FALL 2024
ENERGIZING MINDS AFTER SCHOOL
ARTS | ATHLETICS | STEM | LIFESTYLE
ENERGIZING MINDS AFTERCHOOL
CHECK OUT OUR AWESOME
STICKY FINGERS COOKING
CLASSES
DANCE ACADEMY
GOLF
YOGA
SOCCER
BASKETBALL
STEM CHESS
SIENNA
What’s your favorite Explorations class, and what makes it so fun for you?
Fun with Science, because you get to learn with fun experiments and things explode!
Who’s your favorite Extend teacher, and why do you enjoy learning from them?
Ms. McGraw [Lower School STEM Teacher] because she does fun experiments with us.
Outside of class, what’s your favorite hobby or activity?
Math, piano with Mrs. Parsons [Extend Piano Teacher] and swimming.
JACK EXPLORER SPOTLIGHTS
If you could invite any character from a book or movie to join your class, who would it be and why?
Matilda, because she’s brave and smart and she knows a lot of math.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A scientist.
Tell us something unique about you.
I like spicy food and my new teeth come in very fast.
What’s your favorite Explorations class, and what makes it so fun for you?
I have two favorites - Sticky Fingers Cooking and Digital Creators. I like them because they are both fun and enjoyable.
What’s one new thing you’ve learned from class that you’re excited to tell your friends or family about?
I like to share what I make and the recipes from my cooking class.
Who’s your favorite Extend teacher, and why do you enjoy learning from them?
My favorite Extend Teacher is my cooking teacher. I also like hanging out with Mr. Tony [Extend Assistant].
Outside of class, what’s your favorite hobby or activity?
I like playing video games, swimming, basketball and cooking.
What’s one thing you look forward to every time you come to Extend?
I look forward to playing with my friends at the LEGO® area.
If you could invite any character from a book or movie to join your class, who would it be and why?
I would like to invite AJ from “My Weird School” books because he is funny. I would like for him to join my Robotics class.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
An inventor and entrepreneur that would make the world a better place.
Tell us something unique about you.
I love to go to the beach. My family goes to Hawaii every year for vacation. I know how to surf.
HELLO KIDDOS AWESOME
ARTY FUN
From textiles to canvas, masterpieces are made weekly.
STEM
Coding, Science, Games, Engineering, Design.
DANCE
We’ve got the beat! Check out our dance classes.
ATHLETICS
Golf, Basketball, Cheer, Tumbling, Soccer & more.
FUN WITH FRIENDS
EXTENDED DAY is the place to be!
LIFESTYLE
Cooking, Sewing Club, Chess, Yoga, kids living their best life.
CHECK OUT VIDIGAMI FOR PHOTOS OF EXTEND CLASSES!
LOOKING AHEAD
Registration for Spring Classes Opens November 13 @ 7PM
Parish Summer Registration Opens February 2025
ALL ABOUT THE ARTS!
CREATIVE DRAMA
Actors have been busy honing their skills through fun, engaging activities that build confidence and creativity! From character impersonations and storytelling to mastering facial expressions and voice acting, each week offers a unique focus. Students have explored everything from the 5 W’s and C’s of storytelling
Choir is off to a great start on both campuses with students learning pitch, rhythm, voice placement, choral vowels and two-part singing. Using songs from all genres, our singers are gaining experience performing as a vocal ensemble. Directors will communicate opportunities to see our choirs in action.
to voice modulation and emotional expression. Activities like charades, mirroring and redirection exercises have helped participants grasp the importance of reacting, listening and portraying emotions authentically. Stay tuned as these performers continue to develop their acting chops.
MUSIC MAKERS LAB
Musicians have been exploring the exciting world of music through hands-on projects and engaging activities! Each week, students are introduced to a new instrument, from drums and guitars to flutes and marimbas, learning how they produce sound. Participants crafted their own versions of these instruments using everyday materials like cardboard, rubber bands and straws. Musicians have also participated in drum circles, rhythm games and ensemble performances, helping them understand rhythm, coordination and the joy of playing music together.
ASPIRING ARTISTS
Artists have been hard at work crafting vibrant masterpieces! Students began with an expressive floral still life project, experimenting with bleeding tissue paper, matte medium and oil pastels. Next our creators tackled a more complex piece, using a variety of materials like acrylics, brushes, color scrapers, resin and glitter to create stunning floral paintings. Stay tuned for the next artistic adventure.
DEBATE CLUB
Students dove into the art of debate, focusing on public forum formats. Each session, debators are presented with a thought-provoking topic, in which they have to choose a position (agree, strongly agree, disagree or strongly disagree), moving to the side of the room that reflects their opinion. From there, they present their reasoning, engaging in lively discussions. Impromptu debates add an exciting challenge, as students defend ideas on the spot, sharpening their critical thinking and public speaking skills.
WEAVING FUN
Weaving has been active using the large floor looms and smaller lap looms. Artists chose from a variety of textiles to work into their weavings and colorful rag rugs with beautiful results.
ART STUDIO
In both Art Studio and Art Studio Jr. students have been exploring the works of renowned artists and their techniques. From Degas’s iconic ballerina paintings and Robert Delaunay’s still lifes to Cezanne’s Mont SainteVictoire and Renoir’s masterpieces, students have used a variety of mixed media, including Sharpies, watercolors, fluorescent inks and oil pastels, to create their own interpretations of these famous artworks. We are sure you’re enjoying all the amazing artwork your child brings home each week!
STEM
STEM ROBOTICS W/ VEX GO
This class has been busy building and programming robots! Students started by learning about beams, plates, gears and wheels, creating projects such as a reduce-and-reuse robot and a super car. They even took it up a notch by motorizing their creations and using remote controls to drive them! Along the way, programmers explored VEX Code, mastering blockbased programming to navigate their robots in different patterns. Students added LED sensors and other advanced features to simulate Mars exploration, collecting samples with their high-tech robots. It’s been a hands-on adventure in robotics and coding.
3D LEGO® DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE
Young creators delved into digital design with Tinkercad and Roblox Studio. Students transformed their Tinkercad designs into LEGO® and Minecraft projects, constructed intricate houses and experimented with physics using virtual dominoes. In Roblox Studio, these programmers built playable obstacle courses, complete with moving platforms, speed blocks and other advanced features.
LEGO® ADVENTURES IN STEM
Students have been hands-on with exciting projects each week. Building a jet ski using a pullback motor, exploring how overlapping strengthens house structures to withstand outside factors like weather and crafting a trap door to learn about how hinges and pivoting connections can work together. They’ve constructed stilt houses to understand the nuance of how bases are assembled and built a sliding door that demonstrates which mechanisms require tracks. Our LEGO® adventurers are eager to continue learning and building merry-gorounds, dog sleds, jeeps, battle tanks, castles and more.
8BIT ROBOTICS
Young roboticists have already assembled their mBots and mastered the basic movements of forward, backward and turning. Now the class is exploring sensors, programming obstacle-avoiding robots and adding lights and sounds to bring their creations to life. In the coming weeks, students will dive into decision-making with conditional statements, build “smart” mBots and even create dance routines using loops! The journey will culminate in exciting open-ended projects and a showcase of everyone’s robotic masterpieces.
MINECRAFT
DESERT REALM
ARCHITECT
In the first few weeks, students dove into the basics of building and planning in Minecraft, getting a feel for creative design. Now our architects are leveling up as they transitioned from 2D to 3D to design and building their very own houses. In the coming weeks, students will learn about city planning, collaborate on large-scale projects and bring blueprints to life while overcoming real-time construction challenges. It’s a perfect mix of fun and hands-on learning that brings imagination to life.
Desert pioneers have been hard at work After discussing essential tools and resources, students split into teams to gather materials—some ventured to find wood, others mined coal and minerals, while a few harvested crops. The class moved on to building the vital transportation and farming infrastructure systems and will soon explore renewable energy, community spaces and town growth. In the final weeks, students will focus on environmental protection and celebrate with a town-wide achievement ceremony.
MASTER ADVENTURE
Young adventurers have already conquered the Arctic, built their first base and taken bold steps into the fiery depths of the Nether in Minecraft! Moving forward, they’ll face even more thrilling challenges—building Nether outposts, navigating dangerous fortresses and mastering complex Redstone creations. The journey will culminate in a graduation ceremony where everyone will proudly showcase their epic skills and teamwork. The adventure is just heating up!
SUPER SCIENCE
In FUN WITH SCIENCE and FAR OUT SCIENCE LAB, students have been exploring all kinds of cool experiments. Scientists learned why oil and water don’t mix, creating colorful mixtures that brought lots of excitement. The fun continued with cracking Morse code, combining letters and numbers into secret words and sounds to commuincate. Next, they designed boats to help tiny insects sail across the sea. Another challenge took our researchers outside to test if fruit would sink or float by launching fruit boats into the mini pool—what a splash!
In MAGICAL SCIENCE, students have been uncovering the wonders of science with a magical twist. They’ve written glowing thank you cards to take home to parents using mystery ink and blue light magic pens. Scientists also had explosive fun with baking soda and vinegar reactions, fine-tuning their skills in creating the perfect mini-explosion. In another activity, students crafted funnels to float a magic ball in the air using simple machines. To top it off, they explored the magic of communication by building homemade phones to creatively listen for sounds!
WEIRD NATURE SCIENTISTS have been diving into a vibrant world of hands-on experiments. They’ve brought drawings to life with dry erase markers, making them float on water, and explored diffusion by creating a colorful rainbow ferris wheel using candy and water. Students have also mastered color theory, mixing primary colors in test tubes to uncover new shades, and learned about water purification by watching baking soda and alum work their magic on dirty water. Currently, they’re experimenting with capillary action, using colored water and paper towels to witness how water travels upward—just like magic!
In GEOLOGY ROCKS AND DINOSAURS ROAR!, paleontologists have been having a blast exploring the world of dinosaurs starting off getting hands-on with dino models, games and executing projects. Next, students matched dinosaurs with their bones and habitats, learning about these fascinating creatures. These explorers built their very own dino-world, complete with bones, while discovering where each species lived and roamed. Things have also gotten explosive as each geologist crafted homemade volcanoes and watched them erupt with colorful baking soda and vinegar reactions!
SCIENCE OF SUPERPOWERS took learners on an exciting adventure, beginning with superhero self-portraits and designing invisible jets and batmobiles while discovering the forces behind flight, gravity and static electricity. The class dove into hands-on projects like testing balloon-powered cars, building paper airplanes and exploring the real-life science behind how Spider-Man and geckos conquer feats like climbing walls!
Students have explored the basics of GRAPHIC DESIGN using Canva, starting with a name acrostic poem and introducing themselves to the class using personal fliers designed all by themselves! These artists have learned how colors and composition influence branding, even creating logos for local businesses. Recently, the class began experimenting with shapes, colors and textures to create eyecatching event fliers and unique designs, building a fun and diverse portfolio of their work.
In
MINI
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
CANVA FUN, designers have learned the Canva basics, creating colorful name designs, dream pet posters and imaginative shape monsters. Students are now learning to add photos and text to craft family collages and redesign book covers. In the coming weeks, they’ll use existing templates to design personal birthday invitations and thank you cards, building up their creative portfolios. The class will end with a portfolio showcase and a fun celebration of their artistic growth.
GAME DESIGNERS
have been diving into the world of coding. They started by giving precise instructions to guide their “robot teacher” through an obstacle course, then moved on to coding virtual robots to navigate mazes. Designers have also begun learning Scratch, creating their own fun games like a “Where’s Waldo?” challenge and a dodging game where players avoid obstacles. Now, they’re building on those skills by designing a two-player version of the game for even more excitement.
In MONEY MATH JR., students have been immersed in the world of currency. The class explored the purpose of money, learned what people used before currency and practiced identifying and counting coins. With engaging activities like money exchanges and shopping simulations, these developing mathemeticians gained a solid understanding of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Coming up, they’ll take on fun challenges like ‘The Price is Right’ and ‘Make A Piggy Bank’ to deepen coin value knowledge. It’s all about making math practical and fun!
In
DIGITAL CREATORS
students have been crafting their own movie trailers using iMovie, followed by creating animations through platforms like Stop Motion and Toontastic. The class also produced engaging promotional videos, exploring formats like commercials and product pitches. Creators will continue by developing explainer videos, experimenting with live action, animation and motion graphics to bring their ideas to life. Each project is shared for feedback and fun.
A STRIKEPOSE!
Parish Dance Academy students are ......
Music students will have a Spring Recital
This fall, Parish Extend Dance Academy is all about inspiring a love for dance, building skills in various techniques and encouraging joyful selfexpression through movement. We can’t wait to see your child shine at the Merry & Bright dance performance, showcasing everything they’ve learned this semester.
DANCE OFFERINGS:
BALLET
TAP
JAZZ
HIP HOP
DANCE TECHNIQUE
LYRICAL
CONTEMPORARY MODERN
PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS
Private music lessons have been an exciting journey this semester. Students developed their skills on instruments, explored new techniques and gained confidence in their musical abilities. We’re proud of their progress and can’t wait to see how they continue to grow as young musicians!
ATHLETICS
We have had action-packed weeks in EXTEND Athletics! In KARATE, students are mastering defensive movements, strikes and traditional patterns (Kata) through engaging drills that build confidence, strength and coordination. BASKETBALL players are learning the fundamentals of scoring, passing, dribbling and teamwork while putting their skills to the test in exciting scrimmages. On the green, GOLF students are learning the basics of club usage, form and strategy, setting up young golfers for success. In CHEER & TUMBLING and TUMBLING SKILLS, students are developing flexibility, mastering tumbling moves and learning cheers and stunts to build routines while boosting voice projection and confidence. Meanwhile, SOCCER is focused on dribbling, passing, shooting and defending, with fun drills and mini-games that sharpen skills and foster a love for the sport. Each week brings new challenges and fun-filled activities designed to enhance athleticism, teamwork and confidence.
CHEER & TUMBLING
BASKETBALL SKILLS
SOCCER SKILLS
POWERED BY FUTSOUL
EXTENDED DAY
EXTENDED DAY is the ULTIMATE after-school hangout! From socializing with friends, playing card games, impromptu art shows, playground adventures, getting homework help, yummy snacks, cozy reading corners, sandbox play, arts & crafts, and more, boredom is never an option!
LIFESTYLE
WHAT’S COOKIN’? MAGIC EXPLORERS
What isn’t cooking in these exciting and delicious classes? Young chefs in STICKY FINGERS COOKING have whipped up carrot cakes with chocolate cream glaze, veggie tacos with a red dipping sauce, Greek lasagna bites with creamy béchamel, egg rolls, grain cookie bars, apple smoothies, and more! Hopefully, they’re bringing home some tasty samples for you to enjoy!
IN COOKING FROM SCRATCH, young chefs teamed with Christian Santiago, Parish’s SAGE Food Services Director, to cook up some culinary magic in the kitchen! From homemade pizzas and strombolis to healthy wraps, decorative cookies, pies and a full-blown Mexican fiesta with guacamole and quesadillas—every dish was a delicious success.
YOGEES YOGA 4 KIDS
Mindfulness and Zen... ahhh. Each class begins with yogees setting their intentions through deep breaths, followed by energizing sun salutations to warm the body. From there, yogees embark on imaginative adventures brought to life through stories, games and music. Slowing things down, students focus on mindfulness, before gently easing into the relaxation of Savasana to calm both body and mind.
Abracadabra! Magicians have made tissue appear in a star tube, put a monster back together with magic (while studying the human body), made numbers appear and disappear on cookies (with a side of math enrichment), used shapes and geometric figures to make Polly the bird vanish from his cage and appear somewhere else, and learned a trick with fish cards turned upside down and once given magic fish food will turn right side up again. Each week brings a new magical twist.
THE KNIGHT SCHOOL
In CHESS gamers advance through a fun, color-coded wristband system, earning rewards as they master new tactics like checkmating and forking, while developing strategies. Each week, players compete in friendly games, not only improving their skills but also learning the importance of good sportsmanship. It’s a great way for students to build their chess expertise one move at a time!
SCHOOL NEWSPAPER & NEWS CHANNEL CLUB
Students have been exploring the exciting world of news and its impact on our lives. From conducting peer interviews to learning the structure of journalistic articles, they’re honing their reporting skills. Journalists have shared personal stories, connecting them to broader societal issues, and are now working on launching their own newspapers with creative story ideas. Next, these soon to be chief reporters will dive deeper into covering different viewpoints by deciding who to interview for various news topics, sharpening their ability to tell well-rounded stories.
HOLA AMIGOS, JR.
Colores, Figuras, Repaso, Otoño, Mascotas and more!
In Hola Amigos, Jr., students have had a blast diving into the Spanish language through engaging activities. Little linguists started with fun games like Paulina Dice, explored colors and shapes, and created a ring toss review game. Students are writing about pets and working on a colorful sports booklet. This journey has been a vibrant way to learn Spanish and connect with each other.
In Sewing Club, students have been busy learning how to thread needles, practice hand-stitching and stuff their final projects, starting with pillows and fun monster- themed stitch creations. Now, participants are refining their skills by mastering advanced stitching techniques on plastic mesh canvases. With the holidays approaching, Halloween stitches and festive ornaments showcase their newly learned stitching methods!
SOCIAL THINKERS/ SOCIAL SKILLS
In Social Thinkers/Social Skills, students engage in meaningful conversations about thoughts and feelings, practice whole-body listening and explore the concept of personal space. The class is uncovering ‘hidden rules’ and learning how expected and unexpected behaviors can impact others’ emotions. Each topic is brought to life with relatable books and interactive, hands-on activities that make learning fun and memorable.
