Sussex School is a private, independent K-8 elementary school that has operated in Missoula for more than 30 years. The role of parents at this 72-student school is one of the unique characteristics of Sussex. Parents conduct classes, assist with daily classroom activities, pick up the recycling, help in the office and assist on field trips such as last year's seventh- and eighth-grade sailing trip and marine biology study course.
- Michelle Rechtman, Sussex parent and coordinator of today's 4U page
GRADES 1 AND 2
MOLLY STARK-RAGSDALE: I liked going to my mommy's studio to watch a rehearsal of dancing.
JOSIE GRIGSBY: My mama helped wash the dishes at Camp Paxson. I'm happy that George (Welp) helped me make my fishing pole. My papa helped on the ropes course. I'm glad Amy (Welp) helped us with clay and took us to the dance rehearsal.
CORA BUCHER: I like when parents read with me. I like when parents write with me. I like when parents come in for my report. It was about shooting stars. It is fun with parents at school when they come and help.
LILY WELP: My mommy helped cook the food at Camp Paxson. My daddy helped make some fishing poles. My mommy helped drive some kids on field trips. My mommy helped take pictures.
GRADES 3 AND 4
Dick (Hutto) showed us how to count banded chickadees to see which ones went to which feeders. Some of the chickadees were tougher than the others and got more food. He took us to the Ninemile burn and told us about burnt roots and how lots of birds and certain kinds of trees actually NEED burns if they are going to survive. We marked off a plot and looked for what existed in the plots. We found pine cones, cracked rocks, green shoots, beetles and ants.
Linda (Brown) helps our math group with problem solving strategies. She's really good at that. She gave us some hints about our attribute puzzles. She's a patient math helper.
Brett (Pratt) put up all the equipment in the high-up places in the trees at the ropes course. He skates with us at the ice skating rink.
Judy (Visscher) helped us understand how being cold affects your health. She told us it was germs that got us sick, not being cold. She came in once with a cow heart to show us how it worked.
Cindy (Knutsen) taught us how to mix watercolors and told us what abstract art was compared with realistic art. She's a good artist.
GRADES 5 AND 6
DYLAN WHITE: At Sussex, parents don't just drop their kids off and drive away. They have other jobs. Sometimes they stay to supervise the kids or drive to skiing, clean up the buildings or set up stations. The parents organize potlucks, and the school board is made up of parents. Without parents, Sussex would not be Sussex.
JASON RECHTMAN: At Sussex School, parents are very important. They help with EVERYTHING - with teaching, painting, cleaning, publicity, and much, much more!
REN WILSON: Parents help out a lot They are always ready to do cool stuff with the kids like the ski program at Snowbowl which started in 1985.
GRADES 7 AND 8
PAIGE WILSON: Rock climbing, photography, special art projects, these are just a few of all the things parents at Sussex do for us. The parents play an important role in students' lives. Parents are teachers, friends, and usually a lot of fun.
R eally nervous
O ver the edge
C ontinuously gripping a ledge
K issing the ground
C limbing higher and higher
L oving it
I n a harness all the time
M aintaining balance
B ig mountains
I cky when wet
N ever falling
G reat fun!
KELSEY WILMERDING
P arents
H ave a big impact at Sussex
O n
T hursday afternoons, two parents come and teach us a class
O n photography. It is
G reat to learn about photography from professionals. They run
R ocky Mountain School of Photography
A nd are great teachers
P hotography is my favorite class and it is possible because of
H elp from parents at Sussex. We are luck-
Y to learn from them.
FAITH MORRISON
CHANCE HEATH: Sussex is a perfect environment for learning. One reason for this is that parents help. They teach us what they know, and it starts to add up. Some of the things that add up are: Jack Tuholske runs a rock climbing program; Bobby Tilton comes into our class with really fun art projects; Neil and Jean Chaput teach us photography; and parents are our coaches, drive on field trips, and come as special speakers into the classroom.
P arents
A re
R idiculously
E nergetic when
N obly helping at
T errific
S ussex!
SUZY BERTSCHE
PARENTS
JACK TUHOLSKE: I started the Sussex Adventure Program as a way to combine my love of climbing and being an involved parent at my son's school. I had previously worked as an outdoor education instructor. Rock climbing is a great tool to create a positive self-image and to teach kids to overcome obstacles they view as impossible. The program has completed its 14th year, and we have climbed all over Montana as well as rock climbing areas in Idaho and Washington. I look forward to passing the program to other parents with climbing skills when I retire next year.
JODY MILLER: As a parent of Sussex students (past and present), I have learned that meaningful parental involvement in our children's education has far-reaching consequences: 1. Our children have more caring adults in their lives - adults to share knowledge and, when necessary, to provide a watchful eye and helpful hand to guide them in an appropriate direction. 2. Our children's teachers, by knowing the parents, connect with our children's family and lives outside school - hopefully making teaching more satisfying and interesting. 3. As involved parents, we share in that big part of our children's lives spent in school. Any investment of time in the classroom or on a field trip reaps huge rewards in terms of our understanding of our children's school experience. We also learn to appreciate all that teachers do for our children. 4. The school enjoys more diversity. Our sons have shared time up close with parents passionate about art, music, medicine, gardening, business endeavors, skiing, computers, rock climbing, foreign cultures, performing and writing. 5. Parents learn to care for each other in the Sussex community and beyond. Despite the extra time commitment that parents may fear, through involvement at Sussex, we gain other parents' support, encouragement and friendships to carry us through the challenging job of raising our children. The result? Children with greater security, confidence and a love of education that would not be possible without the parent involvement that happens at Sussex.
KINDERGARTEN
BENJAMIN KLEMPAY: I liked when my mom helped me make my mask. And, she taught us about Africa too! She brought in masks and showed us African pictures.
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