The View, Spring 2023

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THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE

NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS, ALUMNI FAMILIES, GRANDPARENTS AND FRIENDS

Dear Open Window community,

I have a life-long love affair with language, with words. As a reader, I appreciate an article or story that sweeps me away because the writing is crisp, evocative, relevant, and lively. As a writer, I revel in the search for just the right words to communicate the point I’m trying to make. Face to face, I am mindful and intentional in order to make meaningful connections in real time. Maya Angelou says, “We need language to tell us who we are, how we feel, what we’re capable of, to explain the pains and glory of our existence.” Ludwig Wittgenstein goes one step further and says, “The limits of my language are the limits of my world.” Words are what allow us to make sense of what we see, hear, taste, think, and feel. My affiliation with language is a passion and a skill, cultivated by talented teachers and honed over time. One way of describing the fundamental purpose of school is to equip young people with the language they need to navigate the world they will inherit. This edition of The View focuses on the importance of language at Open Window School through a variety of lenses. Language, in all its’ variety, matters, and must be taught with intention. You will read about the “math-as-language” and the way words and equations overlap to communicate meaning. You’ll learn about literacy in lower school, where students transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” and the way language arts in middle school cultivates student voice, so they can speak their own truths. You’ll learn about why the Open Window Spanish program emphasizes cultural context and oral proficiency. You’ll also learn about the language of social emotional learning; the ability to name emotions is the tool kit which allows our students to experience and navigate the full range of their own human experience.

If you are a current family, I hope this magazine resonates with the experience your students have every day. If you are an alumni or prospective family, I hope you’ll come join us on Cougar Mountain sometime soon. You are welcome any time.

Take good care, everyone! All my best to all of you—

Elaine Christensen Head of School

Front and Back Cover Photos by Esther Magnotti OUR MISSION

Open Window School nurtures and inspires students of high intellectual potential.

“One way of describing the fundamental purpose of school is to equip young people with the language they need to navigate the world they will inherit.”

On Elaine’s Bookshelf

THE OCTOPUS IN THE PARKING GARAGE

by Rob Verchick

This book, published in April 2023, is focused on the real and true issue of climate change through the lenses of resilience and hope. It is easy, especially for Open Window School Bobcats, to get mired in despair as we think about the state of the earth and the challenge of taking good care of it into the future. “This book is intended to empower readers to face the climate crisis with courage and take action that counts. The takeaway here is that grappling with the climate is not a fad, like sous-vide cooking or ax throwing. It is the new normal. Like it or not, we will be facing climatic disruptions for decades to come. It’s time to talk about the octopus and start that journey.”

(Verchick, 2023) One of the strengths of this book is the stories it contains, from the actual octopus that was found in a parking garage in Florida, to the author’s night in a tent in Joshua Tree National Park, to an adventure in the arctic tracking walruses. As we look to the future, this book should be required reading for all.

by Elaine Christensen

BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS: A MEMOIR OF A LIFE INTERRUPTED

by Suleika Jaouad

Suleika Jaouad, an aspiring foreign correspondent journalist, had just graduated from Princeton when she was diagnosed with a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia. During the initial stages of her treatment, which involved a bone marrow transplant and months of isolation, she wrote a column for the New York Times called “Life Interrupted.” Post treatment, she decided to take a solo road trip around the United States in a 1972 VW camper van to visit 20 people who had responded in a meaningful way to her NYT column. Each person she visits has their own story of challenge and resilience, despair and hope. Some are funny. Some are sad. All of them are surprising in some way. Ms. Jaouad is an outstanding storyteller with a gift for articulating intense feelings through concrete detail. Here is a quote. [My illness] “has introduced me to the role of ritual in mourning—the ceremonies that allows us to shoulder complex feelings and confront loss; that make room for the seemingly paradoxical act of acknowledging the past as a path toward the future…. These rites of passage allow us to migrate from one phase of our lives to another; they keep us from getting lost in transit. They show us a way to honor the space between no longer and not yet.” (Jaouad, 2021) Highly recommend.

AROUND CAMPUS: After School

by Euan Oswald & Michelle Doiron

The school day does not end at 3:20 when the bell rings. Our campus remains open until 6:00PM every afternoon and is filled with after school classes, After Care, and study hall. On a typical afternoon, we have over 100 students taking part. These programs are a great way for students to learn about new topics or dive deep into a topic that interests them, get to know students from different grades, and connect on a social level. We have had 300 OWS students take part in an after-school program or attend After Care and study hall at some point over the course of the past year. This year we have been able to bring back some favorite programs and add in new ones. Read on for a recap about some of our programs.

CHESS

Our chess club continues to thrive and this year we added a fourth coach to meet the demand of the program. Throughout the year we had 69 students ranging in grades K-7 taking part in the club. We were also able to bring back our in-person Fall Chess Tornado tournament where we had 150 participants and the OWS team placed first place. Additionally, we had top 3 finishes in multiple other tournaments. Thank you to all our players and our Coaches — Bill Schill, Mike Hosford, Sloan Setiadikurnia, and Josh Sinanan.

ATHLETICS

After 3 years of limited athletic programming, we were able to run all our competitive sports teams this year. From volleyball and cross country in the fall, to boys’ and girls’ basketball in the winter, and ultimate frisbee and track & field in the spring, we had a full slate of teams. For many of our middle school students, this was their first taste of competitive athletics at the school level, and we are incredibly proud of our Bobcat athletes who have competed this year. We look forward to continuing to grow our athletic programs next year. Thank you to our amazing coaches Aaron Spadoni, Aileen Granstrom, Ben Dominitz (OWS ’19 alum), Ian McCullough, Nico Dons-Borreguero, and Tess Cullaz.

DEBATE

Debate at Open Window School has always been popular, and this year 35 seventh and eighth grade students joined our competitive debate program. They took part in 3 tournaments over the course of the year, culminating in the first inperson debate tournament since 2020 where they had the top speaker, top team, and were overall winners of the competition. Thank you to our wonderful coaches – Corey Paulson, Arren Ellingson and Ryan Brown.

ROBOTICS

This year we had 2 teams compete in the FTC (First Tech Challenge) competition. The students worked hard on developing and building their robots, overcoming technical issues, working together to find the right roles for each team member, and displaying the Bobcat Virtues during intense competition against other schools. Both teams had successes at the events, and we are proud of how they all came together to compete in the challenges. Thank you to our fantastic coaches — David Hamann and Gayathri Cunnathur Rajagopal — parent volunteers, and the high school students from Issaquah HS who supported our students.

OTHER CLUBS

It has been a busy year in after school with some of our favorites — including Active Minds, Improv Club, Maker’s Club, Minecraft, and Parkour — returning, and some new offerings coming to the school — Architecture, Cheerleading, French Club, Snapology, and Soccer Clinic. These programs allowed our students to make cross-grade connections, explore hands-on learning, and help to further inspire the inquisitive minds of our students! Thank you to all our caring and passionate teachers who shared their interests and ran programs this year. We look forward to continuing to offer high-quality programs that engage and inspire our students.

AFTER CARE

On any given day in After Care, you will find students playing games, building things, and creating art together, while enjoying a background of calm music and visually stimulating videos of nature, art, athletics, or other interesting topics. As weather permits, students can go outside with a staff member to play Gaga Ball, soccer, or other games that interest them, and snacks are always a highly anticipated event.

This year we have been fortunate to call the middle school MPR our home base. We are building our connections in the school through collaborations with the Middle School PAL® After School Club and the OWS Summer TA Program. Students from PAL® have joined After Care a couple of times for some of their projects, and students applying to be a summer TA have joined After Care as volunteers, spending time with the kids. We continue to seek opportunities to collaborate with other programs in the school and are planning to participate in the Spring Arts Night this year. For some of our students, After Care is a significant part of their school day, and it is among our goals to celebrate their time here and share it with the broader OWS community.

After Care is a social experience, and Social and Emotional Learning is an integral part of our program. We strive to create a safe and fun space for our students to interact cooperatively with other students, to empower them to problem solve independently as appropriate, and to guide them to be mindful of their environment and others sharing the space.

Multicultural World Tour 2023

by Angie Hurlock

What connects dragons, passports, face painting, and belly dancing together? The Open Window Multicultural Event, a joyous 2-hour celebration that was packed with more than 40 cultures and countries of our community.

On a rainy day in February, parents, guardians, staff, and children traveled to the Mercer Island Community & Events Center and entered a whole new world. The kids traveled from England to China, Mexico to Arab countries, and many other locales, trying on native clothing, having their names written in various languages, and playing games from the Netherlands and Colombia.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for adults and kids to share their pride in their own cultures and traditions –and learn about each other,” said Juliana Sandoval, who, along with Negin Sharifi-Kachachi, Jane Cai, and Sorelle Cook, spent months organizing and coordinating to bring this celebration of culture and heritage to our school.

The team worked hard to get a sampling of entertainment, from a Dragon Dance from a local karate

school, belly dancing, and Arab band, Tae Kwon Do demonstration, mariachi band, and much, much more.

Yet it was the many tables that many families decorated with information, games, writing, native costumes, and more, that was a highlight for most. Families of Open Window shared their cultures with pride and thoughtful consideration of what our students would like to learn.

“I loved discovering the depth and diversity of our community, along with the pride and generosity with which our families were willing to share so much of themselves,” said Ms. Cook.

Ms. Cai agreed, “I also loved the active involvement from all families and the sense of community!”

Already, a team is working on next year’s Multicultural Event in February. Thanks to tremendous feedback from the Open Window community, they are planning on another great celebration of our diversity – and plenty of joy. The focus remains on community.

We brought “parents, teachers, students, grandparents, and alumni together to celebrate our diverse cultures and learn more about each other,” said Ms. Sharifi-Kachachi. “It was a fun afternoon for children and adults alike. There was something for everyone to enjoy.”

Why Form and Creativity are Equally Critical Parts of the Language of Mathematics

by Karey Stoltz

Galileo is attributed with the roughly translated phrase; math is the language of science. And, while the statement may seem superficially obvious to many (Can you imagine trying to communicate the concepts of DNA, chemistry, and physics without the regularity and structure of mathematics?), perhaps there is more to this idiom than being a cute bumper sticker for bookish intellectuals. In fact, there may be a critical role for math and its structures, in foundational child development, that goes beyond content acquisition.

Many papers have been authored analogizing the structures of language to those of mathematical equations. Therein, operators are like verbs acting on variables (nouns). One could go even farther in describing exponents and coefficients as adjectives further adding to the narrative. There are also the more flowery interpretations of math-as-a-language that dip into the ethereal and beautiful nature of mathematical patterns. Whether you see math as a way to describe nature or as a tool to reason logically, there is little debate that “mathematical notations allow [us] to reveal hidden patterns and structures in our world related to stock markets, computers, black holes, and even living beings.”

(Clavin, W., “Writing in the Language of Math”, Caltech Magazine, July 2022)

Using the language of math to express those hidden patterns with some approximation of regularity is called modeling in the scientific and educational worlds. In fact, modeling is seen as such a foundational skill that it is one of the six Mathematical Practices in the Common Core State Standards. But why is this a critical topic? Why can’t we just leave the modeling and interpreting to the scientists and have students focus on the raw skills of

arithmetic and algebraic fluency? The short answer is that mathematical modeling is a complex skill that must be developed over years of practice. It involves making sense of real-world problems, working with ambiguity, testing assumptions, applying forms and structures, and finally creating a model or equation that approximates behavior. The educational focus on modeling in math is even more critical when dealing with gifted students, as it is well-established that these learners excel in learning when there is a real-world connection and open-ended approach to problem solving, and not just rote problem practice. (davidsongifted.org, Mathematically Gifted Students: How Can We Meet Their Needs?)

In the Math Department at Open Window School, students are encouraged to use the language of mathematics by employing known structures to form conjectures, analyze unknowns, and to model the environment around them through challenging, inquirybased activities. It is in these moments of uncertainty that deep and lasting understanding occurs. Every year of the OWS curricular plan adds additional complexity and layers of sophistication to the mathematical language needed for modeling. It all starts with the visual and varied problem-solving approach of the lower school

math program, which builds a solid foundation for deeper and more complex study in middle school.

Examples of this methodology in practice are seen every day in the classroom. In fifth grade, students explore how data presentation can affect one’s perception by employing and analyzing many visual graphing techniques. In Algebra 1, students get an initial peek into arithmetic sequences by investigating the regularity of hydrocarbon molecules. Students in Algebra 2 may be developing an understanding of inverse proportionality by first exploring how the brightness of light decreases the further away it is from the source. As you can imagine, the answers to these questions are rarely perfect and require equal parts of creativity and form to solve. Additionally, students must communicate, share their ideas, and work together to see the pattern before modeling it.

It is our hope that once a student has fully adapted and absorbed the concepts and language of mathematics, that they will emerge from Open Window School with stronger critical thinking skills, confidence in their abilities to structure a solution, an ability to frame the world’s problems and patterns, and how to employ math to model them.

FUN MATH BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Math with Bad Drawings

by Ben Orlin

Dear Data (not the workbook)

by Lupi & Posavec

Math In Minutes

by Paul Glendinning

The Joy of X by Steven

Strogatz

Make: Calculus, Build Models to learn, visualize, and explore by Horvath and Cameron

Literacy in K-4

by Esther Magnotti

Walking through lower school each day has an enchanting and exciting language arts atmosphere; positive and inclusive morning messages invite students into each classroom, walls are showcased by student writing, and teaching spaces are rich with high-quality literature. In lower school, reading and writing instruction is accelerated by one year, taught using carefully selected trade books and researchbased teaching methods. The comprehension and writing objectives are taught directly through read-aloud experiences, with objectives and strategies designed to help students make sense of and grow in their literacy skills. Skill development is supported and reinforced through guided and independent practice by homeroom teachers. In addition, intentional collaborations with specialist teachers link literacy with authentic and meaningful experiences to enhance learning.

An exciting area to highlight is the adoption of a new lower-school writing curriculum. A primary goal is to write often for various purposes and audiences – daily if possible. Students hear and discuss examples of good writing and write original pieces in a variety of genres. Our youngest students focus more time on fine motor development, handwriting, and beginning grammar skills. Objectives begin with generating and choosing ideas for writing, “telling more”, conferring with teachers and peers, and rereading our writing. These skills are demonstrated with stories about oneself.

Second grade and above aim to cultivate a relaxed uninhabited attitude about writing, creative expression, and the use of the publishing process. Exploring additional types of writing is also more intentional –such as letter writing and poetry. Students also begin writing expository nonfiction. Our fourth-grade writing curriculum emphasizes functional writing, intended to bridge the lower school and middle school, as student writing is connected more to the language arts and social studies programs.

Featured stories, poems, and text selections are reviewed periodically for quality, diversity, and appropriate complexity. We strive to have students see themselves

and others reflected in books and stories. The use of high-quality stories models and inspires – providing students with something to emulate as they prepare to write. Also supporting our efforts in literacy is the lower school library. Our print, e-book collection, and database subscriptions are targeted to meet teacher and student needs.

The literacy curriculum provides a variety of extensions, something necessary for gifted learners who typically gain understanding at a faster pace. It is not unusual to witness a teacher utilizing additional stories of an author, exploring further resources related to a topic, or indulging in a theme that students have become motivated by –this is often how meaningful projects and partnerships begin. Our collaboration with specialists enhances the student learning experience through hands-on lessons.

The lower school literacy program is intentional and designed for gifted learners. Students build a language around literacy which is foundational in its support and growth through an Open Window experience.

Language Arts and Literacy in 5-8

by Acacia Protsman

Middle school is a time when gifted learners begin the search for their own, unique voice. As they emerge as young adults, they seek ways to make their voices heard in classrooms, social groups, the community, and beyond. In language arts, teachers help students transcend the noise of adolescence and find their true voice through reading, analyzing, and writing about great literature selected to challenge their views of themselves and the world around them.

The goal of our middle school language arts program is to nurture and inspire students to have a lifelong love of reading and writing. This happens through encounters with high-quality texts written by a diverse collection of authors and through studentcentered discussions and activities that support reading comprehension, critical thinking, speaking, listening, and writing.

A few books on the middle school language arts bookshelf:

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

by Jamie Ford

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

by Mildred D. Taylor

Hope Nation: YA Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspirations

Edited by Rose Brock

The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas

Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein

Assembled from the original text

by Mary Shelley

Collections of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with Junior Great Books

How does learning a second language impact Open Window students?

What’s the biggest benefit in learning Spanish on our Open Window students?

Mandi: I teach the younger students, and they face the challenge of taking all those many thoughts and feelings in their heads and facing the limitation of translating them. Where they are with Spanish isn’t where they are in English, so they learn to find other solutions. They learn that not being perfect is OK and part of the learning process.

Erin: For middle school students, the single biggest challenge and accomplishment is learning how to work through something hard. Learning this is necessary to life, especially for these adolescents. To learn how to work through the hard stuff–to push yourself, even when you’re uncomfortable. They learn, in a safe environment, how to take risks and realize the benefit of taking those risks.

How does learning a new language help the brain?

Erin: JoAnne Deak, Ph.D., wrote a children’s book called The Fantastic Elastic Brain, in which she teaches the way to grow your brain is to challenge and stretch it, what adults would call the “growth mindset.” She talks about how the brain is like a rubber band and will stretch larger as it is challenged. And the earlier the child stretches the brain, the more connections are made. In lower school, we know that there is a limited time to develop the space in the brain for language learning.

Mandi: For example, at a certain age, you’re able to learn sounds that exist in the new language and not your native language. As they grow older, they will eventually not be able to hear those sounds if the connections are not made early.

Erin: Yes! By us working with the kids the way we do, it builds the capacity to learn language easier than if they learn later in life.

Where else does learning a new language have impact on a child?

Mandi: We have children who are also learning languages at home, often the languages of their parents’ country or culture. We see those children get excited when they make connections between Spanish and the language at home. For example, how some Spanish words sound like the ones learned at home.

We also see the children get very excited to understand grammatical connections and how languages are ordered.

They are thrilled to share and appreciate other cultures through the work we do with Spanish. We hear stories from families that, because the kids learn language here, they show greater interest in learning their family’s cultural language. According to the parents and guardians, they tell us it becomes “cool” for the kids because they realize the joy in learning language.

Why does Open Window offer Spanish only?

Erin: It’s the second-most spoken language in America. Our students can hear and gain access to Spanish speakers in our own city, so it makes it immediately relevant to them. We also know that the consistency of learning only Spanish, K-8, builds a comfort and foundation for all the students.

A conversation with Open Window’s K-4 Spanish teacher Mandi Davis and Director of Middle School Erin Wallace

How to support your student as they learn Spanish at Open Window?

Mandi: The main goal: Make learning a language a positive experience for the child. Don’t push. Watch a favorite show with Spanish dubbed, or ask the kids to share the Spanish songs they’re learning with siblings and parents at home.

They get plenty of exposure at school; the best thing parents can do is to keep it a positive experience.

Erin: For older students, going to the library and getting Spanish picture books, or placing Spanish words on items throughout the house (such as refrigerator, bed, or door), can make it fun. Join in their learning together as a family.

How learning a language impacts the growing brain

Numerous studies have shown that learning a new language has significant benefits for a child’s brain, especially those who are gifted. Here are some of the ways that learning a new language can impact the brain of a gifted child:

Improved cognitive function. Learning a new language requires the brain to process information in a different way. This helps expand memory, problem-solving, multi-tasking, executive function, and critical thinking skills.

Higher academic performance. Research shows that bilingual children tend to perform academically better than monolingual children, particularly in areas such as reading and writing.

Creativity. Learning a new language can enhance a child’s creativity by encouraging them to think in different ways and view the world from different perspectives.

Cultural awareness. Learning a new language helps children become more empathetic, and culturally enlightened and sensitive, which are valuable skills for the 21st century society of our graduates.

Social and Emotional Learning

by Kristen Kennebrew, Betsy Briardy, and Kelly Crowe-Yrarrázaval

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an essential part of an Open Window education. SEL skills are important for gifted students because they often experience the world through a unique lens and have the capacity to understand the complexity of the larger world yet may have challenges navigating the ups and downs of intense emotions.

In lower school, students receive direct instruction across grade levels covering major themes including growth mindset and goal setting, empathy, emotional regulation, problem-solving, and digital citizenship. Each year, the concepts are presented with increasing depth and complexity as students’ social and emotional worlds expand. Throughout, students build an increasingly sophisticated vocabulary to name their emotions and the strategies and approaches they use to manage them in ways that lead to positive identity development and healthy relationships.

Daily practice is encouraged as faculty anticipate opportunities for students to use the skills taught, such as exploring potential outcomes of various solutions to a problem, in real life situations.

School adults also model skills for students in meaningful ways, through engaging in dialogue about different perspectives, for example, to extend learning.

Personal safety lessons are also taught in lower school. Students learn safety rules and how to respond to unsafe situations by recognizing the danger, using refusal skills, and reporting to get help.

The middle school SEL curriculum, Project Wayfinder, adds a few additional core SEL skills to the CASELTM competencies:

• Adaptability: Willing to try again when you make mistakes, comfortable navigating uncertain situations with openness and flexibility.

• Collaboration: Building relationships by actively partnering with others and facilitating belonging across communities.

• Agency: Understanding the value of your voice and seeking opportunities to support and advance your community.

The primary theme of the Wayfinder curriculum is belonging. The theme is explored from different perspectives: belonging to yourself, developing a strong sense of self, belonging to the community, and belonging to the larger world, engaging with purpose. All belonging themes help build on the strength of our gifted students, their strong sense of social justice and understanding of complex ideas, while helping to develop strategies for navigating the ups and downs of relationships and big emotions.

SEL skills are life skills. While students learn specific skills and strategies during their advisory class, our goal is for students to transfer the knowledge gained in advisory to their daily interactions. Daily life provides an endless array of opportunities to practice and strengthen SEL skills. The best way to build strong SEL skills is to apply them in real time. Social Emotional Learning is a life-long undertaking.

PAL® Club

Open Window School PAL® Club (Peer Assistance Leadership) enables students to use their potential to make a difference in their own lives, as well as their peers’ and school community. Students who join PAL® Club are natural helpers and leaders. They are interested in helping others and contributing to a positive school culture by creating and leading activities that recognize students and staff and are fun!

This year, PAL® Club focused on activities that supported kindness, belonging, and acceptance, as well as conflict resolution. Below are just a few of the activities PAL® Club accomplished this year!

• Walk in My Shoes: school-wide mural, promoting diversity in perspective, culture and experience.

• Kindness in Cubockers: PAL® Club wrote individual inspirational and/or caring notes and placed them on every student’s cubocker. Why? Just because they care.

• Peer Mediation: PAL® students learned key skills about communication and conflict resolution. This semester, they will help their peers with conflict resolution and present skits for lower school students.

• Teen Link Posters and Prevention

• Staff of the Week

• And more!

CASELTM Competencies

The K-8 SEL program is grounded in the following evidence-based core CASELTM competencies, a common language for skill building:

• Self-Awareness: Understanding yourself on many levels from how you function to what nourishes and sustains you.

• Self-Management: The ability to regulate your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations.

• Social Awareness: The ability to take the perspective of others and be in tune with feelings and needs of others with a willingness to act for the common good.

• Relationship Skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships.

• Responsible Decision Making: The ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions.

THE LANGUAGE OF…

Bobcat Language: Our Virtues

We have shared language around our Bobcat Virtues which allows us to communicate our hopes and intentions with how we treat one another. Students in kindergarten and first grade learn this language early in their experience at Open Window School.

WE ARE KIND.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE.

WE ARE RESPECTFUL.

The Bobcat Virtues in First Grade

To begin the year in first grade at Open Window School, all students create a sculpture of how they want to feel and what they really want to learn. To make this visualization come to life the students use a rock at the bottom of their sculpture to represent a solid foundation. Written on the rock are the four virtues: Respectful, Responsible, Kind, and Inclusive.

In the middle of the sculpture is a floating heart with the words on how students want to feel when they are at school.  A cloud sits atop the sculpture. Written on the cloud is what students really want to learn or achieve in first grade. Students discuss that to have these feelings and to reach their learning goals, it is important that we all hold each other accountable to follow along with our Bobcat Virtues. With a solid foundation, Bobcats can accomplish amazing things.

OWS Upstander Trainings

Both teachers and parent/guardians had the chance to strengthen Open Window’s commitment to inclusion and belonging by attending one of several Upstander training workshops facilitated by Head of School Elaine Christensen. The parent/guardian events were hosted by the Open Window Board of Trustees and our Parent & Guardian Association. Teachers and parent/guardians navigated true-life scenarios, and learned the thinking and language to transform a challenging situation into an opportunity to connect. This approach, in which an individual chooses to take positive action in the face of injustice or intolerance, is part of the work our students and staff do every day.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

As a young high school sophomore at Sammamish High School in Bellevue, WA in 2020, Sejal Akerkar ‘19 selfpublished a collection of poetry on Amazon, walking down the sensory strip, highlighting her triumphs and struggles as a young woman of color and of Indian-origin. Her writing this book was extremely therapeutic from a mental health perspective, especially during COVID.

Now as a high school senior in 2022, she has published her second book, optic opening, which represents her immense growth and journey into young adulthood.

As she says, “I had the honor of being selfish in my first collection. It was raw and represented all of my builtup emotions and feelings that needed to be thrown on paper. This second collection is most definitely one of growth and represents my greater understanding of my surroundings. My eyes have been opened to the wonders but also the inconsolable parts that the world has to offer.  I am extremely proud of my journey and grateful to be supported in a place where I can express myself.”

Once again, Sejal is donating all the book royalties to a nonprofit called Udayan Care which fosters love, guidance, and education to poor, and orphaned children throughout India.

FOLLOW US

Facebook: Join our Open Window School Alumni Group!

Instagram: @OWSBobcat

Twitter: @OWSBobcat

KEEP IN TOUCH!

Alumni@ows.org

Kallin Spiller ‘13 received All Big West conference honors for her year with the University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Basketball team! Kallin graduated from Columbia University in New York City with two degrees, in psychology and business management, and then transferred to the University of Hawaii where she earned a master’s degree in marketing last year and is almost done with her 2nd master’s degree in communication. Her Hawaii team won the Big West Championship and went to the NCAA Big Dance. This was Kalin’s 3rd NCAA Tournament appearance!

Congratulations to Claire O’Connor ’19 who was named Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Association 3A Player of the Year while playing her senior season at Lakeside.

Congratulations

to OWS Class of 2019 alumni Allison Bush, William Fang, Ammar Ghouse, Connor Huang, Rayhan Khanna, Abby Rubin, Daniel Shubin, Neta Shubin, Swadesh Sistla, Bailey Wagner, and Evan Yi who were named 2023 National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalists! Well done, Bobcats!

Join us for Spring Arts Night on Thursday, May 25 from 5:30-8PM!

In collaboration with Bobcat Days, OWS families are invited to gather and celebrate our arts programs. Student art will be on display in the upstairs Heckerman and Robinson halls.

Outside, families will be able to play lawn games, participate in a community artwork, and have dinner provided by the PGA. Stick around to view a performance of Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS performed by our fifth graders!

Grab an arts scavenger hunt card and see how many arts experiences you can have in one evening!

Open Window Summer Program

welcomes all kids entering kindergarten through 7th grades. Camps will run from July 5 through August 4. Week-long classes provide engaging experiences designed to encourage creative and critical thinking, experimentation, and discovery. Visit openwindowschool.org/summer to find more information and sign up for summer fun!

Bobcat Alumni, MARK YOUR CALENDAR, for our next gathering on June 20 from 3-5PM.

Don’t miss the chance to catch up with old friends, say hi to favorite teachers, and of course, snacks for everyone!

Summer READING from the Library Learning Commons

by Lauren Richey

There is nothing like the feeling of recommending something to someone and having them love your recommendation. I feel this often when I recommend books to students. My recommendations usually start with a little “interview”:

• What type of book do you enjoy? (i.e.: fantasy, realistic, mystery, scary, etc.)

• What is something you read lately that you liked?

Here are some of my favorite book recommendations, in addition to a few student suggestions.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston is a newer series with two books out and a third installment coming in October 2023. If you enjoy adventures that take place in a new world that is within our world (think Harry Potter or Percy Jackson), then this is a fantastic series.

Cress Watercress by Gregory McGuire is a great animal story with gorgeous illustrations scattered throughout. Cress is a rabbit who holds out hope that her father will return from a night (food-gathering) expedition, but her mother thinks he is gone. She moves the family into a new home where we will meet a variety of characters. If you like books with animal characters or adventures, this is a great choice.

I also want to give a shout out to the winners of the American Library Association Awards and have been recommending these recently. The honor winners are also amazing books, and worth a quick internet search to find them.

Newbery and King

Freewater

by Amina Luqman-Dawson

Caldecott

Hot Dog by Doug Salati Belpre Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega

HERE ARE SOME STUDENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

3rd Grade

Lupe Wong Won’t Dance

by Donna Barba Higuera

[I recommend] because it has lots of funny content and is longer so I can read it forever.

2nd Grade Class Act by Jerry Craft

I like it because it’s a graphic novel. My mom recommended New Kid (the first book in the series) and it was really fun, and then I read Class Act and liked it, too. I like the characters.

3rd Grade The Last Cuentista

by Donna Barba Higuera

It’s very emotional and it will make you cry but it will also make you laugh. A masterpiece.

4th Grade

More to the Story by Hena Khan

I like this book because it’s a modern retelling of Little Women, but it has more power. It’s detailed and at first, it’s a little slow but it gets to the climax fast.

4th Grade

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by

Rick Riordan

I like the book because it has a lot of action, and it leads with a lot of suspense and I want to read more about it. I also like the characters and there are new characters in every book. Especially read if you’re one who likes Greek mythology.

4th Grade Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by

Tolá Okogwu

3rd Grade Realm of the Blue Mist: The Rema Chronicles

by Amy Kim Kibuishi

I’d recommend this because it has some silly content and also has different magical lands with mystical things.

I like this book because it really gets you hooked because it’s dramatic and you can never guess what’s going to happen next.

6th Grade The Silent Unseen by Amanda

McCrina

I really like this book because it is very descriptive and real. With this book you follow Maria on her way to find her parents, when she comes across her brother, Tomek. She learns that he is a commander in the Polish Resistance and she becomes an agent. When Tomek disappears, Maria needs to find him, and to do this she needs to trust the person she trusts the least.

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THE VIEW SPRING 2023

EDITOR

Carolyn Lucas

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Elaine Christensen

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Euan Oswald & Michelle Doiron

DIRECTOR OF AUXILIARY PROGRAMS & AUXILIARY PROGRAMS

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Angie Hurlock

DIRECTOR OF PARENT RELATIONS

Kristen Kennebrew, Betsy Briardy, & Kelly Crowe-Yrarrázaval

LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

COUNSELORS & ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Karey Stoltz

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH LEAD & TEACHER

Esther Magnotti & Acacia Protsman

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER & MIDDLE SCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER

Mandi Davis & Erin Wallace: Interview with Angie Hurlock

SPANISH TEACHER K-4 & DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Lauren Richey & Student Contributors

LIBRARY LEARNING COMMONS DIRECTOR

Molly Rubin

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

PHOTO CREDITS

Cover Photo by Esther Magnotti

Vidigami community contributors

DESIGN

Christa Fleming