Related Arts
ART
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When you walk into an art class at St. Nicholas, you will see a creative, energizing space where children are encouraged to learn, play, and express themselves in their own individual way. Our program is a combination of both studio art and the history of art, with students coming twice in a week - once for an hour for Studio Art and one for 30 minutes for Art History. Below are a few things you need to know about this year:
● We are learning about cultural art, including, but not limited to: art from India, Africa, Japan, China, Native American territories, Haiti, and Mexico.
● Each child has a portfolio in the art room where artwork is stored. Lower Primary students typically take more art home on a monthly basis because they want to. As the children get older, the art can be found stuffed in lockers or backpacks. For this reason, I keep the art safe in the portfolios until there are several things to take home and we roll them up. If you ever need any art, PLEASE let me know! I can bring it up to traffic to you or leave it out in the art room for you to pick
● Please know every precaution is taken to protect clothing; however, despite our best efforts, accidents still happen!
● I want the children to have fun and experience all sorts of materials and techniques. When they complete their work, options ranging from our bead cart to our “Box” [a collection of random items that can be put together to make fabulous creations] are available to further explore their imaginations.
If you have any questions, please let me know - I look forward to a great year!
Mandy Bohner
MUSIC
We are embracing the challenges of the new school year in many creative ways!
See the descriptions for music in the various divisions.
Carey Shinbaum and Kara Miscio
Currently, L1 and L2 students have music 3x each week, and each class is 15-20 minutes. On Mondays, we have a morning and afternoon session, and a morning session on Fridays.
Activities offered include a mixture of sign language, humming, yoga, movement and beat-keeping activities as well as stories, listening opportunities and group discussions related to musicianship. Occasionally, we sing softly together at the end of class or at the culmination of the activity, just before departure, or we enjoy traditional instrumental exercises while observing appropriate safety measures.
These types of activities will strengthen many fundamental and expressive skills, but most importantly, they build a sense of community…and that’s what music is all about!
Lower Primary Music
Lower Primary students come to music once a week for a 45 minute class. Level 3 groups attend on Mondays, and Level 4 on Fridays.
Activities offered include a mixture of sign language, humming, yoga, movement and beat-keeping activities as well as listening opportunities and group discussions related to musicianship. Occasionally, we may sing softly together at the end of class at the culmination of the activity, just before departure, or offer traditional instrumental exercises while observing appropriate safety measures. These types of activities will strengthen many fundamental and expressive skills, but most importantly, they build a sense of community…and that’s what music is all about!
From shared interactive documents to music related media posted in the Classroom Stream, students will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and practice the skills they are learning, both on campus and from home. Virtual and traditional instrumental arrangements provide plenty of chances for hands on music making throughout the year, as well. These ungraded assignments should be considered optional, unless otherwise noted in the description of the lesson in the Classroom Stream.
Middle and Upper Primary Music
Each week, L5, L6 and L7 have two classes on the same day (one morning, one afternoon). Assigned days are L6 Tuesdays; L7 Wednesdays; and L5 Thursdays. All classes feature
Morning lab classes involve more music technology applications to impart music theory concepts and virtual instrumental arrangements. Many weeks, students will receive their own copy of a document outlining music related tasks. These ungraded assignments should be considered optional, unless otherwise noted in the posted description of the lesson. Students are encouraged to expand their knowledge of musical concepts by attempting these projects.
Afternoon sessions will generally be of a more physically expressive nature. Activities include a mix of sign language, humming, yoga, and beat-keeping activities as well as listening opportunities and group discussions related to musicianship. Occasionally, we may sing softly together at the end of class at the culmination of the activity, just before departure. Some traditional instrumental exercises may also be explored while observing appropriate safety measures. These types of activities will strengthen many fundamental and expressive skills, but most importantly, they build a sense of community…and that’s what music is all about!
SPANISH
Profe Lorraine Byerley
Most students at St. Nicholas School have two 30 minute Spanish classes per week. 3-year-olds have two 15-20 minute classes per week.
Based on the total number of hours of Spanish instruction students will have had at the end of their final year at St. Nicholas School, our program is considered a FLEX (Foreign Language Exploratory) program, not an “Immersion” program. Students will not be fluent by the time they graduate from St. Nicholas School; however, they will have a good foundation upon which to build a second or third language acquisition.
My goals are:
In all Levels, classes are conducted almost exclusively in Spanish with an emphasis on stories. I use Story Listening* (Dr. Beniko Mason, Dr. Stephen Krashen), chapter books, as well as other Comprehensible Input methods adapted to each level.1. To provide rich, compelling input (content that is more than just interesting to students).
2. To make input as comprehensible as possible (give students plenty of clues and scaffolding to understand the Spanish they hear).
3. To lower students’ “affective filter” (fear, negativity, anxiety associated with learning a new language) in order to increase their comfort, confidence, and motivation to explore, learn, and take risks in language learning.
* Story Listening is a method of storytelling designed by Dr. Beniko Mason specifically for second language acquisition. The instructor tells the story in the target language while drawing pictures to illustrate, thus making the story more comprehensible.
Lorraine Byerley, [email protected]
LIBRARY
In keeping with St. Nicholas School's mission to "nurture each individual's intellectual, social, and spiritual growth and in order to develop independence, a love of learning, and a commitment to service," the school library exists to support the curriculum and independent learning needs of students, faculty, and staff toward that aim. We strive to provide access to high-quality materials and instruction in a student-centered environment designed to equip and empower students as the unique learners they are. We believe in the power of words and seek to increase student literacy and the joy of reading, while inspiring a life-long love of learning and fostering compassion for others.
Students attend two 30-minute library classes per week. Classes involve read-alouds, book talks, research projects, digital literacy, information literacy, puppets, crafts, and dance parties! We seek to follow student interests and build a foundation of joyful reading, while teaching them to be knowledgeable creators and consumers of information. The library is a hub of excitement and learning!
MOVEMENT
Early Learning Center Movement
60 minutes per week.
Gym rules include socially distancing and washing our hands according to protocols. We are still able to work on our physical skills and have FUN.
Mrs. Dyer has the biggest room in the whole school so we can skip, hop, jump, run, gallop, and play games. We play basketball, soccer, jump rope, hula hoop, and play with parachute.
The school year started with ice breaker games such as busy bee to learn who is in our group. We played games to learn how to take turns and follow directions. Activities include using cones, bean bags and playground balls. Our emphasis is on locomotor and non-locomotor skills and we've learned stretches and exercises, and are also working on climbing ladders and climbing walls.
- Many of our activities are done outside.
- We are learning social skills when playing on ESP playground.
- While following all safety procedures, we are still able to do and play our favorite games and activities.
- Everyone is doing a great job following the school dress code. We've had a few minor violations but the primary one we are still seeing is light up shoes. Please look up the dress code on the stns.org website parent tab to provide guidance and clear up any questions.
Lower Primary Movement
Welcoming the new students to the cottage with ice breakers such as the whistle game and busy bee, we started the year with prop relays (utilizing cones and beanbags), which help them focus on following directions and taking turns rather than aggressive competition. Showing good sportsmanship being a priority in all movement class activities, we will be working all year to recognize and cultivate it alongside the development of physical skills and healthy habits. The fall will bring students the opportunity to strengthen soccer skills in both indoor and outdoor settings before our training for the President’s Fitness Challenge intensifies. The test includes standards for:
• sit-up/abdominal muscles
• pacer run/endurance,
• sit and reach and truck lift/flexibility
• push ups and pull ups/upper body.
While the actual test is administered in the spring, addressing overall physical fitness will be at the heart of movement class, with the activities and games we explore during the winter months helping to prepare and improve our capabilities.
On a practical note, everyone is doing a great job wearing proper school attire! Thank you for your consideration in this area, as it helps ensure movement class is a safe and positive experience for all students.
Stacey Dyer
Middle and Upper Primary Movement
We began the school year finding our Baseline fitness level to compare ourselves too during the school year. We measure: push-ups; curl-ups; sit & reach; oval lap time; 3 minute step-ups; and long jump. When we measure again in January, we hope to see our progress in anticipation of the President’s Fitness Challenge in April.
We continue our running start...literally. Running relays, as everyone is familiar with them, and they remind us of the basic tenets of the class: sportsmanship, teamwork, strategy, fitness, and effort.
We use sports as a learning tool, giving students the choice of which level to compete in with each sport: Novice, Novice Plus, or Advanced. As they grow in confidence they can choose to move up, or if they realize that they may have picked a level that does not match their actual skill level, they can move down, without pressure. The focus is not on making them the best athlete, but working to improve overall physical capability and healthy habits.
On a practical note, everyone is doing a great job wearing proper school attire! Thank you for your consideration in this area, as it helps ensure movement class is a safe and positive experience for all students.
Kevin Leckenby
GARDENING
Early Learning Center Gardening
ELC groups will come to garden class on Tuesdays for 35 minutes.
Group 1 at 10:30
Group 2 at 12:25
This year, ELC Garden Classes will begin indoors with a check-in with our virtual friends and lesson/prep for the class. On rainy days we will do an entire class inside. On good weather days, we will go outside for the last ¾ or ½ of class time.
ELC students will be explorers, investigators and artists in garden class. Activities may include creating nature mandalas, tasting clean food from the garden, experiencing weather, observing living vs nonliving things, planting seeds, or painting with pokeberries. My goal is to keep students engaged and focused while providing an environment with safe boundaries for them to explore.
At all age levels, Garden Class teaches these 7 Habits of Mind in the Garden:
- Rooting Down to center ourselves
- Gathering Data Through All the Senses
- Metacognition (awareness of our thoughts, feelings, connections through experiences)
- Persistence in all endeavors
- Working together for a common goal
- Taking responsible risks
- Finding and celebrating the joy, whimsy and incongruous parts of nature.
Middle Primary Gardening
Level 5 groups will come to garden class on Tuesdays for 40 minutes.
Group 1 at 2:00
Group 2 at 11:25
Garden Classes will often begin in the garden classroom with a check-in with our virtual friends, a weather check, earth news update and a lesson/prep for the class. On rainy days we will do an entire class inside. On good weather days, we will be outside as much as possible!
At all age levels, Garden Class teaches these 7 Habits of Mind in the Garden:
- Rooting Down to center ourselves
- Gathering Data Through All the Senses
- Metacognition (awareness of our thoughts, feelings, connections through experiences)
- Persistence in all endeavors
- Working together for a common goal
- Taking responsible risks
- Finding and celebrating the joy, whimsy and incongruous parts of nature
Lower Primary Gardening
Level 3 groups will come to garden class twice on Thursdays, for 30 minutes each time.
Group 1 at 10:30 and 12:45
Group 2 at 11:20 and 1:30
Garden Classes will often begin in the garden classroom with a weather check, earth news update and a lesson/prep for the class. On rainy days we will do an entire class inside. On good weather days, we will be outside as much as possible!
Rooting Down to center ourselves Gathering Data Through All the Senses Metacognition (awareness of our thoughts, feelings, connections through experiences) Persistence in all endeavors Working together for a common goal Taking responsible risks Finding and celebrating the joy, whimsy and incongruous parts of nature Level 3 students will study “birdology” covering bird feathers, anatomy, songs, eggs and more. They will also explore soil and it’s composition, to better understand what makes plants grow. Their plant study focuses on how New Plants are created from old through hands-on experiments and planting seeds. Bats and their incredible use of Echolocation is a focus in fall. They will learn about common herbs and their folklore, medicinal and culinary usefulness. Many garden experiences will be whimsical as well, such as making garden mandalas and playing games in the garden.
Level 4 groups will come to garden class twice on Wednesdays, for 30 minutes each time.
Group 1 at 10:30 and 12:45
Group 2 at 11:20 and 1:30
Garden Classes will often begin in the garden classroom with a check-in with our virtual friends, a weather check, earth news update and a lesson/prep for the class. On rainy days we will do an entire class inside. On good weather days, we will be outside as much as possible!
At all age levels, Garden Class teaches these 7 Habits of Mind in the Garden:
Rooting Down to center ourselves Gathering Data Through All the Senses Metacognition (awareness of our thoughts, feelings, connections through experiences) Persistence in all endeavors Working together for a common goal Taking responsible risks Finding and celebrating the joy, whimsy and incongruous parts of nature Level 4 students will study Trees from roots to the leaf tips- learning about tree rings as well as root communication. They will also explore soil and it’s composition, to better understand what makes plants grow. Their plant study focuses on how New Plants are created from old through hands-on experiments and planting seeds. Bats and their incredible use of Echolocation is a focus in fall. They will learn about common herbs and their folklore, medicinal and culinary usefulness. Many garden experiences will be whimsical as well, such as making garden mandalas and playing games in the garden.
Upper Primary Gardening
Level 6 groups will come to garden class on Mondays for 50 minutes.
Group 1 at 10:30
Group 2 at 1:00
Garden Classes will often begin in the garden classroom with a check-in with our virtual friends, a weather check, earth news update and a lesson/prep for the class. On rainy days we will do an entire class inside. On good weather days, we will be outside as much as possible!
At all age levels, Garden Class teaches these 7 Habits of Mind in the Garden:
- Rooting Down to center ourselves
- Gathering Data Through All the Senses
- Metacognition (awareness of our thoughts, feelings, connections through experiences)
- Persistence in all endeavors
- Working together for a common goal
- Taking responsible risks
- Finding and celebrating the joy, whimsy and incongruous parts of nature
Level 6 students are our Garden Scientists. They will conduct plant life experiments, such as creating new potato plants from last year’s harvest, conduct a wildlife catalog of our campus and study the process of compost by managing our school composting bins. They are also our “green team”, coming up with ways to make our campus more environmentally friendly. Each year they use seed catalogs to choose our new tomato varieties and then plant and care for the seeds in the greenhouse.
Level 7 groups will come to garden class on Friday for 50 minutes.
Group 1 at 9:30
Group 2 at 10:40
Garden Classes will often begin in the garden classroom with a check-in with our virtual friends, a weather check, earth news update and a lesson/prep for the class. On rainy days we will do an entire class inside. On good weather days, we will be outside as much as possible!
At all age levels, Garden Class teaches these 7 Habits of Mind in the Garden:
- Rooting Down to center ourselves
- Gathering Data Through All the Senses
- Metacognition (awareness of our thoughts, feelings, connections through experiences)
- Persistence in all endeavors
- Working together for a common goal
- Taking responsible risks
- Finding and celebrating the joy, whimsy and incongruous parts of nature
