“Good people bring out the good in people.”            

– unknown

“Reading is dreaming with your eyes open.” -unknown

There are many, many good people who keep Westlake running. There is a strong administration, dedicated teachers, and countless support staff that pour their hearts and minds into the ministry of Christian education. But there are often so many parent volunteers who humbly hide behind the scenes. Though I cannot name them all, I want to take a moment to highlight the love and encouragement of one special mother, Natasha Nieze. Mother to Jocelyn (7th grade), Caleb (4th grade), and Addisyn (2nd grade), the entire Nieze family has blessed our hallways for quite some time, but I would have to say that Mrs. Nieze has earned her place in all of our gratuitous hearts.
Though Mrs. Wilcox is a joy that will not soon be forgotten by anyone, Mrs. Nieze has willingly

dedicated herself to the job of fill-in librarian for the second graders every Monday. From reading short stories and novels, to letting them choose and share their favorite poetry, Mrs. Nieze has continued to fuel the passion these young readers have for literature and writing.
This past week was the final library class for the second graders and, once again, Mrs. Nieze did not hesitate to make things especially special. Laying out picnic blankets, bringing a cordless microphone, and goofy props, she allowed each child to share a piece of their own writing that they recently composed.
Filled with laughter and creativity, the grassy hills of Westlake were alive with narrative wonders! I can only say that half of this inspiration was due to the kind heart, constant time, and sweet voice of Mrs. Nieze. Thank you for making reading time come alive. Thank you for not being afraid to break down walls and be silly for the sake of the kids. Thank you for making a difference in the ever-present march toward loving literature fully.

“Education should not be about building more schools and maintaining a system that dates back to the Industrial Revolution. We can achieve so much more, at unmatched scale with software and interactive learning.” -Naveen Jain

If I were able to be in sixth grade again, I would pray that I’d have the fortune to experience math with Mrs. Coombe. Using interactive notebooks since the beginning of the year, I’ve been so awestruck by the detailed levels of depth and creativity she has inspired in her math students. The coolest project by far, however, has taken place more recently as the students study not just geometry, but apply geometric form and measurement to an authentic Project Based Learning unit on architecture.

Focusing on the skills of measurement, scale, ratio, area, and perimeter, the students were tasked with, “Designing their own dream houses by creating a scale drawing using architecture symbols.” Using price comparison and estimation, the students were then charged with figuring out a logical “price quote” for the papering, painting, and flooring of their imagined homes. As if this project wasn’t fun and interdisciplinary enough, Mrs. Coombe then rolled their designs into a real-world application by having the students present their proposals to a professional architect (Mrs. DeReus’ husband) from A. Perry Homes.
The sixth-grade class took a field trip to the architectural studio, and spent an entire morning: touring, watching the design process, custom home planning, and experiencing a virtual reality trip through a custom home being built right now! From the thrill of watching a career choice lived out before you, to the pride of being a part of something that effectually influences your future (whether in home design, home purchase, or architectural literacy) these students had an unbelievable time.

To finish out the unit on architecture, Mrs. Coombe decided to take the project one step further, and students are now building a scale model of their approved blueprint plans. Using foam board, measuring tools, and a LOT of hot glue, the sixth-grade room is quite literally “Under Construction.” Room by room, line by line, square inch by square inch, this lesson is more than a dream homecoming alive, it is a dream come true to any seeker of an authentic, project-based, and meaningfully interactive curriculum.

The movie Field of Dreams said, “If you build it, they will come,” and I can’t help but see that to be true, as we are all magnetically drawn to the architects of the sixth grade, as we watch their imagination and innovation soar.

Every child is unique. Every child is special. Every single soul who walks through the halls of Westlake is valued – is respected – is loved. But I will say that not every student “lets you in” the same way. Once in awhile, there is a kid who opens her or himself enough to share their singular light.

As a senior, Carlos Gil returned to Mrs. Krass’ second grade in pursuit of another meaningful year of service. Whether cutting, copying, correcting or connecting, Carlos has found an amazing way of relating to the students and staff he encounters. Mother Theresa once said, “In this life, we cannot always do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” This has been the mantra that Carlos lives out each and every day in her class.

Dubbing him, “Mr. Handsome Hair,” the second graders literally cheer whenever Carlos walks into the room. He immediately gives in to their requests of high fives and hugs, and gets on their level to engage in conversation. The other day, when asked to help guide the students in a writing project, he promptly sat beside them and began a brainstorming session, drawing on their strengths and encouraging their creativity and confidence.

As an educator, it is important to know your cards and how to play them. It has become apparent to all of us teachers that Carlos Gil is a hidden ace. He has a way with students that brings them to a place of safety and motivation. While children respond well to their teachers, they react to a cool teenager who walks in the room. Personality has power, and Carlos has worn kindness on his sleeve so tangibly that the students literally seek him.

Recently, the senior class went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. While it was amazing to hear about their experiences in the elementary chapel, I would have to say that the moment of unparalleled connection happened the following Tuesday, when Carlos gave every second grader a bracelet that he had purchased from the market in the D.R. Shining with pride and importance at being remembered, the students walked around admiring the different colors they were given.

According to Elaine S. Dalton, “If you desire to make a difference in the world, you must be different from the world.” Carlos isn’t afraid to be different. He isn’t ashamed to kneel on the ground so that he is eye-level with a child trying to explain something important to him. He inarguably does any task Mrs. Krass sets before him with efficiency and cheer. He even litters a few of our desks with notes of encouragement to carry on.

All I can say is, the extra mile is never a wasted effort, and Carlos has proven time and time again that he is not afraid of distance. So thank you to him, and to every teaching assistant like him, who takes the time to not only care but carry the hearts of those around him.

I remember my mother always telling me that compassion is as much of a blessing as it is a curse. To be able to feel for others means being able to feel everything … the good, the bad, and the painful. It is difficult sometimes, oh who am I kidding, ALL of the time, to look at this world, at its suffering, and not feel too much. The anger, the poverty, the very essence of all those who are lost. It is overwhelming. But as Andrew Boyd said, “Compassion hurts. When you feel connected to everything, you also feel responsible for everything. And you cannot turn away. Your destiny is bound with the destinies of others. You must either learn to carry the Universe or be crushed by it.” This year, the kids in Mrs. Salvador’s Spanish One class decided that they would not be crushed – not by the barriers of time, or space. Becoming a global citizen begins with caring about the people and the issues that are not directly related to you necessarily, but that wear on your heart to the point of changing it. In an effort to make her students more globally aware, Mrs. Salvador opened their hearts to the possibility of a beautiful relationship. Below, two students share their experience.

“Spanish 1 wrote letters to the children in the Dominican Republic where the seniors were going for their missions trip. We were all very excited to write to these children and hear back from them. When the seniors got back from their trip they had the letters that the children had written back to us. We were all super happy to hear back from these children and read what they had written us. The children who wrote to us were third graders and they went to school at Freedom school. We went to their school’s website and got to see pictures of them. Their website is www.itisforfreedom.com.” – Kenzie DeReus
“Our Spanish class recently wrote a letter to the Dominican Republic. We didn’t really know who would be receiving the letters. We wrote letters asking them many questions and telling them a little bit about ourselves. A third-grade class ended up receiving our letters and they wrote back to us. A 9-year-old girl named Rosa wrote me back. She was so sweet and told me so much about herself. I think that it is so cool that we got to communicate with a group of kids far away that we probably would have never been able to meet otherwise.” – Abigail Taylor

Mrs. Salvador had the amazing foresight to connect potential mission students of Mr. Flemming years ahead, with students they will actually have the opportunity to meet when they are seniors. “This way they will be able to build relationships,” she said. Not only is this lesson interdisciplinary and multi-aged, but authentic in investing in cultivating a global conscious and cultivating an open heart. What a blessing to Westlake that we have teachers who care so much that they are literally willing to stretch their compassion around the world.