EAGLE ROCK FEATURED BOOK CHAPTER Professional

Volume 17, Number 2 News From Summer 2009 Trimester EAGLE ROCK FEATURED BOOK CHAPTER by Dan Condon, Associate Director of Professional Development

Dan Condon, Associate Director of Professional Development, and Lois Easton, former Director of Professional Development, co-authored a chapter entitled “A Schoolwide Model for Student Voice in Curriculum Development and Teacher Preparation” for Learning from the Student’s Perspective: A Methods Sourcebook for Effective Teaching, by Alison Cook-Sather. Paradigm Publishers explains, “Much has been written about how to engage students in their learning, but very little of it has issued from students themselves. Compiled by one of the leading scholars in the field of student voice, this sourcebook draws on the perspectives of secondary students in the United States, England, Canada, and Australia as well as on the work of teachers, researchers, and teacher educators who have collaborated with a wide variety of students. ______See “Eagle Rock Featured” - Continued on Page 2

Professional Development Strategy by Michael Soguero, Director of Professional Development

“The school exists for the purpose of professional development. It is through professional development that Honda’s investment is leveraged into the greater good.” —Tom Dean, co-founder of Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center; former Executive Director of American Honda Education Corporation

Eagle Rock’s mission is to improve public secondary education nationally through our Professional Development Center and to serve and graduate students who will make a difference in the world, through our high school. Considering that organizations like Gates, Annenberg and Carnegie have collectively poured bil- lions of dollars into the selfsame goal the enormity of the task cannot be exaggerated. The Professional Development Center enjoys several advantages that are unique in their combination and provide a strong platform for fulfilling on that part of our dual mission. First, we have Eagle Rock School. We have a strong history of success with just the kind of youth that are ______See “Professional Development Strategy - Continued on Page 13 Eagle Eyes Page -2-

A publication of Eagle Rock School Eagle Rock Staff Member Receives and Professional Development Center Education Award Editor: Reprinted with permission from the July 31, 2009, Dan Condon edition of the Estes Park Trail Gazette 2750 Notaiah Road Estes Park, CO Dan Condon, Associate Director of Professional Development at Eagle Rock 80517 School & Professional Development Center, received an inaugural CES Small Schools Phone Number: ‘Commitment to Equity’ Award for his work in making education more equitable for (970) 586-0600 all young people. The award was presented at the 2009 Coalition of Essential Schools Fax Number: Summer Institute held in Providence, Rhode Island. (970) 586-4805 For over twenty years, the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) has been at the Website: forefront of creating and sustaining personalized, equitable, and intellectually chal- www.EagleRockSchool.org lenging schools. Essential schools are places of powerful student learning where all An initiative of the students have the chance to reach their fullest potential. A common principle that the American Honda Coalition of Essential School promotes is democracy and equity. Education Corporation Condon explains, “Eagle Rock School’s students and staff strives to demonstrate non-discriminatory and inclusive policies, practices, and pedagogies. We model American Honda Education democratic practices that involve all who are directly affected by the school. Eagle Corporation Rock works to honor diversity and builds on the strength of its communities, delib- erately and explicitly challenging all forms of inequity.” Sheri Bullock Secretary/Treasurer Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center is a Mentor School and Affiliate Center as recognized by the Coalition of Essential Schools. Marc Burt Board Member

Gary Kessler “Eagle Rock Featured” - Continued from Page 1 President & Chairman of the Board Highlighting student voices, it features five chapters focused on student perspectives, articulated in their own words, regarding specific approaches to creating and Cathy McEvilly Board Member maintaining a positive classroom environment and designing engaging lessons and on more general issues of respect and responsibility in the classroom. To support Kaz Odaka educators in developing strategies for accessing and responding to student voices in Vice President their own classrooms, the book provides detailed guidelines created by educational researchers for gathering and acting upon student perspectives. Eagle Rock School and Professional To illustrate how these approaches work in practice, the book includes stories Development Center of how pre-service and in-service teachers, school leaders, and teacher educators Jon Anderson have made student voices and participation central to their classroom and school Human Performance practices. And finally, addressing both practical and theoretical questions, the book Jesse Beightol includes a chapter that outlines action steps for high school teachers, school leaders, Wilderness & and teacher educators and a chapter that offers a conceptual framework for thinking Outdoor Education about and engaging in this work. Jon Borodach Bringing together in a single text student perspectives, descriptions of successful Music and Performance efforts to access them in secondary education contexts, concrete advice for practi- Burt Bowles tioners, and a theoretical framework for further exploration, this sourcebook can be Facilities & Maintenance used to guide practice and support re-imagining education in secondary schools of Robert Burkhardt all kinds, and the principles can be adapted for other educational contexts.” Head of School Friend of Eagle Rock School, Ben Daley, Chief Academic Officer with High Tech Dan Condon High in San Diego, CA explains, “Cook-Sather makes the case that the best teach- Associate Director of ers of teachers are in fact the students with whom they work. After reading this Professional Development book, I renewed my efforts to include my students in important decisions that affect Susan D’Amico them.” Administrative Assistant To purchase the book visit http://tinyurl.com/neejh6. Eagle Eyes Page -3-

Eagle Rock Book Named 2009 Mark Dougherty Sous Chef Educator’s Award Recipient Denise Dunn by Dan Condon, Associate Director of Professional Development Business Administration Specialist Cynthia Elkins Engaging the Disengaged: How Schools continuing education programs that pre- Arts Can Help Struggling Students Succeed by pare teachers and administrators to work Beth Ellis Dr. Lois Brown Easton won the nod as in schools that “house” such students. Learning Resources and Information Delta Kappa Gamma’s 2009 Educator’s The reader will encounter many differ- TBA Award recipient. ent voices from K-12 schools throughout Wilderness & Outdoor Dr. Easton directs the reader to the the country: students, their teachers, and Education moral imperative of educating all stu- those who observe these students and Mike Glowacki dents, specifically those students needing teachers working together. Head Cook the most help. They are the “dis” kids: This book is about changing the cul- John Guffey disinterested, disappointed, ture of schools so that Service Learning disenchanted, discredited, and they are more humane Berta Guillen disenfranchised. This book de- and habitable for strug- Society and Cultures scribes practices and changes gling learners – really, Karen Ikegami that educators have made to for all learners. Easton Mathematics the culture of schools to better argues that schools Janet Johnson serve all learners, especially should make impor- Science those who are disengaged. tant changes, such as TBA Easton’s book, Engaging the creating whole-school Registrar Disengaged, is a worthy con- learning communi- Jeff Liddle Director of Curriculum tribution with a potential to in- ties. Teachers can cer- Denise Lord fluence educational practices. tainly change their Life After Eagle Rock To qualify for the award, own classrooms, but Susan Luna books must be written by a school wide change is Director of Operations woman in one of the Delta likely to have a greater Dave Manzella Kappa Gamma’s 16 member countries effect. Redesigned schools – not just high Language Arts & Literature and published in 2008. The Educator’s schools but all schools that serve strug- Mark Palmer Award recognizes educational research gling students – can help keep such stu- Public Allies that may influence the direction of dents in school, learning, graduating, L’Tanya Perkins thought and action necessary to meet and contributing to a society that needs Admissions Associate the needs of today’s complex society. The them. Tim Phelps Educator’s Award Committee also looks Easton organizes her ideas into two Chef Instructor for broad appeal and a clear, informative sections: Culture and Curriculum, and Scott Rashid style. The selections were made from 17 Instruction and Assessment. The final Second Chef books nominated for consideration. chapter looks at the effect of school on Russ Rendón Far too many young people sit in the whole student. Topics include a test- World Languages classes disengaged; far too many drop ing culture vs. a learning culture; the Kirstin Sizemore out of school altogether. The dropout sta- importance of building relationships Human Performance tistics are frightening enough, but no one and creating community; how principles Philbert Smith really knows how many more students govern a school better than rules; build- Director of Students merely endure school, sitting in the back ing a democracy in schools; how really Michael Soguero Director of of the room, tuned out. Engaging the to be standards-based; innovative in- Professional Development Disengaged is addressed to those of us structional strategies; and performance Terry Tierney who work with such students, and also assessment for learning. Assistant Facilities to those who work with the teachers and For more information about purchas- Jesse Tovar principals who work with such students ing the book visit http://tinyurl.com/ Health and Wellness – district administrators, for example. kpqtej Counselor Finally, it speaks to teacher education and Eagle Eyes Page -4-

Serving New Mexico: Students Attend a Teonezahualiztli by Mike Dunn, former Public Allies Teaching Fellow in Service-Learning

If you have never been to American Southwest. and Jose sought spiritual guidance northern New Mexico in the One of the primary ceremonies in their own life as well as for the summer, you surely should add it that occurred throughout the week lives of those in their communities. as a desirable destination in your was the Inipi or what is more com- They deprived themselves of food future. Although not as magnificent monly known as a sweat lodge. and water for four days and came as the Rocky Mountains outside Constructed out of young willow down from the hill, sun burnt and Eagle Rock, what the northern branches bent into a half-dome exhausted, to share their enlighten- New Mexican mountains lack in shape and then covered in blankets, ment with those supporting them. size, they make up for in beauty the Inipi is a common structure and This journey has deep roots in the and serenity. Lush and green with ceremony in many indigenous tra- Cheyenne tradition where, as de- beautiful grasses, juniper, piñon ditions. The structure itself repre- scribed by Jose, many community pine and other equally stunning sents the connection between those members would “sit on the hill and deciduous trees, the area is truly participating in its ceremonies and fast” to gain guidance about their magnificent. This was the setting the earth, universe and spiritual community’s direction. Blake and for an ER-48 Explore Week trip led world. Students were invited into Jose undertook the same quest as by Service-Learning Instructional the Inipi to sing, Specialist John Guffey and myself. pray, meditate and Each year, David Young, an in- reflect on the strug- digenous spiritual leader/teacher gles that consume from Boulder, CO, and his family their daily lives. host a traditional spiritual camp nes- Eagle Rock student tled in the foothills of these north- Dennis McNeal, ern New Mexican mountains. This who attended the camp is located on David’s family’s camp the year pre- land, which they call Tlaltapec, and vious, stated: “this is hosted by La Familia Esquibel y experience was Garcia. The land’s region has been great learning for traditionally designated as Navajo me! I loved being and/or Apache, and lies in a larger able to participate region the Navajo call Dinétah. in the culture deeper than I did they sat upon the hill often seek- Regardless of these designa- last year. The [Inipi] is so hot, but a ing their own personal guidance as tions, ceremonies at the traditional great experience!” well as guidance for their greater spiritual camp, translated literally Although the participation in communities. as Teonezahualiztli in Aztec, were the Inipi was a new experience for In addition to support Blake an amalgamation of varying in- many students, the purpose of the and Jose in their quest, students digenous traditions. Because of the camp was focused well beyond participated in the refurbishing of a land’s location, the variety of indig- its vistas. Over the year previ- traditional nomadic structure called enous traditions was vast and in- ous to the camp, two individuals, a Hogan. Crafted from logs, stones, cluded pieces from Navajo, Apache, Blake and Jose, undertook a spiri- cob, clay and cement, the Hogan Pueblo, Lakota, Cheyenne, Aztec tual journey that culminated with serves as a traditional ceremonial and other native Mexican traditions. the camp. While on their journey, structure not unlike the sweat lodge. David more readily describes the both individuals committed to “sit Created as a dome structure with a practices of a Teonezahualiztli as on the hill and fast.” The partici- cement roof in 2008, the Hogan was Mexica (meh-SHE-ka) or traditions pants in this camp served as their in bad shape after the harsh New that are derived from the Aztec and support as they upheld this com- Mexican winter. Students worked other indigenous people of the now mitment. While on the hill, Blake ______See “Serving New Mexico - Continued on Page 13 Eagle Eyes Page -5-

Fellows Move On by Mark Palmer, Director of the Public Allies Teacher Fellowship Program

Each year Eagle Rock they are going. experiences back to the This will be Mike’s second School welcomes twelve When we think of Liz classroom as a teacher. foray with a Big Picture new individuals as part of Berliant, Music Fellow, Libby Cole, Health school. the Public Allies Teaching amazing music gather- & Wellness Counseling Berta Guillen, Fellowship Program. ings come to mind. One Fellow, continued to want Societies and Culture Sadly, every August we of Liz’s goals for the year to work with adolescents Fellow, will be joining say goodbye to these dear was to have our com- with a health and mental Eagle Rock School as the friends as they move on. munity engage fully into health focus. She headed adjunct Societies and Over the year they have morning music gath- back east to her Boston Cultures Instructional been a friend to share erings. Job well done. roots and is exploring Specialist. We’re glad to with, a shoulder to cry (That’s right, one morn- work in schools, non- have her on board to con- on, a joker to laugh with ing we sang the theme profits, and education tinue the amazing work and a teacher of life les- song to the Fresh Prince consulting organizations. she began as a Public sons. Even though they of Bellaire) Liz has moved Eventually she hopes to Allies Teaching Fellow. move on to their next ex- to San Francisco and con- return to school and get Beth Jackson, Outdoor perience what they leave tinues to teach music. her masters in public Education Fellow, spent behind is immeasurable. Alyssa Chen, Math health. 106 days in the woods No matter if it is the mad Fellow, will be taking a year The Professional with our students over scramble before opening off to travel. Throughout Development Center the past year and that just curtain of a Midsummer her year at Eagle Rock, Fellow and All-Star Play was not enough. Beth con- Night’s Dream to coaching Alyssa brought her sense Director, Carter Cox, tinues her role as an Eagle soccer in a course called of adventure to our stu- is teaching 11th and Rock School Contract Soccer Savvy to taking dents with rock climb- 12th grade Arts and Wilderness Staff on the time out of their day off ing, mountain biking and Humanities classes at ER 49 Wilderness Course to host a dance party or buying a pair of used roll- Francis W. Parker Charter in late September. having a long talk on the erblades and skating on School (a CES school) in Andrea Fullington, Lodge Hearth, the fellows our rock paths. This will Devens, MA. He is living Language Arts and of 2008-09 will be missed all come into play when in Boston. Carter not only Literature Fellow, relocat- but not soon forgotten. We she hikes the Appalachian was a great representa- ed to Philadelphia to earn celebrate not only what Trail. Alyssa’s future tive of the Professional a Masters in Education, they have given Eagle plans are to once again Development Center, Culture and Society Rock School and Public bring her he also lend his skills from the University of Allies, but also where as a Director of the Pennsylvania. The pro- summer production of gram focuses on how A Midsummer Night’s education is shaped by Dream. the dynamics of society, Mike Dunn, Ser- culture and the politi- vice Learning Fellow, cal economy, as well as moved to Philadelphia socialization practices where he will be inside and outside of the on the founding classroom. After earning staff for a new Big the degree Andrea will be Picture school pursuing her certification called El Centro de as a Secondary English Estudiantes. The teacher in order to work school started its as an educator in the first class of stu- public school system. dents in early ______S e p t e m b e r . See “Fellows” - Continued on Page 6 Eagle Eyes Page -6-

“Fellows” - Continued from Page 5 with a placement in Environmental Education. All Immediately after the fellowship, Christi Kramer, those days on the river with River Watch, on the moun- Curriculum Fellow enjoyed a few adventures: canoeing tains with Colorado Rocks and riding the trails with the Green River with ERS staff, hiking Mt. Meru in Physics of Mountain Biking will come in handy. Africa with her family, and spending a month on the Henry Schrader, the Human Performance Center Long Trail in Vermont. She has decided to return to Fellow, will be taking a year off from teaching and Maryland and is currently researching opportunities doing some traveling around the world. Henry plans to continue working with AmeriCorps. Christi is to resume his career in the education world in a year determined to remain in the fields of education and after some soul searching. In the winter Henry will service, and to incorporate environmental stewardship coach a girls middle school basketball team in Central and awareness into her work as much as possible. Massachusetts. Katie Leonard, Visual Arts Fellow, traded in the Change is what makes Eagle Rock thrive. We know mountains for the beach. She moved to the Bahamas to the Public Allies Teaching Fellowship class of 08-09 teach Environmental Art at The Island School, a semes- will take what they have learned and make their part ter study abroad program for high school students. She of the world a better place. We welcomed our newest is looking forward to teaching, sea kayaking, camping, class of Public Allies Teaching Fellows to campus on and raising her very own piglet. August 29. For Ryan Morra, Science Fellow, a two-year ad- For more information about the Public Allies venture calls. Ryan was nominated to serve in Latin Teacher Fellowship Program visit www.publicallies. America with the Peace Corps beginning in January, org/eaglerock

Graduate Profile – Where is She Now? by Carter Cox, former Public Allies Fellow in Professional Development Brianna Lopez, ER-3 (Spring, 1994) Graduated ER-12 (Summer 1997) Geography: Campbell, California

Every edition of Eagle Eyes we feature an Eagle Rock graduate to give readers some sense of where our alumni are in the world and what they are doing. For this ER 48 edition I am giving an update on alum Brianna Lopez. Brianna grew in Broomfield, Colorado, just outside of Denver with her two parents and four sisters. “My parents had several problems with my sisters,” she told me, “and I was heading down the same path. My older sister was using drugs and drink- ing, one of my other sisters’ was pregnant at 15 years old and another sister was ditching school to hang out with her friends.” When Brianna’s middle school advised her parents that Brianna would do better in a technical school (cosmetology was recom- mended), she and her parents agreed to look for other options. Brianna’s mother was good friends with a person who, as it happened, was Eagle Rock’s travel agent at the time, and so the connection was made. She was ac- cepted with just a few days until the start of the trimester. “I got off the phone and started packing the items on the list and went to one more day of school and soared toward Eagle Rock.” Brianna has a lot of memories from school. Her funniest memory was walking into the Lodge one morning to find all the chairs hanging from the rafters. She remembers tough times and fun times, whether it be getting in trouble (with Robert Burkhardt) for pulling a prank on another student, or being woken up in the middle of the night (by Michael Soguero) to dissect lamb hearts. Growing up with four sisters Brianna often had a hard time finding room for her voice in the family, but she says Eagle Rock helped her with that. “For the first time in my life I heard, ‘you have NO right to NO opin- ion.’ That is when I started to talk.” The confidence she gained at Eagle Rock ______served her in school and has continued to serve her in the years since. See “Graduate Profile” - Continued on Page 7 Eagle Eyes Page -7-

Eagle Rock Presents at National Conference on Volunteering and Service by Dan Condon, Associate Director of Professional Development

In July, Dan Condon, Associate Director of enced decency and trust in previous experiences. Using Professional Development, attended the 2009 National Eagle Rock School as a lens for the EssentialVisions Conference on Volunteering and Service held in San DVD & Toolkit (winner of the Aegis Award for Best Francisco, CA. Educational DVD & Finalist for the Distinguished First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the opening Achievement Award, presented by the Association of plenary session with a keynote address, confirming Educational Publishers) participants learned how to the Presidential Administration’s commitment to ser- transform challenging school and youth settings into vice and announcing the United We Serve initiative. trusting and decent learning communities. Participants Obama explained that United We Serve is a sustained also learned to approach learning community-building effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer ef- focuses on the skills, strengths, resources and assets forts in America. United We Serve kicked off at the con- already available to the community and its members ference and runs for 81 days through a new National instead of depending on “outsiders” to bring positive Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. development and change. Often, the process of asset She also announced an initiative of the Entertainment based community development includes identifying Industry Foundation: during the week of October 19, already present resources, people, and institutions; de- plots and themes on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC televi- fining or redefining their roles; and together, creating sion programming will center on volunteering to in- and implementing actions steps that lead to sustain- spire Americans to serve. able community-driven changes. Condon worked to Other highlights from the opening plenary of the help schools and youth serving agencies to introduce conference included comments by California Governor this approach to their learning communities. Arnold Schwarzenegger, First Lady Maria Shriver, Conference organizers explain, “The 2009 National Matthew McConaughey, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Conference on Volunteering and Service, June 22-24 Arianna Huffington and an inspirational performance in San Francisco, was the world’s largest gathering of from Jon Bon Jovi. Clifford the Big Red Dog also made volunteer leaders from the nonprofit, government and an appearance. corporate sectors. Co-convened by the Corporation for Graduate Tahira Ali joined Condon to present National and Community Service and Points of Light Creating a Tone of Decency & Trust - working with youth Institute, the hallmark event was a true demonstration who find success elusive. Participants pondered how of Civic. Energy. Generation. The 2009 conference far schools and youth serving agencies create a tone of de- exceeded attendance goals and inspired all.” cency and trust with young people who have not experi-

“Graduate Profile” - Continued from Page 6 Today Brianna is working at Stanford Hospital Those years have been good ones, too, from the in Palo Alto, California as an Emergency Room sound of it. After graduating, Brianna took a road trip: Technician. She is also taking classes in nursing school “I went on a two-month road trip by myself a year after to complete her RN, an idea she told me she got while I graduated. I saw an organ donation from a 26-year- at Eagle Rock. As the hospital is a research hospital for old woman. To see the human body fully function and Stanford University, Brianna says there is always re- then be able to give life to so many other people was search going on around her and there is always some- amazing.” About four years ago Brianna took another thing new to learn. trip with old friends from Eagle Rock. The trip finished Congratulations on everything, from the Eagle in California, and she liked it so much she has stayed Rock community to Brianna. From lamb hearts to there since. “Eagle Rock is a true family. I still keep in nursing at a top hospital, Brianna is a model to all our touch with a lot of [people from ERS].” graduates for what great journeys lie ahead! Eagle Eyes Page -8-

Eagle Rock’s Impact on Big Picture Learning by David Cass, advisor at Liberty Big Picture in Providence, Rhode Island who visited Eagle Rock’s Professional Development Center in Early June, 2009.

This past week I had pleasure of attending a conference at the Eagle Rock School in Estes Park, Colorado. The conference was organized and facilitated by Michael Soguero, who also happens to be the founder of the Bronx Guild. Michael brought Big Picture folks from Highline Big Picture High School (SeaTac, WA), Mapleton Early College (Thornton, CO), Bronx Guild (New York), Liberty Big Picture (Providence, Rhode Island) and Newport Big Picture (Rhode Island) to pursue the answer to one central question: What is it that leads to great, academically rich, Learning Through Internship/Interest (LTI) projects, and how can we repeat those successes?

True to Michael’s belief in an asset-based approach Interest-Cluster Groups – starting from our successes – we used a set of pro- There are 120 students at Liberty, all working on tocols from National School Reform Faculty to test a their own LTI projects. While they benefit from the model of applying critical friends groups to Big Picture feedback of their advisory mates, each student works work. We broke into small groups with members from on a project for different LTI’s in sometimes very dif- other BP schools to share examples of great LTI proj- ferent interest areas. While there may be a couple stu- ects, searching for commonalities. The projects shared dents within an advisory who share the same career much in common; however, I noticed one interesting interest, the vast majority of their like-minded peers thing amongst the three exemplary projects—each are scattered across the school (and across campus). project was created with varying levels of collabora- The solution is to have weekly interest-cluster groups tion between students. The first exemplary LTI project (we’re still working on the language), where Liberty was a MySpace page created for a nonprofit working students with similar interests and LTI’s (i.e. educa- with young mothers, and the student who created the tion, culinary, arts) can come together to get feedback project got the idea from a classmate and friend with on LTI projects. a similar LTI project for another organization. The After examining the LTI projects in our small groups, second LTI project was a music production business we all broke into our school teams to collaboratively created in tandem between two students. Finally, I develop a plan for our schools. I shared the idea with presented my student’s project, a youth resource guide Arthur [Baraf], and he added his own take, adding to for young people in Department of Children Youth and and refining it, and then we ran with it, brainstorming Families care, which was created in collaboration with all the possibilities: Students sharing, critiquing, and other Met students and youth at her internship. building upon LTI projects; mentors and guest speak- This got me thinking: How many of our students ers in the field sharing their knowledge and experience produce LTI projects in a bubble consisting of the stu- with the group; LTI’s being passed down; even field dent, mentor and advisor? Wouldn’t they benefit from trips to colleges specializing in their career field. There having the feedback and support of other students are so many possibilities. Above all else, the student way before the exhibition? What if students with simi- relationships are what will drive the group. It will be lar internships, and interests, were given the opportu- student-centered to the point where they practically nity to build relationships and, in turn, build their LTI run it entirely. projects? For more information about Big Picture Learning Schools visit www.bigpicture.org Eagle Eyes Page -9-

Professional Development Center attends Summer Institute by Dan Condon, Associate Director of Professional Development

This past July, Professional Participants were invited to learn and assets already available to Development Center staff em- about the struggle of change, and the community and its members barked on a week long journey to the tools for successful navigation, instead of depending on “outsid- Providence, Rhode Island to ex- through the case study of imple- ers” to bring positive development change practice and theory with other menting a Restorative Justice program and change. Often, the process of educators from around the country at Eagle Rock School. Participants asset based community develop- at the annual Coalition of Essential gained an understanding of how ment includes identifying already Schools (CES) Summer Institute. to implement any change process. present resources, people, and in- Throughout the week, many insti- Educators left with stories, energy stitutions; defining or redefining tutions, schools, staff and students and practical tools as they returned their roles; and together, creating presented workshops and presen- to their school. and implementing actions steps tations on practices that they have Later in the week Soguero and that lead to sustainable communi- incorporated into their daily rou- Condon presented Creating a Tone ty-driven changes. Michael and tines. The theme of Summer Institute of Decency & Trust - working with Dan worked to help schools intro- was ‘Principles and Practices for students who find success elusive. duce this approach to their school Equity and Achievement’. As this Educators pondered how schools communities. is the 25th anniversary of CES it create a tone of decency and trust The ERS staff also worked with was particularly fitting to hold the with students who have not expe- their CES mentee schools: Odyssey institute at the birthplace of the rienced decency and trust in pre- – The Essential School in SeaTac, Coalition of Essential Schools near vious educational experiences. Washington and Skyview Academy Brown University. Using Eagle Rock as a lens for the in Thornton, Colorado. The Director and Associate EssentialVisions DVD & Toolkit The CES Summer Institute is Director of the Professional (winner of the Aegis Award for Best a smaller version of The CES Fall Development Center, Michael Educational DVD & Finalist for the Forum. The Fall Forum, which in- Soguero and Dan Condon respec- Distinguished Achievement Award, vites many more participants from tively, capitalized on the oppor- presented by the Association of all over the country and world, tunity to facilitate two three-hour Educational Publishers) partici- will occur this November in New workshops and two one-hour pants learned how to transform Orleans, LA. Please visit essen- Equity Inquiry Groups. challenging classroom and school tialschools.org for more informa- First Eagle Rock presented settings into trusting and decent tion on the workshops offered Making Change Stick: Restorative learning communities. Educators during the Summer Institute as Justice Case Study. During the three- also learned to approach school well as additional resources regard- hour delivery, participants explored community building by focusing ing the Fall Forum. what it takes to make change stick? on the skills, strengths, resources Eagle Eyes Page -10-

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Descends upon Eagle Rock by Liz Berliant, Former Public Allies Teaching Fellow in Music

This past August, Eagle Rock School proudly presented a production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The cast took the audience into the mischievous world of the fairies and swept them up in the dream. Music Instructional Specialist, Jon Borodach, and Public Allies Teaching Fellow in Music, Liz Berliant, teamed up with Public Allies Fellow in the Professional Development Center, Carter Cox, who has had previous experience directing school plays, to head up the all- summer production. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a classic Shakespeare comedy complete with love triangles, mistaken identity, fairies, goblins and magical mischief. The play begins in Athens, where Hermia (Cara Burns) is scolded by her father because she will not marry the man he has chosen for her. Upset, Hermia and her lover, Lysander (Hernando Martinez), flee to the forest to be together. In the forest, the fairies, King Oberon (Omar Knight) and his helper, Puck (Povi Chidester), cause chaos by anointing the lover’s eyes with magic. In the trees, the fairies watch the happen- ings of the forest and in the end, turn all that was wrong, right again. The lovers awake in a haze to find love, although unsure of what was a dream and was a reality. During the last ten weeks, fifteen students worked hard to memorize lines, block their scenes, and learn how to interact with each other on stage. Students created and developed their character and can now speak and understand Shakespearean English. Robin Harrell, a 16-year-old student from Chicago, played Helena in the play this summer. She explained, “I’ve loved finding out what the words and phrases have meant. Now with a better understanding of the text, I can interpret other parts of the play without being the in that scene.” The same students also worked as the crew of the play so that we could come up with an image of the production gaining experience with costumes, how we felt the set should look. We then made sure scenery design, painting, make-up and musical as- what we wanted for the set was realistic, worked on pects of the play. They worked hard with Service scaling it, and also worked on the colors.” Learning Instructional Specialist, John Guffey, and Students collaborated with Public Allies Fellow Art Instructional Specialist, Cindy Elkins, to build and in Art, Katie Leonard, to design the costumes. They paint the set and stage to set the ambiance. In the end, combed through the archived costumes in the Human John designed and constructed a layered mountain Performance Center to create a look for each charac- that gave the students a place to climb on and gave ter. “I connected with my inner elf to craft low-budget depth to the stage. Cindy spent time in the early morn- masterpieces of silk flowers, ribbon and tulle for each ing and in class painting the backdrops and the moun- of the fairies,” Katie said. tain. It blended perfectly with the natural beauty of the The cast performed the play three times: twice campus. under pristine night skies and once as a matinee. Each A class designated to set building met during the performance gained energy as the cast felt comfortable first five week. Melvina Walker-Moore, an 18 year-old in front of an audience and on stage. The inspired set student from Chicago, Illinois, who not only acted in design, costumes, and music choices combined with the play, but worked in the set-building class described the students’ hard work on their acting culminated in a her experience in this way, “We first read and analyzed great experience for both the cast and the audience. Eagle Eyes Page -11-

Fighting for Fair Food! Consciousness + Commitment = Change by Berta Guillen, Instructional Specialist in Societies and Culture

In the short span of five Increasing weeks, Chef Instructor, Tim Consciousness Phelps and former Public In the farming com- Allies Teaching Fellow in munity of Immokalee, Societies & Cultures, Berta Florida, immigrants Guillen, took four students from Haiti and Mexico on a journey through the work side by side pick- lives of farm workers. ing nearly 80% of this Beginning with first legal country’s tomatoes. immigration agreement The majority of the with Mexico, the Bracero tomatoes harvested Program (1942-1964), stu- and are in turn sold to dents learned about this suppliers of the largest workforce that sustained fast food chains in the the American agriculture nation. Chipotle, Taco dents grappled with a little known during World War II. Through Bell, Burger King and other chains, part of American labor history and video and photographic documen- purchase tomatoes from suppli- modern legislation, the instructors taries, they also discovered the con- ers to provide our nation with fast, introduced an unfamiliar term: Fair ditions of Mexicans in their own cheap food. Most students couldn’t food. country that made the job offer ap- deny the benefits of having access “How can food be fair?,” they pealing and later the conditions of to a cheap and filling Gordita’s or asked. “I’ve heard of fair trade, they’d life as a farm worker in the 40’s and a Big Mac. Their moral and food say, but fair food?” Tim explained 50’s in the United States. For most values were challenged, however, that Eagle Rock’s own philoso- of the students, their initial reac- when faced with the gripping re- phy in Food Services was based tion was one of anger and disbe- alities of life for those same immi- on this idea. He re-introduced the lief at the treatment these workers grants on a farm in Immokalee. terms that all students learn when received. Yet, there would be one So began the process of concreti- they first enter Eagle Rock School. student who would point out the zation for these Eagle Rock students, This philosophy states that our obvious, “But they still get paid and which Lucas Benitez, an organizer food should be ethical, sustainable, it’s better than life in Mexico.” with the Coalition of Immokalee local and seasonal. Throughout the Students shifted from investi- Workers, describes as the process course, they would learn first-hand gating of the impacts of Mexican mi- of raising awareness or conscious- the meaning of local, seasonal and gration during the Bracero Program ness. They learned how immigrants sustainable fruits and vegetables to the effect the North American and natives organized themselves by volunteering at Stonebridge Free Trade Agreement has on cur- to demand a higher piece-rate per Farms once a week. The remainder rent immigration and farming prac- bucket of tomatoes in this region. of the course was focused on creat- tices. They looked closely at the Furthermore, to demand quality ing awareness around the need for actual agreement and found paral- housing, rest and meal breaks, and ethical food. In other words, food lels with the Bracero Agreement. a working environment free from that is grown, harvested and sold in So ensued a debate that would harassment. Furthermore, orga- a manner that respects and values permeate the remainder of the nizers were uncovering cases of the work of those responsible for its course: Were these agreements and documented slavery and with the production. the life of a farm worker, an op- ______portunity or exploitation? As stu- See “Fair Food” - Continued on Page 14 Eagle Eyes Page -12-

One More Graduate Takes Flight by Carter Cox, former Public Allies Fellow in Professional Development

On August 7th Eagle Rock School said farewell to When asked about things she will remember from another graduate, moving on into the world. As the Eagle Rock, Adrienne had an eclectic list: She will miss sole graduate of the trimester, Adrienne Bovee spent good times with Aspen House like family vacations, in- the summer with the community’s spotlight squared tramurals, pizza-making, otter pops, playing the uku- directly on her, and it was my pleasure to spend lele, and building and enjoying Aspen’s deck. Adrienne some one-on-one time talking with her about her has had some amazing opportunities in her time at experience. Eagle Rock including trips to the Arctic, New Orleans, “I know I’m ready to leave Eagle Rock because it and Montana. This trimester she has been working in doesn’t destroy me to be here any- an internship for the Rocky Mountain National more,” Adrienne told me. My Park. She said she will miss “all the first reaction was to laugh, things I used to hate and learned but my next was to think to love, most notably, Kitchen that was about as wise Patrol,” and she will miss a thing as I had ever some everyday things like heard a student say. gathering and communi- Adrienne was ty meetings. born in Seattle, Adrienne feels she Washington, but has grown quite a bit in she grew up in her time at Eagle Rock. Eugene, Oregon. Before ERS she said she She went to public was cynical, judgmental, schools through 10th individualist, egotisti- grade, but “I loathed cal, pessimistic, valueless, it and my entire life and confused. She told me that had anything to do that when she first came to with school. I didn’t know the school, she used to resist how to be in public school community systems and norms, and be happy,” she said. As we sat because she felt like it was outside at dinner, Adrienne laughed as she came up her, irrelevant, and therefore a source of antago- with metaphorical descriptors for public school up to nism in her life. She realized something, though: “It’s and including “the cattle farm” and “the robot pro- so hypocritical to be critical of those systems and yet gramming technical institute.” In other words, she felt benefit from them,” she told me. Describing herself public school lacked a certain individuality in its phi- now, Adrienne said she is happy, optimistic, able to losophy. She told me, “Robert [Burkhardt] said, when build positive relationships with people different from I was a prospective student, that ‘at Eagle Rock we herself, and participate in her community. conform to you,’ in terms of your educational needs… Adrienne’s plans for the future include “a tree in the classroom I think that’s very true.” She told me house, a falcon, a fly-rod, and a hammock; lots of that in public school she struggled with feeling like she reading, an attempt at a college degree, an MTV real- had no control over her education. “I wanted to learn ity show made about Cherie and me, a trip to Disney so much but I felt like a lot of it wasn’t addressed in World, seasonal positions in the National Park Service, public school, or I had no way to relate to it. It took Ultimate Frisbee and general adventuring.” She begins Eagle Rock for me to realize that I need to direct my classes at the University of Vermont in September and own education no matter where I am.” says she is looking forward to a life. Eagle Eyes Page -13-

“Professional Development Strategy” - Continued from Page 1 develop strong relationships with your students,” we dropping out of schools around the country. Thousands conduct workshops that model specific actions to take of visitors over the years have come to observe what we that would lead to stronger relationships. In order to do and apply new thinking back home. The school also increase the chances that these actions will take place, serves as a laboratory for our own improvement proj- we work with selected schools on follow up coaching. ects. Articles that have been published in Eagle Eyes Since it is difficult to have a national effect by told the story of our struggle with discipline issues working one on one with single schools, we have and separating students. Two years worth of work on established relationships with larger organizations Restorative Justice not only reduced our separation that can bring many schools together. That strategy has rate to one-eighth of what it was formerly, but has also led to our work with the Coalition of Essential Schools, served as a case study we can present to other schools Big Picture Learning, New Mexico Building Education to support them in addressing student culture. Congress and Envisions Schools. Collectively these Second, in the spirit of philanthropy we offer our organizations represent hundreds of schools that are services for little to no cost. The hosting we do at the engaged in missions similar to Eagle Rock School: school as well as consulting and presenting we do in to graduate students who have previously been our travels does not present a burden on poor school disengaged in their schooling experience. budgets. In these days when the national economy has As this article is being written, a new Envisions forced school districts to freeze travel budgets, we are school to be located in Denver, Colorado is engaged still able to come to them and support them in meeting in week long professional development here at our their organizational goals. Professional Development Center. Next week, we will Third, we take an asset-based approach as op- provide a two-day principal training at Big Picture’s posed to an expert model characteristic of many other annual gathering of principals from around the coun- high-priced organizations. Most organizations that are try. Through the school year we have a multi-stage designed to help schools charge thousands of dollars work plan with various Coalition schools we mentor. for providing materials and expertise. Those organi- This work plan combines visits to schools, work at zations do not adapt their approach to the context of Eagle Rock and working together at conferences. the schools they are working with. Our Professional Finally, we have just completed a week long study of a Development Center spends significant hours observ- project in New Mexico to launch a network of charter ing and interviewing the staff at the schools we work schools connected to the building industry. This will be with. We then adapt our approach to working with the followed up by a visit to Eagle Rock in October 2009 by strengths and assets that already exist at the school. the founding team of the New Mexico schools. Finally, we are action-oriented. We pay strict If you are interested in engaging with the attention to turning insights of visiting educators into Professional Development Center please visit actions. This is in contrast to focusing exclusively on www.eaglerockschool.org/pdc outcomes. Instead of simply saying, “you need to

“Serving New Mexico”- Continued from Page 4 with members of David’s family to refurbish the structure, providing it with new inner-walls and a water drain- age system. Through the blazing sun, students worked hard and finished the refurbishment of the structure in time to see Blake and Jose return from their quest. In a celebratory Inipi and gift ceremony, students shared prayers and thoughts about their week. Eagle Rock students echoed their feelings in a statement by fellow first time participant Sarah Rosenbloom. Sarah stated: “It was great to get to know the members of the small community. Basic truths are often forgotten during day- to-day living, but nature gives us context to relate and be with one another.” With these feelings of inspiration, connectedness and family, students returned to Eagle Rock with a renewed understanding of one another and their own community experience. A spiritual leader / teacher, David Young is a former adjunct professor of Naropa University located in Boulder, CO. While living in Boulder, David is involved in many things including the spiritual guidance of young people, several groups as well as singing in a group called Tzotzollin. David is also currently working on publishing a book about his life and its teachings. Eagle Eyes Page -14-

“Fair Food” - Continued from Page 11 and whether or not they were aware they shared the stories and lives help of pro-bono lawyers, bringing of the Bracero Program. Without of the workers in Immokalee, who these cases before the Department much prompting, students shared unlike these workers, were not of Justice. their new knowledge, exchanged given as many amenities or rights. The student response went from opinions, and eventually spoke to At about lunchtime, Tim whipped sadness to anger fairly quickly. each other about partying, clothes out bags of sandwich meat, bread, With this renewed energy and pas- and dating. It was an incredible dia- chips and fruit galore to share. The sion, our students were eager to tell logue to witness. atmosphere changed completely others what they learned and share Yet, the quest for deeper dis- with the presence of good food and their knowledge with the outside cussion and life stories would together we shared a meal and con- community. Fortunately, they had not stop here. One week later, tinued discussing life and learning. many opportunities to do so. through a contact from the Migrant Before leaving the farm that As mentioned, the students Education Program, Tim and Berta day, the workers thanked us for volunteered weekly at Stonebridge were driving students to a farm in having taught them so much. At Farm in Lyons, Colorado. They Fort Lupton. With poor directions first they thought we had a hidden learned to discern spinach from but great enthusiasm, we located agenda but when they realized that lettuce and tomatoes from turnips. the farm. A dusty road leading to a we were only interested in hear- Through discussion with Farmer whitewashed building was where ing their stories and engaging in John, they learned why certain we parked our cars and stepped into dialogue, they felt we had come to flowers bring good bugs when the greatest moment of our class. teach them. The students shined planted next to the tomatoes and Nearly 18 male workers, all from that day, demonstrating what they why it’s important to pick spinach Mexico, all undocumented, were knew and a renewed passion for by a certain time of the month. For making breakfast in a long kitchen. how this knowledge could affect some students, this was the first No one told them we would be ar- real lives. For a few hours, the stu- time they picked the same food that riving nor was the contact present. dents and instructors were commit- would be at Eagle Rock’s salad bar So, we improvised. We asked per- ted to sharing this knowledge and later that day. The work was never mission to stay and asked whether this new awareness. We would like strenuous, water and bathroom or not we could talk to them about to believe that we created a change breaks were encouraged and usual- their lives as farm workers. Most in the awareness of those workers ly our spirits were light after a one- agreed but some slipped away into as well. hour and a half sweat from the sun. the sleeping area which looked We would return to school tired but very similar to the bunkhouses we Change Within not nearly as tired as those workers had seen in photographs from the The Coalition of Immokalee we talked about in Immokalee. For Bracero era. Workers (CIW) has a philosophy this, we were all grateful and at the for change, which is that conscious- same time more concerned for the Demonstrating Commitment ness plus commitment can lead to lives of those workers. Eagle Rock students Nicole, change. During this course, stu- In an effort to gain more first- Vanessa, Cynthia and Tyler ensued dents built their knowledge, raised hand, personal accounts of life a dialogue with these men that cov- their awareness of where their food as a farm worker, a group of stu- ered everything from their family comes from, demonstrated this dents from the Migrant Education life in Mexico, past occupations, knowledge and were committed to Program in Greeley, CO visited treatment by the current employer the power this information could Eagle Rock. During this exchange, and their future goals. Students have on others. Two weeks after three students shared their experi- once again asked them if they the course ended, their enthusi- ences as immigrants from Mexico, knew anything about the Bracero asm and commitment remained as working on onion fields in Colorado Program, effects of NAFTA on they delivered their service learn- and their desires to never return to farmers across borders and again, ing presentation to the Estes Park such work. Eagle Rock students shared their passion and knowledge community. asked them questions about NAFTA with these workers. Furthermore,