While our Halloween celebration and all of the fun that involves is coming up this week, I am looking beyond to two other all school events in the next two months: our Academic Showcase on November 11 and our Strings Holiday Concert on December 16.  Both are chances to highlight great work that kids have been doing this year and to gather together as a community.

On November 11, we are hosting our first academic showcase.  Please plan to join our students at 1:00 pm on the 11th of November.  All community members are more than welcome to come see what Emerald has been creating.  All students will have work to share from multiple classes and interdisciplinary work.

Showcases are just one part of a larger practice of producing, curating, and reflecting on our work.  School can and should be about creating high quality and meaningful artifacts of learning and this showcase is a chance to turn our attention to these artifacts.  Sometimes schools focus on creating and sharing a portfolio of work that shows growth.  In fact, we expect that we will be able to see growth between this first showcase and our next one in March.  Given the timing of this first showcase, it is a great chance to see the best of what we can do today and to consider where our work can progress over time.

Similarly, the Holiday Strings Concert is a chance to showcase the group work being produced in our strings classes.  It will provide every student with a chance to perform with their peers.  Not only do all students get to perform, but they get to hear and see students from all other ages perform, too.  This gives our students the chance to look back at where they were when they were first starting out and see where they are heading as musicians.  This is also a great chance to bring the community together to celebrate the spirit of the holidays.  The Holiday Showcase will begin at 10:50 am on Friday, December 16.  As you make travel plans for the winter holidays, please be sure that your family is able to attend the concert on our last day of school before the winter break.

While our Halloween celebration is not about showcasing student work, I know that it is an event that many families look forward to.  Thanks in advance to all the parents and guardians working to make this a great event.  The festivities will start around 10 this Friday.  Please come join us, perhaps in costume, if you have time.

 

Greg Friedman
K-8 Director