University of Southern California and Bridges Partnership

Bridges Academy has teamed with the University of Southern California to create the Certificate in the Education of Twice-Exceptional Students program. The new certificate is designed for professionals who want to develop expertise in understanding this unique population and learn the skills to provide 2e students the appropriate academic, social and emotional support. The program was created by Dr. Susan Baum, Bridges’ Director of Professional Development, and Dr. Sandra Kaplan, Associated Clinical Professor of Learning & Instruction at USC. USC will conduct a 2e Symposium on the Bridges campus August 15-17. The symposium is offered through the USC Rossier School of Education’s Professional Development Department. The first cohort of students received their certificates at the national convention of the Association for Educating Gifted, Underachieving Students (AEGUS) in Los Angeles in April 2008.     To learn more, click here. (To receive information, please call Bridges Academy). To register online click here.

Bridges Honors Dr. Joseph Renzulli At Spring Gala

Dr. Joseph Renzulli was honored with the Educational Impact award at the Spring Gala Dinner & Silent Auction April 18 at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel. Dr. Renzulli is acknowledged as one of the preimminent minds in gifted education. He is the Neag Professor of Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Connecticut and also serves as Director of The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. This year's gala was the 8th Annual "Outside The Box" event.

National Merit Scholar

Jordan Barlam, Class of 2009, has been named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist. Congratulations to this most deserving student!

JamFest III

More than 300 music enthusiasts enjoyed JamFest III March 15 at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. The festival was created and is sponsored by Bridges and featured bands from Bridges Academy, Oakwood, Harvard-Westlake, Campbell Hall and New Jewish Community High School. JamFest has two goals: provide talented, young musicians a platform to show their skills and "jam" with fellow musicians from other schools; and raise money for MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of the Grammys. JamFest has been added to the Grammys web site on the MusiCares link!

Mock Trial

Congratulations to all of our 6th and 7th grade Mock Trial participants. This is the second year Bridges has participated in this challenging and rewarding activity. In Mock Trial, students argue both sides of a case in  an actual courtroom in downtown Los Angeles. Special thanks to Paula Barnett, Gary Kurtz and Phyllis Kupferstein (all Bridges parents and real life lawyers) for their commitment to guiding our students.  

Operation Gratitude

Bridges families stepped to the forefront in Operation Gratitude, a program that supports the men and women of the armed forces serving overseas.  Parents and students have contributed, collected, packaged and shipped boxes of items including books, CDs and DVDs, gift cards, food, clothing, and seasonal items to show support and gratitude for the efforts of our service people. The community effort was spearheaded by Bridges parent Deidre Hall.

Bridges Alum On The Go

Sam Jones (Class of 2005) and Ethan Braun (a former Bridges student) have formed a musical trio with Wyatt Keusch which debuted at the Fowler Museum at UCLA February 5. Sam is a guitarist and student at USC and Ethan is a pianist/composer enrolled at UCLA. Michael Beer (Class of 2005) spent his sophomore year at Fukakusa College (near Kyoto, Japan). He is now enrolled at California State University-Northridge to complete his undergraduate studies. Charles Jones (Class of 2005) and his band "The Actual Proof" had another summer tour, including a stop at the Whiskey in L.A. Charles is attending the Berklee School of Music in Boston. Greg Finkelstein (Class of 2004) has enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Geosciences at Princeton. Adam Bruno (class of 2000) received his masters degree from Phillips Graduate Institute. David Lorant (Class of 2006) is a busy man on the University of California San Diego campus. In addition to his academic load, he is president of the Role Playing Club, co-president of the Animae Club, and treasurer of the Science Fiction Library. Former Bridges student Christine Black (U.S. Army) served two tours in Iraq and has been promoted to sergeant.

Outdoor Education at Catalina

Shovel-nosed guitar fish, bat rays, garibaldi, nudi branchs-- these colorful species are only a few of the  organisms that 41 Bridges students and faculty observed on their outdoor education trip to Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (CELP). Founded by Jacques Cousteau's son Michael, CELP  teaches the principles of sustainability through “up close and personal” adventures. Students snorkeled both during the day and at night when a favorite sight was the shimmering bioluminescence. They kayaked through kelp forests in emerald water with visibility up to 70 feet; star gazed at a clear night sky that revealed Jupiter, Vega, and numerous falling stars; and hiked through diverse geological formations and ecosystems. Part of CELP’s commitment is to model sustainability, so all CELP campers participated in composting every bit of waste from their meals and observed the effects of the composting in the productive organic garden that the staff maintains. Students returned enthusiastic about their adventures. One 8th grader, when asked what he liked best summed it up well: “Eating. . .  But seriously, everything… it was all awesome.“

The Spirit of Giving

The Parents Association continued its efforts to help those in need with a focus on collecting clothing for homeless families in February; materials for animal shelters in March; canned goods for the Interfaith Food Pantry in April and recycled backpacks for Schools on Wheels in May.

Professional Development

Twenty-five faculty and staff attended the Computer-Using Educators (C.U.E.) national conference in Palm Springs March 5-7 as part of professional development exploring technology, and the student, of the 21st century. On January 20, faculty and administrators worked with Barbara A. Cohen and Peter Gregory on the "Living Lab Approach" to educating AD/HD students. Barbara and Peter are principals in the AD/HD Coaching Company based in Tarzana. In the Fall, faculty and staff participated in several intense professional development sessions with Dr. George McCloskey, Dr. Jann Lappein and Bridges own Director of Professional Development Dr. Susan Baum. Dr. McCloskey is an Associate Professor and Director of School Psychology Research at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a published author and expert in the study of the brain's executive function capacities. Dr. Lappein, also a published author, is an Associate Professor at the University of Great Falls in Montana. She is regarded as one of the leading curriculum development specialists in the country. Dr. Baum is a pioneer in the field of twice-exceptional education, is widely published and lectures around the world. She is a Professor of Gifted Education in the Graduate School at the College of New Rochelle.

 

 

Book on ADD

More than ten years ago, bestselling doctors Edward Hallowell and John Ratey wrote Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood. Now, with a decade of additional research, their new book, Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder is available to advise on how to live a productive and happy life with ADD. For more information, go to: www.drhallowell.com

Other Books

"Raising A Sensory Smart Child, The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues"
by Lindsey Biel, M.A., OTR/L and Nancy Peske
www.sensorysmarts.com

"Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope With the Crisis in Childrearing"
By Robert Evans
Jossey-Bass Publishing

"Ready Or Not, Here Life Comes" By Mel Levine, M.D.
The book, by one of America’s top learning experts, shows how today’s society makes it hard for kids to grow into productive adults; and offers ways to help prepare students for start-up careers that match their learning profile.

Anyone interested in reading these books can order them through Amazon.com

 

Other 2E Resources

• Attention Magazine from www.chad.org.
• The 2E Newsletter at www.2enewsletter.com
• The National Association for Gifted Children
• Additional 2E Resources on the Web


 

A Symposium on Research Needs and  Policy Development for 2e Students 

took place at Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut on May 2 and was attended by Bridges Academy's, Susan Baum, Ph.D., Director of Professional Development, Marcy Dann, M.A., BCET, Educational Therapist and Lesli Preuss, Ph.D., clinical psychologist. The objectives were to develop a working definition of twice exceptionality, examine current research and formulate policies for identification, intervention and best practices. The day was marked by exciting discussion among clinicians, practitioners, researchers and advocates who passionately strive to meet the needs of this population. An important outcome will be Bridges' involvement in future research of best practices that simultaneously account for both talents and gifts as well as learning difficulties of the 2e population. Marcy and Lesli are part of a research group that has joined with the Association for Gifted Underachieving Students (AEGUS) and the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC) to form a commission on 2e education.

Four members of the Bridges staff attended the Second Symposium on Assessment of the Gifted March 27 in Van Nuys. Presenters included Dr. Linda Silverman and Helen Dudeny, head of the Australian Gifted Support Center in Sydney. Prior to her presntation, Helen visited Bridges. Staff also attended the Los Angeles area Association of Educational Therapists workshop. Dr. Peter Murphy presented on "Addressing Learning Disabilities & Related Health Issues."

Bridges Academy exhibited at the Computer-Using Educators (C.U.E.) conference in Palm Springs March 5-7. The conference was attended by 2500 educators and tech experts from across the country. Bridges also exhibited at the California Association for Gifted Children (CAG) annual conference in Anaheim February 13-15 and at three major conferences in the Fall: the Association of Educational Therapists (AET) conference in San Diego in October and two conferences in November--Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) in Anaheim and the California Association of Private Schools Organization (CAPSO) in Long Beach.

More than 30 professionals attended Bridges' annual Professional Luncheon at the Universal Hilton March 3 enjoying lunch and a presentation on Asynchronous Development by the Bridges team of Susan Baum, Cynthia Novak, Marcy Dann and Lesli Preuss.

Marcy Dann, Bridges' educational therapist, has been elected president of the Association of Educational Therapists. Congratulations Marcy!

Bridges Academy Director of Admissions Doug Lenzini has been added to the Steering Committee of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Los Angeles Admissions Directors Consortium.

Faculty & Staff

Faculty members attend and present at workshops addressing the gifts and learning differences as well as the social/emotional needs of our students; and also participate in specialized and general education seminars conducted by the California Association of Independent schools (CAIS).

Meet our Faculty and Staff here.

Advisory Board

Bridges Academy is privileged to have some of the nation’s leading experts and educators on its Advisory Board including Susan Baum, Ph.D. who also is the Director of Professional Development at Bridges. Anyone interested in reading Susan’s books can order them through Amazon.com.

Bridges Academy is a college preparatory school dedicated to educating “twice-exceptional” students-gifted and highly-gifted with learning differences—in grades 6-12. Bridges empowers its students to thrive academically and socially through small classes, differentiated instruction, and tolerance, creating an environment in which both gifts and differences are recognized and respected.

Accredited by:
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
www.acswasc.org

Member, California Association of Independent Schools
www.caisca.org

Member, National Association of Independent Schools
www.nais.org

Member, Educational Records Bureau
www.erbtest.org

At Bridges Academy, students are identified by what they can do, not by what they can't.


Grand Finale!

The 2008-09 school year came to a close with a flury of activities, events and celebrations. Here are some of the highlights:

--The Spring Coffee House at Rusty's Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier featuring the musical talents of several of our high school students

--The Spring Reading at Jennifer's Coffee Connection in Studio City featuring the writing talents of our Talent Development Writers Group

--High School Drama perfomances of "The Buried Child," "The Unincredibles" and a radio play of Agatha Christie's "The Careless Victim"

--Middle School peformances of "Peter & The Wolf," improv games and an original play written by 8th grader Brian Farkas

--A slide show and presentation to by Joyce Okazaki who was interred at Manzanar during World War II

--A presentation of some of the work of Dorothea Lange & Maynard Dixon by Bridges mom Leslie Dixon

--A presentation to M.S. students by a working voiceover artist

--May Senior Project presentations,

9th grade science presentations and 8th grade "Bridging" presentations

--May 16 Prom at the Universal Hilton

Bridges salutes our 17 8th grade students and 14 seniors who were promoted/graduated May 26 during ceremonies at the Universal Hilton

Renaissance Faire

Blaring trumpets, pounding hooves, clashing metal—Bridges Middle School students joined the screaming throng at the Renaissance Faire jousting match April 24 to cheer for their chosen knight.  Many Bridges students, faculty, and parent drivers joined in the spirit of the day by dressing in Renaissance costumes and trying out the Queen’s English. Several students spent an hour with two fearsome warriors who taught them about Celtic weapons—their uses, history, and the proper stances required.  “Faire favorites” (after the jousting match) included conversation with strolling Monks, the Maypole swing, and the Renaissance fare including the cheese and meat- filled piroshkis.

Eco-Conscious

Bridges Academy hosted an E-Waste Collection Event April 22-23. Residents and businesses from Studio City and throughout the San Fernando Valley and beyond  deposited old computers, monitors, TVs, cell phones, fax machines, etc. in bins set up in the Bridges parking lot. Meanwhile, Bridges took part in the Generation Earth Waste Reduction Competition April 20-27. Students collected paper, clothing, ink cartridges and compostable materials to earn money for the school.

Woodbury Univ. Visit

Bridges M.S. students visited Woodbury University March 27. They were greeted by two Woodbury seniors—one who majors in fashion and graphic design and the other in architecture. The hosts guided Bridges students throughout the campus, nestled in the foothills of Burbank. Woodbury is the oldest business school west of the Rockies (celebrating 125 years in LA and 25 years on the Burbank campus). Woodbury was the first university west of the Rockies to include women among its student body. Students explored the sculpture garden filled with student work and toured the new sustainable architecture building—looking over the shoulders of students who were working on large screen computers. Models in 3d paper, wood, and cardboard decorated every available space. Students learned that as juniors in high school, they can attend Woodbury classes in graphic design, animation, and other courses for free—and the courses count for college credit.

History Comes Alive

The Civil War came to Bridges March 19 when Joe Monastero visited the eight grade as Confederate Private Joey LeMonte. A professional actor and Civil War re-enactor, Joe gave the class a non-sentimental look at the tragedies of the war for both sides. The students were enthralled by his stories and slide show, his authentic uniform and supplies, a real sample of "hardtack," what soldiers commonly ate, and, of course, the firing of a period Enfield Musket (blanks only). Marching through drills on the North Lawn of the campus heightened the experience for the students. They responded to orders smartly and were able, by the end of the day, to feel like a real company and to get a unique and personal feeling for the Civil War.

L.A. Harbor Tour

The LA Harbor Port Authority welcomed Bridges Middle School on Feb 25.  In the 5th floor conference room overlooking the harbor, students were introduced to complicated issues of trade that face the LA Harbor.  Through an an interactive exercise, students were challenged to figure out how the shoes they were wearing found their way from a foreign manufacturer to the port of Los Angeles.  Students who have been studying ancient trade routes and systems were given an overview of the economic and environmental issues related to contemporary trade.  After the introductory lecture, students boarded a boat for a harbor tour with briefings by the captain and a port authority representative who focused on the environmental impact of harbor trade, a topic students are studying in science. A favorite photo opportunity occurred when the boat pulled alongside a harbor buoy on which six slick harbor seals basked in the sun, barking their welcome. Students finished the day with a visit to the World War II battleship, S.S. Lane Victory, berthed in San Pedro in the shadow of the Vincent Thomas Bridge.  The S.S. Lane is one of the few remaining WW II Cargo Vessels that carried the materials of war to the Armed Forces in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Launched in 1945 at Cal Shipyard of Los Angeles, the ship offers four summer cruises to Catalina during which guests learn more about this floating maritime museum and National Historic Landmark.  

Jet Propulsion Laboratory


Is there life in outer space?  That question is one Bridges students love to debate.  On Feb 9, M.S. students entered the discussion with scientists from the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in Pasadena. Students watched a film that outlined the JPL projects since its inception in the late 1950s, toured the museum with a guide who explained the missions of the life-size replicas, and observed the lab where the 2011 Mars Rover is being built.  A particular favorite on this trip was the observation and discussion of the Mars Science Laboratory, part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet. The 2011 Mars Mission is designed to analyze whether Mars ever was, or is today, an environment able to support microbial life.  Students were invited to stand in the rafters of the “clean lab” observing the scientists below working on the rover, and they also watched a simulation of the 2012 landing which will involve a parachute and a tether system that will lower the rover to the surface, much like a sky crane.
 
Students learned that once on the surface of Mars, the rover will be able to roll over obstacles up to 29 inches high and travel up to 295 feet per hour. The rover, which will carry the most advanced toolbox for scientific studies ever sent to the martian surface, will analyze soil and rock samples. Bridges students who participated on this fieldtrip will be high school students when the rover is operational. They will be able to say they saw the rover when it was still being assembled and tested.  JPL is currently running a contest to name the rover. Bridges students plan to enter before the March 22 deadline.  If families want to go back to JPL to spend time with their children further exploring the history and current projects of this fascinating place, an open house for the public is being scheduled for later this spring: May 2, 3, and 4.