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Maggie Braswell

Kristina Lunsford

3rd and 4th Grade Homeroom Teacher (they / them)

Kristina loves being from this area and calling these beautiful mountains their home. They believe learning should be exciting, inspiring and engaging for all students of varying abilities and backgrounds. Kristina utilize a classroom model that emphasizes both collaboration and independence, and they are passionate about teaching with a global mindset! Art is also a very important part of their life and they love to bring creativity into the classroom.

Kristina has a BA in psychology as well as a state teaching license from the University of North Carolina- Asheville. They have a certificate in LETRS (a professional course of studies in the science of reading). When they’re not at school, they love traveling, cooking, and swimming at the lake with their wonderful partner Erik and fur-baby, Ottie! Her family can also be found exploring the trails and waterfalls of this gorgeous place. Kristina is elated to bring their experience and love of learning into the Odyssey classroom!

Celestial Soiree

Join Odyssey School parents and many others from the greater Asheville community as we celebrate spring together in a fundraiser and silent auction that is Out of this World! Heavy hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, live entertainment, and more rounds out this galactic party.

Special thanks to The Collider for providing a beautiful, downtown sunset view!

Positively Stardust Party

Give peace a chance, grab anything with fringe on it and join us for a groovy cocktail! This year’s Positively Odyssey party has time traveled to the stardust age of the 1970’s! Gals, leave the macrame at home. Get down with blue eye shadow, bells, leather or chiffon flutter. Guys, break out the silk butterfly collars and sunglasses–just because.

We will have a best dressed awards ceremony and DJ’ed music from art waves — Studio 54, CBGB’s all the way to Graceland. Come in high-heeled disco glam, hippie, soul, or punk– as party-goer, you bring the funk and charitable support to Odyssey.

Purchase your tickets for $15 until November 15th by clicking here!

$20 at the door.

Virtual Design at Odyssey

We are excited to welcome local virtual reality firm Better Than Unicorns to our campus this month!

4th-12th Grade students will get an introduction to virtual design tools like Tilt Brush, a program that allows students to paint with fire, snow, smoke, and other incredible materials. Another program, developed for architectural design, will allow students to build and construct. This first demonstration aims to prepare students to engage real creativity and solutions in virtual spaces.

As virtual reality technology advances so does its potential application. In education, having a virtual reality resource means there are practically limitless methods for instruction. Better Than Unicorns, a firm which specializes in such immersive experiences, is offering students at Odyssey School a chance to explore art and design beyond any physical limitations.

Congratulations to our winning authors!

Congratulations to our 4th and 5th grade Thomas Wolfe Writing Contest winners – first and third place! Odyssey’s 4th and 5th grade class has placed ever year for the last three years! We are so proud of their creativity and authorship.

Autumn Faire – Saturday, October 28th

This is one of Odyssey’s biggest celebrations of the year, as we create a fun carnival-like event out on our tennis courts, complete with bounce houses and pie throwing! Autumn Faire is open to the public – all family and friends are invited!

Each class creates a booth – which students, teachers, and family volunteers help run – with activities or homemade wares for sale, in addition to local vendors. This is a great time to start holiday shopping, to come and support classroom fundraisers, to throw a pie at our pie-throwing booth, and to be a judge in our annual Chili Cook-Off.

When: Saturday, October 28th from 11 am – 2 pm
Where: On Odyssey’s Tennis Courts
Who’s Invited: Everybody!
Do we need to RSVP? Nope, not for attendance. However, if you’re interested in volunteering, please let your classroom teacher know.

Elders Day

We are excited to welcome and celebrate Odyssey elders on October 27th! This Fall Festival is a coming together of generations as we invite grandparents, or another special elder in our students’ lives, to join us in celebrating the coming autumn. Together, we find the beauty in changing leaves, cooler weather, longer nights, and the wisdom that follows a full spring and summer.

Elders will get to experience Integral Education, visit classrooms, enjoy a picnic lunch, and celebrate the changing of the seasons with us!

Garden Party

You are invited to join us on Saturday, September 30th, from 12:00-5:00! This party is brought to you by Odyssey’s Garden Committee, led by Chelsea Potter and Carrie Chisholm, and is sure to be a great time had by all.

Learn about Odyssey’s 4th-12th Grade Sex Education Program

On the evening of Wednesday, September 13th, Dr. Kelley Johnson will be offering an education night for parents who are interested in learning more about her 4th-12th grade curriculum for Sex Education at Odyssey.

We look forward to introducing you to Dr. Johnson to educate families, invite families into partnership in educating our students, and to answer any questions you might have! Dr. Johnson is offering this free evening event tonight at 6:30 for all interested Odyssey families.

We encourage you to attend to get more informed about the topics covered, strategies used, and professional approach Dr. Johnson takes in educating our students.

Parent Orientation on September 6th

Please mark your calendars with this very important date! Parent Orientation is not a night to be missed, as so much valuable information is shared and connections are made. Start the year off right, earn volunteer hours for your attendance, and join us!

Here is some information that will likely be covered in your meetings:

• How your child’s teacher incorporates Odyssey’s philosophy into his or her teaching
• Classroom policies
• Technology at Odyssey
• Daily schedule
• How we communicate
• How to volunteer and get involved
• Ways to connect with other parents in your class
• Registration for Listening Conferences.
• The Parent Handbook.

Middle & High School meetings will also cover:

• Grading Philosophy
• College Readiness
• Experiential Seminar
• Journey Week
• Absences Policies

Child care will be provided with RSVP!

Community Pool & Pizza Party!

We are excited to see you on Friday, August 25th!

Our pool party is a great way to get your feet wet (pun intended) before the first day of school, meet your teachers, see old friends and make new ones. Faculty will make sure you get all the information you need to feel ready on Monday, August 28th, and there will be plenty of time to enjoy handmade pizza cooked in our student-made cob oven and swim in the pool!

Please remember to register so that we ensure we have enough pizza dough, and so that we know what toppings your family is planning to bring. The registration link was included in your Back to School newsletter, sent on August 8th. If you didn’t receive your newsletter, please let us know right away! You can also search your Promotions tab for the title: “Welcome Back to School! 💚 Odyssey School Supplies & News.”

Let’s go swimming!