contract signing week

Check out this week’s updates…

spark studio

World Peace Day, is a United Nations-sanctioned holiday observed annually on September 21. Peace means freedom from disturbance, a time of tranquillity when you’re not disturbed by anyone or anything. Peace involves understanding each other and working together to find solutions to problems. What a perfect day to gather and declare our promises to one another by signing our “learner driven” Contract of Promises. What a meaningful journey we are taking together through the Forest. We feel proud and brave knowing we can do hard things. Let’s keep showing up like this in the world. Our seeds have been planted.

The Spark Studio has been gifted a sweet little turtle. Thank you goes out to the Fillman Family for this awesome learning experience. It is a time for us to come together and take on responsibility. First, we must gather the facts. So far we know that our turtle is a reptile, loves the water, and eats food that smells and looks strange to us. Our hypothesis is that this turtle is a River Cooter and we are not sure if it’s a boy or a girl. Regardless, by unanimous vote, our turtle’s name is Stinger Flame. Welcome to Spark “Stinger Flame”!

We’ve been having a beautiful time learning about each other through the Family Share Challenge as well as the Hero Share Challenge. Some of the family traditions we’ve been hearing about have inspired us to think about a tradition of our own. It will be a fun experience to collaborate together to create one. We wonder what the heroes will dream up this time. We, as guides, are going to follow their lead.

Onto our appetizing launch about apples and the many varieties. We wondered why they are different colors and sizes. Do they all look the same inside? Do they taste the same? Of course, we had to find out. Our discovery found that they were “almost all delicious, but we love the Golden Delicious best”. Apple season is a reminder that autumn is near. As a matter of fact, the Autumn Equinox begins on Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 2:50 a.m. (Eastern Time). The crisp air feels quite nice, and we are finding ourselves spending more time outdoors. Learners have gravitated to finding their own way naturally. We are observing collaboration happening all around us. Imagine if you will, groups of heroes scattered about. You will witness a fast-paced game of b-ball, intense focus at the soccer game, aspiring gymnasts, rock climbing experts, entomologists digging in the dirt, and Estonian lessons at the picnic table. This is pure joy, and the best part is, there’s more to come. We are the keepers of peace.

lower elementary studio

"No individual can win a game by himself." - Pele

Imagine soaring high above the trees, feeling the wind in your hair, and experiencing the freedom of flight. In this session, we are exploring how humans have learned to defy gravity and take to the skies. Our Quest this week began with kites and ended with balloons. On Monday, we worked in TEAM groups to create kites, which we then took outside to test their flying capabilities. On Wednesday, we learned about air resistance while designing parachutes, and on Friday, we learned about buoyancy with balloons, bottles, and apples!

In Civ, we traveled back in time to the late 19th century to put ourselves in the shoes of the Native Americans living on the Great Plains of the United States before and after the Dawes Act, and in Literacy Circles, we continued reading biographies of historical figures that played a significant role in the development of flight and aviation.

Story Arts was all about “Dream Teams” this week! On Monday, we spent some time thinking of family and friends who we feel will be able to help us achieve our goals and dreams this year, and on Friday, we began creating invitations using Canva to send to them.

Also this week, we finalized our Contract of Promises, and we decided that each hero would be in charge of one promise for which they would be responsible for helping to enforce. They will do at least one launch about that promise, remind others, and hold them accountable for upholding it throughout the year. We signed our contracts after a fun-filled day and an inspiring ceremony at Camp Southern Ground.

Guides are working hard to compile the login information for each hero for the various platforms we use at school to send home with the learners (some heroes know their information already), and that is almost complete, so be on the lookout for that soon. Once you have that information, we want to invite everyone to log in to Journey Tracker and the other platforms from home to check the heroes’ progress, including their 360 Feedback.

Until next week, keep learning, keep dreaming, and keep making a positive impact on the world!

upper elementary studio

Believe it or not, we're in the second-to-last week of our session, and our learners are on the verge of becoming aviation experts. Their hard work and dedication will be on display at the upcoming exhibition. We're proud of their commitment, as demonstrated when they presented and signed their contracts last Thursday. If you have any photos from that day, please share them with us.

In our Wikipedia StoryArts project, it's time to add life to our learners' pages with 3 to 4 carefully chosen pictures that showcase their growth and significant moments. Additionally, the Environmental Club survey is open and the link can be found in last week’s email.

Also, 360 Feedback surveys can be found on Journey Tracker. Please feel free to review these with your learners.

middle school studio

This week was a monumental one for the Middle School. The main event took place on Wednesday when we traveled to Columbus, Georgia for an outdoor contract signing followed by adventurous Whitewater Rafting. Heroes suited up in groups of six and were guided down the river practicing teamwork with rowing and curiosity as we learned about the river, wildlife, and surrounding areas. Heroes were abuzz with chatter about the day’s events. On Thursday, we welcomed Forest School Online heroes in person in the Studio with us! They became the judges of our Civilization group presentations, provided feedback on in-person collaboration, participated in Team Building, and observed “a day in the life of a TFS hero” the rest of the day.

In an effort to help guidelines with pacing and help prepare them for High School, we also introduced Badge Deadlines for the year, which can be found here:23-24 MS Badge Deadlines Policy. This system was developed with input from heroes and Guides to help support heroes staying on track, maintain motivation, and hold a rigorous standard that prepares heroes for real-world deadlines. These deadlines are posted in the Studio so that heroes have a visual reminder.

To further provide transparency to parents and help heroes take ownership of their goals and progress, heroes are creating a slideshow to show their progress for their next check-in. Additionally, each hero had one minute on Friday to pitch the freedom level they believed they had earned. This year, the higher freedom levels must provide evidence of their productivity, trustworthiness, and positive leadership within the Studio, and this will also be shown in the slideshow. This slideshow link will serve as a visual summary emailed to parents during this session. Parents also have the opportunity to review their hero’s 360 feedback with their hero on Journey Tracker. Click “360 Feedback” and then “23-24 Session 1 360 Feedback” to see the distributed results.

On top of this already huge week, heroes have thrown themselves into the planning of the Haunted House. We had two visiting experts discuss event management, costuming on a string budget, marketing plans, and much more. Heroes are working on team-specific challenges with gusto, adapting to work with High School heroes, and sharing reflections on the process as they go. We love seeing heroes reflect on what they used to think their specialty department handled versus what they now realize the scope of their department's responsibilities. Guides are being prepared for the real world, and we are so thrilled to see the character they are developing on this Quest!

Lastly, heroes worked individually or in pairs to record a voiceover for a social media ad for our Haunted House! They considered our target audience sample users and wrote a 30-second spot with sound effects to promote our event. They shared their recordings in groups, and the top winners got prizes! It was such a fun and upbeat week in the Middle School!

high school studio

In the fast-paced world of high school, heroes often find themselves caught up in the whirlwind of assignments and extracurricular activities. However, this week proved to be an extraordinary and life-changing experience for a group of determined high school hero as they embarked on a thrilling whitewater adventure and dedicated themselves to building their first haunted house.

At the heart of this unique journey was a contract—a contract with themselves to become the best versions of their own heroes. They recognized that true growth often comes from stepping outside one's comfort zone, and they decided to take this leap together, signing their own pact to bring their best selves to school and beyond.

The Contract:

In a nearby amphitheater, where each Studio signed their contracts; these contracts were more than just pieces of paper; they were promises to themselves, declarations of their intent to be the best they could be academically, personally, and socially. They pledged to approach each school day enthusiastically, support one another through thick and thin, and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

The Whitewater Adventure:

The adventure began with an early morning drive to a nearby river, where the heroes and parents, full of excitement and a touch of nervousness, were about to confront the untamed power of nature. Whitewater rafting, with its roaring rapids and unpredictable currents, demanded teamwork, communication, and unwavering trust. It was a true test of their mettle.

As they navigated through the swirling waters, they found that success relied not just on physical strength but also on mental resilience and unity. Every paddle stroke became a symbol of their commitment to personal growth and mutual support. Drenched but exhilarated, they emerged from the river, knowing they had faced their fears and discovered newfound confidence within themselves.

The Haunted House Challenge:

But the adventures of this week did not end at the riverbank. Back at school, these heroes faced a unique challenge—building their first-ever haunted house. They weren't alone in this endeavor; they sought the guidance of five haunted house experts who provided invaluable feedback and mentorship.

The haunted house project is a lesson in creativity, teamwork, and resilience. It requires careful planning, artistic flair, and adapting to unexpected obstacles.

A Long But Successful Week:

By the end of the week, exhaustion was evident on their faces, but so was the satisfaction of knowing they had conquered their fears, made commitments to be their best selves, and continued to build something truly memorable with their haunted house. They have learned they could achieve greatness when working together and pushing themselves beyond their limits.

In this remarkable week, these high school heroes discovered that heroism is not reserved for comic books and movies. It can be found within themselves when they step out of their comfort zones, support one another, and embrace challenges with open arms. This experience was a reminder that high school isn't just about grades and tests; it's about personal growth, friendship, and becoming the heroes of their own stories.

As they move forward, these heroes carry the lessons learned from the whitewater adventure and haunted house challenge. They know they are capable of greatness, and they have the contract and the memories of this extraordinary week to remind them of their potential.

Remember, 360 feedback from Session One can be found on Journey Tracker and the 360 survey section. Please take a look at the feedback that your heroes have received from their peers.

-Onward

wellness review

Learners continued their studies on bullying this week beginning with conversations in each Studio about types of bullying our heroes could identify. Heroes are well versed in the types of bullying along with what factors may contribute to someone embodying a bullying role. We identified experiences others may have that could possibly encourage them to become a bully and discussed the importance of remembering that you never truly know what others may be going through and to give grace and patience to everyone you encounter.

Each Studio then broke into groups where the groups where given a tube of toothpaste and plain piece of paper. The learners were encouraged to say something mean to the tube and then squeeze a bit of toothpaste onto the paper. Learners were then challenged to put all of the toothpaste back into the tube. We quickly discovered that returning all of the toothpaste was impossible and several keen learners made the connection that the toothpaste is like our words… we may be able to clean up some of the damage, but even with apologies it’s not possible to take it back.

We then each received a paper doll. Heroes were excited to decorate the doll to match themselves and some chose to write compliments to themselves on the doll. The dolls were then passed amongst their peers as peers said unkind things and crumpled the doll. We recognized how hurt and sad the dolls appeared at the end of the passing and used words of kindness and apologies as we uncrumpled and flattened the doll back out. Learners were able to make the connection that even after apologies and treating the doll with kindness and respect, some of the damage had been done. We connected this to times of trauma and pain and could see that these experiences and words can stick with us even after we make an effort to repair.

Session 2: Year 6, Week 7 In Review