School News Blast
Gladstone Schools • Growing Great People • 1.12.22
Seventh graders tour ancient Egyptian sites
From pyramids and mummies to tombs and markets, Kraxberger seventh graders are learning a lot about ancient and modern Egypt this term. Professional Egyptologist George Farah has been their guide for three live, online tours funded by the Gladstone Education Foundation.
This is the second year Kraxberger students have participated, thanks to a connection between teacher Any Otto, and Farah, her tour guide on a summer trip in 2015.
This year's tours included a nighttime horse-drawn carriage ride through Luxor and a visit to the town market. They watched their guide interact with shop owners and locals in Arabic and English throughout the event.
In the market, students saw the wide variety of things that are made in Egypt. They toured a spice store and saw silver items, carpets, clothing, quilted tapestries, and statues. The tour ended with a demonstration of how modern-day craftsmen make items out of alabaster.
"Interacting in real time with an experienced Egyptologist is a way to get students excited about history and explore a new culture halfway around the world," said Otto. "I'm hoping to continue this new tradition in the years to come. It's one positive thing that came out of COVID, because I was able to think outside the box on how to engage kids virtually."
The seventh graders also explored the Luxor Temple and the tombs of Queen Nefertari and Ramses I from the Valley of the Queens and Kings. Relics from Queen Nefertari's tomb have been on display this past fall at the Portland Art Museum, and some students had the opportunity to visit that exhibit with their families.
A hands-on project was part of their studies, with each student building their own pyramid from objects like Legos, sugar cubes, candy canes, or sand.
"This field trip was a great experience for me. I got to see what was going on in Egypt that minute," said student Max Kelly. "I also got to see how Egyptians make items to sell, from beautiful table cloths made of wool to astonishing fine silver scarab beetles with hieroglyphics on the back. To see a temple live up close and tombs of ancient pharaohs and then the Egyptian shops in Luxor was amazing! I hope I can go to Egypt someday."
"It was really cool to see a culture different than our own. It was like we were right there across the world," said Amaya Taylor. "It gave us a chance to look into the past and the present to see what life was like for ancient Egyptians and now for modern day Egyptians. Overall the experience was really cool!"
Wetten adds art therapy to emotional supports
John Wetten Elementary has long been a front-runner in providing a Culture of Care that supports each student's social-emotional well-being. Those school wide strategies have been a big asset in helping students navigate the stress, anxiety and trauma of the pandemic.
Teachers check in with students daily during each classroom's Morning Meeting. This is a time for children to share their feelings and learn strategies for understanding and managing their strong emotions.
This year, thanks to funding from the Student Investment Account, John Wetten and the GCCF have added a second counselor. Naomi Stadeli and Rachel Gordon focus on teaching social-emotional skills in classrooms, one-on-one, and in small groups.
This term, school counselors at John Wetten are providing expressive art therapy interventions in 5th grade classrooms to reduce feelings of anxiety. "Through expressive art interventions, students will begin to understand their experience with anxiety and develop skills to move through overwhelming moments," explained Gordon.
John Wetten's Skills Learning Center has long been a proactive intervention that helps students learn to get their needs met in appropriate ways. It is a calm, controlled environment where children can learn and practice sensory and emotional regulation while developing a safe relationship with an attuned adult to guide them through the learning process one-on-one.
"We are impressed at how hard students are working to build their stamina and practice daily routines," said Vice Principal Lori Buchanan. "Staff members continue to build positive relationships with students and they are creating safe, calm and compassionate classroom environments."
January is School Board Appreciation month
Pictured above, from left to right are Board Chair Steve Stewart, Vice Chair Stacie Moncrief, Donna Diggs, Tracey Grant, Erik Richter, Jeremy Shaw, and Ginger Zimtbaum.
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