After returning from winter break, our first grade mathematicians are easing their way back into classroom routines by moving through stations. They are reviewing concepts with two-dimensional shapes and exploring similarities and differences between three-dimensional shapes. Students are also practicing their fact fluency on MathFact Lab and spiraling back to previously learned concepts in their workbooks. Once the new concepts with solid shapes are mastered, we will return to working with numbers, focusing on addition and subtraction through 20 and eventually 40.

– Julia Fox, first grade teacher 

In their current unit, eighth grade Latin students are learning two grammatical structures that often work together: vocative nouns (direct address) and imperative verbs (commands). After playing “Simon dicit” (Simon Says) to recognize the different forms of each word, students began working on authoring a children’s book to share their learning. The simple sentence structure of children’s picture books provides the perfect medium for students to demonstrate their understanding of these short phrases while also demonstrating their mastery of other language concepts. Using Canva, students could develop a plot and focus on the Latin language elements while also incorporating graphic design elements.

– Nicole Buck, Latin teacher

Sixth graders in theater arts reached an exciting milestone this year with the commissioning of an original one-act play, The Worst Fairy Tale Ever! by professional playwright Todd Wallinger. Made possible through the generous support of a Lenesa Leana Endowment for Innovative and Collaborative Education grant, this project brought a unique story specifically written for our students to showcase their talents and support our trimester-based groups of eight.

The benefits of working with a tailor-made script like this are endless. The story was crafted with our students in mind, ensuring every character has depth, humor, and a chance to shine. The play’s ensemble focus aligns perfectly with our goal of encouraging collaboration, teamwork, and creative expression among our young actors.

The accompanying photo captures one of our first-semester casts striking their best character poses—an early step in bringing these hilarious and heartwarming fairy tale misadventures to life. We can’t wait to see how each group interprets this playful script throughout the year!

The sixth grade theater arts program continues to inspire confidence, creativity, and a love of storytelling, and we are proud to offer this extraordinary experience to our students. Bravo to our young thespians for diving into this one-of-a-kind opportunity with enthusiasm and energy!

– Christopher Parsons, theater teacher 

Launched a year ago in tandem with the return of badminton, the middle school squash program has expanded significantly in its second year. Serving 34 athletes, the program grew into two teams this year and has 10 trips scheduled to collegiate squash facilities. Before winter break, the team took four trips to Havard, then traveled to MIT this week and will do so again next week. Finally, there are four trips planned at Brandeis to finish off their season. “The ability to expose our athletes to a new sport has been really exciting,” head coach Abbey Nyland notes. “The athletes continue to improve each time we step on the court, and some show real potential.” With growth like this, there’s the potential that squash could become an interscholastic offering in the future. For now, athletes will continue to refine their skills, improve their fitness, and have some fun along the way. The badminton/squash team is led by a handful of eighth grade athletes, including Melisa Adhikari, Adam Ahmed, Isla Smith, Griffin Targum, Jack Ward, and Ethan Zipkin. Adam Ahmed competes internationally and has helped spread his passion for the sport to his peers who are just beginning.

– John O’Neill, director of athletics

On Thursday, pre-kindergarten students hosted their families for their annual Winter Portfolio Share. Among twinkling lights and a (pretend) roaring fire, children cozied up with their parents and reflected on some of their accomplishments so far this school year. Some of the projects featured in our portfolios this fall included attributes and patterns in math, our retelling and performance of Thank You, Omu!, woodland walks, and work in the innovation lab with Teacher Conroy. Even with freezing temperatures outside, the pre-kindergarten classroom was aglow with warmth, light, and learning.

– Kim Edwards and Nicole Siverls, pre-kindergarten teachers