Richland Academy

Recently, Richland Academy’s Junior Choir competed in the Kiwanis Music Festival, under the guidance of their Performing Arts Teacher, Ms. Pitt.  The choir blew the audience away with their musical selections of “True Colours” and “Seasons of Love”, delivered with energy and joy. The expression, soul, and love the choir put into their performance was unmatched.   Congratulations to the entire choir.
 
Here are some things the choir had to say about the experience:
 
“When we were up there, we owned it! We really let ourselves be like, it’s now or never!” – Andrea

“At Richland, we always step out of the box! When we were singing, we had so much expression and we really enjoyed what we were doing and I think that was the most important part.”- Kayla

Richland Academy was selected by local felting artist, Melanie Siegel, to participate in her Intergenerational Felting Extravaganza, which is supported by Richmond Hill's Mayor's Endowment Fund for the Arts. Richland students have been working collaboratively with Ms. Siegel to create felting art pieces which are inspired by the natural landscape. The beauty of the raw wool and the fascinating process of creating felt have captivated Richland's students. We look forward to showcasing the finished pieces as part of this exciting local arts initiative.

Richland Academy was honoured to be one of three guest schools invited to Free The Children's press conference in Toronto last month. With the penny officially going out of circulation, it was a wonderful send off for the Canadian copper coin. Richland Ambassadors represented the Richland Community and presented over $2000 to Free the Children's founder, Craig Kielburger, enough money to provide 78 people with clean drinking water for life. Congratulations to the entire Richland Academy Community for their commitment and generosity towards this important cause.

Recently, Richland Academy welcomed internationally recognized artist, Guo Yue Dou back to the school. Dou returned for another session with Grades 1-3 to create chalk pastel drawings of birds and other wildlife. Dou's work is detailed and lifelike, and our students did an excellent job capturing these same qualities.
 
The workshop was a tremendous success, and in addition to our students, we had many parents engaged in the session. At Richland we recognize the importance of providing students with creative opportunities to develop their artistic abilities. The results speak for themselves!
 
 

"A small community with big hearts."  That is how Ms. Jones, a representative of Free the Children, described her experience at Richland Academy's We Day event. Richland is one of the first schools in the GTA to hold its own We Day as part of its commitment to support Free the Children. This emotional and uplifting event was organized by Richland's student Ambassadors, and kicked off the school's campaign to BE THE CHANGE. The Canadian penny goes out of circulation on February 4th, and Richland students are collecting bags of 25,000 pennies, totally $25.00 per bag, which is enough to provide someone with clean drinking water for life. If you would like to support Richland's BE THE CHANGE initiative, additional penny bags are available from the school office. Together we can change the world.

Richland was all a buzz at the arrival of Richmond Hill’s Mayor, Mr. David Barrow, who recently came to see Richland’s Reggio-inspired approach to learning firsthand;  and to review the exciting plans in place for Richland’s upcoming expansion. Mayor Barrow hardly got a word in, thanks to the enthusiasm of the students to share their thoughts and ideas. The pride they exude for their work reaffirms the importance of giving students a voice in their learning, and creating opportunities for them to express their understanding. Mayor Barrow was suitably impressed with the confidence and the thoughtfulness Richland’s students displayed during his visit!

Richland Academy has launched its campaign to be recognized as a Rights Respecting School in association with Unicef Canada. Unicef Canada's Rights Respecting Schools Initiative uses the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as a basis for enhancing an inclusive, participatory and respectful school culture for children and adults.  
 
With an engaging and hands-on program grounded in children's rights, the Rights Respecting Schools Initiative enriches school culture in a way that is directly connected to the work that Richland is already doing.  
 
Congratulations Richland, for ensuring that children's best interests are at the centre of all decisions through this exciting partnership with Unicef Canada.
 

Richland Academy’s Remembrance Day Assembly conveyed poignancy and peacefulness as the school community came together to mark this important occasion. The Grade Five students shared a reflective montage of World War II experiences, which included a portrayal of Colonel John McCrae and a beautiful acapella rendition on the wartime hit, Lili Marlene. The Grade Six students followed with their performance of John Lennon’s classic, Imagine, with exceptional sensitivity. Their powerful presentation about wars currently being fought around the world brought the message of peace to the foreground.

The highlight of the Assembly was a concluding dance which involved the entire audience. The song We Want Peace, by Emmanuel Ja, infused a compelling message throughout the Richland community. This experience, coupled with the powerful voices of children, reminded us all of the need for peace around the world.

On Thursday, June 14th, we honoured and congratulated our SK and Grade 6 students at respective Graduation Ceremonies. It was remarkable to see how far each student has come on their path of learning, with support from their fantastic teachers and families! We wish our SK students the best of luck as they progress to Grade 1 next year. We wish our Grade 6 'Class of 2012' graduates continued success as they venture beyond the 'walls' of Richland. We congratulate each of our students as they advance to the next step of their learning. We are proud of each and every one of them!

On the sunny afternoon of June 13th, Richland students paid tribute to their Dads at our annual 'Father's Day Celebration BBQ.' Students and their fathers enjoyed special activities, including parachuting, sidewalk chalk, basketball and soccer. We hope that each and every one of our special Dads had a delightful day!

On June 7th, Richland Academy students showcased their talents in a collaborative presentation of song and movement, under the direction of Performing Arts Teacher, Ms. Morgan. Confident students performed a wonderful collection of Broadway Classics, including Goldie and the 3 Bears, Clowns, Once Upon a Mattress, and Oliver Twist, before a packed audience of proud families and friends. A special thank you to all those involved in bringing these Broadway Classics to life!

On May 31st, Richland students highlighted their scientific and inquiry learning talents at our 'Science Inquiry Festival.' Explorations included: the life cycle of a frog, butterflies, sensory organs, simple machines, food chains, moving bodies, and chair constructions. Congratulations to our students for their hard work and dedication to their remarkable projects!

On Friday, May 25th, the Richland Community participated in our 8th Annual Meagan's Walk, honouring the memory of Meagan Bebenek. For this fund- and awareness-raising event, we welcomed special guests, Denise Bebenek, mother of Meagan, and her wonderful team from the Meagan's Walk Foundation. As a community, we enjoyed a walk around the Richmond Hill community, followed by a special video performance, featuring images from past Walks at Richland, and heartfelt student quotes about the importance of this event.

On the sunny afternoon of May 11th, Richland students honoured their special Moms at our annual 'Mother’s Day Celebration.' It was a truly memorable event, where students and their Moms enjoyed the outdoors and beautifying our gardens together. We hope that each and every one of our special Mothers had an enjoyable experience. Thank you to all of our Richland children for their love in sharing this most special afternoon with their Moms!

On Tuesday, May 8, we had the honour and privilege of welcoming our Special Guest, Ms. Lella Gandini, for a day visit to Richland! The children were ever so engaged with Ms. Gandini, as they chatted with her and welcomed her into the fold and into our community; it was truly a sight to behold. As the Reggio Children United States Liaison for the Dissemination of the Reggio Emilia Approach, Ms. Gandini had the opportunity to tour our School and meet with staff to thoughtfully discuss this inquiry-based philosophy. Staff were inspired by the "energy she brought to the school," "her sense of peace and joy when she spoke about Reggio experiences," "her wealth of knowledge," and her "ideas about how to engage learners on a more holistic level." Reggio Lead Teacher, Mrs. Kate Daniel, marvelled at "how interested she was in what we were all doing at our School, in our context, and that she so much wanted to learn from us, as well as us from her."

The week of April 16-20, Richland Academy students and staff participated in various fund- and awareness-raising activities in support of Free The Children's 'Five Days for Freedom' campaign. The purpose of this initiative is to inspire students to take action and raise awareness about the obstacles of freedom that many face each day - exploitation, poverty, thirst and disease.

During the week, students illuminated the obstacles of freedom with daily announcements, brought in non-perishable food items to donate to the Richmond Hill Community Food Bank, and wore band-aids in visible spots on their body or backpack to help raise awareness and stand in solidarity with those lacking basic health. Students also contributed coins to a Classroom Coin Drive in support of a young York Region cancer patient, Julia M. of Markham, in need of financial assistance for her specialized treatment. Julia, who was the recipient of a heart transplant at eight months, is in need of medical attention after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that only affects transplant patients. Money raised will help cover the cost of procedures that will provide Julia with the T-cell infusion treatment only available at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York or in Europe. To learn more about Julia, or to follow her journey, visit: helpjulia.blogspot.ca. We are proud of all of our students who are helping to make a difference in this world, both locally and globally.

This Valentine's Day, the Richland Academy gymnasium was buzzing with excitement as we held our first ever "Dance-a-Thon Fundraiser for Haiti," in accordance with Free The Children’s 'Adopt-A-Village' program. Students, staff and some parents had fun expressing themselves as they enjoyed a diverse playlist of songs selected from each class. Students dressed in pink, red and white in celebration of the day. Our Richland Ambassadors, who hosted the Dance-a-Thon, described it as "full of energy" and "awesome," and decided that it should definitely be an annual event. We are proud to announce that our students and staff collected over $4,000 in pledges, which will go directly toward our village in Manac, Haiti! With this total, we are less than $1,000 away from reaching our 'Adopt-a-Village' goal! Congratulations to all!

Each year, throughout Black History Month, Richland Academy students broaden their understanding of Black Canadian History by participating in insightful and purposeful class discussions and activities, including a special Black History Month assembly.

At this year's assembly, hosted by our Grade 2 class, Richland students shone brightly as they shared a wonderful assortment of poetry, storytelling and music, including a drumming performance from our Grade 4 students. Commemorating the achievements of important people and events in Black History gives our students the opportunity to experience an important part of their Canadian Heritage. Engaging them in deep and thoughtful dialogue heightens their appreciation for Black Canadian History and fosters respectful, global-minded citizens.

Congratulations to the Richland Community for continuing to keep Black History alive in our schools.

On January 27th, Richland students, staff and families joined us for 'Family Fun Day,' a community-building event in celebration of Winterfest and Family Literacy Day. The day began with a morning of free-skating and warming up with hot chocolate at Bond Lake Arena. Smiling (and tired) faces then returned to Richland for a special Family Pizza Lunch, followed by a unique art activity and fun literacy presentation. At the end of the day, we raffled off some local theatre tickets and announced the winner of our Book Drive Guessing Game, where each family had the chance to estimate the number of books we collected for our annual Book Drive.

William Butler Yeats so aptly once said, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." This prominent 20th Century poet and playwright was wise to the vast difference between knowing and understanding. To simply know facts is not to understand what makes those facts knowledge. "To understand is to be able to wisely and effectively use- transfer- what we know, in context; to apply knowledge and skills effectively, in realistic tasks and settings." (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 4). So how can today's education system help students achieve this type of 'education for understanding?' Teachers- as collaborators and guides- must find creative ways to stimulate their students' natural curiosities and allow them to make connections between theories, while building the skills and attitudes they will need for life-long learning. Child-centered and retrospective curricula design, combined with inquiry-based learning, will allow schools to foster authentic student learning experiences, by providing students with opportunities to engage in meaningful learning experiences; to explore, investigate, discover, collaborate and communicate with others in an experiential and 'minds-on' learning environment. In order to lead students to a deeper understanding of the content, teachers must highlight the 'Big Ideas' that uncover the value of learning opportunities. 'Backward Design' involves looking at the end results in order to coherently design curricula and assessment. In doing so, teachers "identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, and plan learning experiences and instruction" (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 17). Enduring Understanding- the 'Big Ideas' that propel the planning and assessment process- and Essential Questions are a part of the curriculum development that assists teachers in planning pertinent and authentic learning units, and are clearly established before the learning unfolds. "So what?" teachers often 'ask' in order to determine what they would like students to be able to explain, interpret, apply, have perspective on, empathize, and have self-knowledge about a given topic (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 343). To help each student achieve a successful and relevant education, schools must begin with what matters most, keeping the authentic learning experience in mind. For instance, when designing an advertisement, we first think about our desired result: How do we want the finished product to look? What message do we want our target audience to walk away with? Then we begin to plan and organize the images, the fonts, the colours, and the placement of details, such as our logo and contact information. Like so, when teachers plan their curricula, it also makes sense for them to start with the end result in mind: What do we want the children to know and understand, including attitudes and transferable skills? Why and how is this relevant to their learning experiences? The students themselves must also understand the purpose of specific experiences and to what they relate, as well as how these experiences will enable them to achieve their goals as active and responsible learners. As a method of understanding, the 'Backward Design' model is largely compatible with the Core Knowledge curriculum and Reggio Approach to inquiry learning richly embraced by Richland Academy. By combining these viewpoints, and regarding children as creative and capable protagonists, teachers are able to take on the role of researchers for the learning that cultivates real-life application beyond the classroom. Richland's 'Big Ideas' include Community and Structure & Function, to which many of the curriculum concepts are filtered. As a Reggio-inspired, 21st Century learning community, our child-centered, experiential and intellectually-stimulating environment fosters life-long learning skills and attitudes, where our students are challenged to extract multi-faceted ideas from their learning interests. This deeper understanding allows our students to experience meaningful and relevant learning opportunities; thus, truly achieving an 'education for understanding.' References Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. (2nd ed.). Alexandria (VA): Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

According to Malaguzzi, "Learning and teaching should not stand on opposite banks and just watch the river flow by; instead, they should embark together on a journey down the water. Through an active, reciprocal exchange, teaching can strengthen learning how to learn." Richland Academy is now entering its tenth anniversary, and comes with a history of traditional teaching. Now three years into the transition from a traditional teaching model to a Reggio inspired approach, the wonders of this way of supporting learners is emerging. But with it comes the challenges of bringing on board an already existing team of excellent teachers, as well as new teachers, and asking them to teach and learn through a different lens. We are learning how to listen and how to observe the children and each other. As we constantly reflect, we realize that our journey, although fraught with self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and the need for us to let go of our own personal egos, also brings us renewed joy in our teaching, allows for deeper creativity and is moving us all towards 21st century learning, that is based on natural inquiry and the child as a key player in his own learning. At the centre of this approach is always the child. The shift from 'the child following the teacher', to™ 'the teacher following the child' has been a monumental one. In the beginning we questioned, "Will we cover the curriculum? Will they learn to read? Will they learn their math skills?" These questions are indeed being answered for us. The children are showing us that they are deep thinkers who can question their own learning and challenge themselves and us, as teachers. As we begin to look back at the beginning of our Reggio journey, we can laugh at the exuberance of how we leapt in with feet first. Our first changes began with the environment. We knew we had to bring nature in, so we went out and purchased natural baskets and branches. We look now with amusement realizing that yes, environment is of key importance, but we did not have to take it so literally. Every type of branch we could find was strung throughout each classroom. A classroom that looks like a forest is not necessarily a Reggio classroom! We learned that everyone learns differently, even teachers, and to think that they would all spontaneously and unquestionably embrace this philosophy was idealistic. Perhaps we need to slow down, take more time to reflect deeply and allow everyone to move at their pace in their learning. No one book provides you with a step by step guide, but it is only through reading, reflecting, dialoguing with others, observing and embracing new ideas that we can transform. At Richland Academy, we have a strong and supportive administration that allows us to experiment, and encourages us to challenge our own beliefs. As we dialogue with our colleagues, we are ever changing as we listen and learn from each other. Together, we are co-constructing what is Reggio in our school. What we are realizing is that Reggio cannot be transported from one place to another. It needs to be molded and nurtured, and made our own. Our journey is an inspirational one and truly transformative, both for the children and ourselves as co-learners. Embracing the Reggio Approach has brought us back to the roots of childhood, and allowed us the privilege to experience the joy and wonder of learning through a child's eyes.

As we move into what is being called the "creative" or "conceptual" age, success in a few narrow core subjects will no longer prepare students for this world. A renewed vision of education in the 21st century requires reforming or redesigning our schools, our curriculum, and how we are teaching the children of today.

Read more about "The Freedom to Learn in the Conceptual Age of Schooling" at dialogueonline.ca.

At Richland Academy, we are committed to engaging staff, students and parents in nutrition awareness and educational activities that promote healthy eating within and outside of our environment. Our School Nutrition Action Committee (SNAC) actively promotes a safe and healthy school nutrition environment year-round. Each March, we also participate in National Nutrition Month with fun and informative activities throughout the month!

Daily nutritional intake affects every aspect of a child's life; their behaviour and mood, susceptibility to illness and infection, physical activity, and performance in school are all affected by diet. The old adage, 'you are what you eat,' rings true. Children who over-indulge in sugary and fatty foods react slower- both physically and mentally- than those who consume natural, fresh and wholesome diets. In order to support optimal cognitive functioning, healthy eating patterns and physical activity must be reinforced at home and school. Remember, as a parent you set a primary example for your child when it comes to health and nutrition. Your attitude toward food and exercise can shape your family's habits.

As a Healthy School Community, Richland Academy is doing their part to provide a safe and healthy environment for students, free from unhealthy consumer-driven ads, junk and pop machines. We educate students about healthy eating habits and promote their wellbeing with ongoing physical and mental activities.