PHOTO: Pagosa Peak Open School students perform the Beatles classic ‘Let It Be’ at a public performance last week.
Farming… engineering… museums… hot springs… playing in a rock band… outdoor art… storytelling…
Pagosa Peak Open School staff set the stage for ‘Intensives Week’… also known as ‘Peak Week’… a week of mixed-age experiences, where students mingled with others they do not normally, and chose adventures in their learning.
“I learned a lot about science and I had so much fun,” said kindergartner Piper.
Students got to choose their Peak Week options with their families through the Peak Week catalog, outlining experiences for all students K-8. Options included things like “Urban Experiences in Middle School” with a trip to New Mexico…
…Stillwater Music Company where students learned to perform four contemporary songs for their school audience…
…and Outdoor STEM, where students faced engineering challenges in multi-age teams.
“I love Ms. Rain so much,” Fourth-grader Quinn said of her Creatives Advisor, who took Quinn’s Peak Week group to Ghost Ranch for an outdoor watercolor painting experiences and history lesson. “I had so much fun this week and got to be with my friends from other classes.”
Southern Roots Farm hosted an intensive for the second year, where students learned where their food comes from, made healthy snacks, harvested the farm’s produce and planted rows of veggies.
“She has chickens and a bunny that live there, too,” second-grader Brantley said.
PPOS students have three weeks left to the school year, and returned Monday eager to share their experiences with their classmates, many of whom hadn’t seen each other for the week.
Pagosa Peak Open School is a K-8, tuition-free, charter school open to all Archuleta County families. The educational model is built upon project-based learning, a student-centered pedagogy that involves a dynamic classroom approach, through which students can acquire a deeper understanding through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems.
Students in all classes at PPOS engage in multiple projects throughout the year; looking for ways to influence their own community, and create positive change.
Emily Murphy is School Director at Pagosa Peak Open School, the first District-authorized charter school in Archuleta County. Prior to her appointment as School Director, Emily filled various roles at PPOS including Project-Based Learning advisor, instructional coach, and assistant director.