Waynflete

• Waynflete receives major grant from Edward E. Ford Foundation - 04/15/2019 - Waynflete Earns Major Grant to Improve Political Discourse and Civic EngagementWaynflete, an independent preKgrade 12 school in Portland, has been awarded a major grant to support the creation of The ...moreCenter for Civic Engagement, a partnership between schools and a diverse set of organizations to expand discourse and revive civility across differences.The $250,000 matching grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation will enable Waynflete to build on the success of the The "Can We?" Project, which brings students from disparate communities together to learn dialogue skills and practice collaborative decisionmaking across political divides, and the New England Youth Identity Summit-an event focused on identity, diversity, and community that features dozens of student-led workshops and draws close to 400 students from over 30 schools. The grant also allocates funds for the development of new programs and partnerships.In the past, Waynflete has worked with schools from across Maine and as far away as Connecticut, and intends to partner with schools nationally in the coming year. Partner organizations include Seeds of Peace, the Maine Heritage Policy Center, Narrative 4, Students Shoulder-to-Shoulder, and others."Dialogue about issues that matter to students cultivates in them a deep sense of purpose that in turn seeds the habits of lifelong civic engagement," said Tim Wilson, Maine director for Seeds of Peace. "Partnerships such as the one between Waynflete and Maine Seeds of Peace on the New England Youth Identity Summit make those opportunities possible. This grant allows Waynflete and Maine Seeds of Peace to continue working with youth who are establishing their leadership in many Maine communities."Cultivating students' agency and trusting their ability to lead critical conversations about contentious societal issues is at the core of the Center's current and future programs. Waynflete senior Dora Russem, a recent presenter at the 2019 New England Youth Identity Summit, explains that "dialogue has taught me to be brave, to speak my truth, and to feel empowered enough to create space for others to speak their truth, too. It's a powerful thing for students to find their voices and to be advocates for the issues they care about. I believe dialogue is the best way to build these skills."Waynflete's mission is grounded in the belief that the educational experiences of all students are enhanced in an environment that values diversity and respects all voices. When students are challenged through exposure to a wide range of viewpoints, they learn to examine their assumptions, question the status quo, and creatively craft solutions to society's most daunting challenges."Students must develop the skills and ability to work with-and learn from-people with whom they may disagree," said Waynflete Head of School Geoff Wagg. "Our role as educators is to foster optimism, to engage our students as active citizens and civic leaders, and to make replicable models that will teach these skills to students and communities on a greater scale.With the support of the Edward E. Ford Foundation and the help of partner schools and organizations, we can demonstrate the power, wisdom, and creativity that is unleashed when diversity is honored instead of feared."The mission of The Edward E. Ford Foundation is to strengthen and support independent secondary schools and to challenge and inspire them to leverage their unique talents, expertise, and resources to advance teaching while encouraging collaboration with other institutions. The Foundation's Leadership Grant Program is the most prestigious award available to independent schools."In a community that has a profound respect for the primacy of relationships among its members, Waynflete is extending its reach in Maine as it attempts to revitalize democracy through its use of dialogue across differences," said John C. Gulla, executive director of The Edward E. Ford Foundation. "Having partnered with the school when it first developed the New England Youth Identity Summit, the Foundation is pleased and proud to deepen our commitment to Waynflete with this Educational Leadership Grant supporting this more ambitious program, which we believe can and should be replicated."###
  
  Watch a video overview of The "Can We?" Projecthide
• Waynflete unveils new Passive House addition - 09/12/2018 - Geoff Wagg, head of school at Waynflete School, said some older students asked him earlier this week when they could get a tour of the school's new addition, which houses ...morethe lower school."Walk over and take a look," he told them. Delighted, the students did just that.The Portland private school's 28,000-square-foot addition and the renovated 140-year-old building it is part of houses the school's preschool through fifth grade, but in reality, the new space is for everyone at the 550-student private school, which has grades through 12. "There are lessons for all ages," Wagg said Monday. Some finishing touches still have to be put on the new addition at Waynflete School, but the $10 million Passive House construction project is already getting high marks from those at the school, as well as the neighborhood.hide
• Waynflete opens 'spectacular' new Lower School - 09/18/2018 - PORTLAND - The new Lower School at Waynflete is a learning laboratory where students can engage in deep inquiry, Head of School Geoff Wagg said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony held ...moreSept. 14.
  
  "This day represents decades of hopes and dreams," Wagg said last week, while calling the new building "much more than bricks and mortar.
  
  "The Lower School, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, is part of a $12 million capital improvement project on Waynflete's West End campus, which also includes a new gymnasium.
  
  Construction on the new Lower School began in June 2017. The project doubles the size of the school, from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet.Along with classroom space, the new building also includes a library, an amphitheater and an innovation lab, among other features, such as a second-story terrace with views of the Fore River.In addition, according to Waynflete, the building is one of the largest structures in Maine built to Passive House standards; it incorporates superinsulation, and fresh air is continuously ventilated for extreme energy efficiency.hide

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