Blog
Connection and Community in LE
This past week was full of connection, collaboration, and community, which are among the most important things that make our school such a special place.
Parent conferences gave us such a valuable chance to sit together and talk more deeply about each child. It was so meaningful to share the work they have been doing and to look at how much progress they’ve made this spring. They have learned and grown so much this year, not just academically, but in their abilities to manage their day-to-day responsibilities, to navigate friendships, and to work collaboratively and cooperatively with others. These conversations are always such a valuable way to connect home and school.
We were so happy to welcome so many family members and special friends into the classroom on Friday. It was truly special to meet the people who are such an important part of the children’s lives. The children were beyond excited to share their work and spend time with their special visitors in the classroom.
The concert was a lovely way to end such a meaningful and special day. The children put in so much effort, and it really showed. Watching the children stand up there so confidently and comfortably in front of such a large audience was amazing. What stood out the most was how much the children really seemed to enjoy it. The way they were smiling and truly having fun made it even more enjoyable to watch.
In the classroom, our first-year students are beginning to wrap up their personal timeline projects. This has been such a meaningful experience for them. They have been so proud to share parts of their lives, and the other classmates have been so genuinely interested and engaged as they listen. It has been so much more than a way to build confidence with speaking in front of a group; it has also helped support and foster the incredible classroom community we have as the children connect and learn more about one another.
Moments like these are a reminder that so much of what we do together goes beyond academics. It lives in the relationships we build and the experiences we share. Thank you for being such an important part of it.
Mrs. Sargeant: Chicks, Caterpillars, and the Cycle of Life
Having an incubator in the classroom has been such an exciting and meaningful experience—watching the chicks hatch has been amazing, and it’s taught the kids so much about patience, responsibility, and the cycle of life. There’s nothing quite like seeing that moment when a chick finally breaks through its shell. Soon they’ll be heading back to Palmieri Farm, where we originally got the eggs, which makes the whole experience feel full circle. As if that wasn’t enough, we’ve also just received caterpillars to observe, and everyone is really looking forward to watching them grow and transform next.
Invite your child to look for signs of life cycles in your own backyard or neighborhood. Watch for butterflies, caterpillars, birds building nests, or seeds sprouting. Ask your child to tell you what they know about how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly — you may be amazed at what they can explain!
Our practical life work this week centered on carrot peeling and chopping — a purposeful, hands-on activity that builds fine motor skills, focus, and independence while connecting children to real food preparation.
UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
This Week
- Monday, May 4 — Corbett Flowers, Food & Sharing Bag
- Tuesday, May 5 — Lacy Playground
Looking Ahead
- Monday, May 19 — Kindergarten Field Trip to Flanders
Mrs. Lopes: Chicks and Caterpillars
Last week brought one of the most anticipated moments of the school year — five baby chicks hatched in our classroom! For three weeks, the children had been following the development of the eggs day by day, and when the chicks finally emerged, the joy was unmistakable. This experience brought our unit on the life cycle of a chicken to a meaningful and memorable close, weaving together observation, patience, and a deep respect for the natural world.
As that chapter concluded, a new one began immediately. Five caterpillars arrived in our classroom this week, launching our next study: the life cycle of a butterfly. The children are already watching carefully, eager to witness the next great transformation.
Talk with your child about what they’ve learned about life cycles. Ask them to explain the stages of a chicken’s life or predict what will happen to the caterpillars. Look for signs of transformation in nature together — a cocoon on a branch, a seedling pushing through soil — and encourage your child to make observations the way a scientist would.
Ms. Mollie: Hello May!
Hello, May—you arrived so quickly.
It’s hard to believe how fast this school year is moving. The days feel full and rich, yet somehow they slip by in the most beautiful way. In our classroom, time is marked not by the clock, but by growth, tiny hands becoming more capable, friendships deepening, and curiosity blooming all around us.
This week has been especially special as we prepare for Grandparents Day. There is something so meaningful about bridging generations. Watching our toddlers share their space, their work, and their joy with the people who love them so deeply. These connections matter. They ground our children in a sense of belonging and remind us all how important it is to slow down and simply be together.
Adding to the excitement, our Primary Students have welcomed baby chicks! The children have been absolutely captivated. Observing these tiny, delicate creatures has sparked so many conversations about gentleness, care, and the wonder of new life. It’s hands-on, real learning at its best. Watching the children approach them with such tenderness is a reminder of how naturally empathy lives within them.
As we move through May, we’re soaking up every moment, more time outside, more exploration, more laughter. The rhythm of our days feels light and joyful, yet purposeful. Even as time seems to fly, we’re doing our best to stay present in it. Because these moments, the small, quiet, meaningful ones, are what truly matter.
🌱💛
With Full Hearts,
Ms. Mollie and Ms. Lizette
Ms. Handibode: Young Entomologists at Work
Last week, our classroom became a hub of scientific inquiry as the children dove into one of their favorite topics: entomology, the study of insects. We began by gathering everything the children already knew — and they had plenty to say. Insects are slimy, little, soft, hard, and sometimes gross. They can crawl, sting, bite, fly, walk upside down, and jump. From there, we built on that foundation, learning that insects lay eggs, have antennae, and share three main body parts: a head, thorax, and abdomen. They also have six legs, an exoskeleton, are cold-blooded, and many have wings.
One of the week’s highlights was discovering why a spider is not an insect — ask your child, they may just know the answer!
We were also delighted to welcome Veda’s mom as our guest reader, who shared the wonderful book The Rabbit Listened — a beautiful story that sparked warm conversation about empathy and community.
And then there were the chicks. Five baby chicks hatched in our classroom this week, and they have already been named: Rosie, Sunny, Biddy, Pumpkin, and Blueberry. The joy in the room when they arrived was truly something special.
Go on an insect hunt in your backyard or at a local park. Encourage your child to look closely at what they find and try to identify the three main body parts. Can they tell if it’s truly an insect — or something else? A magnifying glass makes this even more fun!
UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
This Week
- Monday, May 4 — Sharing Box and Flowers: Adeline G.
- Tuesday, May 5 — Playground Volunteer: Megan H.
- Wednesday, May 6 — Guest Reader: Casey W.
- Thursday, May 7 — Birthday Celebration: Adeline G.
Next Week
- Monday, May 11 — Sharing Box and Flowers: Mila M.
- Tuesday, May 12 — Playground Volunteer: Casey W.
- Wednesday, May 13 — Guest Reader: Nick L.
- Friday, May 15 — Birthday Celebration: Mila M.
This Week in Upper El
“We have come as far as we have because we are the cleverest creatures to have ever lived on Earth. But if we are to continue to exist, we will require more than intelligence. We will require wisdom.” -David Attenborough
We’ve had a busy two weeks in Upper El, preparing for end-of-the-year traditions and beginning to wrap up a year’s worth of lessons.
Writing lessons and work focused on expanding on a paragraph by adding detail, description, and interest, with the ultimate goal of making it more engaging and informative. Students also learned the importance of revising their writing before editing and to practice using transitions and varying sentence structure in their own writing. While completing their follow-up work in revising paragraphs, students used analytical and abstract thinking.
In fourth-grade grammar work, we worked with adverbs of time, place, and manner. Fifth graders learned that complements of specification are used to add clarity to a sentence by adding meaning to a noun. They worked with infinitives, prepositional, and participial phrases. Fifths also learned about the differences between phrases and clauses and practiced identifying each, as well as finding the predicate and subject in clauses.
In geometry work, fourth graders learned to find the area of parallelograms and acute triangles, and fifth graders began work on finding the area of a sector of a circle. Each of these lessons involved working with hands-on materials to determine the formula for finding the area before students practiced drawing figures and applying the formulas.
In biology, we wrapped up our vital functions lessons by examining the matrix of all six vital functions across 14 different phyla and classes of animals. The next few weeks will involve student research on the vital functions of a student-chosen animal, including a written report and an optional oral presentation to the class.
In our history lessons, we learned about Neanderthals, fossil humans who lived in Europe and Central/Northern Asia before and during the last ice age, between 400,000 and 40,000 years ago. We also learned about Homo sapiens, the only surviving species of the Homo genus, who, by about 30,000 years ago, had spread to nearly all parts of the world. We took a closer look at the Cro-Magnon people, whose fossils were the first of the early modern humans to be identified.
We wrapped up our week with a beautiful day spent with grandparents and special friends, followed by an amazing concert performed for our community. Bravo to all of the children for your hard work! I am in awe of you!
Upcoming Dates
- Thursday, May 7: Sandwich Making for St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen
- Wednesday, May 13: May and Summer Months Birthday Breakfast at 8:30
- Thursday, May 21: Wonka! Spring Musical for UE and MS at 7:00
- Monday, May 25: No School – Memorial Day
- Tuesday, May 26 – Thursday, May 28 – Nature’s Classroom Trip
- If you have not turned in your Nature’s Classroom forms, please do so this week.
Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update
The last two weeks have been busy, busy, busy in our classroom! The children have been exploring nature, celebrating special moments, and engaging in so many hands-on learning experiences.
We celebrated Earth Day by reading stories about our planet and talking about how to care for it. The children created different Earth-inspired crafts, using a variety of materials to represent the world in their own creative ways.
We’ve been learning how spring brings the Earth back to life with baby animals being born, insects emerging, and nature becoming more colorful. The children explored this through art, using stickers, paint, and tissue paper to create different creatures and spring scenes.
One very exciting highlight was visiting the Primary classroom’s baby chicks. We were able to watch them hatch and, once they were ready, gently touch and hold the chicks. This was such a special and memorable experience for everyone!
Food tasting has been a big hit! Last week, we tried asparagus, which was surprisingly loved by many of the children. This week, we explored blueberries, cutting them open to observe the difference between the inside and outside. The children practiced mindful tasting, eating them one at a time and noticing how some were sweet while others were a little sour.
A favorite moment was making fresh-squeezed lemonade. The children helped press and turn the lemons on the juicer and add sugar. Hearing their excited slurps and gulps as they tasted their hard work was so much fun!
We also celebrated a second birthday in our classroom! Our birthday friend took two trips around the sun and enjoyed blowing out candles with all of their classmates cheering them on.
We ended the week with Grandparents Day and invited special guests into our room to work with the children and explore their favorite things. They loved showing off everything they could do, and the Grandparents were filled with pride and love watching them. It was a very sweet event.
It has been a joyful couple of weeks filled with discovery, creativity, and celebration.