Friday
Apr172009
Feelin' like Spring
The week in review:
North Star was happy to host visitors from the Manhattan Free School for the past couple of days. Always interesting to share information, ideologies, and realities with others in alternative education. We also appreciate the recognition that North Star is a unique and cutting-edge institution.
We had a successful and enjoyable trip to the Boston Museum of Science on Tuesday. Thanks to Read Predmore for the inspiration. The Omni show about Mars was definitely a highlight.
Thanks to the parents who were able to make it out to the parent meeting on Wednesday night. It’s always nice to get together and share our inspirations, hopes, and concerns. Please remember that all North Star members and parents are encouraged to talk to the staff at any time. No question or concern is too small. We are always looking for ways to connect with our families. Let us know if you have any suggestions for improved communication.
On Thursday Sarah Mildren from the Mount Grace Land Trust came to North Star to share a presentation about vernal pools. Bill Copeland’s biology class then accompanied her to Leverett where they sploshed around and certified some actual vernal pools.
Rocket workshop had a good showing in its first session on Thursday. Two more weeks and they will be shooting them into the skies.
Upcoming events:
Closed on Monday for Patriot's Day, but open for the rest of the week.
OLP Rock climbing on Wednesday, April 22. Sign up with Ken if you haven’t already.
Friday, May 1, Thinking Big About Your Future
North Star students are invited to attend an informal meeting with UMass alumni. The alumni will discuss thinking big and taking the initiative in life.
4pm-6pm, Goodell 604. Light refreshments. Directions available. This is taking place after hours and is not specifically a North Star event, but we are happy to arrange transportation. Sign up with Ken.
Alumni speakers will include:
- Bob Lowry, local entrepreneur and Northstar board member
- Natascha Saunders: NAACP leader, career coach, and inspirational speaker
- Bruce Warila: internet and music entrepreneur, co-founder of Yospace London,
and founder of Unsprung Media
- Nancy O'Hare: Director of Strategy for the Stoeckle Center for Primary Care
Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital
The event is sponsored by BDIC, the "design your own major" program at UMass.
For more information: Contact Dan Gordon, BDIC director, 577-1144
Trip to MIT on Tuesday, May 5. We’ll meet at North Star at 8:30 am and plan to be back by 5:00. We’ll be doing a Lego Mindstorm robotics programming workshop with the MIT museum in the morning then after lunch we have a tour lined up at the Robotics Lab. $10/student. Send in a check to North Star and sign up with Catherine asap.
Other News:
Ken will be a featured presenter at the Alternative Education Resource Organization's Annual Conference in Albany in June. This conference brings together hundreds of people interested in homeschooling, free schools, democratic schools, montessori schools, and other progressive education models from around the country and even around the world. Ken will make one presentation about North Star and how it works, and a second presentation with co-founder Joshua Hornick for people interested in replicating the model.
For North Star families particularly interested in alternative schools and models from around the country, this event is one of the largest conferences of the year, and probably the largest in our region. Many teens and families attend, and there are a range of activities and workshops for everyone.
The website about the conference, with fees and schedules and list of workshops is:
http://www.educationrevolution.org/conference.html
Keynote Speakers:
Patch Adams, Deborah Meier, Ira Shor, Khalif Williams, Don "Four Arrows" Jacobs, Anna Finklestein & Kris Sage, Kristin Diodonet, Dror Yaron, and Jerry Mintz
Featured Presenters:
Bill Ayers, C.T. Lawrence Butler, Sally Carless, Meghan Carrico, Anthony Dallmann-Jones, Kenneth Danford, Matthew Davis, Helen Hughes, Susan Kambrich, Arnie Langberg, Joan Lawson, Mary Leue, John Harris Loflin, Chris Mercogliano, Ron Miller, Jerry Mintz, Scott Nine, Susan Ohanian, Robb Scott, Len Solo, Herb Snitzer, Lynn Stoddard
Please let Ken know if you would be interested in attending any part of this conference.
North Star was happy to host visitors from the Manhattan Free School for the past couple of days. Always interesting to share information, ideologies, and realities with others in alternative education. We also appreciate the recognition that North Star is a unique and cutting-edge institution.
We had a successful and enjoyable trip to the Boston Museum of Science on Tuesday. Thanks to Read Predmore for the inspiration. The Omni show about Mars was definitely a highlight.
Thanks to the parents who were able to make it out to the parent meeting on Wednesday night. It’s always nice to get together and share our inspirations, hopes, and concerns. Please remember that all North Star members and parents are encouraged to talk to the staff at any time. No question or concern is too small. We are always looking for ways to connect with our families. Let us know if you have any suggestions for improved communication.
On Thursday Sarah Mildren from the Mount Grace Land Trust came to North Star to share a presentation about vernal pools. Bill Copeland’s biology class then accompanied her to Leverett where they sploshed around and certified some actual vernal pools.
Rocket workshop had a good showing in its first session on Thursday. Two more weeks and they will be shooting them into the skies.
Upcoming events:
Closed on Monday for Patriot's Day, but open for the rest of the week.
OLP Rock climbing on Wednesday, April 22. Sign up with Ken if you haven’t already.
Friday, May 1, Thinking Big About Your Future
North Star students are invited to attend an informal meeting with UMass alumni. The alumni will discuss thinking big and taking the initiative in life.
4pm-6pm, Goodell 604. Light refreshments. Directions available. This is taking place after hours and is not specifically a North Star event, but we are happy to arrange transportation. Sign up with Ken.
Alumni speakers will include:
- Bob Lowry, local entrepreneur and Northstar board member
- Natascha Saunders: NAACP leader, career coach, and inspirational speaker
- Bruce Warila: internet and music entrepreneur, co-founder of Yospace London,
and founder of Unsprung Media
- Nancy O'Hare: Director of Strategy for the Stoeckle Center for Primary Care
Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital
The event is sponsored by BDIC, the "design your own major" program at UMass.
For more information: Contact Dan Gordon, BDIC director, 577-1144
Trip to MIT on Tuesday, May 5. We’ll meet at North Star at 8:30 am and plan to be back by 5:00. We’ll be doing a Lego Mindstorm robotics programming workshop with the MIT museum in the morning then after lunch we have a tour lined up at the Robotics Lab. $10/student. Send in a check to North Star and sign up with Catherine asap.
Other News:
- Alternative Education Conference, June 25-June 28, Albany, NY.
Ken will be a featured presenter at the Alternative Education Resource Organization's Annual Conference in Albany in June. This conference brings together hundreds of people interested in homeschooling, free schools, democratic schools, montessori schools, and other progressive education models from around the country and even around the world. Ken will make one presentation about North Star and how it works, and a second presentation with co-founder Joshua Hornick for people interested in replicating the model.
For North Star families particularly interested in alternative schools and models from around the country, this event is one of the largest conferences of the year, and probably the largest in our region. Many teens and families attend, and there are a range of activities and workshops for everyone.
The website about the conference, with fees and schedules and list of workshops is:
http://www.educationrevolution.org/conference.html
Keynote Speakers:
Patch Adams, Deborah Meier, Ira Shor, Khalif Williams, Don "Four Arrows" Jacobs, Anna Finklestein & Kris Sage, Kristin Diodonet, Dror Yaron, and Jerry Mintz
Featured Presenters:
Bill Ayers, C.T. Lawrence Butler, Sally Carless, Meghan Carrico, Anthony Dallmann-Jones, Kenneth Danford, Matthew Davis, Helen Hughes, Susan Kambrich, Arnie Langberg, Joan Lawson, Mary Leue, John Harris Loflin, Chris Mercogliano, Ron Miller, Jerry Mintz, Scott Nine, Susan Ohanian, Robb Scott, Len Solo, Herb Snitzer, Lynn Stoddard
Please let Ken know if you would be interested in attending any part of this conference.
- Juan Carlos of The Hartsbrook School ask us to share information with you all about his summer Spanish program in Ecuador. If you would like more information about this opportunity, please let me know.
Administrator
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