Celebrating our 20th year A publication of Sedona Charter ...
Transcript of Celebrating our 20th year A publication of Sedona Charter ...
A look back in time
report music notes >>>
Can you hear the difference? Celebrating our 20th year
Can you tell the difference
between a young musician
and a professional violinist
just by listening? Of course you can!
Kristina is excited to begin working with all
of our new and returning students as they
develop their skills as young musicians. An
important part of being a successful musician is
practice. Yes, we’ll all admit it’s not the
glamorous part, but it is extremely important.
Just like one must practice hitting the ball in
order to be a successful baseball player,
musicians need to spend time playing their
instruments outside of school.
Sedona Charter School is known for our
amazing strings program and we want to
continue to develop young musicians with a
love of music and a desire for excellence.
Parents: Your mission, should you choose to
accept it, is to require (yes, I said require) your
children to practice their instruments at home.
The rewards will be eternal and you will be
amazed at how quickly they progress.
Roadrunner academic excellence … personal growth … small school environment
August 2014 >>>
A publication of Sedona Charter School
K-8 Tuition-free Montessori School
Writing and Design: Bethany Cathcart
Photography: Alice Madar
Editor: Jane Cathcart
in this issue >>>
Celebrating our 20th year
Cosmic Education
Classroom Make-overs
Primary Corner
Alumni News
Letter From the President
Every organization or school had a
beginning, and we are taking this 20th year
to take a look back in time to discover our
roots and learn about those who had the
vision to start Sedona Charter School as well
as the people along the way who made it
possible.
We can thank the parents of children
graduating from Miss Gail’s pre-school and
kindergarten at Sedona Montessori School
for their vision to get the ball rolling!
Realizing there were no local elementary
schools providing Montessori based
education, they took advantage of the new
charter school law and worked to build a
school where their children could continue
learning in the same style and learning
environment to which they were
accustomed.
Sedona Charter School was born in
1995 and was one of the first charters
granted in the state of Arizona. After
months of planning and working with
both the City and Sedona Oak Creek
School District, a modular classroom
was set up near the Deer Trail campus
and school began with Bob Wentsch
leading grades 1-2 and Chris McGee
teaching grades 3-5. Enrollment
capped at 90 students in several
locations around town including White
Bear Trail next to the library which
eventually became the Middle School
campus.
Our design team had the vision to
begin working on the charter before the
new AZ charter school law even went
into effect to ensure ours would be one
of the first charters granted. With only
27 of the original 55 charter schools
still operating, we are among the
strongest in the state.
Sedona Charter School was one of
the first 3 charters granted in the
state of Arizona. This school year
we celebrate our 20th year of
educating children in Sedona.
From new carpeting in the LE classroom
to a new playground surface in the pit, Sedona
Charter School has had a busy summer
preparing for school to begin on August 6th.
We’d like to thank all of our parent volunteers
who helped move furniture for our new carpet
to be installed and the many parents and
students who shoveled, raked and rolled bark
for our new playground surface.
Bob, Terri, Ginny, Katarina, and Lucille
have worked diligently to prepare the LE
classroom so that everything students come in
contact with will facilitate and maximize
independent learning and exploration.
Allowing for movement and activity, students
are able to work on the materials at their own
pace permitting each child to experience a
combination of success, freedom and self-
discipline. Our classroom is designed to invite
the learner to come in and work. The
classroom is arranged so that students are able
upper elementary >>>
Cosmic Education Have your children ever asked, “Who am I”? Have
you ever wondered why you exist on this planet?
Cosmic Education was developed by Maria Montessori as a result of her wartime
experiences, designed to help students make sense of their point in time and where they fit
in the world. Rather than focusing her camera on one subject, she sought to capture the
panoramic view, teaching students about themselves as human beings who could make a
difference in their world.
The universe is an imposing reality, and an answer to all questions. All things are
part of the universe and are connected to each other to form one whole unity. The
idea helps the mind of the child to become focused, to stop wandering in an
aimless quest for knowledge. He is satisfied having found the universal center of
himself with all things. Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential
Cosmic Education, simply stated, encompasses so much. It goes beyond traditional
curriculum and teaches children that they are a part of the total creation and have an
important part in it. The natural world comes alive, as does their place in it. Students who
participate in this system of education are better prepared for success as adolescents and as
adults because they develop a sense of themselves as independent individuals with a
balanced understanding of who they are and what role they plan in society. They are able
to reach for the starts and they understand their limits. They understand the necessity to
seek help when needed and the importance of acting responsibly.
Like Maria Montessori, Bill, Shandra and Jim believe that Cosmic Education will
allow children to grow into responsible sons and daughters of the great human family,
with the understanding, ethics, and self-knowledge needed to transform the world.
lower elementary >>>
to help each other and the teacher is not the
only resource. The learning environment is
designed so that students are drawn to work
through activities. Developmentally
appropriate material are carefully placed in
the classroom and move from simple to
complex and concrete to abstract. LE students
are given the freedom to develop their unique
potential through a carefully thought out
learning space.
The purpose of this prepared environment
is to develop the whole personality of the
child, both academically and socially. As
students move out of the classroom to the
playground area, their prepared environment
continues to be safe and orderly. The pit
provides a sustainable, durable, and natural
environment for students to run off extra
energy, socialize with friends and play safely.
Our new engineered wood playground surface
meets all IPEMA standards, providing high
impact absorbing qualities while
guaranteeing a firm, slip resistant surface.
Whether through teamwork on the
playground or academics in the classroom,
our goal is for students to build up an inner
sense of purpose and motivation. This is a
lifelong, intrinsic value that will serve
them well throughout their educational
career and lives. Believing that the
responsibility for learning rests upon each
student, our task is to create the most
conducive environment for successful
learning .
Absorbent Minds Sedona Montessori School is guided by
the observations of Dr. Maria Montessori,
who believed that each child is unique in his
abilities, personality and interests; therefore,
each child should be taught in a unique way.
She was so passionate about this that she
wrote a book called “The Absorbent Mind.”
Our preschool and kindergarten program
is based on the belief that during the first six
years of life, children should develop through
purposeful “work” in an environment that
allows for intellectual freedom and
exploration. During these foundational years
the child’s mind is exceptionally absorbent.
As the children strive to attain their potential,
they
develop
attitudes
and
confidence
that will
serve them
throughout
their lives.
primary >>>
Rejuvenate the Learning Spaces
Peter Paley demonstrates the scale of this project.
The semi load of play-n-fall wood chips are off the
driveway and in the
playground ready for the new school
year!
It is a fundamental principle of Montessori education to carefully prepare the environment for learning.
ask a teacher >>> What do you remember most about our school’s first year?
In the calm, ordered space of the
Montessori prepared environment,
children work on activities of their own
choice at their own pace. They experience
a blend of freedom and self-discipline in
a place especially designed to meet their
developmental needs.
— www.montessori-namta.org
This is as true for adolescents as it is for
pre-schoolers, although the prepared
environment for adolescents has its own
particular requirements. With the arrival of
our new Middle School teachers, Jenn
Jordan and Tim Marsh, there has been a
whirlwind of activity in the MS classroom
this summer. Jenn and Tim have spent
weeks cleaning, repairing furniture,
inventorying materials, and reorganizing
the space for the new school year.
Some of the most significant changes
are:
teacher offices have been re-purposed
to serve as spaces for break-out
lessons, computer language learning
labs and quiet individual study;
the laboratory area is being prepared
for science lessons, which will include
a study of light, color and vision
as related to art, and a chemical
investigation of the process of
soap making;
dedicated spaces for art and
writing workshops have been
created; and
a wireless transmitter has been
installed for the main projector to
allow greater flexibility for
integrating technology into math
and other classes.
Jenn says: “What we’re after is an
environment that helps to smoothly
structure student work. Clean,
attractive spaces, organized materials,
accessible teachers and places for both
individual and group work are all
important components of a successful
adolescence classroom. The classroom
is the basis for the culture of learning
which will be established within. A
well-organized classroom leads to well-
organized work and well-organized
thinking; it is the scaffolding within
which student learning takes place.”
Q:
A:
Dear Sedona Charter
School Families,
Happy August and welcome back to
school everyone! This year, Sedona
Charter School celebrates our 20 Year
Anniversary and we feel confident, it is
going to be THE BEST YEAR EVER!
Sedona Charter School was founded
in 1995 and it is the oldest charter school
in Arizona. We have been a leader among
other charter schools in Arizona, and
have stood the test of time and rigorous
standards when other charter schools in
Arizona could not. Today, our school is
honored and respected within the
educational community and among
families who value excellence in
education.
According to the Arizona Charter
School Association, charter schools are
public schools that are innovative while
still being held accountable for improved
student achievement. Charter schools
may vary in their mission and style of
teaching while serving a wide range of
students, many with needs beyond the
one-size-fits-all traditional public school.
Arizona continues to lead the nation in
charter school growth, with one of the
highest percentages of students attending
public charter schools.
Here at Sedona Charter School, our
mission is as follows: Our Montessori
school challenges each child to achieve
excellence through an individualized
program. We inspire a passion for
learning, instill a sense of personal
responsibility, and cultivate a respect for
the environment and involvement in the
community.
Please help us celebrate our 20 Year
Anniversary by getting involved in our
school and volunteering! Join a planning
committee, volunteer in your child’s
classroom, teach an elective, or ask a
teacher where they need your help.
Thanks for being a part of this exciting
milestone for Sedona Charter School!
Kristy Kazian, President
Sedona Charter School
Governing Council
847-624-4341
Letter from the President
middle school >>>
Middle School Make-Over
Our motto was “pack up and move!” Principal Educator Bob
Wentsch recalls that the lower elementary classroom moved three times in the first
week of school in 1995. They began classes in the library’s community room, moved
to the church on Deer Trail and then to a modular classroom with no electricity and
no running water. Moving 45 students 3 times with 4 teachers was quite the
challenge. Bob remembers endless Governing Council meetings with lots of high
expectations and many differing opinions as to how to attain them. “Our first year
was all about making the day to day reality meet the idealistic expectations in order to
achieve a functional school.” The goal was to keep things going and maintain
stability while finding the right people to put ideas into action. I guess we found the
right people! This year marks Bob and Terri’s 20th year at Sedona Charter School.
final Finding An Agent That’s Right For You
looking ahead >>>
September, 2014
October Old-Fashioned Picnic
Settling In (viewpoints from our new teachers)
Alumni Highlights
Sedona Charter School History
Our Mission: Our Montessori school challenges each child to
achieve excellence through an individualized program. We inspire a
passion for learning, instill a sense of personal responsibility, and
cultivate a respect for the environment and involvement in the
community.
staff >>>
contact us at 928-204-6464
www.sedonacharterschool.com
Lower Elementary: Bob and Terri Wentsch, Katarina Houser, Ginny Bianco
Upper Elementary: Bill Baker, Shandra Ryan, Jim Leinbach
Middle School: Jenn Jordan, Tim Marsh
Administration: Alice Madar, Jane Cathcart, Dolores Biermann
Title I and Strings: Teri Lechowski, Kristina Beachell
165 Kachina Drive Sedona, AZ 86336
alumni news >>>
Eva and Annie Wilson spent many
years at Sedona Charter School. The two
sisters are successful college students
ready to change their world for the better.
Annie graduated from SCS in 2006
and went on to attend the Honors College
at the University of Arizona. She will
graduate in December with a B.S. in
Environmental Science/Microbiology
and a minor in
Biochemistry.
Her advice for
students
pursuing
degrees in
science is to
never
underestimate
the amount of
time you will
spend in the
library! You
will work
harder than your peers, spending time in the
lab while everyone else is out socializing.
Always stay positive and enjoy what you’re
studying because most people don’t get the
opportunity to receive a great education.
Make the most of it!
Sedona Charter School taught Annie that
every student learns at her own pace and in
varying ways. As a successful college
student, she focused on how she learned best
and didn’t have to be concerned about the
student next to her. If she didn’t understand,
it was time to change her method of learning.
In the future, Annie plans to attend medical
school and launch her career working with
and researching infectious diseases.
Younger sister Eva is also planning a
career in medicine. “Thanks to the hands-on
learning I received at Sedona Charter School,
I was able to visualize concepts easier.” Eva
learned the importance of repetition and the
ability to learn in different ways. She used
that knowledge and ability to become
Sister Sister
valedictorian of her Sedona Red Rock
High school graduating class in 2013.
This gave her the confidence to attack
college with determination and work
passionately in the field of science. Eva
says never allow yourself to get “stuck”
on the hard things (a bad grade on a test,
a hard teacher, a bad lab group) because
at the end of the day everyone faces hard
times. They are just road blocks that you
need to push through to gain strength to
work harder and achieve even greater
things. Eva plans to graduate from the
University of Arizona with honors in
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and
move on to medical school to study
pediatric oncology.
Eva Wilson
Annie Wilson
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