Welcome to the Rainbow Community School Blog!
RCS News and Updates
We are so excited to share with you everything that makes Rainbow such a unique blend of holistic education, academic excellence, social responsibility, and integrated community. Here you can find our reflections on the seven domains, our opinions on mindfulness in schools, our upcoming events, and how we’re revolutionizing education from the inside out. Explore the posts below to get a sense of what being part of the Rainbow community is all about.
The Co-Creation of Centering Altars
An altar is commonly associated with a religious purpose. It is often a structure or space, considered sacred, on which offerings are placed and used in a rite or ritual. However, we often create altars to honor various things that aren't necessarily associated with a...
Creating “Zero Waste” and Electricity
The Zero Waste Project 4th graders in Susie's class embarked upon a special project recently: charting how much food, recycling, and trash that students produce as their "Zero Waste Project." As students embarked upon this endeavor, they looked at the school’s mission...
Walking the Talk is a Journey Not a Destination
We live in a time of uncertainty, in a world that is unpredictable and in a society that is, in some cases, changing rapidly and in others stuck. Nevertheless, our work as educators is more important now than ever. As an organization, we aim to live our mission...
Willow – Team Highlight
For this month’s team highlight, we bring you Willow, Rainbow’s Welcome Dog!
Only Love Can Do That
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. –Martin Luther King Jr. Rainbow Community School is governed by light and founded on love. Connection to oneself, others, the natural world and the...
Arming Teachers Is Not the Answer
A few years ago, I wrote a piece for the Mountain Express. It was after the Sandy Hook tragedy. I explore that why we as educators cannot resort to arming ourselves, but instead, embrace a hope for the future without arms. The article shows how this is still relevant...
Kaleidoscope – February 2018
February 2018 Kaleidoscope from Renee Owen. Announcements about health and safety, new division head structure, upcoming guests of the school, contract announcements, and more!
Harnessing the Power of the Circle
Teaching thematically Integrated thematic units are considered best practice at Rainbow. Thematic lessons are layered in both discipline and in learning domain. Layering in this way encourages theme engagement from many angles and through many lenses. This allows...
Sue Ford – Our Marimba Master – Team Highlight
You probably know that music changes lives. It brings people together. For this month's team highlight, we wanted to share about Sue Ford, our longtime music teacher who is heavily involved in the Asheville community with Village Marimba. A Brief History About...
Rainbows End Presents “We Are Monsters” (video)
Vampires, werewolves, goblins and ghouls, welcome to the annual Monster Cabaret. Monster Theater So begins our adventure down into the underground world of monster theater, where monsters, who have been rejected from human...
Design Challenge
Experiential Learning With Simple Tools In Omega, teachers often incorporate ways to make a lesson come alive. Students embarked on a design challenge of sorts, one in which they challenged themselves, worked against the clock, and figured out how to quickly...
Design Challenge, Omega Style
Flashback Bowling Fundraiser
Have Fun, Go Bowling, and Help Omega At the Same Time Every year, Omega students go on an end-of-year trip. In the spirit of making sure every student has the opportunity to participate, Omega parents are hosting a bowling night, with all proceeds going...
Strengthening your light in the season of darkness
The week back to school after a long winter break is often buzzing with excitement and anticipation. During these days, children will share stories of their time apart, celebrate coming back together and show enthusiasm for what is to come. Time is also set aside for...
Bringing the spirit back into the holidays
Centering practices aim to strengthen our learning community by inviting spirit and sacredness into each space and each day. At RCS, we see this daily practice as a meaningful ritual that is integral to a child's healthy spiritual development....
Katie Wilson – Team Highlight
We have some pretty amazing staff here at Rainbow Community School. We have so many folks with myriad talents. This month's team highlight is Katie Wilson, our 5th grade teaching assistant. You'll never guess what Katie was able to do last summer. It all starts with a...
There is a field, I’ll meet you there
Rainbow's centering curriculum aims to support the spiritual identity development of each learner through various contemplative, mindfulness and meditative practices. It also serves to cultivate a strong class coherence and foster a collective wisdom through...
In Thanksgiving
The Power of Gratitude We at Rainbow make it a habit to practice gratitude - not just around Thanksgiving - but all during the school year. It happens in centerings, and teachers work to instill the two words, "thank you" into every student. As Renee mentioned in her...