Planning for the Next Step -- May 10, 2013
Graduates of the classes of 2011 and 2012 report on their high school experiences.
Too Much Screen Time? -- May 3, 2013
The social and emotional cost of children's technology use and how parents can make a difference.
Benefits of the Arts -- April 19, 2013
Research continues to verify that instruction in these arts improves intellectual, emotional, and social development.
Importance of Family History -- April 5, 2013
Children who know more about their family’s history have a stronger sense of control over their lives and higher self-esteem.
Professional Development -- March 29, 2013
We were immersed in the latest thinking on early childhood brain development, the importance of movement in learning,
Class of 2013 -- March 22, 2013
It is an exciting time of year to be an eighth grader at Beacon Day School. Joy and anticipation fill the air
Developing Executive Function -- March 15, 2013
Executive function is a set of mental processes that allows for planning, organizing, decision making, managing time
Full of Spirit -- March 8, 2013
Strange hair-dos, comfy pajamas, funny hats, rockers from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and numerous sets of “twins” showed up during Beacon’s annual Spirit Week.
Time With Your Child -- March 1, 2013
I recently saw the movie “56 Up,” the latest installment in a fascinating documentary series that explores how our early experiences in life affect future happiness and success.
Parental Involvement -- February 22, 2013
An Education Week blog explored a study by William Jeynes, author of the study and professor of education at California State University at Long Beach.
STEM + the Arts -- February 15, 2013
STEM -- an acronym for studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics -- has been the topic of conversation in education circles
Bragging Wars -- February 8, 2013
In Sunday’s New York Times columnist Bruce Feiler wrote about the bragging wars and an emerging consensus -- parents should stop bragging about their children
Learning at Home -- February 1, 2013
Observing Beacon students throughout the day is a wonderful experience as their joy for learning is almost palpable.
School Safety -- January 25, 2013
Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School last month our nation has been engaged in dialogues around gun violence and school safety.
Standardized Testing - January 18, 2013
A rare sighting occurred at Beacon this week -- students taking a standardized test. Though not the norm at our school
Physical Exercise & Learning -- January 11, 2013
At this time of year the news media carry health-related stories as many of us begin to create New Year's resolutions around our own habits.
Music Benefits -- December 21, 2012
In the Beacon Community Room this afternoon, families came together to enjoy 5th through 8th graders celebrate the season through music.
Connecticut Shooting -- December 14, 2012
The tragic shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut provided sad evidence that our commitment to regularly practicing emergency preparedness is warranted.
Holiday Advice -- December 7, 2012
This time of year our days are filled with school and family events, shopping, entertaining and travel.
Benefits of Beacon -- November 30, 2012
What do a kindergarten student and college SAT coach have in common besides a love of learning?
Being Thankful -- November 16, 2012
This week I reflected on the film, Race To Nowhere, screened for our community by the Beacon Family Association Tuesday evening.
Parenting Resource -- November 9, 2012
Parenting can be the toughest, yet most important job we do, and for which we have the least amount of training.
Presidential Election -- November 2, 2012
This has been an extraordinary campaign season and our students are not immune to the election noise.
Preparing Middle Schoolers -- October 26, 2012
Beacon students are sought-after candidates for a number of area high schools and with good reason
Looking for the Right School -- October 19, 2012
This week I attended the annual EBISA school fair (East Bay Independent Schools Association), which kicks off the independent schools recruitment season.
Whole Brain, Whole Heart -- October 12, 2012
Affirming Beacon's successful approach to education, two recent books discuss how children are raised and the attributes that serve them best.
Integrated Studies -- October 5, 2012
Visit the middle school and you'll see a large wall display titled, The Mammoth Sunflower Project
Homework -- September 28, 2012
This week NBC is hosting the third annual Education Nation in New York, the PBS Newshour is focusing on the drop-out crisis
Back-to-School Night -- September 21, 2012
From inspiration to inspiration! What a whirlwind! Last night we orchestrated our most inclusive, and hugely successful, Back to School Night
Marketing Beacon -- September 14, 2012
Our wonderful, warm community is enriched by the new families who join us each year and I’ve enjoyed chatting with them during drop-off and pick-up over the past week.
New Branding Campaign -- September 7, 2012
Beacon parents are fearless -- they have chosen to go against a more traditional approach to education
Welcome Day -- August 17, 2012
Today was Welcome Day for Beacon’s early childhood and elementary students, who will be joining us in September.
Year-Round Schedule -- August 10, 2012
Today is the 217th day of school at Beacon and our students couldn’t be happier. Beacon’s elementary and early childhood students attend school for 225 days
Annual Fund -- August 3, 2012
A recent fundraising appeal mailed to current and alumni families explained that, like other independent schools, Beacon’s tuition alone does not cover the full cost of educating each child.
30 Years -- July 27, 2012
Thirty years ago this month Beacon leased a few rooms in the Oakland Hills, opening as a preschool with five students.
21st Century Skills -- July 20, 2012
Yesterday I met the co-founder of New Century School in Baltimore, Maryland. The three-year-old school, led by former Beacon teacher Stephanie Hess
Kahn Academy -- July 13, 2012
If you're unfamiliar with Kahn Academy, it is an organization founded by former hedge-fund manager Salman Khan
Leadership Team Structure -- July 6, 2012
An unwavering commitment to providing an exceptional education program for our students today and in the future remains Beacon's top priority.
Graduation -- June 29, 2012
Last Sunday the Class of 2012 graduated in a Beacon ceremony held at Holy Names University’s Regents Theatre.
Social & Emotional Learning -- June 22, 2012
You may have seen the video of a 68-year-old grandmother, working as a bus monitor, who was bullied by middle school students in Greece, New York.
Building School Community -- June 15, 2012
Our community was on full display today with the annual Student Art Show and Family Fiesta (formerly known as the Beacon barbeque).
8th Grade Year -- June 8, 2012
On Wednesday afternoon 25 teenagers arrived in the Middle School parking lot, tired, disheveled and very appreciative of each other.
Strong Community -- June 1, 2012
This was quite a full week of events! Beacon’s Board of Directors and education leadership team discussed Beacon’s future at a well-attended parent meeting
Teachers -- May 25, 2012
Today Beacon is closed for Teacher Recognition Day -- a gift to our staff in gratitude of their dedication to our students.
Pace Groups -- May 18, 2012
The reporter who wrote Tuesday's Washington Post article could have been observing one of Beacon’s classes.
SQUIRT -- May 11, 2012
At 12:30 on any given day you will see older elementary students paired with younger students, sitting in the hallway, reading to each other.
Year-Round Model -- May 4, 2012
This time of year, the media start warning of the "summer slide," a reference to what happens to students when they are out of school during the summer.
The Arts -- April 27, 2012
I’ve spoken of the arts before in this space, usually referring to benefits.
Family Involvement -- April 20, 2012
Beacon was founded by an educator and a social worker--two kindred spirits with a passion for creating a school based on how children learn.
Risk Taking -- April 6, 2012
Research shows that children are best served in a learning environment where they feel safe to take risks and can experience the reward of success.
Arts Instruction -- March 30, 2012
You might have read in Wednesday’s Chronicle about the connection between music instruction and improvements in math.
Middle School -- March 23, 2012
It’s rare when our entire student body is in one place at the same time so last Friday’s Spirit Week rally was a treat.
Flexible Curriculum -- March 16, 2012
In a previous message, I mentioned that Finland produces some of the most competent students in the world.
Extraordinary Teachers -- March 9, 2012
A few weeks ago Education Secretary Arne Duncan launched the RESPECT Project
Personalized Attention -- March 2, 2012
On Monday we awoke to sad news of a high school campus shooting in rural Ohio. The shooter was a student.
High Achievers -- February 24, 2012
Challenging the student. That is the crux of teaching, and at Beacon we firmly believe that all students can learn and succeed, but not on the same day in the same way.
Value of a Beacon Education -- February 17, 2012
Investing in a child’s education is a values proposition. Throughout our children’s lives we make trade-offs based on our personal values and priorities.
Arts Instruction -- February 10, 2012
Beacon parents have shared with me that our approach to infusing arts into the curriculum sets us apart from other area schools.
Leadership -- February 3, 2012
If you follow the news you are more than aware of the presidential race. Those aspiring to the top job talk about leadership and who will be the best “leader in chief.”
Annual Fund -- January 27, 2012
We were introduced to the annual fund when we chose Beacon for our young son 16 years ago.
Year-Round Learning -- January 20, 2012
A statement from Beacon’s Vision speaks volumes about the education investment you’ve made for your child(ren).
School Success -- January 13, 2012
We’ve had many visitors over the past two weeks “trying us on” as the future school for their children.
Developmental Approach & Assessments -- January 6, 2012
I recently read an article in the Smithsonian magazine about Finland's outstanding school system
New Year -- December 30, 2011
In just a few days, those of us who still have paper calendars will turn the page to a new year.
Diversity -- December 16, 2011
This week, Beacon mom Diva Hudson told the Monarchs class, “Family, traditions and culture are what Kwanzaa is all about.”
Anti-Bullying -- December 9, 2011
Lady Gaga, pop star and trend setter, was at the White House earlier this week to promote anti-bullying.
Parenting -- December 2, 2011
Parenting is one of the toughest jobs any adult can take on, and yet it comes with the least amount of training.
Thanksgiving -- November 25, 2011
For some, the day after Thanksgiving may be one of rest and reflection, perhaps, on just how much you ate.
Preparing Middle Schoolers -- November 18, 2011
As the sun set on a chilly Tuesday afternoon I cheered on Beacon’s coed flag football team as they gallantly took on rival Berkeley School.
Parent Visits -- November 11, 2011
Just last month I wrote about the palpable excitement in the air at Beacon. Since then, in the span of just two weeks, we’ve hosted four well-attended admission events
Social & Emotional Learning -- November 4, 2011
Character--a lead article in the New York Times Magazine and hot topic of conversation in education circles as well as in our own parent community.
Homework -- October 28, 2011
Earlier this week the New York Times reported that schools are reviewing their homework policies due to concerns about the stress placed on young people.
Spiral Curriculum -- October 21, 2011
Beacon's curriculum is modeled after spirals and bridges. The center “axis” of Beacon's spiral is a developmental approach to education.
Energy & Excitement -- October 14, 2011
The air at Beacon is filled with contagious excitement. It first caught on when staff reached 100% participation in the pre-launch of our Annual Fund Drive
Financial Stability -- October 7, 2011
As you may have heard Windrush School in El Cerrito has had a difficult week. They are struggling with a serious financial crisis and may be forced to close.
Assessment -- September 30, 2011
A top education news piece this week reminded me, once again, of one of the important things that is uniquely right about Beacon: assessment.
Back to School Events -- September 23, 2011
The excitement was palpable at our Early Childhood and Elementary Back to School events. Both events set new attendance records, with 96% of our Early Childhood families and 92% of our Elementary families represented.
Growth -- September 16, 2011
Growing is one thing we cannot stop our children from doing. Fortunately, for our students, they grow and flourish in a school that values their individuality while providing them with the right tools at the right time, keeping them motivated and, well, growing.
Social & Emotional Development -- September 9, 2011
The vitality of our student community was on full display this week with our middle school honor roll ceremony, bounty from our gardens, music coming from Vida’s classroom and a wonderful example of Beacon’s social and emotional development program, Pathways to Life, which teaches 23 life skills around rules, rights and responsibilities.
Family Involvement -- September 2, 2011
We have all heard the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Our own village, the Beacon community of parents, grandparents, faculty and staff, creates the nurturing, vibrant and stimulating environment we have for our children.