Featured news and information by and for the Campbell School of Innovation community.
Each October, National Book Month allows us to celebrate our love for reading! Encouraging our students to read allows them to develop their vocabulary and language skills, improve their comprehension and critical thinking, and expand their knowledge and understanding of the world.
Below are a few photos from one of our Kindergarten classes during their visit to the library!
This year, our teachers have asked their students to brainstorm what is important to them in the classroom. The students worked together as a community to draft mission statements. Each mission statement is different because it reflects the classroom community that created it.
Here are some examples from our students:
This year, the Campbell School of Innovation’s 5th graders embarked on their first-ever Science Camp experience at West Outdoor School. Led by their 5th grade teachers and camp staff, the students spent several days immersed in the redwood forests, exploring ecosystems and connecting with the natural world.
“We loved the cabins, the night hikes, the garden, and getting to know our classmates better.” 5th graders, Eldana and Emily enthusiastically shared.
The 5th graders embraced the camp’s four key pillars: building community, connecting to nature, developing leadership, and, of course, having fun. Through hikes and group activities, they discovered various plant and animal species, experienced teamwork in the outdoors, and grew in their understanding of how the natural world is interconnected.
Ms. Crawford shared about the transformative experience, saying, “The best part of science camp was seeing how curious our learners were about nature. They showed true appreciation and respect for nature as we hiked all the trails and learned about all the different ecosystems and species around them.”
In addition to environmental education, the camp’s emphasis on leadership allowed students to develop important social and emotional skills, working together to solve challenges and form strong peer relationships. Activities were designed to foster confidence and collaboration, ensuring that students left with a deeper connection not only to nature but to their classmates as well. The camp’s curriculum also aligns with California’s Next Generation Science Standards, ensuring students gain both academic knowledge and personal growth.
As the first class from Campbell School of Innovation to attend, this experience marks the beginning of a treasured tradition for future 5th graders. With memories made and new skills gained, the students have returned to school energized and inspired to carry their love for nature into their everyday lives.
In early September, Campbell School of Innovation (CSI) proudly hosted its inaugural School-Wide Design Week. This week-long initiative, centered around the Design Thinking Process: Seek, Learn, Lead, was a result of thoughtful experimentation and refinement that began with last year’s successful Design Day.
The idea for Design Week was prototyped at the end of last school year, when CSI tested its first school-wide design sprint. After collecting valuable feedback from students and teachers, we iterated on the first prototype.
The feedback from the first event highlighted several "pluses," which we further elevated:
Cross-Grade Collaboration: Students from different grades worked together, allowing for a broader exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Whole School Focus: The entire school community engaged in a unified theme, fostering a shared sense of purpose.
Creative Constraints: Challenges were designed with creative boundaries, encouraging students to think within structured limits.
In the spirit of innovation, CSI also addressed areas for growth that were identified as "deltas" from last year’s event:
Start Earlier: This year’s Design Week started at the beginning of the school year.
Flexible Scheduling: Teachers and students had more flexibility to schedule within a week instead of a single day.
Development of Design Thinking Skills: Several Design Weeks are planned this school year with an intentional focus of deepening Seeking, Learning, and Leading skills.
When receiving a design from her partner, a 4th grader shared, “"When she presented it to me it felt like I was just gifted something that was exactly what I liked. They really listened!". Mrs. Boehm and Mrs. Jamie’s 4th and TK classes excitedly chimed in, “We feel like we have new friends now!”
By using feedback from its community, CSI ensured that Design Week was a resounding success, inspiring students to approach challenges with creativity, collaboration, and confidence!
On May 28, 2024, the Campbell School of Innovation held its inaugural “Schoolwide Design Day”, where students in grades TK - 8 were tasked with getting to know, and rapidly designing a gift for an assigned partner from another grade level. The theme for this first day of design was “Design to Bring your Partner Joy”. In preparation for the big day, teachers also engaged in the same partner design sprint earlier this month.
The event emphasized creativity, empathy, community-building, and collaboration through CSI’s design thinking process: Seek, Learn, Lead. Students started by interviewing their partners (Seek). Some of the questions they asked were, “What do you like to do at CSI? What do you like to do at home? What brings you joy? Tell me more.”
Next, students brainstormed, or ideated, at least two design ideas based on what they learned in the interviews (Learn). They brought these ideas to life using a single piece of paper, and in some classes, markers or a few small materials. After creating their gifts, students presented their designs to their partners (Lead), providing feedback on what they liked about the gifts that they received, and what could possibly be improved.
A reflection session allowed students time to discuss their experiences and lessons learned. Second grader Paisley shared, "It felt nice to have a seventh grader design a game spinner of my favorite activities. She really listened to me."
Teachers were impressed by the students' enthusiasm and school-wide community building. "It was heartwarming to see the effort and care the students put into their designs," commented Ms. Woll, an eighth-grade teacher.
CSI plans to schedule additional School-wide Design Days next year, continuing to inspire young minds through the principles of design thinking. Families can also repeat this same Design Sprint at home to create additional moments of joy!
At the Campbell School of Innovation, students are not just learners; they are creators, problem solvers, and innovators. At the heart of their learning journey lies the Bug Project – a project that ignites their curiosity and empowers their real-world problem-solving.
The Bug Project is more than just an isolated classroom activity. Students identify real-world issues, which we call "bugs," and design innovative solutions to address them. Guided by our CSI Design Process: Seek, Learn, and Lead; students embark on applying empathy, curiosity, and action.
“Our problem was that there’s lots of trash in the lunchroom. My idea was to make a sign with pictures and letters to let people know to clean up. My idea worked because I looked on the ground later and there were not even crumbs!” - Poppy K., TK student
“The thing I liked most about the Bug Project this year was that I got to choose a problem around World Hunger. We got to hear about what others in the community are doing to try to solve this problem. I got to build a 3D model and share my idea.” - Joshua A., 6th grader
A few third graders wanted to share commercial videos about their ideas: Poaching Video and Littering Video.
The CSI student learning journey is not just about solving problems; it's about shaping a brighter, more innovative future for us all.
We are proud to share that our Yard Duty Supervisors are committed to the Seek, Learn, Lead motto of CSI! During the Project Cornerstone training, there was a focus on building students' skills and assets and connecting to form positive relationships. Through our many partnerships, we are collectively and continuously creating a caring community. Interested in joining our Yard Duty as another caring adult on campus? We have both volunteer and paid positions, please stop by our Welcome Center or call (408) 364-4222 for more information.
Thank you to the Kinder Team for organizing a visit from our local Youth Science Institute. Students had a great time experiencing a hands-on presentation that inspires enthusiasm towards nature and science!
This fall, the CSI ASB (Associated Student Body) applied for an Innovation Team Grant from our school district. The team was awarded a grant to go to a leadership conference together and put on a community event. Please watch this short video that the ASB made to share their learning. “Applying for the grant was a challenge because we were nervous to pitch our idea in front of the judges and other students. But we overcome our fear and progressed as a leadership community. The funds from the grant let us go to the leadership training and bring the community together with a Multicultural Night.” - Joshua J., CSI ASB Vice-President
At the leadership conference, students learned about leadership skills and some activities that they could lead at school. They have been using these skills to lead games and activities for all uptown students during weekly Prime Time Challenges. Students also wanted to bring the whole CSI community together with a Multicultural Night last month. They are very proud of the number of people who shared their culture at the event and want your feedback. “We’ve constructed a survey so that we can learn if we met our goal of bringing the community together. Please help us take the survey: bit.ly/csiasbfeedback Thank you!” - Keilia B., CSI ASB Treasurer
Meet the CSI ASB Team: Angela P., Joshua J., Kirra F., Keilia B., Svyatoslav (Slava) D., Oliva R., Sophia V., ASB Advisors: Lily Alberts and Erin Woll
We are thrilled to welcome our new TK and kinder students and families to CSI for the 2023-2024 school year! Please join us for a campus tour here at CSI on August 9 at 4:00 pm. We will be touring the campus, as well as sharing some basic information about what to expect during the first days of kindergarten. We look forward to seeing our new TK/K families there!
