Tears in my Eyes

Two things happened over the past twelve hours that made me tear up. The first was a Facebook status updated by a Summers-Knoll alumna, saying she 'really kind of misses school the Summers-Knoll way a lot.' It popped up on my Facebook page, and the tears just sprang into my eyes. It means so much that this talented, confident girl who is doing powerful things in her high school career stops and remembers us with the same fondness that we remember and think about her. She may be a Junior in high school, she may be winning prizes and exploring distant horizons, she may be on a fast track to save the world, but she is still our baby. :)

The second time I got misty was just a moment ago when a parent stopped by the office. She told me that she had been chatting with a Greenhills teacher, who brought some of his students here to do a Shakespeare workshop with Renata's class a short while ago. In the course of their chat he said to her, 'That teacher is fabulous, and you should be really happy about what's going on in that school.'

So it's lovely to be reminded that what we do has enduring importance for our children. It's lovely to know that other educators can come into this school and see the vitality and significance of our work. And it's doubly lovely that everyone - our visitors, our students, and you, our wonderful parents, are moved to let us know that you understand and care about the experience the children are having here. Thank you for the vote of confidence.

Thanksgiving is Here, For Sure...

This was an amazing day; I feel as if everywhere I turn there is kindness, appreciation, honesty, generosity and open-heartedness.

Today marked the first giving to the Annual Fund Campaign, which was launched through the mail last week. Our goal is $70,000 - a bit of a mountain for our little school, but as a percentage it's in line with the goals other school communities need to raise each year, and it's a necessary one at this crucial moment which marks our steps away from years of generous support from the Andrah Foundation. Today I was given checks and pledges exceeding $11,500. Incredible. The response of one family to thanks was this: 'Believe me when I say that sometimes the beauty of this school and its role in our lives brings tears to my eyes as well. So it is an easy thing to do...'

So in one day we are 16% of our way to our goal. And I was reminded today of why we do this, why raising the money is crucial, why these children are so important. Today a seven-year-old asked if he could speak with me, and he laid his thoughts, hopes and fears squarely out before me with trust and faith that we could make things work. Another child talked with me about a struggle she had witnessed, and came to a new realization about her power to make a difference. Both these students talked openly and honestly, putting their points of view fearlessly and listening with open hearts to mine. Our children are not cookie cutter perfect angels, they are complex people exploring the world and their place in it. The joy is that they are in a place where they can do so with the support of a community that loves them. Because of that, they grow up to be complex people who still have open hearts, who still want to make a difference, and who have confidence and self-knowledge to back them up. A couple of weeks ago, one of our alumni went to Washington DC because the high school newspaper she works on was nominated for the prestigious Pacemaker award – the Pulitzer of high school journalism. I watched a pair of Summers-Knoll alumni performing at a local theatre, along with a whole bunch of adult professional actors, and the two of them owned the stage. Their confident mastery of the Shakespearean language and their comfort level with their professional colleagues was consummate. Another won an award in middle school writing last year. Yet another was one of six high school students from across the country to be awarded a spot in the Coast and Ocean Science Training Internship. I could go on, but the point is this: these are people who know they can move mountains, and they CAN - in part at least because they learned to do so here, with small hills that were more their size. They, the past, present and future students of Summers-Knoll, are worth every ounce of energy we give to them day by day. And they are the reason that our Annual Fund goal is worth striving for.

And then (back to my day, here) I got to spend time with a wonderful woman from the University of Michigan whose team is working on a marketing plan for SK. She was incredibly generous-spirited, showing total understanding for why the work we do - progressive, nurturing, flexible education for children with creative minds and unique gifts - is important.

And THEN, back at school, I was faced with Renata (whose talent, energy and love for her students radiate from her) who was asking about a space to perform 'As You Like It'. Now, this was a project with a mind of its own, if ever there was one. Much like Susan Carpenter's students with the plastic bag campaign a couple of years ago, Renata's students have picked up the ball on this and run with it harder and faster and with greater joy than any of us could have anticipated. It has grown from a little dalliance with the Bard to a Play That Needs To Be Performed, and as such, it needs a space. So I picked up the phone and called Deanna at the Kerrytown Concert House and she gave me an incredible and completely unexpected deal. When I tried to thank her she told me how wonderful she thought it would be to have these children and our school community at the concert house (Wednesday December 16th, 7pm, by the way). People are amazing. Our school community is amazing. Our wider community is amazing. Today was amazing, in its parade of wonderful, loving human beings. And guess what, it's Thanksgiving. I could not be more thankful for all of you.

The Play's the Thing...

I am sitting in the office during aftercare hours, and Ollie G just ran in to let me know that it may be one more minute until the play is ready. (Actually, on second thoughts, he says it might be two more minutes.) He gave me a lovely rhombus of paper, colored brown, to be my ticket.

They are making a puppet show. This all came out of nowhere - Quinn colored an image of the wicked Queen from Snow White, then cut it out and stuck it on a popsical stick to make a puppet. That fired up all the others, and they started work on a Star Wars idea. Erin got a xylophone and started work on learning the Star Wars theme. They have been making character puppets, working on a story, and setting the school alight with single-minded passion ever since. Toussaint is the director, David is the vice-director... (I can't help smiling at that one.)

I just watched Act One... I am having a hard time writing because I am laughing so hard, but (calming myself down here) I have to say that even though the story is hard for an adult to follow, the sheer exuberance of the children is a delight to see. It is very much in rehearsal mode right now, scenery and characters generated as the moment demands, and music improvised to cover a sudden need for an intermission - but the drive and the hunger to create are electrifying. There is an amazing sense of action and stepping into the gap - we need scenery, I'll make it; we need time, I'll play some music; we need more people to run the puppets, can I help?

So, tomorrow they are going to work on rehearsing, and who knows what will happen? All I can say is that I can't wait to find out.

Curious Epicures: The Feast was Fabulous!

I want to send huge thanks out to all of you who attended or helped with the North African Feast for our Curious Epicures event yesterday. It was a glowing occasion, full of laughter, warm light, mesmerizing music, exotic flavors and aromas, beautiful art and most of all, you. The community of SK families, alumni, friends who were there is very special to me; I can't describe the feeling I get when I think about you all together sharing this amazing experience in support of our kids and our school.

There are many people whose hard work made this event the runaway success that it was. Alex Young, the master chef behind Zingerman's Roadhouse, worked with our children to produce the phenomenal meal and was unfailing sweet, kind, warm, generous, and just plain adorable throughout. Thank you, Alex, for making this such a special experience for these children. I know for a fact that it is a memory they will carry with them. My own two boys have worked with you twice now, and you have semi-divine status.

(So go to Zingerman's Roadhouse, people, and if you see Alex, thank him again. And while you're there, have lunch, or dinner, or coffee - the food is pure poetry.)



Julie Martin provided henna art, and she was the sensation of the evening. Upwards of sixty children surrounded her and she decorated them with elegant, exotic designs, and treated them all with her wonderful, warm, gentle sweetness. If you ever want to treat yourself or your friends to a beautiful henna tattoo, her web site is here. Thank you, Julie!


Laith Alattar played the oud as you might hear it in an Arabian Nights story. Our very own Summers-Knoll children followed with singing, playing and dancing from their North African music classes. The wonderful Jan Biliti led them, and Jesse Metcalf-Burton and Renata McAdams danced sumptuously. It is such a treat to work with faculty that have so many varied and fascinating talents! Thank you, Laith, and thank you to all our children and teachers for the gorgeous entertainment.

Thank you also to our sponsors and donors, who made this event possible. Our deep gratitude goes to the following organizations: please thank them by patronizing their business. You can reach their web sites by clicking on their name:

Eat Local, Eat Natural
Whole Foods
Hillers
Kroger
Mighty Good Coffee
Weber's Restaurant and Hotel
Invisible Engines Design
Main Dish Kitchen
Tantre Farms
Maplewood Lanes
Aladdin's Market (no web site for this one, but it is a great little grocery store at 3188 Packard, Ann Arbor 48108)

And of COURSE, Zingerman's Roadhouse and Arbor Henna.



Huge thanks also to our wonderful volunteers:
Students of Pioneer High School
Christine Moellering
Robbin Hitchins - and the amazing support team she brought with her
Anthony Nitsos
The SK faculty

And last but absolutely not least, I want to give a huge shout-out to the incredible team that brought this whole event together. Heidi Robb, Fran Loosen, Karen Bayoneto, Linette Lao, Ruth Marks - your dynamic energy, constant attention to detail, forward-thinking, ability to collaborate and problem-solve, and fantastic good will and generosity made this event happen. You are the Power team, goddesses all. Thank you so much.

SK Graduate in the News: Congratulations, Katie!

Sometimes people ask me what happens to our students after they graduate from Summers-Knoll. Of course, they go many and varied routes and do many and varied things, but right now Katie O'Brien, a Summers-Knoll middle school graduate and currently a senior at Community High, is part of a team that works on the Communicator, the Community High School student-run newspaper. Katie and her fellow journalists recently found out that their work is up for the highly prestigious Pacemaker award, and they will be going to Washington DC for the ceremony. As Katie told me, 'We are 1 of 7 news-magazine style school papers up for the Pacemaker award which is considered the Pulitzer of scholastic journalism.' There is an annarbor.com article about it here.

Katie told me how she found out about it:

"A few weeks ago, Tracy, our adviser for Communicator, pulled up the web page for National Scholastic Press Association to talk about our upcoming trip to D.C. There is a convention ever year where they hand out awards. So we are looking through the pages of different awards and when she gets to the Pacemaker she starts scrolling really really slowly then stops and we see the cover of the Communicator and we're all really excited. She had known for a while but was pretending she didn't. It surprised all of us, because the Communicator has never been up for this award! She was a good actress, because some people thought she hadn't known and were asking why NSPA wouldn't contact her."

So, congratulations, Katie! I'm so proud of you! I can't help thinking back to the days of our 'Gorgeous Writing' EBs, when you really started writing with joy. Remember the hot chocolate? Have a great time on your trip to Washington DC, enjoy the awards ceremony - and whether the Communicator wins or not, know that your hard work and creative spirit have paid off and you have made a difference. I can't wait to see what you do next!

'Moon Wolf' update

I want to share a little bit of news with you about the book our children created last year. Today Susan Carpenter sent me a response from a preschool teacher friend in Boston, to whom Susan had sent 'Moon Wolf' some time ago. She says:

I wanted to let you know that we are introducing our moon curriculum next week and we are using Moon Wolf to do that. We are learning about pumpkins this coming week and then turning to the moon. Rosh Chodesh is a jewish holiday that comes once a month and celebrates the new moon. Thanks for sending the book to me.

Our SK children have created curriculum for children in Massachusetts! One small step in our quest to take over the world. ;)

Preparations for the Summers-Knoll Eco-Fair

The end of October is approaching fast, and I want to alert you to a great SK tradition: Eco-Fair! This is the Summers-Knoll version of Halloween, and it happens like this.

Between now and October 30th (a Friday) the children need to spend time with you at home, making costumes to wear for our festivities on the 30th. We hugely encourage costumes to be made out of re-used and recycled materials - a big part of this is helping the children understand the fun and satisfaction that can come from earth-friendly practices. It also encourages creative thinking, problem-solving, out-of-the-box (or sometimes inside the box, in the case of Maria's tree costume above) strategizing, as well as a host of practical skills. As you can see from the photos above, pretty much anything can play a role in creating a fun costume - they don't have to be extensive or sophisticated; it's the children's input that makes them special. (I wore a white sheet and was Mount Everest...)

On October 30th, we hold our Eco-Fair. Details will come later through the classroom teachers, but as an overview I can reveal that there will be different stations throughout the school where the children can participate in a range of ecological activities - hands-on making, experimenting, discovering, creating - that encourage the students to think about the value of the natural world and things we can do to help sustain it.

There will be healthy and earth-friendly snacks. If your child has allergies, please send a special treat for him or her on this day.

More information later!