MARCH 2018 MONTHLY MESSENGER

Dear Rock Tree Sky Families, 

Happy April! We hope that you have all enjoyed a restful, relaxing, and rejuvenating spring break. 

If February felt big, March felt wet, and April thus far is feeling vernal and full of flowers. 

Lots of rain during March meant lots of water, lots of puddle splashing, lots of mud, and of course lots of new growth and new life.

During March many learners enjoyed playing and swimming in the creek and exploring the fresh water that was flowing in a creek bed on the new farm. And while many of us were experiencing an unexpected extended spring break in lieu of the rain, one of Natasha's goats gave birth to two babies which many of our Farm Friday students got to enjoy holding and cooing over on our last day of RTS before spring break. 

And now that the rain has past and the wildflowers have blossomed we can notice the feelings of cleansing that the March showers have inspired. All that we do not need has been washed away so that we might reset our energy and open up space for fresh possibilities. 

The timely spring break offered moments for introspecting and reflecting, moments for gaining insight into how we have been moving through our experiences. And it is through times of self reflection that we might gain clarity and determine how we might want to continue to move forward on our personal journeys. 

Because March was such a short month at Rock Tree Sky, this Monthly Messenger will also be abbreviated in structure.

Following this letter you will find important dates to mark on the April calendar. In the Parent Education section you will find an excerpt from the bookThe Self-Driven Childabout a concept the writers refer to as 'Radical Downtime', and accompanying this excerpt we have included a link to an On Being blog post about the 'Disease of Being Busy.'  We hope that you find these texts thought provoking and pertinent especially with regards to spring break.  

We are looking forward to seeing you all again and being together this spring! 

As always be well and stay curios,

With love from the RTS Staff 

Looking towards APRIL

Tuesday April 10th: On this day some of our older learners will have an opportunity to meet Ojai's tiny home pioneer, Vina Lustado, and visit her office and tiny home. The intention is that learners will gain some inspiration and engage in some design work for converting our school bus into a tiny classroom/lounge space. 

Friday April 13th: For April's second Friday community gathering we will be coming together for a Spring potluck at our farm location. Please bring a dish to share and your own cups, plates, utensils, etc. 5pm-7pm. 

Thursday April 26th: A reminder that many of our learners will be attending a field trip to the California Science Center to view a special exhibit on Ancient Egypt and King Tut. Attending families have already signed up for this field trip. Please note the change in date. 

Saturday April 28th: A third gathering of the parent discussion group will take place from 10am-12pm. Please bring a dish to share and your own plates, cups, utensils, etc.

Childcare will be provided. 

Parent Education: 

The following is an excerpt* fromThe Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives (2018) by William Stixrud, PhD and Ned Johnson 

(*This excerpt was lost during website makeover. Please find pages 135-141 from The Self-Driven Child (2018))

Here is a link to a blog post by columnist Omid Safi titled "The Disease of Being Busy"