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February 2020

Hello RTS Families, 

As I sit down to write this letter I'm finding myself feeling struck by all that has happened at Rock Tree Sky this month.

February was a month bursting with creativity, laughter, friendship, collaboration, and connection.


In this edition of the Monthly Messenger you will find calendar items for March (THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING), as well as more detailed reflections and photos from February. 


As always,

Be Well and Stay Curious

With Love from the RTS Staff


Looking Towards March:

Tuesday March 3rd:RTSVentura Wild Discovery Class

Tuesday March 3rd:Parent Discussion Group with Carol Castaton for families with children aged 5-10.1:45-3:00 pm 

Wednesday March 4th: Field Trip to the Reagan Library

(Please see email from parent Marie-Noelle Poulin for details) 

Saturday March 7th: Enrollment survey due 

Tuesday March 10th: RTSVentura Wild Discovery Class

Saturday March 14th: Parent Discussion Group with Spence at Summit School, Child-care will be provided10:00 am -12:00 pm

*This discussion group will include a brief Q & A regarding OUSD Independent Study 

This month's discussion will be hosted by Spence. Spence says: I will be sharing a couple Agile Learning Center tools and practices that can be used at home to support families with building relationships with partnership. These tools can support agreement making and conflict resolution [and] can play a part in shifting away from permissive parenting or authoritarian parenting. [Creating] instead co-creation and power-with dynamic relationships. We will make time to explore and play with these tools together to practice using them." 

Tuesday March 17th: RTSVentura Wild Discovery Class

Tuesday March 17th: Parent Discussion Group with Carol Castaton for families with children aged 11-18.1:45-3:00pm 

Wednesday March 25th:12pm Dismissal, Staff-In-Service 

Friday March 27th:Priority Enrollment Agreements due. Space is not guaranteed for agreements returned after this date. 

Monday March 30th- Friday April 10th:RTS Closed for Spring Break



Reflections on February: 

To be honest so much has happened in February I don't quite know where to begin or how to summarise reflections of this month. 


We kicked off February with some fun community bonding. On the evening of Friday February 7th, parents enjoyed the opportunity to play the role of RTSlearners by attending Parent Maker Night. Parents engaged in a variety of offerings from learning about bugs with Casey to pouring resin with Kim. And much like their children, most parents groaned when it was time to clean up and didn't want to leave when the mentors said it was time to  go home. 


During the following week, on February 13th, several learners attend a field trip to the Oxnard Recycling Center and engaged in some beach clean up. This year, RTS has been making strides to increase our sustainability and environmental awareness. Field trips and activities like this support our learners in peaking curiosity around these issues and learning ways to be more caring and conscientious of the world we inhabit. 


Of course, our learners have also been fully immersed in the world of classic childhood wonder and fun. This month learners experimented with the making of giant bubbles and co-crearted and played about loose parts obstacle courses. Children exchanged Valentine cards with friends, built giant "blanket" forts, and told silly stories in imaginative fantasy plays. 


Several learners have also been rehearsing for a scripted play about the US Constitution...more updates on potential performance dates to come. 


Casey welcomed a new giant centipede to the pet collection in room 4, further inclining us to refer to that room as the Bug Room. 

Casey has also been jazzed up about using a new macro lense to photograph his multi-legged friends. 


And, on the topic of bugs, Chrissy began experimenting with using cochineal bug blood as dye to continue ongoing natural fabric dyeing project.


On the Little Farm, a new chick hatched. Many learners delighted in holding the baby, Miracle, during daily farm chores. 

Finally, during the last week of February many families met with RTS mentors for family conferences. The conferences served as opportunities to share in reflection of the various ways we've noticed the growth within the learners thus far on their RTS journey. These conversations also served to open dialogue about re-enrollment for the 2020/21 RTS year. 


Looking towards RTS 20/21 we are offering a variety of different enrollment options to best serve the various interests of our families. Please take time to consider the options and respond to the enrollment survey.  




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