September Update from Head of School

Update from the Head of School
September 1, 2011

Dear CLA Families,

It’s hard to believe that September is here! The CLA community has settled into routines and students and teachers have delved into rigorous academics.

The overarching question for this Fall Expedition is, “What makes a community thrive?” In English, the students are reading Seedfolks, a collection of stories about people involved in a community garden right here in Cleveland. They are studying characterization, explicit details, and inference.

In science, students are studying force and motion in conjunction with the expedition case study about access to transportation: “Bike Power.” In P.E., students are working with Jim Sheehan of the Ohio City Bike Coop to learn about bike safety, bike mechanics, and bike care. Next week, Alex Nosse from Joy Machines Bike Shop, will speak to the community about bike advocacy.

In social studies, students are looking at map basics: reading maps and map symbols. This ties into the bike case study, and also into the case study of “Access to Food” and food deserts and community gardens. On September 12, 13, and 14, the students will do field work with Eve Adams at the Blaine Avenue Community Garden.

In math, students are examining least common multiple, greatest common factor, and equivalent fractions.

Finally, in Arts, the students are working with Lauren Sammon, a film artist associated with Progressive Arts Alliance, to create stop animation films. The final project will tie into the English and social studies case study, “Access to Leadership: What makes a strong leader?”

So as you can see, there is a lot of learning and many ties to the community outside our school walls even as the year begins at CLA!

Sincerely,

Shelly Saltzman