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HEAD LINES...
News from David Sullivan
 The sun shone on
Breakwater for the annual Halloween parade, a tradition of magic and
celebration that I look forward to enjoying for many years. Parents,
siblings and grandparents joined to watch the parade and
enjoy refreshments sponsored by the BPA. In my dual role as Head
of School and BWS parent I marveled at the enthusiasum, creativity and joy
that was present on the blacktop. This duality many times causes me to
pause and ponder.
My
family’s recent move to Portland has caused me to become more aware of
myself as a parent. Molly (age 2) and Oliver (age 6) moved to Portland,
while my oldest Sosha (age 13) went to boarding school. They have had to
make lots of adjustments and have encountered many new situations.
Sometimes with grace. Sometimes not. As an educator I want children to be
good problem solvers. I have always tried to create situations in my
classrooms where through hard work, creativity, imagination, and thought,
students find resolution to academic and social problems. As a parent
I have come to realize that although I want my children to be good problem
solvers, I don’t always want them to have problems to solve.
As
a parent the natural impulse is to make sure your child’s life is smooth
and that things are taken care of, that they have no problems. As a teacher
I am comfortable watching students appropriately struggle through
something, knowing their learning will be deeper and longer lasting if I
let them have the experience of finding a solution. As a parent I am less
able to do this and I have to realize that the set of problems my children
face at school are different than the ones they face at home.
The
same is true of making mistakes. As an educator I believe that as long as
proper reflection happens, making mistakes goes hand-in-hand with learning.
As a parent I often want to spare my children the pain, embarrassment, or
upset of making an error. Mark Twain said something like: wisdom comes from
experience while experience comes from bad choices. Unfortunately it isn’t
always clear when, as a parent, I should allow the mistake to be made, the
problem to remain, or when I should intervene. I have
appreciated witnessing how well the Breakwater community
- parents and teachers - works together to support this sometimes
challenging aspect of learning.
Thanks
to all who have forwarded Breakwater stories and book titles that resonate
with the Breakwater experience. Keep them coming!
 Breakwater School is participating in
The Pink Tulip Project sponsored by the Maine Cancer Foundation. This
is an opportunity to raise breast cancer awareness and beautify our campus
at the same time. The Pink Tulip Project is particularly
meaningful to Breakwater as it was founded by Robin Whitten, former
Breakwater parent and a breast cancer survivor.
Many
thanks to current parent, Stephen King, who helped organize this
effort. In the next few weeks, Breakwater middle school students will
be planting 500 pink tulip bulbs in the grassy area north of the Dan, at
the intersection of Brighton and Capisic and in front of the Jessie
Building. For more information or to make a donation go to the
Maine Cancer Foundation's Woman's
Cancer Fund.
 Have you seen a herd of Breakwater
students jogging and walking around the field in the morning recently?
Wondered what was going on? Felt like joining in? Welcome to
Morning Laps! Introduced by our After Care Director, Kate Hartmann, Morning
Laps are a great way to get some exercise before school. Anyone
can participate -- parents, students, siblings, teachers, and
even dogs! A roster keeper records the number of laps each
person completes each morning. The roster will be maintained and
acheivement awards will be presented when a lapper reaches
certain milestones.
Volunteers
are needed to monitor the roster daily. If you are interested in
signing up for a day, a week, or more please go to the VAN
(under sports) or contact Kate Hartmann at khartmann@breakwaterschool.org.
On
Sunday, November 4th from 2:30 - 4:30 we will be hosting an Open House
for families who have an interest in Breakwater. All the faculty and
staff will be on hand as well as parent volunteers who will be act as tour
guides. This is our chance to showcase all the amazing things that
happen here. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share
this information with them, or better yet offer to accompany them on
Sunday. Current families, you are also welcome to attend to
learn more about the school, act as Breakwater Ambassadors or maybe even
check out your child's next grade level.
 The 3rd and 4th
grades have started their first novel study groups of the year. Novel study
reflects the shift we make in the middle grades from learning how to read
to a greater emphasis on understanding thoroughly what we've read.
The plot of a book remains an important feature of our focus on
comprehension, but we also help children develop skills such as inferring
information, making predictions, and forming and finding evidence for one's
own opinions about characters and events.
During
the course of a year third and fourth graders typically will study three
novels. Before a novel study begins students are presented
with four book choices and then have the opportunity to vote on the book
they'd like to read. This fall the choices are; Be a Perfect Person in Just
Three Days by Stephen Manes, Yang the Youngest and His
Terrible Ear by Lensey Namioka, Because of Winn Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo, and Hoot by Carl Hiaasen.
From
student votes teachers construct small groups of eight or nine
children. All our books are chosen carefully from a wide variety of
high-quality children's literature and offer a richness that goes
beyond just a simple description of the plot. Our novel study groups, which
feature the use of drama, artwork, and writing as ways to respond to and
think more deeply about what we've read, are an ideal setting in
which to explore these interesting works of fiction.
Peter
Bridgford, Tom Fisher & Kelley Pratt - The 3/4 Teaching Team
 You are cordially invited to hear Barry
Schieber, an author of children's books, on Monday, Nov. 5th at 11 a.m. in
the Jessie Auditorium.
Mr.
Schieber has written many stories about traveling the world with his dog
Moritz. Before Moritz came into his life Barry did a number of
things, but is now Moritz's assistant in their hospital therapy work.
Thanks to former trustee Susan Martin for helping to arrange Mr.
Schieber's visit.
www.silentmoonbooks.com
for more about Mr. Schieber and Moritz.
Are both you and your child shedding tears over
homework? Do you dread the hours between 4 and 6 o'clock in the evening? Do
you feel that things will never change no matter what you do?
Come
with your questions and concerns to the BPA meeting on Nov 6th at 8:20 a.m.
to join a discussion with Abi Ordway, our Learning
Strategist, on simple, easy to implement strategies to help you and your
child ease through homework.
 David Sullivan and Members of the Board
of Trustees will discuss and answer questions about the State of the School at
the BPA Meeting on Tuesday, November 6th at 8:20 a.m. in the Library.
This conversation will follow Abi Ordway's presentation on homework.
Welcome new Preschool Families!
Eliza
Trafford and her parents Chris and
Sarah Trafford. Eliza’s brother Ian is in kindergarten. Milo Carter
and his parents Laura Quine and David Carter. And welcome back to Ben Chaterjee
and his parents Catherine and Roy Chaterjee
This is Me,
Self-Discovery through Self-Portraiture -
Please come inside the Brick Building to view this amazing preschool art.
The work is accompanied by documentation by MECA
students capturing the children's thoughts and the process involved in
creating their artwork. This fall, in her dual role as Assistant Professor
of Education at Maine College of Art (MECA) and Breakwater's Art Teacher,
Kelly McConnell is sharing the influence of Reggio Emilia-inspired
educators with her graduate students at MECA. Kelly's graduate
students have collaborated with her preschool students in a visual
exploration of self-discovery.
Save the Date - My Irish
Soul, Paul Sullivan, solo piano - CD Release Party
and short Private Concert - Breakwater Celebrates the
Arts! Saturday, November 17 at the home of
Kristin Schardt and Martin Lodish. Paul Sullivan is a Grammy Award-winning
pianist and composer, and a good friend of David and Zoe Sullivan. If you
are interested in receiving an invitation to this special event please email
Kristin at kschardt@bridgtonacademy.org.
Toy Recall Alert
- With all the recent news about toy safety and toy recalls we have found a
link for you to access to keep track of recent recalls. www.uspirg.org/toy-safety/cpsc-recalls
 Breakwater School is the happy recipient of
thousands of volunteer hours and in-kind services each year. In each issue
of Newsbreak, we would like to acknowledge just a few individuals who have
enhanced the School's sustainability through volunteerism.
Have
you noticed the beautiful garden between The Dan and The Brick Building?
BWS Parent and landscaper Josh Edlund donated
both his services and the plantings to enhance this space and it looks
beautiful. Thank you, Josh. Thank you also to Joy Kaplan,
mother of BWS middle schooler, Zak, who has created the beautiful
planters at our entrances.
Many
thanks to current parent, Graham Duncan for
re-building our sand box. Now, not only is the sand staying inside the
box, children of all ages have a great place to sit and play.
BWS
parent Lisa
Murray and our Art Specialist, Kelly McConnell
teamed up to produce another Kids Kreations success
story. Kelly worked with the children during art class and Lisa organized
and processed all the orders placed by our wonderful parents. This
collabortion resulted in raising over $1400 for the Breakwater Parents Association.
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