SPRING 2022
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NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS, ALUMNI FAMILIES, GRANDPARENTS AND FRIENDS
Dear Open Window community, Spring has arrived on Cougar Mountain and a highlight of every day is watching students at all levels roll out of their cars in the morning with backpacks, lunch boxes, laptops, projects, sports gear, library books, and more and head into Heckerman or Robinson Hall. They are ready for school and the joy is palpable. Last year, at this time of year, we were gradually bringing students to campus full time. How far we have come, and how wonderful it is. In addition to students and teachers, we are also now beginning to welcome parents and guardians on campus. We have Mystery Readers in kindergarten, yearbook photographers, library volunteers, and auction donation sorters. Lower school parent/guardians come into the buildings to pick up their students, we held our first in-person board meeting in my tenure as Head of School, and our auction was in person this year. The after-school hours have become lively again as kids play on the playground and parents talk and visit. These are all events that we used to take for granted. No longer. Now we understand how important it is to simply be together. These are the ties that bind our community. This edition of The View focuses on life on campus. You will read about our thriving after-school programs including chess, debate, and crosscountry. You will hear about traditions that matter like NaNoWriMo and Mystery Reader. You will see what’s happening in the Innovation and Technology Lab. Our middle school held Project Week this spring focused on interconnections between each other and between individuals and the greater world. There is an update on the arts program, a key feature of the Open Window curriculum, one that is particularly important for gifted learners. Our students often make connections across disciplines; they also relish the opportunity to try new things and be less than perfect. The arts foster creativity, risk-taking, and resilience. These are competencies that matter. Finally, we say farewell to Marja Ziuzin who retired from Open Window School as Chief Financial Officer after 22 years. Her impact on the campus, the program, and the school is profound and we are grateful. There is so much to look forward to as we round the corner towards the end of the 2021-2022 school year. We hope to see many of you at one or more of the upcoming events: Grandparents and Special Friends Day, Bobcat Days, Graduation, the Alumni Reunion, and Summer Program! All my best to all of you—
Elaine Christensen Head of School
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On Elaine’s Bookshelf by Elaine Christensen
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams This book emerged from a full week that the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu spent together in Dharamshala in 2015. During that week, which had taken years to plan and orchestrate, the two men focused on the teachings of joy that come from each man’s cultural milieu, the latest science on joy, and many stories of joy, and—most wonderfully—story after story about joy in the lives of these two amazing human beings. “The Dalai Lama and the Archbishop remind us that joy is in fact our birthright, and even more fundamental than happiness.” “Joy,” as the Archbishop said during the week, “is much bigger than happiness. While happiness is seen as being dependent on external circumstances, joy is not.” This state of mind—and heart—is
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Letter from the Head of School
15 Interconnection Week
2 Elaine’s Bookshelf
21 Book Awards
3 Around Campus
23 Marja Ziuzin’s Retirement
11 The Arts
25 Alumni Spotlight
Follow us on social media:
@OWSBobcat
facebook.com/OpenWindowSchool
@OWSBobcat
much closer to both the Dalai Lama’s and the Archbishop’s understanding of what animates our lives and what ultimately leads to a life of satisfaction and meaning.” Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds with artwork by Jason Griffin This book is like no other. It is a beautifully rendered, artistic volume composed of three long sentences which give a window into the mind and heart of a young Black person. There are glimpses into the world he inhabits, the questions he has, his family, and the cultural dynamics at play around him. His voice is strong and real, but it is the words combined with the images that make this book stand out. Reynolds and Griffin were college roommates. Griffin says, at the end, “this book [is] a consistent narrative with the understanding that as the artist, it might be difficult to just make text fit into a piece of art—that there needed to be creative license to feel out the right fit. I think the trust has always been there, but I think this is what doing does.” This book is our community book read for the spring 2022, and the author, Jason Reynolds, is one of the speakers in our Virtual Equity and Inclusion Speaker Series.
Head of School Elaine Christensen joins Marja Ziuzin on the Robinson Porch for her retirement celebration.
ON THE COVER Students enjoyed playing arcades designed and built by fifth and sixth graders during middle school Interconnection Week. See page 15.
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Around CAMPUS CHESS The 2021-2022 OWS Chess Club is being conducted inperson once again after a year of meeting virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Students were split evenly into three groups of 12-14 by age and chess experience level. Chess master coaches Bill Schill, Sloan Setiadikurnia, and Josh Sinanan taught the beginner, intermediate, and advanced groups, respectively. During chess club sessions, students engaged their minds learning tricky strategies and tactics, solving challenging chess puzzles, and playing casual and tournament games. Chess parent/guardian volunteer leaders Sha Sha ZhongMetzmaker and Tammy Hensel coordinated the club and organized two OWS Tornado tournaments, one in the Fall of 2021 and
one in the Spring of 2022, as well as a trip to attend the Elementary Chess Nationals in Columbus, Ohio! The Open Window School Fall Tornado took place on October 16, 2021. There was a brilliant turnout with 77 scholastic chess players in grades K-12 competing across four sections: K-3 U800, K-3 Open, K-12 U1200, and K-12 Open. The online format made the tournament accessible to players from throughout North America. In January, 11 OWS chess players from grades 1-6 competed in the WA Junior Open and Reserve Chess Tournament, and captured
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second place out of 27 school teams. We were proud of our players for coming together as a team for the first time since the pandemic to achieve such a big accomplishment. The Open Window students and coaches are now busy preparing for State and National competitions, which take place later this Spring. Go Bobcats!
CROSS COUNTRY Cross Country is one of our most popular sports at Open Window and this past season was no exception! 27 middle school students joined the team this fall ready to test themselves against the clock (and the weather!) over 1.5 miles. Led by their coaches Mr. McCullough and Mr. Holmes, the
team participated in five meets against other local independent schools. Our runners placed in the top 3 in every boys and girls race during the season culminating in a 1-2-3 for the boys and a 2-3 placing for the girls at our home meet at Lewis Creek Park. We are incredibly proud of our athletes
who improved their times over the course of the season and provided so much support for each other.
DEBATE Debate season started this year with a record setting 47 debate members. Excited and ready to practice their public speaking, the students jumped right into debate waters, researching and sparring with their teammates. The first tournament in November had three prepared topics: “Middle School students should create their own curricula,” “Fairy tales do more harm than good,” and “The use of palm oil in commercial products should be illegal.” Demonstrating that hard work and dedication pays off, the Bobcat debaters won first place at the tournament, with numerous teams going undefeated and many students placing in the top ten for speaker scores. The second tournament in January required even more focus, as the debaters honed their skills, focusing on using different types of evidence to support their arguments. The topics for this tournament were: “Single use plastic water bottles should be banned” and “Social media has
improved human communication.” They looked at historical, contemporary, anecdotal, and hypothetical types of evidence and discussed the efficacy of each type in supporting assertions. They practiced weighing the debate and explaining to the judge why their assertions were more impactful. Again, our team of Bobcats claimed a first-place victory. The final tournament of the year is always bittersweet, as students must come to terms with the fact that the season is over. In prepping for the March 5 tournament, students not only focused on researching the two prepared topics, but also spent considerable time practicing their impromptu debate skills. Throughout the season, Wednesday mornings before-school debate practice gave those go-getters a chance to practice coming up with arguments and evidence on the spot. It was obvious at the tournament that this dedication paid off, as the impromptu round was one of our
strongest. Along with the prepared topics of “Punishment in response to school misbehavior is more harmful than helpful” and “The US should immediately phase out fossil fuels,” students also debated the impromptu topic of whether banning books can be helpful in society. The students did a great job, finishing the season with a fourth-place win out of thirteen schools. Debate coaches Corey Paulson and Arren Ellingson are so proud, not only because of the team’s debate prowess, but because of the empathetic learning that took place as they delved into both sides of controversial topics.
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Around CAMPUS ROCKET CLUB Wednesday afternoons in Rocket Club has students designing on paper, using flight simulators and Rhino CAD programs, finding 3D printing parts they need, and laser cutting others. They collaborate and discuss proposed changes in design. They glue, fabricate parts, go outside to whip their rockets in circles in the air to find the centers of gravity and pressure. Students double-check calculations and measurements, reconstruct rockets partially damaged during previous flights, and sometimes draw funny faces on the eggs which serve as precious cargo to be kept safe during flights, one of a few tasks
set by the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) which many students are competing in this year. The enthusiastic scientific discourse, problem-solving, innovation, teamwork, and technical skills-building students engage in during these club
meetings remind Mr. Mechling why he chose teaching as a profession, as he explains, “I love not having all the answers but knowing where and how to guide students in finding the answers, often which lie hidden within them, just under the surface ready to be discovered.”
ROBOTICS EXPLORATION IN THE INNOVATION & TECH LAB In mid-October, an eighth-grade student with prior Lego robotics experience decided to build an FTC (First Tech Challenge) robot kit in the ITL. As they
were designing and building, they realized they needed to drill a few holes in the frame and recruited a few helpers who would soon become “the team”. They call themselves “The Drillers Team” because of this origin story. Since those first days, the team has divided into specialists, focusing on specific needs from setting up a live camera feed, to programming distance sensors, to getting the servo motors running, to wiring, to even designing and laser cutting a storage box for
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MYSTERY READER by Kindergarten Teachers Esther Magnotti and Trudy Tauscheck
parts. Each operation is necessary for the robot, called “Fish”, to go from its current remote-controlled operation to becoming a selfdriving robot. Though much of the team is new to robotics, this has been an excellent opportunity to come together as a peer group on a student-chosen project, learn new skills, make mistakes, iterate, collaborate, and have agency in the process. Go “Fish”! Go Bobcats!
Open Window School is home to two Innovation & Technology Labs (ITLs) — unique multi-functional spaces where students come together to create, invent, tinker, and explore. The ITLs are hubs of student-driven innovation and provide students access to real-world tools and materials, including laser cutters, 3-D printers, electronics, hand tools, sewing machines, robotics, green screens, and more. Both ITLs are home to weekly computer science classes, as well as authentic interdisciplinary projects in collaboration with homeroom and content-area teachers.
The Open Window School Kindergarten “Mystery Reader” experience has been a beloved tradition, evolving into our current pandemic to continue its warm and exciting literary experience for our young Bobcats. “Mystery Reader” takes place in each kindergarten class nearly every Friday of the school year. Our mystery guest, who is often a classroom parent/guardian, staff member, or rarer — grandparent, sibling, or far-away relative, chooses a few of their favorite books to read to the class. In pre-pandemic times, the reader would hide behind a classroom cupboard and surprisingly reveal themself after the students have asked a series of yes or no questions in attempts to identify the reader; however, the tradition has adapted to video recordings or Zoom visits during distancelearning mode and pandemic classroom time. With no less suspense, there is always a teasing introduction that might include music, questions, and the video “turned off” before our reader is announced!
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Around CAMPUS The Mystery Reader unveils themselves with joy and communicates their meaningful connection to the class. We have had parent/guardians wear attire representing their family culture, some who share shorter books in other languages, or books that have dual languages on a page. We have had parent/guardians show their pets on screen, dress up in Halloween costumes, give tours of their workspace, or simply explain how excited the are to have this experience in the middle of their day. Recently, we had a parent/ guardian share the importance of Black History Month before reading The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson and E. B. Lewis.
NANOWRIMO
The tradition of “Mystery Reader” has been a significant way to enjoy literacy, learn about one another, and to share connection. At the conclusion of the guest readaloud, we invite students to ask questions of our guest. These are always innocent and sweet, such as “What games do you play with your child?” At times students dive deeper into questions such as, “What languages does your family speak?” and “What is your job?”. This tradition consistently ranks at the top of kindergarten life at Open Window School. We are grateful for the thrill these experiences bring, while connecting culture, family, and literacy!
by Sixth Grade Humanities Team Ryan Brown and Aly Mirasol
In November, sixth grade humanities students engaged in a traditional creative writing activity— NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. This national event can be joined by anyone, from professional authors to students in classrooms. The premise is to write a story without worrying about the pressure of typos, grammar, or other errors; eliminating the fear of the red squiggly lines under words and focusing on the story writers have in mind.
Students set both individual goals and a collective goal of writing 350,000 words. Throughout the process, students engaged in learning about plot structure, character development, setting, mood, and the elements of interesting dialogue. Outlines were created, edited, tossed out, and rewritten throughout the process before settling on stories that fit the ideas in their heads. By the end of the month, students in the sixth grade surpassed their goal with 400,000 words!
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Any author knows that the publishing does not happen when the words are on the page. In December, all the red lines and liberties we took with our writing had to be addressed with a focus on grammar. There were lessons on capitalization rules, comma usage, and end-of-sentence punctuation. The collaborative effort of partner editing allowed students to hear from their target audience (age-level peers) and receive compliments and feedback for their work.
The arrival of our published books! Kids celebrated by unwrapping their books, pouring over covers, and reading back cover blurbs of peers’ books.
The last stretch in January included finishing touches to an exceptional story. We began with formatting, especially the areas of dialogue and paragraph structures. Book covers were designed to entice readers to pick the book up, along with the ever-essential back page blurbs that solidify the choice to take a book home. We wrapped things up by adding an about the author segment and an optional dedication page before sending their stories off to print. After hours of imagining, typing, correcting, revising, designing, and editing, the journey ends with the fresh-off-the-press smell of a brand-new book, written by sixth grade authors.
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Around CAMPUS JOYFUL CONNECTIONS ON CAMPUS
BREAKS AND RECESS
HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR THE DAY
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HOUR OF CODE
TEACHER LUNCHES (THANK YOU PARENTS AND GUARDIANS!)
PI DAY
WINTER PARTIES
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Arts
IN GIFTED EDUCATION
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Open Window School incorporates arts education as part of our mission to nurture and inspire gifted learners. One common theme across our arts program is that the exposure has a much greater impact than a finished art piece, performance, or concert. Social and emotional development is at the core of arts education. Students in kindergarten through eighth grade move through an arc of self-exploration, perseverance, collaboration, increased confidence, and more. VISUAL ARTS
their art to the world and use it to affect change and reflect upon their own personal growth. We connect the projects we do in the studio to the role the arts play in our modern world. The technical skills we provide become a toolbox students can pull from to express their ideas, now and in the future.
by K-8 Art Teacher Katya Palladina
Gifted learners, by definition, have many different learning styles. Exposure to arts and supported creative instruction strengthens self-understanding. Visual arts allow students to non-verbally process thoughts and emotions. In the lower school visual arts program, we strive to inspire students with a diverse range of artists and visual arts techniques, focusing on process over product and providing time for students to reach a comfortable working “flow state.” We prioritize tactile experiences that allow students to build fine motor skills while also emphasizing a healthy creative mindset—the idea that the art we create is an extension of ourselves and a way to appreciate what makes us unique. We want our students to feel included and confident in the art studio, and to explore new experiences without a fear of failure. Participation in the arts is an emotional and social outlet, and often an area of learning that allows for great self-awareness and discovery. Many of our students are talented in math, science, technology, and the language arts, but find they experience struggle when in arts classes. This is a crucial experience for them as they need opportunities to embrace productive struggle and
learn grit and perseverance in a safe, nurturing environment. This is the foundation upon which we build technical artistic skills. Students undergo a period of great personal change during middle school. They learn more about themselves and begin to better define who they are and who they want to become. Our goal in the middle school visual arts program is to build upon the foundational arts skills provided in lower school while providing the opportunity to dive further into specific areas of interest that older students, with greater capacity for focus and depth of thought, can manage. Our art studio is a safe, welcoming environment where all students are encouraged and feel seen, and can work without fear, judgement, or competition. Middle school students understand that art is an extension of themselves, and we work to take this idea a step further, emphasizing that students have the power to bring
Art is an extension of who we are. Through the creative process, kids learn about who they are and gain a deeper, more compassionate understanding of the world around them.
“From line art to pastel, to colors, to blocks, you flourish down the streams of fresh pastel colors, and the currents of rushing darkness. You have the talent to pour them together in the ocean of a masterpiece, all different colors, shades, and tones to make magic. And that is called art. Art is filled with passion, and I would like to thank you for using passion to teach our class. Having the talent, having art in your heart.” —Third grade note to art teachers Katya Palladina and Katie Roth
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Arts
IN GIFTED EDUCATION
MUSIC EDUCATION by K-8 Music Teacher Erik Koski
As a music educator, I believe all students are musical. Throughout my career, I have seen students express musical thoughts and ideas in many ways. This highlights the diversity within music itself. When Open Window students enter my classroom, I see them as learners, not as performers, young musicians ready to explore and express the language of music. Interdisciplinary connection is one of the many reasons music is vital to gifted learners and when students are exploring music, they are often making connections to multiple subjects. Though some students may enjoy singing, others may have excellent instrumental technique, excel in improvisation, or create
tonal patterns in various meters with ease. Conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein was one of the most beloved musicians of the 20th century. He often sang from the podium during rehearsals and was notorious for his “less than pitchperfect” voice. He may not have been a strong singer, but without his gifts as a composer, we would not have his fantastic works, such as the beloved musical West Side Story.
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Though many students will not pursue a musical career, music education has immeasurable value. Students can better understand multiple types of languages, cultures, emotions, and identities. Music education also helps teach learners mastery and persistence. Open Window students are all musical. How they express their understanding is as diverse as music itself.
DRAMA by K-8 Drama Teacher Zoe Wilson
Have you ever heard of the famous improv saying “Yes, and…”? Imagine yourself on stage, in front of an audience, about to perform a scene that hasn’t been written. Your scene partner gives you an offer to start the scene, “Zookeeper, help! The panda has escaped its enclosure!” With the common goal of creating a scene on the fly, you answer with “Yes, and it took all the bamboo!” You and your scene partner have quickly established your scene’s relationship, setting, conflict, and a way to move forward. In drama class, we embrace this philosophy both as actors and as humans. How can you find a way to say yes to your teammates while including your idea as well? The use of improv games and comedy allows students to navigate these tricky situations with the veil of laughter and silliness. We build the skills of creativity, collaboration, and confidence, and every student is on their own journey. Some students are ready to hop on stage and do a silly dance in front of their classmates
while others would prefer to be seated in the audience. The strength of a K-8 drama program is the arc of yearly growth of students’ social and emotional development in these skillsets. Dramatic and imaginary play are activities any student can do, regardless of their academic development. This is especially meaningful for our students identified as gifted and twice exceptional. The act of “playing” lowers the stakes for a student to do something “right.” Drama is a personal and exposing
artform that asks students to take risks with their bodies, ideas, and voice. When performed in an inclusive classroom, drama activities celebrate student self-expression and creativity.
7 SENTENCE STORY Want to try an easy improv game that can be done anywhere? Play the “7 Sentence Story” game at the dinner table, in the car, or in a dull moment. Each person contributes one or two sentences of the story. Remember to embrace “Yes, and” to create a story that is collaborative and makes sense! 7 Sentence Story Once upon a time… And every day… Until one day… And then… And then… Until finally… And so…
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Interconnection Week Middle School Interconnection Week was a great opportunity to connect, collaborate, and explore new skills. Students and teachers spent the entire week engaged in a variety of projects including researching, problem solving, building, creating, presenting, and getting out into the field for team building and service. This week is an important time in middle school for learning to work together on common goals and to discover the authentic connections that can be made in an interconnected world.
FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE: ARCADE
“ My favorite part of Interconnection Week was when we finished the project that we had worked so hard on and got to play everyone’s games on Friday.” –Max
Fifth and sixth graders spent the week designing, pitching, and building a cardboard arcade, inspired by the 2012 film Caine’s Arcade, about a kid who took recyclables and cardboard and created a wonderland of creativity and inspiration. Families donated cardboard, bottle caps, marbles, twist ties, washers/nuts, popsicle sticks, dowels, golf tees, wine corks or any clean up-cyclable materials. Students in teams began with a blueprint, then created a presentation to pitch their ideas for build-approval. Building involved collaboration, iteration, problem-solving, and perseverance. Many enjoyed the process of decorating their arcades, but the pinnacle of the week was the end of the week arcade enjoyed by Open Window student community.
“ My favorite memory from Interconnection Week was working together and seeing how hard work pays off.” –Carter W.
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“ A highlight of Interconnection Week was getting to work with people that I might not normally get to work with on a project.” –Lauren
“ Even when I did feel a little frustrated, we worked things out, and everybody got a say in what they wanted.” –Meenakshi
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Interconnection Week SEVENTH GRADE: FISH TANK Seventh Grade Interconnection Week was called “Fish Tank” (modeled after the hit TV show, “Shark Tank”). Over the week, seventh grade students are put into 3-4 person teams to create a product or service that has an impact on the world, from new lowflow toilets to a new type of packing peanuts. Parent/guardian, teacher and OWS administrative experts in finance, product design, marketing, nonprofit work, and entrepreneurship virtual met with in meetings to support product development. Teams created commercials and marketing plans which were presented to the Big Fish investors, a team of judges including parent/ guardians; Ann Wessing, Touré McCluskey, Vijaye Raji, and former OWS CFO Marja Ziuzin. The Big Fish investors invited four teams to the big pitch. Seventh graders wrapped up the week with less intensity exploring the Cougar Mountain trails.
“ Project Week provided an opportunity to engage in innovation, creativity, or business, and it incorporated teamwork and collaboration as an essential factor of the process. Fish Tank was both challenging and thrilling to find, cultivate, and pitch a service/invention to investors in only one week. In such a small period, I learned so much about economics, business, and philanthropy—future seventh graders, look forward to it!” –Maris
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EIGHTH GRADE: CONNECTIONS Eighth graders’ Interconnection Week focused on many different areas, from connecting to each other, to nature, to local issues, and to leadership. Students had opportunities for team building through games and a fun-filled snowshoeing trip. They learned about at-home issues of food insecurity and spent a service day packing food at Food Lifeline. They visited and worked in the gardens at tBug, an urban community garden in Bellevue. The week ended with a leadership project where eighth graders and their kindergarten buddies planted seeds using algorithms the kindergartners developed in the Innovation and Technology Lab.
“My three favorite activities were probably snowshoeing, meeting my (kindergarten) buddy, and going to TBug Farm. I loved that I was able to do a mix of service while socializing and hanging out with my friends.” –Sonja
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Interconnection Week
EIGHTH GRADE AND KINDERGARTEN BUDDIES: PLANTING SEEDS
“ I really enjoyed going to Food Lifeline because packing the food made me feel like I was making an impact and we got to help people who were food insecure get the meals they needed.” –Ciara
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“ Digging up rhubarb at TBug Farm was so fun for me because I like working with shovels, and I was also working with my friends beside me.” –Ethan
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AWARD WINNING BOOKS YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS by Ms. Richey, Library and Learning Commons Director
Each year the American Library Association sponsors 18 awards including the well-known prestigious awards: the Caldecott, Newbery, Printz, and Coretta Scott King. All awards acknowledge achievements in writing and illustration for children and young adults and seek to highlight the breadth of creation published in the United States in the previous calendar year. I love these award books not just because the writing and illustrations are beautiful, but because they help readers peek into different families, cultures, neighborhoods, and schools, and reflect the parts of our lives that we have in common with the story, back to us. Some of my favorite awards are those that celebrate books by diverse authors and feature diverse stories. Here is your cheat sheet to these awards and a bunch (but not all!) of my favorite books that were awarded this year, organized by interest level for OWS students. Happy reading!
sian/Pacific American Award for A Literature: to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit A merican Indian Youth Literature Award: identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America. T he Batchelder Award: awarded for a children’s book originating in a country other than the United States and subsequently translated into English. T he Caldecott Medal: awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. C oretta Scott King Book Award: given to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. There are two categories of this award—author and illustrator. T he Theodor Seuss Geisel Award: given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers.
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T he Michael L. Printz Award: books that exemplify the literary excellence in young adult literature. he Newbery Medal: awarded T annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. P ura Belpre Award: given to Latino/Latina writers and illustrators whose work best portrays and celebrates the Latino cultural experience. chneider Family Book Award: S honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. T he Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal: awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book. S tonewall Book Award: books honored for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/ bisexual/transgender experience. S ydney Taylor Award: outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.
ON MS. RICHEY’S BOOKSHELF PICTURE BOOKS
EMERGING READERS
MIDDLE GRADE
YOUNG ADULTS (GRADES 7+)
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Marja Ziuzin’s Retirement This November, with hearts full of gratitude, we celebrated Marja Ziuzin’s retirement on the Robinson Hall porch. Serving as the school’s Chief Financial Officer, Marja joined the school in its early years in 1999. Over 22 years, she has worked with three heads of school and her work is reflected in every square foot of our campus on Cougar Mountain from the buildings to the parking lot to the art installations. This interview with Marja reflects her experiences at Open Window School as both an administrator and OWS parent. What brought you to Open Window School? I was a manager at Boeing and working in Everett. Our daughter Hannah had just turned four and I was wishing my job was closer to home. I stumbled across an ad in the local Bellevue newspaper for a Business Manager at Open Window School. Accepting the position was one of the best decisions of my life. What was the Open Window School like when you started? When I started, the school was leasing two buildings in Newport Hills that had five classrooms in each building. One of the classrooms was used for the main office area in which there were five of us; the head of school, development director, admissions director/office manager, receptionist, and me. The school had
bought a couple portables. One was used as the library and the other for a technology lab. There were approximately 150 students and 30 employees. The school community was very close, and I was impressed by the level of parent volunteerism and commitment to the school. I had not worked at a school or a non-profit organization before. The school was very young when I started, and it relied on amazing parent volunteers for help in the areas of technology and finance for example. Fun fact: I went to elementary school on this very site, in the 1960’s, when it was Lake Heights Elementary School!
graduating in 2017 with a B.A. in Business Finance. (Open Window) provided a place where I could grow along with the school’s growth. At the beginning, I so valued the ability to walk my daughter to school and it allowed my husband and parents to have a strong connection with the school, as well. I knew the teachers and administration cared about our daughter. She had amazing teachers throughout her six years at Open Window. What makes you most proud? For the first 10 years of my career at Open Window, we were operating and planning for constant change and growth and grew enrollment by 65% when moving from Newport
Tell me about your time as an OWS parent. Hannah started at Open Window in the fall of 2000 as a kindergartner and graduated after fifth grade (before Open Window had a middle school). She absolutely thrived at Open Window, and it was as a fourth grader that she became involved in Destination Imagination with some of her classmates. They would continue as teammates through their senior year in high school, even though they all attended different schools after graduating Open Window. She went to the University of San Diego,
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Hills to Cougar Mountain and then strategically managed grade level sections to reduce the lower school while building the middle school. Over the last 12 years with the expansion of Robinson Hall and the increase in the enrollment cap, we’ve seen wonderful growth in the middle school. Long-term financial modeling was necessary to understand the impacts of various decisions related to enrollment management, financing,
was my favorite day. You saw a range of emotions on the faces of students and parents. The teachers had transformed the hallways and their classrooms to welcome students. Kids were reconnecting with friends and seeing their favorite teachers. The first day of school was a day of renewal every year that I felt was very rejuvenating.
program enhancements, financial aid, tuition, construction, compensation, and benefits. I’m proud to have contributed to important strategic decisions throughout the years and to have managed the school’s resources with care. Do you have a memorable story you would like to share? So many great memories! Meeting Mr. Leber on the property before the school took final ownership. He gave me a tour of the underground water well. (The Lebers raised their family here on the property that was once a farm.)
The remodels of Bue Commons, the LLC, and the Innovation Labs. Being interviewed by a second-grade student every year. What will you miss most? The first day of school every year
Being a part of a mission-oriented organization with so many people — employees, board members, and parents all working together to ensure students are experiencing joy while becoming confident, creative, problem-solvers.
HERE’S WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MARJA. pursue our visions for the school with confidence. I knew I could always depend on her for advice, sound financial planning, and a good laugh. She was an invaluable friend to me and to the school.
Wilder Dominick, Head of School 1997-2012 We had some exciting times back in the early years of my time at OWS: big dreams, inspired visions, and an abundance of courage. Little did we know that we would overcome significant obstacles to achieve and exceed those goals. I was incredibly fortunate to have Marja as a key partner during these times. She was critical to the school’s growth, possessing a rare mix of financial understanding, creativity, and strategic savvy which helped us
It was also a joy to welcome Marja’s daughter, Hannah, to OWS and observe her blossom. Marja and her wonderful husband, Greg, were beloved members of the school community. Marja was a gift to the school in so many ways. She leaves an amazing legacy.
day it arrived. It was so much fun to see her draw a playful moment of enjoyment from such a challenging process that required so much of her. Marja served Open Window incredibly well through various periods of institutional evolution and challenges. Her lasting impact on the school will last far beyond her departure in the form of Open Window’s strong reserves, well-structured investments, and outstanding facilities.
Jeff Stroebel, Head of School 2012-2020 No project was too complex or too challenging for her diligent attention, most notably the huge construction project concluded in 2019. One of my favorite school memories is of Marja posing in the huge drainage pipe the
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Congratulations OWS Class of 2018 alumni Rohan Ganesh, Rasan Kamkolkar, Raymond Kao, Natalie Sarabosing, and Ved Thiru who were named 2022 National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalists! Well done, Bobcats! Maddie Gwinn ‘11 is working for a film production company based in Seattle called Matador, doing what she loves to do the most – making and editing movies, and traveling the world! Noah Funk ‘13 is currently in Tel Aviv for a 5-month internship living with other students from around the world. He is working for BDO in corporate finance on their consulting team, focusing on financial modeling in due diligence, valuations, business plans, and investor presentations. Cate Gwinn ‘13 is working as a clinical research coordinator for the Cancer Immunotherapy Program at UCSF. She works as the liaison between doctors, nurses, patients, labs, and trial sponsors to ensure day-to-day and long-term goals of the studies are met. She is currently coordinating trials to treat leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma in adults through CAR-T cell therapy. Elle Parks ‘13 graduated with honors from WSU in December with degrees in both Neuroscience and Spanish. She is currently attending the University of Miami for a third degree in nursing. The daily sunshine has been a welcome respite! Sophie McQuain ‘13 is a software developer for Neudesic, an IBM Company. She is also working
toward her Master of Computer Science at Boston University. Isabel Funk ‘16 is the Managing Editor of Northwestern University and Evanston’s paper, The Daily, which is both a school and a community newspaper. She is loving her sophomore year majoring in journalism at Northwestern Medill School of Journalism. Anna Bencke ‘16 is currently attending Brown University and has declared her double major of Astrophysics and Applied Math. She is enjoying being part of the Brown cheer team, and the Delta Gamma sorority on campus. This summer she will be working at Axon with an internship in business intelligence analytics. Livie McQuain ‘16 was accepted to the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School, where she will spend six weeks training starting in May. After the training, she will head to Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta. Lindsay Rubin ‘17 is loving the California sun and is the starting goalie for UCSD’s club lacrosse team. The Tritons had a strong season with only one loss and are hoping to head to the Women’s Club Lacrosse Association national tournament in May in Round Rock, Texas. Stella Crowson ‘17 was recently awarded a City of Newcastle Chamber of Commerce Diamond award for her work coordinating “Her Drive” which donated more than 15,000 personal care items to LifeWire.
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Ben Gallop ‘18 recently enjoyed backpacking through Utah with Overlake School’s project week. He is looking forward to the culmination of his high school experience with a senior project performing research and writing articles for Seattle mental health start-up Joon, where he has also been serving as a student advisor. Elsie Bencke ‘19 is in her senior year at Newport High School where she was named team MVP and King County honorable mention in varsity soccer. When she wasn’t on the field, she ran a citywide DEI event for the Bellevue Youth Council. In March Abby Rubin ‘19 and Bess Hurlock ‘20 took the stage together in Overlake’s production of Spitfire Grill. Both enjoyed being back on stage after two years! Annie Crowson ‘20 continues to pursue her passion for lacrosse recently making American Select’s 2024 west regional team. In addition, Annie will be representing our state earning a spot on Team Washington, playing in the USA National Tournament. Congratulations to Sadye Derstadt ‘21, Ava Arabshahi ‘19, and Kaitlyn Girotto ‘19 who all qualified to swim in the Speedo Sectionals swim meet in Arizona in late March! Congratulations to soccer goalkeeper Audrey Gruben ‘21 who has been selected to head to Portugal with the Girls 2006 Washington State EPD team where they will compete at the prestigious Iber Cup.
GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY MAY 25-26 Grandparents and special friends are invited to join us May 25-26 for a virtual peek into your favorite student’s day at Open Window School. This day is a longstanding Open Window School tradition that celebrates the many people in our students’ lives. You are one of those special people, and we look forward to welcoming you, virtually, to the school. Sign up today at openwindowschool.org/welcome!
JOIN US THIS SUMMER! JULY 5-AUGUST 5 We welcome all kids entering kindergarten through 7th grades. We also have a Teacher Assistant (TA) program for students entering 8th through 12th grades. Week-long classes provide engaging experiences designed to encourage creative and critical thinking, experimentation, and discovery. 5 weeks of Summer Program classes taught by Open Window teachers are available. From arts and crafts to science and technology, we cover it all! Join us to explore, create, and discover. Visit openwindowschool.org/summer to register!
SAVE THE DATE! JUNE 20, 3-5PM We invite alumni and alumni parents to join us this year for a chance to meet our Head of School Elaine Christensen, visit with friends, and learn about the strategic initiatives for Open Window as we look to the future.
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THE VIEW SPRING 2022 EDITOR
Carolyn Lucas COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Elaine Christensen
Ryan Brown & Aly Mirasol
Molly Rubin
SIXTH GRADE HUMANITIES TEACHER & ASSOCIATE TEACHER
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Zoe Wilson
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 1999-2021
K-8 DRAMA TEACHER
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Katya Palladina
Esther Magnotti & Trudy Tauscheck
Erik Koski
KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS
Marja Ziuzin PHOTO CREDITS
Vidigami photo community contributors
K-8 ART TEACHER K-8 MUSIC TEACHER
DESIGN
Lauren Richey
Christa Fleming
LIBRARY AND LEARNING COMMONS DIRECTOR
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