Aldermere Farm & Erickson Fields Fall Celebration

Saturday, October 15

1:00 - 4:00

It’s fall harvest time and there’s a lot to celebrate at Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields Preserve in Rockport!

Join us at Erickson Fields Preserve for a lively afternoon learning about the wealth of community programming and activities that take place at Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields throughout the year.

• Harvest some carrots with the Teen Ag Crew!
• Tour the gardens and learn about the thousands of pounds of produce grown here and donated to local food pantries
• Find out how your family can get involved with Kids Can Grow and build your own raised bed at home
• Take a walk on the “Story Walk”
• Meet the Aldermere 4-Hers and their Belted Galloway cows from Aldermere Farm 
• Chat with members of The Knox County Gleaners and learn about the Community Wellness Program at Pen Bay Medical Center and our partnership programs that address food insecurity in our local communities

There will be tasty local treats for sale including ice cream from Stone Fox Farm Creamery and burgers made from your local Aldermere beef.

Maine Coast Heritage Trust has launched the Aldermere & Erickson Campaign, to raise at least $3 million for critical new infrastructure and equipment at Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields that will enable us to better serve the Midcoast community for decades to come.

Come learn about the new Visitor’s Center at Aldermere Farm, trail upgrades, several new structures for Erickson Fields, and more that will be funded by the Campaign.

We’re excited to share the plans with you and answer your questions!

RAIN DATE:

Sunday, October 16

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

This event is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. Gather up your friends and family and drop by Aldemere Farm & Erickson Fields to learn about these great community resources!

A Note from our

Head of School

While very disappointed to have missed Grandparents Day, I have been deeply inspired by my days away on the NEASC accreditation team visit and  at the three day International Progressive Educators Conference. 

After an Indigenous Welcome Ceremony, and a dynamic keynote with Jesse Hagopian, author of Rethinking Schools, I attended sessions on Environmental and Sustainability Education as a tool for liberation, an Ethnic Studies primer as a movement for anti-racism with Christopher Mena, progressive pedagogies in the math classroom, and the research behind prioritizing the essential value of play. I had the opportunity to connect with educators from across the country and an introduction to progressive schools around the world. My business cards ran out as my colleagues sought invitations to come see us! 

I have been inundating the faculty all week with articles and reference materials to reinvigorate our own practices as well as affirm the many established practices and values Riley has in place. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to recognize that our little 50 year old school is so solidly rooted in leading theories of childhood and research-based progressive approaches, which in turn delivers an engaging constructivist approach to meaningful and relevant learning and a core respect for children as learners. 

As we celebrate this “Golden Anniversary” at Riley we have much to be proud of. And as truly progressive and honest educators we are keenly aware that there are always opportunities to learn, to grow, and to be voices of change as we envision a future together. We look forward to partnering with you in that work in the months ahead. 

I hope to see many of you for our next 50th Anniversary & Planning Committee Meeting on Friday October 14th at 12:30. Bring your lunch and your ideas.

As always, 

Becky 

Grandparents and Special Friends Day: A Joy for All!

What an absolute gift it was to have all the grandparents and special friends on campus last Thursday. A great time was had by all!

During the school day our Riley friends, both old and new, were able to share in fun activities like cider pressing, field scything, pottery making, and a steel drum concert. In the afternoon and early evening everyone enjoyed a potluck served with a side of a crackling fire and a rousing game of Manhunt in the woods!

From the Board..

Many of you may have already read the letter from the board that went out last week, but with such a thoughtful correspondence from those working behind the scenes to ensure our wonderful school is all that it can be, we thought it would be nice to include a couple of excerpts in this week's Whims. Be sure to read the letter in full! Thank you to our wonderful board for all that they do!

Welcome to Riley School’s 50th year! Fifty years ago, in Glenna’s home and with just six

children, few would have imagined a campus with five buildings, 60 children, and 13 faculty and administrators. As the Board reflects on the past 50 years, we think first of the many children who developed a passion for learning in our buildings, fields, and forest. We take pride in the nearly 500 alumni who have gone on to become scientists, artists, lawyers, bankers and

entrepreneurs. We think of our humble beginnings, our resilience, and our amazing growth. We reflect on the many strengths and opportunities afforded by our founder’s guiding philosophy, and the success with which Becky and her team of dedicated professionals have carried that forward. We have so much to be proud of. So much to celebrate!

...

We believe that the 50th school year isn’t just another year, or even just a year to celebrate. We believe it’s a pivotal point in time. A point in time in which we have strong support from our

community, and we have a stellar group of facilitators and administration who are working diligently to provide a best-in-class progressive education for Riley children. This will be a year in which we will revel in our success, and a year in which we will leverage our current momentum to reach even greater heights. Yes, we will have celebrations to recognize this milestone, but we will also have town hall meetings, surveys, and other engagement opportunities. We will kick off new fundraising activities, facilitate campus improvements, and launch new volunteer committees. With your help we’ll do the hard work of introspection and take those learnings to create goals that will drive continuous improvement for years to come.

Check your mailbox (the real one!) to read this wonderful and exciting letter from the board in full!

Come One, Come All

to Riley Nights!

Join us on Sunday October 16 at 3 pm for an open to all (the Riley community and beyond) talent show!

If you are interested in sharing a special talent on stage, please contact Spring Hill (Autumn, Milo and Jasper’s mom :)

springhillfilm@gmail.com

310-913-4984