"It Feels like Wet Dryer Lint..."

Mr. Hoppen shows how to do it...

What do you get when you mix recycled paper and water and run it through a blender?  Mr. Hoppen's 5th and 6th grade class discovered today that it turns into a pulp that "feels like wet dryer lint."  After Mr. Hoppen gave a quick demonstration, each of the students in the class then took some of that pulp, screened it, patted it out, and rolled it flat.  When it finishes drying, they'll have made new paper from old!

... and then Michael and Lily get started.

Samuel pressing out the extra water.

"It feels like wet dryer lint!"

Eli looks on as Kevin presses his paper.

 Meanwhile down the hall, our 9th and 10th grade students were also in "hands-on" mode in science today, collecting and pressing plant specimens. Biology class begins the year with the study of plants and plant life, and the students gained some active experience collecting, pressing, and cataloging their plant specimens.

Shelby works at identifying one of her specimens.

Nathan gets ready for pressing.

Second Day...

OK, OK, we probably can't (and wouldn't want) to keep this up all year long, but first days of school normally get all the attention.  Each day of school at DPCA, though, is packed full of learning, activities, friendships, fun, challenge, rigorous work, and playful moments. So on our second day of the year, we have gotten down to business! Here's a brief look at our second day of school as a photo essay...

Bre and Maddie working on their studies.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy... Students enjoy leftover donuts during a short break from class.

Pre-Algebra class is underway...

Mrs. Ritschard introducing students to the new digital math texts.

1st and 2nd grade PE with Coach Navarrette

Mr. Hoppen's sign reminds the 5th and 6th graders...

... and inside the room, Lily and Nathan are clearly diligent. (And not whining!)

Kindergartners working with their pattern blocks.

Declan and Abram are doing some drawing, while Mrs. Euler works one-on-one

And out on the trail, our EMH group is approaching the half-way point of their first course.  (Photo courtesy of Angela Lundy.  Actually this is from Monday the 18th when the group gathered at the trailhead to start hiking.)

First Day!

Mr. Hoppen captured the morning rainbow...

The day began with a double rainbow, followed by free coffee and donuts:  good any morning - and a fun part of welcoming students and parents to DPCA for the 2014-2015 school year. Staff and volunteers greeted students and parents coming into the building, manned the donut and coffee stations, and helped with remaining paperwork needs.

First day of school!

As the day began, everyone gathered in the cafetorium for a brief opening chapel featuring some singing, Psalm 19, and prayers of thanksgiving for the summer and petition for a new school year together. The elementary students headed down the hall to their new classrooms, while junior and senior high did a brief orientation and reviewed some school policy and ideals.

With the secondary students, Mr. Ritschard reviewed some of our school's commitments, including that "we honor and care for everyone in our school community: we don't call names, pick on others, exclude those who want to join us, or harass, haze, or bully in any way."  Mr Ritschard noted, "if we just stopped there - if we just worked diligently on our commitment as a school to honor and care for everyone in our school community - we would be doing well.  And really, all the rest of this if just elaborating on what care and honor look like."

Following orientation, secondary students received their schedules and began the first classes of the year.

At the end of the day, we asked several students, "What did you think of your first day?"

Royal did an awesome job as our mascot this morning

"We didn't do any work"  Nathan, 6th grade

"Tiring - I usually sleep until noon."  Heather, 10th grade

"It was fantastic!" Lily, 6th grade

"We did music class and we got the rules." Liam, Kindergarten

"It was fun - do I get to go back tomorrow?" Mikayla, Kindergarten

"Awesome" Malachi, 5th grade

"It was actually pretty good." Marshal, 8th grade

"I was upset because we didn't get language or spelling homework - but otherwise it was fun."  Misty, 6th grade

Well, Keely looks happy to be at school...

"It went by fast and easy."  Adam, 8th grade


"It was good - it went by really fast, and I saw a lot of new faces."  Shelby, 10th grade.

Big thank you's to parents Vanessa Durbin, Cindy Lewis, and Courtney O'Neill for helping out this morning, as well as student volunteers Royal and Sydney.  We're looking forward to 171 more great school days to come this year.  Go EAGLES!

Mrs. Akers and Mrs. O'Neill help parents and students get settled.