Hyla Middle School eighth-grader Hannah Cutler was recently awarded second place for her essay, “Tidal Power and Solar Roads: Clean Energy Solutions for a Country going Green,” as part of the World Affairs Council’s 20th annual World Citizen Essay Contest. Hannah, of Bainbridge Island, won in the sixth- to eighth-grade division of the essay competition. The prize included a cash award as well as recognition in a May 15 ceremony where she was honored by several academics from the University of Washington as well as Jacqueline Miller, CEO of the World Affairs Council. Miller, who is…
Read More →
General Electives Hyla students spend the last period on Mondays and Fridays exploring General Electives. Electives are mixed grade classes. Students sign up for new opportunities every two months. Games of Strategy – David Maron It’s time to put on your thinking caps and play some games. Consider when to farm or where to place a tile in Carcassonne. Predict the appropriate bidding location during your secret movements within Revolution. Go big and redo the movements of World War II in Axis and Allies. Feeling like language? Go ahead and Scrabble it up or Boggle…
Read More →
6th graders have been working with teacher Jeff Steele on a maze project, with a focus on the full engineering design cycle: Students sketch, blueprint to scale, develop functional prototypes, and then build their final product, an art installation and interactive game. Click here to watch a fun video of the process. Last week students presented the final product to fellow students during morning meeting, adding public speaking and the ability to succinctly summarize to the list of skills practiced during this project. This project also embodies the collaborative spirit at Hyla. As students struggled…
Read More →
Have you seen the wall in Kim’s room where students write inspiring quotes? The wall is partly about space, because at this age it’s important for students to influence their environment. It’s also about taking responsibility and ownership of that environment, which transcends into responsibility for learning. The wall connects students to the subjects and themes we cover in English class because many of the quotes recognize and celebrate famous literary artists, political figures, humanitarians, social activists, and celebrities. The wall helps students understand the words themselves, but also something about the person who says them…
Read More →
Once a week students come to Human Relations class and sit in a circle for Council. David Maron describes Council as “a talking circle, a ritualized space for sharing stories and listening.” Each session asks a question, and one by one, students offer their answers to that question. The person speaking holds a talking piece to indicate that they have the floor. When they are finished, they pass the talking piece to the next person, moving in one direction until the circle is complete. In addition to David Maron, Kris Rogers (Hyla Counselor and Dean of…
Read More →
The native plant study in 7th grade connects two disciplines: while students focus on plant biology in science class with Cami, they also create visual representations of their plants in art class with Laura. After arranging plant specimens as they wished to draw them, students created a pencil sketch of their plants. Being able to draw is about being able to see, and the skill of keen observation is equally important for artists and scientists alike. Laura teaches drawing as a fundamental skill because it is a profound communication tool that students will use all throughout…
Read More →
Today the Window of the Week is about what we see when we look outside our own windows here at Hyla: lots of kids outside. Even as the weather begins to turn, they still want to be out there, enjoying the fresh air, undeterred by rain. During PE, they spread across campus, dodging in and out of trees. During breaks and lunches, you’ll find them engaged in energetic rounds of Gaga Ball, lounging in trees, taking in a quiet moment by the pond, climbing the cargo net, and eating at picnic tables. Throughout each day and no…
Read More →
6th Grade: With the 7th and 8th graders away on retreat, the 6th graders had all of Hyla to themselves – and they were busy! They built natural sculptures using materials from around campus to apply the philosophy and technique of Andy Goldsworthy. Returning to the beads they chose at the overnight to symbolize the gifts they bring to a community, students built a dream catcher incorporating the beads to reinforce the many ways in which they are connected as a group. While reinforcing their positive attributes, they also worked to recognize the rougher edges they…
Read More →
PE at Hyla is off to a great start this fall. With new teacher, Cooper Rooks, the students are collaborating to celebrate their favorite games of the past while learning new activities and variations. Old favorites like Around the House, Ambush, and Hunger Games have been alternated with Speedball (soccer/touch rugby), variations of Ultimate Frisbee, Cargo ball, and GaGa ball. We have focused on three expectations: Respect of each other and ourselves, trying new things, and having fun. We try and alternate activities regularly so that everyone has a chance to play their favorites while being challenged. Some…
Read More →
It’s not unusual for students to approach math teacher, Cindy Schacht, at the end of the school year looking for summer math work. Motivated by their own momentum in math, students often ask Cindy for suggestions on how to keep going over the summer months. Cindy recommends a range of options, from workbooks, to skill review, to special projects. We started the year off with a great example of a special project: One student took on the proportional expansion challenge and made a fork cake. She measured a standard kitchen fork and then enlarged the dimensions five…
Read More →