Conservatory Lab
Charter School
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Dear Families,
This week has been Teacher Appreciation Week and I have been filled with thoughts and feelings of gratitude to all our teachers for the gift they give of themselves on a daily basis. They demonstrate a sense of mission and focus for quality that is inspiring and transformational. Our students are the recipients of their spirit of generosity and caring which nurture positive relationships. They share with us a focus on getting the "just right" books into the hands of our students which develops the amazing habit of life long reading. Their commitment to empowering our students as thinkers and writers is an amazing gift of freeing student voices to tell their stories and find meaning in the lives they lead now and in the future.
Our teachers make us rich with the gift of learning with which they touch our students every day. Please join me in thanking the teachers for all they do.
Best wishes for a Happy Mother's Day and a sunny week-end.
Warmly,
Diana Lam
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Take Note
- This week, a meeting was held with people from the YMCA as we continue to plan for next year's early release schedule on Wednesday.
- Some parents have been asking how classroom assignments are made. What follows is some of the criteria that has been developed regarding student placement for next year:
- Gender, newness to school, overall academic standing, SPED, ELL, behavior/social needs, and presence of friends in class will be considered in student placement.
The goal is to construct as balanced a class as possible for every grade.
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Our Ms. Patilla Presents Winning ED Talk
On Thursday evening The Boston Foundation was the site for the Fourth Annual Boston Ed Talks. This annual event celebrates great teachers and their innovative ideas and classroom practices. It brings together educators with leaders in business, philanthropy and the community and engages them in dialogue.
Ms.Valencia Patilla, our 7th grade ELA and 8th Grade Humanities Teacher gave a powerful and moving presentation entitled: From Frederick Douglass to Ferguson: Self Identity in the Curriculum. Ms. Patilla stressed that when students are able to mirror themselves in everyday lessons, they become invested and develop an innate sense of social justice and activism. There was a round of great applause and enthusiasm at the end of her impressive talk.
Many colleagues from Conservatory Lab attended to cheer Ms. Patilla on as did her mother and grandmother. Ms. Patilla, you made us proud!
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From the Top Finale
Last Friday, Jaylan Vaughn (cello), Emma-Sophia Guevara (viola), Chansly Beauvoir (violin), Ezavier Santiago (violin), and Oliver Lee (bass) wrapped up the special week-long From the Top residency program with an exceptional in-school concert for students, staff, and parents. Having received in-depth coaching for the five days leading up to the concert, the Conservatory Lab quintet performed the "Radetzky March" by Johann Strauss Sr, a challenging piece with a variety of sections with different emotions and characters. Bravo to our students for their hard work and perseverance, and thank you From the Top for providing this opportunity to our students!
Click on the image to watch a video of the quintet performing "Radetzky March"!
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3rd Grade Artists Work on their Mineral Illustrations
On Wednesday four arts educators from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, as part of our long collaboration, worked with our 3rd graders to create beautiful drawings of "their" mineral.
Students used a photo of their mineral to match the shape, color and luster of their mineral specimen. The drawings will be published on the mineral trading cards they have just finished. Thank you to the MFA and, especially, Jack, who worked with this same group of students on their snake drawings last year.
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The Pixie Quartet Plays at Wake Up the Earth
Conservatory Lab's own power quartet known as The Pixies performed at the Wake Up the Earth festival this past Saturday in Jamaica Plain. Niko Arnold-O'Grady (violin), Mayara Ryland (viola), Tess Lepeska-True (cello), and alumnus Meghan Mei (violin) played a lovely rendition of Coldplay's Vive La Vida at the Earth Day Celebration. Click the image above to watch a video of their performance!
The Pixie Quartet was founded two years ago as a way for these friends to play together in music, the playground and on Minecraft. Melina O'Grady connected the group to the Wake Up the Earth Festival. This is the second year they have participated in this outdoor community event.
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Conservatory Lab Featured at Upcoming Pro Arte Performance
Don't miss the Dudamel Orchestra's performance at the Pro Arte concert coming up on May 17!
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PAC Notes
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Please join us as we continue the discussion about strengthening our parent organization and communication with the school.
WHERE: Dorchester Park (rain location Conservatory Lab upper school at 2120 Dorchester Ave.)
WHEN: Wednesday, May 20, 4:00-8:00 p.m.
Dinner will start at 5:30 p.m.
WHAT: Potluck family/community meeting. Bring a dish or just yourself. We will eat dinner, and the kids will play at the park. We will have small group discussions about concerns parents are having. Seth Kirshenbaum will moderate the discussions.
If possible, please let us know if you plan to attend (add email link) so we have a sense of how many people and children will be coming.
- On Sunday, May 17, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., join the Conservatory Lab PAC (Parent Advisory Council) and lots of friends and friends of friends for an afternoon of shopping for women's clothing and accessories at the Designers Circus in Allston.
Designers Circus is a warehouse sale, sample sale, and fabulous social experience all rolled into one. The afternoon promises to be lots of fun and a great time to shop for that perfect Spring or Summer item! We will also have a raffle that afternoon; you could go home with a Designers Circus gift certificate! Tickets will be sold throughout the afternoon for $1.00 each.
The best part of all is a portion of the sales made that afternoon will go directly to the Conservatory Lab PAC Fund to benefit the school's innovative academic and music program!
We hope you will join us, and please spread the word to any friends or family members. Please email Felice Rutstein at feliceandspence@yahoo.com to RSVP.
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