Nantucket Lighthouse School |
|
|
| Contact Us |
1 Rugged Road
Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554
|
|
LOST AND FOUND! |
There is currently a 'found' basket out front filled with items that have been lost and found in and around the school. Please take a look to see if one of these belongings is your child's- THANKS!
Hoe Down
Saturday
October 17
6:30 - 10 PM
Great Harbor Yacht Club
Thanks to the event team working on the 2nd annual Hoe Down, we are making progress on hosting yet another great event for the Lighthouse School.
It's not every day you have a chance to go square dancing to a nationally renowned caller and band, or ride a mechanical bull.
In order to insure this is a successful fund raising event for the School, we are still in need of help in the following areas:
* Set-up, 9-noon - Friday and set-up 10-2 on Saturday.
* Parking Detail, second shift; 7:30-8:30 (2 people)
* Check-in Table, 1st shift 6-8pm (1 person), 2nd shift (8-10pm), 2 people
* 8 Painted Chairs - 1 person (6:30-8pm)
* Break-down at 10pm - we need lots of help here!
Please contact Laura Gallagher Byrne if you are able to help in any of the above areas at 508.228.3468 (home) or via email at lauragbyrne@comcast.net.
| |
|
OCTOBER
- October 7- NLS Board Meeting
- October 12- Columbus Day, No School
- October 15- *OPEN HOUSE 11-12
- October 17- HOE DOWN 6:30 p.m.
October 30- **Faculty Work Day- 1/2 Day- NOON PICK UP
* If you know of a family that is interested in learning more about Lighthouse School, please invite them to one of our Open Houses.
** This Faculty Work Day will be devoted to infant/child CPR re-certification. |
|
Summer and Fall are not the same.
Summer has sun and fall has rain.
Summer is when we go to the park
and Fall is when it is really dark.
-Anya
Autumn has officially arrived. A chill is in the air, the sun is setting earlier, and teachers and their students are busily at work getting to know one another and creating that unique entity that is a 'class.'
The Monarch caterpillar is a well-known back-to-school companion for Lighthouse students. Over the years, the finding, observing, and delighting in the magical antics of this yellow-white-and black striped creature has become a September tradition. In every classroom, a caterpillar can be found in some stage of development. The experience of observing the mysterious metamorphosis of the Monarch is a wondrous study in and of itself but it also serves as a captivating initiation into a new school year, in which each child will experience his/her own magnificent transformation.
 While the Monarch's rapid development is dramatic, the evolution of the human being is relatively gradual but no less spectacular. As we explore the topic of child development in our Parent Discussion Evenings (another Lighthouse back-to-school tradition), it becomes evident that human growth manifests not only physically but also emotionally, cognitively and socially. While acquaintances may take notice of inches grown or teeth lost, these are only the physical signs that a more subtle shift is happening within. While many a nine-year-old might be identified from his baby picture, a radically different being stands before us; one who now recognizes himself as a distinct individual in relation to the world around him. This relationship of Self and Other inspires a profound curiosity and a need to explore, experience, and understand the world, its workings, and its inhabitants. This pursuit of understanding is what we call learning and it is underway at play and at work, in school and at home, in the company of others and alone, intentionally and unintentionally. Learning is a biological imperative as it is a natural consequence of growth and experience.  As teachers and parents, we strive to create an 'ideal' environment in which to provide appropriate experiences and instruction as the emerging individual unfolds his tender wings. However, just as the butterfly must summon the energy to break free from its chrysalis, learning happens when curiosity within encounters experience without and the child endeavors to construct meaning. As teachers and parents, we are, in large part, observers and witnesses to the ongoing revelation of a human being.
 ...This year I do not have my own classroom due to the difficulties involved with juggling my administrative responsibilities and those of teaching. However, I am taking the opportunity to create an All School classroom of sorts. I am working with each class on a weekly basis. I look forward to working and spending time with each and every one.
Happy Fall,
Lizbet Carroll Fuller
Director of Education
Nantucket Lighthouse School
|
|
|
8 Painted Chairs
|
The winners of the 8 Painted Chair Raffle will be drawn at the 2nd Annual Hoe Down next Saturday, Oct. 17. We ask every family to sell these $10 raffle tickets to support the Lighthouse School program.
This holiday weekend is a great time to sell raffle tickets! There will be plenty of traffic downtown on Main Street, in front of the lovely 8 Painted Chairs display in the windows at 51 Main Street. For your convenience, Kim and Mike England have a cash box, table and chair at their Main Street shop, which you can bring across the street to sell tickets. Remember -- the student(s) who sell(s) the most tickets by Friday, Oct. 16, will win a $100 gift certificate to Force Five thanks to Suzanne Keller and Kim England.
Please turn in all of your tickets, sold, and not sold, to the office by Friday, October 16.
Thank you for your help!
|
Saturday, October 17
6:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Great Harbor Yacht Club
|
One All School Meeting Conversation... At our last All School Meeting, we had a conversation about WORK and SCHOOL, which was inspired by the fact that some 7-year-olds are finding out that there is more work in the Primary Class and are missing the 'good old days' in Kinderclass!
The Small School and Kinderclass students listened, wondering about all of that 'Work' and sharing what they could:
"Work is hard. It is not easy."
Fellow Primary students and older Upper Primary students commiserated and made helpful suggestions,
"It helps if you pay attention." Others nodded in agreement.
"At first, all of the work seems hard because it is new but, as you get older, the work is similar so, while it is still work, it seems a little easier."
"There is a lot of work but you also get to do a lot of art stuff in between so that's good!"
The oldest and more experienced Primary 5/6 students were eager to share their thoughts, which were both empathetic and hopeful:
When you enjoy doing the work, it doesn't feel like work anymore."
"When you get older, there is more work and it is harder but you get to do things that you never imagined when you were in the Kinderclass or Primary class... like rock climbing!"
(The P 5/6 class is currently involved in a 'rock' climbing unit with Strong Wings).
"Yes, you have more work but you also have more responsibilities and you get to do more things."
Some students joined Lighthouse in the upper classes and jumped in to share their experiences at other schools.
"Believe me, I went to a couple of other schools and I had hours of homework and we didn't do other cool things."
"The work here is harder but it is easier to do."
We finished by observing that there really is no way around the fact that your work responsibilities increase as you grow older and more capable. One of our 'seniors' had a hopeful suggestion for the disgruntled Primary Students:
"Well, at least maybe when you are older you can look back on this and laugh about it!"
As the reminiscing came to a close, one P5/6 student was inspired to share this:
"When I first started at this school, I was nervous because I didn't know the kids or what to expect. But, on my very first day the Upper Primary Class, I remember we were telling hilarious stories about... I don't even remember what ...but, even though it was my first day, it seemed like I had been here for a LONG time." |
Have you noticed that the Lighthouse School grounds are looking spiffier of late?
 This is in large part thanks to the efforts of Jon Wisentaner (a.k.a. Sam, Abby and Alex's dad). The beautiful rock, engraved with the words 'LIGHTHOUSE SCHOOL, ' is the generous and thoughtful gift of Jon and Lisa. Jon and his crew from Wisentaner, Inc. also installed the much needed split-rail fence on Rugged Road. We THANK YOU Jon, Lisa, and the Wisentaner crew!
Patrick Hehir (a.k.a. Ashleigh and Declan's dad, Lighthouse Board Co-President, and de-facto Head of the Building Committee) not only energizes and leads the much appreciated Building Committee but also generously contributes to projects that serve to better the school. Most recently, Patrick and Lucy graciously donated the materials for the split-rail fence. THANK YOU!
If you have talents to contribute to the Building Committee (or simply time!) and you would like to take part in building, maintenance, or grounds projects, please contact Patrick. Work days are normally scheduled for the first Saturday morning of the month. |
|
Excerpt from Monika Geerling's Kinderclass Newsletter :
Last week, our butterfly emerged from its chrysalis. We spent two weeks watching and observing the magical process of transformation of the Monarch caterpillar. The children studied the chrysalis, drew detailed illustrations of it, and wrote observations and predictions about the chrysalis. Here are some of their ideas:
I think the butterfly is changing. The gold thread is where the head is coming. I think the thread comes from a far away place like Alaska.
This is a chrysalis with a golden scratch. He's changing into a butterfly.
That is the chrysalis and this is the butterfly. The gold thread is the crack he goes out. There is gold inside the cocoon.
 Our butterfly came forth on Sunday afternoon and was set free that day. Perched on a branch outside, I wished him good luck on his journey and left for the day. The next morning, when all of the children arrived, I told them the butterfly had been born and released to fly to Mexico. They were excited yet a little disheartened that they could not say good-bye. As they set about their morning work, I took a peek out the window. Suddenly, I saw a something orange in the grass. It was the butterfly waiting patiently. The children were ecstatic and the butterfly was able to offer its official good-bye. By snack time the butterfly had gone. He had simply waited to give a final farewell to our class! What a little miracle. As a part of our Monarch Butterfly study, we read the Native American tale of "How Butterflies Came To Be." I told the story, and then the children retold the tale and drew a picture of the butterfly, emphasizing the shape of the letter 'B' in the wing. Each child, depending on his/her experience, was responsible for writing either a sentence involving the letter 'B' or the word BUTTERFLY as well as practicing the shape of the letter 'B.' In addition, we baked pretzels and attempted to create the letter 'B' with the dough. Some of the pretzels did not quite make the 'B' shape but they were still delicious. We are working on turning this Native American tale into a simple yet delightful play. |
|
|
