by Webmaster | Jul 17, 2014 | Student News & Accolades
With its holistic learning environment, and our research-based methods to elicit creative and critical thinking, many wonderful families have become part of the Rainbow family.
New this year to the school is Duncan, a rising second grader. His younger brother Raleigh will attend the Rainbow Community School Pre-school beginning in November when he turns three years of age.
Duncanโs family is relocating here from Ireland.
Along the way, however, theyโre making a few stops. They have traveled to Dublin, Amsterdam, London, and Los Angeles. They will make one more stop in the historic Washington, D.C. just before settling in Asheville and beginning the school year.
We look forward to Duncan sharing his experiences with his classmates as he begins second grade. In fact, his experiences will add a lovely flavor to our global initiatives program!
Weโre also very excited that Raleigh will be joining our community in November, too.
Welcome to our family!
Duncan, a rising 2nd grader, in Amsterdam.
Duncan and Raleigh in front of the British Museum
by Webmaster | Jun 24, 2014 | Director's Blog, Global Citizenship, Home Page News, News
Rainbow Warriors
Students who come to our school become the Rainbow Warriors. They learn about themselves, how to relate to the world, how to live sustainable lives, and how to respect all people. The Warrior is our mascot.
There is a story behind the mascot. Its roots are deep in the Native American Indian tradition.
This story is adapted from Warriors of the Rainbow by Reneรฉ Owen.
Long ago, when various tribes roamed this land, there was an elder named Eyes of Fire, who could foresee the future. She foretold that because of the greed of the people, one day the fish in the streams would begin to die, birds would fall from the air, the oceans and seas would turn black, and the trees would cease to be.
There would come a time when โkeepers of the legend, rituals, and myths would be needed to restore us to health.โ The keepers of this sacred knowledge and these Ancient Customs would have a name: the Warriors of the Rainbow.
They will be humankindโs key to survival.
The Rainbow Warriors would be many and great. They must be strong of heart for there will be terrifying mountains of ignorance to conquer. They will find willing hearts and minds that will follow them on this road of returning Mother Earth to beauty and plenty once more.
These Warriors would tell how the world today has turned away from the Way of the Great Spirit and that is why the Earth is sick. Thus, the Warriors must teach the Way of the Great Spirit with love that flows like the pristine mountain streams to the oceans of life. They would show that miracles can be accomplished to heal this world and restore Mother Earth to health.
The Warriors of the Rainbow would see that their young were educated with love and wisdom of their surroundings.
They would teach respect for Nature. They would teach the people the ancient practices of Unity, Love, and Understanding. They would teach of Harmony among the people of all four corners of the Earth.
There would come a day of awakening when all the peoples of all the tribes would form a New World of Justice, Peace, Freedom and recognition of the Great Spirit. The sick and needy would be cared for by their brothers and sisters of the Earth.
The children would once again be able to run free and enjoy the treasures of Mother Earth. The rivers would again run clear, and the forest would be abundant and beautiful. The powers of the plants and animals would again be respected, and protection of all that is beautiful would become a way of life.
The day will come, it is not far away. The day that we shall see how the ancient knowledge will be our key to survival, and return us to harmony with Nature and humankind.
Photo credit: Cynthia Calhoun
by Webmaster | Jun 3, 2014 | Home Page News, News
Our student council voted earlier in the year to do a field day at the end of the year.
Theyโre making great strides at making a difference in their community.
We began with a welcome ceremony at 10:30 in the morning. Students lined up according to their color.
Students listened as we talked about rules, safety and good sportsmanship.
Students in each class were divided by names, letters and their rainbow colors.
Each class marched to a station where they waited to hear a horn. Once they heard the signal, they began their activities.
Once they completed going to all the different stations, they met back on the playground for watermelon.
Everyone had a chance to spit seeds and talk with each other while referees calculated the points for the winning team.
And wouldnโt you know, everyone was a winner!
Enjoy the slideshow of the day.
[portfolio_slideshow id=4346]
Photo credits: Cynthia Calhoun
by Webmaster | May 30, 2014 | Global Citizenship, Home Page News, News
Imagine students who are leaders.
Students with high social-emotional intelligence.
Students who express deep levels of empathy.
Thatโs exactly what weโre fostering at Rainbow and we are now part of the Ashoka Changemaker Network. Rainbow is one of 44 schools across the country to have this honor, because of our innovation and desire to exact social change.
Ashoka Changemaker Schools
www.startempathy.org
We became an Ashoka Changemaker school because we are committed to addressing the needs of our community through developing empathy, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership skills in our students.
As Bill Drayton, founder and CEO of Ashoka, says:
Once a young person has had a dream, built a team and changed his or her world, he or she has the power to express love and respect in action. He or she will become a changemaker for life โ a real contributor in a world where value no longer comes from efficiency in repetition, as it has for millennia.
Ashoka works to identify social entrepreneurs around the world. The world needs people who have the mindset for problem-solving capabilities. The Changemaker initiative looks for schools in the U.S. and abroad who exemplify these ideals. In conjunction with schools and leaders around the world, people can become changemakers.
The goal is โEveryone a Changemakerโ โ a world where people can quickly identify social issues and effectively address them โ because they have the knowledge, freedom, and a support network to bring about needed change.
by Webmaster | May 26, 2014 | Global Citizenship, Home Page News, News
Our Rainbow Community has done it again: weโve pulled off another spectacular production of Imagine!
From preschool through Omega, students performed skits, songs and lessons all wrapped up in a greater exploration of the outer self. This yearโs Imagine performance complemented last yearโs production that looked inward.
Each grade performed a skit and many teachers wrote the individual songs or skits themselves. Students performed them while being part of a greater, overall play, written by our very own Justin Pilla. Imagine happened on Justinโs birthday, as well โ what an awesome present!
The Imagine play centered on extraterrestrial beings who came to Asheville to observe and try to be like tourists to find out information about humans. Unsuspecting students welcomed them, save one who was suspicious that the aliens really were from outer space.
Each act in Imagine was a demonstration of human knowledge through song, dance, poetry, acting, and much more.
Omega also put on a play between the two Imagine performances called โTime,โ an adaptation of David Mametโs The Revenge of the Space Pandas, or Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock. One of our Omega students, Zoe E. rewrote the ending, hence the โadaptation.โ
Enjoy the following photo journey of Rainbowโs 2014 production:
Everyone walked over to Calvary Baptist Church to see the Imagine Production
A Journey From Hereโฆto the Beyond
The opening skit for Imagine
โThose are not aliens! Theyโre Tourists!โ
First graders perform
Fifth grade dance
Third grade skit
A historical figure and a mesmerizing magical crystal
Second grade sings and performs
Our second grade teacher takes the stage!
A shadow performance
Fourth grade electrified
And a โTimeโ journeyโฆ
Opening scene โ scientist at work โ Waukegan, Earth
Theyre on another planet: Crestview, Fourth World in the Goolagong System
The king demands the sheep wool.
More about Timeโฆ
Hiding from the beings on Crestview
Hopefully this does not result in unfair punishment
The prisoners shall succumb to the pumpkin!
No, I have not seen any earthlings here. Nope.
Shall we dance?
โThat Binky refuses to eat!โ
