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Opportunities for Improvements on the Farm

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:20:41 -0500

In the days after spending a day at Higher Ground Farm, kindergarteners identified 12 things that were either problems during farm chores or chores that could be made easier/more efficient.

Feeding the chickens
Carrying water to the chickens
Bedding the chickens
Collecting eggs, chickens peck kids
Rakes and pitch forks are too big for kids
Brooms are too big for kids
Cleaning and drying the eggs
Difficulty opening and closing the gate
Holding the barn door open/opening the barn door with hands full
Carrying water to the horses and cows
Carrying the grain to the horses and cows without spilling any, spills = rats
Wheelbarrow is difficult to use when bedding the horses and cows

Students then had the opportunity to choose which challenge they would like to fix. After decided what they would like to fix. Students shared their ideas with one another and the class. Ideas were evaluated on the following:

Does it solve an identified problem on the farm?
Is it helpful to the farmers or the kids while doing chores?
What do you already know that could help with the idea?
Can you purchase the things to build it? Is it too expensive to build?
Do you or someone you know have something at home to donate?
Can the finished idea fit through the doors or windows in the respective area it will help? Can it fit in a car or truck to get it to the farm?
Is it something a kindergartener could build with a little help and some supplies?

Henning's Cheese Factory Tour

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:52:54 -0500

ESAA kindergarteners spent the morning at Henning’s Cheese Factory learning about how cheese is made and the variety of cheeses that are made while touring the factory. They sampled a unique pepper cheese, a blueberry cheese, and even a chocolate cheese. The tour included a walk through the processing phases and observing the actual making of string cheese and cheese curds. Below is a link to the video students watched and also a link to a number of photos.

http://www.henningscheese.com

Kindergarten at the farm

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:49:37 -0500

ESAA’s kindergartners spent today learning at Higher Ground Farm in Plymouth. Using thinking routines, See – Think – Wonder in the Coop and Colors – Lines – Shapes in the barn; students learned about how a farm works, challenges that farmers may face, and how a family works together running the farm. This year farmers Christal and Mike Mulder challenged students to come up with ways to make their children’s farm chores easier.

After seeing the farm and thinking about what they saw, it was time for some doing. Students tried out some of the chores to gain their own experience of farm chores and the challenges of the chores. What needs might exist in sweeping the barn, putting bedding in the chicken coop, checking for eggs, providing water, feeding horses, feeding steers, raking, etc.

After a home cooked farm lunch in the barn and a hayride students sat down with the farmers to talk about project ideas they had. The farmers provided warm and cool feedback. Students will take this information back to ESAA and begin working on their farm solution proposals. In the weeks ahead students will design and build their ideas and then present them to the farmers when the farmers return to ESAA.

Check out some of the highlights of the day in this photo album.

Lead, Soil, Sawdust Exhibition of Learning

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:24:14 -0500

This Project-Based Learning unit focused on three of Wisconsin's Industries. The unit started of with a Feel - Think - Wonder prompting students to consider the natural resources of Wisconsin and how people used them to create industry and economic growth within the state. Students then selected which industry they wanted to research. The industry specific journey started with Connect - Extend - Challenge thinking routine to discern what they needed to know. They pondered their chosen industry through the lenses of Economic; Environmental; Science and Technology.

As students wrapped up their learning they began working with the Drama, Dance, Music and Art teachers to take the knowledge they had on their industry and use it to persuade an audience to believe their industry was the best to work in. In art they created murals. During music students selected musical instruments and/or created songs to demonstrate specifics of their industry. In dance class students created movements that were created using major components of the industry. The dance piece was performed to the music the students made during the Exhibition of Learning. Wisconsin Industry plays were created by students in a Reader's Theater, exemplifying arguments why one would want to join their industry over the others.

In Writer's Workshop students worked on Persuasive Writing. Students began with examining children's literature that used persuasive writing. Students then composed writing pieces to persuade character, friends, and teachers. Throughout the entire unit, the Writer's Workshop process of prewrite, draft, edit, and publish was used.

Culture of Thinking, part 2 - Evenings at ESAA

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:24:02 -0500

ESAA families gathered in the Rush to Rest gallery at the JMKAC to participate in an observation of art with the use of thinking routines. Elizabeth Marzouki led families through a “See – Think – Wonder” routine as Susan Griffiths documented the process as we do in the classroom. See - Think - Wonder is a thinking routine used to explore works of art and other interesting things by making careful observations and thoughtful interpretations. It stimulates curiosity and sets the stage for inquiry.

What do you see? “I see…” (specific observations)
What do you think about that? “I think…” (interpretations)
What does it make you wonder? "I wonder..."

Within the See – Think – Wonder Ms. Marzouki utilizes “What makes you say that?” to have participants build explanations. This evidential reasoning invites students to share their interpretations and encourages participants to understand alternatives and multiple perspectives.

The Rush to Rest gallery observation concluded with “Headlines” to help participants capture the core or essence of the discussion. This routine also is used to sum things up and come to some tentative conclusions.

Afterward families were offered ways to use thinking routines outside of school and the “10 Apps for Parents – Making Thinking Visible”.

Evenings at ESAA: Part 2

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:00:38 -0500

You are invited to attend an Evening at ESAA: ESAA's Culture of Thinking Part 2

at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center

Tuesday, April 23rd at 6:00 p.m.

Join us at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center to observe art through thinking routines. You will also receive information on how to use thinking strategies at home with your children. Children are welcome to attend.

STEM Sail Project

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:24:17 -0500

The STEM Sailing project kicked off on Friday with a presentation from a man that has traveled the world pursuing his dreams. Dr. Ian House, an engineer from Mercury Marine gave a presentation on taking full advantage of opportunities in life, of saying "yes" as openings are presented, of a life (career) of "messing about in boats", and how a kid who's good in math from Brighton, England winds up as Director of Environmental Engineering for Mercury Marine and Sea Doo.

A few of his life lessons included:

Be open minded and adventurous
Take advantage of good opportunities
Think long-term when given an opportunity
Try to fulfill your dreams
Money isn’t everything
Teaching improves your knowledge

Culture of Thinking - Evenings at ESAA

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:09:59 -0500

On Thursday April 9, we held our monthly session of Evenings at ESAA. The focus of this month was on Cultures of Thinking.

Families started off by engaging in the ‘3-2-1 Bridge’ Thinking Routine. This routine asks students to uncover their initial thoughts, ideas, questions and understandings about a topic and then to connect these to new thinking about the topic after they have received some instruction. (You may read more about 3-2-1 Bridge here, at Harvard Graduate School of Education.)

Your initial responses to the topic

3 Thoughts/Ideas

2 Questions

1 Analogy

Your new responses to the topic

3 Thoughts/Ideas

2 Questions

1 Analogy

*************Bridge*************

Explain how your new responses connect to your initial responses

The results of this thinking routine are listed here.

Initial questions included:

Why is it called Culture of Thinking
Why so many Thinking Routines?
How do Multiple Intelligences fit in?
How do we engage students to do critical thinking?
How does Project-based Learning fit in?
How do we teach basics (math, reading, etc.) through our Cultures of Thinking?

Initial thoughts included:

Wonder
Involvement
Inclusion
Multiple Intelligences
Excitement for learning

Second round questions included:

How is Cultures of Thinking evolving?
Are there any parent friendly books or activities?
How does this more creative deeper thinking fit with standards?

Second round thoughts included:

Creativity
Engagement
Questions
Collaboration
Movement
21st Century skills
Leading
Experimenting
Deeper thinking
Take risks

Analogy: Culture of Thinking is to ESAA as coffee is to Paradigm

Can you imagine if our students were in an environment that did not foster critical thinking skills? What would happen if our students did not have the skills to observe, wonder, connect, reason, interpret or innovate? How would they be prepared for the future that does not yet exist?

In a video called, Shift Happens it stated that we are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist – using technologies that haven’t been invented – in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.

A member of the Étude Group Governing Board states it perfectly: “we don’t want our students to memorize the state capitals but solve problems at the state capital”.

The culmination of our philosophy is learning to use one’s mind well. At the core are creativity, critical thinking and innovation.

Susan Griffiths then explained how Culture of Thinking was imbedded throughout the 5th grade Gingerbread Structure project along with slides of the students creating throughout the entire process. This project was chosen as the main example because it involved varied math strands; a great deal of collaboration; and the students’ thinking is visible from beginning to end.

The evening concluded with clarifying questions from families and staff asking if their original questions were answered. The families then bridged their thinking by engaging in a second round of the 3-2-1 Bridge Thinking Routine (the results are listed above).

The next Evenings at ESAA will take place at the John Michael Kohler Art Center on April 23 at 6 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to experience being guided though Thinking Routines just as their children experience at ESAA.

Tour the Pigeon River Campus!

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 07:59:39 -0500

On Wednesday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m., parents of ESAA students will have the opportunity to tour the Pigeon River Campus where ESAA will be located starting next school year. Staff will be available to tour families through classrooms, the cafeteria, gym and the grounds.

For those families that cannot make it on Wednesday, we will have another tour on Thursday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m.

We are very excited to show your child's new facility.

Non-academic Time at ESAA

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:16:41 -0500

Ever wonder how much time of your child’s day is spent in non-academic time?

The chart below shows the differences between our school and a typical SASD Elementary School. You will notice that our primary students, (KG, G1 and G2) receive an additional 45 minutes per week in non-academic time. Our upper primary, students G3 – 5, 75 minutes per week.

Weekly Non-Academic Time	ESAA	SASD Elementary School
Visual Art	1 hour	1 hour
Music	1 hour	1 hour
Dance	1 hour	------
Drama	1 hour	------
Guidance	------	15 minutes
Library (reading)	------	30 minutes
Phy Ed (primary)	(30 minutes) 1 hour	1 hour
Total Each Week	(4.5 hours) 5 hours	3.75 hours

A common misconception is that our Project Based Learning (PBL) time is not academic time. The highest level of learning is the ability to demonstrate understanding through multiple modalities. Combining the arts, engineering, and technology with academic content is the embodiment of this.

An excellent example of ESAA’s academic PBL time is provided in this PDF of the “Gingerbread Structures – Learning from many angles” project in grade five. The learning outcomes for this project included:

Observe angles in one’s surroundings and recognize that angles are formed whenever two straight lines meet.
Demonstrate understanding of different types of angles by identifying, creating and measuring them.
Demonstrate understanding of multiplication through evaluating and computing number stories.
Analyze, interpret and transfer visual information from 2- dimensional sketches to create 3-dimensional models and structures.

In addition to learning elements of geometry, multiplication, measurement, engineering, and design in an engaging format; students also developed collaboration, communication, ideation, and predictions skills.

It is important to remember our mission:

Children learn in many different ways, and every child learns through varied and multiple paths. ESAA engages children with innovative, team-based teaching and the seamless integration of the arts, engineering and technology with the academics. At ESAA, children learn to see the world in new way, are encouraged to think deeply about it, and wonder at its endless possibilities, thereby creating a desire to discover.

It is through this mission that ESAA offers a rigorous academic program with a focus on innovative thinking and creative problem solving using the Multiple Intelligences. Students are taught and encouraged to become independent, self-directed learners in an engaging 21st century format with a focus on reading, writing and mathematics. Our approach allows students to make connections, to notice patterns, to analyze and to problem solve through multiple perspectives. Students begin to learn to develop their own reasoning around concepts and ideas.

ESAA offers a collaborative learning environment with the use of thinking routines that create the opportunity for students to understand and articulate their thoughts and reasoning.

ESAA Relocation to Pigeon River Campus Letter

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:02:16 -0500

At the April 9^th SASD Board of Education meeting, the Board approved the Executive Management Team’s original recommendation, which was to close Washington School at the end of the 2012-2013 school year and starting in the 2013-14 school year:

Elementary School for the Arts and Academics (ESAA) will be relocated to a shared facility at the Pigeon River campus.
Students living n Washington’s attendance area will attend Grant Elementary or Jefferson Elementary School.
Students living in the southern non-connected Pigeon River ‘island’ attendance area will attend Cooper or James Madison Elementary.
To ease the transition, bussing will be provided for 2 years to the families affected by the Washington and Pigeon River boundary changes.

We would like to thank all of our families for their commitment to ESAA and their participation in the survey and meetings over the last few weeks where many shared their valuable thoughts and concerns. In the weeks ahead The Étude Group Governing Board, ESAA Administration and the ESAA School Design Team will work to ensure the transition to the Pigeon River campus will be a positive experience for everyone.

Based on the feedback of ESAA families, The Étude Group Governing Board sent a letter to David Gallianetti and Dr. Joe Sheehan regarding the accessibility of ESAA at the Pigeon River campus for current and future families. Our Board proposed a site-to-site bus route between Grant and the Pigeon River campus offered both before and after school.

ESAA Administration will also begin to work on a car pool directory for our families. This was a very successful tool for Mosaic families when the school originally opened. We expect the ESAA community will also see great benefit in this directory.

The School Board President, David Gallianetti and the Sheboygan Area School District Superintendent, Joe Sheehan are confident that the passion and energy shown throughout the last few weeks will be directed into making the transition period productive, welcoming and positive. They are committed to providing support to students and staff for this transition and are confident that the needs of the students will continue to be met through the dedication of all SASD staff.

We will continue to update our families on information regarding the move of ESAA from the Grant Campus to the Pigeon River Campus through all of our communication avenues which include our website, eblast, school messenger and letters home. An updated list of FAQ is available.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 459.0453 or ebeattie@sheboygan.k12.wi.us (Elizabeth Beattie) or thamm@sheboygan.k12.wi.us (Ted Hamm).

Final Decision on the Proposed Move of ESAA

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:07:03 -0500

At tonight's Board of Education Meeting, the Board approved the EMT's (Executive Managment Team) original recommendation presented on March 19, which was to close Washington School at the end of the 2012-13 school year.

Starting in the 2013-14 school year:

Students living in Washington's attendance area will attend Grant Elementary or Jefferson Elementary School
Elementary School for the Arts and Academics (ESAA) will be relocated to the Pigeon River Campus
Students living in the southern non-connected Pigeon River 'island' attendance area will attend Cooper Elementary or James Madison Elementary School
To ease the transition, bussing will be provided for 2 years to the families affected by the Washington and Pigeon River boundary changes

The School Board President, David Gallianetti and the Sheboygan Area School Distict Superintendent, Joe Sheehan are confident that the passion and energy shown throughout the last few weeks will be directed into making the transition period productive, welcoming and positive. They are confident that the needs of the students will continue to be met through the dedication of the staff providing a top notch education for each and every student. The recommendation to close Washington Elemetary School was extremely difficult. It was based upon the space available in the existing schools, which will allow the SASD to continue to provide quality educational services for all students without replacing Washington School.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 459.0453 or ebeattie@sheboygan.k12.wi.us (Elizabeth Beattie, Principal).

We Need Your Help

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:10:41 -0500

Please help us gather information on the potential move of ESAA to the Pigeon River campus. The link below will bring you to a six-question survey that will take just a minute to complete. We would appreciate it if you would complete the survey by Monday, April 8^th.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ESAA-Proposed-Move

Board of Education Community Input Session

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 22:19:43 -0500

The last two nights the Board of Education held community input sessions at Urban Middle School. The SASD Executive Management Team (EMT) reviewed the recommendation made to the Board of Education regarding Washington School. The Board and EMT took questions and heard feedback on the recommendation. The recommendation made by the EMT would enable ESAA to grow as school. The new location would provide space for us to have two classrooms at each grade level. For the 2013-14 school year, we will be adding a second 3rd grade classroom. Over the next two years, there would be space available to add a second 4th grade and then a second 5th grade classroom. As you read below, the Executive Management Team presented a second proposal. This new proposal will not enable us to grow as a school.

On March 19, the EMT recommended to: Close Washington School at the end of the 2012-13 school year.

Starting in the 2013-14 school year:

Washington Students will attend Grant Elementary or Jefferson Elementary
Elementary School for the Arts and Academics (ESAA) will be relocated to Pigeon River Elementary School
Students living in the southern non-connected Pigeon River 'island' attendance area will attend Cooper or James Madison Elementary
To ease the transition, bussing will be provided for 2 years to families affected by the Washington and Pigeon River boundary changes

As SASD Administration read communications from parents and staff, it also became clear that "disrupting the least number of students" could be another criteria. The Executive Management Team in their initial recommendation did not use this criterion, but EMT has put together another proposal that could be considered, which involves less disruption of students.

Alternative Proposal:

Close Washington Elementary School
Washington students would attend Jefferson, Cooper, and Pigeon River schools
Add classrooms to Cooper Elementary
Continue free after-school programming at Cooper, Pigeon River and two south side elementary schools (cost of approximately $50,000 per school year, with the cost earmarked from the savings of closing Washington)
Elementary School for the Arts and Academics would remain at their current location and the Pigeon River 'island' would remain in the Pigeon River attendance area

The Executive Management Team (EMT) continues to support the initial recommendation as the best option.

The Board will take action on the recommendation at a Special Session meeting on Tuesday, April 9 at 6:00 p.m. in the North High School commons.

Proposed Move Update

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:10:04 -0500

Below is an update from the Board of Education community input session that occurred last night at Urban Middle School.

As SASD Administration read the many communications from parents and staff, it has become clear that “disrupting the least number of students” could be another criteria.

This criteria was not used by the Executive Management Team in their initial recommendation, but EMT has put together another proposal that could be considered, which involves less disruption of students.

Alternative proposal:

Close Washington Elementary School
Redraw the attendance boundaries having the Washington students attend Jefferson, Cooper and Pigeon River schools. (this option along with our original recommendation would include adding the appropriate classrooms to Cooper)
Continue free after-school programming at Jefferson
Offer free after-school programming at Cooper, Pigeon River and 2 south side elementary schools (cost of approximately $50,000 per school per year) with the cost earmarked from the savings of closing Washington
Elementary School for the Arts and Academics would remain at their current location

This proposal would result in the loss of approximately $250,000 in SAGE monies, which means that the Washington students would not receive the level of services they are currently receiving.

The Executive Management Team’s (EMT) original recommendation is still on the table, and EMT continues to support the initial recommendation as the best option.

The Board of Education will have a second special session-community input tonight at Urban Middle School starting at 6 p.m.

Proposed Move - 4/8 Special Meeting for ESAA Families

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:07:21 -0500

On March 22 Elizabeth Beattie and Ted Hamm held a special meeting to speak with parents regarding concerns and ideas about the potential move of ESAA to the Pigeon River campus. We will hold another special meeting on April 8 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. for families that were unable to make the morning meeting. If you are unable to attend either meeting, please contact Elizabeth Beattie with any questions or concerns.

Health and Wellness

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:17:09 -0600

On Thursday January 24th, the ESAA first grade class explored the importance of health and wellness and the affects it has I on the individual, the community and the world. In their discussion, the students worked together to build a week long curriculum based on what concerns the students most about the health and wellness of the community and the world as well as themselves as individuals. The health and wellness Unit will be treated as a prologue for their field trip to the Above & Beyond Children's Museum in the following week.

See photos here.

Commotion in the Ocean, Exhibition of Learning

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 19:41:45 -0600

First Grade Exhibitions of Learning

Ms. Marzouki’s classroom

Ms. Marzouki worked with ESAA specialist teachers in Art, Drama, Movement, and Music, on their most resent classroom project, Commotion in the Ocean. Jennie Andreasen, a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood Music, volunteered to work on this project with our teachers. Mrs. Andreasen recently published an article on integrating the arts in the latest edition of the Orff Echo, a national magazine for music teachers.

Using the music of “Aquarium” from the work, “Carnival of the Animals”, students explored concepts of form, pathways, tempo, and levels. Students and Mrs. Andreasen choreographed a movement piece, with students playing the roles of many ocean creatures and plants in a classroom that was transformed into an aquarium with many art pieces created by the students. The students also designed costumes based on a sea creature they researched. After the dance presentation students, in costume, spoke about their personal learning while family and community members mingled in the “aquarium” listening to individual presentation about each creature.

Throughout the project core academic standards were taught and reinforced in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Design, and Habit of Learning.
A few of the core academic goals for the project included:

Language Arts - non-fiction text structure; note taking; complete sentences including punctuation, capitals, and spaces

Math - measurement; perspective; symmetry; recording and analyzing data

Science - balance within systems; ocean layers

Social Studies - ask questions and gather data to inform and report findings; continents and oceans locations on the globe

Design Process - discover; imagine; plan; create; revise; present

Habits of Learning - collaboration; revising for excellence; creativity; critical thinking; thinking routines

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Cuddle Up and Read Event

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 11:51:59 -0600

Click the photo to see the image gallery.

ESAA's Cuddle Up and Read event

ESAA Food Drive Raises Over 750 Items

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:12:07 -0600

ESAA students raised over 750 items to donate in the first and second grade Food Drive Project. The Food Drive Project was a Buddy Class project to feed the hungry in Sheboygan. Students will participate in the entire process, from brainstorm to the donation of the items. Part of the process included students sorting and graphing the types of food collected. Next, both classes will take a field trip to the Salvation Army to donate the items.