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Why Outdoor Education?
"I didn't realize the moon rose and set." Thus whispered Megan to me on her first chilly night in the desert as the 8
th
grade class camped alongside the burbling Colorado River a few years ago. As darkness enveloped the tents and the stars popped out like incandescent white sparklers, the whole class watched in awe as a massive orange full moon, like a giant's basketball, began to peer slowly above the knife-sharp horizon.
"The moon rises?" asked Vanessa.
"The moon sets?" added Amy, doubtfully.
"I thought it was always . . . well . . . just there!" offered Jenny.
And the physics teacher in me eagerly jumped in to explain how the Earth spins on its axis and how that rotation causes everything in the sky to appear to rise in the East and set in the West every day, at least in the northern hemisphere. That's what we in the trade call "a teachable moment." I relived that moment and that mini science lesson jokingly with those girls several times in the ensuing five years before they graduated.
The week we spend with our children in the outdoors, whether it be on the river, in the mountains or on a remote island, is one of the most important weeks (all eight weeks in the case of 5
th
through 12
th
grade "lifers") in our curriculum. Some kids love it, some kids . . . well, not so much. Upon graduation many can identify their favorite and least favorite trips without missing a beat. But it's no vacation week. It's a vital, integral part of our curriculum. Ironically the benefits are especially high for those who don't love it. They are the ones who might otherwise never spend time under canvas, never have to paddle a canoe in straight line for fifty miles, never have to summon the nerve to scale a vertical rock outcrop and (here comes the important bit) never have to learn how to work together with others to achieve tasks that can only be achieved together.
We hope we take most of the students out of their comfort zones at least once during their annual trips. And there lies the not-so-hidden agenda. The science, the astronomy, the ecology, the increased environmental awareness comprise the overt part of the program, but even more valuable in my mind is how outdoor ed prepares our future graduates for life in college, for those first few days and weeks in the dorm and on a larger campus, when they will inevitably be somewhat outside their comfort zones. A graduate's mother put it like this to me after her daughter's first year at UC Santa Barbara: "She was surrounded by friends who had graduated from our local public school with stellar GPAs, but," said mom, "she was the first one to settle into the rhythm of her academic classes, because the expectations and challenges of being away from home and managing her own time were second nature to her. RHP had taught her how to work with others in unfamiliar surroundings, how to collaborate and find solutions to challenges and how to overcome the curveballs that life throws. Some of her public school friends took the whole first year to get to grips with those things and their academics suffered as a result."
So, these are the types of conversations to have with your sons and daughters upon their return from the trips. The benefits are lifelong.
See you Monday morning bright and very early.
Click below for trip information.
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Outdoor Education Week Begins
Monday, October 2
5th and 6th grade leaves on Tuesday, October 3
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SAT Tests
Saturday, October 7 | 8:00 a.m.
MPR
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Tuesday, October 10
Please click below to find the picture order form.
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Tues., October 10th
4:30 p.m.
Cheviot Hills Park
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MS Girls' Volleyball vs. Pacific Lutheran
Thurs., October 12
3:30 p.m.
Basketball Court on Campus
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Girls' Volleyball
vs. California Academy of Math & Science
Thurs., October 12
4:30 p.m.
Cabrillo HS
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Boys' Football vs. St. Michaels
Fri., October 13
3:30 p.m.
St. Michaels
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Grandparents & Friends Day
Grandparents & Friends Day is Tuesday, November 21st and invitations will be going out in a couple of weeks. If you haven't completed your form, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible so that your loved ones are included in this treasured annual event.
Please click on the link below to download the form, complete it and return it to the front office by Friday, September 29th.
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Parent Volunteers Needed
for Performing Arts Booster Club
The Performing Arts Booster Club is raising funds by selling muffins on campus during break and needs parent volunteers to offer their time. Responsibilities include purchasing muffins, bringing them to campus, and conducting sales.
Click below to sign up.
Let's show our Husky performers that we care!
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Boston to New York
College Tour
When it comes to Beantown and the Big Apple, their campuses have a culture as distinct as the cities themselves. Compare a range of schools and scenery as you venture from Boston to New York City, and bookend your trip with guided tours of each city's famous neighborhoods and historic sites.
EF offers free monthly payment plans and anyone who puts down their $95 deposit by September 30th will receive $50 off!
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Important:
After School Program
Due to PSATs on Wednesday, October 11, After School Program will take place on Thursday, October 12, instead of Wednesday. This change will only affect these two days and will not change the permanent ASP schedule.
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Husky Classic Golf Tournament
October 23, 2017
7000 Los Verdes Dr, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
October is drawing near and ticket sales are now live for the Husky Classic Golf Tournament! We hope you can join us on the green and help support our Husky Athletics Program. A major component of our
Ten Year Vision at RHP and Ren involves a continued focus on healthy Student-Athletes and your participation will help us move further towards our goal. Click the button below to purchase your tickets today!
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Sabrina Cohn
"I looked inside myself and realized that it's ok to ask for help. So what do you do when you need help but none is offered? You ask. Teachers no longer asked if I needed help, so I went and asked for it, and they gave it to me. I had not asked for help in so long and when I got it, it was like finally being pulled from the water."
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On Monday, parent Nadine Macklin came and spoke to the 6th and 7th graders about different needs that should be addressed in city design and urban planning. This information will help them in the Future Cities competition.
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On Wednesday, three kudos for good deeds were awarded to three Kaplan siblings. A rare occurrence for RHP and Ren!
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Dr. Taurozzi had his chemistry students conduct a wide variety of experiments this past week. Students were encouraged to make observations about chemical reactions, a vital skill in STEM fields.
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