news-and-events-at-rock-point-school_4

News & Events

at Rock Point School

Express Yourself: Visiting Poet Series

After the "Share Your Heart, Share Your World" poetry workshop run by Sundog Poetry this fall, our English teacher, Abbey Baker was inspired to incorporate more poetry writing into the school year. The idea of having professional poets come to the school for workshops was appealing to the students as well. So far, two poets, Lizzy Fox (left) and Ellen Bethea (right, with RPS student), have given workshops and we are hoping to host two more before the end of the school year.
Read - Express Yourself: Visiting Poet Series

Dancing the Night Away: Prom 2017

Flowers, dresses, canoes, and cupcakes made this year's "Secret Garden" themed Prom another one to remember. Staff showed up in floral outfits, while the Prom committee students decorated the library with fairy lights, lilacs, and a chocolate fountain. Per Rock Point tradition, guidance counselor, Emily, was mixing up smoothies and milkshakes for students, while history teacher, Gus, gave everyone rides in his canoe themed "lame-o."
Read - Dancing the Night Away: Prom 2017

Rock Point at the Vermont Young Playwrights' Festival

The culmination of our Playwrights Project happened on May 12th at the Flynn Theater. The Vermont Young Playwrights' Festival is a day long event where students from across the state participate in workshops on acting, writing, and directing plays.
Read - Rock Point at the Vermont Young Playwrights' Festival

Making Sweet Memories: Maple Tours

Despite a big snow storm and some inclement spring weather, our maple production has been trucking along this year. In fact, we've made more syrup than usual! Our favorite part of the program continues to be giving tours of our sugaring operation to school groups. Our "Maple Ambassadors" are Rock Point students who have not only learned about the process of maple sugaring, but have also learned about the science and history of making syrup. These student leaders then teach groups of preschoolers, elementary school students, and even other high school students about maple sugaring, while showing them our sugarbush and sugar house. This year, we've had groups visiting from Heartworks Preschool, Burlington Early Childhood Education program, CP Smith Elementary, and an ESL class from Burlington High School, among others! This program continues to be a great opportunity for students to experience place-based education, practice public speaking, and gain confidence in themselves. Not to mention all the delicious syrup we get to enjoy all year!
Read - Making Sweet Memories: Maple Tours

Cultural Exchange Trip: Bahamas 2017

Each year, students and staff venture forth on a cultural exchange trip. This year, we are headed to the Bahamas! Over the past few years, we have built a relationship with South Andros High School and they have come to visit us, getting tours of our garden, sugar house and apiary. The photos above are from their previous visits to Rock Point. Gus traveled to South Andros last year to give a guest lecture at the school on bee keeping. This year we are sending a group to the Bahamas on February 24th to complete the exchange!
Read - Cultural Exchange Trip: Bahamas 2017

Talent Night 2016

Rock Point hosted it's second talent night of the year this weekend! Dorm staff, Kelly, has been encouraging students to share their performing talents with the school and several students organized the events!
Read - Talent Night 2016

Wellness and Life Skills

For the past twelve years, our Residential educators have offered a "Wellness" class on Thursday evenings. This class generally covered topics related to health, wellness, and well being. This September, staff met with the students to discuss what direction they thought the class should take this year. Students were clear that they wanted the class to be more about concrete skills, activities and topics aimed at life after high school. They came up with a great list of topics and our new "Life Skills" class was born!
Read - Wellness and Life Skills

Reading Our History

Guest post by Cultivations instructor, Alex Gemme: As part of our Cultivations class, we are exploring the history of Rock Point and learning about how the land has been used through the years. This week, we met the research specialist, Prudence, in the special collections section of the UVM Bailey Howe Library. We felt like we were entering the 'restricted' section of the library at Hogwarts, but more heavily guarded.
Read - Reading Our History

Inch by Inch: Summer Session Week 2

In week two of summer session, we have spent a lot of time in the garden! Kara Buchanan, our resident herbalist, helped students learn about the various herbs and plants in and around our garden. Students tried various herbs, learning about their properties and some plant biology. Students made a healing salve by mixing olive oil infused with comfrey, plantain, St. John's wort and calendula with beeswax and essential oils. The salve can be used to soothe bug bites, burns, and dry skin.
Read - Inch by Inch: Summer Session Week 2

School's IN for Summer

We are wrapping up our first week of Summer Session 2016 and it has been a full one! Students have spent time getting to know one another, playing, and learning together. On the first morning of Cultivations Class, students took a "fox walk" around the property. Fox walking is a mindfulness practice that helps you tune into the sounds of the woods and be present in the moment. We've also been working on our carving skills in Cultivations, making eating utensils from sumac wood.
Read - School's IN for Summer