Our first grade Cheetahs are on an adventure! They’re studying the continent of Africa, its people and cultures. They also have some awesome hands-on experiences that are part of their learning.
First, Sara Stender, our Campaign Manager is headed for Rwanda. In addition to being a part of Rainbow, Sara is the founder of a non-profit organization called the Africa Healing Exchange. Their organization strives to
“create a cross-cultural partnership of individuals and organizations dedicated to ending the cycle of generational trauma, addiction and related illnesses, by providing services to youth and their caregivers in post-conflict communities. AHE’s vision is to create an innovative and sustainable model to be replicated throughout the world.”
As such, Sara frequently heads to Rwanda to make connections that will provide resilience training to caregivers in post-conflict communities.
Since the First Grade Cheetahs are studying their wonderful unit about Africa, they seized this opportunity to create a partnership with a school in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital and largest city.
They are sending over artwork and photos, gifts from the First Grade Cheetahs. Their photos show things that make them feel loved and the resources they have to put them in a safe, comfortable place.
Take a look at a video snippet of students sharing their pictures about things that make them feel special, safe and loved:
They shared their beautiful artwork during their morning centering, when Sara and fellow Rwandan travelers joined the morning centering.
They also had a chance to learn a few words in Kinyarwandan – the language spoken in Rwanda. The people of Rwanda speak some English in the schools, but otherwise, they mostly speak Kinyarwandan. Now, first graders know how to say “Hello; how are you?”
Chris Visits from the Nature Center
Next, Chris Gentile, the Director of the Western North Carolina Nature Center visited first grade on Monday, February 9, 2015. He enriched the students’ experience on learning about Africa by bringing hissing cockroaches from Madagascar and a black rat (not rattle!) snake.
Chris, at one point had the cockroaches crawling on his shirt! The kiddos also had a chance to pet the black rat snake. He was very tame, very calm and everyone seemed to notice how he wasn’t slimy at all!
The hissing cockroaches were definitely a hit, too. However, Miss Rachel asked Chris to please make sure all the cockroaches were back in their cage before he left. Once assured that all were accounted for (we think!) she was able to relax just a bit.
Making Connections in Rwanda
As the first graders wrap up their Africa unit, they’re going to partner up with a school in Kigali, Rwanda. On February 25, they’re going to have a Skype session with students in Rwanda!
Hobey Ford in one of his performances called, “Animalia“.
Hobey Ford at Rainbow Community School
Fantastical characters and sound effects. Incredible stories, puppets and sound effects. All this and more if you come see Hobey Ford!
It’s Saturday, February 28 at 3:30 pm. We’ll start with a sing-a-long with Sue Ford. Doors open at 3.
There will be a kids’ sing-a-long, a raffle, and fun times, too!
Tickets cost $12 for adults and $7 for children at the door. $25 maximum per family.
A Little About Hobey Ford…
Hobey Ford makes his hand-made “Foamies” puppets come alive. He takes children into another world, using his voice, sound effects and song to tell a story.
He engages his audiences and mesmerizes children with delightful, interactive performances. During a show, Hobey is unmasked, but plays many different roles.
Sometimes he’ll be the MC, the storyteller, the puppeteer, and the magician. Artistic scenery and backdrops add to the fun for the whole family.
Hobey Ford Performances
We are so blessed to have Hobey come to Rainbow. His list of performances is incredible!
Animalia
Migration
The Rainbow Bridge and Other Tales
World Tales
Turtle Island Tales
Tales of Light
The Ant and the Grasshopper
In addition to these signature performances, Hobey also helps educators. He can do teacher residences, workshops with the puppets. He also does student workshops, teaching students how to work with puppets.
You should definitely come to this event!
Just look at one of his testimonials:
“Animalia was visually and aurally engrossing; it was a gentle show.
In these days when our children are bombarded with thousands of images per minute, frequently deafening sound and high-tech effects, the show was in startling counterpoint – it progressed at a non-hurried pace children seemed to respond to every nuance, delighting in the playfulness of the animals and in you, too, as you made the animals swoop over them or land on their heads.
The realism of the animals’ movements was truly amazing . . . It was a pleasure to work with you. . . . the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
I know one teacher who used the materials and puppets before the end of the week!
—Christine Brown, Director, Center for the Arts, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
“The only way to stop the juggernaut is to stop running, and start thinking of time as music that we don’t want to stop the flow of, or a gift with which we have been graced.” Phil Cousineau, Once and Future Myths.”
Happy New Year!
I love how we have a New Year in the middle of the school year! It is such a gift to be able to press the reset button and re-establish rhythms, goals, and routines.
My New Year’s resolution? To be more present and in flow with time. Like the quote above, I am searching for the balancing point between keeping the rush of the outer world flowing (rather than drowning in it), while surfing my inner world.
Instead of seeing time as a scarcity, time is a gift, if we look at it that way. As always, being in a place of gratitude is the best attitude. Doreen Dvorscak, the kindergarten assistant, has a mantra, “I have all the time in the world!”
Favorite Time of the Year
For many teachers at Rainbow, the next couple months are their favorite time of the year. Why? Because your children tend to return from winter break very focused. I think it has something to do with the magic of time – over break grown-ups almost always jump off the juggernaut and spend quality time together as a family.
It also has to do with winter, a time when our souls turn inward. Your children may learn more in the next couple months than the whole rest of the school year. At their student-led conference in March, you will see the results of their progress and be amazed by their epiphanies.
New Rhythm
A New Time: The rhythm of the whole school will be different over these coming winter months. We all worked very hard to complete the capital campaign in December so that we can move on from the hub-bub of fundraising and into a more contemplative time. In case you didn’t see it, here is the GOOD NEWS I sent out on December 19:
“What an amazing community! This last week was a landslide of donations. At this point, virtually everyone has given to the combined campaign. Even MORE families participated than last year!!!! Some classes have 100% participation, and school-wide participation is about 90%. Together, you raised close to $130,000, and still more is coming in. While that is a little short of the goal, with participation so incredibly high, we know that all of you did your best. The board and the fundraising committee are amazed and humbled. Therefore, the board announced last night that we will go ahead and break ground. They decided to limit the project to just what is absolutely needed to open the new classrooms, and the rest of the project can be cut out or put off. We are also getting some incredible in-kind donations that will greatly cut costs. In addition, since family participation is so high, we think we will be able to leverage that to bring in some more grant funds. Plus, some donations are still rolling in. It’s going to work! You will learn more about all this later, but for now, I just wanted thank all of you for being such a beautiful community, and send you off into the holiday break knowing thisgoodnews.
Peace, love, light, and gratitude.”
Next Steps
So, What’s Next? Indeed, contractor, Chris Fox, turned in the request for permit on December 22.
In order to have the necessary classrooms ready for next school year, we have to break ground as soon as the city approves our permit. We still have to raise some funds to fund the construction.
Fundraiser, Sara Stender, will be working on attaining some grant funding for the next few months, in-kind donations toward the construction, as well as gaining more business sponsors.
Of course, if you never got around to donating to the campaign, and you don’t want to be left out, you can always make your donation. Several people have even made second donations to help fill the funding gap. Again, the participation behind this campaign is delightful! Thank you everyone!
Volunteer Hours
Volunteer Hours Used Creatively
I want to give a special shout-out to Geneva Novik, mom of Sasha, in first grade. Geneva used her volunteer hours to produce the campaign video that we showed at the winter program.
This was a huge project, and Geneva poured her heart and creative talent into it. What a great idea she had! By the way, If you have a special talent or skill that you think can be utilized to help Rainbow, you can always pitch an idea, like Geneva did, as a way to use your volunteer hours. I love great ideas!
Student Talent Show
Speaking of talent… did you know the student talent show is in February? It’s my favorite event of the year – always a testimony to our creative and supportive community. That will be Friday, February 20.
Hobey Ford Show
Then, Rainbow is hosting a very special creative show – nationally renowned, Hobey Ford, will bring his puppets on Saturday, February 28. When Hobey performs at Diana Wortham Theatre it is to a sell-out crowd, and The Diana Wortham Theatre has twice as many seats as our Rainbow Community Auditorium, so you will want to purchase tickets early. They are in the office, Malaprops Bookstore downtown, or you can get them online here.
Important Experiences
Get Ready to Talk with Your Child
For students in the fourth through eighth grade; the next few months bring some important experiences. The annual ski trip is January 23. For many students this will be their first time on skis or a snowboard – a time to expand their boundaries.
Also, over the next few weeks, older students will be starting or continuing their sex education, and students in 6th and 7th grade will engage in substance prevention education. We will provide plenty of guidelines for parents about how to have these frank and open conversations at home.
Thinking About Next Year
Now that the push for the capital campaign is over, I begin looking ahead toward next year. This week, I will be drafting the 2015-16 budget, and shortly after that the board will be approving the tuition rates for next year.
Admissions director, lovely Sheila Mraz, will be asking for your intentions for next year, and in February your contract to secure a spot for the following year will be due.
Stay Cozy. Just as the seeds beneath the ground are resting and soaking up as much earth energy as possible right now, we need to also. It is definitely a time to be grounded. Let’s savor every moment we have. Spring will be here before we know it.
But did you know that all three of her daughters attended Rainbow at one time? Or that they’re making names for themselves in big ways?
Sallie Ford
Sue’s daughter Sallie, all of 27, is not only “googleable” but, she’s even in Wikipedia!
Her musical talents are getting noticed in New York and beyond.
She’s rocking out with her all-female band. With her distinctive style, she marches out with a raw-soul sound in her music. She lives in Portland when she’s not touring.
Sue’s daughter, Lauren Ford, is living in New York City and loves it!
She went there to pursue her dream of acting and was trained at Emerson College in Boston. She graduated in 2005 with honors and won the Carol Burnett award – the highest award offered to any student graduating in performing arts.
She’d already made waves before that: while still living in Asheville, she won the “Best Actor” award from ACT when she was just 13 for her portrayal of Anne Frank.
She moved to NYC in 2007 and worked off broadway, in touring companies and in regional theater.
As you can imagine, it’s really tough to make it in New York and she keeps herself very busy working multiple jobs including coat check girl with a fancy Manhattan restaurant, leading sake and whisky tastings, babysitting, working with flowers and plants and working for a catering company.
Those are her day jobs while her dream becomes reality.
Louisa Ford, 24, moved to Portland two years ago after graduating from Appalachian State University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a concentration in Sustainable Development.
She is living in Portland trying different jobs including waitressing, hostessing, working in a children’s museum, and teaching tap dance lessons.
She’s a musician too and she tap dances, plays guitar and sings all at the same time.
All three girls are singers and songwriters – hmm…we wonder where they got that from?
Sue Ford is extremely proud of her daughters. Every day she smiles at how proud they make her.
Something they all have in common is Rainbow.
And wouldn’t you know, Sue’s husband, Hobey Ford is coming to Rainbow for a puppeteer performance in the auditorium in February!
Rainbow, as you may know, has a partnership with Children First.
Quite a few of the service learning projects on campus, as well as the Fall Harvest Hoedown directly benefit Children First/Communities in Schools of Buncombe County.
Because at this year’s holiday program, The Festival of Lights, we are going to present Children First a check for $1,036. This number is 25% of the total funds raised by the Hoedown event.
Studying Africa
Sue’s daughter Sallie, all of 27, is not only “googleable” but, she’s even in 
Louisa Ford, 24, moved to Portland two years ago after graduating from Appalachian State University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a concentration in Sustainable Development.
