Sunday, September 16, 2007

Fall Campout

September 10, 2007

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The annual Fall High School campout is coming up next week. We will be leaving for Battle Ground Lake near Vancouver, Washington Wednesday morning and returning Friday afternoon. Students should arrive at school by 8:30 as usual. We expect to leave around 9, and will return Friday around 1. We still need parent drivers and chaperones for the trip, as well as people to help with cleaning and organizing when we get back. Please contact your student’s advisor if you think you might be able to help.

The cost of the trip is covered entirely by the student activity fee.

A list of suggested supplies for your student is below.:

  • Tent w/ground cloth and rain fly
  • Sleeping bag or blanket/sheet bedroll
  • Sleeping pad
  • Flashlight/headlamp
  • Toiletries
  • Towel
  • Swimsuit
  • Change of clothes
  • Sleepwear
  • An extra pair of sneakers
  • Warm clothing for potentially cool nights
  • Light clothing for potentially warm days
  • Sunscreen
  • A rain jacket or poncho

It is pretty amusing living in the Pacific Northwest and trying to project the weather in the fall. We’ll know better as we get closer, but right now we are planning for sun, rain, cold, and hot.

All students on the trip are expected to share in cooking and cleaning duties. Drugs and alcohol are, of course, strictly prohibited on the trip. Game systems and loud music are requested to stay at home, while we encourage students to bring cards, board games, and musical instruments.

We look forward to another great high school campout. Please let your student’s advisor know if you have any questions.

Regards,

Eddie, Elizabeth, Jess, and Ken

High School Advisors

Senior Inquiry Syllabus

Senior Inquiry

Trillium Charter School 2007/8

Instructor: Ken Gadbow Phone: 503-348-9849 Office hours: Fridays 12-1

Email: Ken@TrilliumCharterSchool.org

Credit available: Various, depending on project focus

Course Objectives:

Senior Inquiry is a required year-long class for all students graduating from Trillium in 2008. This is an integral part of our Friday Focus program. During this class, students will:

  • Plan, develop, and carry out Senior Projects.
  • Tour Pacific Northwest colleges and universities.
  • Investigate career and vocation opportunities after high school.
  • Receive timely counseling to ensure satisfactory completion of graduation requirements.
  • Develop basic real world life skills like managing money, avoiding debt, and dealing with life on their own.
  • Plan for commencement in June.

There is a transportation fee for each of the college trips students choose to come on, roughly $20 each. Scholarships are available. Students should take the College and Career Workshop daily class in conjunction with Senior Inquiry.

PLP Framework Concentrations:

Independence:

  • Assess your present performance
  • Reflect on both what one did learn and didn’t learn
  • Set goals to improve present performance
  • Revisit reflections over time and use them to understand personal changes
  • Demonstrate awareness of what you’ve learned and why it matters
  • Translate learning needs into learning goals, plans, and activities
  • Commit to working on goals to completion or revising goals as needed
  • Share findings/discoveries
  • Know how to challenge one self (even when you are good at something).
  • Keep track of responsibilities, obligations, meetings, due dates, and belongings
  • Demonstrate time management skills
  • Demonstrate planning skills

Health, Wellness, and Safety:

  • Understand social and cultural impacts of drug and alcohol use and distributing
  • Know how to get help and support in the community for personal health issues
  • Know what to do in cases of domestic violence for self and others
  • Use safe personal practices, and understand risks inherent in society

Social Studies Fluencies:

  • Access and demonstrate learning in multiple ways.
  • Access relevant background knowledge and incorporate new ideas and information.
  • Apply critical thinking skills in discussion, writing and problem solving.

Code of Conduct:

All students are expected to know and uphold the Rights and Responsibilities of the Trillium Constitution. We will use the non-violent conflict resolution process that includes conversations, mediations, and the OVRR system.

Assignments and grading policies:

This class is graded primarily through written evaluation through self, peer, and staff assessment. For the purpose of transcripts, combination of these authorities determines if the student passes or fails the class.

Quarter one will largely be spent in college visits and reflections and setting up the Senior Project.

The Senior Project, a primary focus of SINQ, is evaluated by the student’s review committee. The committee, formed in part by members selected by the student, ultimately decides if the student was successful in achieving her goals.

The life skills workshops such as money management/debt avoidance, interview and job finding, and personal health and safety occur throughout the year, are required coursework, and are graded based on:

· Participation: 60%

· Project: 20%

· Exams and demonstrations: 20%

Attendance Policy:

It is imperative that students attend the class meetings, outings, or communicate clearly through their PLP’s where and how they will be working to achieve their goals at that time.

Course Schedule:

This quarter, there are only six Fridays in our schedule. Therefore, SINQ will meet only on the following days:

· Sep. 14th

· Sep. 28th

· Oct. 5th

· Oct. 19th

· Oct. 26th

· Nov. 2nd

Kids for Kenya Project Syllabus

Kids for Kenya

Trillium Charter School 2007/8

Meeting Time and Place: Fridays 1-4 in Ken’s room

Instructors:

Polly Christopher Ken Gadbow

503-459-1504 503-348-9849

Office hours: By Appointment Office hours: Fridays 12-1 and by appointment

Polly@TrilliumCharterSchool.org Ken@TrilliumCharterSchool.org

Credit available: Elective, Cooperation, Independence, Community Membership

Course Overview:

Kids for Kenya was created by students, teachers and parents of Trillium Charter School interested in the education and quality of life of Kenyan youth. We are fortunate to be able to have a special partnership with Humble Hearts School located in Nairobi, Kenya, giving us the unique opportunity to form friendships with students and teachers. Kids for Kenya provides educational opportunity for Kenyan and Northwestern youth, underscoring the interconnectedness of global communities through cultural exchange, education, and service. This Kids for Kenya class allows students to build relationships and strengthen connections both at home and abroad.

Course Objectives:

Working towards supporting our sister school in Nairobi while developing an array of essential communication, cooperation, and independence skills, students will choose areas within which to focus, including, but not limited to:

· Grants

o Students may choose from a pre-selected list of grants and learn to write and create grant packages, and/or:

o Students research grants and discuss the ethics of who we ask for money from.

· Corporate Donation

o Research corporate donors and learn to write letters of request.

· Web presence

o Students learn to create and write blogs that tell the Kids for Kenya story and promote its mission.

· Scrap Book

o Collate and format photos and stories from the Kenya trip and form a marketable scrap book.

· Small Sustainable Business

o Create a small business, run at Trillium to generate a small monthly income for Humble Hearts.

· Bike Ride/Fun Run Event

o Research and plan for a spring race fundraising event.

PLP Framework Concentrations:

Cooperation:

· Work in groups together for a common goal

· Lead and participate

· Demonstrate sensitivity to issues of equality and inclusion in group dynamics

· Understand and fulfill the roles and responsibilities involved in group success.

· Work cooperatively within diverse populations (cultural, age, class, ethnic, gender, linguistic, sexual orientation, etc.)

Independence:

· Research and find relevant resources

· Know how to access instructions and follow them

· Keep track of responsibilities, obligations, meetings, due dates, and belongings Demonstrate time management skills

· Demonstrate planning skills

Communication:

· Use language appropriate to audience

· Effectively use multiple forms of communication including speaking, writing, and nonverbal

· Recognize that all settings have different communication expectations and demonstrate flexibility

Community Membership:

· Contribute constructively to an organization’s unique structure, processes, and mission

· Demonstrate the ability to access resources to connect with communities

· Demonstrate respect for leadership, whether it be a student, a teacher, or any other person in the community

Code of Conduct:

All students are expected to know and uphold the Rights and Responsibilities of the Trillium Constitution. We will use the non-violent conflict resolution process that includes conversations, mediations, and the OVRR system.

Assignments and grading policies:

This class is graded primarily through written evaluation through self and staff assessment. For the purpose of transcripts, the class is offered on a letter grade basis as well, which breaks down as follows:

· Participation: 60%

· Projects: 40%

Letter grades, A-F, follow a 10% distribution. A is 90-100%, B is 80-89%, etc.

Attendance Policy:

It is imperative that students attend the class meetings, outings, or communicate clearly through their Personalized Learning Plans where and how they will be working to achieve their goals at that time.

Course Schedule:

This quarter, there are only six Fridays in our schedule. Therefore, Kids for Kenya will meet only on the following days:

· Sep. 14th

· Sep. 28th

· Oct. 5th

· Oct. 19th

· Oct. 26th

· Nov. 2n

Reality Check Syllabus

Reality Check: Developing Critical Consciousness

Class Syllabus[1]

Trillium Charter School Fall 2007

Instructor:

Ken Gadbow

Office Hours: Fridays 12-1

Ken@TrilliumCharterSchool.org

503-348-9849

Course Structure

This course focuses on the development of the student as a life long learner. The material we read and discuss is selected to encourage students to become more critical thinkers and practice looking at issues from multiple viewpoints. This class is interactive. It requires the participation of the students to make it a success. Small group activities and discussions dominate this course, supported by short lectures, reading, and group projects.

Course Objectives

Ø Conceptualize, express and clearly communicate their opinions, viewpoints, ideas, and knowledge through writing, discussion, and oral presentation.

Ø Respectfully and logically analyze and critique readings, knowledge, claims, and opinions presented in class.

Ø Work with peers and instructors on assignments, projects and research.

Ø Become familiar with the methods and application of quantitative and qualitative research.

Ø Use computers, the Internet, libraries, community and other resources for research and learning.

Code of Conduct

All students are expected to know and uphold the Rights and Responsibilities of the Trillium Constitution. We will use the non-violent conflict resolution process that includes conversations, mediations, and the OVRR system.

Course Overview

In this course, we will study the nature of knowledge, faith and belief. How do we know? How do we perceive? And how does our perception affect our understanding of reality? We will explore the limits of human perception, how we know what we think we know, and the nature of fact. Multi-media presentations, including hands-on activities and class discussions, help students develop tools for critically evaluating information. Students will practice deconstructing advertisements and pseudoscientific claims in order to make intelligent, informed decisions in today’s consumer culture.

Framework Concentrations:

Social Studies Fluencies:

  • Access relevant background knowledge and incorporate new ideas and information.
  • Apply critical thinking skills in discussion, writing and problem solving.
  • Gather, interpret, use and document information from multiple sources.
  • Think critically about bias and point of view in both text and other media.

Science Fluencies:

  • Demonstrates ability to discern fact from opinion
  • Demonstrate the ability to ask questions or form hypotheses that can be answered or tested through scientific investigations.
  • Ability to understand the meaning of “evidence”, ability to determine the difference between reliable and unreliable evidence, and ability to explain ideas using evidence.
  • Understand the nature of bias, and how bias can affect conclusions.

Grading:

Participation and preparation 60%

Quizzes 10%

Midterm project 10%

Final project 20%

Course Schedule

The following is a tentative schedule of how the term will proceed. We are not bound by this outline. We, students and instructor, will most likely rearrange these dates, themes, and discussions, as the course proceeds.

Week 1 (September 9-15)

Introductions and course overview. What is a fact?

Week 2 (September 16-22)

Ways of knowing. Limits of human perception.

Week 3 (September 23-29)

Perception experiments

Week 4 (September 30-October 6)

PSU visit with Professor Patrick Edwards.

Week 5 (October 7-13)

Case studies of the weird and paranormal.

Week 6 (October 14-20)

Present case studies.

Begin: What is an advertisement?

Week 7 (October 21-27)

Ad deconstruction and counter ads.

Week 8 (October 28 -Nov. 3)

Work on Counter Ads.

Happy Halloween

Week 9 (November 4 – 7)

Final project and presentations due.



[1] Adapted from the syllabi of Patrick Edwards.

Trillium Archive Syllabus

Archive: Reporting on Trillium through the Three Petal Press and the Trillium Yearbook

Trillium Charter School 2007/8

Instructor: Ken Gadbow Phone: 503-348-9849 Office hours: Fridays 12-1

Email: Ken@TrilliumCharterSchool.org Newspaper email: ThreePetalPress@gmail.com

Credit available: Language Arts, Art, or Elective

Course Objectives:

Students will write, edit, and layout the school newspaper, The Three Petal Press for quarters one through 3, then switch to yearbook production for quarter four. Students will develop their writing abilities by creating multiple articles for the school paper. Students will develop their note taking and photography skills by being “imbedded” in another teacher’s classroom. Students will develop their skills at editing and providing constructive, critical feedback of others’ work. Students may also develop their artistic talents in the areas of photography and/or comic drawing.

Course Overview:

We will publish 2 issues of the Three Petal Press per quarter. In fitting with Trillium philosophy, the paper is student run – ideas for content, writing, art, and comics are all generated, written, and edited by students. Special attention will be paid this year to representing the activities and ideas of all levels of Trillium, preschool through twelfth grade. Many students will have the opportunity to become “embedded” journalists in another teacher’s class, 1-2 days a week for the entire quarter. The class runs all year. Students are encouraged, but not required, to take all four quarters.

PLP Framework Concentrations:

Community Membership:

  • Work in groups together for a common goal
  • Give and take, compromise and make solutions
  • Lead and participate
  • Use language appropriate to audience

Literacy:

  • Listen to, read, and understand a variety of informative and narrative texts on your own
  • Increase word knowledge (origins and relationships) and develop vocabulary relevant to and across subject areas
  • Refine writing process (pre-write, draft, revise, edit, and publish) across subject areas and at grade level
  • Communicate ideas through writing using various connections and transitions (including but not limited to facts, anecdotes, precise/relevant words, paragraphs, logical sequencing, and the 6 + 1 traits)
  • Demonstrate grade-level knowledge of spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and penmanship/presentation across subject areas
  • Be able to investigate topics of interest and draft an individual project plan that will display the results of that study
  • Listen critically and respond appropriately

Independence:

  • Keep track of responsibilities, obligations, meetings, due dates, and belongings
  • Demonstrate time management skills
  • Demonstrate planning skills
  • Be prepared for activities and classes

Code of Conduct:

All students are expected to know and uphold the Rights and Responsibilities of the Trillium Constitution. We will use the non-violent conflict resolution process that includes conversations, mediations, and the OVRR system.

Assignments and grading policies:

A student’s grade is based on the work that she/he produces for the paper, as well as the student’s ability to meet deadlines. In order for the paper to be published in a timely manner, it is essential the work is turned in by the deadline. Each student is expected to develop four quality pieces throughout the term, distributed over the issues. A quality piece is defined as one which is of sufficient length and content to challenge the student. Each piece will go into the student’s newspaper folder (in a file kept in Ken’s room), upon which the student’s final grade will be evaluated. Laying-out the paper is considered the equivalent of producing two pieces of work. In addition, students must choose to participate as either an embedded journalist or be on the web development team.

Grading:

Submissions for Three Petal Press: 50%

Notebook (either journalist, web development, or both): 50%

This class is graded using narrative evaluations and letter grades. In order to be successful in

this course, a student must:

· Participate respectfully in class.

· Peer review other students pieces over the course of the term.

· Challenge him/herself with the pieces he/she creates.

· Meet or exceed the expectations of an Embedded Journalist, Web Development member, or both (see below).

Expectations for Embedded Journalists:

· Be on time to your EJ assignment.

· Be a quiet, patient, respectful observer. Establish beforehand how much you should participate in the class with the classroom teacher.

· Keep a journalist’s notebook for each day of observation. Each entry must include:

o The date, time, and place of the observation.

o A description of the activity or activities of the day, including names of the participants.

o A description of any photographs taken during the observation.

o Your thoughts and ideas related to the experience. This should be fun, and it should be positive.

· Receive a passing evaluation from the classroom teacher at the midterm and end of the quarter.

Expectations for Web Development Team members:

· Develop a website that can publish the Three Petal Press in its entirety each issue.

· Upload each issue as it is produced, laying it out in an accessible and appealing manner.

· Maintain, update, and improve upon the website on a regular basis.

· Provide a space on the website that allows for additional photographs, stories, and even video clips of events that do not make it into the hard-copy of the paper.

· Help other journalists to upload pieces to the website.

· Keep a Web Development Notebook in which the student describes his/her goals and ideas for the website as well as the daily progress of website creation, maintenance, and assistance.

Students should begin each day by consulting The Big Board which contains all the expectations and deadlines for the next issue. Students are expected to print out and save all of their work in their file in the classroom, including the Journalists or Web Development Notebook. You will be graded at the end of the quarter based on the contents of your file.

Attendance Policy:

The majority of your grade in this class comes from your participation. If you are not here, then you cannot participate. If you cannot participate, then you cannot meet the expectations of the class. This class is graded on a pass/no pass basis.

§ If a student misses more than 3 classes, s/he cannot pass.

Course Schedule:

Week 1 (September 9-15)

Introductions and course overview. Choosing roles.

Week 2 (September 16-22)

  • Submit ideas for Issue 1: Monday the 17th.

Week 3 (September 23-29)

  • Drafts due for Issue 1: Monday the 24th.

Week 4 (September 30-October 6)

  • First Issue submissions due: Monday the 1st.
  • Midterm review of Notebooks and Evaluation by embedded teacher.

Week 5 (October 7-13)

  • Print and distribute issue 1.

Week 6 (October 14-20)

  • Submission ideas for 2nd issue due: Monday the 15th.

Week 7 (October 21-27)

  • Drafts due for 2nd issue: Monday the 22nd

Week 8 (October 28 -Nov. 3)

  • Second issue pieces due Monday the 29th.

Week 9 (November 4 – 7)

  • Second Issue printed and distributed
  • Say goodbye to EJ classroom.
  • Complete summary of EJ or WD work in journals.

Trillium Constitution

Constitution of the Trillium Charter School

Preamble:

We the people of Trillium Charter School, in order to create and promote a safe, peaceful, respectful, and free learning environment have created this Constitution. All advisors, teachers, staff, parents, interns, volunteers and guests are responsible for the general welfare of the school through their actions and must strive to uphold the ideas and ideals of this document.

Articles

Article I: School Meetings

section 1. The All School Meeting has the power to address issues and make decisions that affect the school as a whole. Voting procedures and All School Meeting rules, regulations and meeting times will be decided on by the All School Meeting. Records of meeting decisions shall be kept and made available to all Trillium Community Members. All School Meeting voting members include attending students, teachers, advisors and staff.

section 2. Class and age group meetings shall be held to address issues and make decisions that a effect individual classes and age groups. Voting procedures and class and age group rules, regulations and meeting times will be decided on by the class and age group meetings. Unless otherwise decided, class and age group decisions should not conflict with All School Meeting decisions. Records of meeting decisions shall be kept and made available to all class and age group members. Class and age group voting members include students, staff and advisors of class or age group.

Article II. Judicial System

section 1. The first step in dealing with a conflict is to attempt to solve the problem peacefully and non-violently on your own. All attempts should be made to use the language of mediation.

section 2. A mediation process shall be established to deal with conflicts that cannot be solved on a one-on-one basis. Mediators can be any student, teacher, staff, parent, intern or volunteer who understands and can successfully use the mediation process to solve a conflict non-violently.

section 3. A Judicial Committee shall be established to deal with conflicts that cannot be solved through mediation. This committee shall have the power to settle disputes and solve conflicts based on the rules and regulations established by the All School Meeting and Trillium Charter School Community. The Judicial Committee shall be made up of students from each age group and at least one teacher, advisor or staff member.

section 4. All staff members have been given the power to make ”judgment call” decision. Judgment call decisions are those decisions made to keep the learning environment safe and calm. They have been given the power to handle a decision in ways that they see fit at that moment. In all cases they should attempt to uphold the rights and responsibilities of this constitution when making those decisions. If any student does not feel comfortable with the decision made, they should attempt mediation. If that is unsuccessful they can make an appeal to Judicial Committee.

Article III. Amending the Constitution.

section 1. The All School Meeting, whenever necessary, can propose amendments to this Constitution. To make changes to the Constitution two thirds of All School Meeting voting members enrolled or employed by the school must agree.

section 2. The All School Meeting can convene a Constitutional Convention made up of at least one member of each class or age group to amend the constitution. Representatives from each class or age group, and at least one staff member, shall be sent to the convention to make amendments. Once changes have been made these changes must be submitted to each class or age group for review. Any and all changes shall be reviewed by convention representatives and then resubmitted. A majority of All School Meeting voting members enrolled or employed by the school must vote in favor of amendments from the Constitutional Convention.

Article IV. Ratification

The ratification by a majority of All School Meeting voting members enrolled or employed by the Trillium Charter School shall be sufficient for the creation of this Constitution.

Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

I The right to pursue your curiosities, interests, and passions.

The responsibility to demonstrate what you have learned.

II. The right to learn in and teach in a way that works best for you.

The responsibility to learn and teach in a way that is safe, non-disruptive and productive.

III. The right to have your body, space, beliefs, property and feelings respected.

The responsibility to respect the body, space, beliefs, property and feelings of others.

IV. The right to speak freely.

The responsibility to speak without harming others.

V. The right to be listened to

The responsibility to listen to others.

VI. The right to have a turn with community items

The responsibility to share community items with others.

Community Relations Policy

Trillium Charter School

COMMUNITY RELATIONS POLICY

As a community school we greatly value our relationship with the families and businesses who are our neighbors. As students you represent our school to the community and have a responsibility to make choices that positively reflect on us. We want our neighbors to see each of you as the thoughtful, respectful, and caring people that you are.

When Trillium students are coming and going from school, waiting at the MAX and bus stop, riding TriMet, going to restaurants and businesses, and sharing public parks they cannot:

· Vandalize property

· Litter

· Engage in physical or verbal fights

· Shoplift

· Cross the street without using crosswalks

· Harass or bully others

· Use profane or offensive language

· Use drugs or alcohol

If a neighbor, business manager, staff member, or TriMet representative contacts the school to report a Trillium student who has done any of the above things there will be a consequence at school. For example, the student may have to write and deliver a letter of apology, pay restitution, offer volunteer time, have a parent meeting, solve a problem through mediation, lose off-campus privileges, or receive an OVRR write-up resulting in a detention or suspension. If a student engages in a criminal activity like shoplifting, vandalism, or possession of drugs or alcohol he/she may face further consequences outside of school.

Avoid these consequences, show respect to your community, and keep your off-campus privileges by making positive choices. By signing below you and your parent are stating that you understand this Community Relations Policy.

_________________________ _______________________

Student Parent