As we approach the Winter Solstice, which is a moment when the earth is balancing for a moment between light and dark, we celebrate the advent of winter.

These cold, dark days as we close the year is a natural time for inner reflection and introspection, and a time to replenish our physical, mental, and spiritual energies. This period of restoration provides the space for dreams and opportunities to arise and be nourished. Taking time for quiet reflection and meditation is a gift to ourselves that will replenish us for our work in the world. If we use this time well, living in harmony with the season, we then will have the energy to move outward into the world when the new year comes, and everything begins anew.

During this holiday break, let each of us take a moment and celebrate all that we have accomplished in our lives up to the present, and especially in the past year.

May the peace and serenity of the Winter Solstice permeate your Holiday Season!

Warmly,

Diana Lam

Eric Carle Theater in K1

As a culmination of their Eric Carle author study, each K1 class performed an adaptation of an Eric Carle book to help them continue their deep exploration of the author, and to help them answer the question, what is a play? To launch the study, they first considered what they already knew about plays. K1 students agreed that they would need actors, costumes, a stage, and an audience. They also surfaced some questions about plays. How would we build our stage? What types of costumes can people wear? Do we need masks?

Ms. Lawson and Ms. Tripp's class chose A House for Hermit Crab. For the past six weeks they have been working hard to create the sets, costumes, script, and instruments to bring this story to life. Students chose their role in the play and created detailed plans to execute their vision. Each student explored with various materials and worked collaboratively with their classmates to offer compliments and suggestions. All of their thoughtful work was evident in their performance on Thursday where we welcomed families, friends, and peers to join in our celebration. A video of the performance can be found here.

Since October Ms. Shepard and Ms. Massey's crew has been working toward a production of Eric Carle's The Grouchy Ladybug. K1ers collaborated in small groups to draw & dictate design plans for sets, and worked individually to draw up design plans for costumes, always practicing close looking at Eric Carle's illustrations to help them notice important colors and shapes. When it came time to make the plans a reality, students selected materials and experimented at manipulating them in small groups, offering advice and ideas to one another in order to elevate the work of the entire crew. The cooperation that took place allowed students to reach a level of quality that they simply could not have achieved independently. This Friday, December 19th families and classmates gathered in the orchestra room to watch the show and celebrate all their hard work! A video of their performance can be found here.

Wampanoag and Colonial Living Wax Museum

3rd graders in Ms. Bovery's and Ms. Tyndall's class hosted a living museum to celebrate and share their learning about the life ways of the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims in 17th-century Massachusetts. In their expedition, "Whose Story Is It?," our 3rd-grade historians have spent the past three months investigating the early history of our state through the perspectives of these two groups.

Today, they brought that period to life by playing the roles of Wampanoag and Pilgrim family members. Each student presented an original narrative full of rich historical detail that painted a picture of what daily life was life in either a Wampanoag or Pilgrim family. Specifics such as name, age, role in family, occupation, style of dress, eating habits, religion and modes of hunting and entertainment were integrated into the students' presentation of this history lesson come to life.

Visitors had an opportunity to ask many questions of the student experts, who impressed all with their encyclopedic knowledge of the subject. A most enjoyable way to learn about our past!

Happy Holidays From The Bernstein Orchestra

As we move into the holiday break, our students in the Bernstein Orchestra have been practicing a new song. We hope everyone enjoys A Few Of Their Favorite Things this holiday season!

Take Note:

The Primary School, grades K1, K2 and 1, will remain at 320 Washington St in Brighton for the next school year.

If you know anyone who is interested in applying, direct them to our website to see a list of upcoming Prospective Family Tours and to find applications in several languages.

Applications are due Friday, February 27 and the lottery will be held in early March. Reminder, if you have a child who is a sibling of a current student, you get preference in the lottery but you must apply on time!

PAC Notes

Thank you to all who contributed to our recent fundraisers: the iPad raffles at each concert and the Designer's Circus Shopping Day last Sunday!
The next PAC meeting will be Saturday, January 24th at 10 AM at a location to be determined. Stay tuned for more info!

Bon Voyage Mrs. Delaney

Our very best wishes to Ivy Delaney as she and her family begin an incredible adventure living in Guatemala for the next six months.