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SIMPLY LINCOLN – Canton Resident Portrays Abraham Lincoln to Enthusiastic Reviews

March 25, 2021
If you know Howard Wright, Science Department Head here at Renbrook, you may know of his love for all things Lincoln and his art of portraying President Abraham Lincoln. March 4, 2021 marked the 160th anniversary of Lincoln’s inauguration in 1861 and in honor of this anniversary, Bruce Deckert, Editor-in-Chief of Today Magazine, featured a six-page spread on Howard and his Lincoln portrayals. Enjoy this wonderful story and the beautiful photos featuring our own Howard Wright. 
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Play-Based Learning at Renbrook School

March 8, 2021

Play-based learning at Renbrook is balanced with direct instruction to support students’ social, emotional, and intellectual development. Although learning through play looks different than more traditional learning experiences that many of us may be familiar with, it is learning that happens within a meaningful context. Students take ownership over constructing their own understanding and knowledge and because of that it sticks and becomes internalized.  

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Black History Education in the Early Learning Center

March 2, 2021

Black History Month was created to ensure due attention was given to the numerous and important contributions of people of African descent. The goal was not for discussions, research, and projects to start and end in February; Black history is American history and should be woven into conversations with children throughout the year.

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Social Studies, Humanities, and History at Renbrook School

February 25, 2021

Renbrook’s mission calls us to prepare our students to lead in a global and inclusive world. Our “Curriculum Spotlight” highlights our Social Studies, Humanities, and History Program which plays a central role in this work. Our intentional development of empathetic citizens dedicated to the greater good is more important now than ever.  
 
As you explore our Division Heads’ “fly over” of the scope and sequence of this important program, join us in our partnership to develop our children’s commitment to serving ideals and institutions that support our community and strengthen our democracy.

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Renbrook Alumna Lauren Horn ’10 Performs “Cleave”

February 22, 2021
Renbrook alumna Lauren Horn ‘10 performed recently in the University of Connecticut’s Radical Black Art and Performance Series, featuring virtual performances, film screenings, discussions, and workshops by LGBTQ artists and scholars of color. The series was curated by Philadelphia-based choreographer and artist Arien Wilkerson who recently shared in an interview with Connecticut Public Radio, “This series really invites UConn and other institutions to think about the way they have neglected Black artists and Black educators. They need to incorporate Black artists, Black thinkers, Black minds in all facets, not just entertaining you, not just educating you, but also in the planning and the infrastructure of all this, too.”
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MATHCOUNTS 2021

February 17, 2021

Congratulations to all of our Renbrook “Mathletes” who recently participated in MATHCOUNTS. Particular congratulations go out to sixth-grader Hridaan Mehta for qualifying for the next round of the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series, the Chapter Invitational. Hridaan scored 37 out of 46 possible points and ranked fourteenth overall.
The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is a national middle school mathematics competition that builds problem-solving skills and fosters achievement through four levels of fun, in-person “bee” style contests. The contests are all being held virtually this year and Hridaan will move on to the Chapter Invitational on February 25, 2021. Best of luck Hridaan! 

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Student-Driven Curriculum in Kindergarten – Why and How?

February 16, 2021

Despite COVID-19 limitations that require each kindergarten class to remain socially distant, the kindergarten teachers brought their students together on Zoom to brainstorm what topics they might be interested in studying. The list was vast and varied! Topics ranged from tunnels to whistles to clocks.

Each teacher created a list of the students’ ideas and the individual classes then began to group the topics into themes such as food, machines, toys, and transportation. Once several categories were identified, each class voted on a theme to study, with each student allowed two votes. Topics were given 2 points for a child’s first choice and 1 point for a child’s second choice. Two kindergarten classes selected transportation as their theme while the third selected toys.

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Math at Renbrook School

December 28, 2020

Math at Renbrook School is dynamic and engaging at every level. Here, our Division Heads provide a description of our math philosophy and the ways we bring learning to life through real-world applications.  
 
You will find through their writing that our math program is a foundational element of a Renbrook education. Secondary schools recognize our graduates for their conceptual mastery as well as their ability to execute an array of problem-solving strategies. Our outstanding math instructors take great pride in our student outcomes. 
 
While our students’ strong standardized test scores tell a part of the story and their math trajectory makes their former teachers beam, we are most proud of the ways our teachers develop confidence and a love for math. 

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Eighth-Grader Campbell Hudkins is the 2020 USHJA Youth Leadership Award Recipient

December 23, 2020

We are so proud of eighth-grader, Campbell Hudkins, 13, of Farmington, Connecticut, who was recently awarded the USHJA (United States Hunter Jumper Association) Youth Leadership Award. Campbell has demonstrated leadership and positivity in her equestrian endeavors and has enjoyed success in the Hunters, Jumpers, and Equitation, including winning the 2020 EMO Insurance/USHJA Jumping Seat Medal Final – East. Campbell is involved in the day-to-day care and management of her horses on her family farm. She has also engaged in charitable work benefitting the USHJA Feed Aid initiative providing aid to purchase feed for lesson horses in the hunter/jumper community financially impacted by COVID-19.

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Griffin Santopietro, Renbrook Class of 2020, stars in Netflix Show

December 21, 2020

We are so proud of Griffin Santopietro ’20, who is featured in this West Hartford News article for his work as an actor. Griffin recently starred in the Netflix show “Cobra Kai” which is based on “The Karate Kid.” Griffin is a 2020 graduate of Renbrook. Click below to read the West Hartford News article.

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Alumni Office Sends Love and Care Via USPS

December 21, 2020
On December 8, 2020, Renbrook School’s Alumni Office mailed 123 specially created care packages to alumni in high school and college. As part of its alumni engagement efforts, each fall the Alumni Office sends a letter to parents of alumni in high school and college, asking for their child’s current contact information. A small gift, several specially chosen treats, and a note of care and well wishes are included in each care package.

This year’s care packages include a card from the Alumni Office, microwave popcorn, dark chocolate covered blueberries, Chips Ahoy/Oreos, an immunity drink packet, and either a Renbrook reusable straw for our college-age alums or Renbrook Post-its for our high school-age alums. Some care packages even contained a personal note, handwritten by an alum’s former teacher!

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Skin Color Study in Junior Kindergarten

December 3, 2020

We want all students to see themselves as integral threads of the classroom fabric, so it is important that no single skin color is considered “normal.” To avoid having any child feel like an “other,” students need support to identify, describe, and discuss their own skin colors.

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Eighth-Grader Campbell Hudkins Wins Equestrian Award

October 13, 2020

We are so proud of eighth-grader Campbell Hudkins for her recent equestrian accomplishments at the Capital Challenge Horse Show held at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio. Campbell won the fourth annual EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Final – East on Saturday, September 26.

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Eighth-grade student Christopher Joszczyk Receives 2020 Youth Honor Award

October 1, 2020
We are pleased to recognize eighth-grade student Christopher Joszczyk who was the recipient of the 2020 Youth Honor Award from Skipping Stones magazine. Founded in 1988, Skipping Stones is an award-winning, international magazine for youth celebrating ecological and cultural diversity, and facilitating a meaningful exchange of ideas and experiences. Joszczyk submitted a poem and illustration on Chopin and was recognized for his creative work which appears in the Fall issue of the magazine. Embracing his Polish heritage, Joszczyk submitted the poem in both English and Polish.
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Local schools spring open houses: Click for more info

May 5, 2020

Avon Old Farms: May 12
Miss Porters : May 13 and May 20
Westminster: May 28

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Panel on Boarding Schools: May 13 6:30-7:30

May 5, 2020

Charlie Mitchell, the director of secondary school placement at Independent Day School, is hosting a Zoom meeting about boarding schools. Several boarding school admission reps will be on hand to answer questions you might have about the boarding school experience. Mr. Mitchell will provide the meeting link upon request and will also collect any questions you would like the panel to address. Contact Mr. Mitchell here: mitchellc@independentdayschool.org

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Uncovering the Past: A group of fifth graders discovered their town’s secret history and honored a forgotten hero.

April 25, 2020

Renbrook School is excited to share this article that appears in the April issue of Scholastic News. The article, “Uncovering the Past,” tells of the Witness Stone Project completed last year by Renbrook fifth-graders who discovered their town’s secret and honored a forgotten hero.

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Carving the Hull

April 24, 2020
Follow the steps below with the corresponding pictures to the right to carve your hull.
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Building a Ship in a Bottle – Will it Fit in the Bottle?

April 24, 2020

It’s time to start checking that out. First, the hull must be glued onto a wooden mount inside the bottle. The “seas” will be installed around the mount before the hull is glued in place. But it’s time to start “dry fitting” everything before gluing. No one wants surprises when using glue.

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Prepare to Carve the Hull

April 21, 2020

There is an old saying that it’s better to design with a pencil than with a saw. Resist the temptation to start carving right away.

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