"Shreiner Matters" by Head of School, Sarah Walker

 In a recent posting on TVOParents.org, the benefits of summer camp were widely touted. The article referenced specific categories of life skills that are offered to children through camp activities. "Many of the positive skills children learn at summer camp are called upon later in life...studies show that outdoor activity, social interaction, and balanced diet at camp can greatly improve a young person's overall well-being and can lead to establishing health and lifestyle patterns."  More

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. The March 2010 edition of the ASCD Education Update focuses on issues surrounding gender and the resulting application and entrance into these fields of study and related professions. Historically and currently, women are under-represented. Educators are making concerted efforts to inform young girls and young women about the myriad study and career opportunities that are available to them. In the ASCD article, Fred Smyth, a research professor from the University of Virginia states, “’There really aren’t any differences in achievement or performance in math and science for girls and boys all the way through high school…Girls tend to think of these fields as a guys’ environment. Girls, Smyth asserts, are less inclined to pursue fields in which they don’t see their faces reflected” (ASCD, March, 2010).    More

Our re-enrollment packets will be coming to you in the mail this next week. Thank you for your patience—sensitive to providing the best value-for-dollar, and cognizant of expense to our families, we have been finalizing necessary details about some important enhancements to our academic programs and offerings, as well as some needed streamlining for the convenience of our community.  More

A mark of an exceptional teacher is the ability to engender a love of learning in his or her students, coupled with providing each child with an excellent foundation in education. We’ve spoken a lot about our 3 pillars at Shreiner: Family Feel, Whole Child (Approach to Learning), and a solid pedagogical Foundation. Let’s break that down a bit this week by looking closely at what educators are recognizing about the role “play” has in a child’s development.  More

Did you know: Shreiner continues to make inroads educating children about the importance of establishing healthy eating habits?   More

In this hectic, work-a-day world, it is easy to put our passions on the back burner. But that’s exactly what we shouldn't do! Living a creative life is essential to cultivating our passions, and it’s something we can practice every day and, importantly, model for our children. And here’s the thing—creativity doesn’t have to be defined the way you might think…  More

Undoubtedly you have seen or heard about the horrors of the earthquake in Haiti. On Saturday, President Obama announced the establishment of a national fund to provide needed supplies and relief. Please join me as we reach out a helping hand to the survivors of this earthquake. http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org It is easy to make a donation, and you will receive a confirmation by email almost immediately.  More

On Wednesday, January 13, 2010, join us in the Academy Building Conference Room at 9 AM for our monthly Head of School/Parent Meeting. We will welcome NWEA representative Vicki McCoy to answer your questions about our incredible MAP assessment tool for individualization in the classroom. Shreiner grade school and middle school teacher representatives will be on hand to answer questions for you, too.   More

Happy 2010, Shreiner Family! As we enter this new year, it's a perfect time to look forward as we build on our progress of these past few months.  More