The Orchard Core: INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS

Starting this week, all Middle School Students started a two-week period called “Winterm”. In Winterm, teachers chose a subject to teach kids about. Students spend almost the entire school day learning about this subject. Kids take field trips, meet guest speakers, and do many more activities and it all ends in a Winterm Fair to show other kids what they learned. This has been an Orchard tradition followed for many years. Our Winterm is called “Producing Pulitzers” led by Jenna Niemeyer, James Layne, and Danielle Brady. We are learning about journalism/media and many other subjects around that topic. To start, students began writing articles, making videos, or taking photos. Four students, Shefali (5th), Lily (7th), Finnian (7th), and John (6th) interviewed seven teachers about their experiences at Orchard. Of those teachers, three had just started teaching at Orchard this school year…Kerry Ferguson (Counselor), Angie Roberts (Librarian), and Kendall Crowley (5th Grade Math). The other four teachers had worked at Orchard for many years…Linda Appel (Learning Support), Jen Mayhill (4th Grade), Angie Brothers (Middle School Director), and Vicky Prusinski (Outdoor Education Coordinator). They were asked the same questions to see how different or similar the answers were depending on how long they had worked here. Make sure to see the bonus for an extra interview!

Allison Housefield (5th grade English), worked here and said it was super fun and that you could sort of create your own lessons, and I really like math!

Canoeing day at Eagle Creek! She said it was so fun!

Winterm definitely makes it very unique from the other schools because most schools don’t have anything like it. Winterm is just so exciting.

Math made a lot of sense to me, and because of that, I wanted to be a math teacher. It's not abstract to me, and it just clicks.

I always envisioned myself as a veterinarian, however, the thought of working with sick animals made me sad. Other than that, I didn’t really think about it.

Before working at Orchard, I worked as a PE teacher. I loved working with children and decided to go back to school to get my Master’s Degree in Counseling because I thought that working as a counselor would be impactful and helpful for children. I chose Orchard specifically because Orchard’s mission aligned with my mission.

The open mindfulness and the autonomy of Orchard students.

I think Orchard’s DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion) Program shows how much Orchard cares for their students.

I wanted to make a positive impact on people's lives. I knew that counseling would provide a unique opportunity to help individuals and families navigate difficult situations, and to support them in achieving their personal and academic goals.

A Dermatologist. The stuff they do is satisfying and really cool.

I took the job at Orchard because I was familiar with Orchard from attending sports events. When the position of librarian opened, I took it because that position isn’t open very often, and I wanted to take it while I could.

The history and traditions are special to Orchard. Being new to the Orchard community, it is fun to learn everything.

Orchard follows through on their mission to “educate the whole child” and they have a lot of concern for its student’s well-being. Students at Orchard also have many opportunities.

Before working as a librarian, I worked as an ASL interpreter for kids in elementary school. When I would follow them around, her favorite part of the day was always the library. When I decided to change careers and wanted to do something with the library. I then went to library school, and after working a few places, I ended up here at Orchard.

An author. Specifically, a fiction writer, writing books like The Westing Game (written by Ellen Raskin) or Mr. Lemoncello's Library (written by Chris Grabenstein). Books with secret codes like the two listed above.

 

I learned from my friend's friend who worked at Orchard about openings in 1st and 4th grade. I decided to take the job because she had been working at a different school for around 7 years in special education. I wanted to get into the real classroom.

The children

The freedoms at Orchard, how all the teachers worked together, and how Orchard is all about the children.

I love to help kids!

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, but if I wasn’t a job that involves a lot of people, like a doctor or nurse.

*Linda Appel is retiring at the end of this year after 43 years at Orchard and teaches in around 5 different teaching positions. Make sure to show your appreciation for her work here!

The place I had been working at previously had the same type of values.

I appreciate the idea of being at the same school as my children.

The values, like nature and friendship.

Just kids!

I got a degree in studio arts!

Because it seemed very outdoorsy and she loves the outdoors.

The children and being outside

The flexibility in being able to teach what the kids are interested in

My kids came to school here and then the school asked me

I wanted to become a wildlife biologist.

My college roommate went to Orchard and always talked about Orchard, and the memories, and the fun, so I added Orchard to the top of my list of schools I wanted to teach at, and when I came here, Linda Gelhausen 

If I had to choose one thing, it would be the people.

The progressive tenants, the creative teachers, and the outdoors.

I wanted to make the world a better place and work with kids.

Probably a detective.

Written by Shefali Chugh

Half of the students from the Producing Pulitzers Winterm were pulled into one of the two gyms inside The Orchard School. The kids were told to stand in a circle and tell each other their names. Afterward, they tossed a ball to one another, but it was sort of fast. We had to warn each other when passing the ball by saying each other's names (see his reason for this, question 2). When this was over, they did a logic puzzle (see his reasoning below, question 1).

To use skills to find out what order everything went in.

To have students get to know each other.

A book full of logic puzzles and icebreaker games.



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