 Student Government has gotten into a rhythm these last few weeks! The new members have quickly learned the ropes from the veteran members about the standard operating procedures for all of our sales. The members are energized, motivated, and working collaboratively to run our sales each week. Speaking of sales, we would like to thank SPA for providing such delicious treats for our first Bake Sale of the school year! We thank you and appreciate you!
This week in Student Government, discussions began about things we could purchase for the school with the funds that we get through our weekly Friday sales. This will be a process, but already, students are thinking deeply about ideas that can improve the experience of students at Stanbridge. One such idea under consideration is installing another microwave in the courtyard, as this year students have seen slightly longer lines to use the microwaves at lunchtime. Student Government is currently researching a variety of pizza places as we consider changing the location of where we get our pizza for our monthly Pizza Sale. Members are taking initiative and looking at the prices of different pizza places, as well as their quality, as we consider switching to a different restaurant. We will keep you updated as we continue to research and weigh our options. Our Student Government wants to hear from our students! This week we put our Suggestion Box back in the front office, where students from any division are welcome to write down ideas and suggestions that they would like Student Government to consider. Your input is taken seriously and is greatly appreciated! –Kenny Katz, Student Government Faculty Advisor  HIGH SCHOOL
The High School U.S. History classes are off to a running start! We have engaged in numerous discussions, and jumped into readings about the early years of the American republic: life under the Articles of Confederation, reasons behind discarding the Articles and establishing the U.S. Constitution, and the significance of the U.S. prevailing against the British in the War of 1812. This week, we covered the various factors that led to the American Civil War, including whether popular sovereignty should have been used to decide the slavery question in the West, and how the Dred Scott decision was a huge factor in escalating tensions between North and South. The High School Government/Econ classes started the school year studying the different types of governments that exist, as well as the reasons why a written constitution is an incredibly important aspect of governing a state. This week, we started a unit on political parties, their role vis-à-vis facilitating elections and governance, and how the role of political parties has shifted significantly since the late 19th century. Students also completed their first current events assignment – pick a news story that they felt holds significance, summarize it, and explain why it is a story that deserves attention. – Kenny Katz, High School History & Government MIDDLE SCHOOL – DIVING INTO HISTORY As we've started off the year in Middle School Social Studies, we have begun our U.S. History content with a focus on the indigenous people of North America and those who were the earliest inhabiters of this country. Learning about these first Americans has brought conversation topics ranging from migration (of both humans and animals), to the uses and abuses of power, and even to the impacts of climate change on these original Americans. We've explored interactive maps of U.S. and the tribal lands that used to cover all 50 states, discussed what kind of evidence is used to understand the past, and how historians operate like detectives of the past, sifting through various pieces of information to try to find a connection. A good amount of time has been spent getting settled in the classroom and learning and practicing the various routines and protocols we have, as well. Making sure all students feel comfortable in the space and with the expectations they have. It's been a great start to the year. I'm really looking forward to continuing on this journey as we dive deeper into U.S. History and all that comes with it! – Drew Vinson, Middle School Humanities ELEMENTARY Lower and Middle Elementary are starting to learn about community workers and the jobs they do in the community. We have discussed what we think each job entails and if we interact with these workers with our families. Middle Elementary has been working on "Where I Am on the Map" worksheets. Upper Elementary is also starting to discuss what they know about social studies, as well as beginning to learn about maps and locations. We are excited to learn more about our communities and the world around us! – Adria Olson, Lower El Lead Teacher  ELEMENTARY
Our Bulldogs in the Elementary division have been working in Lexia, reading aloud short stories as well as chapter books. While making literacy accessible to all learners, students have been discovering and attaining new vocabulary. Lower and Middle Elementary have been practicing pronouncing and writing sight words. They have been enjoying reading rhyming books such as Down by the Bay and Pete the Cat books. They even practiced making up their own rhyming words. Upper Elementary has already delved into descriptive paragraph writing this year. Using the hamburger model, students begin with the introduction and end with the conclusion – represented by the top and bottom buns respectively. They are also using graphic organizers as a tool to help plan their thoughts and set up ordered sentences for descriptions of their STEM project in which they designed, built, and presented a school of their creation. As part of their language learning, we are also working on how to be a good listening audience. – Harriet Mukisa, Middle Elementary Lead MIDDLE SCHOOL Our Middle School Humanities team works closely to plan cross-curricular lessons in Language Arts and Social Studies, enforcing learning as not merely subject-based, but teaching students that subjects often tie together. Students began a different type of study about Indigenous Americans this week . In Language Arts, students began reading Rabbit Chase, a graphic novel about an Indigenous middle schooler who gets lost on a school field trip and must work with mythological creatures from their tribe to get back to their family. Students have enjoyed the graphic novel, and are asking amazing questions about history, historical sources, and Indigenous cultures. In Social Studies, they have been working with interactive maps, looking at how the United States was divided geographically before European settlers arrived. Students are learning why is it important for Indigenous people to tell their stories, myths, and traditions from their own perspectives. – Emma Woods, Humanities: Language Arts HIGH SCHOOL High Schoolers are launching into English by studying neurotypes (types of brains) this week. Students identified their strengths and areas of growth, what tools work best to support them in the classroom, and how a neurodiverse community benefits everyone. Students worked on taking notes with the content, engaging in class discussions, and even built their own "brains." This work lays the foundation for students to better access English, express themselves, and empower them to advocate for their needs. – Emma Woods, Kantodeia Schnabel, & Drew Vinson, English  As we settle into the school year, students are adjusting to their Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) schedule. Elementary receives Social Learning, Emotions & Relationships, and Library once per week in a rotation. Middle School receives Emotions & Relationships as one of their five end-of-day "Specials" classes. High Schoolers receive SEL content through a weekly grouping during morning Advisory. All Bulldogs are all learning about routines and expectations through various activities that support the needs of their specific learning group. Content in Emotions & Relationships is based on five Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Across the grade levels, students are offered regular opportunities to check in using the Zones of Regulation. Ask your Middle or High Schooler about their Emote check-in! Can you or your student identify their teachers on the "Bitmoji Zones Board" below? – Emma Mamis, Board Certified Dance/ Movement Therapist, Clinical Counselor  -By Ian Mackenzie
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