Dear Friends,

​it is unusual for us to not have the required number of volunteers to accompany this class. But, things happen. Any one free to spend the morning at river park with us (and lunch).?
We are scheduled to leave at 9:00, won't go until we have our 3rd adult.
Thanks, 
Mr. Leki

​Hope you can join us. 
more later. Lovely trip today!
Mr. Leki

.​..Room 310.
We don't have any volunteers for tomorrow's river trip.
It will be a beautiful day and trip.
So, take a day off work, 
cancel the laundry day, 
postpone the grocery shopping.
Come with us to River park, 
newly restored and beautiful. 
We leave at 9:00.
Mr. Leki

​Dear Friends, 
We  had a great week in ecology last week, 
weird weather not with standing.This week we are doing re-scheduled 6th Grade river trips, in chilly, wet weather. 
We'll see!
Tomorrow, Monday, November 18, I begin weekly 1st grade classes on Trees of Waters School.
2/3rds of the leaf books have been pasted up. There is no rush to finish, 
but if you would like some rubber cement / coffee, down time, 
let me know. 
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
all three 6th grades will venture to River Park to do water quality testing.
Hope we can make this happen. Help welcomed. 
we leave at 9:00 back at 1:30.
On Friday, we will be doing the Recycling Captains Luncheon, during the Captain's regular lunch time, in the Conference Room. 
More on this in a day or so!

Mr. Leki

​Dear Friends, 
We are in need of an adult to accompany us on our trip to Montrose Point this morning with Room 305. We will be on the CTA. It will be chilly but it will be beautiful. We leave at 9:00 and return around 2:00. We take our lunch and warm up at the Yacht Club. 
Let me know if you can help out!
Mr. Leki

Dear Friends, 
Last week we had some great experiences in the Garden:
a return to school after an exciting, rewarding,  and anxiety producing strike;
8th grade pitching in to prepare the garden for winter and potatoes for our Harvest Day;
Harvest Day itself, with such a celebration of nature, children and parents taking note of our relationships and our blessings.
And here we are, Nov. 11, 2019 in the midst of an Arctic Vortex!
Let us gather up our forces, 
gather up our courage and our Joy, 
and face the Vortex, 
and its root causes, 
and dedicate ourselves to doing better, 
to Climate Justice, 
and a future for our children. 

The future starts tomorrow, Tuesday, November 12, 
I invite volunteers to help with pasting up 90+ 1st grade leaf collections for a June release of "The Trees of Waters School". This year we lost our Cottonwood and Black Cherry trees to the construction project. 
But we gained Musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana) and River Birch (Betula nigra).
Come help paste up, get dazed by rubber cement, and test your addled memory in ID-ing trees.  I will be working in the Conference room from 8:30 until 10:30 on this project. 

Wednesday is Report card pick -up day. I have found myself recalling that in the 90's (last century) we were on a trajectory to eliminating report cards in favor of conferencing with parents, student and teacher to look over portfolios of student work. We were doing that! Not ranking, and punishing, but, real, in-depth, discussions between all these people.  After the election of 2000, high-stakes testing, No Child Left Behind became the national and local mandate, and we struggled to stay true to our philosophy and mission under the new regime. 
We struggle still! We are trying.
Our children, each and every one are unique,
precious, unpredictable and our treasure. 
Our ecology program persists as a remnant of that time. 
I don't (and don't have to) give grades. 
I provide experiences, context, feedback to our students. 
I am blessed with the best job. 
I meet them 20 years later on the picket line, and grocery store, 
where they tell me that they have become counselors, 
biology teachers, 
nurses,
moms and dads. 
On Report Card pick up day, Mighty Acorns Journals will be put out for you to check out, 3rd thru 5th Grade. Write a note in the journal to your child, to encourage them. 
In spring, Lake and River journals will also be available. 

On Thursday and Friday 7th grade ventures to the Lake for the "Fall " trip to study lake ecology. The Lake is a moderator of temperature extremes, 
but also can be counted on to provide a dip in temperature, 
a brisk wind, 
and an inspirational blast of energy. 
You are invited to join us on this CTA bus ride and journey. 
Room 305, Thursday, 9:00 until 2:30
Room 302, Friday, same time. 
Bundle up!!!!

Mr. Leki

​Dear Friends, 
We are glad to be back at school, with hard won gains for our students , teachers and community. There were many shining moments during the strike: encountering a dozen former students who are now education professionals, spontaneously creating music to give courage and hope, being part of massive organized efforts to give voice to the desperate needs of Chicago Public Schools, witnessing the unity of teachers with custodial workers, security guards, and bus monitors. But as the days ground on the pressures and anxiety mounted. Coming back to school Friday was a joyous celebration. It didn't hurt that the teachers had conspired to come back dressed up as winged bugs! See the attached picture of how one fictional striker would look had the strike gone on for another month!

Monday, November 4, Kindergarden visits the garden top harvest potatoes: yellow, pink, purple and white. They will also poke around a wheel barrow full of compost, looking for the community of creatures that transform food and yard waste into new soils. They might collect the beautiful leaves that festoon the grounds right now. Please join us to guide these young explorers.
8:30 Room 105
9:30 Room 107
11:30 Room 108
Please join us on this chilly adventure. In the next few days the potatoes will be brushed, washed and wrapped in foil to prepare for Harvest day potato roasting on Thursday.

Mr. Leki

Dear Friends, 
I'm off to the Teacher Rally, really a rally for us all!
With good luck, courage, steadfastness, and new city leadership 
a deal may be struck that will benefit all our children and neighborhoods.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 15, 2019, 2nd Grade Room 204 will visit the river to study the trees, flowers and animals and the weather. Join us right after drop off and we will organize ourselves. We leave at 8:30 and return at 10:30.

On Wednesday, October 16, 3rd grade Room 202, makes its first sojourn to  Sauganash prairie grove as Mighty Acorns.  They will seek out the 5 different ecosystems there, and practice the arts of "woodcraft", moving safely and respectfully in wild places. they will also do their part by gathering rare wild seeds. 
Join us at 9:00 for a briefing. Bus leaves at 9:30, back by 1:15, picnic lunch!

Wednesday night is our regular Garden Night at 5:00 until dark.

On Thursday, October 17, contract settlement willing, Kindergarden will be harvesting potatoes. 
Room 105 at 8:45
Room 107 at 9:35
Room 108 at 11:30
All hands on deck.  We will be harvesting, 
exploring the compost pile for bugs, and.... another activity, TBA.

On Friday, October 18, 7th Grade Room 302 will visit the Lake at Montrose Point.
We will take the CTA. leaving at 9:00, back by 2:00. Join us for this glorious trip. 

Jam packed week with glorious fall weather.
With gratitude, 
Pete

Dear Friends, 
Waters Ecology Program is Unique! It grew out of an educational philosophy adopted over 25 years ago. It sprouted in a land with no soil, but a remarkable natural history (giant oaks, the river bed below us). It was created bit by bit, by a community that had little means but very much heart. It grew year by year by creating and nurturing partnerships with science and advocacy groups around the city.  It is premised on the essential role parents play as guides and explorers. So that today, Waters students receive 9 years of field experience in ecology: the study of how this world, how Life, works. 
And, we receive no support from CPS! Well, a little from conducting composting workshops. But all the rest of the  funding for the Ecology and Garden programs is self generated, through grant writing, and through donations from our school community. We are in the middle of a fundraising effort and I hope, if you are able, you will contribute. Donations of all size are deeply appreciated, as is your on-going participation in the field and in the garden.
The Gardens are an essential part of the ecology program as well: an immense laboratory and storehouse of biology and beauty. It is used daily by classrooms from K-8 that receive access to a carousel of form and beauty, sounds, smells and tastes. 24-7 it serves as a meeting place for families and neighbors, a place for meditation and conversation. 
You can learn more and make a donation at waterstoday.org/pledgedrive

Dear Friends, 
I predict great Fall weather,
a hot pizza oven, 
woodsy smell of a grill burning,
wonderful pot luck surprises (no nuts!)
for the special BAC Garden Day Saturday 10-2..
We are still looking for musicians to share a song or two during and after lunch.
Face painters,
work group leaders, 
food crew, 
and clean up crew. 
Can't wait to see you, 
Mr. Leki