Outdoor Education at Catalina

8th graders ventured to Catalina Island October 28-30 for their Outdoor education program. The program is conducted by Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (CELP). Founded by Jacques Cousteau's son Michael, CELP teaches the principles of sustainability through “up close and personal” adventures. Activities included both day and night snorkeling, kayaking, star gazing and hiking through diverse geological formations and ecosystems. Part of CELP’s commitment is to model sustainability, so all CELP campers participate in composting every bit of waste from their meals and observe the effects of the composting in the productive organic garden that the staff maintains.

Middle School Begins Enrichment Clusters

The Bridges Academy Middle School has started six Enrichment Clusters designed around student talents and interests. Students in the Medieval Times group are exploring military manuevers, manuscripts, and machines. The Photography group plans to work in the California State University Northridge (CSUN) Center for Images and Media, researching the largest collection of African-American photo journalists in the country. Members of the Set Design group are at work generating designs and painting flats for three upcoming high school productions. Chess and Game Theory group members are learning new games and honing their skill in cards and chess. Future Problem Solvers are exploring ways that humans will cope with burgeoning sensory stimulation in the 21st Century. The Drama Troupe is building toward a dramatic competition in the Spring 2010. The Clusters meet six times this Fall on Wednesdays when the Middle School is not on a field trip.

University of Southern California and Bridges Partnership

Bridges Academy has teamed with the University of Southern California to create the Certificate in the Education of Twice-Exceptional Students program. The new certificate is designed for professionals who want to develop expertise in understanding this unique population and learn the skills to provide 2e students the appropriate academic, social and emotional support. The program was created by Dr. Susan Baum, Bridges’ Director of Professional Development, and Dr. Sandra Kaplan, Associated Clinical Professor of Learning & Instruction at USC. USC will. Details about this year's schedule will be forthcoming. To learn more, click here. (To receive information, please call Bridges Academy). To register online click here.

JamFest IV

Plans already are underway for JamFest IV. More than 300 music enthusiasts enjoyed JamFest III last Spring at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. The festival was created and is sponsored by Bridges and features bands from Bridges Academy, Oakwood, Harvard-Westlake, Campbell Hall and New Jewish Community High School. JamFest has two goals: provide talented, young musicians a platform to show their skills and "jam" with fellow musicians from other schools; and raise money for MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of the Grammys. JamFest has been added to the Grammys web site on the MusiCares link! 

Bridges Alum On The Go

Jordan Barlam (Class of 2009) is doing a gap year program in Japan before enrolling at UC Berkeley. Jordan was a National Merit Scholarship Finalist. Griffin Dean (Class of 2008) put his graphics arts skills to use by designing this year's Bridges Academy Annual Report. Sam Jones (Class of 2005) and Ethan Braun (a former Bridges student) have formed a musical trio with Wyatt Keusch which debuted at the Fowler Museum at UCLA last Spring. Sam is a guitarist and student at USC and Ethan is a pianist/composer enrolled at UCLA. Michael Beer (Class of 2005) spent his sophomore year at Fukakusa College (near Kyoto, Japan). He is enrolled at California State University-Northridge to complete his undergraduate studies. Charles Jones (Class of 2005) and his band "The Actual Proof" had another summer tour, including a stop at the Whiskey in L.A. Charles is attending the Berklee School of Music in Boston. Greg Finkelstein (Class of 2004) is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Geosciences at Princeton. David Lorant (Class of 2006) is a busy man on the University of California San Diego campus. In addition to his academic load, he is president of the Role Playing Club, co-president of the Animae Club, and treasurer of the Science Fiction Library.

The Spirit of Giving

Bridges continues its community chest program. Each month, the community is asked to provide items for various organizations. September was Schools on Wheels month. October was devoted to Cienega School in downtown Los Angeles which is need of textbooks and is endeavoring to build a basic library. November's drive was for the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry. In December, students will collect foodstuffs and personal items for our troops serving in Iraq. As they did last year, students also will send stuffed animals and letters.

To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled:
Strategies for Helping Bright Students
with LD, ADHD, and More

by Susan Baum, Steven Owen

Thoroughly researched and filled with case studies, practical suggestions and techniques for working with GLD students, useful resources, and much more, To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled is a resource for anyone who works or lives with a child who has both startling talents and disabling weaknesses.

Book on ADD

More than ten years ago, bestselling doctors Edward Hallowell and John Ratey wrote Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood. Now, with a decade of additional research, their new book, Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder is available to advise on how to live a productive and happy life with ADD. For more information, go to: www.drhallowell.com

Other Books

"Raising A Sensory Smart Child, The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues"
by Lindsey Biel, M.A., OTR/L and Nancy Peske
www.sensorysmarts.com

"Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope With the Crisis in Childrearing"
By Robert Evans
Jossey-Bass Publishing

"Ready Or Not, Here Life Comes" By Mel Levine, M.D.
The book, by one of America's top learning experts, shows how today's society makes it hard for kids to grow into productive adults; and offers ways to help prepare students for start-up careers that match their learning profile. Anyone interested in reading these books can order them through Amazon.com

Other 2E Resources

International Center for Talent Development

Best books for parents about LD and ADHD

Attention Magazine from www.chad.org.

www.2enewsletter.com
The National Association for Gifted Children
Additional 2E Resources on the Web


 

Marcy Dann, Bridges' educational therapist, is president-elect of the Association of Educational Therapists. She is a contributing author for "The Clinical Practice of Educational Therapy: A Teacher's Model." This is the first textbook published on the practice of educational therapy. Marcy and Middle School Technology Director Carmen Areola presented at the annual AET Conference in Woodland Hills in October. Head of School Carl Sabatino and Director of Admissions Doug Lenzini also attened the conference.

Carl Sabatino and Susan Baum, Director of Professional Development, attended the National Association for Gifted Children annual confeerence in St. Louis November 6-8.

Bridges Academy Director of Admissions Doug Lenzini is on the Steering Committee of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Los Angeles Admissions Directors Consortium.

Jennifer Martin, Director of College Guidance, and College Counselor Beth Wasserman attended the National Association of College Admissions Counselors annual conference in Baltimore September 30-October 2. The conference included workshops, seminars, a college fair and various networking events.

Seven members of the faculty and administration attended a day-long workshop in La Jolla October 9 conducted by the Decision Education Foundation (DEF). DEF is a non-profit organization whose goal is to promote, enable and support the development of good decision skills in young people. DEF volunteers assist schools in curriculum, development, teacher training and school support.

Faculty & Staff

Faculty members attend and present at workshops addressing the gifts and learning differences as well as the social/emotional needs of our students; and also participate in specialized and general education seminars conducted by the California Association of Independent schools (CAIS).

Meet our Faculty and Staff here.

Advisory Board

Bridges Academy is privileged to have some of the nation’s leading experts and educators on its Advisory Board including Susan Baum, Ph.D. who also is the Director of Professional Development at Bridges. Anyone interested in reading Susan’s books can order them through Amazon.com.

Bridges Academy is a college preparatory school dedicated to educating "twice-exceptional" students-gifted and highly-gifted with learning differences-in grades 5-12. Bridges empowers its students to thrive academically and socially through small classes, differentiated instruction, and tolerance, creating an environment in which both gifts and differences are recognized and respected.

Students come to Bridges defined by what they can't do. They leave defined by what they can.

Accredited by:
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
www.acswasc.org

Member, California Association of Independent Schools
www.caisca.org

Member, National Association of Independent Schools
www.nais.org

Bridges Moodle Site


Curtain Up!

The high school drama group dazzled family, friends and fellow students with two Neil Simon productions. Half of the class perfomed "The Odd Couple"  November 14th and 5th with the other half performing "Lost In Yonkers" November 21st and 22nd.

Veterans Day Celebration

Bridges Middle School welcomed several distinguished guests to our Veteran's Day celebration on November 11. Brandon Davis (8th grade) who welcomed guests also set up a table of  mementos from his own family who have served in the armed forces through the generations. Sasha Presberger (6th grade) invited his cousin, Howie Horowitz, who served in Vietnam.  Marti Colglazier, M.S. administrator and 5th-6th math teacher, invited two of her acquaintances, Vern Seigner who served in WWII and Edward Delap who served as a medic in Vietnam. A highlight was a viewing of the film Jump Day, a documentary which Tom Davies (Frank Davies' dad, grade 7) made to honor his own father whose plane was shot down in WWII and who was interned at a prisoner of war until the camp was liberated by General George Patton at war's end. Students sat raptly attentive as these men shared their stories and love of country.

5th Graders Visit UCLA


The 5th grade students toured UCLA's Department of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences. Since its inception in 1940, this vital UCLA lab has been at the forefront of
atmospheric research and education.  Students were introduced to the instrumentation and methods used to study a wide variety of problems, including climate change, greenhouse warming, air pollution, the ozone layer, attempts to control or modify weather phenomena, the demand for reliable long-range weather forecasts on both local and global scales, and the expanding frontiers of space science. 
Students learned that diverse scientific fields are available for study, including Dynamic and
Synoptic Meteorology, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Physical and Biogeochemical Oceanography,
and Upper Atmosphere and Space Physics. 

Halloween Treats

Bridges students enjoyed a rousing Halloween celebration October 30 that featured  costume contests, a lawn concert by the High School Advanced Rock Band and a fabulous smorgasbord  courtesy of Bridges parents.

Getty Villa Outing

Bridges High School students and faculty visited the Getty Villa in Malibu November 2. For history and art students, the visit was part of Bridges' integrated curriculum.

The L.A. Classroom

What do a 2-ton cactus, 2000 saber toothed cats, and a 2-cylinder steam-powered car have in common?*  They are all exhibits that Bridges Academy Middle School students have examined on very different field trips this school year.  Field trips are central to the Bridges Middle School philosophy of student-centered kinesthetic education for gifted minds.  At least twice a month, the Middle School uses the greater Los Angeles area as a classroom.  In addition to supporting classroom curriculum, students learn executive functioning skills through the field experiences including working with different students and faculty in assigned groups and participating in activities such as docent-led lectures, role playing and scavenger hunts.  Since September of this year, the Bridges Middle School has visited the California Science Center, Los Angeles Natural History Museum, IMAX Theater, Huntington Library and Gardens, Peterson Museum, and the Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits.  Future trips this school year include the Getty Villa in Malibu, a theater performance, Tree People in Coldwater Canyon, the Autry Museum, and the Griffith Observatory among others. 

Egyptian Guests


On Wednesday, Oct 21, Middle School students met representatives from Wildlife Encounters, a group that works with Mutual of Omaha’s Animal Kingdom to promote animal education and conservation.  Entitled Animals of Ancient Egypt, the assembly focused on the role that animals played in Egyptian life and culture. The speakers brought a diapered baby baboon; a Cervil Cat that could jump straight up from the floor to the table top in one graceful leap; an Egyptian cobra; a scorpion; and a Nile Crocodile among others.  Students listened to myths and tales about the animals and asked great questions at the assembly's end.  As with speakers in the past, the ones from Wildlife Encounters remarked on the knowledge of our students and their insightful questions.  The speakers explained that all of their animals are rescue animals and that in many cases, the species are now extinct even though at one time they were prolific in Egypt.  The assembly raised interesting questions about environmental health and species preservation.

9th Grade Field Trip

The 9th graders and their advisors spent a challenging day at the AJU/Brandeis-Bardin campus in Simi Valley September 23.  Morning activities focused on the ropes course and included climbing an immense teepee-like structure of rock-wall supports, swinging net ladders and upended beams--all in harness--to reach a platform 7 or 8 stories off the ground. Students also hauled each other into position to make a precipitous drop and then swing across the lawn.

In the afternoon, students engaged in community- and trust-building exercises on a low-ropes course.  In one activity, the entire class had to work cooperatively to cross an expanse of patio, grab a water bottle in front of the counselor, and return it and themselves to their starting point, all without letting the instructor see their feet move, or who had the bottle.  They immediately huddled and devised a plan, based on a clever, no-feet move initiated by two students, to work as a cohesive team, support each others' efforts and accomplish their goal in very short order.