2024-03

From Josh Vogt

MCS, Gunnison Watershed School District Bond Project Update

From the outsider’s perspective, it may seem like it’s business as usual at the Marble Charter School (MCS) but big changes have been in the works to address the critical facility needs of the historic school building. The past year has been spent on planning and design, positioning the school to make much-needed improvements for the safety, security, and overall well-being of the MCS school community. Construction will begin as soon as the building empties for the summer!

But first, let’s go back to the November 2022 election when the voters of the Gunnison Watershed School District approved a $95 million bond for district-wide capital improvements. While the vast majority of the bond funds were directed toward the Gunnison River Valley, MCS was allotted $1 million in funds from the bond initiative.

MCS hired Dynamic Program Management, an owner’s representative firm, in the Spring of 2023 to assist the school with managing its portion of the bond program. Through a competitive selection process, MCS hired RTA Architects, based out of Colorado Springs, to perform a complete facility assessment and master plan for MCS as well as design services for the bond program.

Often a school completes a facility assessment and master plan prior to major construction to ensure a thorough analysis of the facility conditions and needs in consideration of the school’s current and future programmatic needs. This was the first time MCS had been through this

process. Informed by the results of the facility assessment and master plan, the project team identified immediate facility needs, less critical items needing to be addressed in the near future, and major maintenance items that will need to be addressed in the more distant future.

Crystal River Caucus Regular Meeting

Thursday, March14

7

p.m. at

the Church at Redstone

The agenda will include an update from CDOT on upcoming plans for work on Highway 133, an update from Colorado Parks and Wildlife on the status of our local elk and bighorn populations, a presentation on the re-visioning of the Redstone General Store and Wild Hearts building into a non-profit community center for Redstone, a presentation on efforts to protect additional segments of Avalanche Creek and North/Middle Fork Thompson Creeks as “Outstanding Waters”, and an update on Wild and Scenic designation for the Crystal River.

Participants may also attend the meeting on Zoom. Links are sent to those on the Crystal River Caucus e-mail list. If you are not on the list but would like to be, please send a request to crcaucus@gmail.com

RTA has proceeded with designing renovation solutions for all of the critical needs, with a major focus on safety and security needs for students and staff. These needs include updating the electrical and mechanical systems at the historic schoolhouse, repairing and updating the exterior of the historic schoolhouse, addressing snowmelt and drainage on site, adding a public addressing (PA) system to both buildings, hardening doors and windows by adding special ballistic films in select locations as well as replacing door hardware to meet current standards. Also, some accessibility and ADA items are being addressed.

If funds allow, the roof of the historic school building will be replaced and the roof structure reinforced. As part of the assessment and master planning effort, the property was surveyed and the historic building was tested for asbestos and hazardous materials. Thankfully, no asbestos or hazardous material was found!

Despite the $1 million in bond funds, MCS still has a significant budgetary shortfall to meet all the construction and maintenance needs identified in the facility assessment. Over $5 million of updates are required to address all of the items identified in the facility assessment. The immediate needs alone amount to about $2 million.

In early February, MCS applied for a Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant through the Colorado Department of Education. If awarded, Marble Charter School must match 44% of the total grant amount, significantly leveraging its dollars to address the immediate facility needs. The results of the BEST grant will be announced in late May. MCS plans to further leverage its bond dollars by applying for a History Colorado grant in its upcoming grant cycle in April.

MCS recently hired FCI Constructors, based out of Grand Junction, as the general contractor for the project. FCI is assisting in cost and constructibility reviews as the design nears completion and is planning to start construction in the Summer of 2024 as soon as school is out and a building permit is received.

MCS will continue to communicate with the community on updates as the project gets underway!

T HE C RYSTAL VALLEY E CHO & Marble Times

EDITOR

Gentrye Houghton gentryeh@hotmail.com

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An

Town of Marble Board of Trustees: February 1st Meeting Recap

Account from DJ Sugar Monkey

Let’s hear it for the Mayor of Marble, Mr. Ryan Vinciguerra. Clean, professional, indefatigable, and always on point; this man, I feel, is a great asset to our magical little Town. And plenty of magic there was at this, the second monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees in 2024.

The “Dream Team” was present in all its glory for the penultimate gathering of this iteration of the Board. Amber McMahill, the only Council member to be serving once again was flanked by Tony Petrocco swaddled in a gray sweatshirt to match his impressive mane. Along with Vinciguerra, Petrocco is throwing his (vintage Patagonia probably) hat into the ring for the position of Mayor at the town elections on Tuesday, April 2nd

Emma Bielski made her entrance just as the meeting got underway, dressed in a beautiful faux sheepskin coat that swept gracefully behind her as she paced around the room nursing a sore back, before taking her seat next to the Mayor. A jovial Larry Good joined on speakerphone. The glorious triumvirate of Ron Leach, Terry Langley, and Alie Wettstein were on hand as always to provide factual guidance.

There was a smattering of residents present; I counted seven in total including Jumpstart, Sue Blue’s canine companion. Dustin Wilkey, who is standing for Town Council, cut a formidable figure at the back of the Fellowship Hall next to his wife, Samantha. Both have been vocal contributors to the community, not to mention the invaluable service Wilkey has provided to the Town in his role as snow plow pro. It will be interesting to see what he will bring to the role of Councilman and I wish him well.

Mayor Vinciguerra announced “a relatively breezy” agenda for the evening along with the hope that we would all be able to get home without too much delay. The consent agenda was approved in a matter of seconds and the meeting moved on to the Administrator's report.

Ron Leach announced that the deadline for nominations to the Board had passed and that the process had resulted in one new petition from Dustin Wilkey to join the Town Council and two petitions for Mayor, one from the incumbent Ryan Vinciguerra and the other from Tony Petrocco. When I asked Petrocco if

The Marble Town Council meets on the 1st Thursday of each month starting at 7 p.m. in the Marble Community Church’s Fellowship Hall.

Town of Marble meetings are open to the public.

he would be standing again for Town Council in the event he was not elected as Mayor he replied rather enigmatically: “It depends.” The election date has been set for April 2nd at The Marble Hub. Sue Blue and Terry Langley have kindly volunteered to act as election officials that day to “Stop the Steal.”

Ryan Kenney (Treasurer) and Nicole Farrell (Manager) were both present to represent The Hub and in particular to discuss the proposed ownership change of the building that houses the business, the historical bank building, which has been offered to the Town (free of charge) by Gunnison County. Kenney and Farrell indicated that they were in the process of pursuing grant options and investigating the likely costs for building and renovation.

Amber McMahill, no stranger to grant writing herself, added that grants would be easier to come by should the bank building be owned by the Town, and that the County Commissioners had offered to look over the building with the Town Council. Kenney opined that The Hub could further benefit from seeking designation as a 501c3 non-profit. He said that The Hub had added two new board members, Nicole Ludlow and Sally Osborne, a paralegal, who was well positioned to assist in the matter.

When questioned about the potential financial liability involved in restoring the building should it be transferred to the Town, Mayor Vinciguerra underlined the importance of undergoing a thorough assessment of costs before any such transfer was made.

Nicole Farrell spoke to the dire state of the building; Dustin Wilkey added that a new water tap and septic system would be needed; Tony Petrocco capped the discussion off with the assertion that the building was in need of a

new foundation and nothing short of total renovation. When asked what the motivation was for Gunnison County to transfer the building to the Town, Kenney admitted that it was a financial liability for the County and that they no longer needed the headache of owning it.

I was left feeling that I should probably bring a hard hat with me to the elections on April 2nd Not an umbrella though; Farrell assured us that while the rest of the building is falling apart, the roof remains watertight.

Despite the dilapidated state of the building, Petrocco and Bielski agreed that it was probably in the Town’s best interests to own it, and Leach agreed to continue the discussion with Gunnison County.

Next up came the issue of the approval of the Wetlands Management Agreement. Leach was pleased to announce that the Town’s lawyer, Kendall Burgemeister, had read the document and was happy to approve it, to the delight of Pat Willits, Executive Director of the Trust for Land Restoration (TLR), and John Armstrong, Chair of the Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association (CEVPA), who had joined the meeting on speakerphone.

It was then that the meeting took a lurch to the absurd. Tony Petrocco brought up a potential fly in the ointment concerning the management agreement. He warned that the “Gnome Village” near Treasure Falls (formerly Yule Creek Falls) had been expanding rapidly, and threatened to turn into a full-scale invasion of the Wetlands area. He was concerned that the elf and pixie population if left unchecked for a period of seventeen years, would be ”grandfathered-in” as permanent residents of the protected area. Cue a generous glug of Squirt.

2024 Meeting Schedule

March 7th April 4th May 2nd

Town of Marble ConTinued...

After some further explanation from McMahill, Willits and Armstrong burst out in raucous laughter, reassuring the Council that they would nonetheless help the Town out with any issues that may arise in the future, conceding that in 10 years or so drainage issues could come up. A slightly exasperated Leach reminded everyone present that “this is a one-year management agreement we’re discussing here,” and the motion to approve it was unanimously passed.

The filing of a diligence application for water rights was then authorized; Richard Wells informed us that the Parks Committee had been bogged down with Memorial requests for the Mill Site Park; and it was reported that Hawkins Siemon, President of the Board of the Marble Charter School, would be present at the next Master Plan Committee meeting to discuss the needs of the school and its relationship with the Town. The meeting adjourned after Alie Wettstein announced that the Town had received 10 out of 22 business license applications.

I sprinkled a little pixie dust about my person to protect me from marauding goblins and gingerly made my way home. The next Town of Marble Board of Trustees Meeting commences at 7 p.m. on March 7th at the Town of Marble Community Church Fellowship Hall.

DJ Sugar Monkey is the host of “Snack Time” every other Thursday afternoon from 12-2 p.m. The music show features mostly jazz with a mix of funk and, according to DJ Sugar Monkey, a "smattering of world music thrown in, mostly from Africa." You can find him on KDNK (88.1 FM), Carbondale’s public access radio that connects community members and the world.

Sunday Soup and Conversation Update

Over the past month and a half, residents of Marble have come together each Sunday to discuss a wide range of topics, from the local art scene to affordable housing. The meetings are an effort by the Marble Board of Trustees and the Master Plan Committee to gather the public's input as they work towards updating the town's master plan.

Some fantastic ideas have emerged from the conversation with groups that have averaged around 16 people. Sometimes, people attend one or two meetings; some have come to every meeting. There is also a nice blend of newer residents and residents who have lived here for decades. With a few exceptions, the conversation has been casual and relaxed, with an overall feeling of respect.

One of the most well-attended and enthusiastic meetings revolved around art, history, and culture in Marble. There was mention of becoming a "Creative District" through the Colorado Tourism Office, an idea that has percolated around Marble for a while. The conversation moved to our history, parks, natural resources, and, finally, to an effort to pin down precisely what it is that makes us Marble. It is a hard thing to pinpoint, it turns out.

people into the mountains and remote places, visitors and those outside the community began to define Marble. It became known as an OHV destination and a semi-lawless town to buzz through on the way to the Mill after a quick stop at the sole restaurant. We have been working to catch up and structure the surge in visitors.

editorial from Marble Town Councilwoman Amber McMahill

As OHV vehicles gained popularity and the Crystal Mill and Lead King Loop went viral online, especially as COVID pushed

Now, we are moving into a more forward-looking phase where we truly begin to define ourselves rather than leaving it open for others to define us. If the conversation reflects the community, that definition is an artist's haven and a uniquely historic town with abundant nature.

I had a guest from Durango staying at Beaver Lake Lodge last month. He remarked that Marble was one of the last real Colorado mountain towns left. I feel it can be taken for granted, sometimes, just how precious and unique we are.

As easy as it is just to enjoy this treasure of a

town, we have seen what happens if we don't guard it. Sometimes, it takes an outsider's view or a lively meeting over soup about our shared priorities to remind me why projects like the Master Plan and efforts to engage the community are essential.

Marble and our way of life are worth fighting for and working to maintain.

To join the conversation, stop by the Raspberry Ridge Cafe on March 3rd, 10th, and 17th at 2 p.m. to join in the conversation and enjoy delicious (and free) soup.

Attend the Master Plan Committee's Public Meeting to hear what they have been working on and to give feedback on Thursday, March 14th at the Marble Firehouse from 6 p.m. — 8 p.m.

News and Updates

Contact : Elections Dept (970) 429-2732, www pitkinvotes com Drop off your completed ballot at 24-hour secured drop box locations: Pitkin County Administration Building, Town of Snowmass Village Town Hall and Basalt Town Hall In-person early voting at the Aspen Police Department, 540 E Main St in Aspen; for polling place hours, please check pitkinvotes com If using the U S Mail, please DO NOT mail the ballot after Feb 26 All ballots must be received by 7 p m on Election Day

Candidate Packets are Now Available Contact: Elections Department (970) 429-2732

Candidate packets for those interested in running for a county office are now available online at pitkinvotes com or by using this link: https://www.pitkinvotes.com/campaign-finance-filings. Pitkin County offices that will be on the ballot for 2024 are the following: County Commissioner District 3, Commissioner District 4 and Commissioner District 5 Pitkin County Public Health Launching Vaping & Youth Nicotine Use Campaign

Using e-cigarettes, or "vaping", has become highly prevalent in Pitkin County The Roaring Fork Valley has some of the highest rates of youth vaping in the United States Pitkin County Public Health encourages parents to get the facts about vape, and talk to kids about nicotine use. Food Sites in the Roaring Fork Valley Pitkin County Human Services would like to remind everyone about food assistance options available in our valley This document has a list of

Redstone Senior Days

At the Redstone Inn

Redstone programs are open to all! RSVP: (970) 920-5432

MARCH 12 & 26

• 12:00 p.m. – Lunch ($10) RSVP by noon the Friday prior – space is limited. Plated lunch will be served.

There will be a gluten-free option.

• 12:45 p.m. – Program

March 12:

History’s Mysteries with Christi Couch Colorado trivia & slideshow

March 26: How to Keep Your Brain Alive Mary Barbour leads this fun & engaging session. Learn helpful tips for staying sharp while having a good time.

Redstone Historical Society's Vintage Valley: The Short-Lived Sociological Experiment, 1902 - 1909

By Mary Boland

By this time, 1902, virtually all the improvements at Redstone, the company, the company-built houses, clubhouse, Inn, etc. were all in place, and by comparison with other isolated coal communities, it must have seemed like paradise to its residents.

Osgood hardly had time to enjoy his achievements, however, before he was sorely pressed by outside interests.

Chicago financier John W. Gates acquired stock in the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) in 1901 and claimed he had enough shares to control the Board of Directors. However, he also professed at first a desire to leave Osgood in charge of the enterprise as long as Osgood would agree to undertake an expensive program to expand and modernize the steel works at Pueblo, Colo. Osgood did start the steelworks improvements program, possibly to his later regret, but harmony between Os good and Gates lasted only a short while nonetheless.

In acquiring what he claimed to be a controlling interest, Gates ran up the price of the corporation's stock on the stock exchange, and many of Osgood's supporters could not resist the opportu nity to sell their shares at good profits. This left Osgood and his "Iowa gang" in the position of having to solicit support from eastern investors to maintain control of the company.

During the latter part of 1901 and first half of 1902, Gates and Osgood battled in earnest for control of the Board of Directors, the battle involving a series of complex legal maneuvers tedious to relate. As these legal battles received considerable publicity, abetted by public charges the two made against each other, pric

All content sponsored and provided by the Redstone Historical Society.

es of the corporation's shares then fell sharply on the stock exchange, causing Gates to lose so much money he finally gave up the battle before the close of 1902. And the various investors, mostly Eastern, who now hold most of the stock voted toward the end of that year to retain the Osgood management.

Despite this victory, Osgood was now in real trouble as at least one of his associates, John Jerome, tried to warn him. The steelworks improvements now underway were both costing many times what had been expected as well as disrupting current production and, therefore, income to an unforeseen degree. Jerome warned Osgood that the bonds issued the previous year to finance the improvements had brought in nowhere near sufficient revenue to see the projects through, and that the company was, thus, headed for a financial crisis.

Osgood did not take heed, however, until insolvency became an immediate threat early in 1903. Finally, in June of that year Osgood could find no recourse but to go to major shareholders George Gould and John D. Rockefeller and offer to relinquish control of the company to them if they would save it from insolvency.

Gould and Rockefeller accepted this offer, and Osgood and the "Iowa gang" then resigned as directors and officers of the company.

Osgood retained ownership and control of not only Cleveholm and some 4,200 acres of beautiful surrounding countryside, but also the town of Redstone including the 84 cottages, the Inn, the Clubhouse, and another lodge, the Big Horn, that he had built for important visitors. But after he lost control of CF&I, and thus the mining and coking operations at Coalbasin and Redstone, [Osgood] left the Crystal Valley and only occasionally visited again.

With Osgood out of the picture, CF&I's "sociological work" apparently languished for lack of financial support, and Camp and Plant magazine ceased operation in 1904. The Corporation kept the Crystal Valley mines for another six years, but little information about them is available for the period after 1904. Then in 1909, the company closed down all operations at Coalbasin and Redstone, probably because of unfavorable market conditions. The market for coke had suffered a continual decline with the decline of smelting in the state.

For some unknown reason, Coalbasin residents were suddenly told in January 1909, that there would be only one more trip out on the High Line; thus, they were forced to abandon much of their household furniture and any other bulky items when they left. CF&I crews returned later to strip the mine and pull the High Line tracks, but they did not bother removing any of the belongings left behind by their former employees, leaving them instead to vandals and rot.

When coal operations ceased, Col. [Channing F.] Meek was able to arrange to lease the Crystal River Railroad so that he could continue to get his marble to Carbondale and, thus, that railroad was not dismantled until after the marble operations ended in 1941.

Author Mary Boland (1936-2017), moved to Carbondale in 1973. She was Glenwood Bureau Chief for the Grand Junction Sentinel, a Professor at Colorado Mountain College, and a prolific writer for many national and local publications. This is one article, reprinted with permission, from her publication The History of the Crystal Valley.

RHS Notes: The policies of "Social Betterment," also referred to as "Welfare Capitalism," effectively incentivized Osgood's CF&I employees and Colorado not to participate in the 1903 United Mine Workers of America failed 10-month strike, effectively keeping the union out of Colorado. Research by Redstone Historian Darrell Munsell, author of From Redstone to Ludlow, clarifies that Osgood's "Social Betterment" philosophy was rooted in his opposition to unions. Notably, Osgood abandoned this philosophy after he lost control of CF&I in 1903 and went on to develop his privately owned very anti-union Victor Coal Company in Colorado's southern coalfields. Osgood never again held a publicly traded company.

Photograph top right: Alma Osgood, circa 1903, in her Columbia Runabout Mark XXXI, electric vehicles were quite the rage. Photograph from the Charlotte Osgood Blackmer Collection.

Photograph bottom right: Columbia Mark XXXI Runabout drawing, from the Columbia Automobiles 1903 booklet, the company was based in Hartford, Conn. This version drove almost like a horse and buggy at a top speed of 15 miles per hour with a 40-mile range. Photograph from Car and Driver Magazine archives.

THE MARBLE TIMES

Snow Science on McClure Pass with Roaring Fork Conservancy

From Gina Mile, MCS Director

Today’s snow is tomorrow’s water!

Marble charter students worked with Roaring Fork Conservancy to engage in the science of snow. Students became snow scientists using field equipment to learn while they play.

Middle School Students strapped on their snowshoes and explored the McClure SNOTEL site. Students learned how to calculate how much water is in the snowpack by digging pits, taking measurements with a snow tube, and melting down different layers of snow.

Grades second through fifth participated in a snow crystal study, learning how snow forms, and observing different types of snow crystals using field microscopes. They even created a class size human snow crystal!

Students also studied wild animal tracks and learned how animals use snow to survive in the winter. Students worked in teams to design and build dens in the in snow. These dens act as insulators against cold winter nights and predators.

&

Grade Trip Fundraising Events

Thank You!

We want to extend our deepest gratitude for our community's support so far this year! The 7th/8th-grade trip is a long-standing tradition that serves as a rite of passage for us as we prepare to transition from our small school to High School. It will be the first big city experience for some of us, while for others, it will be our first significant trip away from our families

This trip, however, is far more than just our final destination. Through planning and fundraising, we acquire skills such as budgeting, teamwork, marketing, bookkeeping, transportation and lodging navigation, event

We chose San Diego this year to align with our school-wide theme of Water and hope to explore the tide pools and beaches, learn snorkeling, visit the zoo and Balboa Park, and experience the area's rich history, particularly the maritime history at the Maritime Museum.

We have many more fun events planned for this winter and spring, and we hope to see you all there! Inspired by our friend Terry Langley, we are offering stock in our trip for sale! You can choose what you invest in with options like transportation, food or lodging. We have set up an online store or you can buy in person. After our trip, all stockholders will be invited to a special dinner and presentation to celebrate our journey and their

Wear your winter gear for outdoor viewing and bonfire at Propaganda Pie at 467 Redstone Boulevard.

Admission is $20 with an option to buy a $15 all you can eat pasta buffet that includes a glass of wine or beer.

MarCh 2nd

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Film begins at 6:30 p.m.

Please come and support the Marble Charter School and enjoy some backcountry adventures.

Ar

From

Alana

Houseman,

Kindness Campaign

MCS Teacher Grades 2nd - 4th

In January, the 2nd- 4th grade class started off the New Year by reflecting on ways they can spread kindness throughout their community. Here are some of their responses:

Abbie Durham, 2nd Grade: Being kind makes everyone happier. Being nice to people is a way to make someone happy. For example, baking cookies and shoveling snow shows kindness. Also, writing a letter to a friend makes them happy. Making dinner for people who do not have a home or money is also showing kindness. There are also other ways to spread kindness in our community like volunteering to help people in need. If you are kind, our world will be a better place.

Amira Paris, 2nd Grade: Kindness brings happiness and love! In fact, helping people in your community helps you, other people and animals too! I can help people by bringing in their groceries and walking their dogs. I can make cookies too! I can help clean up around the neighborhood or help my family. You can help your mom get firewood for the fire. You can do your chores. You can clean your parents room. Kindness makes our community stronger.

Gabriel Marine, 2nd Grade: Being kind to one another brings happiness to our community. I can help my sister when she gets in a sledding crash. I can shovel snow. I can pick up litter. I can walk people’s dogs. I can make people cards. I can bring canned goods. Me and my dad can pull people out of the snow. There are many things that I can do to be nice like helping my friends.

It would be kind to ask another kid to play with you if they are sad. If you are kind to others, our world would be a better place.

Mylo Schumacher, 4th Grade: Being kind is how our community gets stronger and holds us together. To begin with, you can bake your neighbor a cake. You can help people carry heavy stuff and work for them too. You can also help people clean up neighborhoods and plant plants to make it a better place. Sometimes you can also walk dogs too. If people are sick, you can help them out. Last but not least, be nice to everyone including yourself. Kindness is a thing all people should use.

Hazel Schlichter, 4th Grade: To  make  someone’s  day,  one  thing  you  can  do  is  listen  to  them.  Listening  to others  is  an  act  of  kindness.  Even  though  some  acts  of  kindness  are  small,  they  can still  warm  hearts.  That  is  the  most  important  thing  to  do  in  life.  We  all  have  it  in  us  to be  kind.  When  you  listen,  or  strike   a  conversation,  or  even  just  smile,  you  can  make someone’s  day.  That  is  one  reason  why  being  kind is  so  important.  When   you  listen   to   others,  they will   trust  you  to  do  what  they  ask.  Most  important  of  all,  it beautifies  the  world.   In   conclusion,  listening  to   others  is  critical.

To be honest is an important aspect of kindness.  When you are honest, others will trust you more completely. This is a nice or kind thing to do.  Another highlight of honesty is that you will have a good record. This is important because it will help you be more successful  later on. Success is important in life.

Honesty (and success) are important in life and mental health. In conclusion, honesty is amazing and important.

Luna Schachter, 4th Grade: Kindness makes everyone happy and there are many ways you can be kind! You could babysit your neighbor's baby or walk someone's dog. My grandmother walks her neighbor's dog, as well as her own

because her neighbor isn't feeling well and it makes my grandma's dog happy to have a friend. It also helps my grandma's neighbors! My grandma does not get paid to walk the dog but a couple weeks ago she got a gift. So sometimes when you do a nice thing for your neighbors they will do a nice thing for you. You don't always need  to do something nice for your neighbors but you can also do kind things to your community. You could clean the park or donate to a shelter or school. A really nice thing you could do for an elderly person is do chores that they can't do because of their age. Elderly or disabled people might need your help but you can also just be nice and make someone some baked goods! Being kind lifts everyone up!

Maddie Durham, 4th Grade: Kindness is when someone does something that makes you feel special. Like if someone helped you when you were sad or if you fell down. There are many ways to show kindness. lf someone fell down you could help them up or say are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help you feel better? If they say no, just wait for an adult. Or get an ice pack. But there are a lot of different ways to show kindness. Help out older adults by shoveling decks or driveways. Make cookies for your neighbors or goodies. Help out around your house and do your chores. Help someone that's sick or hurt. Here are some things to do to help someone that's sick or hurt. You could make some hot tea like chai tea is good or spicy tea. Knit or sew something like a blanket or a stuffy. Buy some fancy chocolate or dark chocolate would work. Give them a heat pack or get them something to eat like hot soup if they're sick. That's what kindness is.

Being kind is everything no matter what it is, even the smallest thing can make a difference. No matter if it's just making cookies for a friend, buying flowers for someone that's sick, making coffee for your parents in the morningit still will make a difference.

Isaiah Ready, 4th Grade: Kindness makes our community stronger and helps many people. I think everyone should be kind. Being kind is a way of life. Being rude is another way of life, but being kind is the way to go. Being kind is just the thing to do because it is nice. There are so many ways to be kind. First of all, you can bake cookies for neighbors.You can make a card for neighbors. You can make a card for your mom or dad. You can feed the homeless. Being kind doesn't just make people happy,  it can make you feel good.

You can even treat yourself better. I mean it is so fun to ride around on your bike giving and getting compliments. I think being nice is the best way to get out of a fight. You should treat others the way you want to be treated.

Writing about Water and Other Projects

From Nikki Beinstein, MCS Teacher Grades 5th - 8th

poeM projeCT

“So much depends upon…”

One hundred years ago, the physician-poet William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) wrote a poem entitled The Red Wheelbarrow (1923), which has since become very well-known. We learned about this poem in September 2023, which the students then used as inspiration to write their own short poems about loss. - Nikki Beinstein

By: William Carlos Williams

so much depends upon

a red wheel  barrow

glazed with rain Water

beside the white chickens

By: Sebastian M-K, 7th Grade

So much depends upon  the little gnomes  hiding around the houses moving around each and everyday for two years until one day… the little gnomes with their mushroom umbrellas stopped moving

By: Delphi B, 8th Grade

So much depends  upon

This old tattered book

Worn with the use of you and I

Its stories of pain and joy

The words still clinging to  my mind

Adventures and far away places we dreamed about

Now just sitting on the shelf

By: Ellamae S, 7th Grade

So much depends upon a blue leash fading in the sun day by day just laying  there hooked to an orange  tube never used, as so  much depends on a blue leash.

By: Nina P, 6th Grade

So much  depends upon the brown chair crawling with mice sitting by the fireplace

By: Tobin V, 8th Grade

So much depends upon A Gray Yeti cooler Hard to zip open Hard to zip close Make drinks as cold as ice brought everywhere to have a good time

waTer

by: Ali W, 7th Grade

The water flows throughout the whole world; it makes memories throughout time. The water is all connected. Water connects people. The water flows in different form. It flows through rivers; it flows through lakes; it flows through waterfalls; it flows with the wind. The water likes to dance; the water dances with the people; the water dances with the animal; the water dances with the moon; the water dances alone.

Water has feeling when you put your hand in the water, you can feel warmth or maybe coldness. You can feel the life within the water. It

shines like an animated cartoon tooth shine. It smells fresh like the wind; it sounds like power; it feels mighty, mighty like an elephant. Trees and flowers grow on the edge, making the air smell fresh; birds chirp, bringing music to the silent forest. Fish jump, frogs ribbit in the distance, the moon casts a shadow over the tree tops; the wind blows calmly through the flower heads. Grass sways in the gentle breeze and the water splashes as the forest says goodnight.

The STorM

By: Nina P, 6th Grade

The air will swallow My heart my home my house and me I hear the rain falling from the dark gray sky I look up and I see the sun shining through  the clouds.

Then I hear a sound very loudly it tells me rain is coming come rain come calming rain falling from the sky whispering the song it  sings Just being rain I see

Falling gently from the sky

It says nothing rain on the  rocks sprinkles coming down The birds sing with the rain

My dreaM By: Emme E, 8th Grade

One day I hope to eat your ramen With no salt, My dream is to snuggle

On the L shaped couch

One day at a time she said,  I miss you littles,  I’ll see you soon my lover

Make me mac and cheese I said No Not yet littles Nutella is fine I guess

Don’t eat me please as I ran so fast it hurted quickly faster running, No!

No, Don’t eat me please quickly I ran past it, faster No No it caught me!

beaVer lake

By: Ellamae S, 7th Grade

I sit on my paddleboard letting the sun hit my face. The rubbery feel of the paddleboard touches my skin and the cool water touches my hands and I can feel the seaweed touching me. I get startled. I wake from my daydreaming to see the water glistening under my paddleboard. I see the reflection of the mountains on the water. I see a fish swimming. I paddle to a place I’ve never seen before. I look down into the water. It’s very deep, almost like a fathom. The hole goes down, down, down until you can’t see anything. All you can see is the blue of the hole and seaweed reaching out from the hole like it’s going to grab you. The hole looks like a portal or maybe a moon; it’s gorgeous then as I float there in the middle of the lake. I think to myself, what a beautiful moonhole.