Welcome Peter Wallis

Welcome Peter Wallis

Breakwater and the Breakwater Enrichment Center are pleased to welcome Peter Wallis, our new Summer Program Director. Peter is an interdisciplinary artist and graduate of Maine College of Art. He has worked with students throughout the country teaching visual arts at independent schools and nonprofit arts organizations. His experience and varied skill set will support the continuation of our unique Summer at Breakwater programming! 

Read more about Peter's background and our summer programs...

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The Breakwater Way: Showcase Days 2017

The Breakwater Way: Showcase Days 2017

See the Breakwater Way at work! What do food systems, buoyancy, inventors, rivers, biomes and tape dispensers all have in common? Showcase Days! December 13-15 students, families and extended community visit classrooms for a glimpse of the magic behind the doors. Students share with the community both the process and product of their learning in interactive, curated “Showcases”.

Why do we make learning visible in this way? Read more...

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Supporting Community through Financial Aid

Supporting Community through Financial Aid

We strongly believe enrolling a diverse and talented group of children and their families benefits all in our school community. Toward this goal, we provide need-based financial assistance to qualified K through 8 families. Aid applications for returning families are due by February 9. Due dates for newly applying families roll with the admissions process. 

For forms, instructions and about the why's and how's of Breakwater's financial aid...

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Hans Indigo Spencer + Music at Breakwater

Hans Indigo Spencer + Music at Breakwater

Music at Breakwater offers students a developmentally sound, carefully sequenced curriculum in music literacy, with a focus on singing and creativity. Music teacher Hans Indigo Spencer combines his training in Kodàly pedagogy, his background as a jazz musician and media composer with his work as a K-8 general classroom teacher to provide students with a wide range of creative musical outlets.

Learn more about music at Breakwater and this year's Winter Concert...

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Gratitude

Gratitude

"Gratitude is a sort of laughter of the heart that comes about after some surprising kindness." (David Brooks)

We are all used to the idea that learning can improve our minds. However, we may not think as much about an equally important idea - that understanding our own character, and the fact that we all have strengths of character and character traits with which we struggle, allows us to know who we are and how our attitudes impact our lives. One especially compelling trait is gratitude. 

Happy Thanks-Giving! Read about the 5th and 6th grade's study of character.

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Earth Week 2017: No Child Left Inside

Earth Week 2017: No Child Left Inside

At Breakwater, we go outside. A lot. We understand that children need access to nature the same way they need good nutrition and adequate sleep. During Earth Week we bring children in purposeful and playful contact with the natural world, inspiring them to listen, look, question, feel, guess, discuss, and love the things they find all around them.

Read about our annual Earth Week here...

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Loose Parts - What are they and how do we use them on our playground?

Loose Parts - What are they and how do we use them on our playground?

"The wider the range of possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences." (Loris Malaguzzi)

What is "Loose Parts" play? What are loose parts? How do we use them on our playground? And how is this type of play, open ended and rich with possibility, representative of our approach to early childhood education? These questions are explored in this blog post by Stephanie Davis, a member of our preschool teaching team. 

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Curriculum Information

Curriculum Information

When we talk about the “Breakwater Way” we talk about curriculum across grade level and throughout our learning community. Our students, from toddler through 8th grade, are engaged in a learning experience that is authentic, hands-on, personalized, challenging and integrated.

But what does this actually look like? How does that show up for children on a daily basis? This is what we strive to make visible during our annual Curriculum Information Night.  Read on ....

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"Field Trips" in the Breakwater Way

"Field Trips" in the Breakwater Way

Seventy-three middle school students piled into buses and traveled to Camp Agawam in Raymond for Breakwater's annual overnight adventure. Next week, Sari Lindauer will take this year's CGF Breakwater Creators overnight to Unity to participate in the Common Ground Fair's "Youth Enterprise Zone".

Why does Breakwater prioritize outside-of-the-classroom learning experiences? Read on....

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