Shove Park 2012

 

A big tradition for The New School each year is an end of the year picnic at Shove Park. This year the weather was spectacular and children spent the day building dams in the creek, reading, playing, and taking the creek walk down to the waterfall. Alumni are always invited. We loved seeing Evelyn, Dora, and Will. We said our goodbyes this year to Eyeruse, Martin, Tamirah and Sarea. 

Teachers Giving Gifts 2012

On the last day of school each child came home with two important things. A memory box from the teachers, celebrating something important about the past year, and a letter that articulates the depth of each child's achievement. Often children will focus on the memory box, but the letter is the most important part. We encourage parents to take time to sit down with their child(ren) and read the letter again, stopping often to talk with your child about its contents. 

The end of each year is always very emotional. It is hard to say goodbye to children. We will miss Martin, Eyeruse, Tamirah and Sarea.

Children making and giving gifts

Every year children randomly are assigned another student to make a gift for. When they present their gifts they share an appreciation which explains why they made the gift. In the picture above a child is being presented with a handmade joke book. Other gifts included a board game about whales, a model of a T-Rex and a Komodo diorama. The whole school community listens intently to these thoughtful gestures of friendship and understanding. 

Shakespeare visits

Shakespeare visited the school to share his life story, to answer questions and to listen to the older students recite their monologues from Macbeth, Midsummers Night's Dream, The Tempest  and Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare also listened to a song students wrote and admired the replica of The Globe which they designed and built.







ShakespeareWritten by the older children 
Verse One:
Once there was a boy named Romeo

With special thanks to Ken Hynson

And a girl named Juliet

They loved each other like two love doves

But their families always felt regret

CHORUS

Shakespeare, oh Shakespeare

What will happen next?

Shakespeare, oh Shakespeare

Among bards you are the best

Verse Two:

Another tragedy was Macbeth

Who killed the king to get his crown

Something evil this way comes

In a puddle of greed he drowned

CHORUS

Oberon, the fairy king

Sent his faithful servant Puck

To sprinkle a potion on sleeping eyes

But their scheme had little luck

CHORUS

Chittenango Landing

Chittenango Landing
Originally uploaded by New School-Syracuse
To support our study of local history the whole school visited Chittenango Landing where we some of the things we learned about archeological digs, what it was like to live on a canal boat and how canal boats were brought into a dry dock and repaired.

Rock Art

Rock Art

Students transformed rocks into animals using acrylics