Learning Through Living: November 2013

Monday, November 4, 2013

Fourth Annual Chili Cook-off and Silent Auction

It's that time of year again! Time for the staff of Sego Lily School (and anyone else who wants to be in on the action) to battle it out for the title of Best Chili Chef!

Join us for our this delicious fundraiser, do your holiday shopping at our silent auction and support Sego Lily School. Enter your chili in the challenge or come just to enjoy food and friends.

Friday, November 8, 2013

6pm - 8pm

171 E. 4800 S., Murray, UT 84107

Adults $5

Children (12 and under) $3

Families $20

Chili Cook-off Entry Fee $10

Silent Auction - Bid Online!

Bidding for the silent auction can be done on facebook until Nov. 8 at 3pm, final bids can be placed in person at the Chili Cookoff until 7pm. Click below to go to the silent auction and place your bids in the comments section:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.666774990021922.1073741825.194754680557291&type=1&l=546e2d3ca6

Many exciting silent auction items including:

Behind the scenes with the cast of the popular TV series Granite Flats

Psychic reading with Margaret Ruth "The Love Psychic"

Day at the Museum Pass from the Utah Natural History Museum

And much more!

***First Place in the Chili Cookoff wins a beautiful quilt from The Sundance Catalog valued at $225.***

Halloween Extravaganza!

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays of the year, there's candy, there's candy and there's more candy. Also,it's a perfect opportunity excuse to show off our creative costumes. Not that we really need an excuse, we often show up at school in creative costumes, no matter what time of year it is.

Some of our creations this year included:

Fast Flash dressed as Deadpool in a costume made with cardboard, duct tape and a mask crocheted by Georgie Porgie according to Fast Flash's design specifications.

Iron Patriot to the rescue - Our hero!! He really showed us his superhero moves!

Georgie Porgie as a hipster cat... call her "Hepcat"... Meoooooowwww!

Slenderman was super scary... he made Georgie Porgie scream.

A lumberjack? A real boy?

Best Cosplay.

We're not sure what this costume is, but that look gave us the heebie jeebiez.

Solshine looking sparkly as a the Sego Lily Fairy.

And of course we love steam punk... he won "Best Moves" in the costume contest.

Fiona the Human from Adventure Time... this costume was a rerun of Comic Con.

The Plague Doctor... this mask is homemade! (Also by our resident artist Georgie Porgie) He's pretty creepy.

And of course, our annual doughnut eating contest. So much better than bobbing for apples.

After a crazy day of celebrating... what do we do the next day? Celebrate some more of course... it's Dia De Los Muertos!

About Our School

Children are naturally curious and want to learn. We feel it is the job of a school to nurture that curiosity. Providing our students with the time, facilities and support (when requested) to pursue their interests and unique talents is our ultimate goal.

Students of all ages can learn with and from each other. Children from age 4-18 mix freely at Sego Lily School.

Play is the language of children. Children of all ages learn through play. Play takes many forms, from a game of catch to a creative endeavor, but all forms of play are a valid and important part of a person’s development.

Learning happens everywhere, all of the time. Learning takes place in formal and informal settings, in large or small groups, with or without staff members or mentors, but all learning is initiated by the student.

Decisions should be made by the people they affect. Sego Lily School is run by the students and staff, through the weekly School Meeting. Each student and staff member has one equal vote in this managing body. The Judicial Committee, also composed of students and staff, handles rule infractions. Parents have a role in setting school policies through the Assembly, which meets annually or as needed.

FAQs

1. How do children learn at Sego Lily School?
Children are naturally curious and want to learn about their environment. When a student is given the responsibility for his education, as well as the freedom, support, and respect needed to fulfill his goals, learning begins to take place as a natural byproduct of all activities. Children challenge themselves and each other as they gain confidence and learn new skills.

2. Will my child learn everything she needs to know?
The basic knowledge of reading, writing, and math that are used by adults on a daily basis cannot be avoided by a student who is experimenting with her interests and passions. There will come a time for each student when learning these skills becomes essential to pursuing the path she is following. Allowing children to follow their own time lines can actually increase their learning curves – when motivated to read, for example, a child will throw herself into the task, learning more quickly than a child who is being told, “Now is the time to learn this.”

3. Do the students really run the school?
Yes! Students and staff work together to run the Sego Lily School. The students and staff members each have one vote in the weekly School Meeting and make all decisions needed for the school to run smoothly, including passing laws, allocating funds, and hiring staff. The Judicial Committee, composed of students and staff, handles rule infractions. School Meeting members also have a vote in the Assembly, the larger voting body which includes parents and board members, in making policy decisions such as setting tuition rates and approving the annual budget.

4. How does graduation work?
Each student, upon completing the requirements for graduation, must write and present a thesis. The topic of this thesis is “I am prepared to become a responsible adult in society.” The student must defend this thesis at the annual meeting of the Assembly. After receiving a favorable vote from Assembly members, students will receive a Certificate of Graduation. State regulations in Utah do not allow us to be accredited or to issue official state diplomas. However, most colleges will accept graduation certificates from non-accredited schools or a GED.

5. What about college?
Many students will want to continue their educations with some form of higher learning – college, university, or trade school. For these students, the statistics from the Sudbury Valley School (SVS) are in their favor! 90% of students that attended SVS from 1968 to 2004 went on to some form of secondary education. Most of these students were accepted into the school of their first choice. Students simply take their SATs and write essays for their applications, and interview with administrators when necessary. Usually a certificate of graduation is adequate for admissions. Current statistical trends in higher education suggest that having an “alternative” education is actually a benefit in the admissions process. Many prestigious schools such as Harvard and Yale Universities are looking for students who can do much more than learn what is placed in front of them. We are happy to support our students in any way we can with their application process.