Lower School News - Jan 2015

J A N U A R Y

2 0 1 5

ST. CATHERINE’S SCHOOL

LS NEWS

Kindergartners experiment with low and high shapes in dance class.

UPCOMING EVENTS February 12, 2015 February 16, 2015

Parent coffee with Mrs. Sterling and Mrs. Blanton 8:159:00 a.m. in the LSAR

Presidents’ Day Student Holiday

February 28, 2015

Snowball Dance 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the LSAR

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THE LOREM IPSUMS Lower School News

January 2015 WINTER 2016

Junior Kindergarten The Junior Kindergarten girls have worked on projects involving "spanning a distance" for weeks. In their block structures they've worked for months on constructing structures with roofs, but their most recent projects have been “forts” of a sort. They have developed strategies to solve the problems they’ve encountered, repeated those strategies on subsequent days and then developed strategies for the new problems that emerged. They have failed, persisted, and come out on the other side with new strategies to try again. Just recently, finally, after working all morning, the children managed to create the fort (which they called “castle”) they’ve been trying to make.

KINDERGARTEN NEWS learned In January, kindergarteners about stars, constellations and space. Some girls designed space shuttles and rocket ships, while others created constellations, planets, aliens and telescopes. Last week, they visited the Science Museum of Virginia where they saw Wonders of the Universe and an interactive planetarium show.

In addition, they learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and how he changed the world. Two classes had swimming, and the others will swim very soon. Kindergarteners also loved showing their school spirit at their first Cheer Rally.

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THE LOREM IPSUMS Lower School News

JanuaryWINTER 2015 2016

First Grade This month, first graders have been challenged to understand and show courage. Our girls learned courage through the examples of the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ruby Bridges, whose stories we read and discussed. The girls wrote poems of peace together.

Practicing their watercolor techniques with close-ups of flowers, the students achieved a level of inner peace they could share with others. Students learned of a high school basketball team that never gives up the fight, even though they have 84 straight losses. The girls shared their personal stories of bravery and boldly took on new tasks, such as Google’s Hour of Code. After honing their technical prowess, the girls moved on to a challenge they never tire of: fearlessly building whatever their imaginations aspire to build.

Second Grade Second grade has been learning about the state of Virginia and its three regions. They have been working very hard with problem solving during math. The classes have also started their swimming programs.

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THE LOREM IPSUMS Lower School News

WINTER 2016 January

Third Grade

Third graders are busy learning all about the Revolutionary War. One way they are learning about it is through the novel, Toliver's Secret. This book is about a young girl who must find the courage to deliver a secret message to help George Washington. Her grandfather is hurt and unable to do it, so she cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy to do so. Some of the third grade girls are also doing a research project on a historical figure of this time period.

Fourth Grade

Third graders in Miss Hapala’s class show their gold and white spirit!

The Fourthies enjoyed double dress up days last Thursday and Friday with the Gold/White Cheer Rally and Wordly Wise dress up day! Please see our individual class blogs to explore our great learning.

http://cavallofourthies2023.blogspot.com http://fourthies2023.blogspot.com http://rockinrobertsfourthies2023.blogspot.com http://hiscockfourthies4.blogspot.com 4

Lower School News THE LOREM IPSUMS

JanuaryWINTER 2015 2016

Robotics The 4th/5th grade Robotics Teams, Super Smart Saints and World Class Saints have been invited to represent FIRST Lego League at the Rich Tech Legislative Reception at the Library of Virginia on Thursday, February 5, 2015 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Each team will run their robot on the obstacle table for the state legislators and answer any questions they might have about building and programming the robot.

Art The girls have worked on snowflake paintings inspired by the true story about Snowflake Bentley.

Second grade did imperial portraits and nature art inspired by their visit to see Please join the art department on Saturday, February 21, between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Kenny Center track for an art walk/art exhibition at INSPIRE festival of the arts.

The exhibition will feature framed art by all students in grades K-4! Upper school and middle school art students will host a "Be Inspired" table where you can make hands on art! Come join us and get inspired by art!!

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Lower School News THE LOREM IPSUMS

JanuaryWINTER 2015 2016

Science The girls have been busy in the Science lab. The second grade girls made SNOW and did a snow dance that will hopefully bring lots of the real white stuff to RVA and give us all a big SNOW DAY! The third grade scientists continue to study different forces and recently made parachutes and gravity fighters. They also did several experiments to learn about surface tension. The fourthies are working hard to identify five unknown substances through observations and chemical tests on the substances. Great work at every grade level!

Tech/Library In Tech/Library, third grade classes were "flipped.� Using iPads, students independently watched short videos and read passages about the differences between web browsers, search engines, and databases. Afterwards, they reconvened as a class and discussed what they had learned. We will continue to emphasize the differences between these three research tools throughout the year.

Over the past several weeks, second grade students have been learning how the library is organized and how to find materials using the library’s online catalog. Working in pairs, students used origami fortune-tellers to practice locating books using a call number.

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Lower School News THE LOREM IPSUMS

JanuaryWINTER 2015 2016

St. Catherine's Festival of the Arts Saturday, Februa ry 21, 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Get ready to be inspired! INSPIRE is our school-wide celebration of the visual and performing arts. This free event for the entire family showcases the creative and artistic talents of our students and faculty by highlighting music, dance, drama and the visual arts. All performances and activities are free.

Tickets to “The Little Mermaid” will be available at INSPIRE for $4.

Featured Events and Activities • Enjoy student performances throughout the day.

• See your daughter’s artwork at the Lower School Art Walk from 11:30 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

• Check out original student designs at the Project INSPIRE Fashion Show.

• Help create a life-size INSPIRE art collage.

• Create and take home your own art project, including insect prints and silhouettes.

• Get your face painted, listen to music and enjoy lunch and snacks in the Dining Hall and Cafe.

• Grab your friends and sing along at “The Little Mermaid” Middle School Musical.

Ways You Can Participate • Project INSPIRE features original, wearable art from students K-12. Lower School students are invited to register their creations online by Februa ry 16 .

• Show your love of the Arts by having your daughter wear her INSPIRE t-shirt. She also can wear her own unique and inspirational outfit on a select day in February. T-shirts are available in the Bookstore for $15. Or look out for an order form, coming home the first week of February.

• Donate NEW art supplies to St. Andrew’s School and help us enrich children’s lives through art. A collection box will be in the LS lobby next week.

• We need your help to make INSPIRE a success! Check here for a list of v olunteer opportun ities . Most shifts are 1-2 hours -- an easy way to get involved and meet other parents at all levels.

For all the details, check out our INSPIRE web page.

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Lower School News THE LOREM IPSUMS

JanuaryWINTER 2015 2016

Available Now for $15!

INSPIRE Festival of the Arts 2015 T-Shirt

!!

2015 INSPIRE T-SHIRT ORDER FORM Long Sleeve · 100% Cotton · White Crewneck

NAME

GRADE

TEACHER

PHONE

CHOOSE YOUR SIZE(S).

YOUTH @$15: SM

MED

LG

XL

ADULT." @$15: SM

MED

LG

XL

back of t-shirt (designed by senior Kristina Dickey)!

TOTAL ENCLOSED: Please make checks payable to St. Catherine’s School. Attach to this order form and return to your teacher by February 11. T-shirts will be sent home on February 16. T-shirts also are available for sale in the Bookstore while supplies last. Questions? Contact parents Donnan O’Keefe @ 4okeefe@gmail.com or Susan Yoo @ theyoos@verizon.net.

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Lower School News

January 2015

As report cards have just been released, it is important to remember several things: • • • • • •

Our report card gives you a road map of the skills and concepts your daughter is working on at each grade level.

It gives you an opportunity to look closely at your child’s journey towards doing independent work. Remember that learning is a journey not a race.

Our teachers meet each student where she is at in her learning and move her along accordingly.

The purpose of the report card is to see what your child is learning and then to support and teach her in the areas she needs further assistance.

It is a meaningful snapshot of how your daughter is doing during a certain period of time.

It is also intended to create dialogue between you and your child’s teacher. If you wish to discuss your daughter’s report card further, please contact your child’s teacher.

Communication between you and your child’s teacher is imperative to ensure success.

Upcoming Dates…

Februa ry 2-13 , 201 5 – W alla ce-2, s wim m in g on T/ W /F 8- 8:45 a .m .

H ouston- K , swim m ing on M/T/W /T H 2:15-3 p .m .

Februa ry 3, 2 015 – D r. Scheck elhoff’s Paren t In forma tion S ession, 9-10 a .m . in KFA Februa ry 12, 2015 – Pa re nt coffe e w ith M rs . Sterlin g a nd M rs . Bla nton: “ He alth an d W ellness ”, 8 :15 -9 a.m . in th e L SAR .

Februa ry 16, 2015 – Presidents’ D a y – Stud en t H olid a y Februa ry 19, 2015 – Gra de 3 da nce show for parents, 8 :3 0- 9 a.m . in McV ey D an ce S tud io.

Februa ry 21, 2015 – INSPIRE Februa ry 23- Ma rch 6 , 201 5 Nystrom -2, s wim m in g on T/ W /F, 8 :0 0-8:45 a .m .

H arg is-K , swim m ing on M/T/W /T H, 2 :15 -3:00 p .m .

Februa ry 27, 2015 – Gra de 1 sh ow for pa re nts, 8:30 – 9 a.m . in th e L SAR .

Februa ry 28 , 201 5 – Sn owb a ll D ance 6 -7:30 p .m . in the LS AR .