Being an adolescent means expanding on all channels at once. For sixth, seventh and eighth graders, a swirl of chemical changes, skeletal growth spurts and a surge of cognitive brain development create challenging distractions and emotions. Acknowledging this reality and helping students handle it successfully are at the heart of Hyla’s Human Relations curriculum. “Middle school kids are learning so much—intellectually, socially and emotionally—it can be unsettling to have so much going on,” says Kris Van Gieson, Hyla’s human relations teacher. “In that roiling mix, Human Relations gives our students handholds and perspective.” The Human Relations…

Long before Hyla math teacher Chris Johnson knew the exact shape and focus of her sabbatical project, she knew where she’d find her inspiration. “I knew for years my sabbatical project would be in my studio—for me, that’s home,” said Chris. Chris’s studio is a 400 square foot, light-filled room built above her garage on Bainbridge Island.  Rather than scattered with paints and clay, it’s full of fabric, thread and sewing machines. Two large white walls, or “quilt walls,” enable her to hang her creations, step back and evaluate the designs. Since embarking on her sabbatical…