LOFT Summer Wrap and Fall Enrollment!

Hello LOFT Families! We can't believe we are wrapping up another summer of fun and community with the LOFT. We will share more summer photos soon!

LOFT youth had an amazing time in our middle and high school programs. Thank you to all of our staff, youth, families, and partners for another successful summer. Special thanks to our program partners Rooted, Brittingham Boats, DreamBikes and Salvatore's Pizza. Our students learned so much in gardens and program kitchens, had adventures on our city bike paths and state parks, and made new friendships to carry into the school year ahead.

Our staff are busy planning for fall, so be sure to get your youth enrolled for after-school!

Important dates coming up:

• Aug. 15 - Sept. 2: LOFT CLOSED for staff time off, cleaning, and fall planning.
• Sept. 5: LOFT and GCC Closed for Labor Day
• Sept. 6: First day of regular Middle School after-school program for 6th grade students only.
• Sept. 12: Regular Middle School after-school program for 6th-8th grade begins.

We are to happy to introduce you to our new program leadership, Iris Patterson! She is a life-long Madisonian and might be a familiar face to some families because of her years of experience teaching with MMSD. Welcome Iris, we are really excited to learn and grow with you!

Iris Patterson

Director of Youth Development

Phone: 608-204-8014

Email: ipatterson@goodmancenter.org

Hi! My name is Iris Patterson, and I am so happy to serve as the Director of Youth Development for the Goodman Community Center. During my college years I worked with MSCR camps and youth programs, Atwood Community Center Girls Inc., and taught courses for the PEOPLE program. I also served 14 years at REM Wisconsin providing quality services to individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and other complex challenges. After receiving my teaching license from UW-Madison, I taught for 15 years in MMSD, and spent my final year as a district Literacy Teacher Leader designing reading curriculum and resources. I have a passion for cultivating thriving learning environments for youth and working with families to achieve their social, emotional, and academic goals. I'm especially inspired by the African philosophy of Ubuntu (“I am because we are”) and most happy when my days are dedicated to developing and implementing systems that elevate youth leadership, voice and choice. I am fully invested in collaboration to co-create learning methodologies, which have led to new teaching innovations such as FITT (Fully Integrated Team Teaching), and the KNE (Kid Nation Education) Community Learning Model.

Photo generously shared by Love Wisconsin.