Dear Shining Mountain Families,

I cannot express the excitement around the building as the start of a new school year draws closer. The staff has been working hard the last few weeks preparing classrooms, learning about their new students and attending a number of professional learning opportunities.

We had a number of staff retire last year as well as a couple teachers move to be closer to their families. We started the hiring process early and I am happy to share that we have recruited a phenomenal group of new teachers to THE Mountain! Shining Mountain is doing so many great things that teachers want to come and be a part of it.

Each year we have a THEME. Two years ago our theme was The Mountain Top. We discussed how to “guide” students through the challenges of climbing the educational mountain and leading them to the exhilaration of reaching the top. Last year our theme was a compass. The message was that we had to keep our focus in the right direction, which was what was best for kids. This year our theme is The Redwoods. The message of the redwoods is as follows:

The great redwoods of California are one of the beautiful natural wonders of North America.  These giant evergreens can grow to a towering 300 feet tall and live for hundreds of years.  For all their magnificence, one would think the redwoods would require a deep root system to keep them upright.  Instead, they have roots that spread out along the surface of the forest floor to capture all the moisture possible, intertwining with the roots of other redwoods in the grove.  The interlocking roots securely support and sustain these giant sequoias when storms strike and fierce winds blow.  The trees' survival depends on the combined support of one another. 

Read more here!