Nature of Words and of Students

Central Oregon's very own Nature of Words concluded over the weekend and word from our students and parents was that it was the best event yet.  Students kicked off their participation by going to the Thursday night reading at a packed Tower Theatre here in town. This event highlighted the readings of Karen Karbo, Matthew Dickman, and Sherman Alexie. On Friday our high school student attended two different writer's workshops at the OSU Cascades building at COCC. Half of our group attended a workshop by Jane Kirpatrick. this workshop, called She's Such a Character, focussed on developing meaningful colorful characterizations in your writing. Poet Valzhyna Mort, who hosted the workshop Beauty on the Edge of Failure, spoke to creating fearless and honest language in poetry. 

I've Heard of a Steelhead Run, but This is Ridiculous

The first-ever CACO Middle School Cross Country season is officially ended, and we have nothing but great memories of the inaugural team. (And maybe some good photos and strong legs as well.) The seven-meet series took our six runners up, down, and across all kinds of terrain, but the one constant was a great team attitude. Everybody on the team showed big improvement and awesome spirit. We had fun, we got strong, and we really did post some impressive results. Let's take one more moment to congratulate our team on a fantastic season:

• Chloe Green (6th grade): Recognized for most improved race time - nearly four minutes!
• Thomas Wimberly (6th grade): Highest meet placement - 4th place at La Pine!
• Denali Hart (7th grade): Best first race representation - one of the few who jumped right into the season.
• Jack Armstrong (7th grade): Most impressive kick - Jack FLEW through the last 150m of the Three Rivers race like never before.
• April Vernon (8th grade): Most encouraging team spirit - Even though we didn't have an official team captain, April filled the role on her own.
• Cale Cox (8th grade): Best overall race time - Cale put it all out there at Sisters and bottomed out at 11:45!

And let's not forget . . . 

• Katie Lamarre: Best women's coach ever!
• Brian Kent: Best men's coach ever!
• Petra Vernon: Honorary assistant coach - thanks for all the help!
• Special thanks to the Wimberly, Cox, Armstrong, Green, and Hart families for their support as well. Even an individual sport is only half the fun without a legion of fans to encourage us.

The races have been run and the team is on to winter sports and such, but the Steelhead XC legacy will continue . . . next year!

National Park Rangers Receive 1st Aid Training From Bend Physicians and Firefighters

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The National Park Rangers participated in a fun and informative 1st aid training session, led by Dr. Jill Wimberly and Dr. Gary Gallagher. The Rangers learned how to assemble a 1st aid kit, how to surgically remove splinters (ok, how to remove toothpick pieces from a grape), and how to treat a cut. They recently received additional training from Dr. Kathryn Kocurek and from firefighters Bill Boos and Rob Cravens. They are now prepared to treat those wayward hikers that they may come across in their National Park.

Amigo the Octopus and the Crab

Teachers Dr. Eklund and Brian Kent report an outstanding Autumn Outing to the Oregon Coast.  The Hatfield Marine Science Center was a huge highlight as was Amigo the Octopus eating a live crab! Students saw so many seal lions that they lost count - including on that had a plastic ring around it's neck! Dr. Eklund called NOAA and the local police to report this unfortunate situation only to be told that they already knew about it and that this sea lion had been wearing his necklace for quite a while. Smores on the beach, yurt living, Moe's and so much more to report!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

600 Willows in the Ground at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The Cascades Academy middle school made short work of the "600 Willow Challenge" put forth by the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council. Even though we were nine students down due to the recent flu outbreak the 20 students and two teachers that did partake were able to get 600 willows planted in the banks adjacent to the new river channel under construction on Wychus Creek northeast of Sisters. These willows will stablize the banks of the new meandering channel and keep the soil in place and out of the spawning habitat downstream. With winter rains on the way timing was of the essence so to speak. Thanks to Dr. Eklund for organizing these efforts and congratulations to our students who put in five hours of hard work!

Alder Springs and Smith Rock - An Autumn Outing

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Last week saw our middle and upper school students scattered about the state exploring different cultural and natural phenomenon that in many cases, are entirely unique to our region. One small group led by teacher Jay Stalker, explored the oasis that is Alder Springs, located between the Crooked River Grassland and the Deschutes River Canyon. Day two saw Head-of-School, Blair Jenkins hiking with students across the outback of Smith Rock State Park. 

Lower School Students Receive Their Park Ranger Assignments

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The lower school teachers gave out their National Parks assignments to some the very excited lower school students. Each Park Ranger was assigned to a particular US National Park. The newly appointed rangers were very excited to receive their official National Parks vest and hat and they quickly went to work on making their own park ranger character. Each group of park rangers got together and made a beautiful national parks "frieze" (a decoration running along the wall of a room). See if you can find the Arches National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Everglades National Park, Denali National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Crater Lake National Park in these photos.

Sliding on Down to the College Fair

Neither an early flu season nor ice-coated roads could keep our high school students from attending today's Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling's College Fair today in Redmond. The event was well attended (read: a bit chaotic) and our students had a chance to visit with admissions staff from the likes of Gonzaga, Cal Poly (SLO), Lewis and Clark, Marquette, Portland State, St. Mary's, Evergreen, Vanderbilt, and West Point just to name a few. With SAT's coming up and fall grades soon on the way it is never too early to start researching options. 

Cascades Academy X-Country

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Congratulations to the Cascades Academy X-Country Team for a fantastic start to the season! Coaches Brian Kent and Katie Lamarre have certainly been impressed with the commitment and performance of our athletes up to this point. When you get a chance be sure to congratulate our CACO athletes including Thomas Wimberly, Cale Cox, Denali Hart, Chloe Green, Jack Armstrong and April Vernon. Also check the team and individual results here. 

Not All That Meander Are Lost

 

Dr. Eklund tells us that our middle and upper school students will soon be meandering toward Sisters to participate in the Camp Polk Restoration Project at Wychus Creek on October 22nd and 29th respectively. Students as part of our their service learning program and as part of their science curriculum, will be supporting the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council with their ambitious plan to reconstruct the stream's natural meander pattern in preparation for the return of spawning salmon.

The project is part of a documentary by Wahoo Films, and Cascades Academy has been chosen to be part of the documentary. Students will be filmed during their work at the site as well as on October 13th, when Kolleen Yake, of the Watershed Council will be a guest speaker at Cascades Academy.

October Means Autumn Outings.......

October means it is time for the Autumn Outing field trips for the middle and upper school students. This series of field trips endeavors to show our students some of the unique cultural, historical and scenic wonders in the state of Oregon. This year we will embark to three different regions in our state. One trip will head to the Oregon Coast and the Hatfield Marine Science Center  and the Newport Aquarium in Newport. Students choosing this trip will also find themselves sleeping in yurts in nearby Lincoln City. Another group of students will head east to the Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge south of Burns, Oregon. While in the region students will visit historic Frenchglen and the nearby Pete French Round-barn and Diamond Craters. A third group of students will spend two days exploring the likes of Alder Springs and the outback of Smith Rock State Park. 

Starlab Lands on Campus

What at first looked like a giant marshmallow sitting in the student commons turned out to be Starlab. This portable planetarium has been used all week by students in all grades Pre-K through 8 as a complement to the astronomy unit underway in both the lower school and in Dr. Eklund's middle school classes. Rumor is that Blair Jenkins held sway over a recent board meeting inside this thing! 

Election Results In!

The Cascades Academy Middle School Student Council was elected last week and our political representatives include President and Student Council veteran Kieran Hurst-McCreedy, the ever-present Jack Armstrong as Vice President and Autumn Elmore as Secretary. The Cabinet is rounded out with some excellent choices including Elise Furgurson as Activities Director and Samantha McGee, Brady Boos, and Tommy King as class representatives. The CACO Middle School Student Council is known for instigating myriad activities during the school year from haunted houses to community service projects and from dances to field trips. We can't wait. 

Lower School Storyline Announced

The Cascades Academy Lower School faculty formally announced the Fall. 2009 Storyline - and what impeccable timing they have. The National Parks theme launched, quite appropriately, with screening of Ken Burn's series on the National Parks hosted by PBS. Today students formally applied for their desired job in their desired park (close to 400 parks and monuments to choose from) and placements will be announced soon. If you didn't tune in to part one of the Burn's documentary last night, check PBS for the rest of the schedule.  This is T.V. at its best for sure. 

Confluence, 2009

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Once again early September found our middle and high school students out of their seats and into the woods. The occasion was our annual student-faculty Confluence at Suttle Lake near Sisters, Oregon. This meeting of the minds between students and teachers helps our community set goals and expectations for the upcoming school year while at the same time serving as an informal introduction between new and returning students and teachers. New friends were made, old friends were reacquainted and some of our favorite traditions were revisited including the late-night flashlight tag extravaganza, speedaway mayhem, and of course the cardboard regatta that saw our new Head-of School, Blair Jenkins, in over her head!

Mt. Mazama Missing in Southern Oregon!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Cascades Academy lower school students found that Mt. Mazama was missing from the Southern Cascades and found in it's place Crater Lake. Though this mountain apparently went missing 7700 years ago our students made this amazing discovery just this week, as part of their fall storyline on National Parks.

Pine Mountain Observatory Field Trip

Cascades Academy Middle School students and parents found themselves atop Pine Mountain on Tuesday evening for a guided tour of the observatory. Dr. Eklund put this trip together as part of the astronomy unit she is teaching this fall and the night sky did not disappoint.  The moons of Jupiter, The Milky Way, Red Giants, White Dwarfs, The International Space Station, United Airlines flight 3440 to San Francisco all made dramatic appearances. Those interested in taking in the night sky might reference The Heavens Above, as a starting point. It should be noted that the 5:30 am wakeup came early after the late night star-gazing. A big thanks to all parents that braved the washboard to make this one possible. 

Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Last week our 4th and 5th grade students, along with a host of teachers and parents, traveled to the Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center in the Oregon Cascades for a several days of out-of-the-classroom activities. This annual trip is always a student and staff favorite. 

Cascades Academy Students at the Pocket Park

During our Earth Day celebration last week or lower school and high school students had the oppurtunity to help the Bend Neighborhood Association landscape Laurel Pocket Park a few blocks from school. Here are some highlights from this day of service learning.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Highlights from the Why Games, 2009

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The 2009 Why Games, held at Mt. Bachelor, was once again an unqualified success. Costumes were donned, breakfast was eaten and competition was commenced. Students once again competed in the Broom Brawl tournament, the Gladiator Sled Race, Limbo, The "Waiter" race, among others events.