Mackintosh Academy Post “One Global Vision” Volume 3, Issue 3 January/February 2012 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Director Letter Growth of Mackintosh Foundations of a IB World School Curriculum From the Desk of… PAGE SIX Student Service Council Class Happenings Cal- Wood/Exhibition The Bee’s Spotlight Special Feature Development/ Calendar PC Corner 2 3/4 5 7/8 9/10 11 12 13 14 15 16 BALANCE … by Renu Rose, Executive Director While many of us subscribe to varying definitions of the word “balance,” I like to attach it to thoughts of harmonious and satisfying proportions of a variety of moving parts. It seems so many of us are off and running already in 2012, busy with people and things that have strong meaning in our lives. However, with that running and such abundance of activity, it is important that we keep ourselves in equilibrium. Our students have been strengthening their skills in this area with each passing day, working hard within their curriculum, concentrating on new ideas and engaging with others through field trips, presentations and friendly competitions. I applaud so many of them as they continue to put such effort into all parts of their lives, even those outside of school, learning to strike a balance that feels right for them individually. Our unique and holistic model of education coupled with our dedicated orchestration of so many important elements throughout each day is one of the reasons I believe we are overflowing with interest in our school! We are in our peak referral season now for new students and are receiving contract renewals daily, ensuring space for our returning students. I am humbled by all of the families, practitioners and school administrators showing interest in our mission and philosophy for educating gifted and twice exceptional children who require an exceptional educational model. Such amazing children and parents walking through the doors of both campus locations, it has been pure joy to meet them all! Oftentimes, it is a fragile journey moving from one environment to another and making decisions with such a lasting impression on childrens’ young lives. I am so grateful to my wonderful staff, for your constant preparedness, utmost professionalism, compassion and understanding when welcoming our visitors. I’ve received so much feedback regarding the strength of our curriculum, but just as important, the warmth and embrace our visitors and new students are experiencing when they walk through our doors. A reflection of the holistic focus and “balance” of Mackintosh. And with that, I’d like to make our most official announcement to date … It is my honor to tell you that we are officially closing on the property in Boulder on March 14, 2012! My deepest gratitude to our major donors, my board of directors and many others who have made it possible for us to complete this acquisition, enabling us to reach even more children who need a special place – somewhere that accepts them and can nurture their exceptional talents while tenderly meeting them where they are. Please join me on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 9 a.m. for a beautiful celebration of this accomplishment when we will officially commemorate our inaugural year with a Ribbon Cutting and Ceremony to honor our special guests who have made this part of our growth and history possible.
Transcript
Mackintosh Academy Post “One Global Vision”
Volume 3, Issue 3 January/February 2012
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Director Letter
Growth of Mackintosh
Foundations of a IB World School Curriculum
From the Desk of…
PAGE SIX Student Service Council
Class Happenings Cal-Wood/Exhibition
The Bee’s
Spotlight Special Feature
Development/ Calendar
PC Corner
2
3/4
5
7/8
9/10
11
12
13 14
15 16
BALANCE … by Renu Rose, Executive Director
While many of us subscribe to varying definitions of the word “balance,” I like to attach it to thoughts of harmonious and satisfying proportions of a variety of moving parts. It seems so many of us are off and running already in 2012, busy with people and things that have strong meaning in our lives. However, with that running and such abundance of activity, it is important that we keep ourselves in equilibrium.
Our students have been strengthening their skills in this area with each passing day, working hard within their curriculum, concentrating on new ideas and engaging with others through field trips, presentations and friendly competitions. I applaud so many of them as they continue to put such effort into all parts of their lives, even those outside of school, learning to strike a balance that feels right for them individually.
Our unique and holistic model of education coupled with our dedicated orchestration of so many important elements throughout each day is one of the reasons I believe we are overflowing with interest in our school! We are in our peak referral season now for new students and are receiving contract renewals daily, ensuring space for our returning students. I am humbled by all of the families, practitioners and school administrators showing interest in our mission and philosophy for educating gifted and twice exceptional children who require an exceptional educational model. Such amazing children and parents walking through the doors of both campus locations, it has been pure joy to meet them all!
Oftentimes, it is a fragile journey moving from one environment to another and making decisions with such a lasting impression on childrens’ young lives. I am so grateful to my wonderful staff, for your constant preparedness, utmost professionalism, compassion and understanding when welcoming our visitors. I’ve received so much feedback regarding the strength of our curriculum, but just as important, the warmth and embrace our visitors and new students are experiencing when they walk through our doors. A reflection of the holistic focus and “balance” of Mackintosh.
And with that, I’d like to make our most official announcement to date …
It is my honor to tell you that we are officially closing on the property in Boulder on March 14, 2012! My deepest gratitude to our major donors, my board of directors and many others who have made it possible for us to complete this acquisition, enabling us to reach even more children who need a special place – somewhere that accepts them and can nurture their exceptional talents while tenderly meeting them where they are. Please join me on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 9 a.m. for a beautiful celebration of this accomplishment when we will officially commemorate our inaugural year with a Ribbon Cutting and Ceremony to honor our special guests who have made this part of our growth and history possible.
“One Global Vision” PAGE 2
GROWTH & HISTORY OF MACKINTOSH ACADEMY With the addition of our Boulder campus in September 2011, we have all managed to further root
Mackintosh Academy as Colorado’s premier school for educating gifted and twice exceptional children. Each
day that we pour ourselves into our school, we water the seeds that are helping it grow. In 2012, I am looking
forward to continuing to nurture what is foundationally set, both for the school and for all the children – and
beginning to watch them all blossom and fulfill their destinies.
-- Renu Rose, executive director
BACKGROUND AND ADDITION OF MACK BOULDER:
Mackintosh Academy is the Rocky Mountain pioneer in gifted and talented education and was the first to recognize the unique needs of these children more than 35 years ago. It has continually demonstrated that if gifted students are provided with quality, in-depth learning and a rich curriculum, while also feeling understood and cared for with regard to their exceptionalities and sensitivities, they can truly soar! However, as is the situation for many gifted children, finding a school that is both appropriate and accessible is often not an option. This was the case in Boulder in 2010, after several gifted-specific programs were closed, leaving no obvious choice to meet the needs of its highest ability children who were being displaced and often underserved.
The long-term goal for Mackintosh and the vision of its leadership has always been to serve the broadest range of gifted children possible, while honoring cultural and ethnic diversity and providing a well-rounded, individualized, academically rich education that focuses respectfully and holistically on each and every child. It is confirmed that gifted children are distributed throughout our communities, regardless of race, creed, sex or socio-economic background. Because Mackintosh Academy, which is an International Baccalaureate World School, already values diversity, focuses on multiple intelligences and is completely committed to working though barriers that would arise, it is an ideal school for the gifted population. Following two years of due diligence and months of meeting with parents from Boulder to research the potential student population and look for school sites, Mackintosh Academy signed a lease/purchase agreement to buy the existing school facility and 23.5 acres of land on South Boulder Road, which is now Mackintosh Academy’s second campus. The site includes original prairie, nine acres of land placed in a Conservation Trust, and over 20,000 square feet of modernized building space that has been home to several schools in previous years. All the funds needed to convert this lease agreement to a purchase agreement, which becomes effective March 14, 2012, were raised through very generous donations from members of the Boulder community. Moving forward, Mackintosh will continue to seek donations from the community, corporations and foundations in effort to provide capital furnishings, learning materials, and innovative technology. Additionally, and when appropriate, it will seek funding assistance for operating costs associated with having two campuses, running summer programs for gifted and creative children, and offering scholarships to families that cannot afford full tuition. With enrollment in its peak season and expectations beyond original set goals, Mackintosh is truly on its way to cementing its reputation as a unique and nationally prominent institution.
“One Global Vision” PAGE 3
FOUNDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE WORLD SCHOOL CURRICULUM
One of the greatest advantages we are providing to our children as they navigate the 21st century is immersion in the IB (International Baccalaureate) World School Curriculum. The mission and philosophy of Mackintosh Academy aligns closely with that of the IB making our official authorization as an IB World School a key differentiator to other schools educating gifted children. What follows is further explanation about the International Baccalaureate and how it is essential to our offering at Mackintosh Academy:
IB Learners Strive to be …
•Inquirers •Knowledgeable •Thinkers •Communicators •Principled •Open-minded •Caring •Risk-takers •Balanced •Reflective The IB learner profile is the IB mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes that can inspire, motivate and focus the work of schools and teachers, uniting them in a common purpose.
MACKINTOSH ACADEMY - EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
Gifted children require a unique educational setting to foster a love of learning, maximize their potential, and community sensitivity to the development of the whole child. Over the past 35 years, Mackintosh Academy has gained recognition in gifted educational programming by fostering a challenging and rich academic curriculum that is greatly enhanced with experiences in visual arts, theatre, music, physical education, foreign languages, and information technology. We believe a child who is academically prepared with knowledge is only partially equipped to make a meaningful contribution to society and the world. We cultivate a community for the gifted child that is acutely aware of their social and emotional sensitivities and appropriately nurtures them. We believe that traits such as being empathic and compassionate towards others, listening with understanding, hearing different points of view, negotiating, communicating, resolving conflicts, and taking responsibility for behavior are critical in the development of our children‘s social and leadership skills. Learning does not occur in isolation, but rather in a community of learners, who are accepting and understanding of one another‘s feelings, opinions, and beliefs. Our classroom communities reflect a healthy exchange and tolerance of ideas in a respectful climate. We want to give our children opportunities to see the world through their own experiences and through the eyes of others. We want our children to learn about those who have come before them and discover ways each of them can contribute to the human story in their lifetime. We value diversity, global studies, and we acknowledge interdependence as a unique aspect of the global community in which our children live, and will one day contribute their gifts in profound, passionate, and meaningful ways.
MACKINTOSH ACADEMY WAS GRANTED AUTHORIZATION AS AN IB WORLD SCHOOL IN 2006. Established in 1968 by the Swiss educational foundation, the IB program was developed by a group of schools seeking a common curriculum for its students who moved from school to school. They designed a curriculum that could be taught anywhere and recognized worldwide by universities and colleges. The program gives students discipline, creativity, flexibility, skills, and a personal value system by which they can guide their own lives and become thoughtful and involved members of local communities and our global world. In the United States, there are currently a total of 1,295 schools providing one or more of the three IB Programmes. Not many, considering how many schools there are across the nation. (Primary Years Programme: 296 – Middle Years Programme: 442 – Diploma Programme: 743). In Colorado specifically, only 33 schools offer the PYP and 42 offer the MYP. Only four schools in Colorado offer both (Mackintosh Academy being one of them!)
“One Global Vision” Page 4
The Primary Years Programme: Students in the 21st century are faced with the challenge of learning about an interconnected world where knowledge is constantly developing. The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Primary Years Programme prepares students to be active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. The Primary Years Program (ages 3-12) is based on six overall themes with the skills and knowledge of each subject area taught through interdisciplinary and inquiry methods. These themes are about issues that have meaning for, and are important to, all of us. The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Programme are the six transdisciplinary themes listed here: Who we are, Where we are in place and time, How we express ourselves, How the world works, How we organize ourselves, Sharing the planet. The PYP promotes knowledge acquisition, develops skills to become life-long learners, and provides methods for enhancing and utilizing learning in constructive and practical ways. Since in today‘s world the amount of knowledge that one could know increases exponentially every day, today’s students don‘t need to know a certain body of knowledge, but possess the skills in which to continually question, comprehend enduring understandings in all disciplines, and know how to learn about their world. Instead of relying on a teacher to fill the student with knowledge, the student gains the tools in which to become the master of his or her own knowledge acquisition, synthesis, and application. The Middle Years Programme: Life in the 21st century places many changing demands on students making the transition through adolescence. They are at a crucial period of personal, social, physical and intellectual development, of uncertainty and of questioning. The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Middle Years Programme is designed to help them find a sense of belonging in the ever-changing and increasingly interrelated world around them and to foster a positive attitude to learning.
The IB Middle Years Programme, (ages 11 to 16), provides a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective thinkers. The programme consists of eight subject groups integrated through five areas of interaction that provide a framework for learning within and across the subjects. Students are required to study their mother tongue, a second language, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and technology. In the final year of the programme, students also engage in a personal project (represented by center circle), which allows them to demonstrate the understandings and
skills they have developed throughout the programme. The overall philosophy of the programme is expressed through three fundamental concepts that support and strengthen all areas of the curriculum. These concepts are based on: intercultural awareness, holistic learning, and communication. The essence of both programs is structured inquiry which allows students to build meaning and refine their understanding. Students are encouraged to not only research and find possible answers to important questions, but develop their own questions and lead their own inquiries within the topic being studied. The integrative curriculum creates opportunities for exploration, active learning, and for meaningful connections across subject areas. The IB program focuses on the heart as well as the mind and addresses the social, emotional, physical, cultural needs of children, as well as essential academic ones. The program aims to develop sensitivity to the experiences of others and foster socially responsible actions. The IB program encourages students to think outside of their personal world, to think about the world outside of the school, and to be meaningful contributors within that world.
The graduates of Mackintosh Academy are prepared to attend any of several High School International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programs offered in Colorado. The IB Diploma programs are an academically challenging, pre-university course of study designed to meet the needs of international minded, motivated high school students. Students with International Baccalaureate Degrees are strongly recruited by many colleges and universities, and some offer scholarships and college credit to students with this degree. For our graduates who do not enter a IB Degree program, the higher-level thinking skills and academic preparation allows them to pursue the myriad of options available in better high schools or preparatory
schools.
“One Global Vision” PAGE 5
FROM THE DESK OF … Littleton Assistant Head of School, Mrs. Stacey Anderson
“Things won are done; joy’s soul lies in the doing.” William Shakespeare How appropriate to begin with a quote from Shakespeare, as our Middle Years’ students have concluded their remarkable production of Romeo and Juliet. Bouquets of gratitude are offered to our director, Karyn Estela, our teachers, Mrs. Sharon Muench
and Ms. Alison Kapsalis and, of course, to the students for their presentation of the play. Currently, our 5/6 grade students are rehearsing intently for their February 24th performance of The Prince and the Pauper. Our campus, coated in a thick layer of snow, allows for much frolicking during the day, we have a true gift in being able to learn and work on an open campus. Visitors consistently remark upon the pleasure of being able to be outside during the day even if it just occurs while walking from building to building or enjoying lunch on the patio. Academically, students in our classrooms are engaged in their 3rd Unit of Inquiry for the year, and the practice and application of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile is in full swing. Our students practice communicating and acts of integrity on a daily basis. Look for details on your child’s learning experiences in the next classroom newsletters due to be sent to the community
shortly in February. Our famed Student Service Council spent their lunch break on the 14th delivering Valentine’s
Day cards to the residents of the Libby Bortz Center in Littleton. Their efforts in bringing joy and care to the elderly were
so appreciated and thoughtful. In the vein of the International Baccalaureate, our 8th graders are presently preparing for their journey to Northern California to perform acts of service for others and to environmentally support the geographical area. Our 8th grade students, parents and teachers organized a Used Book Sale on Valentine’s Day,
which not only brought together community, but made money for their trip, which will take place in April. I hope you were able to benefit from the large selection of books available for purchase. Please place our next fundraiser on your calendar for March 9th . Friends, family and members our Mackintosh community will be gathering at Lido Wine Merchants in downtown Littleton for a wine tasting from 4-7. We would love to see you there. I hope you have also noted the evening of Saturday, May 5th, as a “Save the Date” for our Littleton Spring Soiree. Planning for the Soiree is underway; please let me know if you would like to join the planning team.
LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE 2012 MACKINTOSH MOUNTAIN LIONS!
The 2012 Mackintosh Basketball season is coming to a close and a huge congratulations is in order for all of our student/athletes who were selected for this year’s teams at both the Littleton and Boulder campuses. These students not only made firm commitments to attend twice a week practices and once a week games, but took on the additional commitment to essential agreements set forth to further strengthen the team and each individual! Go MOUNTAIN LIONS!
BOULDER: Head Coach: Chad Blohm
Student-Athletes: Xavier Brenza, Alan Grampp, Hannah Gross, Ethan Higgins, Richard Keck, Skyler Limber, Coby Mandell, Jake Olkin, Ana Olsen, and Sage Rose. LITTLETON: Head Coaches: Mike McConnell and Greg Ashworth Student/Athletes: Trevor Bruckman, Noah Sakr, Brandon Prouty, Caleb Chadwick, Adeline Weems, Rose Raddatz, Jared Hofer, Matthew Gary, Ben Warzel, Tim Read, Joey Procopio, Tommy Rogers and introducing Ms. Lucia Espineira as our fearless mascot!
“One Global Vision” PAGE 6
MACKINTOSH STARS!
Mackintosh Honor Roll
The second trimester is coming to a close and our students have been working
hard to achieve honor roll status. This space is dedicated to our current
honor roll students who, last semester, maintained a 3.5 or above grade
point average in addition to demonstrating consistent development of the
International Baccalaureate Learning profile principles and showing
exemplary effort in all endeavors. CONGRATULATIONS to you all!
Littleton: Lucia Espineira, Belle Farmer, Matthew Gary, Jared
Ms. Eliza Woolson for coordinating a book drive in Boulder to
collect books that are being distributed to children less
privledged in India through Dr. Geetha Narayana’s Project
Drishya!
Mrs. Patty Walters and Ethan Walters for initiating a Garden Grant
on behalf of Mackintosh which will allow for a potential
greenhouse for campus!
“One Global Vision” PAGE 7
STUDENT SERVICE COUNCIL UPDATES
THE WILDLIFE ANIMAL SANCTUARY
At the end of last year, Student Service Council representatives from both campuses enjoyed a trip to the Wildlife Animal Sanctuary. The purpose was to bring further understanding to the students on the Sanctuary as well as deliver funds raised through the "Change Challenge" at both campuses to re-adopt Romeo, a rescued mountain lion which has also become our mascot! The children needed $280 to complete this and so set a goal of $500 as they were hoping to make an additional donation. It is amazing that our children ultimately raised $682 which not only covered Romeo's re-adoption fee, but enabled them to adopt a second and third animal!
By popular vote, the children first chose Olivia - one of 18 animals facing an uncertain future when a Nebraska zoo was shut down by the USDA due to animal abuse and safety violations. Olivia is a Timber wolf and now lives in the five acre East Wolf Habitat at The Wild Animal Sanctuary. She enjoys running with her pack and howling back and forth with the North Wolf Habitat residents. In addition, the students adopted Diva, an African Serval. She is pretty amazing and a beautiful animal. After adopting Romeo and Olivia, the students still had extra money for a small animal—so they adopted Diva. She was being kept as a “pet” in a New York apartment. Her teeth have been filed down and her claws removed in an attempt to make her less dangerous. Even with these “modifications,” her owners quickly
realized that she did not make a good “pet” and sought out TWAS as a home for her. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ HAWKQUEST
Great job to our Boulder Student Service Council for raising more than $400 for HawkQuest via donations towards attending the organization’s educational program at Mack Boulder. Reagan Keeney, a Boulder 4th grader, suggested a school visit from HawkQuest as a service project. The organization brings injured or unreleasable raptors into schools for educational outreach programs where their mission, “the importance of biodiversity, the finality of extinction, and of man's need to nurture his world” is interwoven with discussions of the raptors place in our ecosystem.
For background, Kin Quitugua, a master falconer and long-time environmental educator, founded HawkQuest in 1986. He has trained, handled and flown birds of prey as diverse as the Bald and Golden eagles and the Saw-whet owl. For more than 25 years, Kin has dedicated himself to educating the public about the place of raptors in our ecology.
He created HawkQuest believing environmental awareness is a key to the survival of the world as we know it, and education - of our nation's youth in particular - is paramount to this process. He has developed many educational programs such as HawkQuest’s unique Classroom-in-the-Wild.
STUDENT SERVICE COUNCIL (continued …) LIBBY BORTZ ASSISTED LIVING CENTER
Littleton Student Service Council has been working hard making Valentine's Cards for the senior center at Libby Bortz Assisted Living Center, located two miles from the Mackintosh Littleton campus. It was an eventful and exciting day with children distributing the 60-70 cards to the seniors at lunch time! The seniors were so touched to see children and have a 'special' Valentine hand delivered to the center. Post reflection, one student exclaimed, "it was so warming to bring a smile to so many faces on Valentine's Day and a great feeling.” Student service council is looking into fun service projects for the spring time and going to target the local community for a trash pick up in nature.
IMPORTANT STUDENT SERVICE INFORMATION Each spring, our 8th grade students embark on a supervised Service Learning Trip
which is a very important part of our curriculum at Mackintosh Academy. This trip
is thoughtfully and diligently planned to ensure the trip is academically rich and
incredibly meaningful.
To align with Earth Day (Sunday, April 22), this year's trip will take place from
Friday, April 20 through Wednesday, April 25 and be based in San Francisco and
Monterrey Bay, California where students will participate in ecological service work
that has been planned and scheduled through Reefs to the Rockies. Reefs to the Rockies
helps design and guide customized sustainable travel itineraries to the Americas and Africa at locations made famous by their
spectacular flora and fauna. They believe that ecotourism should aid in conservation and all efforts are made to ensure that
community members and wildlife benefit from Reefs to the Rockies operations.
We have chosen Resource Availability as this year's theme and goals for the trip
include a focus on biodiversity, the available watershed and habitat restoration.
Our students will complete much of their work on Muir Beach planting native
species and conducting invasive weed removal. In addition, they will serve at a
food bank twice in San Francisco, participate in a private whale watching tour led
by a naturalist who will focus the learning toward aquatic ecology and complete a
clean-up project with “Save our Shores.”
This truly becomes an experience of a lifetime for our graduating seniors
and we should all wish them much enjoyment, learning and also safety.
Please know that the trip cost is all-inclusive, but is approximately $1,100 per student. Please take note
of on-campus fundraising initiatives to help defray costs per family for this trip. Seniors will be selling
Butter Braids, Yankee candles, ecologically friendly cloth wraps for sandwiches, oranges and hosting a
wine tasting for our adult community. Any support you can provide in addition to ideas, assistance or
expertise is welcomed and greatly appreciated!
We wish both our Littleton and Boulder students much success as they make all the final
arrangements for this very special and important opportunity in their young adult lives!
“One Global Vision” PAGE 9
NOTEWORTHY CAMPUS HAPPENINGS:
Mackintosh Littleton’s 5/6 West class went to the Phoenix Gold Mine in Idaho Springs recently as part of their unit on Who We Are. Students were looking at the relationships between different groups and cultures and how they have affected our region.
The 3/4 after-school Wildlife Club is working with the U.S. Forest Service to plan a schoolyard habitat improvement project. Under the leadership of Ms. Angela Mundt, Mackintosh is applying for a grant to secure funds needed to sustain the project.
Senora Cardona’s Littleton Spanish classes have been busy with field trips to the the CHAC Gallery (Chicano Humanities and Arts Council). In addition to learning more about the culture, they are able to do hands on projects relevant to their studies and learning.
Ms. Matty Miller and Ms. Karyn Estrella have been doing a wonderful job leading our children in Performing Arts! The year kicked off with Romeo & Juliet in Littleton, supported by families and students from both campuses.
Next up, The Prince and the Pauper performed by Littleton’s 5/6 East and 5/6 West classes at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the gymnasium on Friday, February 24. It has been such a joy to see all the students come together in preparation for such meaningful events! Please be sure to come see our next performance! All are welcome!
Then, Boulder’s 5th-8th grade students will perform King Arthur at the Dairy Center in Boulder on Thursday, March 1st! There will be two showings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Littleton’s 5/6 and 7/8 grade classes will also attend this performance to support their sister-school students!
“One Global Vision” PAGE 10
Boulder’s 5/6 Class
has been busy
working hard on a
variety of projects
Kindergarten and first grade students earned a tea party with their chosen “special friend” after filling a jar with jewels for good behavior (such as proper behavior in specials, walking quietly in the hall, working hard in class, etc). They took a vote and had a great time! Additional photos show students engaging in various learning moments…so very busy with their learning!
Boulder’s second grade class has been very busy! Photos here depict working with pulleys, a human wheelbarrow, learning in their socratic seminar, having fun together, and working on inclined planes.
“One Global Vision” PAGE 11
CAMPUS COLLABORATION - CAL-WOOD
Each year, Mackintosh Academy’s seventh and eighth grade students (both campuses) look forward to attending Cal-Wood, a residential environmental education program at a private 1,200-acre outdoor learning center. Known as “more than a field trip,” Cal-Wood is an opportunity for teachers to meet Colorado Academic Content Standards in a spectacular outdoor setting. It also helps students and teachers with team-building and guided discovery activities that provide a unique approach to learning.
Fifteen miles northwest of Boulder, Cal-Wood is in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies at elevation 7,800 feet enabling students to immerse themselves in a landscape rich with forests, grasslands, meadows, ponds, streams, rocky outcrops, stunning continental divide views and abundant wildlife. The land and facilities offer tremendous opportunity for hands-on studies in diverse academic offerings. Please see below for a description of Cal-woods educational approach, which closely mirrors Mackintosh Academy’s
Cal-Wood School Programs are customized for each student group. Initially, we facilitate the students' comfort in their new
surroundings, fostering a sense of place. Sensory awareness activities hone their observation/focusing skills. Then we
explore specific academic topics and activities previously chosen by the teacher(s). An inquiry-based, experiential approach to
teaching these topics promotes true interdisciplinary learning, weaving together science, mathematics, geography, language
arts, visual arts, history and physical education. This approach, coupled with the dynamic learning environment, allows
students of varying levels and learning styles to thrive. Students learn that they are tied to the topics and natural resources
about which they learn at Cal-Wood, leading to an appreciation for resource conservation. Cal-Wood’s instructors strive to
relate the lessons gained in our outdoor classroom back to the students’ school experience, homes and communities.
MACKINTOSH ACADEMY EXHIBITION – We are so proud of our Littleton sixth graders who are working hard on their Exhibition projects – a final thesis before journeying on to middle school. The purpose of the Exhibition is to unite students, teachers, parents, and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP. It is an opportunity for students to explore multiple perspectives, demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning, to synthesize and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP and to provide an authentic process for assessing student understanding and how they can take action as a result of their learning. This is a very long process for students where with some guidance from their teacher and a mentor, they journal, complete in-depth research, outline, complete a thesis and finally make a presentation to the entire school community! This year’s line of inquiry follows the central idea that equal opportunities and responsibilities of sharing of water helps create peaceful relationships. The first line of inquiry is an exploration of water resources around the world. Each student has been assigned a region of the world to investigate the state of its water including issues, cultural practices, celebrations, pollution, etc. The final Exhibition is coming up in May with presentations to the student community on May 9 followed by an evening of parent presentations on May 10. We hope you will all support our students as they showcase all of their hard work!
“One Global Vision” PAGE 12
THE BEE’S
MACKINTOSH ACADEMY SPELLING BEE:
Congratulations to our MACKINTOSH SPELLING BEE WINNERS
JAKE OLKIN (B) & PHILIP RUTTY (L) And 2nd place to Gianni Polito (B) & Ben Warzel/Eli Schwanitz (L)
Our first place winners will be going to the Regional Bee representing Mackintosh Academy. National Spelling Bee is May 27 – June 1, 2012
The purpose of the E.W. Scripps Company Spelling Bee competition is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.
Origin of the term Spelling Bee:
The word bee, as used in spelling bee, is one of those language puzzles that has never been satisfactorily accounted for. A fairly old and widely-used word, it refers to a community social gathering at which friends and neighbors join together in a single activity (sewing, quilting, barn raising, etc.) usually to help one person or family.
The earliest known example in print is a spinning bee, in 1769. Other early occurrences are husking bee (1816), apple bee (1827), and logging bee (1836). Spelling bee is apparently an American term. It first appeared in print in 1875, but it seems certain that the word was used orally for several years before that.
Congratulations to our MACKINTOSH GEOGRAPHY BEE WINNERS
JOEY PROCOPIO (L) & ANNA LYNN WINFREY (B)
And 2nd place to Philip Rutty (L) & Ethan Elterich (B)
Each year thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Schools with students in grades four through eight are eligible for this entertaining and challenging test of geographic knowledge. On Friday, January 6, 2012, Mackintosh Academy students at both campuses competed in the “School Bee.” The winner from each campus will go on to the State Bee scheduled for March 30, 2012 and finally the National Bee on May 22-24, 2012. There can only be one winner of the National Geography Bee and that student wins $25,000 plus a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society. Quite an honor! Please congratulate all of our Mackintosh Academy qualifiers! Congratulations to all of our student qualifiers:
BOULDER:
7th/8th: Alan Grampp, Jake Olkin, Anna Lynn Winfrey, Skyler Limber, Sage Rose, Xavier Brenza
5th/6th: Kenneth Gill, Richard Keck, Gianni Polito , Will Priess, Ethan Elterich , Etha Erikson, Chayanne Hernandez, Alex Chiang
3rd 4th: Willem Serface, Reagan Keeney, Jack Gross, Josh Pesman,
2nd: Ben Cramer, Noah Shapiro
LITTLETON:
7/8: Noah Sakr, Jared Hofer, Joey Procopio, Indeesh Mukhopadhyay, Trevor Bruckman, Eli Schwanitz, Philip Rutty, Olivia Shelburne, Lucia Espineria, Belle Farmer, Adeline Weems
5/6 East : Marnix Hoogwater, Josh Pokorney, Alessa Miller, Chris McAninch
5/6 West: Ryan Hamilton, Colin Burkhart, Jason Cox
3/4 Grade: Isaac Ehrnstein, Aria Marizza, Sydney Gelman, Ryan Karsten, Jade Roberts, Jody Read
1/2 Grade: Elena Song, Harvey Rainwater
“One Global Vision” PAGE 13
SPOTLIGHT:
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: KIDS RUNNING AMERICA
Today’s youth are reported as being the most inactive generation in history, creating major health and mental care challenges. The cause of this epidemic comes from too much time in front of the television or playing video games, increased computer usage, excessive consumption of fast food and poor eating habits and a generally unhealthy lifestyle. The percentage of overweight children has doubled over the last 30 years, leaving in its trail, serious health and social consequences for the future of our children and our nation.
Effective tools and outlets are desperately needed. Kids Running America (KRA) is a goal based running program designed to equip children with the means to advance into life with a healthy lifestyle, teaching them to work for and achieve goals both personally as well as collectively. KRA is an opportunity for young people to build self -esteem, improve their physical and mental health and experience their own personal power! Based on a non-competitive philosophy, every coached training run and final event focuses on the goal of completion. While running is the core activity, KRA also equips each child with discipline, dedication and the skills to set and achieve goals.
The program works by having children run various distances over time to accumulate a total of 26.2 miles over 4 months. Kids Running America participants then earn the unforgettable reward of coming together to complete their final distance at our Final Mile Event on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at City Park, Denver and cross the actual finish line.
The Mackintosh Mountain Lion Sprinters in Littleton meet every Friday after school from 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. (weather permitting) to slow jog 1 mile and stretch. The older kids that get out later catch up very easily. Parents are encouraged to jog and help out. To run the final mile at City Park, Denver, parents should help children register online at www.kidsrunningamerica.org.
A huge thank you to Missy Marizza for serving as the KRA Coordinator in Littleton for the second year in a row. Her organization and leadership is helping children improve their overall health, mood and attention!
CLASS SPOTLIGHT:
Our third and fourth grade students in Littleton enjoyed sharing their summative projects with the class. Each student chose an art form that they enjoy today and had to research two things from the past that influenced it. They then came up with a creative way to share what they had learned.
From time to time, the Mackintosh Post will feature a particular school department because of teaching and output that is above and beyond! Both campuses are blessed to have two of the most talented visual arts instructors in Ms. Rebecca Van Buren (Littleton) and Mrs. MaryAnne Miner (Boulder). Here is a peek at stunning work completed and experienced by your children. Enjoy! The Littleton community was lucky to enjoy cups of hot cocoa and coffee last month as they browsed one of Littleton’s most wonderful art exhibits created by our own Mackintosh Academy students! Featured at Starbucks Aspen Grove in Littleton, the exhibit was prepared and conceived by the amazing Ms. Rebecca Van Buren who helped guide the children in turning their Unit of Inquiry work into amazing visual representations!
Please see below for a detailed description of the project: During a Inquiry into Civilizations have Commonalities to Each Other and to Today (Where We Are in Place and Time), first and second graders learned about centuries of Chinese landscape watercolor painting. Beginning with the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) through the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), artists focused on images of old trees, bamboo, rocks, gardens, and mountains. Gradually, Chinese artists sought to depict not only images of nature but to express the mind and heart of the individual artist. Our children practiced watercolor techniques such as wet-into-wet, salt into wet paint, and strokes made with the brush handle. Then each first and second grade artist created an original landscape depicting typical Chinese nature subjects as well as expressing something from their hearts. Finally, students practiced creating Chinese ideograms-characters to represent words like sun, tree, water, or mountain. Each first and second grade artist used an authentic "Sumi" brush and India ink to create a final set of ideograms to pair with their painting. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ BOULDER: After reading Veronique Massenot and Elise Mansot's Journey on a Cloud, an imaginative storybook inspired by Marc Chegall's Bride and Groom with Eiffel Tower painting, the Primary students traveled to the Denver Art Museum in downtown Denver to write poetry and stories inspired by visual art. The students explored pieces such as Roxanne Swentzell's, “Mud Woman Rolls On” and Sandy Skoglund's permanent installation, “Fox Games,” accessing the central ideas of "Language can create a vivid Image in the mind" (2nd Grade) and "Tales can help to explain the unknown and teach lessons” (K/1) as we tackle the transdisciplinary theme of "How we express ourselves.”
“One Global Vision” PAGE 15
CALENDAR
Please Note: Items refer to both campuses unless specified just Boulder or just Littleton
MARCH:
9 – Half-Day for Teacher In-Service (Early Dismissal) End of 2nd Trimester
26-30 – NO SCHOOL (Spring Break)
APRIL:
14 – Boulder Spring Event
27 – Half-Day for Teacher In-Service (Early Dismissal)
MAY:
5 – Littleton Spring Event
10 – Exhibition
17 – Ribbon Cutting and Honor Ceremony
25- Half- Day, Teacher In-Service (Early Dismissal) End of 3rd Trimester
Field Day (BOULDER) Primary Classroom
28 - NO SCHOOL- (Memorial Day)
29 - Field Day – Pre-K – 2nd Grade Classes
30- Field Day- 3rd – 8th Grade Classes
31 - Graduation Rehearsal & All School Picnic
JUNE:
1- Graduation
DEVELOPMENT This space is being dedicated to showcasing some of the amazing and very sweet and special events experienced upon both campuses this year. All of the events provided meaningful moments between children and their loved ones How amazing to be Mackintosh Academy! The photos below beautifully capture the “delight” of GRANDPARENT’S & SPECIAL FRIEND’S
DAY:
And we are so very proud of all of our children and teachers for their hard work and preparation for this year’s BARNES & NOBLE BOOK FAIR events! Such a treat to enjoy!
“One Global Vision” PAGE 16
PARENT COUNCIL CORNER
Six months into the school year and most responsibilities of our Parent Council have been quickly checked off the list for the year! A huge thank you to Terese Rainwater in Littleton and Laura Lee and Tara Baker in Boulder for their ongoing leadership month to month! Their great ideas and willingness to jump in feet first – always making things happen to the best of their ability and offering continual support have been extremely helpful and appreciated! From the Parent Welcome events to the Back to School Barbecue, our events have been tremendously successful and we could not have done it without you! In addition, a huge thanks to all the Classroom Parent Representatives and Parent Volunteers for all you have done to make the first half of the year’s events a success! 2012 has started quickly with the organization of event committees for Boulder and Littleton’s spring events! Each spring, Mackintosh Academy holds its annual fundraising events –an elegant and lovely evening when parents, friends, family, faculty and staff come together to celebrate and honor the abundance of blessings that our school provides our children. Especially this year, with so many new faces, it will be a wonderful evening for everyone! We began working on logistics last month with a core group of savvy parents who have great ideas and good perspectives. That said, we would love your opinion and all parents interested in helping out are encouraged to please join us! We’ve been having fun together already and it’s a great way to build relationships within the community even before you get to the event! Here is the schedule of meetings if you would like to join us!
In Boulder, the planning committee meets every other Wednesday at 10 a.m. The next meeting is on March 7 in the faculty room
In Littleton, the planning committee meets every Thursday at 2 p.m. in Mrs. Anderson’s office.
SPRING SOIREE – PLEASE SAVE THE DATE!
REMBRANDT YARD in Boulder: Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 6 p.m.
THE MANOR HOUSE in Littleton: Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 6 p.m.
Photos Courtesy of: www.rembrandtyard.com and www.themanorhouse.com
FACEBOOK If you are on Facebook, be sure to find us (Mackintosh Academy) as we are posting news and updates. We have a community of parents and students who have already “friended” us and would love you to join us! For those unfamiliar with Facebook, you can go to www.facebook.com for a free account.
CONTACTING US: As always, if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at our Boulder or Littleton campus locations. All information is below for your convenience:
Mackintosh Academy Littleton 7018 S. Prince St. Littleton, CO 80120 303-794-6222 Mackintosh Academy Boulder 6717 S. Boulder Rd. Boulder, CO 80303 303-554-2011
