Fall Trips Recap: Juniors/Sophomores Monterey

Students on the Monterey trip spent three days and two nights exploring the scenic California coastline. Day One found them traveling to Pigeon Point lighthouse and Ano Nuevo for a short hike and beachcombing. Some of the students took an extended hike along the shore to view the lounging elephant seals; they reported their extra steps had been well worth it. The next day all of the students visited the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium where they enjoyed the sea horse installation and encountered a special guest visitor (cue Jaws' music)--a Great White Shark! That evening the students bonded around a campfire--some even took the opportunity to relax in the comforts of a sauna. Everyone agreed in departing the next day--after a quick stop off at a pumpkin farm--that it had been "one of the best overnight trips ever."

School Announcements for Week of October 12

On Monday, October 12, during the all-school meeting, candidates for Student Council wil share with us their platforms and their reasons for running in their "candidate speeches". Student Council elections will commence at 11:45 AM.

A College Application Workshop for Seniors is planned for Wednesday, October 14. Seniors are required to attend. Details coming.

Sophomores will take the PLAN test on Wednesday, October 14 at 8:20 AM

Juniors will take the PSAT on Wednesday, October 14 at 8:20 AM.

Biology students will monitor sand crabs, Wednesday October 14, leaving campus at 8:30 AM.

An informational meeting for Senior parents on the Rites of Passage program will be held Thursday, October 15, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM on campus.

Parent/Student/Advisor Conferences are scheduled for Friday, October 16. Please look for the scheduling link later this week in the navigation bar on the left.

The First Quarter ends on Friday, October 16.

Soccer Team Receives New Jerseys

When she heard that the TMS soccer team needed a new set of jerseys, Laura Vidal, parent of Ashley (2010), offered to donate them. The team, which has been playing games in pennies, received their new shirts yesterday, just before traveling to Santa Rosa to play a match against Summerfield Waldorf Academy. TMS did not win the game, but the players were thrilled with the gift and felt more like a team than they have all season. Our next game is at home on Monday, October 5.

TMS Zoology Students Team Up with Ecologists on Field Research

The Marin School has been chosen to pioneer a high school level program created by the Watershed Project called Oysters of the Half Shell. This program integrates ecological education and restoration in a hands on program for high school students. It gives students the opportunity to work alongside researchers and scientists in the field, monitoring the native oyster population in San Francisco Bay, in order to build valuable data over time. The curriculum has been designed to allow both classroom and field trip activities to cover a range of topics in science and math. Discussion topics include: Bay Area ecology and marine ecosystems, tides, research techniques, oyster biology, population dynamics, restoration practices and water quality. We are collaborating with the San Francisco Bay Native Oyster Working Group to count and measure the young oysters growing on the oyster reefs planted at each site. Students will analyze their data and communicate the results to provide information that will be compiled in the restoration project’s study results.The zoology classes will be participating in this project - the first presentation will be today at 1:30 in the Hawk's Nest.

Grade-Level Parent Potlucks Wrapping Up

In the last of a series of potluck dinners this fall, where all families with students in the same grade have had a chance to meet informally with each other and with the people who work with their children, 9th-grade parents will get together this Thursday with 9th-grade core teachers and school administrators at the home of one volunteer family. These evenings, held every year, encourage mutual support between families and more personal communication with the school. Thanks to all those families who volunteered their homes this year!

Student Council Election Campaign Under Way

Four students have thrown their names into the ring for consideration as the next president of TMS' Student Council: Hannah Aubrey, Noah Levenson, Meredith Sacks, and Ashley Vidal. Candidates will be campaigning this week with fliers and hand-shaking, followed by speeches to the student body on Monday, October 12. Voting will take place on Tuesday the 13th. The school is thrilled to have such a fine field of senior candidates in the running. Good luck to all!

Fall Trips Recap -- Sophomore/Junior Camping

A Sophomore/Junior 'Fall Trips' group traveled to Grouse Ridge in Tahoe National Forest last September 23-25. The group spent two nights camping at Grouse Ridge and made day hikes to surrounding lakes and viewpoints. The evenings were spent around the campfire listening to Vern tell stories and students play the guitar. Thanks to all students and staff for making our first trip to Grouse Ridge a enjoyable experience!