 @ the bridge news from campus for Aspen Country Day families
October 27, 2014 |
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About: deep practice and the arts
Today we announce (below) the dates of our upcoming Lower School Shakespeare Festival. The performances are always a highlight of the season, with young actors and actresses discovering the classic stories of our cultural heritage, learning some great lines from English literature, and -- of course -- swashbuckling with swords and dancing in elegant costumes.
The shows are still weeks away (see schedule, below), but rehearsals have already begun. And in fact, the performances themselves are just the most visible part of the experience. The real work of the production starts now, with lines to memorize, gestures to practice, stage blocking to get just right. Parents of Fourth Graders may soon overhear their children reciting from Romeo and Juliet in the bathtub. They repeat their lines over and over in hopes of mastering the intonation and expression, and herein lies the secret of the Shakespeare experience: deep practice. Because in the end, the Shakespeare festival is not about the performance -- it's about the process.
"Experiences where you're forced to slow down, make errors,
and correct them... end up making you swift and graceful without your realizing it," writes Daniel Coyle in his thought-provoking book The Talent Code (2009). The very experience of practicing something as hard as memorizing an entire speech from Hamlet -- or even a few lines from Macbeth in Kindergarten -- gives children experience that helps them in all their studies, and in life.
Shakespeare Festival Dates: mark your calendars!
Thursday, November 20, 12 noon
Kindergarten: Macbeth; Second Grade: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Friday, November 21, 10:15 am
First Grade, The Tempest
Friday, December 5, 12:45 pm
Third Grade, Mary Frances's class: Hamlet
Tuesday, December 9, 1 pm
Third Grade, Katie's class: Hamlet
Wednesday, December 10, 11 am (Blue cast*) & 12:30 pm (Green cast)*
Fifth Grade, Julius Caesar
Friday, December 12, 9:15 am
Fourth Grade, Green cast*, Romeo and Juliet
Tuesday, December 16, 9:15 am
Fourth Grade, Blue cast*, Romeo and Juliet
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Open Agenda Parent Coffee: rescheduled to Friday, November 7
Our Head of School, Josh Wolman, has been invited to speak at the Aspen Rotary Club meeting on Thursday morning, as part of continuing outreach to our community about all the great things happening at ACDS. So we are rescheduling the parent coffee originally set for this Thursday.
The next "open agenda parent coffee" will be Friday, November 7 right after dropoff. Both Josh and Scott Russell, president of our Board of Trustees, will be on hand for conversation on a variety of topics. See you then!
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Medical reminder: 24 hours fever free, or no school
The first confirmed case of flu in our school community was reported today, and we ask parents to be mindful of the basic rules regarding school attendance. If your child has had a fever in the past 24 hours, please keep him home, even if he is feeling all better again. Please remind children to wash hands frequently and to cover their coughs with an elbow or sleeve.
Flu shots are now available at Community Health Services, doctor's offices, and locations around the valley. Call 920-5420.
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New videos posted: check them out!
Live from our Nation's Capital, it's the ACDS Eighth Graders of 2014
Fourth Graders and the Great Race of the cars they made in science class:
Our week in pictures:
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Halloween Parade: 2:30 pm on Friday
Halloween is a big deal in Aspen and at ACDS, so aardvarks everywhere are getting their costumes ready. Get ready for a surprise when you see what the teachers have dreamed up for this holiday! Last year we were all elements from the periodic table. The year before, characters from Harry Potter. What will it be this year?
Students have a variety of festivities on Friday, depending on the grade. Parents are welcome to come by at 2:30 pm for the traditional Costume Parade. If it's nice out, we will be on the lawn by the Middle School. If the weather is too spooky, we'll head into Edlis Neeson Hall.
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Shop for Schools tomorrow
 Here's a way to get some holiday shopping done early and support our local schools, including ACDS. Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 28, if you stop by the following shops, thank them for supporting Country Day! Times vary, but most shops will be donating 20% of afternoon sales. From 7 to 9 pm, the Aspen Design Room (625 East Main Street) will be hosting a party with food and drinks to wrap up the Shop for Schools Day. - Aspen Design Room
- Boogies Retail
- Distractions
- Bandana Kids
- Kalis Denim
- Performance Sport
- Maison Ullens
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Social Aardvarks
 More and more "likes" weekly on our Aspen Country Day Facebook page. Are you one of them? Remember to like us on Facebook for regular posts and "our week in pictures."
Our Twitter feed is full of our own ACDS news as well as recommended articles, thoughtful ideas, and news from other independent schools. Check us out @aspencountryday
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Aspen Country Day School Communications
email sent by: carolynhines@aspencountryday.net
phone: 970-925-1909
web: http://www.aspencountryday.org
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