Monday, December 17th our two schools will be one! We call it “Community Day”, a special day of exploration, team building and bonding that brings our Kinder through 5th graders together with our 6th through 12th grade students.
Aveson Global Leadership Academy(AGLA) students will be coming to the Aveson School of Leaders(ASL) campus. Equipped as “Elders” the AGLA students will be prepared to lead their “village” of Kinder through 12th grade students through a day of community building activities.
AGLA student leaders are busy planning the day now, incorporating art, literacy, movement and reflection into a amazing hand’s on, thought provoking and straight up fun curriculum.
Our community day is guided by the four global competencies.
Investigate the World. Weigh Perspective. Communicate Ideas. Take Action
Incorporating these competencies, our theme for this first community day:
MAKE YOUR MARK with your D.O.T.
A D.O.T. has two meanings. One, inspired by the work of author Peter Reynolds, it is your special mark. A mark made on a page is a dot that symbolizes each individuals unique perspective and special qualities. Each one of us has a dot, we only need to lift the paint brush and make our mark! Our community will help kids explore their perspective and potential.
Inspired by our partnership with Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) D.O.T. also stands for Do One Thing. At this community day we will challenge every individual, all ages, to take action by committing to doing one thing to make a difference in our community and in our world.
For our Kinder through 5th graders, this event serves as a foundation for their efforts to investigate the world and recognize and weigh perspectives. Staff at all levels count on this day to create a visual in the minds of our young global learners as they try to understand their own perspective, and how to express it, and weigh that against others. The curriculum for the day is dynamic, and continuously asks students to express their perspectives, as well as recognize others perspectives.
For our 'elders' the 6th - 12th grade, it is an opportunity to put what they have learned into action. Being able to guide our younger students in an exploration and celebration of personal perspective is powerful, and shows them the potential they have for inspiration and leadership.
The entire day is hands on. Art activities will see every individual making their mark and celebrating the unique mark that each of us will make. The potential is limitless. To communicate this idea of perspective and self expression students can express themselves in any way they are inspired to; whether that means creating a dot - being a part of a dot gallery - doing a dot inspired dance - putting on a live performance of Peter Reynolds' "The Dot" -
Elder students will engage the younger students in reading circles and open discussions about the content and theme of the book. Also, the focus on "Take Action" (listed below) will challenge every student to communicate their ideas on how to make their community and their world a better place.
Not only do students need to communicate their ideas around Do One Thing; they are committed to doing that one thing and documenting it for a future project.
This first event will ask students to commit to act; and put that commitment in writing as part of a whole school artistic representation of Aveson's commitment to making a difference.
In late January, students will participate in a Celebration of Learning, an event that celebrates and showcases student work in all content areas, including global competencies. One thing they will be asked to demonstrate is how or what they did with their D.O.T.
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At the 6th - 12th grade our partnership with the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) the organization that inspired the D.O.T., is just beginning. Jessica Mariglio is our ACE representative, and she is overseeing a student run organization called "The Everything Green Team" Students in this club are also involved in the planning of the community day. These students have already considered their "One Thing" and many of them are powerful with the potential to have a huge impact on our school and in our community.
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