I’ve had several requests for more stories about my Bhutan trip. Here’s one that was quite meaningful: Long before I took my recent trip to Bhutan, I wanted to go to Taktsang, otherwise known as Tiger’s Nest. Resembling something out of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, there was something about the place, constructed high on . . . Read More
On Wednesday we’ll gather as a community to celebrate the Seed and everything about it for which we are grateful. It’s an event that has been part of the Seed history for a long time. In past years we used to spend days preparing a feast for our families to enjoy. Classes would make green . . . Read More
I love starting my week by joining the kindergarten class for journal writing. Even after all my years of teaching, I still get excited to see five-year-olds beginning to grasp the letter/sound connection. This year’s class is full of budding readers and writers, and every week there seems to be another breakthrough. On Monday, in . . . Read More
I’ve returned from my trip to Bhutan and am still in the midst of processing the experience. To say it was extraordinary is an understatement. I’m not ready to fully write about it, which I’ll do soon, but I do want to share one story that is related to my main takeaway from the trip. . . . Read More
This morning when I walked I was greeted by a sky laced with orange wispy clouds. I’ve anticipated this day for months. In early spring I heard about a two-week trip to Bhutan organized by a group from California. I was eager to go on the trip and applied. Initially I was not selected. I . . . Read More
I grew up on a dead end street. For over 70 years, the red and white house at the end of Olive Avenue was home to my parents and, in the early decades, my three siblings and me. I am the oldest, and our ages span nine years. Growing up in the 1950s in rural . . . Read More
Normally, at this time of year, we’ve already planted most of our classroom gardens. Not this year. With temperatures consistently still above 100, very few seeds have been placed in the soil. A few that have more shade than others, and a small irrigation system installed, have been planted and are bravely poking up skyward. . . . Read More
After a forest fire, amidst charred trees and blackened ground, seedlings of new life soon begin to push up through the soil. Thus it was for our parents association, the APA, following the pandemic. What was shut down for nearly four years resurfaced in the last year or so in its new iteration. The new . . . Read More
With a slight shift in the weather toward cooler days, I noticed this morning a group of preschoolers out in Gwen’s Castle. During the warmer months there tends to be less activity in the space, but once it cools off, children begin to gravitate to that area of the playground. The Castle was created in . . . Read More
Yesterday was 9-11 and I still have vivid memories of the day, 23 years ago. It was the day planes struck the Twin Towers, the skies went quiet, and everything in the world changed. Our world continues to have its challenges and bright spots. One of the brightest spots for me is the Seed, particularly . . . Read More
I’m writing this particular blog today because I’ll be in Nebraska next week celebrating the life of my dad, James Kenner, Jr. He died peacefully on August 11, 2024, at the grand age of 99 years, 5 months, and 8 days. You can read his obituary if you want to know where he was born . . . Read More
On Tuesday night I attended the Kindergarten curriculum night on Zoom. I was there because my great-granddaughter is a student in the class this year. Interestingly, although my daughters and two of my grandchildren went through the Seed’s elementary program, my great-granddaughter is the first of them to be a student in Kerri’s kindergarten. Kerri . . . Read More
During our first week back I’ve been asked countless times how my summer was. To answer truthfully would have taken too long, and I didn’t want to be insincere, so I’ve mostly replied, “Okay.” I’ve needed to tell the whole story, but didn’t want it to be the first blog I posted in the 2024-2025 . . . Read More
Around this time in 1977, my friend Anne Sager and I were busily preparing for the opening of The New School. Months earlier, I was talking with my teacher, Erma Pounds, and she suggested the idea of starting a school. As a young mother of a three-year-old and newborn, I said yes. In the . . . Read More
Today is our last day of summer camp. The two oldest classes are preparing for their afternoon performances, and teachers are going over checklists for closing up their summer classrooms. We have a few construction projects going on, and two classrooms are being prepared for painting. One of my projects for the summer has been . . . Read More
This morning, while out for my walk, I spied this sweet flower in someone’s yard. I felt fortunate to have witnessed how beautifully the sunlight shone through the petals. Summer is a good time to slow down and stay open to nature’s surprises. It also helps take my mind off the summer heat. It’s hot. . . . Read More
Prior to the pandemic, we traditionally organized a summer community service project. Sometimes we collected non-perishable items for a food pantry. Other times we’ve collected toys and clothes. This year we’re bringing back our summer community service project to benefit Chandler Regional Medical Center’s Eat Sleep Console Program. There’s a story behind our selection of . . . Read More
Sometimes it seems like this day will never come. And then it does. Today we completed the awards ceremonies for all of our classes and graduated our class of 2024. It’s always a bittersweet day, and this year was no different with its wide range of feelings and emotions. Even the fruit on our heavily . . . Read More
I appreciate how nature often reflects what’s going on in my everyday life. On my morning walk this week I noticed a mother duck guiding her family of ducklings along the canal. I could tell she was training them in the ways of the water, giving them time and opportunities to find food for themselves. . . . Read More
May has arrived, our school year is about to come to an end, and our study of climate change with the 1st-4th graders is also winding down. Although approached slightly differently in the 1st grade than with the 2nd-4th graders, in the end the passion for the topic was high in both groups. First . . . Read More
We held our annual spring picnic on Saturday. It ended up being a celebration of both our school and Planet Earth. Although the day was quite warm, the energy and ambiance were so extraordinary that it was easy to forgive the 90 degree temperature. For a starter, we had live music from Dr. Jesse McGuire. . . . Read More
I’m savoring these last few days of spring. The mornings are still cool enough that I need a long-sleeved shirt, and the evenings make me want to linger in the garden as long as there’s still light. On Wednesday night I sat on a large flat rock near our compost pile, meticulously removing dried peas . . . Read More
It’s been a week of living creature events. On Tuesday, an injured black cat was discovered hanging around the trash can by our front door. It had a collar and appeared to be injured. Though our camera system, it was revealed that it had been hit by a car. There was a bit of blood . . . Read More
This week I had the most excellent opportunity to observe in the Early 3s. It was during open centers, and there was no shortage of action or engaged activity. As I entered the room, two children were finishing up snack, one sat quietly working at the writing table, some were exploring natural objects near the . . . Read More