The Tutorial School 400 Brunn School Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505) 988-1859 www.tutorialschool.org
NEWSLETTER
September 2018 Volume 27 Number 1
The Autumnal Equinox has passed. The days are getting shorter and the aspens are starting to turn. The grove of quaking aspen, populus tremuloides, is actually one huge organism connected through its root system. Likewise the students of The Tutorial School are a community connected through the school. Aspens are also the first tree to grow after a fire, thus starting the healing of the forest.
Slowly but surely classes are being organized: Chess, Culinary Arts, Chinese, Japanese, Current Events, Percussion, Math, History, and various art classes. Auto Mechanics, Jewelry, and French are in the works. More importantly, lots of play and informal discussions are happening all the time.
Frida, a teacher from Holistic Education School in Taiwan, along with her husband and their really cute toddler are currently visiting us until mid November. Frida is a poet, and an artist in residence at the Santa Fe Art Institute. We are fortunate that they will be volunteering for us each week teaching Chinese with a creative twist.
The First Parent Potluck of the year is October 18th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. This is a time when we get together, share food, share stories, and connect. By being a part of this, you show support for your child and the work they are doing here. In this way you contribute to creating a culture of kindness, and the students greatly benefit. In addition, we will be holding a Parent Council meeting so you can see a little bit of what the students do here. If you have questions for other parents or for us, please do not hesitate to bring them up as agenda items. Let’s celebrate the start of a bountiful year together with your favorite foods and beverages!
2018 – 2019 School Year Calendar:
October 8th – no school – Indigenous Peoples’ Day
October 15th – open house (for students from other schools)
October 18 – Parent Potluck 6:00pm to 9:00pm
November 1st – no school – day after Halloween
November 19th to 22nd – Thanksgiving Vacation
December 21st to January 6th – Winter Solstice Vacation
February 4th – no school – Midwinter/Brigids Day/Candlemas
March 8th to 24th – Spring Equinox Vacation
May 30th – last day of school
What Does It Mean To Be Educated?
“Whatever an education is, it must empower you to lead your own life. It must minimize your chances of being manipulated, of being made a pawn, of being an actor in someone else’s play. Any place that claims to “educate” must give young people actual autonomy, help them develop actual competencies, and facilitate actual social connections. It must produce self-aware and self-motivated humans, not anxiety-ridden worker bees awaiting their next orders. An education is the capacity to author your own life instead of merely accepting the one handed to you.” Blake Boles – author of The Art of Self-Directed Learning