Traditions

The Nutcracker

All our Early Childhood students appear in The Nutcracker each winter. Kindergarten students lead the project, writing and illustrating the story that will unfold on the stage and narrating the actual production. As part of their preparation, the kindergarten students read and hear different versions of The Nutcracker in class, learn the music and travel to see the ballet.

After seeing different interpretations of the tale, the students create a book of their own, which stands nearly two feet high and is used during the performance. A rite of passage for our kindergarten students, each year the class brings its unique personality and flair to the time-honored tradition.

Biome Museum

The annual Biome Museum marks the culmination of weeks of cross-curricular activities focused on a specific ecological environment. By bringing together their work in art, computers, library, music, research, science, and world languages, each grade-level is challenged to think creatively about how to best present information through displays, drawings, maps, writing, voice, and video. The project also gives students an opportunity to practice their digital literacy skills, creating iPad-guided tours of the museum and interspersing QR codes that link to resources for further learning throughout the exhibits. When parents tour the museum, fourth-grade students serve as docents, explaining the wealth of information included in the eye-catching displays.

Reading Rodeo

Established more than 20 years ago, Reading Rodeo is a beloved first grade tradition combining literary, history, and math skills. While learning about the American West in a month-long history unit, students are challenged to read daily at home while recording their progress along the way. At the end of the unit, students host a family celebration to commemorate the total minutes read, reflect on the reading challenge, and take part in line dancing, a barbecue picnic, and outdoor games.