Originally published in the Moscow Food COOP News, October 2008
By Donna Mills, PPSEL Volunteer
This past July, members of Palouse Prairie School of Expeditionary Learning offered a chance for children in the area to experience a hands-on look and feel of Expeditionary Learning. The subject was local sustainable and organic agriculture. The two-week class was full of many opportunities for the children to get their hands into the local agriculture. They visited a local organic farm and learned how an organic farm is different from a non-organic farm. The children participated in a creating a plot at the Moscow Community Garden and after harvesting the garden, they gave their vegetables to Backyard Harvest. The project let them see food travel from the soil to the community. There were many wonderful activities that the children explored, including worm composting, honey bee pollination and a look at the connection between farming and wetland conservation. The experience culminated in a project in which the children painted a PCEI trailer to show what organic and sustainable gardening looks like. Watch for the newly painted PCEI trailer as it travels through town to work at local watersheds.
This experience exemplifies one of the ten design principles of an expeditionary school. The eighth design principle, “The Natural World” says: “A direct and respectful relationship with the natural world refreshes the human spirit and teaches the important ideas of recurring cycles and cause and effect. Students learn to become stewards of the earth and of future generations.” What a fantastic experience the children participated in.
Please join us for a workshop "A day in the life of an Expeditionary Learning School,” October 11, 9-noon. This free workshop will be led by a school designer from Portland and will be held in the new west wing of the 1912 building. Please RSVP at http://PalousePrairieSchool.org. For more volunteer opportunities, contact nilspete@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label coop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coop. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Palouse Prairie to Collaborate with U of I Design Students
Originally published in the Sept 2008 Moscow Food COOP News
Written by Donna Mills, volunteer writer
This fall an Interior Design class at the University of Idaho will take on the project of designing the remodel of the Now and Then Antiques building for the Palouse Prairie School of Expeditionary Learning (PPSEL). Palouse Prairie plans to open as a K-5 charter school in August 2009. The project requires UI students to learn about Expeditionary Learning (EL) and how space impacts the ways teaching can occur. The students will treat this class project as a job. They will create different designs for the school in group projects and then choose the one they feel is best and refine it.
This partnership between the PPSEL and the UI students exemplifies one of the ten design principles of an expeditionary school. #6 Collaboration and Competition says: “Individual development and group development are integrated so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Students are encouraged to compete not against each other, but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence.” It will be exciting to follow the progress of the UI students as they design, redesign and eventually produce a project that rises to a rigorous standard of excellence.
Its great to see the principles of EL developing during the processes of opening the school. As the school develops and grows toward it’s opening in the fall of 2009, there will be many opportunities to witness the other nine design principles.
Watch for opportunities to learn more about Palouse Prairie and Expeditionary Learning this fall. A “Day in the life of an EL class” is being planned for parents. There will also be a trip to visit Summit School, an EL school in Spokane Valley. The PalousePrairieSchool.org web site has opportunities to volunteer, links to EL resources and more information about the school. Contact nilspete@gmail.com
Written by Donna Mills, volunteer writer
This fall an Interior Design class at the University of Idaho will take on the project of designing the remodel of the Now and Then Antiques building for the Palouse Prairie School of Expeditionary Learning (PPSEL). Palouse Prairie plans to open as a K-5 charter school in August 2009. The project requires UI students to learn about Expeditionary Learning (EL) and how space impacts the ways teaching can occur. The students will treat this class project as a job. They will create different designs for the school in group projects and then choose the one they feel is best and refine it.
This partnership between the PPSEL and the UI students exemplifies one of the ten design principles of an expeditionary school. #6 Collaboration and Competition says: “Individual development and group development are integrated so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Students are encouraged to compete not against each other, but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence.” It will be exciting to follow the progress of the UI students as they design, redesign and eventually produce a project that rises to a rigorous standard of excellence.
Its great to see the principles of EL developing during the processes of opening the school. As the school develops and grows toward it’s opening in the fall of 2009, there will be many opportunities to witness the other nine design principles.
Watch for opportunities to learn more about Palouse Prairie and Expeditionary Learning this fall. A “Day in the life of an EL class” is being planned for parents. There will also be a trip to visit Summit School, an EL school in Spokane Valley. The PalousePrairieSchool.org web site has opportunities to volunteer, links to EL resources and more information about the school. Contact nilspete@gmail.com
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Palouse Prairie Plans
Originally published in the August 2008 Moscow Food COOP news
Twelve months and counting until Palouse Prairie opens an Expeditionary Learning charter school at the Now & Then Antiques location on Palouse River Drive in Moscow. With the help of many supporters, the Charter was approved June 26. If you want to catch up on the news, try http://WhyPalousePrairie.blogspot.com
Here’s a timeline. We are working on a conditional use permit (CUP) now. This fall will be designing the school facility, and planning food and transportation. Children will apply to attend in winter. Hiring of teachers will happen in the spring and remodeling and landscaping work will begin June 09.
We are ready for volunteers! Getting a CUP involves designing a landscape buffer between the building and the street. Natural Abode donated "Greening School Grounds" and Amy Grey (Backyard Harvest) pointed us to the Edible Schoolyard work by Alice Waters. Help with landscape design, or other CUP work is welcome.
We are also looking for a volunteer to write 300 words each month to keep friends of the school updated. Venues will include the DNews letters and the CO-OP news. We also need a Calendar-minder to think of, and maintain, the list all the events on the Moscow civic calendar (e.g., Ren Fair, Rendezvous) where Palouse Prairie should be involved. In addition to warm fuzzies and learning more about EL, volunteers will have a hand in deciding the 1001 things needed to open a school.
In September there will be several events for parents to learn more about EL, including a workshop and a trip to see an EL school in Spokane Valley. Watch our website for the most up to date information.
For volunteer opportunities and news, if you have an idea of something you want to contribute and to get on the email list, contact Nils Peteson, nilspete@gmail.com
Twelve months and counting until Palouse Prairie opens an Expeditionary Learning charter school at the Now & Then Antiques location on Palouse River Drive in Moscow. With the help of many supporters, the Charter was approved June 26. If you want to catch up on the news, try http://WhyPalousePrairie.blogspot.com
Here’s a timeline. We are working on a conditional use permit (CUP) now. This fall will be designing the school facility, and planning food and transportation. Children will apply to attend in winter. Hiring of teachers will happen in the spring and remodeling and landscaping work will begin June 09.
We are ready for volunteers! Getting a CUP involves designing a landscape buffer between the building and the street. Natural Abode donated "Greening School Grounds" and Amy Grey (Backyard Harvest) pointed us to the Edible Schoolyard work by Alice Waters. Help with landscape design, or other CUP work is welcome.
We are also looking for a volunteer to write 300 words each month to keep friends of the school updated. Venues will include the DNews letters and the CO-OP news. We also need a Calendar-minder to think of, and maintain, the list all the events on the Moscow civic calendar (e.g., Ren Fair, Rendezvous) where Palouse Prairie should be involved. In addition to warm fuzzies and learning more about EL, volunteers will have a hand in deciding the 1001 things needed to open a school.
In September there will be several events for parents to learn more about EL, including a workshop and a trip to see an EL school in Spokane Valley. Watch our website for the most up to date information.
For volunteer opportunities and news, if you have an idea of something you want to contribute and to get on the email list, contact Nils Peteson, nilspete@gmail.com
Friday, June 20, 2008
Palouse Prairie Awarded Charter
Unpublished article written for Moscow Food COOP news
Written by Nils Peterson, Board Chair
In a historic move, the Idaho Public Charter Commission just voted to reverse its decision of March 6 and to approved the Palouse Prairie School of Expeditionary Learning's Charter petition, to open in August 2009. The decision was based on new materials developed since the March denial and submitted first to an Appeals officer and then refined and submitted to the Commission today. The location that Palouse Prairie proposed as its first choice facility is currently Now & Then Antiques at 321 East Palouse River Drive.
This news item exemplifies one of the ten design principles of an expeditionary school. # 5 Success and Failure says: "All students need to be successful if they are to build the confidence and capacity to take risks and meet increasingly difficult challenges. But it is also important for students to learn from their failures, to persevere when things are hard, and to learn to turn disabilities into opportunities.” The March denial and appeal process was an occasion for the Palouse Prairie Board to learn from perseverance. Additional work to discover and research the Now & Then facility and access to additional grant funds turned the corner.
Expeditionary Learning emphasizes teamwork as part of its learning strategy and the greatest successes of Palouse Prairie to date have come from teamwork, among the Board and between the Board and parents and supporters. The next phase, from Charter to Opening in 2009 will require more learning teams, and the Board welcomes contact from supporters with offers of collaboration and other resources.
Next steps include clarifying remaining remodeling issues and then moving forward with a contract to lease and obtaining a Conditional Use Permit from the City of Moscow to operate a school. The PalousePrairieSchool.org web site has opportunities to volunteer, links to EL resources and more information about the school. Contact nilspete@gmail.com
Written by Nils Peterson, Board Chair
In a historic move, the Idaho Public Charter Commission just voted to reverse its decision of March 6 and to approved the Palouse Prairie School of Expeditionary Learning's Charter petition, to open in August 2009. The decision was based on new materials developed since the March denial and submitted first to an Appeals officer and then refined and submitted to the Commission today. The location that Palouse Prairie proposed as its first choice facility is currently Now & Then Antiques at 321 East Palouse River Drive.
This news item exemplifies one of the ten design principles of an expeditionary school. # 5 Success and Failure says: "All students need to be successful if they are to build the confidence and capacity to take risks and meet increasingly difficult challenges. But it is also important for students to learn from their failures, to persevere when things are hard, and to learn to turn disabilities into opportunities.” The March denial and appeal process was an occasion for the Palouse Prairie Board to learn from perseverance. Additional work to discover and research the Now & Then facility and access to additional grant funds turned the corner.
Expeditionary Learning emphasizes teamwork as part of its learning strategy and the greatest successes of Palouse Prairie to date have come from teamwork, among the Board and between the Board and parents and supporters. The next phase, from Charter to Opening in 2009 will require more learning teams, and the Board welcomes contact from supporters with offers of collaboration and other resources.
Next steps include clarifying remaining remodeling issues and then moving forward with a contract to lease and obtaining a Conditional Use Permit from the City of Moscow to operate a school. The PalousePrairieSchool.org web site has opportunities to volunteer, links to EL resources and more information about the school. Contact nilspete@gmail.com
Friday, March 21, 2008
Palouse Prairie and Systems Change
Originally published in the April 2008 Moscow Food Coop newsletter
"We are satisfied with our model, it produces the results we want." That was Superintendent Donich's answer declining to collaborate with Palouse Prairie on an Expeditionary Learning model school in Moscow School District. That answer summarizes Clayton Christensen's argument in "Innovator's Dilemma" for why successful organizations don't adapt to new markets. Christensen teaches at Harvard Business School and studies why some of the best run companies in America declined or failed.
COOP members have been voting to change systems, like the agri-industrial complex, that are not sustainable and healthy. Your choices are reforming food systems and making businesses consider the whole and wholesome. The traditional school may not produce results you want because it doesn't assess the way it should. “This isn't a multiple-choice world," Wayne C. Johnson, VP for worldwide university relations at Hewlett-Packard (Wasley, P. 2008. Tests Aren't Best Way to Evaluate Graduates' Skills, Business Leaders Say in Survey, The Chronicle of Higher Education)
In March, Palouse Prairie charter school was awarded one of Idaho's first Vision grants, worth $20,000, to start a tuition free, non-religious, public school in Moscow, offering the integrated project-based curriculum called Expeditionary Learning. Our vision is to offer an inclusive, respectful and supportive learning environment that nurtures the individual as a thoughtful participant in our local and global community. The grant and a generous donation from Tri-State, will be used for school planning and to offer a summer expedition, giving Moscow hands-on with Expeditionary Learning.
We are appealing the Charter Commission's denial of our school's petition, networking in the community to develop facilities options, and moving forward to offer educational choice. You can vote for school change. A survey on our website will let you tell us what you have to offer. You can also learn more about us and the EL model.
"We are satisfied with our model, it produces the results we want." That was Superintendent Donich's answer declining to collaborate with Palouse Prairie on an Expeditionary Learning model school in Moscow School District. That answer summarizes Clayton Christensen's argument in "Innovator's Dilemma" for why successful organizations don't adapt to new markets. Christensen teaches at Harvard Business School and studies why some of the best run companies in America declined or failed.
COOP members have been voting to change systems, like the agri-industrial complex, that are not sustainable and healthy. Your choices are reforming food systems and making businesses consider the whole and wholesome. The traditional school may not produce results you want because it doesn't assess the way it should. “This isn't a multiple-choice world," Wayne C. Johnson, VP for worldwide university relations at Hewlett-Packard (Wasley, P. 2008. Tests Aren't Best Way to Evaluate Graduates' Skills, Business Leaders Say in Survey, The Chronicle of Higher Education)
In March, Palouse Prairie charter school was awarded one of Idaho's first Vision grants, worth $20,000, to start a tuition free, non-religious, public school in Moscow, offering the integrated project-based curriculum called Expeditionary Learning. Our vision is to offer an inclusive, respectful and supportive learning environment that nurtures the individual as a thoughtful participant in our local and global community. The grant and a generous donation from Tri-State, will be used for school planning and to offer a summer expedition, giving Moscow hands-on with Expeditionary Learning.
We are appealing the Charter Commission's denial of our school's petition, networking in the community to develop facilities options, and moving forward to offer educational choice. You can vote for school change. A survey on our website will let you tell us what you have to offer. You can also learn more about us and the EL model.
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