Family Notes: Jan. 23, 2015

We believe in celebrations here at school. We celebrate accomplishments and breakthroughs. We celebrate successful completion of work. We celebrate achieving our goals.

Success does not occur in a vacuum. Success is most reliably created in a successful environment. We all help each other to be successful - teachers, students and families alike.

One person's achievement does not prevent or detract from anyone else's opportunity to achieve. Quite to the contrary, every achievement creates more possibilities for all to achieve.

We are inspired by every achievement we see and encourage and celebrate the work of all others who seek to do the same.

Success is built upon success, and we are building with all our might.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,

Diana Lam

Grades 2-4 Are Truly Crew, Not Passengers

This week, for the third Friday in a row, 2nd-4th grade students have anticipated the school-wide announcement of the School All-Star Crew Scholars. All our Crew Scholars to date are pictured above. Each week, one student from each class is nominated by their teacher for exemplifying our school's Crew Qualities:

Cooperation
Empathy
Perseverance
Reflection
Responsibility

It has been remarkable to see crew members celebrate the students' success and strengthening our school culture; some students have even been asked for their autographs!

The Dudamel Brass Impress at the
State House

This Wednesday, the Dudamel Brass, led by Chris Schroeder, performed at the State House for the inauguration of Suzanne Bump as the Massachusetts State Auditor. The Dudamel Brass provided lovely music at the beginning and end of the ceremony; in their renditions of well-known favorites like Ave Verum Corpus, excerpts from the New World Symphony, Little Liza Jane, and the Star-Spangled Banner, they sounded like professional musicians. The event was heavily attended by State officials and employees, including Governor Baker, and everyone was impressed with how our students sounded in those hallowed marble halls.

K2's Performance Delights at the Boston Children's Museum

This Wednesday, our K2 Rockstars, led by David Cordes and Tess Plotkin, performed a play at the Boston Children's Museum! This was the third year Conservatory Lab's Kindergarteners gave an educational performance at the Boston Children's Museum, and they really knocked it out of the park. With the help of 1st grader Jaydn Williams, the K2's dramatic performance of "Are You My Instrument?" was riveting. "Are You My Instrument?" is a parody of the well-loved children's book Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. The presentation closed with a thoughtful Q&A session, with many comments from the K2-ers themselves, and now they are ready to choose their instruments!

Click here to watch a video of K2's play!

Visitors from West Coast Moved by
Exemplary Learning

A 7-person team from San Gabriel, CA visited both of our school locations this week. Consisting of the Superintendent of Schools, the Deputy-Superintendent, a Board Member, an Orchestra Director, a Principal, a third grade teacher and a parent of three, this weighty team came with a purpose. Their goal is to establish a music-infused elementary school in their district, so they came to Conservatory Lab to learn as much as they could about how to do it. Their visit was revelatory on many levels. They left with heads and briefcases full of inspiring information, images and excellent student products.

Many kudos to all our teachers and students who presented such an exemplary view of our school!

Conservatory Lab String Concerto Competition

Conservatory Lab's Ives Ensemble will be holding a Concerto Competitionfor string players in Grades 5 through 8. The winner will receive a personalized gift and have the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Ives Ensemble at Spring Fling! on April 11! To audition, students will need to prepare 2 scales from memory and a piece of their choosing, as well as sightread a short musical excerpt.

This is a unique opportunity and we encourage all interested and eligible students to apply! Auditions will begin on Wednesday, February 4th and the winner will be announced on Monday, February 16th.

To sign up, please contact Adam Eccleston at
aeccleston@conservatorylab.org

Free Concerts in Our Community

There will be a free musical performance at Symphony Hall on Saturday, January 31 at 1:30 pm. The performance will be the culmination of the Onstage at Symphony program, which convenes amateur musicians from across Massachusetts for a series of rehearsals and a final performance to celebrate their talent and continued commitment to music. The program is led by BSO Youth and Family Concerts Conductor Thomas Wilkins, and it is sure to be a lovely time for all!

Additionally, our students, faculty, and parents are warmly invited to the highly acclaimed Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra's first concert of the new year! Complimentary tickets are offered (limit of 4 per family). Please email Danielle Williams to reserve the tickets: dwilliams@bostonphil.org.

The concert is Sunday, February, 1-3:00 pm, at the Sanders Theater in Cambridge. The concert will begin with the Schoenberg's brilliantly expressionistic Five Pieces for Orchestra. Performances by the BPYO and the Concerto Competition winners will follow, featuring 9 one-movement performances of a wide range of composers- from J.S. Bach, to Tchaikovsky, to Berg and everything in between! Details can be found at www.BostonPhil.org This will truly be an unforgettable musical event you won't want to miss!

Take Note:

Please tell any friends and acquaintances interested in having their child attend Conservatory Lab about the 15th Annual Boston Charter Public School Showcase! It is this Saturday, January 24 from 9 AM to 12 PM, at the Watson Auditorium at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, 550 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.

Applications are due Friday, February 27 and the lottery will be held on March 12. 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!

Please tell any friends and acquaintances interested in having their child attend Conservatory Lab about the website to see a list of upcoming Prospective Family Tours and to find applications in several languages.

PAC Notes

Tomorrow, January 24 will be the Official Launch of Spring Fling! 2015

You are invited to:

The Conservatory Lab Charter School Spring Fling! 2015 Kick-off

Special Guest Kathleen Jara, El Sistema Co-Chair

January 24, 2015

10 am - 12 pm

Codman Square Library

690 Washington Street

Dorchester, MA 02124

Spring Fling! is the only event at Conservatory Lab Charter School that is led by the families. Please join us to create an inspirational day of performance and celebration that lets the light of our students shine in Boston. This year we are moving the event to the Back Bay Events Center / John Hancock Hall on SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2015.

Kathleen Jara, El Sistema Co-Director, will join us for this launch. This is our opportunity to share with El SIstema the hopes and dreams of this event. We will share the vision and create the most powerful parent body who are tenacious & outstanding future citizens. Ms. Jara will also share her vision of what it will take to accommodate 10 orchestra groups, (400 students) in a two show day. We will bridge the Dorchester and Brighton campuses and create one community of support.

Please join in and become part of the movement!