News from the Break at The Rock

Like all of the 78 trimester breaks that preceded this one, the one that starts this week at Eagle Rock School will end the same way — with students returning to campus for another trimester of engaging classes and experiences (this time around, on the 16th of September). What distinguishes this current break from all others is what we’ve got planned between now and then.

Below is a rundown of what’s happening during our summer break from classes, along with information on how to reach us from now until all staff members return to campus the second week of September:

Student graduation: Since the spring of 1995, each of our trimester breaks has been foreshadowed by an on-campus ceremony honoring the journey of Eagle Rock School students who are set to graduate. This trimester — the 78th since our founding in the early-1990s — a record 10 students took to the stage at our Human Performance Center, where each donned cap and gown to address family, friends, and the Eagle Rock community before leaving campus as high school graduates. Watch a replay of the August 9, 2019 graduation ceremony here.

Public Allies fellowship graduation: Our students weren’t the only learners honored with an on-campus graduation ceremony last Friday. Our 2018/2019 cohort of Public Allies Fellows, which included 10 new and three returning fellows, graduated from their yearlong teaching and leadership development experience here at Eagle Rock and have moved on to the next phases of their lives.

Students are now on break: Eagle Rock School students have spread out across the country to enjoy their trimester break, spending valuable time with family and friends over the next 30 days or so.

Staff break is now underway: Our traditional end-of-trimester departmental meetings preceded a much-deserved break for many of our staff, including some of our administrators and all of our instructional staff members. As you’ll see below, however, many of our staff are working through the break.

Professional Development Center engagements: As is often the case during trimester breaks, our Professional Development staff remains on the job during this time, working with clients around the country. For example:

• On August 22nd and 23rd, Professional Development Associate Anastacia Galloway Reed pays a visit to Vermont Adult Learning (VAL) in Waterbury, Vt.,  where she’s scheduled to continue her work facilitating competencies across multiple disciplines. VAL, by the way, provides adults 16 years and older with skills to successfully transition to employment and post-secondary education.
• Here on campus, Professional Development Center staff members are preparing to host Tom Vander Ark, the first executive director of education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Vander Ark, who will be here on August 25, currently serves as CEO of Getting Smart — an online a community for news, stories, and leadership on innovations in learning and teaching.
• On August 26, Dan Condon, our associate director of professional development, heads to Queens, N.Y., for a week-long engagement with New Visions Charter School for the Humanities IV.

New Fellows arrive: Our 2019/2020 Public Allies Fellows arrive on campus on Friday, Aug. 30. Look for a blog post introducing the cohort in late August.

Staff and students return to campus: All Eagle Rock staff begin arriving on campus on Monday, Sept. 9, while returning students arrive the following Monday, Sept. 16.

All-school activities: As we do at the beginning of each new trimester, a number of all-school activities are planned for returning students, staff, instructors, and our new fellows. These include service projects and house retreats, which occur between Sept. 17 and 20.

Classes being: Returning students begin classes on Monday, Sept. 23. Look for a post containing a rundown of those initial class offerings to appear here on the blog in mid- to late-September.

If you need to reach any Eagle Rock School and Professional Development staff member or instructor between now and the 9th of September, please email the person directly.