hutch times volume 28, number 3 · hutch times volume 28, number 3 ... snail mail: use free time or...

hutch times february 2017

HUTCH TIMES Volume 28, Number 3

written by hutch school students and dedicated to our families, volunteers and supporters

HUTCH SCHOOL nurturing hearts and minds

Hutch School is a uniquely supportive learning environment for K-12 school-aged patients and family members who are temporarily living in Seattle while undergoing serious medical treatment

at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, University of Washington Medical Center, and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

1100 Fairview Ave. N., H-SCHL Seattle, WA 98109-1024 206)667-1400 www.hutchschool.org

LOOK INSIDE!

Student Poetry Ask Laurie Classroom High-

lights Field Trips!

Because everyone is here due to a serious illness, we treat each other

with compassion and extra kindness.

Hutch School Belief Statement


“Ask Laurie” – Keeping in touch…. Hutch School Social Worker Laurie responds to questions from Hutch School students. For this issue, two questions from teens were submitted that focused on missing family and friends at home and requested solutions for keeping in touch with them. Questions: Dear Laurie, I’m feeling homesick and I live out of state. What should I do to keep up to date with my friends and family? Signed, Billy (age 15) Dear Laurie, I just recently moved to Seattle and have been missing my friends and family. What should I do to stay in contact with them? Sincerely, A.C.B. (age 13) Answer: Dear Billy and A.C.B., Missing friends and family at home is a common experience for Hutch School students, especially if you are a teenager. Moving to Seattle at a time when friendships are very important in your life can create a lot of stress. When it was decided for you to come to Seattle it may have happened pretty quickly and you might not have had much time to explain to your friends why you needed to move. And, since medical treatment for your patient can change, it also is not certain how long you might be gone. Friends and family members who are back at home can still be an important support for you during this time that you don’t get to see them. Here are some suggestions for keeping close contact.

Contact Info: Check to see if you have all their email addresses and phone numbers

New Plan: Since you aren ’t hanging out with them at school or on weekends, create

a new plan to keep contact with them at least once a week. Let them know your new school hours and evening schedule so they know best times to reach you.

FaceTime or Skype: Occasional face to face contact can be extra helpful for

feelings of homesickness. Snail Mail: Use free time or time while at the clinic or hospital to write letters or

brief note. Ask Laurie for help to put them in the mail! Share Updates: When you are texting, emailing or calling them, give them de-

tails about how things are going for you, any new experiences, and what your day was like. They might not know what to ask you.

One other thing to think about is that while at Hutch School you will also have the oppor-tunity to make new friends. While the friends you make here are not “replacements” for your friends and support at home, they definitely can help you feel connected and under-stood. All the best, Laurie

hutch school happenings


Parkour-It’s so much fun! By Jared, 6

th Grade, Washington

A long time ago, back when I was seven years old, my older brother dared me to do something I'll never forget. While standing high up in the tree – it must have been 20 feet high – my brother dared me to jump from one frozen branch to another. I was both scared and surprised. Ultimately, I was excited that I could do it and took the leap. Fast forward five years and I'm back jumping over obstacles. Jumping over obsta-cles and doing stuff I never thought I would do. Parkour is a sport for all ages. It can be dangerous. But that's OK. Just do what you can until you learn how to do it cor-rectly and stay safe. The last time I was there it was so much fun. We started off with the cat leap. That's where you jump with your feet first to provide support. Next, I grabbed a pole that was sideways. After that we had to vault onto a long piece of wood. We also had to vault on a big block of wood. Lots of challenges! I would describe the Parkour gym as city park meets a workout gym. It doesn’t have very much paint. There are stone walls, no carpet, and hard flooring. Oh, and there are wooden obstacles everywhere. It serves its purpose. I like this place a lot. And each time a little bit more than the time before. So, if there is something you think you will like, sometimes it's better just to give it a try. Maybe you will try Parkour

Hutch Award Visitors By Junior, 1

st Grade, Washington

When the Hutch Award visitors came, we got to eat watermelon and honeydew mel-on. The day before, we went to the main Hutch campus to see baseball cards of all the Hutch Award winners. The special Hutch Award visitors wrote their names on papers for us. I took the papers home with me. We asked the visitors questions. I asked them what their favorite toy was when they were kids. The Hutch Award win-ner said he liked toy cars best. They talked with the kids. We took a picture with them. I liked the visitors. They were nice.



Drama Class By Kendrew, 1

st Grade, Washington

My class was standing in a big circle and we were listening until our drama teacher was done speaking. Our teacher is named Andrea. Andrea explained that she had a mystery box that could take our class on an adventure. So off we went! In the entry-way, Andrea bent down and pretended to be a troll. She asked us in a deep, silly voice, “Why have you come here?” We all worked together to use our imagination to go on our adventure. We pretended that there was a machine in the school and there was a mystery object stuck in it. Also, we pretended that it was really dark and we had to use light sabers to help us see. In our next drama class with Andrea, we will continue our adventure story. I can’t wait!

Willy Wonka Jr. By Jazyah, Kindergarten, Washington

The actors were really good in Willy Wonka at Youth Theatre Northwest. The actors were all kids. A reporter asked all the kids how they found their golden ticket. The Oompa Loompas sang a song that is stuck in my head now. Two of them had red hair. The Oompa Loompas danced a funny dance. I liked Charlie Bucket because he was so funny. There were kids pretending to be his grandparents. I liked it when a character turned into a blueberry. I liked it when the whole cast was dancing togeth-er. I liked it when the whole cast came out and sang at the end.

Willy Wonka Jr. By Jesus, 4


Yesterday our class went to Youth Theatre Northwest’s play Willy Wonka Junior. The play is about being honest and caring for your family, in my opinion. The play began with Willy Wonka singing “The Candy Man”. We see that Willy Won-ka has a big candy factory. Then we find out that Willy hid five “golden tickets” inside chocolate candy bar wrappers. Charlie never gave up and stayed positive, even though four of the tickets were already gone. Charlie is the last one to win a golden ticket from Willy Wonka. Willy Wonka was so happy to give Charlie his factory. Char-lie’s family could live in the factory and Charlie could eat free candy for the rest of his life. I think it was very good play. The actors did a good job teaching a good lesson. My favorite actor was Charlie because he is a both a good actor and a good singer. I al-so liked the stage decorations; they made the stage look like a candy factory. The only part of the play I didn’t like was that I could not eat candy! :)



Hutch Award Luncheon Jacob Rockwell, 10


As soon as I walked out onto the field I was hit with the chilling cold air and the fresh aroma of

grass, food, and dirt. The high school and middle school classes walked along the dirt path that borders the baseball field. I looked up at the gigantic illuminated billboard which said “2017 Hutch Awards.” It also sometimes switched to saying “52

nd Hutch awards.” We all got to the place in Safeco Field where

the luncheon was being held. This part of the field had plastic flooring that was elevated slightly so the participants did not dine on the actual field. We sat down at table 84 and in front of each seat was a sandwich wrap. Also, right next to each plate, there was a dessert, a white pudding with Caramel on top. Eventually the waiters came, took away the wraps, and replaced them with a meal that kids would enjoy more.

Jacob and I sat right next to the heater, which was really nice, especially in the outdoor cold. We all had time to eat our food and socialize and then the program started. The speaker wel-comed us to the Hutch Awards hosted at Safeco field and then he started the ceremony with a video of people explaining how Fred Hutch has helped their families and how fortunate they feel that Fred Hutch exists. When that video ended, there was another video that described how Fred Hutch was founded. We learned that Fred Hutchinson was a very good baseball player and was loved by his community. When he died from cancer his brother, who was a doctor, wanted to continue his brother’s legacy, so he founded the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. After the video, the announcer got back up to the podium and welcomed a former patient onto the podium. This man was a survivor of stage four cancer. He told the story of being a patient at another hospital and learning that that it was the end of the line for him, as the doctors believe that they tried everything. Then he came to Fred Hutch, and the scientists said “no, wait” and helped treat him. Four weeks later, he and his wife were in the doctor’s office and the doctor said, “The tumor has gone down by 50%.” He said that Fred Hutch saved his life and that if it were not for Fred Hutch he wouldn’t be here today. As he went off the stage, the announcer went back up to the podium and a female reporter who was in the crowd of tables and people interviewed the previous Hutch Award winner, Adam Wain-wright. She asked him several questions and one that really stood out to me was when she said “How does it feel to pass the torch, so to speak, to Dustin McGowan?” He replied that it felt great and that Dustin definitely earned it. Once the interview with Adam was finished, the announcer started showing recognition not only to the associations that sponsor Fred Hutch, but also to all the different branches within Fred Hutch. He even did a shout out to Hutch school! Then after that he welcomed up a man who had a family member who was battling cancer, and thanks to Fred Hutch, he won his fight. But he also said that a family friend was killed a week and a half ago due to a car crash and he read something that she wrote about Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center at the time when his family member was sick. That part of the program stood out to me because I was so aware of the fact that even though a family is impacted by cancer, everyone who cares about that family is impacted too.

As soon as he finished and got off the stage the same woman who was interviewing guests ear-lier talked to a current Fred Hutch Employee. She asked the man how much progress Fred Hutch has made over the last decade and he replied with “We have made more progress this decade, than we have made these last 50 years.”

The Keynote speaker, Jim Rice, came up and started saying all sorts of things about how Dustin McGowan is an amazing person and how he definitely deserves this honor. When he said that he then went on about how kids nowadays don’t spend as much time outside as they should and that they spend a lot of time on their electronics. I feel like I should spend more time outside because I’m one of those kids who spends a lot of time on electronics. He then started taking questions from the audience about himself or Dustin. Someone asked “Who was the first award winner and when was it?” Rice replied that the first award winner was Mickey Mantle all the way back in 1965.

This event was truly about not only about recognizing Dustin McGowan for getting the award but also recognizing The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and what lifesaving work they have done and will continue to do to help cancer patients in the future. There was a record-breaking $650,000 raised that January 25

th and I’m glad that Hutch School was able to go because Hutch school

is a part of the Fred Hutch organization and I think that it’s cool that they allowed us to go.

Moments Captured


Creating art in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Moments Captured


Moments Captured


Hutch Award Luncheon

Moments Captured


student voices


Lindsey Anderson attended Hutch School as a 5th Grader. She is now a high school senior, and she returned to Hutch School to do an internship. We were delighted to see her again. Here are her reflections on two times at Hutch School.

My oldest brother Matthew was diagnosed with Leukemia at the end of his eighth grade year. I was in second grade. After two years of treatment, he ended up needing a bone marrow transplant. The decision to go ahead with this critical procedure resulted in my family relo-cating to Seattle when I started 5th grade. Matthew was treated at the Seattle Children’s Hos-pital and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. During our time in Seattle, my two broth-ers and I attended the Hutch School. I met people from very different places, but we were all connected through our family situation. Being a specialized school, the students get the individual education and care they need dur-ing a very difficult time. The Hutch School allows for students to walk through the tragedy and pain of cancer together in a community. The teachers and counselors are a source of encour-agement and stability. The other students are a source of friendships. The school itself is a blessing to guide you through all the ups and downs. I am so thankful for the impact Hutch School has had on me, and the impact it still makes today. I have always been interested in being a teacher. Whether I was playing school in my base-ment as a kid or visiting my aunt in her classroom, there has always been a subconscious drive to be a part of the education community when I got older. As I started to brainstorm for Win-terim this year, which is two weeks my school sets aside in January to take elective classes, go on school trips, or do an internship, I immediately felt an urge to go back to Seattle. It would be my first time back in 6 years. A lot has changed in my life, and I am at a different place, but I wanted to experience the Hutch from a different perspective. I wanted to revisit the com-munity which had a positive impact on me. I was nervous about returning to a very painful part of my past but also excited to enter into the world of the Hutch School. I was excited to meet the students and learn more about the behind the scenes aspects of teaching. The first day was difficult. Many memories of my fami-ly and time there flooded back, but when the elementary students came in, I was beyond ex-cited. My two week internship at Hutch School allowed for new memories and experiences which

will again impact my life in new ways. The insight into teaching and the joy of being with the

students were huge blessings throughout my stay. The students’ sincerity and love radiated

during this very traumatic time in their lives. The Hutch School proved to be a place where

students could find community and support to help them along their journey. It did for me.

Twice.

student voices


Hutch Award Luncheon By Kezlin, 4


On Wednesday, January 25, 2017, Jim Rice and Dustin McGowan visited Hutch School. Dustin McGowan is the Fred Hutch award winner for 2017, and Jim Rice is a Hall of Famer who played many years for the Boston Red Sox. Dustin McGowan pitches for the Florida Marlins and he happens to be diabetic. He pitches with an in-sulin pump. His daughter is a diabetic too. Dustin won the award because he does important things for his community. One funny fact about Dustin is that when he was a little boy his favorite toy was Rock’em Sock’em. Later on this cold January day, Hutch middle and high school students were lucky to be invited to the Hutch Award luncheon at Safeco Field. The cool thing is that we had lunch right on the baseball field. Lunch was fantastic! We had chicken fingers, chips, and cantaloupe. After lunch the award winner, Dustin McGowan, gave a speech. Then the Hall of Famer, who is Jim Rice, talked about his baseball career. It was a good experience to get to go to Safeco Field on that special day!

My Cold Home Town By Kasey, 2nd Grade, Washington Today I am writing about my hometown, Mount Baker. In Mount Baker I have a kind church called NCCTK which stands for North County Christ the King. I am eight, and you have to be seven or older to be in the Edge Class, so I get to be in that class. We get to watch movies like Storybook and Bible Man. We also get cereal. Mount Baker has a ton of mountains, and I have four mountains in my area. My area is called Ballfor Valley Drive, Maple Falls Way, and Peaceful Valley. I really like my area because I have nice neighbors. I have my Grandma as my neighbor. She watches me and my neighbors Halina and Nevayah after school while our parents are at work. We get a lot of snow in Mount Baker. Today, February 9th, 2017 there is three feet of snow. I really want to go home, but there is too much snow. It is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter in Mount Baker. I go to Kendell School and my brother Jacob goes to Mount Baker High School. I am in second grade, and I am in Ms. Welch’s class. This is my first year with desks. Ms. Welch uses a microphone because it gets our class’ attention. We sometimes get a second re-cess at school. School ends at 3:30, and me and my neighbors Naveyah and Helina get home by 3:45. My best friends’ names back at home are Amari, Eliana, Gabriella, Naomi, Naveyah, Ha-lina, Aslin, Jaden and Nathaniel. I have four family members. Wait, no five! My dad James, my mom Michelle, my brother Jacob, and my dog Daisy. And that is why I love Mount Baker and I always will.

student voices


My Brother By Emely, 3rd Grade, Washington The first day when we were on vacation in California, my brother did not eat very much. My family was so disappointed. When we got back home, my brother was starting to throw up a lot. We all did not know what was wrong with my brother. On May 22nd he went back to the clinic and the doctors said it was just a virus. My mom went to pick up the medication, and the pills were very big. My mom did not give those pills to my broth-er. The next month they went back to the clinic again and the doctors said again that it was a virus. On July 7th they went back to the clinic and my mom told the doctors that my brother cried when he went to the bathroom. Then the doctors said, “we are going to send you to the emergency room”. They took some tests of his blood two times. The doctors said that his blood looked weird. There were white dots in his blood. Then they took one last blood test and this time a nurse came in and said that my brother had been diagnosed with leukemia, a kind of cancer. My mom started to cry harder than she used to cry. She called my dad, but he did not answer. Then my mom called my Grandma and she answered the phone. My mom gave the phone to the nurse. Then the nurse said, “Is this the Grandma?”. My Grandma said, “yes”. Then the nurse said, “OK, will you tell the dad to go to Seattle Children’s Hospital?”. Then my grandma woke up my dad and he started to pack up his stuff. He went to his car and drove to Seattle. He arrived there at 1:00 A.M. I was with my Grandma for three weeks, at home, spending my time alone. It was not normal like it used to be. Soon my dad came back home and I slept with him. Five days later we went to Seattle. I got to see my brother. He looked so adorable. They were at Hotel Nexxus. My mom said that my brother was more chubby and not as little as when I last saw him. One week later we moved into SCCA House. We lived there for 6 months. On December 23rd we got to move to Ronald McDonald House. My brother is doing better with treatment and we hope we will get to go home soon.

My Wonderful Home Town By Dalia, 3rd Grade, Washington I miss my old friends. I hope they still remember me, and I will remember them too. I miss my home, and my bed and my T.V. I miss everything in my house. I miss my toys and my Ameri-can Girl Doll. I miss my aunts and uncles because I have a lot of memories with them. I miss my old school and all my friends. I hope I will see them again. I miss them a lot. I miss play-ing on the playground at home with all of my friends. All of my drawings at home are waiting from me so I can look at them again. One of them is a heart drawing with a lot of different colors. My cousins are waiting for my family and me. I miss all of my cousins. The stores in my home town are still there waiting for me and my family. I miss my neighbors, and I know they miss me and my family.

Drama By Jenna, 7

th Grade, Idaho

Over the past few weeks, students have gathered in the afternoon for a drama work-shop. Here’s Jenna’s take on the experience. Why did my dog turn purple? I think drama’s the answer! I honestly look forward to every Wednesday and Friday that our group has drama class and I think the rest of my group does too. Being in the middle school and high school group means we do slightly complicated things like word juggling or ACTUAL juggling. Even though it’s hard, we still have fun. Often times goofing around is what makes drama so enjoyable. So one of the goofy games our whole group generally enjoys is a game called ‘Doctor Know It All’. Basically, here’s the gist of the activity: it’s an improv game that involves three people standing together, while the rest of the group sits down and asks normal questions or completely crazy questions. The peo-ple standing up take turns saying one word at a time to answer the question, whether the answer is true or not. Whether or not you’re good at drama, you’ll probably have a fun experience overall.

student voices


My Fun Family By Ryker, Kindergarten, Washington My family likes to go camping. We like to sit on the couch and watch movies. We like to play in the snow when it is snowing. We build snowmen, have snowball fights, and then go inside and have hot chocolate. My dad and I decide what movie we should get. My sister and I like to look for bird nests. My baby brother and I like to play catch. We like to read books together as a family. I like my family because they are nice and generous.

Snow Day By Elly, 2

nd Grade, Washington

On Monday, February 6

th, we had a snow day! I was sleeping and Hutch School

called and let my family know that school was cancelled for the day! Kendrew, Ka-sey, and I took this time to play together at Pete Gross House. I pretended to play doctor. I was the doctor, and my stuffed animals, Rosie and Bear were patients at their appointments. I gave them checkups and made them feel all better! While I was playing this, Kendrew and Kasey played Connect Four. They also went outside to play in the snow and I stayed inside where it is nice and warm. I had a very fun day and I hope we have another snow day soon.

student voices


Top 10 places to Visit in Boca Raton Florida By Aiden, 8

th grade, Florida

Argentinian Deli

This is my favorite restaurant. They have the best empanadas and steak sandwiches and my favorite drink is Gaurana.

Chick-fil-A Here you find the best chicken sandwiches. They have them in other locations but if you are in Boca Raton, you should check it out.

Mizner Park This is a beautiful place with nice restaurants inside. It is a nice place to go for a walk during the day.

Try-N-Escape This a cool place with really nice escape rooms that you are challenged to get out of. They have three different escape rooms, you have to have at least two in your group.

Turtle Releases Every couple of weeks they do turtle releases and release sea turtles into the ocean. It is very nice to see the turtles going as fast as they can into the ocean.

Sugar Sand Park This is a nice, clean park with fun things for kids to do. They have a science playground and other fun events to do while you are there.

Deerfield Beach An ocean side beach with chairs and umbrellas that you can rent for a couple of hours.

Gumbo Limbo Environment Center This is nice place to go. They have turtle tanks and a butterfly garden. Some of the turtles that get released into the ocean come from here

Red Reef Park This is a very beautiful park with an environment center, a place for surf fishing, swimming, and scuba diving.

Boca Raton Museum of Art The museum is a nice place to go and relax and look at the paintings they have while getting out of the sun. They have tours and an Art school you can go to.

The Floating Sky *Triptych By Jenna, 7th Grade, Idaho The sun cried in boredom as blue skies stretched out of vision The sun feared of the next day To be the same. A castle floats among clouds They pass through empty corridors All alone the tyrant cries. The stone door stands still once again Envying the clouds that move so freely As rain drips from its stone it cries alone.

Midnight Run Blue Jared, 6


The moon is shining, the night is young Going out for a midnight run blue. It's Halloween night, moon is rising Wolves are howling in a midnight run blue The night is shining, the bears are roaring, we're going to have fun in a midnight run blue.

student voices


Life Underwater Adelyn, 5th Grade, Washington

Middle schoolers at Hutch School sometimes write journal prompts in the morning. Our journal prompts vary, sometimes you respond with an opinion, while other prompts lead to short stories. Here is one that I’ve started about what life would be like if everyone lived underwater. When you go to the pool, you don’t intend to stay there your entire life. In fact, you don’t even plan to spend one night in the water! But what if? Imagine going to a pool party. It’s your friend’s birthday! A bunch of people were invit-ed. Parents, kids, grandparents, acquaintances. You’re going to a humungous pool—wait, no, let’s say it’s a lake. It looks almost like a normal pool party . . . except that everyone has brought more than one swimsuit. And the girls have brought hairbrushes. It looks almost like a normal picnic, except that there are only cans of food. No bread, no chips. Only cans. What’s happening here?

Okay, now the story gets interesting. You, along with everyone else, wade into the water. Surprisingly, it doesn’t feel cold.

Moms carry baskets of canned goods. Dads take on the burden of wardrobes of swimsuits. Kids splash and play. Your friend, the birthday girl, has never been a great swimmer. But to-day she leaps and splashes and does the butterfly like no one you’d ever seen before. “Okay,” you think, bracing yourself for the water. Slowly, you wade farther out into the water.

Splash! “Wow, I expected it to be dark!” you exclaim in surprise, almost out loud. And to your

astonishment, your first instinct is to open your eyes, not shut them tight. Your friend, much deeper in the water than you, calls out. Timidly, you open your mouth to reply.

“Woah!” the word explodes out of your mouth. The water doesn’t taste disgusting! More than that, opening your mouth made you feel fresh, like when you take a large gulp of air. You call back to your friend.

When you and your family go deeper into the lake, you dig a hole with your brother. Trying to squish inside together is a little cramped. Your parents see you. The light goes off in your dad’s head. He talks excitedly to your mom. And the rest of the afternoon you spend dig-ging your vacation home.

Once you and your siblings, mother, and father are settled, life underwater seems pretty normal. Sand-ball fights, catching fish, weaving seaweed; life’s great. But you never know what adventures can come along.

Where I Am From By Issac, 3rd Grade, Arizona I am from a town in a blazing hot desert Under my bed I have a dog eating French fries I am from a red shinny rock, In the park When I look at the sky, I can see a hot, dry sandy blue I am from a dry apple in a blue bowl I am from a memory of a long dark water slide That leads to a pool Underground

Where I am From By Grace, 2

nd Grade, North Dakota

I am from blizzards in Williston I am from the sunflowers in my backyard I am from sand boxes and builders I am from my family, First born, Helping my siblings when they are hurt I am from the graceful neck of the giraffe And the leaping of dolphins

student voices


Everything is Gone Triptych Adelyn, Washington, 5

th Grade

Crackle! The heart burns. Shatter! Its platter splits in two. The shell begins to melt, like an ice cube in the sun. And then everything is gone. Sigh. A soft sound. She gazes at the passing vessel. Her hair flows. Her fin makes a splash. And then everything is gone. Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter. He glides across the sand. The shell opens, he steps inside. And then everything is gone.

“If possible, build a snowman.”-Addy “Snowball fights!”-Issac

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ACTIVITY TO DO DURING A SNOWDAY?

“Sleep in!”-Kasey

“Snowball fights.”-Jenna

Like you Kezlin, 4th Grade, Washington Like you I love the rush of sledding down a big hill, missing a tree

I believe that Doctors can do Amazing things For sick children

And that Poetry can Leave you feeling Blessed.

Like you I enjoy feeling flexible and strong doing backhand springs.

What makes You feel strong?

I believe loving blessings can heal sickness and

sadness.

“Sleep in and build a snowman outside.”-Dalia

“Playing doctor inside with Kendrew and Kasey.”-Elly

:Snow angels outside.”-Jesus

“Smashing snowmen!”-Kendrew

“I like playing video games.”-Aiden “Sleeping.”-Jacob

student voices


Mosaic Portraits

A small group of middle and high school students had the opportunity to en-gage in some self-reflection and artistic creation since our last Hutch Times went to

press. For this activity, students brainstormed lists about who they are and what they are interested in as a way to explore their unique personalities. The students were encouraged to interview people who know them well, as a way to develop an even

broader sense of how they view themselves and how the world views them. Our final creations were pieces of visual art and poetry that reflected each person’s willingness

to think deeply about who they are and how they view the world. Here are some samples of our final work.

classroom updates


High School Happenings

In recent weeks, the students in the high school classroom have been reading “The Stranger” by Albert Camus and exploring Camus’ philosophy of the absurd. The book is simple in its language, yet dark and somewhat disturbing as Camus aimed to illustrate the impact on human life when people are capable of distancing their moral selves from their daily behavior and relationships. It is a short book that demands time and attention and as we approach the conclusion, we are all eager to find our next piece of literature with perhaps a lighter theme. In Social Studies we have been reflecting on upcoming Supreme Court Cases and trying to make predictions about how the court will rule. It has been fun to try to determine whether or not those rulings would be different with the vacancy on the court filled. We are also on the eve of a deeper study of World War II as students start the second semester of World History. Jacob has been thrilled to see the class group expand by two with the addi-tion of another Jacob and Aiden to our community. It is more dynamic with more people in the room! One of the highlights of the week is the day we have music with CeCe who is working with the boys on learning to play the ukulele. We are chatting about a future date and an opportunity to share that learning with the larger community. Drama, with Youth Theater Northwest, continues to be engaging and enter-taining for all and next week we will have our annual performance. Spring time brings more sunshine, an opportunity to learn about photography, and more daylight for all.

What’s New in the Primary Classroom?

The primary class students have been working hard every day. They learned about the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and created artwork for a tribute display at the University of Washington Health Sciences building. Over the last several weeks, they have attended three plays; Stellaluna and The Snowy Day at Seattle Children’s Theatre, and Willy Wonka Jr. at Youth Theatre Northwest. The author of The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats, has written and illustrated many classic books for children, so we have been doing an author study about him. Students have worked with three wonderful drama teachers on many engaging activities designed to teach them how to use their imagination and creativity to solve problems, to work coopera-tively in a team, and to communicate with confidence. We continue to attend Parkour classes and work with our music teacher and poetry teacher. On Groundhog Day, we learned about shadows and made our own groundhog shadow puppets. In math, we have been studying about thermometers and temperature changes as a relevant and relatable way to compare numbers. We had the pleasure of working with an in-tern named Lindsey who is a former Hutch School student from Illinois. We discov-ered that on some days Seattle is nearly as cold as Illinois! As a special community service project, students made Valentine’s Day posters to decorate the doors of all the apartments in the Pete Gross House.

classroom updates


Middle School News

Science Focus: Density Students conducted a candy bar ex-

periment, using two methods for measuring volume to determine the density of various candy bars. Stu-dents also learned how to measure the density of liquids and applied

their understanding while using an interactive on-line simulator. Check out Jenna’s Mr. Density, a fun, in-

formative short comic book.

Literacy: What a Character! Middle schoolers identified important character traits, made inferences, and sup-

ported their findings with specific examples from the text.

Helping Hands Hutch School students decorated boxes in preparation for the annual Seattle Cancer

Care Alliance and Fred Hutch “Fill this House with Love” housing supply drive. Donated items will help many patients

and families. Thanks, everyone! Math Focus: Algebra Students are learning how to solve algebraic problems, like

the one here: Music Makers Middle school stu-

dents had fun using pop bottles to create

musical scale and compose their own

songs

hutch school 1100 fairview ave n. h-schl seattle, wa 98109-1024

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Thank you to our many visitors, volunteers, and friends who enrich the Hutch School each month by sharing their expertise and talents with our community!

Thank you to our many visitors, volunteers, and friends who enrich the Hutch School each month by sharing their expertise and talents with our community! Our fabulous volunteers: Joan, Tim, Richard, Brenda and Cecilia NEST school lunch Program Our wonderful arts instructors: Samar, Wes and Parkour Visions Youth Theatre Northwest

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hutch times volume 28, number 3 · hutch times volume 28, number 3 ... snail mail: use free time or...

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