Year 1. Session 1. Week 6
It’s hard to believe the first session has wrapped up at Ascent as it seemed like only yesterday that the Discovery Eagles were being dropped off for their first day of school! The growth shown by this group of young heroes, from their first team building challenge (Magic Tarp) on Day 1 to their wildly successful Exhibition of Learning this week, has been nothing short of inspiring! Here’s a look back on a strong closing week to Session 1:
PD Olympics
The Eagles have been training hard all session working towards their PD Olympics that took place on Tuesday. They participated in four events- Sit-ups, 40yd Dash, Elevators and a Half-mile Run, and had their results recorded by a wonderful group of volunteers. The Eagles will test themselves again at the end of the school year to see just how far each of them has come along on their physical development goals. A HUGE thanks goes out to all of our parent volunteers for their time and support!
Finalizing the Contract
On Monday the Eagles finalized their Studio Contract in time to sign it on Thursday at the Exhibition of Learning. For six weeks the Eagles spent many hours debating each line of the contract. They proposed new lines, explained their reasoning behind each proposal, listened to counter arguments and voted. They did not rush the process, nor did they take a single word lightly. It was clear that these young heroes understand the weight of their promises to each other and are seeking to build a happy, safe, and productive learning environment. After only six weeks together, this tribe has accomplished something great (see below for pictures of the contract signing).
Exhibition of Learning
Much of the week was spent in preparation for the Eagles’ Exhibition of Learning which took place on Thursday morning. The Eagles determined the content of the exhibition, developed an itinerary and crafted a plan to pull it all together. They worked diligently to get their studio space and materials ready to guide their parents, friends and family through their Core Skills work. They nominated a panel to answer questions from the audience and the panel spent the week preparing as well!
Art/360 Reflection/Rhys’ Birthday
Session long art projects were wrapped up with Mrs. Rebecca and provided a great outlet for all of the energy carried over from the Exhibition. Wonderful self-portraits and stills adorn the bookshelves, bringing an additional pop of color into the studio!
While one half of the group was finalizing their artwork, the other half had the opportunity to reflect on the first session and set intentions for their return in Session 2. Each Eagle received their anonymous 360 feedback and then reflected on their feedback while setting personal growth goals for session 2.
The Eagles also got to celebrate another birthday this week!
Last Day of Session 1
Friday had originally been earmarked for a day on the Pedernales River in Johnson City with The Expedition School, however Mother Nature had other plans for the Eagles that day. Spirits remained high despite the change of plans and the first cold day of the year- it was remarkable to see the level of focus these young minds possessed, especially given the circumstances! They were committed to finishing strong and quietly worked heads-down on their Core Skills and Writers’ Workshop for hours.
The first feeling of fall was celebrated with some warm tea on the deck and a cozy Game Time inside.
We hope everyone has a relaxing and restful break- see you in Session 2!!
