blue today, in honor of blue mountain school. we had quite an anticlimactic end to the school year, as three days of the last week were snow days. we've exhausted all of our appeals and all of our creative ideas for getting around this or that to allow us to remain open as a publicly funded school...so we will not be re-opening after the winter break. instead of using up all of the foundation's money, and all of our physical/mental/spiritual energy "fighting" for our right to exist in this district by going to court and maybe winning, maybe losing, but certainly spending every kind of energy we have...we've decided to focus on re-opening in the fall in another district. somewhere within a fifty mile radius of here. there are small districts about who desperately need the money and don't have whatever bad vibe this district has about us. i'm confident we will find one more than happy to soak up our extra funds and, for the most part, leave us alone. so now there is lots of leg work to be done finding a district, finding a building, writing proposals and contracts and whatever else. and homeschooling our kids. wheeee! it sucks and it's sad, but in the long run, will probably turn out better for us, as whatever district we can find to take us will certainly be closer to eugene and will vastly increase our pool of prospective students. so, i'm hopeful--and confident--that we will re-open in the fall bigger and better than we've been in the last couple of years, and i'm grateful for that. besides, it'll be nice to have the girls around for a few months. we can do lots of sewing and cooking and various projects, and i can help the girls hone their math and reading skills (and hazel wants to learn french!). that's all the blue mountain news for a while.
on the homefront...
i've been toiling away sewing all my gifts and thinking up new and hideously long and complicated projects to work on. i've got *almost* all my christmas gifts made and wrapped up and am looking forward to distributing them and visiting with everyone, weather permitting.
i sewed hazel an apron out of one of the sheets-turned-tablecloths from our wedding, it's orange and flowery and, if i do say so myself, adorable. i shall have to post a photo of it once she's opened it up. and sewing other things which i cannot yet mention. sadly, i did not get to make jubal's stuffie book, but will be doing it for his birthday. i've been making something else, which i also can't mention yet, but i'm really excited about them and will reveal all once the holidays are passed--i can say, however, that i think this item is a good candidate for my etsy.com shop, which i will be focusing on in the new year. rodney and i need to figure out a way to get high speed internet, as it will be quite a headache to work on the etsy shop using dial-up. just the thought of it gives me a headache. of course, if all goes well with the shop, hopefully it will easily pay for the extra expense incurred by upgrading the internet connection.
i spent some time and energy house cleaning in the kitchen today, which feels great. time devoted to all the holiday-related sewing and crafting has taken away from my already "relaxed" house-keeping and it felt good to see the kitchen looking donna reedish again, if only briefly. tomorrow it's the bathroom and a pile of laundry to fold, then i quit all but routine maintenance until after christmas! (yes, i realize that a clean bathroom and folding laundry IS routine maintenance, but just let me have that feeling of relaxed i-don't-have-to-clean-anything!-ness for a minute).
because of all the snow, we brought the outside rodents (clover and nickles--a bunny and guinea pig) into the house and the girls set them up an elaborate tarp-bottomed corral in their bedroom and i must admit, i love having them inside! they are so accessible for cuddling and since sweetie died i have really missed the "weep-weep!" of a guinea pig. i'd like to figure out a safe way to keep them inside all the time...maybe something in the laundry room? another thing to put off til after christmas.
i hope you are all enjoying the holiday season, visiting and baking and gift-wrapping. try to relax and love it, it's supposed to be a pleasure!
i am grateful for:
creativity
silver linings
fun
craft supplies
textiles
oh, and p.s. i sewed jubal's stocking and it is soooo cute! it's green flannel with bugs and bees on it, all brightly colored and cute and he really loves it. i hung all the stockings above the living room window and he keeps pointing at it and saying, with a huge smile, "what's that?!" he's so great.
AND! how could i not mention this?! he's been using the toilet!!! it's so awesome. he feels great about it and loves to be able to flush afterwards, then wash his hands and play with his toothbrush, which he likes because it has a picture of elmo on it. he loves elmo for some reason.
Showing posts with label blue mountain school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blue mountain school. Show all posts
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
toiling on
rodney got a bike trailer for jubal--our early christmas gift to ourselves and our main tool of survival during the making of this years christmas gifts for others. whenever he takes jubal out for a long spin, i sew and sew and sew. i'm learning so much about what i thought i knew. heh. it's fun and hard and necessitates the changing of plans and ideas...which is okay. i'm enjoying the process, though i do wish i could get one of those bike rides to last two days straight so i could just finish everything already!
i am planning to make a pair of pajama style pants for vesta...i make little pants for jubal with some frequency, but i'm starting to have a niggle of fear that it won't be quite so easy and i'll wreck my chance at 4 yards of virgin flannel. eek. the flannel is so cute! a warm browny color with tons of little owls in different positions all saying "hoo hoo". i hope she loves them. i'm contemplating making hazel an apron, so that she, too, will have something mommy-made. i'll be making jubal a softy book with clear vinyl windows to hold photographs--he LOVES looking at pictures, especially of him and daddy. i'm really looking forward to the completion of that one, it's gonna be awesome. plus, i'm making some other stuff...ahem.
so. the assembly meeting is tonight, at which, hopefully, the fate of blue mountain will be decided. at least for the rest of the school year (if there is one for us...cross your fingers!). i'll let you know what i learn.
i hope you're enjoying the days leading up to thanksgiving and the planning of your winter holiday gifts and adventures. i love you!
at this moment i am grateful for:
love
hope
change
rootedness
family
creation
i am planning to make a pair of pajama style pants for vesta...i make little pants for jubal with some frequency, but i'm starting to have a niggle of fear that it won't be quite so easy and i'll wreck my chance at 4 yards of virgin flannel. eek. the flannel is so cute! a warm browny color with tons of little owls in different positions all saying "hoo hoo". i hope she loves them. i'm contemplating making hazel an apron, so that she, too, will have something mommy-made. i'll be making jubal a softy book with clear vinyl windows to hold photographs--he LOVES looking at pictures, especially of him and daddy. i'm really looking forward to the completion of that one, it's gonna be awesome. plus, i'm making some other stuff...ahem.
so. the assembly meeting is tonight, at which, hopefully, the fate of blue mountain will be decided. at least for the rest of the school year (if there is one for us...cross your fingers!). i'll let you know what i learn.
i hope you're enjoying the days leading up to thanksgiving and the planning of your winter holiday gifts and adventures. i love you!
at this moment i am grateful for:
love
hope
change
rootedness
family
creation
Thursday, November 20, 2008
it's been a crazy few weeks (isn't it always a crazy few weeks? add them together and it's life, eh?) jubal is in the office with me, examining some rubber stamps i have of the alphabet, and otherwise tormenting my workspace. he's very much into everything these days. exploring, taking apart, opening and closing, etc. also trying to type and climbing onto things (like desks). i'll do my best to write this, despite his crazy antics.
hazel had her birthday, she is now officially 8, with her own swiss army style pocket knife to prove it. she went ice skating for her birthday--rodney took her, vesta, ronan, and another friend to the skating rink...can you imagine?! jubal and i stayed home and did the party dishes. dad's friend chuck came to celebrate with us--he was visiting dad. it was wonderful to see him, he's always been one of my favorite people. he said to me, " i like your house! your dad said it was a hippie house, but i like it." he went on to praise the party and the soup (hazel requested my *famous* "yellow chicken soup"--ground turmeric makes it yellow), which he ate approximately a million bowls of, voraciously and with obvious pleasure. that felt good. it was slightly annoying that dad called my house a "hippie house". i'm not entirely sure what that means...something like not martha stewarty cuz we make an effort to live within our means, so we don't have big fancy matching furniture sets that we bought on credit and we put a garden in the front yard and we hang the kids' art on the walls? i wasn't even born when the hippies thrived, so obviously i can't be one...i dunno, anyways the hippie thing annoys me. i'm not a hippie! living sustainably just MAKES SENSE, it doesn't make you some new age weirdo. is dad a hippie because he used to save up our recycling for months at a time and then pack the station wagon full of it on our trips to portland? or did it just make sense to recycle instead of throw it away? i digress. (dad--i'm not a hippie!)...hazel is 8 and great. she loved the ice skating and a good time was had by all.
i've been doing lots and lots and lots of crafting, including sewing--and i can't go into the details, as christmas gifts MAY BE INVOLVED. shhh. but it's been: fun, challenging, frustrating, awesome, pretty, more fun, happy, cussy, and generally badass. i'm getting pretty decent with that sewing machine these days. the hard part is getting the time--especially lately with jubal's recent step up in the getting-into-everything phase. it's almost impossible to sew or knit if he is in the house (knitting i can do if he's asleep). so i have to rely on rodney to take him out for bike rides or walks or something. rodney is not great at that, but i'm guessing he'll vastly improve in the next few weeks. heh.
onto the blue mountain update...we lost our appeal to ODE and the school board basically plans to shut us down over winter break. we do have some options and maybe even a trick up our collective sleeve, so this doesn't mean it's the end of us...there is an assembly meeting on monday to figure out what we want to do. i pretty firmly believe that we'll figure something out. i'll let you know.
final note...my cat juna died in the night. it was not unexpected, she's deteriorated a lot over the past year. it's a blessing, as she was getting more feeble and weak, and we were all feeling bad for her and trying to make her comfortable, but mostly powerless to help, other than making a bed for her in the office bathroom and frequently changing her bedding, as she lost bladder control over the last couple of weeks (another place where those famed "pee mats" we used for every child's birth and subsequent non-potty-trained life came in super handy). we'll bury her this afternoon when the girls get home from school. i intended to tell them when they got home, so as not to ruin their day, but vesta found her in the office bathroom this morning. she was sad, but okay since it was obviously coming and she was so old. i asked her not to say anything to hazel until they got home. i can never predict how hazel will react to pet deaths...sometimes she's just like "oh" and on to the next thing, other times it is a huge tragically sad scene with tons of crying and swollen nostrils and the need for lots of cuddling and rocking and comforting. i'm expecting it to be one of those days, so i wanted her to at least have a good day at school first. juna was an awesome cat, she was completely loyal to me no matter what happened--she stuck by me with the introduction of new pets...the horrible and wonderful kitten saga, and even through wyatt wyane's arrival. she loved to cuddle and could literally sit on your lap for hours at a time (during those sessions she would often drool a bit, which i loved about her). she's getting a spot in the front flower bed by my rose, so she can rest on my lap forever. best. cat. ever.
gratitudes:
my sewing machine!
creativity
fun
chicken soup
the waxing and waning of life in the cycle of all that is
hazel had her birthday, she is now officially 8, with her own swiss army style pocket knife to prove it. she went ice skating for her birthday--rodney took her, vesta, ronan, and another friend to the skating rink...can you imagine?! jubal and i stayed home and did the party dishes. dad's friend chuck came to celebrate with us--he was visiting dad. it was wonderful to see him, he's always been one of my favorite people. he said to me, " i like your house! your dad said it was a hippie house, but i like it." he went on to praise the party and the soup (hazel requested my *famous* "yellow chicken soup"--ground turmeric makes it yellow), which he ate approximately a million bowls of, voraciously and with obvious pleasure. that felt good. it was slightly annoying that dad called my house a "hippie house". i'm not entirely sure what that means...something like not martha stewarty cuz we make an effort to live within our means, so we don't have big fancy matching furniture sets that we bought on credit and we put a garden in the front yard and we hang the kids' art on the walls? i wasn't even born when the hippies thrived, so obviously i can't be one...i dunno, anyways the hippie thing annoys me. i'm not a hippie! living sustainably just MAKES SENSE, it doesn't make you some new age weirdo. is dad a hippie because he used to save up our recycling for months at a time and then pack the station wagon full of it on our trips to portland? or did it just make sense to recycle instead of throw it away? i digress. (dad--i'm not a hippie!)...hazel is 8 and great. she loved the ice skating and a good time was had by all.
i've been doing lots and lots and lots of crafting, including sewing--and i can't go into the details, as christmas gifts MAY BE INVOLVED. shhh. but it's been: fun, challenging, frustrating, awesome, pretty, more fun, happy, cussy, and generally badass. i'm getting pretty decent with that sewing machine these days. the hard part is getting the time--especially lately with jubal's recent step up in the getting-into-everything phase. it's almost impossible to sew or knit if he is in the house (knitting i can do if he's asleep). so i have to rely on rodney to take him out for bike rides or walks or something. rodney is not great at that, but i'm guessing he'll vastly improve in the next few weeks. heh.
onto the blue mountain update...we lost our appeal to ODE and the school board basically plans to shut us down over winter break. we do have some options and maybe even a trick up our collective sleeve, so this doesn't mean it's the end of us...there is an assembly meeting on monday to figure out what we want to do. i pretty firmly believe that we'll figure something out. i'll let you know.
final note...my cat juna died in the night. it was not unexpected, she's deteriorated a lot over the past year. it's a blessing, as she was getting more feeble and weak, and we were all feeling bad for her and trying to make her comfortable, but mostly powerless to help, other than making a bed for her in the office bathroom and frequently changing her bedding, as she lost bladder control over the last couple of weeks (another place where those famed "pee mats" we used for every child's birth and subsequent non-potty-trained life came in super handy). we'll bury her this afternoon when the girls get home from school. i intended to tell them when they got home, so as not to ruin their day, but vesta found her in the office bathroom this morning. she was sad, but okay since it was obviously coming and she was so old. i asked her not to say anything to hazel until they got home. i can never predict how hazel will react to pet deaths...sometimes she's just like "oh" and on to the next thing, other times it is a huge tragically sad scene with tons of crying and swollen nostrils and the need for lots of cuddling and rocking and comforting. i'm expecting it to be one of those days, so i wanted her to at least have a good day at school first. juna was an awesome cat, she was completely loyal to me no matter what happened--she stuck by me with the introduction of new pets...the horrible and wonderful kitten saga, and even through wyatt wyane's arrival. she loved to cuddle and could literally sit on your lap for hours at a time (during those sessions she would often drool a bit, which i loved about her). she's getting a spot in the front flower bed by my rose, so she can rest on my lap forever. best. cat. ever.
gratitudes:
my sewing machine!
creativity
fun
chicken soup
the waxing and waning of life in the cycle of all that is
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
no news is....frustrating!
i haven't had the mental momentum to write on here lately. whatever is going on with my body is wearing me out physically and mentally.
i've been to my naturopath and to the neurologist, but so far have no definitive diagnosis. the neurologist did have a couple of options to explore though--one is ruling out this rare disease called wilson's disease, that is a genetic defect that causes your body not to properly metabolize and flush out copper, so it just builds up in your system until it ruins your liver and kills you (if you don't know about it--if you do, it's manageable). he ordered some labs to rule that out and i should have the results next week. the other option is called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome--or something like that), it has to do with your body not correctly regulating your blood pressure when you change positions (in very layman's terms) causing you to pass out or to tremor or to generally feel like crap. wiki POTS and get depressed. i'm starting to feel like that's probably it, but we shall see. my next appointment with the neurologist is on the 29th.
it's depressing. i feel like crap and mostly just want to lay around and not do anything. so when i do stuff--you have to do stuff! like cook dinner and do laundry and clean up the floor and pay attention to the children...when i do mundane stuff about the house i resent it (not the kid-time, the other stuff), as it uses up all the energy i've got, leaving none to the fun stuff like sewing and knitting and just feeling good BEING.
i've also started to volunteer at the school on mondays for most of the day, and on wednesdays for cleaning. i am enjoying it, for the most part. i do whatever demian and joel need done, if anything, then i wander around being available to help kids do whatever they need doing, cleaning up little messes, and orienting myself with the opal program on the computer...then after lunch i help clean up the kitchen. i still have no idea what i'm doing in the kitchen, so i try to help in such a way that i can't screw anything up--wiping down tables and counters and the salad bar, sweeping, clearing dishes, etc. it feels good to be helping and i like being there, seeing the school in action. i want so badly for the school to spring back from this rough spot with the board. i want it to thrive again, attract more students, feel stable for everyone involved so that it can shine and prosper. i wish we could be a private school! whatever happened to that voucher idea, anyways? i wish the school board could see what i see...i love watching these rough-sounding teenage boys spy a smaller kid having difficulty with something and stop, get to their level, and offer help. i LOVE it! i love how everyone is equal and everyone is always teaching something to someone else. i love that everyone has the freedom to figure out what they want to do and how to do it. i love that everyone has a chance to learn everything...five year olds on computers and pottery wheels, teenagers playing dress-up with the littler kids. it's SO COOL!
i'll update the health info when i have any...in the meantime...enjoy your life, help someone, and eat something delicious.
i've been to my naturopath and to the neurologist, but so far have no definitive diagnosis. the neurologist did have a couple of options to explore though--one is ruling out this rare disease called wilson's disease, that is a genetic defect that causes your body not to properly metabolize and flush out copper, so it just builds up in your system until it ruins your liver and kills you (if you don't know about it--if you do, it's manageable). he ordered some labs to rule that out and i should have the results next week. the other option is called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome--or something like that), it has to do with your body not correctly regulating your blood pressure when you change positions (in very layman's terms) causing you to pass out or to tremor or to generally feel like crap. wiki POTS and get depressed. i'm starting to feel like that's probably it, but we shall see. my next appointment with the neurologist is on the 29th.
it's depressing. i feel like crap and mostly just want to lay around and not do anything. so when i do stuff--you have to do stuff! like cook dinner and do laundry and clean up the floor and pay attention to the children...when i do mundane stuff about the house i resent it (not the kid-time, the other stuff), as it uses up all the energy i've got, leaving none to the fun stuff like sewing and knitting and just feeling good BEING.
i've also started to volunteer at the school on mondays for most of the day, and on wednesdays for cleaning. i am enjoying it, for the most part. i do whatever demian and joel need done, if anything, then i wander around being available to help kids do whatever they need doing, cleaning up little messes, and orienting myself with the opal program on the computer...then after lunch i help clean up the kitchen. i still have no idea what i'm doing in the kitchen, so i try to help in such a way that i can't screw anything up--wiping down tables and counters and the salad bar, sweeping, clearing dishes, etc. it feels good to be helping and i like being there, seeing the school in action. i want so badly for the school to spring back from this rough spot with the board. i want it to thrive again, attract more students, feel stable for everyone involved so that it can shine and prosper. i wish we could be a private school! whatever happened to that voucher idea, anyways? i wish the school board could see what i see...i love watching these rough-sounding teenage boys spy a smaller kid having difficulty with something and stop, get to their level, and offer help. i LOVE it! i love how everyone is equal and everyone is always teaching something to someone else. i love that everyone has the freedom to figure out what they want to do and how to do it. i love that everyone has a chance to learn everything...five year olds on computers and pottery wheels, teenagers playing dress-up with the littler kids. it's SO COOL!
i'll update the health info when i have any...in the meantime...enjoy your life, help someone, and eat something delicious.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
summer school
so, we revised our proposal for a charter renewal to the board, they said no no no no, again...and the next step is appealing to ODE, then back to the board (if ODE is in our favor), then the board says no no no no again (most likely) then, maybe we go to court...if there's enough money and energy. in the meantime the school will still open and be funded through all the appeals and courts and whatnot. so much for relaxing, eh?
it occurred to me this morning as i ate my smoothie that a group of us may have to rally together and create a new school to propose to the board. some not-exactly-democratic amalgam of academics and freedom. that's what you do when you need something and it's not available, right? you create it. it's an option.
i've been thinking and wondering and working the grain mills of my brain to figure out what to do with the kids if we don't manage to save the school. i don't mind homeschooling, but i was looking forward to them having somewhere to be for the next three years so i can go back to school myself next year. i could sacrifice that desire, but rodney recommends that i don't...it's a chance for me to do what i love and to make a career out of it--a chance for us all to actually HAVE SOME MONEY SOMETIME!!!
so it's all up in the air, and it's all exhausting, and it's all a bit unsatisfying at the moment.
it occurred to me this morning as i ate my smoothie that a group of us may have to rally together and create a new school to propose to the board. some not-exactly-democratic amalgam of academics and freedom. that's what you do when you need something and it's not available, right? you create it. it's an option.
i've been thinking and wondering and working the grain mills of my brain to figure out what to do with the kids if we don't manage to save the school. i don't mind homeschooling, but i was looking forward to them having somewhere to be for the next three years so i can go back to school myself next year. i could sacrifice that desire, but rodney recommends that i don't...it's a chance for me to do what i love and to make a career out of it--a chance for us all to actually HAVE SOME MONEY SOMETIME!!!
so it's all up in the air, and it's all exhausting, and it's all a bit unsatisfying at the moment.
Friday, June 20, 2008
my letter to the south lane school board
Dear Board Members,
Last night was the yearbook party at Blue Mountain School. Two of my children attend Blue Mountain and I am writing in hopes to inspire you to find a way to keep working with us to form a plan that satisfies everyone’s needs. The party was a bittersweet occasion. It was great to see everyone again, to play and chat, and enjoy good food and company with our community. It was also sad, sadder than the word “sad” allows for. No matter what happens now—whether we find a successful solution that keeps the school open, or we don’t and it closes—it was the definitive END to something beautiful that nourished my kids and my self. The Blue Mountain community will never be the same again. I have faith that we will rebuild our community, that it will be different, but still strong and creative and supportive. But I mourn for what we have lost. Two of the staff members are leaving, and my kids will miss them bitterly. One of the student families is moving to California…their family includes two young girls who played frequently with my two girls. I had always been so grateful that my children had these wonderful friends, in and out of school. I thought they would grow up together, to help ground and inspire each other. I thought as parents we would be able to celebrate their achievements, support their falls. I was so grateful to know that my kids had not only their own family to be a net under them and to cheer for them and appreciate them, but also this other family, who would love and honor them. I was excited to do the same for their beautiful children. That family would not be leaving if the future of the school had not been in such turmoil, so uncertain and stressful.
I want to tell you about my girls. My daughter Vesta is ten and my daughter Hazel is seven. They also have a little brother, Jubal, who we all hope will one day attend Blue Mountain School. Over the last school year, both girls’ reading abilities have skyrocketed. As a parent who loves reading, is a writer, and deeply believes in the idea that if you can read, you can learn ANYTHING, it was very hard for me to watch school years go by in which my daughters never did much with reading. They had the basic skills required to read and if you pointed to a word or sentence, they could read it to you—but there was no interest or drive to read, though they have always loved being read to, so I know they loved stories and books. It helped me survive this non-reading period to look at all the teenagers at Blue Mountain, those who were there from the beginning or very early on, who were not only proficient readers, but who now LOVED to read. I knew those kids hadn’t learned to read “on schedule”, and it reassured me to see them with wonderful, literary books in hand, that they were obviously reading for pleasure. I bit my tongue, which wanted to wag at the girls: “take reading classes, take reading classes!!!” and tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to keep the faith that they WOULD read. Now they both do. They often read to me, which of course I love…but I also see them toting books into their room to read before lights out. Which I love infinitely more!
Both of my daughters have participated in running businesses at school, especially over the last year. This has been interesting and exciting to watch. Not only does running a small business require precise math skills—for making change, buying and selling goods, keeping track of inventory and so forth (as well as the measuring skills required to bake or prepare the goods they were selling), but subtler skills as well—like figuring out how to price their goods. When they began their ventures, the pricing seemed random, and while I did suggest that it might be a good idea to figure out how much they spend to get the products and price things with that in mind, they learned the concept much more successfully by trial and error. My seven year old thinks almost everything should cost a quarter, so everyone can afford it…but she quickly learned that you don’t make a profit that way! It was very exciting to watch them really grasp the concept and then do the work to figure out prices that were fair for everyone.
Both girls have been certified for the sewing machines at school and often bring home items they have made: purses, pillows, toys and dolls for their baby brother. Vesta even explained to me how to use the buttonholer! She also sewed matching aprons for all the participants of her ice cream business, telling me after each one how she had further perfected her skills, what she had learned to do better and how each one got progressively smoother to make. Having just started on my own path of learning to sew, I have greatly enjoyed hearing about her experiences.
They do so much at school, I couldn’t possibly describe it all, or explain to you all the intricate details of their learning processes. I can tell you it is thrilling to watch and be a part of.
I can understand your reluctance to lend support to a school in which it seems like the kids “don’t do anything”. It’s true that sometimes kids are sleeping on the couch, playing video games, hanging out…it seems like not doing anything, but I don’t believe it is. I think that honoring your body’s need for rest is important—so many people in our culture don’t listen to their bodies and just drudge through life, tired and unhealthy. I feel grateful that my kids have a school where the needs of their bodies are respected—though my kids aren’t teens yet, so they don’t ever nap at school, they’re too busy playing and learning. My kids also don’t spend much time on the computers, but I’ve watched the other kids gaming away—not the way I’d choose to spend my time, so I was surprised to see that they are actually learning a lot while they do it. The video games and the role-playing games actually involve a lot of quick math skills, reading skills, map reading skills, strategy, and cooperation. It’s pretty cool. I won’t be buying my kids an x-box anytime soon, but I’ve learned it’s not an invalid way to spend your time.
I also love that the kids are able to socialize with each other, and I was incredibly surprised and pleased to see how well all the ages get along with each other. Often the older kids teach the younger kids, and frequently include them in their activities. They treat them with respect! There are so many different types of people in that little school, and so many opportunities to learn and grow. One student is autistic—super friendly, but sometimes in your face. It has been so great to have him in our community, opening everyone’s heart and teaching us all patience and understanding. He’s amazing, every time I see him he asks me about Jubal, checking up on his age and weight, always remembering the previous numbers, as well as Jubal’s birthday. He always calculates how many months I’ve told him Jubal is, figures out that is still one year old, then he announces that he was once a one year old, too (to which I reply that I was, as well, many years ago). Then he says that some day soon Jubal will be two. I have grown to really love these interactions with this boy, as I know others have, including my own kids and my husband, who is not generally a very patient person—it’s fun to watch him interact with patience and real interest to whatever their latest topic is.
This school is a real gem. I know it is hard for you to see or understand that. I know it is very, very different from the schools you’re used to working with. I apologize to you that we have so far been unable to quantify the learning in a way that you can understand the depth and breadth of it…it’s really challenging for us, because we are there all the time, we know the kids, we see them grow and learn. It’s hard to reduce all that they are and do into a number or a percentile. I am committed to continuing to try and find a method that works for you and us. I will do anything in my power to keep Blue Mountain open for my kids, for all the kids. It is my sincere hope and goal that we can heal the wounds between us and learn to work together, so that we can all feel satisfied and happy with Blue Mountain School. I am one of the parents who will be very involved in the school in the years to come, and I do not wish to harbor bitterness or anger, I only wish to have a successful school, available to all who choose to attend.
Thank you for taking the time to read this long and winding letter, I appreciate your time and hope you will consider finding a way to work with us to remedy your concerns.
Sincerely,
Megan MacCullen, parent
Last night was the yearbook party at Blue Mountain School. Two of my children attend Blue Mountain and I am writing in hopes to inspire you to find a way to keep working with us to form a plan that satisfies everyone’s needs. The party was a bittersweet occasion. It was great to see everyone again, to play and chat, and enjoy good food and company with our community. It was also sad, sadder than the word “sad” allows for. No matter what happens now—whether we find a successful solution that keeps the school open, or we don’t and it closes—it was the definitive END to something beautiful that nourished my kids and my self. The Blue Mountain community will never be the same again. I have faith that we will rebuild our community, that it will be different, but still strong and creative and supportive. But I mourn for what we have lost. Two of the staff members are leaving, and my kids will miss them bitterly. One of the student families is moving to California…their family includes two young girls who played frequently with my two girls. I had always been so grateful that my children had these wonderful friends, in and out of school. I thought they would grow up together, to help ground and inspire each other. I thought as parents we would be able to celebrate their achievements, support their falls. I was so grateful to know that my kids had not only their own family to be a net under them and to cheer for them and appreciate them, but also this other family, who would love and honor them. I was excited to do the same for their beautiful children. That family would not be leaving if the future of the school had not been in such turmoil, so uncertain and stressful.
I want to tell you about my girls. My daughter Vesta is ten and my daughter Hazel is seven. They also have a little brother, Jubal, who we all hope will one day attend Blue Mountain School. Over the last school year, both girls’ reading abilities have skyrocketed. As a parent who loves reading, is a writer, and deeply believes in the idea that if you can read, you can learn ANYTHING, it was very hard for me to watch school years go by in which my daughters never did much with reading. They had the basic skills required to read and if you pointed to a word or sentence, they could read it to you—but there was no interest or drive to read, though they have always loved being read to, so I know they loved stories and books. It helped me survive this non-reading period to look at all the teenagers at Blue Mountain, those who were there from the beginning or very early on, who were not only proficient readers, but who now LOVED to read. I knew those kids hadn’t learned to read “on schedule”, and it reassured me to see them with wonderful, literary books in hand, that they were obviously reading for pleasure. I bit my tongue, which wanted to wag at the girls: “take reading classes, take reading classes!!!” and tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to keep the faith that they WOULD read. Now they both do. They often read to me, which of course I love…but I also see them toting books into their room to read before lights out. Which I love infinitely more!
Both of my daughters have participated in running businesses at school, especially over the last year. This has been interesting and exciting to watch. Not only does running a small business require precise math skills—for making change, buying and selling goods, keeping track of inventory and so forth (as well as the measuring skills required to bake or prepare the goods they were selling), but subtler skills as well—like figuring out how to price their goods. When they began their ventures, the pricing seemed random, and while I did suggest that it might be a good idea to figure out how much they spend to get the products and price things with that in mind, they learned the concept much more successfully by trial and error. My seven year old thinks almost everything should cost a quarter, so everyone can afford it…but she quickly learned that you don’t make a profit that way! It was very exciting to watch them really grasp the concept and then do the work to figure out prices that were fair for everyone.
Both girls have been certified for the sewing machines at school and often bring home items they have made: purses, pillows, toys and dolls for their baby brother. Vesta even explained to me how to use the buttonholer! She also sewed matching aprons for all the participants of her ice cream business, telling me after each one how she had further perfected her skills, what she had learned to do better and how each one got progressively smoother to make. Having just started on my own path of learning to sew, I have greatly enjoyed hearing about her experiences.
They do so much at school, I couldn’t possibly describe it all, or explain to you all the intricate details of their learning processes. I can tell you it is thrilling to watch and be a part of.
I can understand your reluctance to lend support to a school in which it seems like the kids “don’t do anything”. It’s true that sometimes kids are sleeping on the couch, playing video games, hanging out…it seems like not doing anything, but I don’t believe it is. I think that honoring your body’s need for rest is important—so many people in our culture don’t listen to their bodies and just drudge through life, tired and unhealthy. I feel grateful that my kids have a school where the needs of their bodies are respected—though my kids aren’t teens yet, so they don’t ever nap at school, they’re too busy playing and learning. My kids also don’t spend much time on the computers, but I’ve watched the other kids gaming away—not the way I’d choose to spend my time, so I was surprised to see that they are actually learning a lot while they do it. The video games and the role-playing games actually involve a lot of quick math skills, reading skills, map reading skills, strategy, and cooperation. It’s pretty cool. I won’t be buying my kids an x-box anytime soon, but I’ve learned it’s not an invalid way to spend your time.
I also love that the kids are able to socialize with each other, and I was incredibly surprised and pleased to see how well all the ages get along with each other. Often the older kids teach the younger kids, and frequently include them in their activities. They treat them with respect! There are so many different types of people in that little school, and so many opportunities to learn and grow. One student is autistic—super friendly, but sometimes in your face. It has been so great to have him in our community, opening everyone’s heart and teaching us all patience and understanding. He’s amazing, every time I see him he asks me about Jubal, checking up on his age and weight, always remembering the previous numbers, as well as Jubal’s birthday. He always calculates how many months I’ve told him Jubal is, figures out that is still one year old, then he announces that he was once a one year old, too (to which I reply that I was, as well, many years ago). Then he says that some day soon Jubal will be two. I have grown to really love these interactions with this boy, as I know others have, including my own kids and my husband, who is not generally a very patient person—it’s fun to watch him interact with patience and real interest to whatever their latest topic is.
This school is a real gem. I know it is hard for you to see or understand that. I know it is very, very different from the schools you’re used to working with. I apologize to you that we have so far been unable to quantify the learning in a way that you can understand the depth and breadth of it…it’s really challenging for us, because we are there all the time, we know the kids, we see them grow and learn. It’s hard to reduce all that they are and do into a number or a percentile. I am committed to continuing to try and find a method that works for you and us. I will do anything in my power to keep Blue Mountain open for my kids, for all the kids. It is my sincere hope and goal that we can heal the wounds between us and learn to work together, so that we can all feel satisfied and happy with Blue Mountain School. I am one of the parents who will be very involved in the school in the years to come, and I do not wish to harbor bitterness or anger, I only wish to have a successful school, available to all who choose to attend.
Thank you for taking the time to read this long and winding letter, I appreciate your time and hope you will consider finding a way to work with us to remedy your concerns.
Sincerely,
Megan MacCullen, parent
i feel sick
last night was the yearbook party for blue mountain and i want to curl up and cry all day from it. lesley and elise are moving on to other jobs, other lives. the dickson's are moving to california. a bunch of the bms kids are moving on to other schools, where they can be assured the schools will be open for them. i am full of sadness and anger and the bitter will to keep fighting the injustice of the south lane school board. the hearing's in a couple of weeks, the application will be filed this weekend, lots of ideas for ways to appease the board are afoot...i'll be writing my letter to the board today.
and just in time to help boost my energy for the cause...i have an answer to my unwilling lethargy and metabolism that will not budge no matter what i do. hypo-thyroidism. woohoo. i'm now on the potentially long road of figuring out how to balance everything correctly. the solution? pig hormones. from pig thyroids. weird, eh? the company that makes them is called Armour...you know, like the giant meat company. freaky. i try to console myself with the idea that at least every bit of those pigs is going to use, no matter how much i disagree with industrialized meat production, blah blah, blah. the thought of having to take a pill every day for the rest of my life is super depressing, but i don't think i can really get around it. i didn't do anything to ruin my thyroid, it just happened. but it sucks to have part of your body not work right. it just feels sad and disappointing and weird and frustrating. i haven't come across a definitive reason for why the thyroid malfunctions--but, not surprisingly, one of the posited theories involves CHEMICALS IN OUR FOOD AND DRINKING WATER!!! shocking, ahem. so thanks industrial farmers, industrial age, monsanto, idiots everywhere that produce plastic and pollute the earth and the seas and the skies. a hearty thank you from my fucked up body! ironic that the solution comes from industrial food production, isn't it. it's a vicious circle like those GMO patented seeds. but i won't keep ranting on. i'm feeling bitter and depressed and like this really sucks.
but i would be remiss if i didn't also say that i am hopeful and excited at the prospect of feeling better. rain energy upon me, o pig hormones. fill me up with your frolicking, mud-loving, intelligent spirit. give me the energy and i'll use it to my best abilities and make you proud, pigs.
i'm grateful for:
1) the people involved in blue mountain who are continuing to try and find solutions.
2) the people involved in blue mountain who have to move on now, but who are beautiful, kind, generous, witty, amazing people who changed my children's lives and gave them gifts beyond measure with which to build the framework of their own realities.
3) pigs and their apparently humanistic hormones.
4) my garden which feeds me, relaxes me, inspires me, and fulfills me.
5) the spirit of good which will not die.
and just in time to help boost my energy for the cause...i have an answer to my unwilling lethargy and metabolism that will not budge no matter what i do. hypo-thyroidism. woohoo. i'm now on the potentially long road of figuring out how to balance everything correctly. the solution? pig hormones. from pig thyroids. weird, eh? the company that makes them is called Armour...you know, like the giant meat company. freaky. i try to console myself with the idea that at least every bit of those pigs is going to use, no matter how much i disagree with industrialized meat production, blah blah, blah. the thought of having to take a pill every day for the rest of my life is super depressing, but i don't think i can really get around it. i didn't do anything to ruin my thyroid, it just happened. but it sucks to have part of your body not work right. it just feels sad and disappointing and weird and frustrating. i haven't come across a definitive reason for why the thyroid malfunctions--but, not surprisingly, one of the posited theories involves CHEMICALS IN OUR FOOD AND DRINKING WATER!!! shocking, ahem. so thanks industrial farmers, industrial age, monsanto, idiots everywhere that produce plastic and pollute the earth and the seas and the skies. a hearty thank you from my fucked up body! ironic that the solution comes from industrial food production, isn't it. it's a vicious circle like those GMO patented seeds. but i won't keep ranting on. i'm feeling bitter and depressed and like this really sucks.
but i would be remiss if i didn't also say that i am hopeful and excited at the prospect of feeling better. rain energy upon me, o pig hormones. fill me up with your frolicking, mud-loving, intelligent spirit. give me the energy and i'll use it to my best abilities and make you proud, pigs.
i'm grateful for:
1) the people involved in blue mountain who are continuing to try and find solutions.
2) the people involved in blue mountain who have to move on now, but who are beautiful, kind, generous, witty, amazing people who changed my children's lives and gave them gifts beyond measure with which to build the framework of their own realities.
3) pigs and their apparently humanistic hormones.
4) my garden which feeds me, relaxes me, inspires me, and fulfills me.
5) the spirit of good which will not die.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
on the road to renewal
today is clean-up day at the school. getting ready for the district site visit. step one on our trip to potential renewal. we're gathering today at blue mountain to clean and repair and clean and plant flowers and clean...and then tomorrow is the site visit. just pray for us. pray that everything we do flows and is successful. pray that it's smooth as butter and easy as pie. pray that we are all able to hold our intentions in our minds and hearts, and that our actions reflect that. pray to open the hearts and minds and spirits of the district officials, so that they can see the value in our differences, so they can see the work and effort and time and energy we have put in to reach the demands they have set forth for us--and that it means something to them.
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