Before St. Stephen's

It's all about the shepherds, kings, pages and readers...

St. Stephen's Service

                                                                                                            December 12, 2011

Dear Parents,

            If we weren’t already in the Christmas spirit, it would be impossible not to jump in… with the class energy level at an all-time high!  It’s such a wonderful season…I love being with your daughters during this time.  We’ve been singing Christmas carols, decorating the bulletin board and preparing for the Gift Service on Friday.  Our Fourthies are participating fully!  We have the readers, Mary and Joseph, the Angel, some Kings and Jesters, the shepherds, the fabulous choir and the gifted Strings ensemble, so we are represented well.  We are having a full practice on Thursday at St. Stephen’s from 1:00-2:30.

             As you already know, the service will be held at St. Stephen’s at 10:00 on Friday, December 16.  The girls will come to school at the usual time.  You may pick up your daughters in the classroom immediately following the service.

I hope that you and your families have a blessed and wonderful Christmas.  Certainly, when I think of the spirit of the season, I know how fortunate I am to spend my days with your precious girls.  Not only are they dear in every way, but also they make me laugh, and that is the most fun of all!

Sincerely,

Pam

Christmas Fun for Roberts' Fourthies

Christmas music(Yes, Justin, it was all about you for these girls!)glitter, glue, some imagination, and general Fourthie enthusiasm, and we had the perfect recipe for a fun morning!

Moms in the 80s

We have been studying the 80s, as you already know!  Not only have the girls been learning about significant political events and people of the 80s, but they also have been doing research on the culture.  That, of course, includes you!  Remember that 80s hair you had in high school or college, or those big shoulders?  Well, thanks to Kay Livick Milne, St. Catherine's art teacher and a former student of mine, you are immortalized in clay.  Kay and I have wanted to do a ceramics project together, so this seemed perfect.  I thought that you would enjoy seeing a few pictures of this event.  Of course, a little "Footloose" and Cindy Lauper  seemed appropriate mood music.  Kay's personal favorite was Billy Idol, so he was around also. Unfortunately, we are losing Kay to Hawaii next week, but she managed to complete this project in an hour!  Another St. Catherine's talented graduate gives back to us.

Mount Vernon Field Trip

Dear Parents,

            A focus of our fourth grade curriculum is a study of the presidents. 2008 was our first visit to Mount Vernon, the home of our first president, George Washington.  The house and grounds have recently undergone an extensive restoration, which includes a fabulous education center. We had such an interesting experience the last three years that we want to offer the same opportunity to our girls this year; therefore, we will be traveling by bus to Mount Vernon next Tuesday, October 25.   We are hoping for good weather, but please have your daughters dress in layers, as we will be walking all over the estate. The girls may wear nice pants, but they should also wear appropriate shoes for walking.             

            There is not a picnic area, so we will be purchasing lunch on the grounds.  We have been told that each girl will need around $10.  Please have your daughter at school by 7:00, as will leave at 7:15. We would like to be back by 3:30, but that may be a little too optimistic. Barring any traffic problems, we plan to return to school at or before 3:45.

            This should be a great experience for all of us.  Thanks so much for your support!

Sincerely,

Sloan Hiscock

Judy McCallum

Ginger Trice

Pam Roberts

Date:  Tuesday, October 25

Time:            Arrive at school at 7:00 A.M.   Pick-up by 3:45

Wear:   Layers and appropriate walking shoes

Lunch:   Bring $10 to purchase lunch

We’re on our way to

Mount Vernon on October 25!

Experiential Learning

Last week was a whirlwind of activity. The book projects were both unique and creative.  The girls loved hearing about the books and learning how each girl made her project.  The projects never cease to amaze me, and I always learn something new!  Not only did we have projects, but we also entertained the Wuhan School.  It was fascinating to watch the interaction between children of different cultures.   The girls practiced their Chinese phrases and loved being able to communicate when the students came to our classroom.  You can capture the flavor of the week by viewing the following pictures.

Fourthie Globe Day

As demonstrated last Thursday on our annual Globe Day, the community spirit of this year's Fourthies and their parents is wonderful.  We were blessed with sun, lots of newsprint, glue, and no real "global" mishaps!  Phase 1 of our project was a success.  The globes will be painted at school, and eventually make their way home for the last part of the project.  All of this will take time, so no worries at the moment!