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Top 10 Achievements for 1st Semester

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Maharishi School Top 10

On January 12th we honored Maharishi in our traditional Founder’s Day celebration, by recognizing our successes of the past semester, and making wishes for the new year. Your support has given children access to the #1 ranked Private School in Iowa and the benefits of Consciousness-Based education. Thank you for helping our wishes become a reality.

 

  1. NEW UKRAINIAN STUDENTS
    The inquiries came last spring: four Ukrainian students, exiled from their home by the war, asked if they couldukraine students in front of dorm continue their education at Maharishi School. They were attracted to our academic reputation and development of consciousness programs. Within two months, generous donors from our community and across the country raised enough money to fund their living expenses and transportation. Later this fall, three of our seniors, including two Ukrainians, were awarded QuestBridge scholarships for high-achieving, low-income students, covering all of their college expenses.
  2. # 1 RANKINGS
    For five years in a row, Niche.com has ranked Maharishi School #1 in Iowa:
    * Best Private K-12 School
    * Best Private High School
    * Best Boarding School
    Our National rankings continue to improve:
    *Top 4% Most Diverse Private High School
    *Top 5% Best Private K-12 School
    *Top 10% Best Private High School for STEM
    *Top 16% Best College Prep High School
    For more details click here: NICHE #1 for Maharishi School
  3. BOARDING
    We currently have 22 boarding students in our residential life program, a 70% increase over last year. Ourboarding school multicultural dorm includes students from around the world: China, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Nepal/Bhutan, Tanzania, Ukraine, United States and Vietnam. We are eager to fill our dorm to capacity for 2023-24!
  4. AP CLASSES
    Maharishi School earned another 1st place in the state this year… in the “AP Index.” We have the highest percentage of high school students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses of any Iowa school! Our students are enrolled in nine AP courses this year.
  5. CHILDREN’S HOUSE
    Enrollment in the Children’s House are steadily rising back to pre-Covid levels, with new applicants consistently rolling in. We continue to foster, through our Montessori-inspired curriculum, a multi-age classroom, where children can follow their individual interests, while still hitting the benchmarks of the Iowa Standards.
  6. LOWER SCHOOL
    This year the Lower School began their own Student Council, with Ambassadors of Responsibility, Respect, Solutions, Service, and Transcendence, each representing Maharishi School’s Core Values. The Student Council meets regularly to plan activities and initiatives for the Lower School, and they even go into the other classrooms to deliver news or well-wishes to the youngerstudent council students.
  7. CULTURAL PARADIGMS
    New this semester in Upper School, the Cultural Paradigms class was designed to explore the myriad ways of “being human,” through the lens of acceptance and adaptation to differences. Topics include an exploration of cultural values, race, religion, ethnicity, neurodiversity, plus challenges such as physical disabilities, Adverse Childhood Experiences—and the importance of removing barriers to create an equitable society. Pictured in photo is Rabbi Alex Green discussing Judaism. Students are recognizing that complex problems must be solved through collaboration with people who bring different abilities and perspectives to the table—so it is critical to learn how to leverage these differences and celebrate them.
  8. GLOBAL SOLUTIONS
    seniorsFacilitated by Anne Walton, the Senior class recently spent three days at a leadership training retreat learning what it takes to become genuine changemakers. Ms. Walton explained how this includes examining the impact of economics, public policy, community engagement, technology, and the importance of anticipating unexpected consequences, both positive and negative.
    Seniors will apply these principles of collaboration to solve complex problems in the newly created Global Solutions class that begins this month. Small groups of students have already identified their own global challenges, ranging from fast fashion to sustainable housing to support for refugees. These findings will be presented in a final capstone project, to be presented to the community in May.
  9. RAISE CRAZE SUCCESS
    Raise Craze was once again a HUGE success. Students asked friends and family to donate to Maharishi School, and as a way to pay their generosity forward, they performed Acts of Kindness for others. Raising $21,080, our students also performed 924 Acts of Kindness, and school-wide collected 425 pairs of shoes, helping needy people throughout the world.
  10. Maharishi School is deeply grateful for the support shown during our December “Season of Giving” campaign. Our Development Team together with your help, raised $30,000 through Giving Tuesday and Matching Funds.
Thank you all for your
wonderful support!
Cheers to your good health, happiness, and abundance in 2023!

 

 

Ready to apply? Click here.

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Ten Tips to Prepare for College

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It’s not to early to be thinking about…
  1. Utilize AP courses to your advantage but don’t let AP pursuits come at a cost to your grand point average (GPA).
  2. Look for mentors in a field that you can see yourself doing, it helps you start making learning how to network while getting more comfortable at approaching adults that you admire.
  3. Volunteer in your area of passion or something that isn’t related to academia. This shows how well rounded you are and colleges will be looking for that type of individual who stands out in their hours clocked after school.
  4. GPA needs to stay up, in 12th grade there’s often this feeling of “coasting” or “senior-itis” but the truth is that if you let your grades slip during the last few years, your GPA will suffer in the end.
  5. Participate in clubs and school activities. This could mean joining the student council or asking your student council members about how you can get more involved.
  6. Do community service related projects or unique assignments that your teachers offer. If you don’t know where to begin always ask your teachers and they can guide you appropriately.
  7. Internships that are offered over summer break can be give you a huge advantage on your college applications as well as gaining useful skills for life.
  8. Develop strong relationships with at least one of your teachers, they will be the ones who write a recommendation letter for you to get into college so it’s good to have at least one teacher that you can feel closely aligned with.
  9. Start thinking about all of this in 9th grade. It’s not too soon to be considering these tips. Be sure you’re working with your college counselor who will keep you on track!
  10. Look below to find more specifics tips from our college counselor.

 

 

Freshmen preparing for college should plan to:

  •     Take challenging classes in core academic courses.
  •     Work with their school counselors to create a yearly schedule to meet graduation and college admissions requirements.
  •     Talk to an advisor or school counselor about taking Advanced Placement®* and honors courses.
  •     Identify interests and potential career fields through online resources, like this interest profiler, and by attending career fairs and other events.
  •     Get involved with community-based and leadership-oriented activities that best reflect their interests.
  •     Browse the College Scorecard to see what types of schools interest them.
  •     As they find and review them, bookmark resources for college planning.
  •     Start a running list of accomplishments, awards, and recognition’s to use when completing college applications and writing resumes.

Sophomores preparing for college should:

  •     Consider taking a practice test to prepare for the PSAT.
  •     Attend college and career information events.
  •     Start learning about funding for college, including scholarships, grants, loans, work-study jobs, etc.
  •     Consider the types of careers that fit their interests and what college majors they require.
  •     Reach out to school counselors and/or mentors to discuss occupational interests and college requirements.

In the Fall semester, Juniors should:

  •     Take the PSAT if they have not already. Students should generally take the test no later than fall semester of the eleventh grade to qualify for National Merit scholarships and programs.
  •     Attend in-person or online college fairs.
  •     Explore careers and their earning potentials in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

In the Spring semester, Juniors need to:

  •     Register for college admission exams—SAT, the SAT Subject Tests, and the ACT—and take practice tests. College admissions professionals recommend students have at least one standardized score before the end of their junior year.
  •     Research how to pay for college and what federal student aid may be available to you.
  •     Identify scholarship opportunities to pursue; note deadlines on calendar.
  •     Contact colleges to request information and applications.

During the Summer, rising Seniors should:

  •     Plan college visits.
  •     Narrow down the colleges under consideration.
  •     Make decisions required by colleges’ early-decision or early-action programs.
  •     Complete the Federal Student Aid Estimator.

In the Fall semester, Seniors will need to:

  •     Register for and take (or retake) the SAT and/or ACT, if not already done.
  •     Complete and submit college applications prior to deadlines.
  •     Request transcripts and letters of recommendation at least 30 days before they are due.
  •     Work with parents to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA® form). Before each year of college, you’ll need to apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans with the FAFSA.
  •     Complete and submit scholarship applications prior to deadlines.
  •     Meet with a counselor to verify that they’ll meet graduation requirements on schedule.

During the Winter months, Seniors should:

  •     Review and make any necessary changes/corrections to their Student Aid Report.
  •     Finish submitting scholarship applications.

In the Spring semester, Seniors will need to:

  •     Visit colleges on their “short list.”
  •     Consider college acceptances; compare financial aid packages offered.
  •     Call college financial aid representatives with questions.
  •     Decide on the college to attend (typically by May 1) and contact its offices.
  •     Make informed decisions about student loans.

While some seniors think they’ve “made it” and can coast in their last year of high school, students preparing for college should recognize that college admissions officers will expect to see they’ve worked hard to keep grades up and stayed involved in school and community activities. Parents may reassure aspiring college students that they can still enjoy life and time with friends while remaining focused on larger goals.

 

Ready to apply? Click here.

Want to know more about our college counseling services? Click here.

Learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

The Four Prides at Maharishi School

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Curious about the four Prides?

pridesThe Pioneer is our school mascot and we divided the pioneer into four different qualities, thus the four different prides. Trailblazer, innovator, adventurer, and visionary.

The Pride system at Maharishi School serves many purposes to unify the whole school from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Offering Pride related events serves as an opportunity for the students to collaborate, work on projects together and have school-wide teamwork. Not only do teams have to work harmoniously together but they also compete against the other Prides to earn points throughout the year.

We also wanted the Prides to work with our 5 core values (respect, responsibility, service, solutions, transcendence). Our students are able to earn points for their pride whenever they are displaying any of those core values. Again this gives them an opportunity to compete, earn points, to collaborate, and have a sense of achievement at the end of the year.

As the competition goes on, the points tally up and at the of the year is a big celebration to announce the winning Pride. The winners get to have their photo taken, their pride team name written on our Dean’s cup (which is a big trophy), and they will also get a pizza party, or a free dress day or gift cards.

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

After School Activities Log

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While the school day is filled with a busy schedule of math, sciences, writing and projects, we understand that each child may have a desire to go more in depth into an area or personal hobby. Check out this list of fun after school activities that your child can get involved in right here in Fairfield.

[The views and opinions expressed by the following venues do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Maharishi School.] 

 

 

  • Horseback Riding – Either private for $45 or groups of two for $40 each (depending on students experience). Lesson run two hours from start to finish. If you have any more questions or would like to sign up please email Tara at tesands@me.com
  • Tennis – Coach Lawrence Eyre offers group and individual tennis lessons for ages 4-18, please contact him at 309-221-3376
  • Dance Class – The Iowa Dance Collective offers a huge variety of class from ballet, jazz, tap to hip hop, acro/tumbling and more! Click here to view the weekly schedule and here to view prices. To get in contact with Tyler you can email him at tyler@iowadancecollective.com or call 319-280-1262 for more informaiton.
  • Ground Zero Martial Arts– offers youth boxing, kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu. Click here to visit there website and see the schedule of classes. Or call instructor Nick Ulin at 641-919-6386
  • Driving Lessons – Safer Driver Solutions in a driving school in Iowa that can help you get a driver license. They also support kids learning to drive with autism, ADHD, anxiety and executive functioning disorders. Click here to learn more.
  • Art Lessons – Bill Teeple is the owner of ICON gallery and can be contacted for art classes at iconbillteeple@gmail.com or (641) 919-6252
  • Photography – Carolyn Waksman has many photography workshops throughout the year, to get in touch with her you can email at cwaksman@barclayhedge.com or call 641-472-8427
  • 4-H & Youth/ Iowa State University – Iowa 4-H Youth Development is the premier youth development program of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Providing research-based education to K-12 youth, Iowa 4-H focuses on Healthy Living, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Leadership and Civic Engagement, and Communication and the Arts. Click here for more information.

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

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Ukrainian Students Share their Rich Culture with Food

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Ukrainian students Their story

Mariia, Sviatoslav, and Olena are Ukrainian students who fled their homes with their mothers and siblings. Their fathers have stayed behind to fight in the war. They were living as refugees in Turkey and western Ukraine with nothing more than what fit in their backpacks Ukrainian foodwhen they left. Like all Ukrainian students, they are looking for safety and escape from the trauma of war – and a chance to continue their education. These three teens have reached out to Maharishi School because they want to complete their high school in Iowa – a peaceful, safe environment.

They made it!

ukrainian

Thanks to the generosity of all the donors who contributed to their GoFundMe (and to Paul Winer and Carol Chestnutt for opening their home to the students),  Mariia, Olena and Sviatoslav have all successfully joined the Maharishi School boarding program this year. In celebration of their arrival they shared a very special treat with all of the new boarding students, a traditional feast from their Ukrainian culture.

ukraine food

The meal included two borscht’s, one vegetarian and one with beef. Grated potato pancakes with a cream-based mushroom gravy poured over, and lastly they made varenkyk (boiled dumplings similar to pierogi).

All of the new boarding kids got a taste of Ukraine with this delicious spread, perhaps we will see a cooking club in the Maharishi School’s future.

 

Ready to apply? Click here.

Get to know our new Interim Head of School, click here.

Learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

What is CCLS?

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In addition to our students’ practice of Transcendental Meditation, we have a unique course that distinguishes our Consciousness-consciousness educationBased Education approach.

It’s called Consciousness, Connections, and Life Skills. As the title implies, the course has three interrelated aspects:

1) Consciousness: deepening students’ understanding and experience of consciousness

Topics: practice of Transcendental Mediation, yoga, pranayama (breathing technique), advanced TM techniques, brain coherence, theories of human development and higher states of consciousness, collective consciousness, and research on consciousness.

2) Connections: exploring underlying, universal principles and qualities that are common to the structure and functioning of all aspects of life—their academic subjects, in nature, and in themselves

Topics: 16 Life Principles, 50 Qualities and 16 Values of Creative Intelligence.

For example, we see how “Life is found in layers”: whether in the earth’s crust, our government, the analysis of literature, a math theorem, or one’s family and personality.

This is one way Maharishi School cultivates both horizontal and vertical thinking: making connections between all the details on the surface of life and with the big ideas at their basis.

3) Life Skills: developing social-emotional awareness and skills as a foundation for their personal and academic growth.

Topics: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Comprehensive Health, Positive Discipline and Restorative Justice

Social and Emotional Learning curriculum in our Upper School consists of 5 main competencies as formulated by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL):

  • Self-Awareness: the ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior.
  • Self-Management: the ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations.
  • Social Awareness: the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
  • Relationship Skills: the ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups.
  • Responsible Decision-Making: the ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions.

Comprehensive Health curriculum: We use the K-12 curriculum from Advocates for Youth called Rights, Respect, and Responsibility. This curriculum includes age-appropriate lessons that cover a wide range of health areas, including relationships and consent, STDs and contraception, dating abuse, etc.

Positive Discipline is designed to teach young people to become responsible, respectful, and resourceful members of their communities. Our overall goal for positive discipline is to culture mutual respect between peers and adults, and to make sure all children are heard, respected, and intrinsically motivated.

  • In Middle School, communication skills and conflict resolution are the main focus.
  • In the Upper School, many aspects of Positive Discipline (such as effective communication and problem-solving skills) are covered in the SEL curriculum and practiced in the classroom. The upper school also utilizes Restorative Justice talking circles and practices, which are much in line with Positive Discipline.

 

Ready to apply? Click here.

Want to know more about our new Interim Head of School? Click here.

Learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Getting to Know Nuwaira

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nuwairaMessage from Nuwaira

I have often asked myself the question- “What is the purpose of education?” Is it to prepare children for jobs and careers which will give them financial security and the ability to procure materialistic comforts or is it about preparing them for ‘life’ which is beyond comforts, materialistic possessions, power, pleasure, contentment and satisfaction?

 I have been an international educator in the UK and India for over two decades. Learning, is not just my passion, but it defines who I am. The vertical and horizontal range of experience in international curricula has helped me in understanding teaching and learning requirements globally, enabling me to strengthen academic rigour with a focus to provide holistic education to students of the 21st century. My experience in the various facets of education has also made me realize the critical role teachers play in shaping young minds and the importance of creating a positive and nurturing environment for learning and unlearning to take place.

2020 has been a defining year for schools all over the world. Every individual, family, state and nation has been through some very gruelling times. However, the blessing in disguise has been that Corona acted as a reminder to each one of us that we need to reset our lives – pause, slow down and re-connect with ourselves. A reminder that there is more to life than money, pleasure and power. A reminder that the greatest gift parents and teachers can give their child, is to help them find a purpose  and give meaning to their life.

nuwaira pasha

 In a world where change is the new normal, there are three constants in our life: our higher purpose, the vision that flows out of it, and to be future ready. This involves acquiring competencies to re-skill ourselves, competencies to take bold risks, and welcome failures as an unavoidable requirement for success. I believe that in a  post-Corona world, children will need to develop a wide range of life competencies to thrive in a world which is volatile. High performance in academics and standardized tests alone will not suffice for children to be future ready. Education is truly about balancing the education of  the Head, Heart and Mind. There has to be a pronounced shift in education of the heart (emotions and competencies) and mind (spirituality), and not the head alone.  I believe that the purpose of education is to prepare a child for life and we must support our students to develop skills, competencies and techniques to deal with the challenges that life may bring.

 

At Maharishi School, we do exactly this. We prepare our children for life and provide them with a toolkit to enable them to live a more meaningful and purpose driven life. Our children engage in the practice of yoga and meditation twice-daily. They devote time to pause and reset their buttons to experience the quietness within themselves. They learn the mechanics to dissolve stress systematically on a daily basis. In addition to the practice of Transcendental Meditation the children also engage in a Consciousness Based Education system which focuses on teaching children principles of life. This transdisciplinary course teaches students to identify underlying universal principles of how life is structured and functions. It encourages children to think deeply about life concepts and develop an appreciation and reverence for life. This is Maharishi School’s version of holistic education. In addition to the wide range of academic and extracurricular subjects there is a strong emphasis on developing the inner self to unlock a child’s potential and creativity.

 

nuwaira pasha head of schoolWe look forward to having you join us in the journey of unravelling who you are and what your true potential is.

 

Nuwaira Pasha

 

 

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Fostering the Parent-Teacher Partnership

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How it helps

It has been well established that collaboration between parents and the school has a significant and positive impact on the learning and development of children. When parents are aligned with the school’s vision and are actively engaged in supporting its mission and core values, they contribute towards creating a harmonious and positive ethos in the school. This helps in improving children’s morale, attitude, academic achievement, behavior, social adjustment, and, most importantly, helps them become productive and responsible citizens of society.

teacher student

Furthermore, this partnership between the parents and the school, helps build trust and positions them to set high expectations for their children. A well-structured partnership program improves the school, strengthens families, and increases student achievement and success. All of us at Maharishi School wholeheartedly endorse parental engagement in the education of their children and invite parents to participate in the school’s learning experience in a positive and constructive way.

What we are doing about it

In order to provide a focus to parent engagement and to streamline parental involvement, Maharishi School intends on constituting a Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) to serve as a link between the school and the wider parent community. Its objectives are:

  • To facilitate on-going communication between the school and the wider parent
    community. The PAC is an advisory body. It communicates mutual concerns,
    recommends possible solutions and shares innovative ideas that might benefit
    the school. It acts as a medium between the school and the wider parent
    community.
  • To provide an opportunity for Maharishi parents to share their ideas and mutual
    concerns on every facet of school life.
  • To endorse, recommend and encourage parental collaboration on school
    initiatives.
  • To support, endorse and propagate the school’s vision, mission, core values and
    its central focus on Consciousness-Based Education.

In addition to the PAC, we also intend on engaging parents in their child’s learning, for students in the Children’s House and Lower School. This will be done by having regular events where children will showcase their learning through different mediums. We also plan to keep the parents informed about their child’s learning on a bi-weekly basis.

We plan on conducting Parent Education Sessions to strengthen the alignment between the parents and the school’s mission. The only way to grow is by accepting and acting on feedback. As a school we will be seeking quarterly feedback from the parents on the different facets of the school. Once the feedback is received and analysed, solutions will be arrived upon and then shared with the parent community.

 

Ready to apply? Click here.

Want to know more about our new Interim Head of School? Click here.

Learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

Establishing A Foundation of Connection

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Maharishi Lower School is going through a makeover!

With the arrival of our new Interim School Head, Nuiwara Pasha, has come many welcome changes and improvements to our Lower Schoolfirst grade maharishi school curriculum.

Nuwaira plans on strengthening the academic experience by developing systems and processes in the Children’s House and Lower School for better organization and functioning.

One aspect of this is the integration of more Performing Arts into the Lower School. This will include classes in music, dance, drama and theater. The final pieces that the children have worked so hard on will be performed every quarter for our Maharishi Lower School parents and family.

There will also be, for the first time in Maharishi School history, an Elementary Student Council (Grade 5).

Connecting through CBE

As always we will maintain our consciousness-based education by incorporating ayurveda, CCLS (consciousness, connections, and life skills), as well as Positive Discipline.

This is a place where your child is nurtured, and where your child is known and valued as a unique member of our family-like community of learners. Children explore ideas and learn from each other in small, personal classes. Teachers maharishi school dramapartner with parents to support students’ budding independence and help them identify how they learn best.

Small-group instruction in the core content areas of reading and writing, mathematics, science, and social studies allows for the full participation of each child. Woven in and out of all the subject areas is the Consciousness, Connections and Life Skills (CCLS) curriculum. Cooperative groupings emphasize communication and collaboration skills. Classes in art, greenhouse/cooking, music, makerspace, and physical education round out a stimulating and invigorating schedule that encourages ownership of learning, independence, and most of all, fun.

 

To find out more about our Lower School, click here.

Ready to apply? Click here.

Learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.