December 9, 2024
Over the years, I have often heard questions about our curriculum and how we determine what to teach. Many of us carry vivid memories of our elementary and middle school experiences, but the world is evolving at an unprecedented pace. As educators, it’s crucial that we equip our students with the skills to navigate a future shaped by innovation and complex global challenges. Our academic curriculum is intentionally planned to foster deep understanding, empathy, and powerful communication skills so that our children can thrive.
Each day, I am blessed with the opportunity to walk down the hallways and witness some of this incredible learning. I thought I’d share some of the magic I’ve experienced over the past few days and invite you to come see for yourself during our open school days.
In kindergarten, I saw students constructing their knowledge of letter formation utilizing a multi-sensory approach. I found first graders joyfully generating ideas for writing while on an observation walk, taking pictures from a mouse’s point of view after reading Mouse Views: What the Class Pet Saw.
Second graders captivated their audience and practiced presentation skills as they shared their fictional stories with the group. 
They created videos to enhance their stories using action figures to demonstrate their understanding of setting changes and dialogue.
You could hear a pin drop in third grade, where Morah Adina was fostering a love of reading while reading aloud. The students were captivated and moaned when the chapter 
ended with a cliffhanger!
I was blown away in fourth grade when I walked in to find them creating digital presentations on the economic landscape during Westward Expansion. They were so proud to show me what they had learned.
I witnessed carefully planned small math groups in fifth grade, where some students were calculating the volume of 3D figures, some were working on math crossword puzzles together, and some were practicing skills with the teacher. They were all busy with the task at hand and helping one another through.
The middle school science lab was all abuzz during their lab work. I saw 6th graders investigating ways to collect water vapor from the air with various materials and 7th graders constructing a model of the law of conservation of matter. 
When I entered the financial literacy elective, students were energetically discussing the concept of sales prices and then working to calculate discounts to comparison shop.
You may have noticed that in all of my observations, students were deeply engaged in relevant and meaningful learning. Our team works tirelessly to prepare students with the knowledge they need and the practical skills and emotional intelligence essential for success. I invite you to see it for yourself during our Open School Days—I promise you’ll be amazed!
Morah Shannon
Director of Instruction