“The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.”
Albert Einstein
It’s hard to believe the year is over! Please see the link below to our final newsletter of 2011-2012, with farewell letters from Pak Andy and Chris Thompson, some interesting news from the GS board, and a host of great videos.
It seems very quiet here without the students running around, but already we are busy preparing for August 21 with a real sense of purpose. I can’t wait to see everyone back here. For those of you not returning, all the best and hope to see you again down the road at some point.
Happy vacation
In this issue:
1. Reflections and Thanks from Chris Thompson
2. End of Year Letter from Pak Andy
3. Radha’s Video
4. Asher’s TEDx Ubud talk goes live!
5. Grade 8 Odyssey Video
6. Pak Shaun and Jaiah Video
7. Nadya Hutagalung nominated for 2012 International Green Awards
8. Newest Green School Board Advisor, Renee Martyna
9. Our own weekly news
Reflections and Thanks from Chris Thompson
I was a bit sad and reflective as we came to the last school day of the year this past Friday.
Each day I brighten at the early morning hellos from parents, teachers, staff and children as I pass through the Green Warung, FREAK and Living Food Lab area. I smile as I say goodbye to my son, Chayton, as he makes his way across the football pitch (sometimes I am lucky enough to get a hug from him). And then I am blessed with a magical walk (which can lead most anywhere and take any amount of time) down to the Kindergarten as I drop off my daughter, Chenoa, to a gathering of laughter and giggles and warm welcoming teachers. As I make my way back up to the Heart of School I love the warm exchanges with our incredible staff who are maintaining the campus and growing our food. I am then privileged to sit between the Middle School and High School and hear so much of the wonderment that comes out of those classrooms.
And it reminds me so clearly that what makes any place special is the community. The School is beautiful and unique in its design. But what brings it alive and makes it special is the magic, warmth, learning and love that happens in the classroom. This comes from our amazing teachers and children and the vibrancy and engagement of our staff, parents and local community.
Almost all of our effort over the past year has been on delivering on that magic in the classroom. We have added more remarkable teachers, built an incredible High School program, completely renewed our arts and drama programs, written an entire Green School curriculum and we brought back an outstanding person to lead our learning who had a vision of a school at the center of a village.
But this is a journey and while good things have happened I know we have so much more to do. We just shared with you the new group of teachers for next year and you can see they are special people. And we have already started on the construction of our new classrooms as we expand our science, Primary and Middle School classes. We are doing all we can to make 2012/13 a remarkable year for all of you and the team has been hard at work preparing already for next year.
So as I made my last walk of the year on Friday through the School I simply reflected on how lucky I am to be part of such a wonderful community. And I just want to say a humble thank you to all of you for what you have helped to create. Because without you and your children there is no Green School.
Please take care and thank. Have a wonderful holiday break and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Enjoy!
Chris Thompson
End of Year Letter from Pak Andy
Dear Green School Community,
What a year it has been! I am coming to the end of my 3rd year here at Green School and I have never felt more committed to, or more optimistic about, the future of this school. This will be a year to remember in the school’s history; it will be remembered as the year when the school found solid footing and a deep understanding of where we are headed. Teachers have done extraordinary work this year in developing and delivering world-class curriculum and keeping students highly engaged. The energy on campus has been buzzing—students have been deeply engaged in meaningful and stimulating projects, producing shining examples of what children are capable of doing when given the space and support to do it. Each week this year I have been dazzled and amazed by the ingenuity, inspiration, and creativity our students infuse into their daily work and activities.
Our community found new inspiration and strength this year, too. The potential of community is being realized each and every day at school. Parents are finding deep and meaningful ways of connecting with the school and each other, adults and students are engaged on wonderfully inspiring levels as they work side by side on projects and events, and all of us are discovering the power that community has in creating meaningful education.
I am honored to have served as the Principal of Green School this year, and I am proud to be a part of this school. Our future as a school is brighter with each passing moment, and I am excited about what the future holds for us! All of this is possible because of the dedicated teachers, inspired students, and supportive parents that make up our community.
To those of you who are leaving us this week we thank you for being a part of Green School and wish you the best of luck as you venture forth. For those who will be back in August I am excited to share another school year with you.
Enjoy the holidays and hati-hati.
Peace,
Andy
PS Class lists for the divided sections of Grades 1,2,3 will be sent out the first week in August.
Radha’s Video
Grade 9 student Radha Baird was kind enough to share with us a video she made this term about reforestation. Great combination of digital media, the creative arts, and the environment!
http://youtu.be/K3zubFdijpI
Asher’s TEDx Ubud talk goes live!
Green School’s very own Captain F.R.E.A.K. really wowed ‘em at the TEDx conference in Ubud last month. Click on the link below and you’ll see how! In fact, I’m thinking about giving up my usual quadruple latte and just watching the video every morning instead.
http://youtu.be/JaQNy0Ef4YY
Grade 8 Odyssey Video
From our friends at the Odyssey Institute:
We just uploaded a new video “Reef Rehabilitation at the West Bali National Park” which has a lot of scenes of Green School’s Grade 8 students – freediving, collecting and attaching the broken living corals.
http://vimeo.com/44293386.
Pak Shaun and Jaiah Video
Quick quiz: how many of you are aware that Green School’s very own Pak Shaun used to make a living in the rough and tumble world of semi-professional Aussie rules football? The diverse backgrounds of the GS teachers never ceases to amaze! (For a real laugh, ask Pak Andy sometime about the summer he spent as a stevedore in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor– he coulda been a contender!). Shaun and Jaiah were recently featured in this promotional video for his favorite team. (If you happened to see Jaiah’s chilling turn in the instant classic from last month’s GS film festival selection, “The Ballpit”, this clip should go a considerable way towards rehabilitating her image in your eyes…)
http://youtu.be/YUYlGAm0yC0
Nadya Hutagalung nominated for 2012 International Green Awards Most Responsible Celebrity
Green School’s newest board member has been nominated for quite an honor.Please see the following for details and to cast your vote for Nadya:
http://www.greenawards.com/about/best-green-celebrity
Check out her fellow nominees:THE LIST OF 2012 NOMINEES:
- Erykah Badu – Singer, USA
- George Clooney – Actor, USAPierre-Yves Cousteau – Marine Conservationist, FRANCE
- Penelope Cruz – Actress, SPAIN
- Livia Firth – Eco-preneur, UK
- Nadya Hutaglung – Eco-Activist, TV Personality, SINGAPORE/INDONESIA
- Robert Redford – Actor, USA
- Ian Somerhalder –Actor/Model, USA
- Sachin Tendulkar – Cricketer, INDIA
- Vivienne Westwood – Fashion Designer, UK
- Zhou Xun – Actress, CHINA
Are you kidding me? Talk about exalted company! Zhou Xun???
Voting is open June 6th until 6th August.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday 20th November at the iconic Battersea Power Station in London at a glittering but sustainable gala dinner. See http://www.greenawards.com/ceremony
And if you haven’t already seen Nadya’s blog, take a look: www.greenkampong.com
Newest Green School Board Advisor, Renee Martyna
In the final piece of the final newsletter of the 2011-2012 school year, I’m very pleased to report that GS parent Renee Martyna has been named as an advisor to Green School’s Board of Directors. Renee and Steve (who runs the Living Food Lab with Avara Yaron) have just finished their third year at the school– Lochlan is entering Grade 3 and Seth Grade 1. Renee’s background is in international organizational development and social entrepreneurship, and she is well known for her intelligence and integrity, not to mention for occasionally busting an audacious Dancewalk move. We look forward to her being a part of the conversation about Green School’s future direction!
Our own weekly news
To submit your own news updates for inclusion, please send it to communications@greenschool.org by 12 noon each Wednesday.We cannot always guarantee inclusion and we may have to delay for a week at times.
Visit the Green School Website: http://www.greenschool.org
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