November 14, 2010
Dear Dragonfly Families,
We have had a very busy fall with many great events and projects around the school. As always these programs could not happen without the tremendous support of you, the students and parents of Dragonfly. Thank you!
We want to share a few thoughts about the overall State of the School since we all have a role in the school’s community and goals. We currently have 58 students enrolled in five classrooms! This is our largest student body since we opened back in 2007 and demonstrates Dragonfly’s amazing progress and place in the Santa Fe community. Leading the students, we have nine permanent staff supported by a few specialists who bring art, movement, music and other creative outlets to our students.
The youngest students, in the Seeds and Sprouts classrooms, continue to explore their imaginations through storytelling, art and creative play. They have also started to internalize some of the social-emotional tools that enable them to resolve conflict and engage others in a meaningful way, whether they are acting out a circus or playing with blocks. Their foundation for becoming environmentally conscious citizens begins with daily school practice in conserving and valuing resources and extends out into the world through participation in projects such as school stewardship of the Santa Fe River.
In the elementary school, the Buds are growing into a new world in which they begin to see the relationships, similarities and differences among all things; and more than ever before, they are communicating clearly what they see. They are enjoying an experiential way of learning about the concepts that will come more formally in 1st and 2nd grade.
We have again received a grant from the PNM foundation to continue our hands-on social studies. Our “Pioneers and Pilgrims” grant supports the Aspen class learning about the lives of the Spanish colonists in New Mexico, as well as the Pilgrims, before progressing to western exploration and expansion. The Saplings have built on the foundation of last year’s Ancient Peoples grant from PNM to model Pangaea and are beginning to learn about life in the Ice Ages. In these units, content is brought to life through guest archaeologists, pertinent arts and crafts, field trips, and integration with language arts, math and science skills.
A grant from the LANL foundation will support our cooking curriculum, “Chemistry in the Kitchen,” in every classroom at Dragonfly this year. Finally, through the generous assistance of Dee Gregory, our landlord, the garden has taken a big step forward and will be ready for all our classes to plant in this spring.
Please know that the Board of Directors and our School Directors continue to work toward bringing ever more resources and tools to the school for the benefit of our kids and the creative, community-based environmental education we view to be unique and invaluable. To this end, we will launch our Annual Campaign later this month in an effort to engage the broader Dragonfly community. We hope you will share this letter with your families and friends so that they may support the great work of Dragonfly. Look for this information the week before Thanksgiving in your classrooms, and please send them as far and wide as you can.
Again, thanks to all of you for making Dragonfly School a great place to learn, play and create a meaningful community. If you have any questions or comments you think we, the Board, should be aware of please contact a member (identified below.)
Sincerely,
The Dragonfly School’s Board of Directors
Seeds
Aaron Payne, Past-President
Shobhan Porter, Secretary
Pamela Emsden
Sprouts
Justin Stockdale, President
Shari Garman
Buds
Whitney Bacon, Treasurer
Pamela Emsden
Saplings
Kris Murphey
Karen Menetrey, Vice President
Aspens
Karen Menetrey, Vice President
Shobhan Porter, Secretary