From the FREEP

The Symposium - What's in it for me?

So you’ve been hearing about it for a year now and you have a feeling it’s a good thing, but you’re starting to wonder what’s really so great about our symposium – Progressive Education in the 21st Century. Let me share with you some of the impact the symposium will have both in the short and long term and what it means to SRV.

Your child’s teacher will be meeting, working and studying with other educators from all over the country who are facing the same challenges and issues as they are. They will reflect, network and strategize about progressive education’s possibilities and how they apply to each child in their classrooms.

An educator at the Bellwether School in Vermont just found out about the symposium and is emailing her peers in the state encouraging them to attend. She is thrilled to attend a national conference where she can finally connect with other educators about progressive education as she is writing her doctoral thesis on the subject.

The Miquon School in Conshohocken is actually closing on October 7th and 8th so they can send their entire teaching staff. Several other schools are sending six or more teachers. These schools recognize that the symposium is an amazing opportunity to network with other educators and learn more about developing their own teaching practices.

Roland Barth, faculty member of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and recipient of the Harvard School of Education’s Award of Excellence in Education, will be on our campus, working side by side with all of our teachers. Carlye’s heart is racing at the thought of rubbing elbows with such a knowledgeable, respected educator.

Information about The School in Rose Valley has been mailed to over 10,000 schools throughout the United States. The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Delaware County Daily Times, the Swarthmorean, the Main Line Times, and the Town Talk will be covering the event; this media coverage will allow more people to learn about SRV. It is also quite likely that the symposium will be covered in the Chicago Tribune,Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Boston Herald because some of the case study schools are from these cities. Keep your eyes and ears open for coverage on local networks and radio stations. But let’s not stop there, we’re sending the story of this amazing symposium to Newsweek, USA Today, Education Weekly, Educational Leadership Magazine and Independent School Magazine as well.

The days the children are off from school are no different from the number of days the staff would have for In-Service days. The symposium will help us attract and retain new and existing staff members, which will continue to make us a sought after employer in the educational community.

The symposium will help us attract and retain families who are a good fit for our school, strengthening our educational program and helping us to achieve a balanced, healthy enrollment.

The symposium will increase our visibility with private funders and foundations, making it possible to enrich classrooms and keep tuition costs from rising unreasonably.

And finally, having the symposium created another opportunity to spruce up the campus. Nothing like a party for 200 to motivate! Please stop in the office or send an email if you have questions about the symposium or need more information about it. It is an exciting time in the history of SRV. Thank you for all of your continued support with this endeavor.

In partnership,
Dana

Past "From the Freep" articles

Google

20 School Lane : Rose Valley, PA 19063 : 610.566.1088 : office@theschoolinrosevalley.org