Wishing our friends and families who are celebrating Kwanzaa, "Heri za Kwanzaa," a happy Kwanzaa!
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Joyous Christmas Wishes
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Looking for a special gift for your child this season?
Extended Day Enrichment Courses
Winter and Spring 2015
Abington Friends Extended Day program is proud to announce that we have 9 enrichment courses being offered for the upcoming winter and spring sessions. There are some wonderful choices that are sure to spark the engagement and interests of our youngest 3 year olds through our 6th grade students. Extended Day brochures and registration forms will be available this coming Friday at our
Winter Program celebration. Brochures and forms will also be sent home with children at the end of this week. Please contact our Extended Day Coordinators should you have questions about any of these course offerings.
Christina Wagner
3’s, 4’s and Kindergarten
Extended Day Coordinator
267-784-4083
Beverly Weems
Lower and Middle School
Extended Day Coordinator
215-837-9053
HOP, SKIP, and JUMP:
Creative Movement and Dance!
Grades: Early Childhood and Kindergarten
Winter: Thursdays, January 13 – March 6
Maximum: 10 students
Creative movement is
an art for whose medium is the human body in motion. In this class, children will learn to recognize their own
individuality and body mobility through imitation and imagery. We use fun, upbeat music to learn basic
skills like hopping, skipping, jumping, galloping, and balance coordination.
Students will also engage in dramatic music movement and learn introductory
ballet steps. These include plies,
tendu, releve, arabesque, the five positions of the feet, and other
introductory dance steps. We use
some props including dancing with scarves, spots on the floor to keep their
places, and allow a short time for “free dance” where the little munchkins have
the freedom to express themselves with their bodies.
Instructor:
Jasmine Zowniriw, Lower School Faculty
Fee: $140 – 8 Sessions
~
The Voice In Me!
Grades: 2, 3, and 4
Winter: Mondays, January 12 – March 16*
Maximum: 10 students
This class
will encourage students to discover and further develop their singing voices. We will be learning the basic
principles of the voice including: breathing, posture, voice placement,
projection and performance through warm-ups, exercises, musical games and
songs. ‘Musicals’ will be the main
genre of focus and will include some staging and choreography. Students will be
encouraged to explore different ways to convey their character to an audience
through singing. Everyone will be given the opportunity to work on solo and
group repertoire. During our last
session we invite all families to attend our class where the students will have
the opportunity to share their voices through performances covering what they
have learned.
For
information about private voice lesson please contact Aedín directly at alarkin@abingtonfriends.net or visit her website www.alarkinsoprano.com.
Instructor: Aedín Larkin, Lower
School Faculty
Fee: $140 – 8 Sessions
*Note – AFS closed Monday,
January 19 & Monday, February 16
Introduction to Strings – Part II
Winter and Spring:
Tuesdays, beginning January 13, Grades K
and 1
Thursdays, beginning January 15, Grades 2
and 3
Subject: Strings (violin,
viola, cello, bass)
Minimum Enrollment: 4 students
Description:
A
popular course returns and expands for Part II! The emphasis of Introduction to Strings will be the
execution of proper instrument technique (posture, bow holding, left hand
position), music reading, and rhythm.
This course is available for students to register for both Winter and
Spring sessions.
This
course also helps to serve as a connecting bridge to the Lower School 4th
grade string program. Among the
many benefits, learning how to play an instruments stimulates and activates
different parts of the brain, increases memory capacity, time management,
organizational skills, team work, coordination, mathematical abilities, reading
and comprehension skills, focusing, cultural exposure, expression and
more!
Instructor: Franklin Niño, AFS MS Strings Faculty
Fee:
$140 – 8 Sessions or $280 for 16 sessions
Please
Note: There will be an additional
cost of renting a string instrument in order to participate in this course. You may contact Franklin at fnino@abingtonfriends.net with any questions.
~
POPPS:
Photographic Origami Portrait
Platonic Solids
Grades: 3 and 4, Minimum
Enrollment: 5 students
Winter: Wednesdays, January 14 – March 4
This self-reflective project will
involve digital photography, geometry, language arts, and Japanese origami. Students will incorporate digital
photography that will then be printed out and used as the surface texture of
origami platonic solids. Students
will either create and/or search for photos that express 6-word stories, poems
or memoirs.
Instructor: Damian Falana
Fee: $140 – 8 Sessions
~
Arts & Crafts with Betsy
Grades: 1-6
Winter: Thursdays, January 15 –-
March 5
Come use your
creativity and explore a variety of techniques,
such as painting,
drawing, collage and more! This
course is sure to be a delight for both lower and middle school students.
Instructor: Betsy Townsend, Lower
School Faculty
Fee: $140 – 8 Sessions
~
Techniques of Problem Solving:
Developing Leadership
Grades: 3 – 6
Winter: Mondays, January 12 – March 16*
Maximum: 16 students
In this class, students will enjoy learning fun
techniques to problem solve using puzzles, dilemmas, building challenges, such
as straw rockets and riddles.
Although the goal is to solve the situation, we would reflect during and
afterward about the how and why of the process...who lead, who followed, who
listened, who took over, what would have been better, etc. as well as the role
of being a problem solver in everyday situations.
Instructor: Carol Palmer, AFS
Teacher
Fee: $140 – 8 sessions
*Note – AFS closed Monday,
January 19 & Monday, February 16
Clay Treasures - Fun With Jillian
Grades: Age 6 to Grade 4
Winter: Fridays, January 16 – March 27
Offered again after popular
interest, students will create "clay treasures" and new projects using basic
sculpture techniques, which include hand building, coil construction,
texture development, surface design and glazing. This enrichment course will provide an exciting learning experience
for young artists that will enhance their sensory development,
self-esteem, and self-expression. All
skill levels are welcome!
Instructor: Jillian Kesselman, Lower School Faculty Member
Fee: $140 plus a $10 material fee = $150 – 8
Sessions
Spring Soccer
Grades: K – 4th
Grade
Spring: Wednesdays, April
8 – May 27
In this program, children
will learn the basic rules and concepts of the game of soccer in a fun and
enthusiastic setting. Using theme based games, we will focus on the core skills
of the game. Coach Drew’s program will help children develop proper dribbling
and shooting techniques; practice sportsmanship; and hone in on children’s
ability to listen and follow directions. Children will improve their ball
handling skills, game awareness, speed and agility in a fun, yet challenging
environment.
Instructor: Drew Benfer
AFS Teacher, Soccer Coach
& Parent
Fee: $140 – 8 Sessions
~
“Little Chefs”
Grades: Early Childhood and Kindergarten
Spring: Tuesdays, April 7 – May 26
Maximum: 8 students
Tie on your
apron and get ready to transform into a little chef! Baking and creating
with numbers, colors, patterns and shapes, children will have the chance
to explore different simple baking techniques while using their creativity
along the way. Get ready for a fun, (a little bit messy),
hands-on and tasty adventure through food!
Instructor: Jaime Katz, Lower School Faculty
Fee: $140 plus a $10 material fee = $150 – 8
Sessions
Brownie Girl Scout Project Success!
A HUGE thank you to the Brownies (and parents) for helping with the gift donation for Dynasti O. at Delta Community Supports. The girls used chore contracts and identified approximately four to five things that they could do around the house to help out. For two weeks they worked with their families, doing their chores, and earning the money that they donated to purchase the gifts. The Brownies were so excited to help! Our little girl was eight years old, so they could really relate to the cause. With the money earned by our Brownies, we were able to purchase Dynasti a scooter, helmet and pads, which fulfilled her holiday wish list. The gifts were dropped off last week and will be handed out to the children in time for the holiday. Each of our Brownies made a card to go with the present, and they were received well. We are so proud of this group for all their effort and successfully completing their first Brownie Community Service Project!
Can You Imagine…?
…being
inspired by historical fiction?
That is exactly what happened to the
second graders as they listened to Spy in
the Sky, our most recent read aloud. Along
with learning about another place and time, the students imagined what it would
be like to be an apprentice to a balloonist spy during the Civil War. They have also been sharing their impressions of the characters and imagining how they would feel about the challenging situations in the historical fiction books they have been reading at home
and in book groups.
 |
| A few books from our historical fiction collection |
Their
enthusiasm is contagious, and some students have been planning what book they
want to choose for their next reading "Talk, Write, Draw" homework! We are also sharing our excitement with the whole Lower School via a display wall that chronicles our discoveries. Be sure
to stop by and see it!
 |
| Mapping the location |
 |
| Identifying the time period |
 |
| An example of the students' responses to Can you imagine...? |
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Lower School Home and School - It’s a wrap, 2014!
It’s been a busy fall and early winter for Home and School. We started the school year enjoying ice cream on the Nature
Playground, while greeting teachers, “old” friends, and welcoming new families
to our community.
In October, Kindergarten and 3rd grade students
participated in the scarecrow event. Twelve creative and unique scarecrows
adorned the campus for all to see at the Book Fair, open house, the creekside
planting, and, of course, Halloween. Students also collected and packaged 120 breakfast bags for
Aid for Friends.
It was great to
see families at Solebury Orchards on a day off from school. We enjoyed a wagon
ride, picked lots of delicious apples, and ate too many apple cider donuts!
Campus was busy Halloween day. Parents enjoyed hot coffee and sweets while excited students
paraded in costume in this AFS tradition.
Early Childhood and K students were treated to a special Harvest Fest
organized by clerks and room parents.
Delicious snacks, pumpkin bowling, leaf rubbings, pumpkin painting, and
more were enjoyed by all. Thanks to all who helped to make this a great event.
November brought the Fall Food Drive and MusicFest. Thanks
to all for helping to fill the shopping cart many times with food for the
Whosoever Gospel Mission. Families gathered to make cards, sort and graph food,
share a meal, and enjoy a
sing-a-long with Rich Nourie. It
was a heart-warming afternoon.
The Clerks planned a special and soothing faculty and
staff appreciation event Friday morning, offering chair massages to our cherished teachers and staff. A special thank you to Shana Washington,
mom of Gen and Bella, and her colleagues, for helping our teachers experience a
moment of calm in their day.
Our final 2014 Coffee and Conversation will be Friday, December
19th. Stop by the Admission’s Office after drop off to chat with adults before
the Winter Program.
Be sure to check the blog for Home and School events planned
for 2015.
On behalf of the grade level clerks, thank you for all that
you do to support AFS events and activities, both in and out of the classroom.
Warm wishes for a lovely holiday and peace in the New Year,
Betsy Madway
Lead Clerk, Lower School
Bird Beak Adaptations
Just how is a pipette or a pair of tweezers like a bird's beak? 2nd grade students found out in a hands-on activity exploring what types of tools work just like bird beaks to pick up or crack open food! What's the best tool to catch a marshmallow in the air? Could it be a spoon? A pair of tongs? Or perhaps a net works best? This activity is a very graphic way to explore just how bird beaks are uniquely adapted to the particular type of food that the bird eats.
Bird beaks come in all shapes and sizes!
Aly and Maura explore which tool can get floating Cheerios out of a tub of water. They discovered that a strainer worked quite well. Which bird has a beak like a strainer? A flamingo has a beak that acts as a strainer, scooping up tiny water plants and animals leaving the water behind.
Neil, Oliver and Brandon try to get rice grains out of crevasses in a rock that represents picking insects out of rotting logs. Tweezers work quite well for that job. Many small songbirds like warblers have beaks that work just like tweezers.
What about larger fish in water? Just how does a pelican get it's food? Gen and Miranda show how it's done with a slotted spoon.
Jason and Sophie try the different tools at this station as well.
Worms in the mud were represented by seeds in a bin of sand. It was hard to get the seeds out without picking up a lot of the sand! Needle-nosed pliers worked well for this job and are like the long, thin beak of the snipe. Maggie and Luc decided that the spoons don't work very well since the bird would definitely end up with a mouthful of mud!
Keiren and Hayden take a turn at trying the tools at this station.
Winter Program Rehearsals!
Last week began our Winter Program rehearsals for A Winter's Tale.
This is an exciting time when we come together and put the finishing touches on our program. On Monday, we moved our rehearsals to the stage in the Muller Auditorium.
Here is a sneak preview into some of the rehearsals:
 |
| 4th & 2nd Grade Rehearsal in the Music Room |
 |
| 1st Grade's first rehearsal in the Muller |
 |
| Early Childhood in the Muller |
.JPG) |
| 3rd Grade testing out the new space! |
Snuggle up and Read
Winter vacation is a wonderful time to sink into a book as
you snuggle with your child in front of a fire or on a comfortable couch. Snow, ice, wind and cold can actually be the invitation to stay inside and become lost in a great book. I am including links to a few book lists
that could help to guide your selection as you and your child pick out books at
your library or a bookstore.
Brain Pickings is a wonderful site that reviews children’s books. This is a link to their list of The Best Children’s Books of 2014. I love how the author Maria Popova includes pages from each of the book in her list. You can sign up on this site to receive weekly newsletters from them.
http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/11/18/best-childrens-books-2014
This next list is from the American Booksellers Association.
The titles are newly published books with a few of the books available in
January 2015. It is always nice to have titles to look forward to. The books
are listed under age groupings.
The American Library Association has a list titled 2014
Notable Children’s Books. These books are listed in age groupings. All of these
books are currently available in libraries.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb
Friday, December 12, 2014
Our 2014 NAIS People of Color Conference Experience
2014 NAIS People of Color Conference
Indianapolis, IN
This year's PoCC conference brought together over 3000 students and faculty from schools across the country. 1620 of the attendees were students engaging in the S.D.L.C., Student Diversity Leadership Conference. Attending from our AFS Faculty were Toni Williamson, Alicia Fernández, and Jason Novak. AFS student leaders included Alicia Valle, Austin Levin, Ayannah Woods, Bridget Warleá, Dreyton Lomax, Erica Groomes, and Morgan Burrell.
At AFS, preparing and excited for our trip!
Our final moments at PoCC with Rodney Glasgow.
An evening of connection with our very own Crissy Cáceres.
Alicia and Jason spent their days attending various workshops focused on race, inclusion, cultural competency, identity development and the intersection of identities, and maintaining equitable classroom environments. In addition to the workshops, many experts in their fields were highlighted as keynote speakers throughout the conference. The speakers included:
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson
"Race, Racism, and Race Relations in America"
Maysoon Zayid
"Growing Up Muslim in America"
Dr. Derald Wing Sue
"Microaggressions"
Jose Antonio Vargas
"My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant"
Dr. Sonia Nazario
"Immigration and Motivation"
Important aspects that Alicia and Jason upheld throughout the conference included leaning into discomfort, the expectation of non-closure, and accepting conflict as a catalyst for change. In order to engage with complete presence, both faculty worked consciously to suspend judgment of themselves and others. With a strong set of community norms established by the conference, Alicia and Jason were able to give of themselves emotionally, cognitively, affectively, spiritually, and cooperatively.
A highlight of the experience was attending the Affinity Group sessions presented at PoCC. These sessions were designed to help participants to engage in conversations that matter within a space defined and protected by and for those who share race and ethnicity in common. On Thursday and Friday of the conference, Alicia attended the Latino/Latina Affinity group with 200+ participants. She ended her Saturday experience with the opportunity to intersect her identities of
Latina and Lesbian at the LGBTQI session.
This year, Jason attended PoCC as both a participant and a facilitator. On Thursday and Friday, he facilitated the White Affinity group with 400+ participants. On Saturday he facilitated the LGBTQI session wtih 230+ students and faculty gathering to affirm their identities and understand their individual school experiences.
As you can imagine, the work of this conference is not something that can be summed up in one blog post. The experiences, learning, and insights formed are something that are carried by the individuals as a collective group. Alicia and Jason welcome conversations from both faculty and families regarding this important work. PoCC is part conference, revival, reunion, and safe space. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Alicia and Jason are both deeply grateful that the community of AFS supports our identities and the diversity of identities that exist within our culture and community.
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