Welcome to Spaces and Moments: The Unquowa Blog Page
Something is always going on at Unquowa and this is the place to keep up with all the exciting happenings. Whether in the classroom, the makerspace, on stage, or at play, every space and every moment is a chance to discover, connect, learn, and have fun. Check here frequently for news, campus-wide events, and other highlights from around campus, all posted by our inspiring teachers!
2017 Geography Bee
Posted by Debbie Leidlein
The annual Geography Bee was held at the end of January. This year’s participants included two students from each grade, fifth-eighth, who won their respective grade level competitions to be eligible to compete at the school-wide level. The students included 5th graders Elizabeth and Claire, 6th graders Lily and Andrew, 7th graders Will and Daniel and 8th graders Lola and Ryan. After seven rounds Daniel became our first participant to become a finalist, with Elizabeth and Will competing for the second finalist spot. Elizabeth edged out Will in the next round, determining Will to be our 3rd place winner while Daniel and Elizabeth would go on to compete for the championship. In the final round, each student is asked three questions, and the student who answers the most correctly is declared the school champion. After being asked the three championship questions, Daniel was declared our school champion and Elizabeth won 2nd place. Our champion, Daniel subsequently took the test in order to qualify for the state level at the beginning of this month and we anxiously await the results in early March. Good Luck, Daniel!
Rain Or Shine…Or Snow!
Posted by Sarah Pollex
The beautiful blanket of snow that covered our field last week didn’t deter the Grade 1 class from its daily aerobic exercise. Donned with boots instead of sneakers, the students took to the field with extra excitement and determination. The laps melted away as these fit participants kept an even pace. This morning adventure ended with a cheer before returning to the gym for a basketball lesson focused on ball handling skills. Stay tuned for the next winter wonderland session as we eagerly await the next snowfall!
Today is 1-9-17 … Get it? We’re Celebrating 1917!
Posted by Kate Haviland
Today is January 9, 2017 or, put another way, 1-9-17.
We are beginning to celebrate Unquowa’s first 100 years…and today is the perfect springboard!
Students and families arrived this morning to discover an enormous sign marking Unquowa’s first century hanging over our Founders’ Hall entrance and limited edition t-shirts in the front hall for every student and faculty member. Many decided to pop their new shirts on right over their regular clothes. Reading “1.9.17 caring for the future” and “100 Years – 1917 to 2017″, these t-shirts are being worn all over school today as we mark this momentous day in Unquowa’s history … 1-9-17!
Unquowa opened its doors in the fall of 1917, so we will officially mark Unquowa’s 100th birthday at next fall’s Founders’ Day (Save the date: 10-14-17!). But today we couldn’t resist the temptation to play with the calendar date and mark this amazing milestone in our school’s history together!
Winterfest 2016 – WinterQuest: Will You Play?
Posted by Megan Kirk
Words can not describe the amount of pride I have for each and every student at the Unquowa School. Once again, the community came together to put on an absolutely fabulous Winterfest. It was truly a magical show. We hope you enjoy watching this year’s show, WinterQuest!
Project FeederWatch
Posted by Mary Curran
Project FeederWatch is a winter long survey of birds that visit feeding stations all across North America. Tallies are sent to the FeederWatch database at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to help scientists track winter feeder trends and develop a better understanding of bird populations. During the months of November and December, volunteer third and fourth grade students identified eleven species of birds including black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice, dark-eyed juncos, mourning doves, purple finches, and three species of woodpeckers. Thank you to our young citizen scientists for a great start to the Project FeederWatch season!
Winterfest: One Teacher’s Perspective
Posted by Mary Faulkner
Each year that I have been a teacher at Unquowa I look forward to the buzz that starts to occur around mid November. It is at this time that auditions happen, cast lists go up, and students new and old begin to get excited about the traditional roles of Winterfest that they will be part of this year! The gym slowly transforms into a truly magical place that seems to put a spell on all of us. Yes, schedules are upended and rehearsals eventually take over some part of our day, but the excitement of students is what makes it all worth it. Sitting in the gym this year, I was once again amazed by the talent of our students, but it is so much more than singing, dancing and an always cleverly written play. It is the students you have watched who it seems one year are the young knights of Winterfest and in a blink of an eye are now Kings and Queens. It is watching the student who five years ago had a hard time participating in class and is now singing a solo with confidence. It is watching students become leaders and examples to younger students. As I looked around the gym this year, I also looked at teachers watching their students, our students, with glowing pride, some even with tears. It is a pride in a job well done by us all; both faculty and students. When children are supported, cared for and encouraged, they truly will display an unafraid spirit!
