This summer, the 2015 Advanced Spanish group had the opportunity to visit Mexico City on a three day learning extravaganza. The day after arrival at the Mexico City Airport, the quintet (Ari Flanagan, Maddie Gagné, Kaitlyn Meade, Elli Pallenbaum, and Sidney Pinochet) took a forty-five minute bus ride through the city of Mexico to the Teotihuacan Pyramids. The breathless 236 stair ascent to the top of the sun pyramid revealed a stunning birds eye view of this beautiful country. The group concluded the afternoon by dining at La Gruta on traditional Mexican food, located in a cavern ¡Rico!

Upon waking the next morning, the FOA Junior World Travelers ventured to the Mexican Anthropology Museum. The day was filled with discoveries and revelations about this culture’s history. They even saw the original bones of Lucy, an ancient Australopithecus Afarensis!

Finally, the group enjoyed their last day touring the Frida Kahlo Museum, located at the artist’s summer home. Did you know that Frida is the most renowned Latin-American artist?

In conclusion, the advanced Spanish group would like to thank Ms. Emily, Ms. Pinochet and Sra. Lety, as well as her family for giving them a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they will never forget.

Written by Advanced Spanish students- Elli, Maddie and Kaitlyn 

Congratulations to Five Oaks Academy graduate, Maya Roberts, who won Best Solo at a national dance competition held in Gatlinburg TN on July 8-11.  This competition, Fire and Ice Talent Competition,  gave out two national titles, one for the Best Solo, and one for the Best Group Number. In addition to the Best Solo award, Maya and her group won the Best Group Number.

Maya has been dancing since she was in Primary. She is currently a Junior at Brashier Middle College. We are so proud of her hard work and dedication to her passion. We look forward to seeing the great things she continues to accomplish in life!

We would like to congratulate Saxon Brown for qualifying to compete at the Jr. Olympics that will be held on August 4 and 5 in Norfolk, Virginia. Saxon competed at the state level last month and qualified for the 11 year old boys 400 M and 800 M races.

Saxon is a part of a local track club, the Greenville Jets.  Although this is his first year on the track team, Saxon has already won 3 Bronze,  2 Silver and 3 Gold medals. His hard work and dedication as he continues to set goals and meet them has allowed him to rank 20th in the nation in the 800 M and 15th in the nation in the 400 M. The Jets participate in both the USA Track and Field (USATF) and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Track and Field competitions.

Way to go Saxon! You can watch the races live at www.aautv.org on Monday, August 4 and Tuesday, August 5. The Five Oaks community is behind you all of the way!

Learning is a hands-on experience in a Montessori classroom. Students learn using materials that engage their senses to gain a concrete understanding of concepts first before moving to a more abstract understanding of the material. This creates a solid base of understanding for students to build upon. The Five Oaks Academy Montessori curriculum is enriching and challenging. Our students explore the realm of mathematics, literature, history, science, geography and the arts in a creative and research based manner.

 In Montessori, the teacher facilitates the student’s learning and students are given choices within structure. With the knowledge that each child has his own learning style, our students at Five Oaks Academy are treated as individuals with their own individual lesson plans. A 12:1 student to teacher ratio allows our teachers to be constantly observing and assessing their students’ learning. This ratio also allows the student constant access to their teachers’ support.

Along with our challenging academic curriculum, our program is designed to develop students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills. We also foster the development of time management skills and help students learn to prioritize their responsibilities. Our students learn how to ask questions and how to find answers to their questions. Having the ability to problem solve, think critically, manage one’s time, ask questions and find answers paired with a very strong academic background creates a student who is prepared for the 21st century workforce. Our goal is for our students to have success not only in the classroom but in the real world as well.

At Five Oaks Academy, we lead our students in discovering and developing their unique talents and possibilities. Most importantly, we strive to foster our student’s curiosity and love of learning. They graduate with an incredible confidence in who they are, in their unique abilities, and in the contributions they can make to the world. We invite your child to join our educational journey.

 “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn” -Alvin Toffler

 

The Upper Elementary students love their “Out of the Box” time in the classroom. During “Out of the Box” time, the teachers introduce a specific piece of literature and then students are presented with a challenge that relates to that story.  In groups, students use teamwork and problem solving skills to collaborate on how to solve a specific challenge within a certain period of time. These activities are rooted in Science, Technology,  Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M) and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M) and are a fantastic complement to our already rich and integrated Montessori curriculum.

The teachers introduced the last challenge of the year by reading Humpty Dumpty. Students were then asked to create a structure to put an egg in that would then be dropped from a specific height. The goal was to have the egg remain unbroken after being dropped.  There was excitement and a buzz of anticipation as the students created their structures. When the time was up, Mr. Ryan dropped the structures and students cheered as unbroken eggs were pulled from most of the structures.  In addition to addressing S.T.E.M.,  these challenges give students the opportunity to collaborate and use their problem-solving skills to actively solve each challenge. These skills, although not traditionally considered academic skills, are essential for the 21st century learner and are fostered every day in a Montessori environment.

The Kindergarten and Elementary students are learning about Jackson Pollock, an influential American painter and a leading force in the abstract expressionist movement, in Art History.  Pollock was well known for his unique style of ‘drip and splash’ painting.  Last week, students learned about his life and the impact he had in the art world. This week, the excitement is in the air as they replicate the process of his famous drip paining.

The ‘drip and splash’ style, which many believe he introduced to the art world around 1947, were created on canvas laid out on the floor rather than fixing them to an easel or wall. From there, he used a style where he would allow the paint to drip from the paint can. Instead of using the traditional paint brush, he would add depth to his images using knives, trowels, or sticks. At times, random objects would fall onto the wet painted canvas and he allowed them to become a part of the work. This form of painting, known as “action painting,” had similar ties to the Surreal movement, in that it had a direct relation to the artist’s emotions, expression, and mood, and showcased their feeling behind the pieces they designed. He was nicknamed “Action Jackson” because of the dynamic movement he used in creating his artwork.

The students loved the action while creating their very own ‘drip and splash’ painting, just like “Action Jackson”! The mess and fun was abundant! Even the rocks around the painting got in on the action!

Will Baur, Ms. Emily, Gagne, Mr. Russ Morin, and Shaun Schroder

Congratulations to former Five Oaks Academy students Will Baur, Mac Berg, Juliet Jacob, and Shaun Schroder on their High School Graduation! In the fall, Will and Juliet will be attending High Point University, Mac will be attending USC, and Shaun will be attending the University of Missouri. We wish you the best on your next adventure! Imagine the possibilities!

FOA will celebrate the 12th annual International Festival this Friday, May 1. The students look forward to this exciting event all year. Teachers and students dress up in their choice of international costumes and perform songs they have practiced in their classroom and during Spanish.  This year we are thrilled to have a mariachi band, Mariachi Cabos, entertain us during the festival. After the student performances, parents and students take part in many cultural activities and crafts as well as enjoy international dishes brought by FOA families.

FOA has a very culturally diverse community. There are now 30 countries represented within our 215 students. The International Festival is the perfect way to celebrate the differences found in cultures around the world as well as in the families of Five Oaks!

Please join Five Oaks Academy at the Simpsonville Arts Foundation Inc. (SAFi) on April 23 at 6:00 p.m. for a special event exploring Effective Communication with your child: Win-Win Strategies for the 21st Century Parent. Special guest speaker, Dr. Jane Bluestein, will focus on how to avoid power struggles with your child, motivate children with positive consequences, build cooperative relationships with mutual respect, and guide children to make their own choices. Dr. Bluestein will offer 15 simple “Magic Sentences” for effective communication. These key phrases offer parents practical ways to use specific positive language to avoid conflict and negotiate agreements. Dr. Bluestein is an award-winning author and internationally known speaker who has made several appearances as a guest expert on CNN, National Public Radio and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

FOA would like to thank Summers Orthodontics, Flatrock Family Dentistry, Five Oaks Academy Annual Fund and the South Carolina Montessori Association for sponsoring this event.

Catch a sneak peek of Dr. Bluestein on Your Carolina with Jack and Megan on Thursday, April 23 at 10:00 a.m. on WSPA.

Congratulations to the 13 students who performed at the SCISA Music Festival held at The University of South Carolina’s School of Music on Thursday, March 12. The students each performed before a judge a piece of music they had selected. The performances ranged from voice ensembles, instrumental ensembles, piano soloists and guitar soloists. All 13 students earned the top score of “Superior” and were awarded the highest honor of the festival, a gold medal!   We are so proud of all of our students and their dedication with many long hours of practice! A special thank you to our music sponsor, Mr. Chris, who organized and led our students in this competition for the first time.