"Stories are powerful because they transport us into other people’s worlds but, in doing that, they change the way our brains work and potentially change our brain chemistry — and that’s what it means to be a social creature."
                             -Jonathan Gottschall’s The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human.

Why do we do Monday Morning Meetings?  It is a crazy time of the week. Monday morning, we all are tired. Students are transitioning from the excitement or trepidation that the weekend experiences may have brought and teachers and staff are anxious to get the week's activities and learning off to a strong start. With all this, we still take the time to come together as a community.  

Throughout history the oral tradition and story have been powerful aspects of passing on values and deepening community.  Knowing this, we take the time to tell a story every Monday morning.  There are skills taught through the storytelling process; visualization is enhanced, the process promotes listening, the art of public speaking, acquisition of language skills, to name a few.  Most importantly, the stories give us focus and a common experience.   Many of the stories, skits, acts and books we share as a community have a social message that help bring us closer together and create a more emphatic environment.  We make a conscious effort to connect the precepts of the story with our ROAR rules (Respect Yourself, Respect Others, Respect All Learning, Respect Property) and use the stories as springboards when interpersonal conflicts arise between students.  These stories provide a reference and an opportunity for reflection around other choices we could make when solving problems. 

Storytelling is an easy and fun way to share literacy with students at home as well.  Reading a book, collaboratively telling a story or retelling of a classic tale, a family memory or making something up, can be an awesome shared experience with your children.  Here is a link for some ideas around sharing stories with children.  

​The above video was taken this Monday morning.  While I enjoy reading a book or telling a story to the student body, nothing is more magical than when a group of IAA staff come together to deliver the storytelling experience. 

​Students at IAA are cared for. They are loved and honored for the people they are.  We know this about our school.  IAA is especially adept at meeting the needs of the whole child.  I think we really understand that.  We meet children where they are and develop a nurturing support system around them, both academically and socially.  Often, when we see our children flourish, we look toward the classroom teacher.  As we should.  The classroom teachers at IAA understand the needs and the developmental approaches required to truly care for our students.  They make IAA a safe and comforting place, a second home.  We also have an amazing supporting cast.  These folks, our lunchroom staff, custodians, paraeducators, office staff, student teachers and learners from the local colleges and after school care, are often in the background but contribute mightily to this caring and formative environment. One such person, Louise Mongeon, IAA’s school Nurse, was recently honored as the Vermont School Nurse of the Year.  We’ve known this for well over a decade and are glad she is receiving the recognition.  However, regardless of accolades, she will continue to advocate for children and assist them in developing healthy life choices.  We are proud to have Nurse Mongeon as part of our community and enjoyed honoring here is a small way for her large contributions at IAA over the years.  Thanks Louise!  We love you!  

Check out below our recent performance by some IAA Players to celebrate all the Ms. Mongeon does for us.