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"May The 4th Be With You!" Mr. Hwang brings great creativity to his middle school math lessons whenever possible, and today was no exception!  Transforming into "Darth Pythagoras," he set out to recruit ECS math students for a new order, that of "Rotational Symmetry." The students' brilliance shined brightly as they joined in the challenges of the day: Data Decryption The Order of Rotational Symmetry has received precious encrypted data on notable leaders of the past.  The students were tasked with decrypting this information and making sure it got into the right hands… Order Insignia (designs by Anthony Herrera) Darth Pythagoras requested [...]

The students in Mrs. Turella's 5th grade class studied art in a new way recently, as they learned more about the viewer's perspective.  In order to make things appear shorter or longer, or to give the illusion of space and distance, artists may use linear perspective.  This technique has been attributed to Italian Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi, who devised it around 1415AD.  Linear perspective incorporates math related to lines, vectors, arcs, angles, and planes in order to create realistic art that appears three-dimensional although painted or drawn on a one- or two-dimensional surface.  Mrs. Turella led her students throughout the lesson by asking them [...]

As I sat in the enormous, university auditorium I looked around at the other freshmen parents and couldn’t help but wonder why we were there. I had already been to college and earned my degree. This rite of passage was now my daughter’s, right? But there we all were at DAY ONE of our adult child’s’ college orientation. I have always had a love for learning, but this class didn’t feel quite right. Then the hands went up asking the orientation administrator things like, “what should my child do if they don’t get along with their roommate?” I became increasingly uncomfortable [...]

The Middle School Fall Retreat is an annual event that registers as one of the highlights of our students' experiences at ECS. We spend two days and an overnight stay at Camp Sambica on Lake Sammamish to purposefully build community within our middle school. Grades are mixed for a variety of fun activities and zany games that allow relationships to be built and fostered across grade levels. Examples include: the Izzy-Dizzy Relay, Screaming For Distance, Gaga Ball, Team Skits, and a Freestyle Diving Contest. Our students share: “The retreat was great for bonding. I grew closer to my friends as well [...]

For the third year in a row, RadKIDS Personal Empowerment and Safety Program has been provided to our 2nd and 5th grade classes. The course focuses on helping students find their voice, protect themselves, and empower themselves in the event that their safety feels threatened and they need help. Through a series of self-defense moves and extended classroom learning, students come up with their own "radKIDS Plan" to go from danger to safety if needed. Certified Instructors Bobye Turella and Annie Averett offer the eight-hour course here at ECS. The students love being empowered and brainstorming how to stay safe both [...]

K-8 initiatives for STEM and STEAM are so important. As society continues to advance in science, technology, engineering and math, we aim to teach skills our students will need to be successful working in these industries. We are instilling a passion for STEM into today’s students so that they are prepared and excited to take on STEM jobs in their futures. To develop a passion for STEM, students need to experience STEM subjects in an engaging, exciting, and hands-on way.  We are providing these experiences in the classroom to ensure our students finish school with a strong foundational knowledge in STEM [...]