip!”- Jacob

designs, disasters & excursions Nancy Bradtmiller, Upper Elementary2 Teacher

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he month of May is a flurry of excitement in Upper Elementary as we wind down the year and look forward to our move to the new building! We started the month by welcoming our future 4th years on “Moving Up Day” and talking with Rod Collier, the architect behind the design, as he explained the background for Oak Farm’s varied buildings on campus.

Everyone was excited to see the spacious rooms, windows looking out to the woods, and the various rooms designed to meet the needs of Upper students. Rod explained how he depends on math/geometry when designing a building or room. Thanks Rob! Later in the week, fifth and sixth year students presented their Kids Investigating Natural

Disasters (KIND) research. The students gave speeches which were based on information gathered about natural disasters occurring during their life time and the relief organizations that assisted the stricken areas.

An important part of their speech included a “Call to Action” which students formulated after learning more about their disaster and the responses of organizations and citizens whether near or far. Students’ collaboration efforts including Prezi’s highlighting the four types of natural disasters and advertisements for relief organizations were another part of the evening’s events with a delicious banquet wrapping up the evening’s festivities.

“Pretty fun, but stressful. I learned a lot about what to do if there is an earthquake or flood.” -Olivia

“It was kind of scary at the beginning but after practicing my speech a couple of times; it got better.”

-Kye

Upper students were well represented in Oak Farm’s production of “Goldilocks on Trial.” The cast had the audience in stitches as we enjoyed the hilarious play based on the events following Goldilocks’ visit to the three bears’ cottage in the woods.

Finally, each of the Upper classrooms went on overnight fieldtrips during the last week of school. This was the first time we went separately and it was fun to welcome each class back and here about their excursions. It is a goal that the fieldtrip ties into our curriculum. Who knew that learning could be so eventful and fun? No surprise when you have a vast curriculum to explore!

UE 1 went to Pokagon State Park.

It was filled with team building activities, hikes, and water excursions.

Students enjoyed scrumptious s’mores by the campfire as they listened to a storyteller spin her tales.

UE2 traveled to Hocking Hills State Park near Logan, Ohio. It was a magnificent example of the Work of Water! Students hiked through gorges, explored caves, and climbed alongside waterfalls.

Afterwards, students enjoyed pizza, a quick dip in the pool, and games back at the hotel.

UE3 prepared for their fieldtrip to Camp Potawotami by screen printing their own t-shirts. Their days were filled with community building, personal and team challenges, and water sports.

Our 6th years have some words of advice as they say “Good bye” to their younger friends.

Hannah- “It was a great experience to bond with my classmates. I am looking forward to farm care at Middle-school.”

Adeline- “Being a 6th year is a lot of responsibility because you plan events and have to be a role model for the younger students.”

Carrson- “My advice to future 6th years is to manage your time well because work piles up!”

Ronja- “Be open with yourself and other people. Grow as a person.”

Lane- “Always keep your head up and reach for the stars!”

UE teachers- “Best of luck and we look forward to hearing great things about you!”

Primary Field Day!

Control vs. Communication When your child was little it was easy to set boundaries; both physically and ethically. As you watched them master one skill, the natural process of allowing more freedom happened without much consideration. But what do you do when that toddler becomes a troublesome teenager pushing back against every boundary put in place?

Control! This is the reaction most parents have when confronted with these difficult teenage years. But what if exerting control only magnifies the resistance from the adolescent? Dr. Jane Nelson has created the Positive Discipline program that provides parents with a handbook of tools and real world examples that help foster mutual respect between you and your teen.

Join us this Fall for our first Positive Discipline for Teenagers course at Oak Farm.

• Find out how to encourage your teen and yourself • Grow to understand how your teen still needs you, but in different ways • Learn how to get to know who your teen really is • Discover how to develop sound judgment without being judgmental • Learn how to use follow-through the only surefire way to get chores done

Email Nikole at: nalbright@oakfarmschool.com

or call (260)897-4270 to

sign up today!

A small hair salon is the setting for this classic tale of gossip, friendships and love.

Steel Magnolias

All of us are guilty. Just a quick peek at the phone and then, bam!, 2 hours of your life you’ll never get back.

The Internet Is Distracting.. Oh Look There’s a Kitten

What do you do when your lie takes on a life of its own?

Lie some more, of course!

Small Actors

caught in the act...

Oak Farm students take center stage middle school

high school

Messy Games 2018

Come back to the woods!

Stay Connected

Oak Farm Montessori has seen many changes over the years, but one thing that remains is our desire to stay connected to you; our alumni. Whether you’re a former student or Oak Farm graduate;

Connect HERE