Explore Bertschi School's curriculum from Pre-K through 5th grade.
Alumni & Community News • Spring 2024
A collection of photos from the Bertschi archive, 1975-2019.
In this issue: 50 Years of Bertschi • Class of 2017 & Class of 2023 Reunions • Tarren Sumler: Aspiring Black Educator Fellow • Meg Corsi: Back at Bertschi • Linda Arland: Lesson Plans from the Nile • “Dear Dianne”: Spring Planting Tips with Dianne Filip • Volunteer Opportunity: Summer Exploration Camps
Bertschi School 50 years of Celebrations begin 2025-2026 school year
Since 1975, our mission has called us to prepare compassionate, confident, and creative learners in a global community.
Once a Bertschi kid...
...always a Bertschi Kid.
MISSION
Bertschi School educates children to become compassionate, confident, and creative learners in a global community.
VALUES
Our community values integrity, inclusiveness, respect, diversity, and a commitment to sustainability.
DEI
Bertschi School values diversity and believes engaging our differences makes us better and stronger. We welcome and honor the unique contributions of people from all racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, gender identities, learning profiles, physical abilities, and sexual orientations. Our commitment to equity drives us to be inclusive and diverse in all areas of our school.
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A collection of photos from the Bertschi archive, 1975-2018.
ALUMNI REUNION
02
Class of 2017
Thursday, May 2 6:00 PM
Bertschi Campus
Reconnect with familiar faces of classmates and teachers at your class reunion on the Bertschi School campus! Parents, siblings, and alumni from the Class of 2017 are invited for a light dinner, a screening of your fifth grade video, and a casual walk down memory lane on our campus. We will pull some photos from the archives and reminisce together.
ALUMNI REUNION
10
Class of 2023
Friday, May 10 2:00 PM
Bertschi Campus
Members of the Class of 2023 will share their middle school wisdom with current Bertschi students at the All School Meeting in the gym from 2:00-2:30 PM. From 2:30-4:00 PM, hang out with your Class of 2023 friends, and reconnect with teachers and our campus. Light snacks will be provided. Class of 2023 parents, caregivers, and siblings are welcome to join!
TARREN SUMLER: ASPIRING BLACK EDUCATOR FELLOW
Bertschi’s inaugural fellow reflects on his journey through the program
Bertschi School offers a full-time teaching associate job and up to $10,000 each year toward tuition for an aspiring Black educator enrolled in a teaching certification program. In 2022, Tarren Sumler was hired as Bertschi’s first fellow, joining the community as a fifth grade teaching associate (TA). After his first year, a unique opportunity presented itself and Tarren was hired as the physical education specialist. This June marks the end of Tarren’s fellowship; he will graduate with his certification from the University of Washington and continue teaching at Bertschi! When the opportunity was presented to me, I was ecstatic because PE specialist is the general direction I wanted to go and where I wanted to end up in my career.
Below, Tarren reflects on his challenging yet rewarding journey and shares valuable insights gained along the way.
We are actively seeking donor support to help underwrite this important program. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement, Rose Bellini.
We also host periodic panels and information sessions in collaboration with other independent schools in the area. Contact Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Amina Loftin, to learn more.
Anything that you were unable to predict? The daily experiences with the students. Being with elementary students, you're going to get so many things coming your way. Different stories are being told to you and shared that you weren't expecting. But, students also have different questions that you just aren't prepared for. You can prepare for as many questions and different scenarios as possible, but you're not going to be able to plan for everything. So you’ve got to think on your feet. When it comes to things I couldn't predict, there were times when I didn't have full answers for students and had to be transparent with them and let them know, hey, I don't have the answer and you may not have the answer, but we can work together to find it. Did you have any big wins during the fellowship? Honestly, my biggest win is a personal win. It was being able to transition to PE teacher from my original role of teaching associate so early in my career. When it comes to big wins with the students, hearing them break down the material, learning and grasping the information that I was giving them, and seeing them apply it to themselves was satisfying. Witnessing them be able to attain and retain all that information, it was an amazing thing to see. And there are not too many things better than teaching students, them understanding everything you're teaching them, and then applying it in different aspects. What was your favorite thing to teach as TA? My favorite thing to teach was math. I enjoyed math just because of the different ways students approached problems. I would give students complex word problems, and the approach and how they understood the the problems weren't always the ways that I thought of it. Many times students came with different perspectives and I was taken aback because of their thinking. Every approach was accepted and it was welcomed. It was amazing.
Do you have any advice for future fellows? Take advantage of the people around you and the environment that you're in. I have been blessed to be at an amazing school like Bertschi. It's amazing because it's filled with the students and the people who are in it. The staff, the administrators, everybody has been supportive. They have given me all the resources and information I need to succeed in my first year of teaching. I can't be thankful enough for everybody who has meetings with me, checks in with me, and shares any advice or tips for early educators with me. I'm grateful for the position I'm in, the people I'm around, and the students I get to see every day. Take advantage of the moment and opportunity. Just because you have an opportunity doesn't mean you take full advantage of it. So ask questions, talk to everybody, and do your best to understand all the students and the staff because you never know who you could meet. You don't know how well or how big of an impact they could have on you. So be open, be an open book, and be a sponge. Tell us more about the transition from TA to specialist. The difference is just the amount of responsibilities you have. Being a TA, you have a lead teacher, someone that you can defer to. The majority of the time, they're doing a large part of the lesson. However, there were times when I was able to sub in for the teachers, which was great. But as for the responsibilities and lesson planning–and making sure everybody is, you know, learning the material, but also paying attention–that's a larger responsibility that I have to take on now as the PE teacher. I don't have a TA to help me out. Being the main person who's giving the instructions, presenting the material–it's something that I had to get used to, but I'm perfectly fine doing it now.
That’s my advice for you!
FELLOWSHIP FOR ASPIRING BLACK EDUCATORS Bertschi will work with the accrediting college to support student teaching at our school. The fellow will work with two classrooms and teachers at one grade level (1st-5th grade) and receive observation time, mentoring, and support throughout the program.
learn more and apply
Full-time paid teaching associate position + benefits Up to $10,000 per year scholarship for teaching certification Bertschi School educates children to become compassionate, confident, and creative learners in a global community. our mission
bertschi.org 206-324-5476
Our community values integrity, inclusiveness, respect, diversity, and a commitment to sustainability. our values
A collection of photos from the Bertschi archive, 1975-2019.
MEG CORSI ‘17: BACK AT BERTSCHI
Meg Returns for Sustainability Presentation in First Grade
I know my love for Mother Earth comes from all I learned about nature at Bertschi! Sustainability finds a youthful advocate in Bertschi alum Meg Corsi ‘17. Now, a senior at Bellevue High School, Meg is dual-enrolled at Bellevue College through the Running Start Program. Beyond her academic pursuits, Meg's talent behind the camera lens sets her apart. She is known at Bellevue High School as the school photographer and photo editor for the yearbook, however, her skillset extends far beyond campus grounds. Meg captures many special moments from sporting events to concerts, senior photos, and more. Meg’s recent visit to Bertschi was for the next generation of eco-conscious leaders. Here, she shares advice, memories, and more.
Once a Bertschi kid, always a Bertschi kid. Our alumni gather for reunions, come back to volunteer, and tell us amazing stories about their accomplishments.
Stay in touch! We love to hear from you!
What has stuck with you the most from your time at Bertschi? The first thing that sticks out is all of the environmental things I learned. Along with photography, I plan on double majoring in environmental science. I know my love for Mother Earth comes from all I learned about nature at Bertschi! I think another thing that sticks out is just how cool Bertschi is. Now that I attend a public school, I recognize how my Bertschi experiences are so different from my friends’ who went to public elementary schools. What's one piece of advice you might share with graduating fifth graders? I would say enjoy every minute of every day. As a high school senior, I feel that I finally have learned to be happy and enjoy things. For instance, this season is the first basketball season I've had in a while where I am genuinely enjoying the sport and not putting too much pressure on myself. If I could go back in time I would go back and just make sure I enjoy all the moments of life, the bad and the good ones. For fifth graders especially don't let middle school get you down and always be yourself. Middle school was a rough time for me because I wanted to be someone else and fit in. But now as a senior who doesn't necessarily "fit in," I love myself even more because I am who I want to be and the people around me reflect who I truly am. Tell us about your recent time at Bertschi. Did you volunteer, give a presentation, or something else? What was it like? For my English class, I had a project where I was supposed to do some kind of sustainability presentation on single-use towels vs. reusable ones. My mom being a teacher at Bertschi seemed like the perfect opportunity to present my project while educating younger kids and because of all the sustainable ideas Bertschi taught me. I thought it would be a great way to give back to the school!
Any exciting goals for your future? I honestly have zero idea what I am doing next year. I am currently trying to get recruited for basketball so if that works out I will go wherever basketball takes me! If it doesn't work out I plan on either attending an art school or taking a gap year to focus on my art and figure out my life! For now, I know for sure I want to be a photographer and plan on doing whatever it takes to make a living out of it! No one even knows what the World Peace Games are–but I will never forget being head of arms dealers in fifth grade. None of my friends' schools has a green wall or grow salmon in their science classes. Even little things like going to Roanoke Park and playing capture the flag in third grade and calling the teachers by their first names make the whole Bertschi experience cool and unique and a key part of my childhood.
A collection of photos of Meg from her time at Bertschi.
“Dear Dianne” Aside from being an avid gardener, Dianne Filip has been Bertschi’s landscaper, groundskeeper, and facilities support for 15 years.
Dianne and Bertschi students weeding the strawberry patch.
Spring planting tips with Dianne Filip
Dear Dianne, I’m new to gardening and don’t know where to start. Can you help?
If a gardener doesn't start with good soil, the gardener will experience a lot of frustration. At some point, the gardener might start thinking about finding another hobby, perhaps beer making. To reduce the number of frustrating gardening problems, it's a good idea to know what kind of soil you have. King County offers soil testing for residents here. King County's soil testing is free for your first five samples. It’s a good idea to take advantage of this service because it saves you time and money. Then, when you visit a nursery, you will have an idea of what to purchase to improve the soil chemistry. If you don't have a legion of garden fairies sprinkling soil amendments in your garden in the wee hours of the night, you're probably going to use some type of fertilizer to encourage plant growth. I've tried several fertilizers, and the one that I found that boosted the plant's growth was Oly Mountain Fish Compost. It's all organic, made from fish, and won't burn the plants. It doesn't have a fish smell that will attract the neighborhood cats either. You can purchase it at the Dirt Exchange in Ballard.
Dear Dianne, What advice do you have for a rusty gardener getting back into the hobby?
If your pruners haven't been sharpened since the last solar eclipse (that was in 2017), you might want to get them sharpened. Northwest Sharpening will be at JoAnn's Fabrics in Ballard on Wednesday, April 17, from 2:00-5:00 PM. The charge is $4.00 per pruner or lopper.
Dear Dianne, How do I get rid of slugs in the garden?
Why don't children consume lettuce as consistently as slugs? Slugs can consume things in the garden faster than you can plant them. There's a lot of information on the internet about how to get rid of these slimy friends. I've tried making circles of sand or eggshells around the lettuce starts. The slugs saw it as a challenge and dug under the circles! The internet suggested a saucer of beer, so I tried that. The idea was that the slugs would drown in the beer...well, it didn't work that way for me. I just had happy slugs. But I wasn't going to be outwitted by a slug. Back to the nursery I went, and I found copper strips. Place the copper strips around the plant starts. If the slugs persist and try to cross the strip, it’ll be a lesson in chemical reactions that the slug won't forget. But the slug won't be around to remember it away.
LINDA ARLAND: LESSON PLANS FROM THE NILE
Linda Arland Shares Sabbatical Travels to Egypt and Jordan
With a deep-rooted passion for nurturing young minds, Linda Arlands's dedication to her role as a kindergarten teacher at Bertschi for over 25 years is unwavering. In her own words, she finds something inherently captivating about the developmental journey of five and six-year-olds, where the boundaries between concrete reality and boundless imagination blur. Embarking on a journey beyond the familiar confines of the classroom, Linda spent her recent sabbatical in the ancient lands of Egypt and Jordan. Linda’s class followed her travels in real time, learning alongside their teacher despite the distance.
Egypt was fascinating and for me, quite intense. Life in Egypt depends on the Nile River. Approximately 96% of Egypt is desert.
Bertschi School's sabbatical program is a commitment to continuous growth and enrichment. Faculty are afforded the invaluable opportunity to temporarily step away from their regular duties, immersing themselves in diverse learning experiences that span the globe. Upon their return, faculty members bring back a wealth of knowledge, fresh perspectives, and innovative ideas that infuse new vitality into the school community.
What inspired you to choose these Egypt and Jordan for your sabbatical? During my time at Bertschi, I’ve had the privilege of traveling to some interesting places. In fact my travel buddy and best friend is Anne Echols, the first kindergarten teacher ever at Bertschi School. Anne travels extensively and invited me to go on a Nile River excursion to Egypt and Jordan. What are you bringing back to Bertschi from your time abroad? This question relates to the Bertschi mission statement. Brigitte Bertschi, our school’s founder, understood the value of travel, especially as it relates to our role as educators in supporting our students to become “compassionate, confident, and creative learners in a global community.” As far as curriculum, my primary goal was to help our young learners gain knowledge and wonder about both ancient and modern Egypt. While I was gone, teacher Sam and and TA Britt made a poster and timeline to help students track the journey and experiences as I traveled up the Nile River. They learned about various places along the way. By the time I returned, the children were already interested in and quite knowledgeable about ancient Egypt. I created a slide show to help them gain a sense of the people who call Egypt home. Five and six-year-olds are still learning that there are many ways people live in the world, many kinds of families, homes, religions, and so forth. Sharing travel experiences with children nurtures a stronger connection to the world as a whole.
What do you love most about Bertschi? The spirit of community and my co-workers. Equally important, I greatly respect and appreciate the school’s dedication to educating the whole child. A balance of academics, social-emotional learning, specialist classes, and the arts are truly valued here. This balance is one that I never take for granted. Any fun plans for the future? No international travel plans at the moment, although my husband and I continue to dream about and plan for a trip to New Zealand…one day! Every summer I spend a few weeks in Montana, my home state. Plans for hiking and floating the Clark Fork River are already in motion (somehow planning for summer makes the winter in Seattle less daunting).
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A collection of photos from the Bertschi archive, 1975-2018.
We are seeking high school and college-aged volunteers to support our summer camps! Volunteers will support Signature Camps taught by Bertschi teachers. Volunteer hours may count for students fulfilling community service requirements. Volunteer Opportunity Volunteer Application Form
206-324-5476 • www.bertschi.org • info@bertschi.org
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