What: The Mandatory RMCS Parents Meeting for school calendar year 2011-2012 is scheduled for Thursday, February 16, 2012. We will use this meeting to take the next steps in the process of co-creating the future of Rainbow Mountain Children’s School. RMCS’ Master Planning Committee will host this meeting, and has planned a Summit that will provide reporting on the research findings from Phase I of the RMCS strategic planning process and engage all of us in beginning to build an implementable vision for the future. The Summit promises to be an inspiring and fun event for everyone! With anticipation and gratitude we will move forward together toward the creation of a long-range plan for our school.
Attendance: Please remember, at least one parent from every family is required to attend the February 16 Summit from 5PM – 8:30 PM. Both parents are strongly encouraged to attend. The Summit is an important opportunity for each of us to participate in this strategic planning process.
Parents have received an email from “Rainbow Mountain Children’s School’ with details regarding the meeting. Please RSVP via the email invitation (Pingg) so that we may appropriately plan for the meal and the breakout tables which will be set in advance of the meeting. Dinner is free for all who RSVP.
Where: Calvary Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall, 531 Haywood Road (park in rear of church)
When: Thursday, February 16, 5:00 – 8:30 PM. There will be no school the next day.
Food: Complimentary pizza, water and fruit snacks will be provided. GF and dairy free pizza will also be available. Please specify such dietary needs in your RSVP.
You will be seated at a table according to your interest in one of the following themes:
The RMCS Model
Evolving and Sharing the RMCS Model with Asheville and the Broader Education Community
Developing the Whole Child
Practical and Life Skills, Including Personal Development
Academics
Defining and Creating the Academic Program, Exploring Curriculum Ideas
Fine & Practical Arts & Creativity
Including Extracurricular & Collaborative Opportunities
Technological Advances in Education
Exceptional Learning
Addressing Divergent Learning Styles and Needs
Physical Education
Curriculum & Facilities
High School
Including Possible Collaboration with Area HS, an RMCS HS or a Cooperative Alternative HS for RMCS and its Peer Institutions
Faculty
Ensuring Faculty Retention, Development and Compensation
Short Term Facility Development
Near Term Campus Improvement
Long Term Facility Development
Creating the Vision for the Campus Environment of the Future
The Environment
Facilities, Curriculum & Extracurricular
Financial
Financing the Dream
Communications
Improving Communications & Relationships within the School Community and with the Asheville Community
RMCS and the Asheville Community
Building Relationships & Collaboration
The RMCS Community
Fostering More Meaningful Relationships, Increasing Diversity and Enhancing Alumni Relationships
Spirit & Consciousness
Developing Spiritual Wakefulness and Conscious Awareness
Service
Within the RMCS Community and to the Broader Community
1. THE RMCS MODEL-
EVOLVING AND SHARING THE RMCS MODEL WITH ASHEVILLE AND THE BROADER EDUCATION COMMUNITY
a. Verbatim: “That RMCS would have the self-confidence to create a curriculum that no regulatory body would fail to recognize as excellent and doesn’t mimic traditional education to be acceptable to conventional norms.”
b. To gain national respect and attention, become a national model – franchise our style of educational teaching
c. Opportunity to consider ourselves seriously, among education institutions in the United States and perhaps in the world, as offering a unique approach to education. Opportunity to share our unique approach beyond the confines of our small school in Asheville NC. Want us to consider how we present ourselves to the world – from what we name the school to the unique style of education we offer.
d. Ability to demonstrate success via test scores – establish greater credibility
e. Branding/re-branding RMCS so that our unique brand of education and the evidence of its success are understood and taken seriously – locally and on the national stage – need a new name that is taken seriously
f. Offer open houses so that our teachers can expose other educators to RMCS approaches
g. Continue exploring avenues of education
h. Grow, prosper, keep doing well
i. Expanding the student body while keeping its core values
j. Keeping up academics as well as other areas
k. Meet higher expectations – for everyone
l. That people knew the ‘truth’ about RMCS
m. For RMCS to be the best school in Asheville
n. More publicity for RMCS in community and nationally
o. Increase interest in dynamic governance
2. DEVELOPING THE WHOLE CHILD-
PRACTICAL AND LIFE SKILLS, INCLUDING PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (CURRICULUM I)
a. Teach children to identify ‘how’ they learn
b. Children to identify their weaknesses and provide motivation to improve them
c. Financial awareness, e.g. how to develop a business plan, write a grant, explore how to pay for college
d. Conflict resolution skills
e. Offer students more decision making power
f. Creation of leadership skills in students
g. Teach servant leadership
h. Opportunity to practice skills related to a student’s passion
i. Have more student council meetings so that more students can participate
j. Offer students more decision making power
k. Interpersonal relationship skills
l. Peace education
m. Make better transitions so days are calmer, smoother, happier
n. More acceptance of boy energy
o. Compassionate communications and non-violent communications training and skills
p. Create deeper connections between RMCS older and younger kids via formal mentoring program e.g. CDS formal, continuous mentoring program
q. Concept of the Hatchery – summer program
3. ACADEMICS- DEFINING AND CREATING THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM, EXPLORING CURRICULUM IDEAS (CURRICULUM II)
a. Divergent thinking curriculum
b. Apply the math structure to all curriculum
c. French
d. Thematically link all subjects
e. More work in class, less homework
f. Financial situation in the US and the world
g. Classes on poverty, racism, global discomfort
h. More systems thinking
i. More individual learning opportunities
j. More project based instruction
k. Maintain IP and science fair for the individual student
l. Animals – as pets, as teaching or healing opportunities
m. Use the theory of 8 shields: Bring in the elders to mentor the children – inclusive of the whole family and does not prescribe to the young people but instead helps guide them on their path. This way of teaching and mentoring does not stop when a child leaves RMCS but continues as the grow and develop, we create a deeper more connected community
n. An exchange program
o. An honors program
p. A debate team – to facilitate critical thinking skills
q. Opportunity for more than one class to go on a field trip together
r. More celebrating of different traditions
4. FINE & PRACTICAL ARTS & CREATIVITY – INCLUDING EXTRACURRICULAR & COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES (CURRICULUM III)
a. Broader education opportunities for students – especially drama
b. More creative projects
c. A drama program
d. Return to the original ‘Imagine’
e. Instruments in classroom not just after school
f. Dedicated art spaces, including: — also in Facilities
i. Tile wall for 50 state street
ii. Parent/teacher art gallery
5. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN EDUCATION (CURRICULUM IV)
a. Technology, broad curriculum offerings so that our students are proficient with technology
b. Use of technology as an integral tool in our curriculum (grade appropriate)
6. EXCEPTIONAL LEARNING — ADDRESSING DIVERGENT LEARNING STYLES AND NEEDS (CURRICULUM V)
a. A special needs teacher on staff to help kids with special needs
b. Structure all learning units to make allowances for all learning styles
c. Offer teaching styles for students who are not strong in language based skills
d. Instruction and assessment should be via student choice
e. Have parents volunteer in the classrooms to sit with/tutor kids needing extra support/special focus
7. PHYSICAL EDUCATION (CURRICULUM & FACILITIES)
a. A physical environment that will enable our awareness of P.E.
b. To get outside more
c. Increase our athletics’ offerings
d. Broader education opportunities for students – especially sports
e. Yoga and instruments in classroom not just after school
f. More bikes and walks to school
g. A redesigned, larger playground including: — also in Facilities
i. A basketball court, a gym and a real AstroTurf ball field for soccer and other sports
ii. More and better play space
iii. More green spaces
iv. More playground equipment
8. HIGH SCHOOL – INCLUDING POSSIBLE COLLABORATION WITH AREA HS’ AND/OR AN RMCS HS AND/OR A COOPERATIVE ALTERNATIVE HS FOR RMCS AND ITS PEER INSTITUTIONS
a. Expand RMCS to include a high school, including these comments:
i. Asheville need more options
ii. Add a high school so that we are one community all the way through school
b. Create opportunities for awareness of post RMCS HS options:
i. More time at Asheville High in 8th grade than just 1 day
ii. Deeper connections to the areas’ high schools
iii. Offer better parent education about the post RMCS options
9. FACULTY – IDEA AND STRATEGIES FOR ENSURING FACULTY RETENTION, DEVELOPMENT AND COMPENSATION
a. Keep talented staff and teachers by ensuring their continuous training and providing them better/strong/competitive compensation
b. Hire more teachers so that there are no combined classes including for Omega
c. For teachers have a shorter work week and better pay
d. For the teachers to want to stay and never leave
10. SHORT TERM FACILITY DEVELOPMENT – IDEAS FOR NEAR TERM IMPROVEMENT OF OUR CAMPUS, INCLUDING 50 STATE ST
a. Verbatim: “Beautify the environment so that people with money will want to pay to send their kids here – not look like a hippy school”
b. Remove moldy smell from historical building
c. A redesigned, larger playground including:
i. More and better play space
ii. More green spaces
iii. More playground equipment
d. Dedicated art spaces, including:
i. Tile wall for 50 state street
ii. Parent/teacher art gallery
e. A bus
11. LONG TERM FACILITY DEVELOPMENT – CREATING THE VISION FOR THE CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT OF THE FUTURE
a. Verbatim: “Beautify the environment so that people with money will want to pay to send their kids here – not look like a hippy school”
b. A new campus that meets our needs with natural surroundings
c. Acquire new campus
d. A redesigned, larger playground including:
i. A basketball court
ii. a gym
iii. a real AstroTurf ball field for soccer and other sports
e. A larger campus that would allow for:
i. two classes per grade vs. one
ii. a larger middle school
iii. special needs kids
iv. a library
v. meeting rooms
vi. space for the whole community to meet/gather e.g. a beautiful auditorium
vii. appropriate building facilities for the kindergarten (e.g. not a trailer)
viii. a science lab
ix. a real outdoor classroom
x. cob structures and a yurt on campus
12. THE ENVIRONMENT – INCLUDING CAMPUS, FACILITIES AND CURRICULUM
a. Put our money where our mouth is – be more environmentally friendly
b. Model/use more green technologies in the school
c. Build a green house
d. Solar power the campus
e. Make environmental knowledge, science integral to the curriculum
f. Bring indigenous and farm life to the campus
g. Incorporate Permaculture, Primitive skills, Nature awareness and cultural repair as integral parts of the curriculum
h. Teach green technologies
i. Offer more gardening
j. Wilderness gardening
k. Be respectful to the campus
l. Take better care of the land/our land and everything on it
13. FINANCIAL – HOW DO WE FINANCE THE DREAM?
a. Operate through a place of abundance not frugality
b. $ to expand and that ‘all’ kids could have this opportunity
c. To get bigger/expand
d. Affordable tuition
e. Endowment
f. More scholarships
14. COMMUNICATIONS – IDEAS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS & RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND WITH THE ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY
a. Communicate clearly with parents, teachers, wider community
b. Do more to foster parents getting to know each other
c. More publicity for RMCS in community and nationally
15. RMCS AND THE ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY – BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS & COLLABORATION
a. Become interactive with AVL, interview people, learn about the city
b. Offer after school care to students in the broader community
c. Collaborate with other education institutions for purposes of educating RMCS students
d. Link to community organizations again
e. Participate in/create community learning projects
16. WITHIN THE RMCS COMMUNITY – FOSTERING MORE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS, INCREASING DIVERSITY, ENHANCING ALUMNI RELATIONSHIPS
a. Improve diversity at RMCS – racially, economically, etc.
b. Continue to give financial aid to people who like this school
c. Offer more work-trade options to attract diverse students
d. Continue to attract friendly people
e. Foster a culture of commitment to RMCS beyond the brief time that our own children are here
f. Recognize the importance of the endurance of the institution
g. Increase alumni support and engagement
h. Use the theory of 8 shields: Bring in the elders to mentor the children – inclusive of the whole family and does not prescribe to the young people but instead helps guide them on their path. This way of teaching and mentoring does not stop when a child leaves RMCS but continues as the grow and develop, we create a deeper more connected community
i. Expanding the student body while keeping its core values. To broaden the mandate of RMCS to include responsibility to offer tools and education to our families, not just to our students, e.g. spiritual awakening, holistic nutrition, self-awareness, communication, etc.
17. SPIRIT AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Developing Spiritual Wakefulness and Conscious Awareness
MOST ITEMS ALSO IN CURRICULUM I, PRACTICAL SKILLS
a. Children to identify their weaknesses and provide motivation to improve them
b. Make better transitions so days are calmer, smoother, happier
c. Peace education
d. More acceptance of boy energy
e. Compassionate communications and non-violent communications training and skills
f. Stay true to our core values of heart, love, spirit, community
g. Maintain focus on respect for the whole person – the heart of the school
h. Be nice to animals and ethically treat others
i. Be kind to each other, not using mean words or being snappy
j. De-emphasize age differences among children
18. SERVICE WITHIN THE RMCS COMMUNITY AND TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY
a. To broaden the mandate of RMCS to include responsibility to offer tools and education to our families, not just to our students, e.g. spiritual awakening, holistic nutrition, self-awareness, communication, etc.
b. Teach servant leadership
c. Create deeper connections between RMCS older and younger kids via formal mentoring program e.g. CDS formal, continuous mentoring program
d. Have parents volunteer in the classrooms to sit with/tutor kids needing extra support/special focus
e. Use the campus for mentoring work during the summer
Comments on What RMCS Students Needs to Succeed
Competence
Being valued
Being appreciated
Knowing how to apply what they learn to the world real i.e. jobs, careers, volunteering
Ability to make strong choices
Critical thinking skills
Know how to tap creativity and power
Ability to persevere beyond self- or socially-imposed limitations
Autonomy
Creating children who are caretakers for the world
Basic survival skills
To believe that they ‘can’, kids who have strong self-reliance
Love and relationships
We have the opportunity to consider ourselves seriously, among education institutions in the United States and perhaps in the world, as offering a unique approach to education. And we have the opportunity to share our unique approach beyond the confines of our small school in Asheville NC. This process invites us to consider how we present ourselves to the world – from what we call ourselves to the unique style of education we offer. Put this in evolving the model section?
Best teachers that embrace the philosophy, resources to fulfill the vision, leadership that never compromises