This semester has been full of growth and excitement at WCA!  We have seen an influx of volunteers and are happy to see the positive influence they have had on the students.  On Thursday, Mrs. Landi-Coleman volunteered her time to teach the students how to paint, but with a twist.  After providing some brief instruction, Mrs. Landi-Coleman informed the students that she would be conducting the remainder of the class in Spanish!  The best way to learn a language is through immersion, so the next hour was spent learning how to mix colors and use acrylics on canvas - all in Spanish.  

Mrs. Landi-Coleman has graciously agreed to offer this class to WCA students on a weekly basis.  If your child is interested, please email tfreeman@wcamarco.com for more information. 

When Glenn walked into the classroom in his kayak garb, he immediately grabbed the attention of the WCA students. 

"Sorry  I'm not dressed more appropriately.", he said.  "All of my good clothes are packed away and all I have left is the gear I am going to take on my next journey."  

As it turns out, Glenn has spent quite a bit of time in his kayak.  He recently paddled The Everglades, The Inside Passage, and Glacier Bay.  In fact, Glenn managed to solo paddle over 2,000 miles of water in 2009. His accomplishments are inspiring and the lessons he has learned are, on some plane, applicable to all WCA students.

When Glenn isn't on the water, he travels from venue to venue sharing his experience.  His desire is to stand in front of as many classrooms as possible, presenting his dynamic slideshow, and engaging students.  His stories help students understand concepts such as the ebb and flow of tides, the delicate relationship between human development and the natural environment, survival skills, hard work, and determination.  Much of what the students learn from Glenn's slideshow will stick in their minds longer than anything they have read in a textbook.

The high school and middle school students at WCA will be following along as Glenn goes face to face with his next challenge: a journey up the Atlantic Coast.  He will be leaving from Key West this week and spending the next 10 months travelling up the East Coast and into the St. Lawrence Seaway.  In fact, Glenn has promised to stay in contact with students as he traveled and will even take photographs of landmarks the students find online and post them to his blog.  This is a rare opportunity for these students to take part in a real-time learning experience.  

For more information on Glenn and his travels, please visit http://www.oneoceanproject.com

--Mr. Freeman

The students of WCA were privileged to interact with Dr. Anton Coleman this week.  Dr. Coleman volunteered to teach a science and anatomy lesson for both the high school and middle school students.  I knew we were in for a surprise when he arrived at my classroom door carrying a mysterious looking cardboard box.  After securing some counter top space in the back of the room, Dr. Coleman asked the students to gather around "the box."  As they began to form a circle in the back of the room, Dr. Coleman distributed a pair of blue latex gloves to each student.  Everyone was excited as Dr. Coleman carefully removed the contents the cardboard box.  

"What do you smell?", he asked as he gently pulled the lid from a medium-sized, round, plastic container.  The students were immediately overwhelmed as the scent of rubbing alcohol filled the room.  Dr. Coleman called one of the students to assist him as he reached inside the container.  "For the next hour, we are going to discuss the human brain.", Dr. Coleman stated as he pulled a real specimen from the container.  

So, for the next hour, Dr. Coleman took the WCA students on a tour of humanity using an actual human brain as a guide. They discussed human thought, the ability to reason, why some people are artistic, or mathematic, and much more.  During each discussion, Dr. Coleman showed the students the physical location where a particular brain activity takes place.  He taught them where their sense of smell comes from, how they are able to walk and talk at the same time, and why the Egyptians thought the seat of the soul was located in the brain.  At each stage of the discussion, Dr. Coleman posed questions that     caused the students to think more intently about the functions of the brain.  Everyone was engaged and actively participating in this thought provoking activity.  Many of the students even accepted Dr. Coleman's offer to hold the brain using the gloves he provided.  

I believe that one of the greatest advantages we have at WCA is the flexibility of our curriculum.  Due to the nature of our program, we have the ability to take a detour from the usual routine to gain hands-on experience.  Many students were able to achieve a higher level of learning as they moved from analysis to synthesis and evaluation.  This is a direct result of Dr. Coleman's teaching style.  In many ways, he taught the students how to think about the brain rather than simply presenting them with information.

The student of WCA would like to extend their sincere appreciation to Dr. Coleman for volunteering his time and knowledge.  We look forward to working with him again in the future!   

Dr. Coleman uses the human brain to teach a lesson to WCA high school and middle school students.

Due to circumstances outside of our control, school will not be in session on Monday, January 25.  The city will be turning the water off on campus and we will not be able to operate as scheduled.  A make-up day will take place on Monday, April 5.  

Summary:  There is no school this Monday, January 25.  School will be in session on Monday, April 5 to make up for the missed day.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but the situation is out of our control.  Please call Mr. Freeman at 394-5412 with any questions. 

Parents:

Report cards were distributed this week and should be signed and returned by Friday, January 22.  Please call the school at (239)394-5412 with any questions.