The Arms of the Great River School

written by members of The GRS Board, Foundation, and Parent Engagement Group

The school runs on the leadership of our administration, the amazing skills of each and every faculty and staff member, and the strong support of volunteers. Three major ways volunteers help GRS are serving on our Board of Directors, Foundation, and our Parent Engagement Group.

The current Board is made up of 11 individuals representing parents, community members, guides and a student.  The current group is extremely cohesive, brings loads of institutional knowledge and are extremely passionate about all aspects of Great River School.  We are charged with many ‘standard’ annual tasks but are always up to more.  Highlights from the past year are the ratification of the first ever union contract for staff and guides, solidifying an annual review process for the Head of School and creating more robust communication and partnerships with the Foundation and PEG.  Recently we have begun to put effort into financial stability and just approved the development of a sub-committee to look into feasibility of a second school site.  There is a LOT of behind the scenes work many people never know about. Please consider reviewing meeting minutes to see all the amazing work that has occurred published on the ‘board’ page of the GRS website.  Interested in joining a committee?  Reach out to Jeremy Sartain at jsartain@greatrivershool.org.  

For more information about the Great River School Board, visit our website: https://www.greatriverschool.org/board

Parent Engagement Group (PEG) members can be seen daily at GRS helping in a wide variety of capacities.  From organizing volunteers for Key Experience trips to solidifying classroom ambassadors to hosting several annual events including Harvest Fest – this group stays busy!  Events can be found in the calendar tab of the school website.  PEG is still looking for classroom ambassadors in Swan River and Blue Earth & both adolescent levels.

Harvest Fest is coming up quickly on Saturday, October 14th and your help is needed. 
Sign up here:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D49A4A62BABF94-44696384-2023
Volunteering is a staple of GRS.  Not only is it fun, It bolsters community among caregivers and gives people a greater connection to the school.  Interested in being a classroom ambassador and/or being more involved with organizing events?  Reach out to peg@greatriverschool.org or attend our monthly meetings in person or via zoom typically the first Monday of each month.

You can also read up on PEG news by reading their bi-monthly newsletter: https://www.smore.com/jd6yb

For more information about P.E.G, visit our website:
https://www.greatriverschool.org/peg

The Great River Foundation is the fundraising arm of GRS, helping to fund programs like Key Experiences, classroom materials, and more. Like all charter schools, GRS receives 87 cents to every dollar given to district public schools. GRS has additional expenses beyond traditional public schools with Key Experience trips, Odyssey trips, animal care and more – all things that make GRS unique and build a massive foundation of community.  The costs of these things have gone up so your help is imperative. The Foundation works collaboratively with the GRS Board to help fill in funding gaps. There are lots of opportunities for involvement: smaller, short term tasks like editing or updating the webpage to longer term commitments like serving on the board or chairing a committee, and everything in between. 

The large annual (and very social) Great Heron Bash will be on Saturday, April 20th, so please save that date!  Take a look at this form to see available tasks and sign up to help: https://forms.gle/38QuU4UYU3E31hsz8

Questions? Email foundation@greatriverschool.org

To learn more about our Great River Foundation:
https://www.greatriverschool.org/give

October 2023 Head of School Message

written by David Núñez, Head of School

Dear GRS Community,

Happy Fall everyone!  The school year is off and running!

One of our biggest celebrations so far this year has been the success of the fall Key Experiences (still underway in Elementary).  While there were challenges to the trips, as always, the staff and students rose to those challenges and had some truly formative experiences. As a staff we will be meeting to process how we can improve upon the trips for next time, but you are welcome as community members to send feedback to me as well.  Thank you all, students, staff and families, who helped to make these experiences come together.

You may have noticed that last year’s MCA scores have been posted on the MN report card, alongside other schools in the state.  Two years ago, similar to all other schools in the state, our scores dropped post-pandemic.  I want to assure you, no matter your thoughts on standardized testing, we continue to take this drop in test scores seriously, and continue to focus on the health and wellbeing of our students.  In fact, we saw a significant rise in our math test scores this last year as we continue to recover from the pandemic.  Those scores still do not reflect our math scores in 2019, however.  As always, we know that students need to be in a good place socially and emotionally to succeed academically and so we are offering increased SEL support and increased academic support this year.   Individual score reports have just arrived at the school, are being addressed and should be mailed home in the coming weeks.

If you didn't know it, we are coming to the end of National Hispanic Heritage Month.  That means these weeks are a time to celebrate the vital role of Hispanic people in American history and highlight the accomplishments of people who identify as Hispanic. Jordan, our Equity and Inclusion Facilitator has been sharing resources with staff this whole month and, as always, I continue to encourage you and your family to do your own work in this area as well.

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

Have a great Fall everyone!

Peace,

David

Meet our Great River Staff: Jennifer Nelson

Jennifer Nelson is Great River School's new Front Desk Coordinator! Though she is new to this role, Jennifer is far from new to GRS. With a smile on her face, you will often see Jennifer providing concierge help to new and current families entering the front doors of GRS, aiding in the entrance of students, staff and visitors to the exterior and interior doors, and dispensing late passes with lightning speed in the morning! Take a look around the front desk and notice some of her beautiful decor and awesome organization skills. And if you’ve got a problem, yo, she’ll solve it because she also has amazing problem solving skills. Let’s get to know Jennifer!

Biography provided by Jennifer Nelson, Front Desk Coordinator

Greetings Great River Community!

I am delighted to introduce myself to you in my new role as the Front Desk Coordinator, which is affectionately known here as the Director of First Impressions. I know what many of you are thinking..."Wait!  Where is Holly?!?"  Fear not.  Holly is still working at Great River as our Business Manager and will continue to share her many gifts and bright energy with our community.  I admit that taking on this position after my beloved predecessor feels a little like being asked to sing a song after Beyonce-but I am up for the challenge!  My goal is to ensure that everyone who walks through the doors of Great River School feels both welcome and valued.

If I look familiar to you, you may know me as the elementary classroom assistant from Rice Creek, where I enjoyed working with an amazing array of children and families for nine years.  In addition to my educational experience at Great River, I have worked in a variety of classroom settings for over twenty five years, including subbing for the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Public Schools and working as a first and fourth grade classroom teacher in Edina.  I am a graduate of the University of Minnesota and hold both a B.S. and Masters Degree in Elementary Education.  I feel so grateful to work in a vibrant school community where students are valued as unique individuals and where we can build relationships with learners and their families over the span of twelve years.

I am a native of St. Paul where I live with my family.  In my spare time I enjoy reading in my hammock, cooking with my son, thrifting with my daughter and traveling with my family and friends.  Some of my favorite places are the mountains of Colorado, the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota and the rocky shores of Lake Superior.  I love to grow perennials but cannot grow a vegetable to save my soul.

Thank you to all of the students and caregivers who have stopped by at the front desk to introduce themselves and have been generous with their patience and grace as I make this transition.  If I have not yet had the chance to meet you, please stop by to say hello!

Let's all honor Holly's tradition of creating a warm and welcoming community by making efforts to stay connected and reaching out to those who are new here-and if you are missing Holly-I understand!   Please visit the front desk where there are notecards and a mailbox for you to leave her a note of gratitude for all that she has and continues to do for our community.  

Best wishes for an amazing school year full of learning, connection and joy! 

Heron's Nest Updates and Information - September - November 2023

Heron’s Nest

"At Great River School, we believe that food is a connector. The food we eat not only nourishes our bodies, it reminds us of people and places, it connects us to the land." 

Thank you to UMN student Molly Farrell for showcasing the amazing work Mel and the rest of the Heron crew do on everyday here at Great River School. Molly highlights our focus on sustainable food systems and supporting students to build culinary skills in our kitchen.

Her fellow UMN intern Sylvia Michael created culinary curriculum posters to be used in GRS's experiential kitchen courses. 

Click here to read a reflection from Molly on her time at Great River and to learn more about how you can support Great River students building culinary skills in the kitchen! 
Need breakfast in the morning? No problem! The Heron’s Nest also has Breakfast options available for students and faculty. Breakfast and lunch are available daily.

Check out the Quarter 1 menu Below:

The Montessori Classroom: The Prepared Environment

written by Jean Peters, Elementary Program Director

When you walk into an elementary Montessori classroom, you are drawn to many things. The shelves have interesting materials to explore. The tops of shelves showcase interesting objects to observe. There are a wide variety of plants and animals. The art on the walls invites you to look closer. The colors are calm, the furniture is wood, the room feels light and uncluttered. It is a wonderful place to spend your day!

We call this a prepared environment. “Prepared for what?”, you might ask. Prepared for students to explore their world, their past, and their future. Prepared so that students can develop the skills needed in life. Everyday the environment is restored to be ready for the next day. Before the school year begins, guides spend many hours preparing the room to be an optimal learning environment. Each room has its own look and feel, yet they are all governed by the same principles. These principles are: freedom, structure and order, beauty, nature and reality, social environment, and an intellectual environment. 

Each room has many different options for seating, most of which are for multiple students to create a collaborative and social environment. Each room has distinct areas for different subjects. Each room is filled with materials to explore and manipulate. Each room is a community.

 I have had the opportunity to observe in many, many classrooms in the 30 years I have been in Montessori education. One of the biggest indicators of a successful classroom is the feeling that you do not want to leave! All of our prepared environments are beautifully prepared for students.  We will be opening up our classrooms for observation and I highly encourage each of you to come and observe. Lower El observation will start on October 16th and Upper El will start after trips on November th.You can sign up here - Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary.. While you are observing, look for these principles!

Holly's Last Huddle - August 2023

Written by Holly Bell, Former Director of First Impressions.

WELCOME BACK!!!

I cannot wait to see you when we return to school in a few weeks. Every year, in the fall, I continue to be constantly AMAZED at the changes that have happened since our paths last crossed. Some people have grown sooooo tall (compared to me) and some people have had such fantastic adventures that they are not the same person who just took a summer break. Some people have dyed their hair, or gotten their driver’s license! Some people might seem like nothing has changed, but even if you are feeling that way, I’m wondering if it can really be true. Time has passed and events have happened. The world has changed since we last saw each other.

There’s a saying about how the only thing constant in life is change. For better or worse, it’s true. I’m thinking that the secret is in how we respond to change - how much resilience we have - what can we learn from the change - how we approach the difference. I’ve found it’s helpful to look at change as growth - for others, and for us.

When you return to school, you might notice some changes - even in the jobs that people are doing now that they weren’t doing in June. Here’s a tiny slice of what you’ll see: shout-out to Amanda Erickson in our Elementary wing. Amanda taught art (and worked in Big Canoe) here previously - before going on a new adventure for her - and she has returned, stepping into the position of being the assistant to the elementary program director (the job that Derek did last year). Derek is still here! He has taken on a different role and is now working as one of our two Dean of Students (Shout-out to Alexis who is our other Dean of Students. She is still here!). Don’t worry, Matt is still here! He’s the Director of Student Services, instead of the Dean of Students. Some guides have moved on and you’ll see some new faces in those jobs. The majority of staff members are still here.

When my children were young (faithful readers of past Holly’s Huddles have already heard this), we moved every couple of years, following their father’s/my husband’s rise in the hierarchy of arena management. When I was young, moves to different towns were much less frequent, and were not the best time. As a mom, I wanted to change that for my children. There were things I could not change (like the fact that we were moving), but the way we looked at our moves (our attitudes), could be different from how I had previously considered them. My children and I approached those frequent moves with a sense of adventure. I called them “vacations with furniture.” There were whole new experiences waiting for us, whole new lands to explore, many new friends to make. Our change of address was inevitable - our individual learning/growth of character was up to us. We tried to make the most of the opportunities, and there were, of course, some tough times we grew through, too.

Speaking of change, I want you to know that my job has also changed. I’m going to be working at Great River School as the Business Coordinator, paying our bills. I am still here! Someone else (undetermined at the time of this writing) will be covering the front desk. I’m still here! And though I’ll be working in the front office instead of in front of the front office, I’ll still be interested in YOUR life! How was your summer? What was your favorite part? What are you working on now? How can I help you?

Here’s my personal challenge… I am such a people-person, as you know. I remember that in my teens I dreamed of becoming a hermit when I grew up. I changed! I like people now! So my current challenge is figuring out how I’ll pay our school bills while not being at the front desk to see you every moment of your time passing through the orange lobby. I feel like my identity is wrapped up in the front desk, as the Director of First Impressions. An unexpected door just recently opened up and I had to make a choice about growing into a new opportunity here. I don’t know who I’ll be if I’m not at the front desk. And that is ok. It’s a little scary, but ok. I’m a little nervous and that’s part of growth. It’s ok. I will have some tough times to work through. And even THAT is ok. Maybe, if you happen to reflect on this writing when we see each other at school, you might give me some reassurance by saying, “Hey!” I want to see you at the front door each morning before school starts, even though I won’t be on the other side of the window. We can still greet each other to start our day(s)! And, for those of you who are in the elementary grades, we can greet each other in the hallways… please, and thank you!

My hope is that we’ll rally around to welcome the person who will be sitting at the front desk. They deserve the same chance you gave me when we first met and neither of us knew what to expect. And, remember: #Iamstillhere! And, I am interested in how your life is going. I will continue to go to school events like sports, theater, and concerts, etc. We will still see each other at school. Let’s support each other through all of the transitions of a new school year. Embrace the difference! We’ve got this - together! I can’t wait to see you!

On we go,

Holly

Holly's Huddle - June 2023

Written by Holly Bell, Director of First Impressions

Have you ever been so fired up about an idea, but you just didn’t know where to put that energy? Have you ever been so mad about a situation in our society, but didn’t know who to talk to about it?

In our government, who has been elected to represent you? These are the folks who make the laws that we, as a society, are supposed to follow.

As I’m writing this, it’s been less than a week since the shooting in nearby St. Anthony Park. Michael was a friend and neighbor of mine - we sometimes walked our dogs together. I miss his sunshine, daily, as I walk past their house with my dog, to pay my respects. He was shot while trying to stop someone from doing something (breaking in? stealing?) to the family car. He did what any one of us (adults) would probably do in a rushed moment early one Saturday morning.

An elder neighbor and I were talking about guns and what we can do about the current situation that made it easier for Michael to be killed. Of course, THIS is a very complicated subject. My brother (RIP) owned guns. My daughter has a license to carry, though she does not at this very moment. My next-door neighbor is a hunter when she has time/energy/need. I don’t intend to stir up a discussion (between you and me) about guns. I’m still mourning Michael’s sudden death by a gun. I work with re-entry of felons coming back into society from prison. In the past, I put case files together for a district attorney in Colorado. And one of my close friends works in Kansas City on gun violence reduction. I know this is complicated.

My elder neighbor has challenged me to ask everyone I know to start writing letters to our elected representatives (even if you cannot yet vote, and maybe, ESPECIALLY if you cannot yet vote) to tell them what you think of our society’s ills. Whatever you think - she’s not saying what to write, just asking you to express your opinion. 

This school year, I’ve seen many letters, written by elementary students, go out in the mail to representatives, including (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) the President of these United States of America. I get all revved up when they get responses! I run from the front desk and race into the classroom of the recipient and say - “A letter! A letter from the White House!” or “A letter from author Dav Pilkey!” or whatever the situation calls for. For me, it’s a very big deal that someone who has some kind of authority has written to (and acknowledged) a GRS student and their concerns. I may be wrong, but I think “we’ve” received 3 letters from the White House this year. It could be 4. I’ll bet The White House staff is wondering where this Great River School is! And what we are up to. I hope they get so many more letters that they look us up - and maybe, come to visit. Maybe meet our goats and chickens, even!

I recently had a conversation (a couple of weeks before Michael died) with an elementary student about guns. We were reading a book where you could put a variety of faces and bodies together in different ways to make interesting stories out of the combinations. Fun book. There was a mention of a gun and I said, “I don’t like guns.” He asked me why and I had to really stop to think about my answer. I’m glad he asked. I told him that it was because guns are so final. It’s not like an argument where maybe you can ask for forgiveness - to take a word back that was said in anger when you weren’t thinking clearly about who you were talking to or what you were saying. While those situations can also be destructive, you cannot change your mind once a trigger is pulled. There is no going back to how it was before. It’s too final.

Not to end on this very sad note, I want to challenge you to follow the lead of some of our elementary students to express your opinions to our elected officials. Take my neighbor’s challenge! What do YOU stand for? What can you NOT stand for? My letters will be to as many representatives (mine or not) as I can muster, at local, state, AND federal levels, continuing for as long as I can. I don’t even care if we share the same values. They still need to know that I am enraged and discouraged and saddened about Michael’s death. He was such a positive and kind influence on people he met. We really need more of that. I want to do something constructive with my energy and I think Michael would appreciate this. 

Will you be able to send even just one letter to someone who represents you? And, hopefully, for most of this audience, you can sign your letter… “Love, a future voter.”  (That’ll really get their attention!)

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER! Please stay as safe as you can be.

On we go,

Holly

3rd Grade Key Experience: Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center

written by Jean Peters, Elementary Program Director

Greetings from Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, MN!  

The third years are off at their last class and then headed home from their first Key Experience.  I have been going on trips with kids for decades and it always inspires me.  We often think of school in regards to academic gain, test scores, or work engagement/completion, but Dr. Montessori believed that education is a preparation for life.  The goal of education is not to memorize facts, but to learn how to be a member of a community and to find what your gift is to give back to that community.

One of the goals of this trip was to mix up students in preparation for moving to Upper Elementary and being in new classrooms.  There were so many moments of connections and new friendships, moments of support and comfort, moments of joy and disappointment.  All of these things occur in community.  Many times during the last few days another adult and I would witness an interaction or a personal triumph and make eye contact and smile, or put our hand on our heart.  Our kids were amazing, both individually and collectively.

The staff at Eagle Bluff gave rave reviews on how well our kids participated.  They showed interest and curiosity during their classes which included: a river hike, group games, water wigglers, and learning about the original people on this land, the Oneota. GRS was given two awards, one for being “food wise” and decreasing the amount of food waste at meals, and another for “eagle eye”, which is for being a steward of the earth.  

Key experiences are part of the foundation of GRS.  These students will head off to Widjiwagan in the fall for a week. and will get to experience ten years of Key Experiences which allows for both personal growth and community growth.  That is pretty amazing!  It takes a lot of adult work to make all of these trips happen; many adults work tirelessly to support these excursions, both before they happen and on the trip.  Adults on the trip get to experience the highs and the lows, and it is both an amazing and exhausting time. Many parents volunteer to support these trips! We really appreciate their generous efforts and know we couldn’t do it without them. If you happen to see a staff member, feel free to say thanks for their aid in giving students this opportunity.

May 2023 Head of School Message

written by David Núñez, Head of School

Dear GRS Community,

Happy May everyone!

We are quickly approaching the end of the school year and the spring Key Experiences.  I wanted to take this opportunity and say, Happy Spring!

It is important to mention that May is both Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month and Jewish Heritage Month.  Here at Great River one of the things we do to observe celebrations such as this is that Jordan Samejima, the Equity and Inclusion Facilitator, and I will be sharing resources with staff to help them in their growth and help with the continual development of our curriculum to celebrate inclusion and diversity.

Prep for the Bike Trip and the new 3rd grade Key Experiences are in full swing!  I for one am really excited and I’m trying to arrange my schedule to participate in at least a day or two of the Bike Trip.

On Wednesday April 19th we held a Nutrition Program Town Hall.  If you missed it please check out these resources. We are still looking for everyone’s input on the decision.

Video of the presentation

Nutrition Program slides

Link to the survey (Once you have watched the video and reviewed the slides!)

Graduation planning is also well under way. This month we will be holding a planning meeting for seniors to answer all their questions. 

I hope you all have a delightful May!

Peace,

David

Heron's Nest Updates and Information - May 2023

Nutrition Program Town Hall Follow-up

On Wednesday, April 19th at 6pm we had a town-hall style webinar meeting about our lunch program.  We would love everyone’s input on the decision regarding the future of the GRS lunch program. Please take a look at both the video and the slides presented and fill out the survey. Every voice counts. Please take a minute to do so if you have input to give.

Nutrition Program presentation video
Lunch Program Presentation slides
Link to the survey (Once you have watched the Video and Reviewed the slides!)

Heron’s Nest

"At Great River School, we believe that food is a connector. The food we eat not only nourishes our bodies, it reminds us of people and places, it connects us to the land." 

Thank you to UMN student Molly Farrell for showcasing the amazing work Mel and the rest of the Heron crew do on everyday here at Great River School. Molly highlights our focus on sustainable food systems and supporting students to build culinary skills in our kitchen.

Her fellow UMN intern Sylvia Michael created culinary curriculum posters to be used in GRS's experiential kitchen courses. 

Click here to read a reflection from Molly on her time at Great River and to learn more about how you can support Great River students building culinary skills in the kitchen! 

Just a friendly reminder, don’t forget to pre-order lunches each week for your students. When you pre-order your student’s lunches, Mel and the staff in the Heron’s Nest Kitchen are better prepared, and are able to ensure the right amount of supplies are ordered. In addition, it helps the Heron’s Nest Crew know how many students will be having lunch on any given day.
Need breakfast in the morning? No problem! The Heron’s Nest also has Breakfast options available for students and faculty. Breakfast is available to pre-order on the School payment portal.

Check out the Quarter 4 menu Below:

Bike to School Day Wednesday 5/3

Wednesday, May 3 is Bike to School Day! Plan to ride to school.

Students and parents who would like to participate in a group ride are invited to meet-up at the locations below. A map of the meet-up locations can be viewed here!

Parents can support all riders by joining a group ride. Please plan to ride if your student is a novice rider or needs extra attention. Parent volunteers leading the ride shall not be liable for any damages arising from personal injuries that are a result of student participation in the Great River School National Bike to School Day event. In event of inclement weather, Bike to School Day may be postponed until Wednesday, May 11. Watch school announcements for details. Please notify the site group leader if you need to cancel your participation for any reason.

We are looking for donations of fruit and snacks, and volunteers to help direct bikers and hand out giveaway items. Please sign up at this link.

Helmets required. Notify the group leader at your preferred meet up spot that you plan to ride with them so no one gets left behind. Please make sure to arrange after school transportation with your student and group leader. Arrive early enough to check tire pressure and review group ride basics before listed departure times. 

Horton Park (departing at 8:10am), Hamline Avenue at Englewood. Contact Casy Fath, casy.fath@gmail.com or 651-325-1807.

McMurray Field (departing at 8:00am), southwest corner of Como/Wynne Avenue and Lexington. Contact Karen Solas, ksolas@gmail.com or 651-334-0793.

Newell Park (departing at 8:10am). Northwest corner of Hewitt and Wheelter. Contact Abram Shapiro, abr@mshapiro.com or 650-296-8692.

Longfellow Park (departing at 7:50), corner of east 34th St and 36th Ave S. Contact Randy Lewandowski, randylewandowski@gmail.com or 612-250-5001. 

Parent Coffee Social Wednesday, May 3 from 8:15 to 9:00am

Bike to school with your students and stay for a cup of coffee with other parents!

Big Work in the Upper Elementary

written by Meggie Exner, Swan River guide

Big work is work that takes up a lot of time or physical space to create. Elementary children in particular are attracted to the challenge of big work. While guides suggest ideas for follow-on after lessons, children are given the freedom to choose how they would like to integrate, practice, or further their understanding of what they have learned - and often what they choose far exceeds our expectations. 

Big work appeals to elementary children and supports their learning for several reasons. Children of this age are especially interested in group work. Big work provides an excellent opportunity for children to collaborate in a meaningful way and practice the social skills needed to come to group decisions. Big work also is a source of inspiration and because Montessori classrooms consist of mixed age groups, every child throughout their elementary career will have two opportunities to be be among the youngest in the class, looking up to and being inspired by older children, as well as two opportunities to be among the oldest, providing that inspiration and mentorship to others. Ultimately, big work is a source of pride and confidence and is a way for children to practice pursuing their interests without constraints.

Lochlan Solas sets up a large bead bar multiplication problem on the decimal checkerboard. 

While big work can emerge at any time as an offshoot from a lesson or an individual’s personal interest, the Upper Elementary program weaves big work into part of our classroom culture with some of our annual big projects. In the fall, all 6th years completed Imaginary Island projects. Imaginary Island is a summative big work during which children come up with their own imaginary island, complete with its own government and culture. As children consider the climate and biomes of their island, what imaginary flora and fauna might live there, and how people might have migrated to their island, they draw on their geography, biology, and history work from their previous years in the elementary program. This spring, all upper elementary children will be pursuing a big work centered around United States history to be shared with families during our end-of-the-year workshare. We have been thrilled to watch the children delve into these projects with enthusiasm, deepening their understanding while modeling the joys of learning with others.

Icy Cool Guests in Environmental Education

written by Kyla Sisson and Brent Cummins, Outdoor Education guides

This winter, upper elementary students had the opportunity to investigate ice and snow in unique ways through partnerships with two organizations, Ardent Outdoors and the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, part of the University of Minnesota. 

Little Elk students hold Northern Pike before returning them to Como Lake. 

Ardent Outdoors is a nonprofit dedicated to helping all communities access the outdoors. During the summer, they are known as the Dive Guys, using scuba gear to remove invasive aquatic species from lakes. But in the winter, they give back through introducing kids and veterans to ice fishing. 

Ardent Outdoors explain safe ice thickness. 

Ice fishing isn’t just a recreational sport. Catch and release is one way to observe and form a relationship with aquatic life, even in the depths of winter. Before going fishing, students learned about fish species who call Como Lake home. We applied algebra to calculate safe ice thickness for different amounts of weight. Using magnetic models from the Science Museum, we investigated the polar properties of H20 that cause solid water to float instead of sink, allowing lakes to support life throughout the big freeze. Then we were ready to make the trek to our closest body of water. 

Jigging with a pole for panfish. 

Students learn to drill a hole and set a tip-up. 

We were lucky to have some warm days for fishing this year. Though some students worried about melting ice, the Dive Guys helped them measure the thickness – between 14 and 18 inches of ice – and they quickly acclimated to the power of “walking on water.” Ardent Outdoors provided warm tents for a cozy afternoon on the lake. Students learned to bait meal worms on hooks and jig for pan fish, which yielded one or two crappie, but the real excitement was in getting to meet the Northern Pike. Tip-ups are baited for larger fish, popping up a bright flag when one bites. Some students helped drill holes and set tip-ups, then staked a lookout, ready for the big one. For one class, the tip-ups yielded four northern pike, which we had the opportunity to observe for an extended time. Students learned how to care for the fish by refreshing oxygen levels in the shallow water of a well dug into the ice, gently felt their scales, watched their swimming behavior and interactions, and were able to tell each fish apart before they released them back to lake life. 

Back on land, we continued our study of frozen water with Dr. Kara Baldwin from the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. This UMN field study site holds ongoing research about climate’s effects on forests, prairies, bogs, and the animals who call them home. Thanks to generous sponsorship funds from Cedar Creek donors, Dr. Kara came to us to provide a place-based science program in our neighborhood park. Students created snow study plots, where they collected data to tell the story of this winter. Using tools from Cedar Creek, they measured the thickness and temperature of each snow layer and calculated the amount of water held by the snow. Dr. Kara also answered “Ask a Scientist” questions from students about Cedar Creek experiments and what a scientist’s job is like. 

Thank you to both Ardent Outdoors and Cedar Creek for partnering with our students to create such icy cool environmental studies! 

Heron's Nest Updates and Information - April 2023

Upcoming Nutrition Program Town Hall | Wednesday, April 19th, 2023; 6:00pm

This Wednesday, April 19th at 6pm we are having a town-hall style webinar meeting about our lunch program.  This is because of the new legislation around free lunch for all MN students and we want to talk about the impact it will have on our nutrition program.  On that evening we will be sharing all the information we have, answering questions, and offering caregivers a survey to collect opinions on this topic.
Here is the Zoom link to join the meeting at 6pm on Wednesday!

Heron’s Nest

"At Great River School, we believe that food is a connector. The food we eat not only nourishes our bodies, it reminds us of people and places, it connects us to the land." 

Thank you to UMN student Molly Farrell for showcasing the amazing work Mel and the rest of the Heron crew do on everyday here at Great River School. Molly highlights our focus on sustainable food systems and supporting students to build culinary skills in our kitchen.

Her fellow UMN intern Sylvia Michael created culinary curriculum posters to be used in GRS's experiential kitchen courses. 

Click here to read a reflection from Molly on her time at Great River and to learn more about how you can support Great River students building culinary skills in the kitchen! 

Just a friendly reminder, don’t forget to pre-order lunches each week for your students. When you pre-order your student’s lunches, Mel and the staff in the Heron’s Nest Kitchen are better prepared, and are able to ensure the right amount of supplies are ordered. In addition, it helps the Heron’s Nest Crew know how many students will be having lunch on any given day.
Need breakfast in the morning? No problem! The Heron’s Nest also has Breakfast options available for students and faculty. Breakfast is available to pre-order on the School payment portal.

Check out the Quarter 4 menu Below:

Holly's Huddle - April 2023

Written by Holly Bell, Director of First Impressions

Is it REALLY Spring? Can we trust the weather (that has improved so dramatically since Spring Break)? I am just not certain. I really want it to be Spring, but I am a little wary of Mother Nature. I remember last year that we had snow April 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18. But that was LAST year, you might say. Yes. And today, we still have some snow on yards and mounds of snow in parking lots as I write this. 

What’s really bugging me is that there are so many things to DO in Spring - things I’ve waited all winter to do. Like: (1) Start seedlings growing so they’re ready to take off growing outside soon. (2) Harvest tulips and daffodils that I planted last Fall. (3) Clean out my car really well. (4) Sweep out all of the sand/dirt from the winter roads that is still on my garage floor. (5) Trim trees that have damage from heavy snows or rabbit chewings. (6) Unearth my garden from the winter trappings of leaves, sticks, etc. (7) Fly a kite! (8) Give my dog a bath outside. (9) Take the plastic off of the windows in my apartment so I can get some fresh air circulating. (10) Wash the windows in my apartment. (11) Put winter clothes away! (Can we really do that?!?)  And, on and on. What’s on your Spring Cleaning list?

All of the ideas floating around in my brain give me some anxiety, feeling like there’s so much to do and not much time to do everything. I sometimes feel pressured to do all of the things on my list. Right now! 

And, here’s a question I ask myself to relieve some of that anxiety, to get some things done, and to protect my mental health: What would help me feel less stressed right now? It’s a question I ask myself for many things, not just Spring Cleaning. By prioritizing my list to determine what is the most important thing to do TODAY, I don’t have to worry about things that don’t have to be done until next week. When I can concentrate on the present moment, I start to make progress on my list and also decrease my stress level. It really helps to keep from feeling overwhelmed and, (bonus!) gives me a place to start.

I hope your Spring is bursting with positive energy so kindness blooms all around you! Pass it on!

On we go,

Holly

Midsummer Night's Dream Theatre Intensive, Thurs., April. 27, 2023

Theater Intensive is back for 7th and 8th grade families! This year we will be putting on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Like last year we are splitting the students into three cohorts, each cohort consisting of about 40 students working over the course of five weeks. Students will participate in the Theater Intensive during Humanities/Occupations time (9:45-11:10) and on Wednesday afternoons.

Theater Rotation 3
March 18 - April 28th, 2023
Performance Date: April 27, 2023
2pm (for GRS students) & 6pm (for families)

The Play

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play with a great many themes: magic, misunderstanding, dreams, but regardless of the production, cast or vision, the theme of love is one that cannot be ignored. Additionally as one of Shakespeare’s conceptually lightest and most overtly magical works, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a ball of endless possibilities when approaching it as a director. Hawken Paul’s goal as a director is to highlight love as an overarching theme across each different plot line within the story, and for each of our three productions to approach the story’s magical elements with an entirely different lens of understanding. Most importantly however, his goal as a director is to create a rehearsal space that his actors are excited to express themselves in and bring ideas of their own as well.

And…introducing Hawken Paul, Theater Director!

Originally hailing from New York City, Hawken moved to Minnesota in 2020 after graduating from St. Olaf College with a Bachelor’s of Music Degree in Violin Performance. Currently a Twin Cities-based teaching artist and actor, Hawken has performed with Sidekick Theatre, Off-Broadway Musical Theatre, and the Guthrie Theatre, and has taught with the Children’s Theatre Company, and the Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth. Hawken is super excited to be making his directing debut with Great River School, and is looking forward to introducing this timeless story to the next generation of young actors!

Looking forward to seeing you all at the show!

Handwork: How the hand builds the mind

written by Tom Fendt, Little Elk guide

Working with the hands connects with several important goals in Montessori. In the first place, hands-on materials turn energy into an asset. In traditional schooling fidgeting is often seen as an obstacle to learning. By giving students productive physical outlets Montessori channels that natural human drive to manipulate objects into a tool for deeper understanding.

Handwork also provides a way to build concentration. Concentration is a skill that can be taught, but trying to build concentration while also doing difficult abstract thought can lead to students feeling overwhelmed. Activities like knitting, watering plants, organizing colored pencils, and bookmaking allow students to practice their concentration while working on tangible, concrete tasks. Students can then apply this concentration built by handwork to tasks like writing, research, or multiplication.

Using their hands allows children to explore ideas they may not be able to wrap their heads around abstractly yet. For example, cubing a polynomial is something many of us may half remember from high school algebra, but is a concept we are able to introduce in elementary using the wooden cubing material. Once students have built an understanding using the physical material they will often discover the “shortcut” of finding the answer of paper, transforming drudgery and rote learning of a formula into a satisfying moment of discovery and mastery.

April 2023 Head of School Message

written by David Núñez, Head of School

Dear GRS Families,

Happy Spring!  I hope you all had a lovely and restful Spring Break!

This month I thought I would start by updating you all on policy and protocol work we are doing this year at Great River. The policy committee has been active and is reviewing both the Violence and Harassment Policy and also the Bullying Policy. The Violence and Harassment Policy work in particular came about because a student group, Students Against Misogyny, has been working on the policy and will be partnering with me and the Policy Committee in re-drafting it.

Also, our Equity Action Planning Team met consistently for several months and have created a draft of an Equity Action Plan for Great River. This month it will be reviewed by parents, students and staff and will be the cornerstone of Great River’s new 5-year Strategic Plan.

Finally, the school is also working on drafting a new protocol around the use of hate speech. This protocol is designed to both support staff through responding to any incident of hate speech in our community, but also holds staff accountable to the community. Writing down a protocol like this means that we can share it with the community and increase both transparency and accountability.

Beyond all that tremendous work, we are also busy getting ready for Spring Key Experiences! Planning for the bike trip, the new 3rd Grade Key Experience, and Spring Intensives is well under way. As a parent of a 7th and an 8th grade student I am particularly excited for this year’s bike trip!

The Blue Heron Bash was a wonderful success this year. Personally, I enjoyed going and especially seeing the presentations by the students from the robotics team and the school musical. Also, our musical guests were delightful, the food was wonderful, and the gym looked magical. Thank you to everyone who made this night such a great success!

I also wanted to take just a moment and thank all the parents who were involved and who donated to feeding the staff during conferences. The food was tremendous and while I know this is a school tradition, I also heard from a number of staff about how much they appreciate all the work that went into feeding 130 people. And the food was marvelous! I can’t tell you all enough how much this means to the staff.

I hope your Spring is delightful and rejuvenating after a long, cold MN winter.

Peace,

David

Meet our Great River Staff: Nick Beermann

Nick Beermann is Great River School's Adolescent Program Director! Joining GRS just this year, Nick actually worked in a previous capacity with his predecessor, Tami Limberg doing great work in advances in Biology! Small world! With a smile on his face, you will often see Nick providing daily support to students, going from meeting to meeting, working behind the scenes in collaboration with the Leadership team and or at the front of an Adolescent classroom teaching! In addition, you might also find him helping out with key experiences.  Let’s get to know Nick!

Biography provided by Nick Beermann, Adolescent Program Director, in addition to excerpts from a 2013 University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences article

I am a Twin Cities native, but with a mother from Germany, I spent a lot of time there too. I am a product of District 197 and graduated from Two Rivers High School (then Henry Sibley). I attended the University of Minnesota and after time in Australia, Honduras and many trips to the Itasca Biological Station, I graduated with a degree in Ecology, Evolution and Animal Behavior. It was also this time where I developed a passion for education and met my spouse. We have two children, Axel and Ewan, who are better Montessorians than we could ever hope to be. As a family we are avid travelers, campers, and have enough bicycles that could be described as “problematic.” In my ever diminishing spare time I love mountain biking so I am eager to explore the trails in the Twin Cities and practice my jumping skills and tackling “drops.” 

I come to Great River School from the Montessori adolescent programs of Milwaukee Public Schools. After college, I landed at the Montessori High School, then a smaller charter school. This adolescent program was absorbed by MacDowell Montessori School, where I taught almost every science class imaginable and served as International Baccalaureate and Adolescent Program Coordinator. I hold Adolescent Montessori credentials from the North American Montessori Teachers Association, as well as the American Montessori Society and a Masters Degree in teaching from Cardinal Stritch University. 

A little more about Nick (excerpt from 2013 U of Mn College of Biological Sciences article):

Fun Facts:

  • Nick Beermann was highlighted in 2013 by the University of Minnesota as one of the top 20 under 30 in Biology for all of his work with Multicellularity labs.

  • He worked to develop and implement interactive regenerative biology labs for high school students.

  • Was part of the team to develop a series of labs dedicated to studying the the Evolution of Multicellularity.

In 2013, Nick was quoted as saying He “hopes someday to take on a leadership role at a Montessori or project-based school” something that he achieved this year, stepping into the role of Adolescent Program Director.

NB Quotes

“I love it when students get the opportunity to investigate things in which they’re interested and conduct research they design themselves,” he says.