| I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
There are many benefits of hands-on learning: greater retention of subject material, enhanced creativity, and development of both critical thinking skills and a sense of achievement.
Here are a just few of many recent examples of how hands-on learning is alive and well in our St M classrooms: - As part of their review of the summer reading book "Fish in a Tree" (about a girl whose dyslexia and inability to read causes her to struggle to fit in), our sixth and seventh grade English students participated in a series of activities to explore what it would be like to live with disabilities. After reading texts as a dyslexic would see them, communicating without speaking or writing and performing tasks with a physical/motor or auditory processing impairment, our students followed up with a writing assignment capturing their learnings and reflecting on how people with disabilities can enrich our lives and add immensely to our world.
- As part of a challenging study of exponential functions and the role exponents play in solving real-world problems, our Middle School Pre-Algebra classes did a lively simulation on how an epidemic (like Ebola or the flu) might spread rapidly and how scientists use this data to predict how quickly a disease can spread.
- Mrs. Campbell's class is rolling up their sleeves and doing a science lab to demonstrate transpiration, the process by which plants give off water through their leaves.
- As part of their study of World Religions, Mr. Joshua and our fifth graders hosted their own Jewish Festival this week with traditional holy foods and songs.
Be sure to check out our St M Facebook and Twitter pages for additional photos and video of this week's learning adventures.
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Current Families: Time to Apply for Kindergarten!
Application time is NOW for the 2016 kindergarten class! Applications can be submitted online or by calling Betty Isaacs. We are excited about the interest we have received so far!
Our St M families are our best ambassadors! Please help us spread the word to your friends and neighbors that the St M Kindergarten Open Houses for Prospective Parents are scheduled for October 21 and October 22 at 9:30 am. Interested families can register here.
The Middle School Open House for Prospective Parents is scheduled for Sunday, November 15 at 2 p.m. Interested families can register here.
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Class Calendars Now Posted
Class calendars are posted on the website under Community/Class Calendars. Click here to view. These calendars are password protected. Please ask your room parents for the passcode if you have forgotten it.
Thank you to all of our St. M families for signing up to volunteer. St M is the special place it is because of the unwavering support of our families. Hearty thanks as well to Cindy Arnold for her herculean efforts in coordinating our transition to digital signup forms and to our Room Parents who embraced the new format and spearheaded classroom signup efforts. We are truly grateful for your help!
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Planning For High School: A Program for our Eighth Grade Families
St. Michael's cordially invites our Eighth Grade families to attend our High School Planning Program on Friday, October 16, from 1-2:30 p.m. to learn about options and the application process.The schedule for this program is as follows:
- 1:00 p.m. Parent education program (Allen Library)
- 1:55 p.m. 8th grade students join the discussion (Allen Library)
- 2:05 p.m. Open House for high schools (Great Hall)
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School Directories
The new School directories will be sent home with the youngest student in each family. Please be on the lookout early this week. Children with multiple households will receive two copies. Contact the office this week if you do not receive one.
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| Help Wanted The SMPA is looking for a pizza coordinator. Pizza Fridays are popular with our students and a great fundraiser for the SMPA. Dave Lundgren will work with the new coordinator through at least one cycle to ensure a smooth transition. The job requires some organization and paper work management three times a year, as well as coordinating with the volunteers. If you have questions or interest, please contact Dave Lundgren or Laura Stewart . A conversation is not a commitment!
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Middle School Boys Lacrosse ClinicThere will be a free MS Boys Lacrosse Clinic on Wednesday, September 23 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Singleton Campus for those who want to try the sport or improve present skills.
No need to sign up, just come! Please bring needed LAX equipment, to include mouth guard and stick. (Bring helmet and shoulder pads if you have them.) Contact Wally Kern with questions.
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St. Michael's SMPA Tennis Social!St. Michael's annual tennis social is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 7 from 9 a.m.-noon, with a rain date of Friday, October 9. This year's fundraiser is going to be bigger than ever! We have multiple tennis pros leading a fun rotating clinic of drills. A round robin, fabulous food, ice cold beverages and the chance to win over $500 worth of raffle prizes will follow. All tennis levels welcome! Even if you have never picked up a racket, come and spectate while getting to know some fellow Dragon parents. This great event will be held at the tennis courts directly across from St. Michael's Bon Air campus, at the Bon Air Community Association.
There's more! That evening, Cassie Omohundro has graciously offered up her shop, Sassy Bee from 6-8 p.m. It's called a "Sip & Shop." The entire St. Michael's community can enjoy light refreshments while they stock up on gifts as well as a huge selection of tennis and golf shoes and apparel. 15% of all sales of the night to go the school!!!
Watch for a flyer to come home with your child this week. Click here for a copy. Then, please send a check for $30, made payable to the "SMPA", to your child's homeroom teacher by Monday, October 5th. Any questions, feel free to email Lauren Golliday.
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| Baseball Anyone? Announcing Fall Ball!
We are excited to announce that St. Michael's will offer a fall baseball clinic beginning this Friday, September 25th from 3:30-5:15 p.m. We will meet at the Singleton Gym on the 25th. The following Fridays, October 2-30, will be on Trinity's softball field.
The clinic will be run by David Jennings, Jeff Carpenter and Michael Turner.
Who: 5th-8th graders
What: Fall baseball
When: Fridays from 3:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m., 9/25- 10/30
Where: 9/25 @ Singleton Field
10/2 (and following Fridays) - @ Trinity softball field
(please carpool from St M)
Equipment: glove, helmet, bat and any other baseball protection you wear.
Please contact Wally Kern with questions. Thanks!
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Vote for St. Michael's for "BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL" & "BEST SCHOOL FESTIVAL"!
Click here to cast your vote by Sept. 25 in Style Weekly's 2015 Annual Family Favorites poll. Please encourage your friends and family to vote for us as well.
We were thrilled to be voted Best Private School and Best School Festival (Magic Dragon Day) last year and would love to be chosen again! Thanks so much for your support!
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Carpool Tips
- As our Lower School neighbor, The Riverside School, also dismisses at 3 p.m., their carpool line backs up on McRae Road. Therefore, we suggest that our families take Buford Road to either Hazen Street or Rockaway (to Quaker Lane) for an easier afternoon pick-up.
- For the safety and supervision of our Lower School students, the yellow poles at the start of carpool line will not be removed until 7:55 a.m. Families using the Early Gym before-school care will need to park and walk children to the gym. Thank you for your understanding
- Thank you to our Middle School families for yielding to walking traffic at the new crosswalk.
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We've got SPIRIT, how about YOU? New Spiritwear Site!
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Need Care During an Emergency? We Can Help!
St.Michael's Church Extended Day Program WILL provide care for your child in an emergency, even if you are not currently registered! You will need to complete the necessary forms and pay for that day's care, as well as a reduced registration fee when picking up your child. Know that you have a safe, reliable option in an emergency. Take a moment and register with us today!
Also, our Extended Day program will be open on Wednesday, September 23 to accommodate the NOON Lower School closing that day.
To register, please contact Merry Norris, Program Director at 804-272-0992 x 106.
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Let's Be Friends!
Get connected to keep abreast of St M news, events, calendar changes and information. Current and past issues of "This Week at St. Michael's" are now archived on our website under "News and Events," as well as under "Community."
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| Dates to Remember... (Please check our improved online School Calendar for updates, events and weekly activities/sports schedules.)
Click here to download an updated Academic Calendar.
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| REMINDER: The LOWER SCHOOL dismisses at NOON this WEDNESDAY, 9/23.
Monday, 9/21:- LS Young Scientists visits 3rd Grade, 8:30-11 a.m.
- Middle School Fieldtrip to see Author Steve Sheinkin @ Collegiate, 9-11 a.m.
- Middle School SCA Campaign week, 9/21-9/25.
Tuesday, 9/22: - LS Chapel, 8:30 a.m.
- SMPA committee meeting, 1:45 p.m. in the SMPA room, Bon Air Campus
- MS Cross Country meet @ St. Christopher's (Roslyn), 4 p.m.
- MS Field Hockey @ home vs. Saint Gertrude's, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 9/23:- MS Boys Lacrosse Clinic, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Singleton Campus
Thursday, 9/24- MS Field Hockey @ Collegiate Goochland Field, 6 p.m.
- LS Family Math Night, 6:00-7:45 p.m. (Dundas Hatcher Hall)
Friday, 9/25:- LS 1st Grade Zoo Trip, 9:25 a.m.-12:30 p.m.;
Remember your child should bring a disposable drink and snack in brown bag with name on it, plus labeled car seat.
- Middle School Student Council Association Speeches, 1:05 p.m.
- Baseball Clinic (Gr 5-8), 3:30-5:15 p.m, Singleton Gym.
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Your Healthy Resource
Week 3: Healthy Lunch Tips
Get your children involved in planning lunches! If they help pick out the foods, they are more likely to eat what you are sending to School with them. Check out the following web sites for more information:
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