At the beginning of this year, some of the oldest students in Upper Elementary came to me [Upper Elementary Guide Shannon Welsh] with the idea of reviving a school newspaper that had been written by UE students in the past; they remembered getting the editions of the “HMS Press” when they were in Lower Elementary, and they wanted to start it back up. What a big work they were about to embark upon!
We first talked about who might be involved and in what capacity. Then we had a lesson on the different types of articles and features that might be included in a school periodical. The planning, collaborating, delegating, and discussion is as much the work as the writing and publishing! Included below are the first two articles researched and written by these students.
Exclusive Interview with New Office Manager
Written by Clark Gilleeny and Alder Glazier
This week we interviewed Ms. Cheryl. Here's a little bit about our new office manager.
Ms. Cheryl worked at a traditional school that had grades 5-8. She was a special education teacher, which means that she worked with many students instead of teaching a regular class.
She took a year off and then she saw the ad for the office manager job. Her own children went to a Montessori School when they were young. She was interested in a new job at the time so she decided to check it out. So far, she likes the community and the people.
In her spare time, Ms. Cheryl does photography and arts and crafts. She loves fruit and chocolate!
Students Clark Gilleeny and Alder Glazier preparing the HMS Press
Clark and Alder interviewing Ms. Cheryl
Big Change Follows the Start of New Year!
Written by Gwen Welsh and Ben Dumont
Upper Elementary students enjoying the new swings
To most of the students' excitement, a playground is being installed! It began in the fall of 2023 and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2025. Currently it consists of a set of swings, a tire swing, the Supernova, and a climbing rope. In Upper Elementary and the Adolescent Program, the swings are considered the most popular. “They are fun to jump off of", said Clark, a 6th grader.
The Supernova
In contrast, the majority of Lower Elementary prefers the Supernova. “It’s like a roller coaster,” says Elliot, a third grader. Another reason that Lower Elementary prefers the Supernova is that more of their friends can fit on it. It is often seen packed with LE students having fun! And it is not just the kids who enjoy the playground. “[Watching them play] makes me feel the joy I felt when I was a child.” says Ms Cheryl, the new office manager (see our other article for an interview with her).
The new rope climb
To our surprise, the playground is not a recent idea. The inspiration came from a nature based playground, but we found that it was too expensive. “We wanted something that would blend into the natural environment,” says Ms Kari. “Even though a natural playground was too expensive.” First they looked at different companies to see what they had to offer and what it cost. After that, they chose a company and had them design it and conducted more research and modifications. As with all things, mistakes were made in the planning process, and mistakes were solved! The next step was to split the timing of the construction into two phases, Phase One and Phase Two. Once they planned it out they hired people to dig the site, which included taking away the Maker’s Space/Building Area.
The final step for now was to install the first phase, which consists of what is outside right now. Phase Two will be installed next spring, and will consist of several new features, including slides, a fire pole, and a climbing net.
3D Rendering of Phase Two
Building a playground is not free. Special wood chips are required to make landing softer and to prevent splinters (or slivers). However, the Board of Directors has approved use of money from the restricted funds, used for school improvement. More money is needed so if you would like to donate [or learn more about the project] you can click here. Both staff and students agree that the playground is a great improvement to the school.