Fall Festival

October 9, 2010

On October 2, Salmonberry School hosted our annual fall festival. This year was one of the sweetest multi-age and multi-generational gatherings I have ever seen.  There was cider pressing, thanks to Eric’s efforts.  There was beeswax candle dipping.  There were miniature donkey rides, as the older girls led and assisted the younger riders on walks [...]

Read the full article →

Elementary field trip to “The Caves”

October 9, 2010

The Salmonberry intermediate grades class has been pursuing a multi-disciplinary integrated thematic unit on “darkness.”  We have been exploring the solar system and the night sky, as well as all kinds of literary themes including mystery and suspense, good and evil and seen and unseen forces.  The time came when it seemed appropriate to have [...]

Read the full article →

International Day of Peace

October 9, 2010

Salmonberry teachers, parents and students led a community-wide gathering of about forty people who gathered in Orcas Library Park for a candlelight event to commemorate the 2010 International Day of Peace. This event, coordinated by long time peace activist and Salmonberry early childhood teacher, Linda Ellsworth was the second annual gathering on Orcas Island.  Participants, [...]

Read the full article →

Fall Campout

October 9, 2010

Much of the Salmonberry community: teachers, parents, students, siblings and the odd grandparent (not that kind of odd!) braved the inclement weather and spent a fabulous evening and morning on Lopez Island at Odlin Park.

Read the full article →

Flow

September 6, 2010

Here’s a piece I wrote this summer after spending some time reflecting on our incredible closing week last June.  I understand that this will be edited and then will appear in this winter’s Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justice.  (Some names have been changed, to protect the innocent!)  Cute photos to follow!- Paul If [...]

Read the full article →

Take a Chance… Let Them Dance.

August 30, 2010

Here is a wonderful article by Sir Ken Robinson, originally published in Edutopia.  He is such a funny and insightful speaker.  Here he reminds us about the importance of nurturing kids’ natural inclination to take risks and the inherent hierarchy of skills embedded in our mainstream educational systems.  I found this to be an inspiring [...]

Read the full article →

Salmonberry School Opens Tenth Year!

August 21, 2010

I can’t really believe we are approaching the close of our first decade providing a holistic educational alternative for children on Orcas Island.  What a wonderful and wonder-filled ride it has been so far.  This year we will be celebrating this symbolic milestone in many ways.  I wanted to begin by sharing with you all [...]

Read the full article →

May Day Celebration

June 9, 2010
Read the full article →

Fairy Houses Everywhere

March 30, 2010

The first week of spring brought some beautiful weather to Orcas island.   Salmonberry’s early childhood class celebrated with a playful visit to the  fairy realm… After reading Fairy Houses by Tracy Kane on Monday, the children were ready to dive in.   It was a joy to see how engaged the children were with fairy [...]

Read the full article →

The new pattern blocks are a hit!

February 24, 2010

The Salmonberry Garden students have been enjoying the new set of pattern blocks in the classroom. The children have created vertical towers, flat designs and designs on paper which they trace and then add pencil details for a pattern block drawing. Here are a few photos of them deeply engaged in their projects.

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →