I write this week’s blog from rural Nebraska, where I’m staying for a few days, helping out with my parents. I collected classroom stories about our nutrition study before I left, and lots of wonderful food experiences have happened since I left. My intention in writing about the study is to give you a bit . . . Read More
Thursday morning a coyote crossed my path on my morning walk, just as I was listening to a conversation where the participants were sharing quotes that inspire hope. Here’s one of the quotes: “People say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, . . . Read More
On Sunday we received news that our long time friend, Deborah Cox, passed away. Deborah and her family have been a part of the Seed’s history for decades. Prior to retirement, she served as the assistant director of the ASU Center for the Study of Race and Democracy. It was through Deborah and her family . . . Read More
If there’s one thing we’ve learned this week it’s that COVID-19 is real, and we need to remain vigilant now more than ever. Since we re-opened a year ago, we’ve consistently worn masks, practiced social distancing, kept classes separate, and followed protocols recommended by the county health department and CDC. Our cases last year were . . . Read More
I don’t know how I missed it, but I managed to sleep through the storm that blasted through the valley on Monday night. My first clue that something was up was when I noticed a large tree fallen across the sidewalk on my morning walk. As I drove down Baseline on my way home from . . . Read More
We’ve entered our fourth day of school and, all things considered, we’re off to a good start. We have many wonderful new families, along with our wide range of returning families. It’s been a delightful experience to see our students back in person who have been at home for the past fifteen months. Additionally, . . . Read More
As rain fell on Wednesday morning, we scrambled to set up morning recess alternatives until the storm let up. Once that was settled, I checked in with all of the lead teachers to gather information about the various studies they’d undertaken these past six weeks. Topics varied widely and included dinosaurs, pirates, families, camping, . . . Read More
I spent Monday morning wandering Silver Strand Beach, just south of Coronado, California. It had been almost two years since I’d walked that shoreline, and I was more than happy to be there. It wasn’t an ordinary Monday by any means—it was my 70th birthday. To be honest, it feels unbelievable to have reached this . . . Read More
Generally, I avoid writing about individuals with staff or students. I don’t want to give the appearance of showing favoritism in our tightly-knit community. We’re a team, and everyone counts. This week, however, we have a unique situation involving one of our staff members, and I couldn’t help myself. Today is the last day for . . . Read More
Our summer program is off to a glorious beginning. We’ve welcomed back many of our current students, as well as families we haven’t seen since March 2020. Additionally, we have a number of students who only attend our summer program who are here for another six weeks of immersion in the Seed experience. Many of . . . Read More
If there’s anything the 2020-2021 school year has given us, it’s an overabundance of opportunities to be innovative. After missing their graduation a year ago, we wanted to make sure our 3rd-5th graders had a memorable ceremony. Although some of the mitigations for COVID-19 have eased up a bit, we still have to follow . . . Read More
Earlier in the week we talked with the lead teachers about blogging. We were exploring obstacles that prevent more frequent blog writing from occurring. This year, in particular, the addition requirements of sustaining our virtual program most definitely cut into blog writing time. A few people mentioned that they find it easier when they have . . . Read More
You may have noticed I skipped last week’s blog. I traveled to Nebraska to see my family, whom I hadn’t seen in over a year. I was especially eager to see my parents who are now 96 and almost 93. This past year has been hard on them, and I’m relieved that they are both . . . Read More
In 2005 I began teaching yoga to children at Desert Song Healing Arts Center, a studio in central Phoenix. Over the years I expanded the kids yoga program, created and taught a certified children’s yoga teacher training program, and taught a weekly Gentle class for grownups on Saturday mornings. Last Saturday was my final class. . . . Read More
It’s Earth Day again. Although we think of every day as Earth Day at the Seed, there is a sense of celebration and commitment to planetary stewardship on this day. Often we have chosen a school-wide theme, with each class doing a similar type of project. This year everyone was invited to do anything that’s an . . . Read More
It was a wildlife day at the Seed. The morning began with the arrival of Winston, a staff member’s rabbit, who came to visit the toddler playground. He was quite popular with both toddlers and older students as he settled into his makeshift environment. As if that wasn’t enough excitement, the grandfather of two students . . . Read More
For the past several weeks, I’ve had my eye on the large sunflower blooming in the Preschool 4s garden. I witnessed the early stages when the teacher painstakingly watered and protected the seedling from its natural predators. Once a small fence was installed, it began to grow rapidly. I could tell early on that it . . . Read More
It’s been an epic week in the Toddler 1s class with a curriculum that has lit a fire of interest (pun intended) in the minds of our youngest Seeds. They’ve been exploring vehicles and have had guest visitors pull their large machines into the playground for a close-up experience. A family Jeep and a Kubota . . . Read More
One morning on the playground a student ran up to me and announced that there were animal tracks in the mud under a tree. I wandered over to check them out, and sure enough, there was plenty of proof that we’d had a four-legged visitor, or visitors. My first guess was that it might be . . . Read More
Monday, March 15th, marked the ten-year anniversary of my breast cancer diagnosis. It happened over spring break in 2011 on my first-born child’s birthday. It was a surreal day, and one that significantly altered the course of my life. I had “the good kind” of cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, and managed to get through . . . Read More
Our planned conversation about Dr. Seuss books was postponed until after spring break. It’s a topic our entire lead staff is interested in, particularly as we develop curriculum that supports social justice. We needed more time, and I have confidence that it will be a robust conversation when it happens. In the mean time, other . . . Read More
On Monday morning, as we were starting another week by conducting health checks on the curb, the father of one of our virtual preschoolers arrived. “I’m here to pick up the submarine.” The request caught my attention, as it’s not a typical pickup of materials. Usually materials picked up for students still learning at home . . . Read More
It’s been a good year for peas. All along the sidewalk on the south side of the building, tall vines are loaded with white blossoms and forming pea pods. Peas are one of most popular crops in Seed gardens, and they rarely make it into the building. As soon as each pod grows full of . . . Read More
Every year our studies around social justice manifest in an organically unique way. There’s always a plan, and what actually happens emerges totally from the kids. Last weekend I was talking with one of my former 2nd graders, who is now a young mom, and she said, “I know you’re really into social justice right . . . Read More