Dear Parents,

One week has passed by and we are on our way to a fantastic year. The staff at Renaissance has already seen changes in students from previous years; some are taller, some have deeper voices, some have visited new places, and some have already set goals for themselves.

Change may be the mantra for this year. Many people, adults and students alike, thrive on change and for some, change makes them nervous. What we do know at RSAR is that when we support one another we can make changes a positive experience.

I am in the midst of change; taking on the role of Head Teacher for Renaissance will be both exciting and challenging. I am looking forward my new job, but what I look most forward to is working with your children. They are the reason I am a teacher. They are the reason why, even on the rainiest, darkest, and dreariest of Washington days, I am filled with enthusiasm and energy. Your children spark my interest in teaching and learning.

I would like to welcome our new parents to RSAR and thank the returning parents for your continued support. As we enter our tenth year of being a Choice School, the staff is celebrating all that has been accomplished and looking forward to the changes that will come.

Please feel free to email me with questions, concerns, or celebrations.

Sincerely,

Karen Amaya

Head Teacher [email protected]

September 4, 2015

RSAR Families,

Hello Everyone! As you know, my name is Todd Bohannon and I am so thrilled to be a new educator here at Renaissance! I am incredibly excited to be a part of this amazing and unique learning community; and I am really looking forward to getting to know all of you. First, however, I thought I would take a few moments to introduce myself and let your know a little about me. I am a Bellevue native and attended Spiritridge Elementary, Tillicum Middle School, and Sammamish High School. Growing up here in Western Washington, I spent much of my youth running around outdoors, which has fueled a lifelong passion for the natural world. During the summers, I attended camps through the YMCA, which eventually lead me to become a camp counselor. It was my experiences as a counselor that would later influence my decision to become a classroom teacher.

After graduating high school, I moved to Olympia where I attended The Evergreen State College. Four years later, I graduated with a B.A. in Media Studies. After graduating, I moved to Seattle and began a career in the advertising world. Three years and a few realizations later, I decided to quit my job and go back to school to become an educator. I completed my student teaching in Seattle Public Schools at Thornton Creek Elementary (then AE2) in a split, 4th/5th grade classroom and was later hired on as a full time, classroom teacher. Thornton Creek is a project-based, arts focused, interdisciplinary program that shares many similarities with Renaissance. I subsequently earned my master’s degree, researching and developing techniques for utilizing Shakespeare-based curriculum in an elementary classroom. It has actually been published by an obscure, academic publishing house and you are welcome to look it up on Amazon.com. That said, I think only two copies have ever been sold and my dad most likely bought them both. In any case, it has always been my plan to work with older kids and I am thrilled to now have that opportunity!

In addition to teaching at Thornton Creek, I have been involved with a number of environmental education organizations, such as No Barriers Youth, an international immersion program for kids (formerly known as Global Explorers). No Barriers is a fantastic, non-profit organization that provides students with transformative experiences in a number of locations around that world. Working primarily with middle and high school students, I have taken four groups of students to the Peruvian Amazon and the Peruvian Andes. It has been a brilliant, life- changing adventure and I hope to lead another trip in the near future.

I am also a volunteer educator for REEF, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, whose head office is located in Key Largo. REEF works on a number of marine conservation projects around the world, including a vast citizen science project that trains people to identify and survey fish populations in tropical reefs around the world. For the past five years, I have been working with REEF on a project known as The Grouper Moon Project, in the Cayman Islands. The goal of the project is to protect the Nassau Grouper, an apex predator in Caribbean coral reefs, which is now on the brink of extinction. Every winter I travel to the Caribbean to work with teachers and students to educate them about the Grouper, tropical reef ecology, and to connect classrooms with the scientists working in the field. I will be joining the project again this winter and students here at Renaissance will have the opportunity to participate by engaging in classroom activities and live video feeds with myself and researchers in the field. You can find more information at my blog: www.groupereducation.edublogs.org.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to get to know a bit about me. As I said, I am super excited to be a new member of the Renaissance family. If you have any questions for me, you are welcome to email me at [email protected]. It has been a joy getting to know your students this week and I look forward to getting to know you all this year!!

Cheers!

Todd

CAMP NEEDS: Last minute request for camp science experiment. Mrs. Bawa needs each student to bring in 1 – 1 liter soda bottle, EMPTY with label removed. Bottle needs to be of a name brand soda (coke or pepsi for example) not generic (no Safeway or QFC brands as the tops do not fit together well for this experiment). Please bring to Mrs. Bawa in the science room Tuesday morning. Thank you –

CAMP LUGGAGE DROP_OFF: NO GARBAGE BAGS AS LUGGAGE.

Be sure to have student name on all luggage.

8th Grade: Tuesday 7 am – 7:30 am. Luggage will be brought to the front of Mrs. Bawa’s room. Parent luggage ranglers will be there to tag bags with colored tape.

6th & 7th Graders: Wednesday 7 am – 7:30 am. Luggage will be dropped off in front of the school in the area by the trees. Luggage rangers will be there to tag bags with colored tape based on cabin assignments for easy distribution at camp.

All students will return to Renaissance at around 1:30 pm on Friday.

LAPTOP DISTRIBUTION: Students will be receiving their laptops Tuesday morning. Please verify with your student that they have either turned the Laptop Agreement into their Guild advisor or have it in their backpack. Students without the signed agreement will not be able to check out their laptops. For 8th graders: Their backpacks and laptops will be locked in one of the classrooms while they are at camp and will be collected when we return on Friday.

RSAR WEBSITE : We are aware that our website is sorely outdated. We have a new webmaster this year with great ideas and a desire to get us updated as quickly as he can. Thank you for your patience while it’s under construction.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS:

S.T.A.T.: (starts 9/15) Tuesdays and Thursday afterschool until 3:00. All teachers available during this time for student academic help. Students must sign in with each teacher at the beignning of S.T.A.T. Students not attending S.T.A.T. must leave campus when school releases.

KNITTING & CROCHETING CLASS: Will meet on Fridays. See Flyer in this bulletin.

FRENCH: Will meet on Fridays. See flyer in this bulletin.

THRILL THE WORLD: Saturday classes to learn the Dance, start tomorrow, Saturday Spetember 5th 10 am. See Flyer in this bulletin.

Other upcoming opportunities (dates still to be determined): Yearbook, Literary Student Magazine, Spanish, Girls Self Defence, Ski Bus, Magic and others through the school year.

2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

September 7 Labor Day – NO SCHOOL

September 8 Laptop Roll-Out

September 8 8th grade to Camp

September 9 – 11 All Students at Camp

September 29 Curriculum Night 7:00 pm

October 9 8th grade to WA State Thespian conference

October 14 Retake Picture Day

October 16 NO SCHOOL

October 24 Thrill the World Event at RTC

October 30 School Dance – RSAR Campus 7:00 – 9:00 pm

November 23 – 24 Conferences

December 15 RSAR Showcase – EHS Theater 7:00

January 12 RSAR Parent Information Night – EHS Theater 7:00

February 8 Talent Show – EHS Theater 7:00 pm

February 19 School Dance – RSAR Campus 7:00 – 9:00 pm

May 18 & 19 Spring Musical – EHS Theater 7:00 pm

June 3 School Dance – RSAR Campus 7:00 – 9:00 pm

June 10 End of Year BBQ and yearbook distribution

June 14 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony – EHS Theater 7:00 pm

Become one of the living Redmond Zombies!

Welcome back Renaissance community. I am so excited to announce the annual, optional performance of Thriller at the Redmond Town Center on Saturday, October 24th. For the past seven years, Teresa Osborne, Redmond Parks and Recreation dance instructor and friend of Mrs. Daman’s, has organized an annual fund raising event to help raise funds for local organizations such as Second Story Rep and get the Redmond community up and dancing together. Inspired by the infamous Thriller dance and video done by the late Jackson, people all over the world on the same day and time transform themselves into “living” zombies and perform the dance at the same time. It is great fun and well worth participating. Of course you are wondering who can participate, when, and how do I get signed up? All fabulous questions!

1) All Renaissance community-families, teachers and of course, students, may participate in the annual Thrill the World event. Last year many of our Renaissance students were featured in the promotional video the Redmond Zombies organization has posted on their website to give potential participants a taste of what the event is like. 2) The dance will be taught by Mrs. Daman 7th and 8th graders on Saturday mornings from 10am – 11 am starting on Saturday, September 5th in the Renaissance studio. The classes will run through Saturday, October 17th. 3) To register simply go to the Redmond Zombies website http://thrilltheworld.org/redmond/ , click on the event date at the top of the page underneath the picture, and complete the online registration. You do not need to participate in the actual event to still participate in the class on Saturdays at Renaissance. Participants receive a certificate of participation which students can save for their showcase portfolios at school. Students can also earn points toward joining our Junior Thespians organization that will be established at Renaissance this year. It is a great opportunity to perform in the community with friends and family. More specifics will come as we get to the end of September so keep your eyes peeled.

Everyone loves a warm scarf or blanket when things are cold or just not quite right.

Anyone who likes to knit or crochet please come to an informational meeting in Mrs. Daman’s room on Friday, September 16th at 2:00 pm. Students will begin by learning some basic stitches and then how to read a pattern. We will then work on a group project that will be intended to be donated to one of a number of organizations. We could donate to Children’s Hospital, HOPE Link and Cancer Care Alliance. Students will get to vote on which organization we donate to. It is also a great time to decompress, learn and practice a fiber art form and have fun with friends. We will also work on gifts for family and friends at certain times of the year. This is a great skill to learn for anyone.

Please return the form below to Mrs. Daman by Friday, September 16th

Part 1: Basic Information

Participant’s name ______Grade ______Guild Teacher ______

Parent Contact (Name) ______cell number ______

Part 2: Information for Mrs. Daman

Please circle one of the numbers below.

Experience Level Rating Scale

1 – never knitted/crocheted or did so once or twice

2 – I used to knit or crochet for a little bit, but it has been a while

3 – I am a confident knitter/crocheter and would like time to work on this.

4 – I have made multiple projects to completion.

I would like to request $15.00 paid at the start for your son or daughter's purchase of knitting needles or crochet hooks and yarn I will provide patterns for the students to follow. Please attach a check made out to RSAR and your son or daughter’s knitting/crocheting starter kit will be ready for them.

Circle one below:

I would like to focus on knitting at this time. I would like to focus on crocheting at this time.