We’ve been showered lately. Not with spring rains bringing relief from rising temperatures, but with gifts of kindness and generosity. Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week, and it felt like a birthday or holiday season. I was touched by the sweet gifts, messages, and cards I received from many of our parents, and I’m not even . . . Read More
Forty-one years ago I signed on to bring forth a school, which has now become Awakening Seed. I was 25 years old at the time, just barely an adult. I made the commitment because I knew it was the right thing to do. I had two young daughters then, and I wanted them to have . . . Read More
As our complex world continues on its trajectory through time and space, I’m seeing that often the best way to help is to work with what’s right in front of us. Through a conversation with one of our Seed dads, I was introduced to an article that addresses this idea. The author, Kevin McCarty, explores . . . Read More
Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows I’m obsessed with plastic—reducing, reusing, and recycling it. I bring my own reusable bags wherever I shop, spreading the message to one cashier at a time about the wastefulness of plastic bags. More and more, I make purchasing decisions based on the amount of . . . Read More
Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. Such is the case with our annual silent auction of original Seed art made by students and staff. It’s a tradition that’s gone on for well over ten years. Originally associated with the Seed Scramble, a golf tournament held for a few years, the silent auction has taken on . . . Read More
Last week we received a wonderful surprise. News arrived from the community service branch of Brady, our janitorial supply company, that the Seed had been selected as the recipient of a $2,500 Brady Shines grant to help fund our new walkway, which will enhance handicap access to our playground. It was a reminder of the . . . Read More
The Seed was infested with ants when we returned from spring break. Not the kind of ants the PreK class is studying, human ants. During our week off, Bill ordered fourteen tons of sand to be delivered. The pile loomed by the swings and sand circle, inviting possibility. Mobilization of the work force was in . . . Read More
Like some of my colleagues and friends, I had the good fortune of seeing Hamilton last week. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Everything about it was exceptional, and as I continue listening to its soundtrack, more is revealed. Several major themes keep circling around in my mind, including standing up for what you . . . Read More
There was a time when we had chickens. One of our talented dads built a coop for them, including the enclosure that, in recent history, has become the maintenance storage area. The chickens have been long gone, for a variety of reasons, and the coop remained, filled with all sorts of things not suitable for . . . Read More
Last week I wrote about the Seed’s commitment to continuing the conversation about race and social justice. This week we stepped into it further. On Wednesday morning, our dear friend, Dr. Elsie Moore, paid a visit to the Seed and left us with much to ponder. Elsie is the director of ASU’s School of Social . . . Read More
A few days ago I ran across this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about what matters.” The timing was perfect, not only because we just celebrated MLK Day. It confirmed a practice we’ve had at the Seed since we began in 1977. Over the . . . Read More
When we returned from winter break, a new face was waiting for us. After a year of conversation, fundraising, and coordinating with the sign company, the Seed finally has a new sign. We’ve had a steady stream of positive feedback all week from students, parents, grandparents, and social media followers. In fact, one of our . . . Read More
Today is the winter solstice. I love this day because of its symbolism and how it invites us to tune in to the light within each other and ourselves. It’s a time of hope. At the Seed, it has another meaning; it’s what we celebrate this time of year as a school to be inclusive . . . Read More
Although the weather still feels like autumn, we are headed toward the official first day of winter next Thursday. It will be an especially meaningful solstice this year since the Seed’s Celebration of the Winter Solstice falls on the actual day for our 2017 event. Our fall semester ends a week later this year, so . . . Read More
Another feast has come and gone. We had perfect weather and delicious food, thanks to teachers, parents, and students. Hundreds of hungry, friendly families gathered to celebrate our Seed community. It was gratitude at its finest. Each year our intention is to approach the Thanksgiving holiday with a genuine sense of gratitude. The challenge is . . . Read More
Grateful grandparents, the food drive, and a sand village were a perfect combination to usher in the season of gratitude. Our wonderful grandparents group met on Monday. After addressing a few business items, grandparents arranged themselves in pairs to discuss questions around the topic of gratitude. Taken from Seth Godin’s Thanksgiving Reader (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2015/11/a-thanksgiving-reader.html), questions led . . . Read More
The little altar under the tree caught my eye. I saw it on my way out to Gwen’s Castle with the 3rd/4th graders the morning after Halloween. We were headed to the castle as part of Día de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead. For several weeks, many classes have been learning about this time . . . Read More
It’s carnival week. We’re in the throes of a truly exciting time at the Seed. Many, many people have been, and continue to be, hard at work putting it all together. Parents and grandparents are baking treats, stirring up chili, and purchasing kid-friendly drinks. Our highly efficient APA team has been steadily assembling silent auction . . . Read More
Occasionally ideas slither like a snake around the Seed, and we never know where they’ll end up. Wednesday was one of those days. Each year around Halloween, PreK students take on the study of a creature that generally creeps out humans, creatures like bats, spiders, and snakes. Snakes are this year’s chosen species. Coincidentally, the . . . Read More
It’s not my regular practice to write about individuals. I prefer to write about our Seed community, about the relationships and dynamics that keep the school a vital, living entity. Nevertheless, from time to time, a specific person catches my attention. When you hear her story, I think you’ll understand why this week’s blog is . . . Read More
Years ago, while visiting a friend near Concord, Massachusetts, we took a day trip to Walden Pond. I’ve been a fan of Thoreau since my teens, so standing in the space where he spent his two years, two months, and two days at Walden Pond was significant. That day I soaked in the essence of . . . Read More
The first days of autumn in Phoenix often feel more symbolic than actual. As friends in other parts of the country start pulling out their sweaters and long pants, we’re celebrating the occasional day when temperatures dip into double digits. Even so, there are other signs that the season is changing. Sunflowers that have withstood . . . Read More
In case you thought Wednesday was a bad diaper day for the toddlers, you can be rest assured, it was merely the PreK’s batch of brussels sprouts baking in the oven. We take our nutrition study seriously and that means stepping out of our comfort zone from time to time to try new tastes . . . Read More
Action figures arrived from home in sets of five. As the week unfolded, those same figures brought acceptance and respect alive in a whole new way. Over the weekend their teacher cleared enough cubicles for each child to have a personal space. Before long, the classroom looked like a colony of condos. Toys, blocks, and . . . Read More