View THE
NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS, ALUMNI FAMILIES, GRANDPARENTS AND FRIENDS
Rising TO THE
CHALLENGE
Dear Open Window community, This edition of The View shares many ways our school has risen to the challenge presented to us by the Covid-19 global pandemic. We are emerging with our strong community intact and our commitment to nurturing and inspiring students of high intellectual potential stronger than ever. From the beginning, I challenged our faculty to discern what was essential, to focus on connection and engagement, and to be innovative and entrepreneurial as they designed their lessons. What might be possible because we are operating remotely? What can we do that we could not do before? In these pages you will see examples of this innovative mindset from across the campus. In November, after establishing robust safety protocols and mitigation infrastructure, we welcomed kindergarten and first grade back to campus. In January, we began to provide and require weekly nasal swab PCR testing on campus for all faculty, staff, and students; we gave families the option to come to campus or continue to learn remotely; and we began the second semester in Hybrid Program delivering quality instruction to both remote and on-campus students. We hope and expect that Hybrid Program Mode is a step towards everyone returning fully to campus later this spring or next fall. In the meantime, we have many initiatives underway. There is an Alumni Notes section in this issue. Building an alumni network is a significant goal next year because our first graduating class of eighth graders is now 24 years old! Our auction this year will be virtual and free of charge; we hope you will attend and that you will invite others in your network who know and care about Open Window School. Grandparents and Special Friends Day will also be remote. We are beginning implementation of our ambitious Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan and we are launching an OWS Arts Task Force to examine the role of arts instruction in a world-caliber school for gifted students. Thank you for your long-standing commitment to Open Window School!
Elaine Christensen Head of School
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Why Leisure Reading Matters
by Elaine Christensen
Reading matters. Anne Lamott, in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, says it this way. “For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die. An author makes you notice, makes you pay attention, and this is a great gift. My gratitude for good writing is unbounded; I’m grateful for it the way I’m grateful for the ocean. Aren’t you?” What do you read? When? Do the young people in your life see you reading? Do you talk with them
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Letter from the Head of School 2 Why Leisure Reading Matters 3 Around Campus 5 Rising to the Challenge Photo Collage 7 What’s Happening in the ITL? 9 Student Scientists Do Real Work That Matters
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about what you read? Do you show interest? Making reading visible is one of the most important things you can do to cultivate this critical habit. Here are three books that were important to me recently with a quote from each.
In Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World, Tony Wagner articulates the need for “transformative innovation,” and he urges schools to design programs which focus on the following seven skills: “Critical thinking and problem solving; Collaboration across networks and leading by influence; Agility and adaptability; Initiative and entrepreneurship; Accessing analyzing information; Effective oral and written communication skills.” In The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, Priya Parker examines when, why, and how people come together and provides suggestions about how to make those events worthwhile. A gathering is anytime people schedule a connection: weekly staff meetings, coffee dates with friends, or weddings. She says, “(W)e inadvertently shrink a human challenge down to a logistical one. We reduce the question of what to do with people to a question of what to do about things: PowerPoints, invitations, AV equipment, cutlery, refreshments. We are tempted to focus on the “stuff” of gatherings because we believe those are the only details we can control. I believe that’s both shortsighted and a misunderstanding about what actually makes a group connect and a gathering matter.”
11 First Grade Families Project 13 Specialists’ Corner 17 Wellness 20 What’s on your Bookshelf? 21 Alumni Notes 25 Auction 2021 and Grandparent and Special Friend Day
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In the realm of fiction, after I watched The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix, I devoured the book by Walter Tevis and I loved it as much as I loved the show. The best parts were the descriptions of the chess matches; somehow, he conveys the intensity of a chess match with the same energy as a championship basketball game. Here is a sample. “Despite Benny’s advice, she would play pawn to king four and hope for the Sicilian. She did it, picking up the pawn and setting on the fourth rank, and when he played his queen bishop pawn, she felt a pleasant thrill. She was ready for him. She played her knight to king bishop three; he brought is to queen bishop three, and by the sixth move they were in the Boleslavsky…He started the variation with pawn to king four on the sixth move; she played knight to knight three with the certainty that came from knowing she was right.”
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Around CAMPUS STUDENTS MOVE INTO HYBRID MODE FOR SECOND SEMESTER Our Spring Semester offered opportunities for families to choose on-campus learning or remote learning for students. On January 21, with full mitigation strategies in place, including PCR testing for faculty, staff, and students, on-campus learners arrived on Cougar Mountain for hybrid mode (HPM). Kindergartners and first graders led the way as they had previously been in pre-HPM in the fall semester.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE Open Window School moved forward with planning the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives as part of our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan. Faculty and staff, families, and students provided insight and input as Diversity and Inclusion Director Rasha Sachdeva narrowed in on specific goals and metrics for the plan.
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RAPTIVIST AISHA FUKUSHIMA JOINS A DAY OF HONORING AND CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
KINDERGARTEN ALL ABOUT ME SHOWCASE AND PARADE
Middle school students spent a day dedicated to honoring the legacy and life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The keynote speaker for the morning was Raptivist Aisha Fukushima who led middle school students in an exercise of mindful breathing and told her story in both words and song of early activism, growing up in both Bellevue, WA and in Japan, and how poetry and hip hop inspired and led her to her early activism.
Each year, students in kindergarten start the year with an All About Me project which culminates in a parade, performances, and a kindergarten potluck picnic planned by students. This year, students worked in pre-hybrid mode (both on-campus and remote) to build their unique floats for the virtual parade. Because this year’s parade and performances were virtual, grandparents, special friends, and the entire student body were able to attend. We had an audience of over 450 for the first time in the history of the All About Me Event. After the virtual parade, there were many live and pre-recorded performances including interviews and answers to the question “What do I want to be when I grow up?”. Students also performed a dance, mindful movements, and a Spanish activity.
STUDENT EXPERIMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION On Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 8:17 a.m. (PT), the Open Window School community and alumni scientists Armaan Thomas, Atiwit Miles Chanbai, and Cadence Ching watched the experiment they developed as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (or SSEP), Effects of Microgravity on Penicillium Chrysogenum’s Ability to Inhibit Cell Wall Synthesis in Staphylococcus Epidermis, launch to the International Space. The experiment investigated how P. Chrysogenum’s development and ability to create a pseudo-cell wall are impacted by microgravity. Scientists conducted ground truth experiments while the microgravity experiments were conducted. Our young scientists are in the process of reviewing the data and findings now that the experiment is back on Earth. For more information about this project, visit: openwindowschool.org/about/news—events.
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Rising TO THE
CHALLENGE
This has been a most unusual year, not only for Open Window, but for humanity. It is rare that the entire world faces a single challenge at once. Education has had to reinvent and iterate, rapidly deploying versions of distance learning and hybrid learning, while developing a new vocabulary around this mode (“you’re muted”), including terminology like mitigation strategies, PCR, and attestations. At Open Window School, we have an abundance of dedicated and creative faculty and staff members, engaged parent and guardian leaders, resources, and technology. We have also demonstrated skills in design thinking, social and emotional learning, and responsive learning, all of which has aided in our rise to this challenge. We are proud to share updates and stories of the ways in which we are riding the waves in 2020-2021. #BobcatNimble #BobcatStrong
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Rising TO THE
CHALLENGE
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE
Innovation Technology Labs AND
Though it could be argued that there has not been a corner untouched by the need for innovation during this year’s pandemic, the Innovation and Technology Lab teachers saw this as a challenge to apply the maker mantra of F.A.I.L. (first attempt in learning), reflect and re-tool a program for both distance and hybrid learning modes.
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In Lower School, engineers and computer scientists found innovative ways to showcase their design thinking skills in the fall. Kindergartners stepped through the engineering design cycle to develop a solution to a tricky problem: their new teacher was too tall for her desk. Engineers designed, built, tested, and improved their ideas to create a host of inventive and empathetic solutions. First and second graders found unplugged ways to connect to computational concepts—our computer scientists coded dance routines using loops and wrote their own computer science stories. Third and fourth graders demonstrated their expertise in Code Studio through expressive projects. Third grade programmers used the Artist environment to craft art pieces inspired by works of genres ranging from surrealism to Australian aboriginal culture. Fourth grade programmers used
the Sprite Lab environment to create interactive games inspired by sports, drama, books, or their own imagination. Technology also found its way to kindergarten through fourth grade homeroom classes in the fall through integrated projects. Kindergarteners created their very own Chibitronics sticker circuits to light up All-AboutMe floats during the virtual parade. Fourth graders mastered the basics of a graphic design platform to create engaging brochures highlighting different regions of Washington state.
Eighth grader Sayde painted this blue snowman in watercolor, scanned it to create a digital sprite, and imported to the Pygame Zero engine.
In fifth grade, students turned attention to file organization and data backup utilizing OneDrive cloud server, skills very important as they begin their journey in middle school. They were introduced to the programming languages of Scratch, Python, and Python Turtle Graphics, working
The theme for the year in sixth through eighth grades is Mission Control. Exploring NASA’s Deep Space Network and looking at both current and future Mars Rovers missions was a perfect example of science and engineering at a distance. MS ITL students remotely accessed and programming live robots from their laptops at home. Each robot has a live video feed in Zoom so students can see the effect of their code running in real time.
Throughout the year, students from kindergarten to eighth grade participate in age-appropriate digital citizenship education around online privacy and security. The fall semester wrapped up with a K-8 celebration where all students applied their computational thinking skills during the annual Hour of Code. This was our school’s eighth annual Hour of Code and we were fortunate to have Hadi Partovi, founder of Code.org, and many talented and gracious members of our parent community and even a few OWS alumni.
on multiple projects, one which involved a snowstorm project, where students created and animated snowflakes in Python and combined them together for a collaborative storm of flakes. Students also did a deep dive into history, learning about Grace Hopper and her major contributions to the early days of computing.
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Rising TO THE
CHALLENGE
STUDENT SCIENTISTS DO
Real Work
THAT MATTERS AT OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL by Andrew Mechling
Over this past summer, teachers everywhere grappled with how to plan for the 2020-2021 school year, knowing that there was a very good chance the learning environment where they do their magic would be remote, reduced to a 12 inch by 8 in screen.
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When summer finally came, the OWS Middle School Science Department decided to act, guided by the powerful and resonating words of our new Head of School, Elaine Christensen, who described what we do at OWS to people new to the community: “At OWS, we do real work that matters.” That statement became our guiding light as we planned powerful, hands-on, and collaborative science experiences middle school students could participate in, no matter whether they were in distance program mode or hybrid program mode. Science teachers studied and mastered new teaching techniques to take full advantage of the unique opportunities that learning on a Zoom platform can provide, and prepared and delivered personalized “Hello Science!” kits for each student at the start of the year to ensure that no student would miss out on the hands-on science labs that not only define the science program but are very necessary experiences to fully understand scientific concepts and phenomena. Though students were engaged doing relevant experiments and interest in science seemed particularly high, there was still one problem—the usual collaboration among students that characterizes the Open Window School experience was not happening
“Sam Wilder’s presentation on sustainability and how we use and misuse plastics led me to come up with the idea to develop and design technology, with my team, to collect waste from the oceans and contribute to creating a healthier planet.” —SOFIA, 6TH GRADE
“I was amazed by how many eco-friendly alternatives there were to common objects like straws or toilet paper (BAMBOO FOR THE WIN!). I also enjoyed learning about the process of creating a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus; I didn’t realize that most of the time was spent on testing and approving the virus.” —DENIZ, 5TH GRADE often enough. Enter the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Challenge, a collaborative project-based learning (PBL) experience designed to inspire a lifelong love of science, technology, and innovation. ExploraVision goes beyond the typical student science competition and into what it takes to bring ideas to reality. To kick off the ExploraVision project, students participated in a Student Innovators’ Leadership Summit as an entry event to hear directly from and to interview leaders in STEM fields to better understand problems facing their respective fields. At the summit, students were introduced to seven scientists and innovators from near and far, including Frank Niepold, Senior Climate Education Program Manager and Coordinator, who joined us from Washington D.C., Sam Wilder, Sustainability Specialist from Bellevue, WA, Dr. Circe Verba, Research Geologist at the Department of Energy’s Research and Innovation Center in Albany, OR, Dr. Kathleen Millen, representing the UW School of Medicine, Minoo Sweet, a retired chemist who discussed health and safety in industrial settings, and our very own Hadi Partovi, CEO of Code.org who joined the summit to discuss the digital divide. We were very fortunate and thankful to have had time for students to hear presentations and ask deeper questions during a Q&A session at the end.
Following the summit, Open Window science teachers guided students as they worked in small, interest-based groups to describe their current technology/problem, research it, envision what it might look like in 20 years, and describe the development steps, pros and cons, and obstacles through engaging interactive presentations that will be shared not only with the school community, but also with the organizations that would benefit from their findings and recommendations. Projects include envisioned technologies ranging from utilizing CRISPR technology to modify algae to reverse the decline of coral reefs, to developing Virtual Reality to improve the cognitive abilities of Alzheimer’s patients. The wide range of topics and world issues being tackled through the ExploraVision project represents the diversity and passions of our student population, who will one day be future leaders poised and ready to take on the world’s challenges with grace, confidence, and guided by our Bobcat Values to leave the world better than how they found it. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work in such an amazing school, with administration, faculty, staff, and students, all dedicated to doing real work that matters every day.
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Rising TO THE
CHALLENGE
FIRST GRADE
Families Project by Marissa Sandberg and Mark Kalal
After spending their kindergarten year focusing on “All About Me,” first graders at Open Window turn their attention to the idea of “families,” following this thread through multiple interdisciplinary projects throughout their year.
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Last year, we discovered the StoryCorps podcast, which is an ongoing oral history project that seeks to preserve the personal narratives of people through interviews and storytelling. We were inspired by the archive of stories that can be found on the StoryCorps website (and also weekly on NPR), and thought that it would be the perfect way for students to interact with and learn from their family members in an authentic way. We found that while StoryCorps supports the work of teachers having their students participate, the project was really intended for work with older children. Not really seeing this as an obstacle, we took the project and adapted it for use with our young students. Armed with new grammar knowledge for writing in complete sentences, first graders learned how to write “storygenerating,” or open-ended, questions. They designed their own interviews with a specific interviewee in mind, including engaging in the full writing process. They learned about how to be a good interviewer and practiced the important SEL skill of active listening. When the time came to learn about their family member, they were ready. They filmed their interviews, adeptly using video capture software on their iPads and preserving these special interactions for years to come. First graders then brought their filmed interviews back
to school, and using the information they learned, chose a story to tell about their interviewee. Again, engaging in the writing process, the students crafted full stories that they found interesting as they interviewed their family member. What made the project especially compelling in this particular year was that because our students have grown very comfortable with video chat software, they were ready and willing to interview and learn from family members not only outside of their households, but all over the world, including grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Some even conducted their interviews in a second language! Finally, first graders shared their stories as part of a bigger presentation, in which they got to showcase all the learning they had done about their family over the course of the first semester. Their work was available for all of their peers and greater community in the form of a digital “neighborhood,” in which they got to explore the stories of their peers’ families. What they found as they learned more about their classmates and their families was that even though there were many differences, including family makeup, traditions, and languages; there were also many
connections and things that we all have in common, including the ideas that “families stick together,” that they “have feelings for each other,” and that they “help each other get through rough obstacles.” Moving forward, this is a project that will find a more permanent place within the first-grade social studies curriculum. We would love to see students continue to lean on the technology we have all become so comfortable with, to branch beyond their immediate families and take the opportunity to get to know people that they do not necessarily connect with as often, bringing them into the classroom as vessels for learning that benefit all of the students.
Moving forward, this is a project that will find a more permanent place within the first-grade social studies curriculum.
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Rising TO THE
CHALLENGE
Spanish Teacher Mandi Davis
SPECIALISTS
Innovate Adapt AND
mini alebrijes. Using their adaptability as inspiration, kindergarten students created their own virtual alebrije parade with the help of Sra. Davis that included photos of their colorful creations, selfies cheering for their animals, and audio clips to make it sound authentic! Kinders were very proud of their work and excited to watch their class parade videos! Alebrijes, alebrijes! Drama Teacher Zoe Wilson
ALEBRIJES ON VIRTUAL PARADE IN SPANISH CLASS WITH MANDI DAVIS Every year, kindergarten students start their Open Window Spanish experience reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle en español, Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí? and explore colorful Mexican folk-art animals called alebrijes. This year was no different, with stories and photos shared via Zoom rather than in the classroom. Students were amazed by images of the whimsical creations and video clips of the giant alebrije parade that typically happens each fall in Mexico City. Due to COVID restrictions, the Museo de Arte Popular reimagined their large event and instead hosted a virtual parade with
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DRAMA WITH ZOE WILSON With smaller class sizes, Ms. Wilson has been able to go on rich imagination adventures with kindergarten through second graders. They have traveled to Spain, under the sea, to the jungle, and to space! Second graders created a planet and environmental
superhero characters to protect it. Ms. Wilson dressed up as environmental villains that students needed to defeat using their drama skills. Students are hungry for creative outlets and the distance learning classroom was the perfect place to explore!
the entirety of Distance Learning.” Creative thinking is the most important quality of 21st Century leaders, and the virtual art studio provided time and space for Open Window students to discover their true, artistic selves. Lower School Science Teacher Randy Hollinger
Art Teachers Katya Palladina and Katie Roth
LOWER SCHOOL SCIENCE BY MR. HOLLINGER Mr. Hollinger has never been afraid of a challenge, and this year was no different as he has built new skills in managing remote teams of scientists. Each year in first grade, students in Mr. Hollinger’s science class gathers weather information from OWS’s Earth Networks weather station. This year students collected weather data from students’ homes (while in distance learning) using a weather app on the iPad. Adding this variable sparked first graders’ interest in examining the notable small differences, which inspired a discussion about elevation and the effects of living close to a large body of water.
ART WITH MS. PALLADINA AND MS. ROTH The biggest and happiest surprise during online art classes was how many students show up to the optional drop-in studio sessions. During these times, kindergarteners through fourth graders joined Zoom meetings with bright and smiling faces, sometimes with their own projects, sometimes looking for inspiration, and sometimes just to see their friends and hang out with classmates. This was a time not just for drawing and painting, but for sharing huge Lego cities, hand-sewn satchels, and 3-D printed designs. Ms. Palladina and Ms. Roth report, “It was such fun to see the children and the new creations they shared each week. Their supportive, non-competitive chatter was a true indication of how much kids enjoy unstructured, non-academic time to explore their creativity and connect with other young artists. We were thrilled by the way that their enthusiasm for this studio time did not diminish in the slightest during
Mr. Hollinger continued his certification program for classroom animals including: our Leopard Gecko and Panther Chameleon, King Julian. Students must research the proper care and needs of a specific animal and present these findings to gain certification. As a result, there have been many lucky Lower School Science animals in homestays this year. And finally, a favorite activity for lower school scientists has been Microscope Recess Day where we share our equipment and look at the world on a microscopic scale.
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MUSIC UPDATES BY KATHLEEN ARENDS
PE Teacher Mr. McCullough
Each year Ms. Arends introduces students in kindergarten through fourth grade to composers from around the world. This year she started the year with a study of Native American composer and performer Supaman, “a Music Teacher Kathleen Arends
Native American dancer and innovative hip hop artist who has dedicated his life to empowering and spreading a message of hope, pride, and resilience through his original art form.” (Source: supamanhiphop. net) Supaman creates music by looping his voice, beatboxing, scratching vinyl, rapping over his loops, and, finally, performing a both modern and traditional dance. Ms. Arends had a small group of recorder players continue with the tradition this year. They are submitting videos which will be produced and shared.
PE/ MOVEMENT UPDATES BY IAN MCCULLOUGH Teaching PE remotely is challenging. But, as with many things, limited options can lead to simplified, unique, or creative activities. Mr. McCullough has enjoyed tossing and catching practice with Lower School students; students have honed their hand-eye coordination, ambidexterity, and are developing juggling skills. They have learned that crumpled paper, socks, and other creative “maker” substitutes can work just as well as balls. Another highlight of the first semester was the Bobcat Loop Hike assigned to third and fourth graders. Our beautiful local area has an abundant variety of hiking trails, and it is hard to top exercising outside with family and friends.
Looking to the future ARTS AT OWS 2030
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ART TASK FORCE
I was at the Strategic Planning Retreat at which the decision to build our own school was made. We dreamed big: I remember one of the ideas floated for what we might be able to have at our new place was riding stables! Come to think of it, that wouldn’t have been much more amazing than what we did end up with. WHAT ARE THE MOST NOTABLE CHANGES AT OPEN WINDOW?
As our music teacher Kathleen Arends looks towards retirement at the end of the 2020-2021 school year, we asked her some questions about her 26 years at Open Window School. WHEN DID YOU START AS MUSIC TEACHER AT OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL?
My husband Tommy and I moved to Bellevue from Eugene, OR in the fall of 1995. I found in the yellow pages a little ad for Open Window School, “The Eastside’s only School for Gifted Children”. “THAT’s where I want to teach!”, I said aloud, and telephoned. I went to the old campus in Newport Hills and toured the place. Immediately, I could tell these were the best teachers I had ever encountered, and indeed I DID want to teach there. I was hired to teach a small class of four-year-olds. The next year I was assistant teacher to Barbara McGee in a class of 20 four-year-olds. In the afternoons I taught music. Jean Augustine graciously served as Head of Open Window that year while we searched for a long-term head. Wilder Dominick became our Head of School in 1997. I became Open Window’s music teacher and have always considered it a privilege. I’ve worked with such wonderful specialists and classroom teachers, and of course all the great youngsters becoming thinkers and leaders and citizens. Subsequent Heads have been Jeff Stroebel, and now Elaine Christensen.
Moving to the new campus was very exciting! And so was growing our own middle school, which began soon thereafter. Leaving out those stables let us serve more and older students. WHAT ARE A FEW FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM OPEN WINDOW?
My very sweetest memory from all my years at Open Window is the year when my schedule allowed me to sponsor our first Gay/Straight Alliance group, in the middle school. I also love teaching recorders. (My husband and I met playing recorders!) I hope this opportunity will remain open to the students when I have gone. WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST WHEN YOU LEAVE AND WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT TEACHING MUSIC TO K-4?
I will miss the challenge of creating music appropriate for folk tales from around the world and rehearsing it with third graders. I will miss fourth graders audacious enough to try scatting when we study jazz, and the delighted screams of second graders pretending surprise for Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony. And I will miss all the support from my dear peers and supervisors. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OF WHAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IN RETIREMENT?
I look forward to a lot more time working Ken-Ken puzzles and refashioning my MULTITUDES of colorful clothing into even more bohemian styles. And of course, I’ll enjoy making music with marimba friends and my partner and our recorder friends.
Open Window aspires to be a leading school in gifted education; the 2019-2024 Strategic Plan includes this charge: Increase support for participation and leadership in developing innovative programs that meet the needs of gifted learners. We have established an Arts at OWS Task Force, composed of faculty, staff, administrators, and parent/ guardians. They are charged with researching the connection between visual and performing arts and giftedness, arts offerings at competitor schools, and best practices for arts instruction. They will develop a bold and doable strategic vision for the arts at our school and present it to the Board of Trustees next fall. This initiative will enhance our program, creating more opportunities for students to be creative, work across disciplines, and do real work that matters.
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Student Wellness DAY
by The Wellness Team Danny Cunningham, Ian McCullough, Abbey Sandusky, Kelly Crowe-Yrarrazaval, and Lauren Hutchinson
In December, students in middle school spent an experiential day with a variety of wellness activities focused on personal wellness and community. A part of community wellness includes lending support to others, so students started their day supporting our youngest — the kindergartners — with their All About Me presentations. Normally the kindergartners walk the halls of the middle school with their floats while our students and staff applaud their efforts and give words of encouragement. This was a virtual event that the entire school supported. Many middle schoolers remember walking the halls of Robinson Hall as a kindergartner and it was wonderful to see the kindergartners have such an enthusiastic virtual audience. The day also included break-out sessions where students chose from a variety of topics from cooking to hip-hop dancing, from karaoke to art journaling, and from creating a home workout routine to staying active in winter by building snow forts. There was an activity called Zentangle where students learned a doodling method incorporating mindfulness
to promote calm and focus, as well as drum circle that focused on the stress relieving qualities of drumming. Our former middle school dean Amanda Wisniewski led a session on wellness for students who identify as LGBTQ+ and their allies. These sessions ran the gamut from raucous fun to relaxing and restorative. We had a keynote speaker at the end of the day who spoke about something near and dear to most of our students’ hearts — gaming! Dr. Raffael Boccamazzo (Dr. B), the clinical director of Take This, a non-profit dedicated to mental health in the gaming community, spoke to students about the positive benefits of gaming at the intersection of mental health, identity, and self-determination. This session helped students build awareness around why they game, what they get out of it, and what to do if they are out of balance with gaming and other responsibilities. It was a bottomsup approach to self-managing one’s own gaming behavior that was respectful of students and their affinity for gaming, but also empowered them to take charge of their choices. Some of the highlights from Dr. Boccamazzo’s talk included: •G aming has many positive elements, especially during the isolation of a pandemic. It allows kids to connect socially, have a sense of belonging, explore identities, build resilience, overcome obstacles, and have some consistency and routine during uncertain times.
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Middle School
• I t can also have some disruptive elements such as exclusion, bullying, trolling, and other negative behaviors. Dr. B talked about how to make gaming more inclusive within a community and how to be an upstander when you see negative behavior.
IN THE
•D r. B asked students to reflect on what they get out of gaming. Do you get a sense of competence, feel good about yourself, have a sense of belonging, or feel connected to others? Do you game to escape or avoid doing less preferred things? How do you know if your gaming habits are negatively impacting your life or masking other problems?
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)
•S elf-management around gaming includes understanding your personal balance point for having fun and meeting your responsibilities. It means knowing what games you have a harder time turning off or have a hard time shifting back into work mode after playing. Dr. B talked about how to set your own limits with the knowledge you have of yourself. •D r. Boccamazzo shared his personal story of finding that balance point with the neurodiversity of being twice exceptional and on the autism spectrum. We asked Dr. Boccamazzo what advice he had for parents/ guardians and he shared several things. He said games mean more to this generation than our generation can comprehend. He recommends parents/guardians take an interest in their kids’ games in a non-judgmental way. Ask about their characters, their character’s strengths, and what their characters had to achieve to get to that level. Sit down and try playing one of their favorite games with them. Set screen limits collaboratively with your student based on their knowledge of themselves and the right balance point for them (especially during a pandemic, which may not be the same as normal times). Make sure your student has other interests in their lives around their strengths and talents to help them feel good about themselves outside of games.
WITH MS. CROWE-YRARRÁZAVAL
Middle School counselors have researched the skills and concepts that can make a positive difference at this age, from growth mindset and emotion management to social connectedness. This year, we are using lessons from the Second Step Program which aligns with CASEL’s core SEL competencies. The lessons provide a framework to engage students in grades 5-8 in classroom and advisory discussions with activities that focus in the areas of managing strong emotions, making good decisions, and creating strong friendships while avoiding or deescalating conflict. DRUM CIRCLE SPECIALIST CLASS
School counselor, Kelly CroweYrarrázaval, has been making some noise with fifth through eighth grade students by facilitating a group drum circle class. Drum circle is about process and not performance. It includes a therapeutic dimension involving such elements as positive affirmations, emotional coping strategies, and guided interaction with rhythmic activities serving as a metaphor for life, followed by reflection and dialogue. Plus, it’s fun! WINTER 1 TO 1 CONFERENCES WITH MS. CROWE-YRARRÁZAVAL
Sometimes… you just need a one to one. Ms. Crowe is new to our school and has made knowing Open Window School students a priority. As we head into the new semester, each middle school student will have a one-to-one conference as a way of meeting student’s unique needs. The purpose of this meeting is to build relationships, assess student stress level, and identify their supports and solutions.
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ACTIVITY CENTERED SOCIAL GROUPS
PARENT/ GUARDIAN DROP-IN SESSIONS
Our mental health specialist, Lauren Hutchinson, will be holding parent/ guardian support drop-in sessions during the hybrid transition and beyond. Some of our students are feeling stressed out or have anxiety about changes in their life. Parents/ guardians can feel supported by others and gain skills to help their child during these stressful times. This year, the sixth-grade social group called “Baking Buddies,” evolved out of the need for students to be together while doing a fun and yummy activity, like baking. We made microwave molten lava cakes, birthday popcorn, banana bread and more! Lunchtime was a perfect time to talk to each other, relax and even plan a baking show! Yes, this is what great minds can do. “Ready, Set, Bake” featured student celebrity chefs who dazzled us with baking tips, fabulous recipes and they even had their own blog. Spending time together was even better than the sweets! COMING SOON TO THE OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL MOW NEAR YOU… THE VIRTUAL CALMING ROOM!
Open Window counselors wanted a place for students of all grade levels to find activities and resources that promote mindfulness, calm and good mental health. From virtual field trips to sounds and music, you can find something to fit your mood! Check it out!
IN THE
SUICIDE PREVENTION
The reluctance of adolescents to seek help from adults is a risk factor that contributes to a variety of adolescent risk behaviors. Research has shown that contact with helpful adults may be a protective factor in preventing suicide and help seeking behavior. For this reason, our counseling team organized the non-profit, Crisis Connections to present to our seventh and eighth grade students in October and December. Students were able to discuss and ask questions about this difficult topic in a safe space. Teachers also received important information about their role in keeping students safe. Second semester, fifth and sixth graders will also be receiving information about suicide prevention.
Lower School
WITH MS. MS. KENNEBREW An intentional focus on building positive relationships has been the cornerstone in promoting wellness in our community this school year. MORNING MEETINGS AND CLOSING CIRCLES
In classrooms, this aim has been addressed by maintaining continuity in Responsive Classroom
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practices even as we connect virtually. Each Lower School class gathers to begin their day with morning meeting. This time provides an opportunity for students to engage in greeting, sharing and energizing activities with their teachers and classmates and fosters a sense of belonging and significance. Closing circle brings all students together once again at the end of the day to reflect and reconnect.
ONE ON ONE CHECK-INS
One-on-one check-ins with teachers allow them to get to know who students are as individuals and facilitate trusting relationships. BUDDIES
Kindergarten and eighth grade buddies. COMMUNITY DAYS
All School and Lower School Community Days bring students together across classes and divisions, at times, to enjoy fun workshops and activities led by faculty as well as members of the community. Students select events to attend based on their personal interests and get to participate alongside others with a common enthusiasm about the experience. COMMUNITY TIME
Biweekly Community Time with the Lower School Counselor. DROP-IN SNACK TIMES
During daily breaks from academic instruction throughout the year in Lower School, drop-in snack times led by the Lower School Counselor are offered for students who would like to connect with grade-level peers outside of instructional time. Drop-ins led by the Lower School Counselor are offered for students seeking additional support on an individual basis.
What’s on Your Bookshelf? By Lauren Richey, Library Learning Commons Director
One of the best parts of working at Open Window School is chatting with students about books, and our students read a lot! I asked our middle school students, veterans of OWS about some of their favorite books and was not surprised to find Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and “any graphic novel” still topping off the list as favorite books. Here are some recommendations for some new books that might whet your reader’s appetite: PICTURE BOOKS:
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
MEDIA BALANCE
Teaching about the importance of media balance and a healthy approach to digital interactions. Almost all our interactions as a community have been virtual and we have relied on our devices and therefore, knowledge about making wise choices relating to technology has been more relevant than ever. • I n alignment with our four virtues, class agreements and norms were established early for how we planned to engage with one another via Zoom. •L essons from Common Sense Education were delivered in K-4 classes on digital citizenship.
Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon
CONTINUED »
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EARLY READERS:
Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake
Pea, Bee, & Jay: Stuck Together by Brian ‘Smitty’ Smith (graphic novel)
NOTES:
SEJAL AKERKAR ’19 self-published a collection of poetry on Amazon entitled walking down the sensory strip which highlights life as a young woman of color. In December alone, she donated $430 in book royalties to Udayan Care, a nonprofit that strives to improve the lives of orphaned, abandoned children in India. Sejal reached Amazon’s Top 100 Poetry Books by Women based on sales; and she is exploring opportunities to introduce poetry to elementary school-aged children through creating an after-school program.
EA
ADVANCED READERS (GRADES 3-8):
Alumni
Tristan Strong Series by Kwame Mbalia
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
Show Me A Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (graphic novel) Class Act by Jerry Craft (graphic novel)
ADVANCED READERS (GRADES 6+):
Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Everything Sad is Untrue (A True Story) by Daniel Nayeri
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang (graphic novel)
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ALY COUNSELL married Jay Torres in Walla Walla, WA on October 4, 2020. Aly attended Open Window from pre-k through fifth grade; graduated from Lakeside in 2013, and Whitman College in 2018. Aly and Jay live in St. Louis, MO.
ZANDER GOSANKO is a first-year law student at Columbia University. He graduated from University of Southern California with honors, and a double degree in business and accounting. He spent two years as a CPA with PricewaterhouseCoopers before heading to Columbia in August 2020.
KAELYN LEFFERTS ’14 was sent home (because of the pandemic) from Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division last March, where she spent the past two years performing on Seattle’s McCaw Hall stage in PNB productions such as Cinderella and Nutcracker. Her dance instructor mom was also sent home, and the two paired up to create a children’s dance book called Once Upon a Dance. Together, Kaelyn and Terrel have three children’s dance books available on Amazon, all part of the Dancing Shapes series for kids ages 5-8. Their second series, Dance-It-Out books for ages 4-6 debuts in February. They are donating every purchase to support ballet companies struggling under COVID. LIZZY PARK ‘16 graduated from Lakeside last year and is currently a freshman at the University of Vermont, Honors College. Despite the pandemic, she was able to live on campus and even have a few in-person classes. She joined the UVM crew team and played on the co-ed water polo team. She is loving Vermont! TORY PARK ‘15 is currently a sophomore at the University of Washington Foster School of Business. She was on the Dean’s List spring quarter and is rowing on the UW Varsity women’s crew team.
ANDREW SENTMAN ’12 graduated in Spring 2020, from DigiPen Institute of Technology, with a degree in Computer Engineering. He is employed by Echodyne, a radar platform company, in Kirkland, Wash., and volunteers at the Connections Museum in Seattle. MICHAEL SENTMAN ’15 is studying Math & Physics in his 2nd year at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., where he is a member of the college handball team. He geocaches in his spare time, recently reaching 2,000 finds. This involved tons of hiking in the mountains and woods of Washington and Oregon. CALEB THUNEMANN ’19 is directing his very first play at University Prep during the January intensive. It is a Film Noir genre play that will be recorded and available to view by the community. Caleb has discovered this new interest in directing and is enjoying the experience tremendously! Returning alumni BEN MYERSON ’16, JACOB HUFFAKER ’18 and MILES CHANBAI ’20 volunteered their coding skills to students in both lower and middle school for this year’s Hour of Code! These alumni helped inspire students with their stories and encourage their journey in programming. MEMBERS OF THE OWS CLASS OF 2016 are now attending these colleges and universities: Boston College, Brown University, Case Western Reserve, Colorado School of the Mines, Duke University, Harvard University, Northwestern University, Pitzer College, Rochester Institute of Technology, San Diego State University, Santa Clara University, Scripps College, Stanford University, University of California Los Angeles, University of California Santa Barbara, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Southern California, University of Vermont, Washington State University, and Western Washington University.
Congratulations to the Open Window School alumni from the class of 2017 who received NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP SEMI-FINALIST AWARDS: Sofia Albrecht, Kimberly Liu, Nathalie Mitchell, William Murray, and Sydney Vernon.
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MEMBERS OF THE OWS CLASS OF 2020 are now attending these high schools: Bellevue High School, The Downtown School, Eastside Catholic, Eastside Prep, Eden Prairie High School, Issaquah High School, The Lakeside School, Mercer Island High School, The Overlake School, Phillips Exeter Academy, Sammamish High School, Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences.
FACULTY & STAFF ADRIENNE GIFFORD (Director of Innovation and Technology) and her husband Mariano welcomed their first child last March. Elio Félix Lizano Gifford was born on March 18, 2020. Elio has enjoyed spending time with mom and dad throughout the pandemic and is looking forward to getting out and about more in the new hiking backpack his parents recently purchased. CALLEY HART (Director of Admissions) and her partner Carson Hedrick welcomed their first child Leonard “Leo” Hedrick on Jan. 18, 2021. Everyone is healthy and looking forward to introducing Leo to his three fur brothers — Cooper, Johnny Cash, and Santana.
WAYS TO KEEP IN TOUCH: If you have alumni related news to share, please reach out to alumni@ows.org. J OIN US! Facebook: Open Window Alumni closed group page, facebook.com/groups/ openwindowschoolalumni FOLLOW US! Twitter: @OWSBobcat FOLLOW US! Instagram: @OWSBobcat
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SARAH (GEDDIS) RIDLE (former kindergarten and first grade teacher) and her husband Mike welcomed twins last January. Iris Clementine Ridle and Oliver Jackson Ridle were born on Jan. 28, 2020 and have had a fun year at home with mom and dad in Virginia! Here is hoping they are able to make it to campus for a visit in 2021. On June 24, 2020, MAGGIE VAN CISE (former fourth grade teacher), husband Christopher, and big sister Lily welcomed a baby brother to their family. Calan “Cal” Richard Van Cise has enjoyed much time spent with family during the pandemic and looks forward to making many new baby friends soon.
This spring, on May 26, Open Window School opens a new window into your student’s school day! Grandparents and special friends are specially invited to join your student throughout the morning and experience the joys of being a Bobcat.
DEPENDING UPON YOUR STUDENT’S GRADE, A DAY AT SCHOOL MIGHT INCLUDE:
Join us for REAL distance learning!
Grandparents, special friends invited to join Open Window students for virtual learning
•M ake Giacometti sculptures with foil and paper with art teacher Ms. Palladina; •D o fitness activities with Mr. McCullough’s PE class; • I nterpret folktales from India, Ecuador, and Korea on a virtual stage with drama teacher Ms. Wilson; •P lay recorders with music teacher Ms. Arends; •D iscover why birds’ beaks are different because of what they eat with science teacher Mr. Hollinger — and Seahawk, the school’s conure; •D elve deep into math or literacy.
SAVE THE DATE — MAY 26! And be ready for a wonderful (virtual) immersion into the life of an Open Window Bobcat! RSVP today at openwindowschool.org/RSVP.
It’s a unique look into the authentic learning and community connection every Open Window student experiences. This year, all activities will be online, regardless of whether your student attends on-campus learning. You can join us from anywhere in the world!
This was a year of innovation and growth.
Thanks to you.
Our Open Window community’s generosity made everything possible in this year unlike any other. Because of you, the school was able to increase staffing, enhance technology, install MERV air filters in every classroom, provide PCR testing for students and faculty, offer new and engaging ways to connect virtually, and more. Your giving enabled the school to quickly respond to families who faced unprecedented financial hardship. When you make an Open Window Fund gift, you strengthen our community. Your generosity matters to everyone, every day.
To donate, simply visit openwindowschool.org/giving or contact the Development team at development@ows.org. OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | SPRING 2021 | 24
Annual Open Window Auction goes virtual with free, inclusive evening March is the usual time for the Open Window Auction. Normally during this time of year, our parents and guardians would be planning glamorous outfits and booking babysitters. No need for that, this year. A silver lining to the challenges we face in this pandemic is a renewed focus on family and unique new ways to connect through technology. With this year’s Lights! Camera! Auction!, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 25, everyone is invited to the free and fun fundraising event — parents and guardians, students, grandparents, neighbors and more. During the hourlong virtual auction, live-streamed online, Open Window will offer local vacation getaways, delectable wines and beer, teacher experiences curated for students and our current social climate, virtual experiences for adults and kids, and much more. “It’s been amazing, all the great items our families have procured for our Auction,” said Jackie Dodge, who, paired with Laura Kotsis, has been leading the Auction team in this highly
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unusual year. “Our community has come out of the woodwork, offering supercool VR packages, vacation homes, and even a mixology class.”
NIGHT PACKED WITH FUN We’ve planned a 90-minute extravaganza that combines all the best of our community: Connection with your grade; fun with our teachers; and a jam-packed auction that helps you give back to the school. “The auction team is excited for the opportunity to offer such an inclusive OWS community event this year because the auction is virtual,” said Laura Kotsis, co-chair of the Auction. “The auction is more accessible because it is free and all you need to do to attend is log on and help us in celebrating and supporting OWS.” The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. as each grade has a virtual happy hour, to start the evening off right. Bring your favorite beverage and snacks (no need to get out of jammies if you prefer) and catch up with your friends in your child’s grade. At 7 p.m., the main event begins with an Auction filled with all kinds of wonderous items, plus the Fund-A-Wish.
A SAMPLING OF AUCTION ITEMS
FUND-A-WISH
Even amid a pandemic, our generous families have procured a vast array of unusual, unique, and enticing items for the (virtual) auction extravaganza. Here are just a few of the items that might tempt you:
A highlight of every Auction evening is the chance to raise the paddle and join a group of families in helping the school accomplish something essential. In the past, it’s been updating the library, or installing air conditioning, or enlarging a parking lot. This year, the goal is lofty: To invest in a near- and long-term commitment to financial aid, so that every child who should be at Open Window, will be at Open Window. Our goal is for an Open Window School education to be accessible to any family who is accepted, regardless of their financial circumstances.
A Valve Index VR kit. We don’t need to explain. Just read a few reviews of this highly sought virtual reality kit from one of the go-to, bleeding-edge video game companies in the world. Valve. “The new bar for VR headsets” —PCWorld “The best way to experience VR” —IGN Easy-to-access vacation getaway to Suncadia, a perfect spot to make “working from home” into a joyful vacation within its 3,200 square feet of luxury. The Great Room has a 4K TV and fireplace, and the open kitchen features a center island with wine refrigerator and stainless steel appliances. The luxurious master ensuite offers a jetted bathtub and walk-in spa style shower. The upstairs includes two junior suites and an open loft area with bunkbed, pullout sofa bed, and air mattress. Virtual Minecraft party, hosted by Randy Hollinger, Lower School science teacher and Minecraft master. Ten lucky kids will get a Minecraft party with Mr. Hollinger and handcrafted swag bags of Minecraft goodies. Online mixology party. Master the art of cocktail making from home with virtual cocktail classes led by OWS parent and mixologist Hema Patil. You’ll learn all classic cocktails while elevating your stirring and shaking techniques, flavor combinations, bar tool collection, and more. Participants will be provided with complete cocktail kits for three craft cocktails.
A large part of your contribution to Fund-A-Wish will enhance and invest in the Jean Augustine Financial Aid Endowment, which supports financial aid for families now and for many, many years to come.
“ By supporting Fund-A-Wish this year, you are helping to maintain and strengthen our community by supporting those families on financial aid as well as helping to build and grow our community by bringing in new families and creating a more diverse and inclusive OWS community,” —LAURA KOTSIS, AUCTION CO-CHAIR
RSVP at
openwindowschool.org/auction Join us at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 25, for an amazing harmony of our families, staff, loved ones, neighbors and more. At Lights! Camera! Auction!
OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | SPRING 2021 | 26
Non-profit Org US Postage PAID Seattle, WA Permit No. 315
6128 – 168th Place SE Bellevue, WA 98006 openwindowschool.org CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
View THE
EDITOR
Carolyn Lucas SPRING 2021
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Elaine Christensen HEAD OF SCHOOL
Maria DiGiovanni, Raveena Doshi, David Hamann, Gelareh Roomiany INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TEAM
Andrew Mechling MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER
Marissa Sandberg and Mark Kalal FIRST GRADE TEACHERS
Kathleen Arends, Mandi Davis, Randy Hollinger, Ian McCullough, Katya Palladina, Katie Roth, Zoe Wilson SPECIALIST TEAM
Angie Hurlock DIRECTOR OF PARENT RELATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
Molly Rubin DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Lauren Hutchinson, Kristen Kennebrew, Kelly Crowe-Yrarrázaval COUNSELING TEAM
Lauren Richey LIBRARY LEARNING COMMONS DIRECTOR
PHOTO CREDITS
Sheila Addlemen/ Grey Sky Productions Vidigami photo community contributors Special thanks to Deema Almunajem DESIGN
Christa Fleming
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