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Gardening for a Cause

On May 9, Grade 2 spent the morning in the school garden, where the students rotated through three hands-on learning activities. In one area, Upper School science teacher Liese Murphree helped the students harvest the lettuce, chard, and carrots that they had planted earlier in the year.

In another part of the garden, Grade 2 teacher Katie Schipper helped the students clean and prepare some fresh snacks for recess: green peppers, beets, strawberries, peas, broccoli, and more. There, they also learned about cilantro, fennel, and mint and how people incorporate these ingredients into healthy meals. Some of the students were introduced to foods they had never heard of or tasted. When Mrs. Schipper explained that fennel tastes similar to licorice, one student asked with excitement: "It tastes like red licorice?" Though disappointing to the children, she responded laughingly, "No, not the strawberry licorice."

At the third station, Upper School teacher Masha Serttunc volunteered to help. She showed the students how to examine food labels and led the children in an art activity about making healthy food choices. At the picnic table, she talked with them about the main food groups — vegetables, fruits, protein, grains, and dairy — had them draw a balanced meal on paper plates. The key takeaway was that the largest portion on their plates should be vegetables.

After all the gardening fun, the students and teachers gathered the harvest into baskets to give to charity. Later that day, Mrs. Schipper donated the lettuce, chard, and carrots to Dorothy's Kitchen and the carrot tops to the SPCA for Monterey County. Not only did the second-graders learn about how food grows and what makes a healthy meal, but they also took part in sharing this gift of health with others in the community.
Grade 4 Pioneers A New School Tradition

On March 26, metal lunch pails, bandannas, and stacks of schoolbooks lined the hallway outside the grade 4 classroom, and across the way stood a cardboard outhouse complete with moon and starburst cutouts. To a casual observer, it might have appeared as a scene from a Little House on the Prairie remake.

These turn-of-the-century accessories weren't just for fun and games, though the children definitely enjoyed them. They were a part of Santa Catalina's first Little Red Schoolhouse Day, which brought history to life for the fourth-graders.

"The idea for Little Red Schoolhouse Day came when I was searching for ways to showcase the fourth grade and the great things we do with our students," teacher Michele Morton said. "Every year, we visit La Gloria School, a one-room schoolhouse in King City, to get a feel for how school was conducted in the pioneer days. It is a way to help a 10-year-old understand history better."

Little Red Schoolhouse Day tied in with the class' yearlong study of California history, and by the time the students celebrated the event, they had already learned about the explorers and settlers who came to California during the Gold Rush.

In class that day, the students experienced different social norms and school rules that would have been popular at the time. The girls sat on one side of the room and the boys on the other. Mrs. Morton called on them individually to stand and read aloud from two different levels of McGuffey's Eclectic Readers from the 1830s. While reading from the old textbooks, the students came across words such as "menagerie" that now might seem outdated or flowery.

In addition to the reading activity, the children did some math exercises that were typical of a one-room schoolhouse, where a teacher would often instruct students in various grade levels. Our fourth-graders went through a series of math problems on the "chalkboard" that could have been used by a first- or second-grader to add and subtract, a third-grader to multiply, and a fourth-grader to divide.

For lunch, the students carried their pails of food to the lunch tables and enjoyed a picnic outside. During recess, they embraced old-fashioned games such as jacks, graces, hopscotch, and jackstraws.

One of the highlights of Little Red Schoolhouse Day was the afternoon square-dancing finale in the gym. For weeks leading up to the event, Director of Athletics Paul Elliott and Grade 4 Assistant Brenda Bhaskar taught the fourth-graders to square dance during some of their P.E. periods. The initial practices were shaky, but after a month or so, the fourth-graders had perfected their do-si-dos and promenades.

The fourth-graders enjoyed showing off their square-dancing skills.

After a day of "rote learning" and dancing, the students enjoyed cooling off at the "watering hole," a.k.a. the Catalina swimming pool. All in all, save major pioneer hardships, this new tradition brought history to life for our 21st-century natives.

"Little Red Schoolhouse Day is a prime example why Santa Catalina is so extraordinary," Bhaskar said. "We had two visitors walking through our classroom today, and I was so proud to be a part of a fourth grade that expands its curriculum to experience history and other subjects in such hands-on ways."

To view more photos from the event, view this Flickr set.

Mrs. Bhaskar helps with the new vocabulary that students came across in the McGuffey Readers.
Kindergartners 'Inch' Their Way to Understanding Worms
Since January, the kindergartners have been studying different animals: observing, comparing, and contrasting them. Teacher Marisa Tonini said one of the goals is to teach the students to respect all animals and to see the beauty in each of them.

In a lesson on March 19, the children studied earthworms firsthand as they dug for them in a classroom terrarium. Each kindergartner observed a worm in a container and watched its reaction as small amount of water was added. The students also watched the worms move along the tabletop and noted the different shapes they made as they inched forward, backward, and sideways. Last, the kids set objects in the worms' paths to see how they would react.

Throughout the activity, the students learned and put to use some new vocabulary: "behavior," "burrow," "react," "soil," and "structure." They also uncovered the following earthworm facts:
- In one acre of land, there can be more than a million earthworms.
- The largest earthworm ever found was in South Africa and measured 22 feet from its nose to the tip of its tail.
- A worm has no arms, legs, or eyes.
- Worms can eat their weight in food each day.
- Baby worms are not born; they hatch from cocoons smaller than a grain of rice.
Photos by Courtney Doust
Pajamas and Pageturners

Hot chocolate, sugar cookies, listening to a story while lounging in pajama pants and a sweatshirt. This is not just the stuff of daydreams; this cozy wintertime scenario takes place once a year in the Santa Catalina library.

Every January, the Lower School library staff organizes Pajama Story Night for students in PreK through grade 3. This popular event gives students and teachers alike the excuse to wear their favorite PJs to school and enjoy an evening of storybooks. The students sat crosslegged on the bright blue carpet — many with with stuffed animals and blankets in tow — while listening to favorites such as Miss Nelson is Missing!, Corduroy, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Skippyjon Jones, and Duck on a Bike.

"Since I am a Middle School teacher, Pajama Story Night was a great opportunity (for me) to interact with Lower School students," Jeremy Sandler said. "They were appreciative and enthusiastic about my reading of Corduroy. An especially rewarding moment was when a third-grader said, 'I love that book!' when I started the story."

Other faculty readers included Susan Dodd, Kim Hlasny, Lydia Mansour, Christy Pollacci, Kathy Sparolini, Anthony Schipper, and Marisa Tonini. Their storytelling skills were superb. In fact, they had the students so engaged that few noticed the crowd of parents snapping photos in the sidelines.

Stephanie DeYoung, Lower School librarian and organizer of the event, said Pajama Story Night has taken place for more than 15 years. With nearly 150 guests in attendance this year, there's no reason to think this tradition won't continue.
The Case of the Missing Gingerbread Man

The holidays are full of surprises — even one involving a gingerbread man running loose on campus. On Friday, November 30 during the Afternoon Enrichment program, the PreK class read the classic tale of "The Gingerbread Man" and became inspired to bake one. As the students mixed together the ingredients with Mrs. Dodd, Mrs. Mansour, and Mrs. Sparolini, the teachers reminded them to use quiet voices, so as not to awaken the gingerbread man's magic.

With whispering voices, the kids added the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, molasses, and other ingredients and then took turns rolling out the dough. Once they shaped and decorated their gingerbread man, the teachers popped him in the oven in the neighboring kindergarten classroom. Even though the children were quiet, the gingerbread man's magic came to life, and he escaped from the oven!

Determined to find their edible friend, the PreK students made and posted "Wanted" signs around campus. On Monday, December 3, Mrs. Luksik found crumbs by an open window in her office and said the gingerbread man was spotted wheeling around the construction site on Ms. Kautz's knee walker. The students continued to look everywhere.

Finally, after three days of searching, the kids found a note from him and a platter of mini-gingerbread cookies in the Sisters' dining room on Tuesday, December 4. Sister Claire had made a special deal with him. If she let him escape from being eaten on campus, he would leave some smaller "nonmagical" cookies for the students to enjoy. Needless to say, the kids were ecstatic!

To catch some holiday spirit, watch the students' reaction upon discovering the gingerbread man's note.
Skeletons Offer Bona Fide Lessons

The leaves are changing, and Halloween is approaching — what a perfect time to learn more about skulls and other bones. Recently, several Lower and Middle School classes incorporated skeletons into their lessons.

On October 18, Dr. James Ushiba, father of Madi in Grade 1 and Mia in PreK, visited Grade 1 to discuss all topics relating to bones. A Salinas-based orthopedic surgeon, he talked to the students about different types of casts and even put a cast on Mrs. Pratt. He also brought in sample knee and hip replacements and passed them around for students to touch and feel. He ended his presentation by answering student questions. Thank you, Dr. Ushiba!

The week of October 15, Sr. Cornejo's seventh-grade Spanish students made and decorated Mexican sugar skulls as a part of their study of "El Día del Los Muertos," or Day of the Dead. Before the holiday, which is celebrated on November 1, the students will use the skulls to create figurines and traditional "ofrendas," or altars. In Mexican culture, the holiday is a time for praying for and remembering friends and family members who have died. In their own take on the tradition, the students will give brief presentations in Spanish about famous Hispanics that have passed away.

Last but not least, Grade 3 recently combined art and math as they turned skeletons, zombies, witches, and other characters into math equation puppets. Needless to say, their solutions were quite spooky.
Honoring the Furry Friends in Our Midst

On October 4, the feast day of St. Francis, the students in grades 1 and 2 participated in a special on-campus pet blessing. The children — along with some of their parents who ferried the furry friends to school — gathered in the Memorial Garden, which aptly houses a statue of the honored saint.

"St. Francis was a true lover of all of God's creation, which is why he is known as the patron saint of animals and why we honor him by blessing the pets in our community," said Ibi Janko Murphy '83, Lower School religion teacher. "He is also known for his great gift of compassion and his calling as a true peacemaker."

During the ceremony, the students shared some of what they have learned about St. Francis through short vignettes that they narrated and acted out. They also said a prayer for the group. Father Philip Garcia, a Franciscan priest from San Miguel, gave a homily, and he and Head of School Sister Claire sprinkled holy water onto an array of creatures: cats, dogs, birds, bunnies, a fish, a lizard, and even a sea cucumber.
At the Barre with Dance Teacher Jill Feingold

Updated September 19, 2012

Santa Catalina now offers an enhanced, on-campus dance program in the Lower and Upper Schools with plans to extend offerings in the coming years. Leading the charge is Jill Feingold, who teaches creative movement to the PreK and kindergarten classes and ballet, jazz, musical theater tap, and contemporary dance to grades 9 through 12.

Feingold began dancing at age 14 and went on to complete a B.F.A. in dance from the Boston Conservatory. With 25 years of arts education experience, she taught at Frankfort Square Park District and Joffrey Ballet Academy of Dance in Chicago, was the principal of education and outreach for Boston Ballet, and served as director of artistic operations for dance at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Mass.

"I taught (dance) all through my years at college to help pay my way through school," Feingold said.

She said the best ballet performance she ever saw was The Kirov Ballet's "Firebird," and her favorite choreographer is the late Jerome Robbins of West Side Story fame.

Kindergartners enjoy their afternoon creative movement class with Jill Feingold.

With the younger students, she focuses on creative movement and ballet-based arm and foot positions. In a recent kindergarten class, Feingold had the children gather in the center and move as plants growing in the sun. She also teaches them basic ballet vocabulary and uses props such as Hula–Hoops and “magic scarves,” pieces of material that the students wave in the air as they dance.

“During these sorts of activities, they don’t realize they’re dancing and learning,” Feingold said.

In the Upper School, she teaches two levels of ballet and jazz: I/II for beginning to intermediate dancers and III/IV for intermediate to advanced. Ballet and jazz classes meet for an hour twice a week. Musical theater tap and contemporary dance classes are geared toward beginning-intermediate students and meet for an hour once a week.

Upper School students in the Ballet III/IV class strike a pose.

In order for students to receive P.E. credit for dance, they must take three hours of dance per week and may take up to five classes a week. All classes meet after school in the dance studio.

Being that this is her first year at Catalina, the scheduling didn’t work for her to teach all grade levels, but she hopes to expand the dance offerings throughout the Lower and Middle Schools and collaborate with the theatre arts department in the future.

For details about the offerings, visit the dance program webpage.
New Faculty and Staff in the Lower and Middle Schools

As we begin the 2012–2013 school year, we'd like to introduce our new faculty and staff members. Each comes to us with excellent credentials and great enthusiasm for the school's mission. If you see them on campus, please give them a warm Catalina welcome.

Francisco Cornejo will teach Spanish to grades 4–8. He holds a B.A. in Spanish and education from University of California, Davis and an M.A. in curriculum and instruction with a TESOL concentration from University of the Pacific. Francisco taught at the T.A.L.K. (Teach Another Language to Kids) Program in Davis and as a bilingual instructor for adults in Lodi.

Annette Leach Alcocer '75 (not pictured) is the Bookstore Manager. She has a B.S. in business administration from the University of Southern California.

Anthony Schipper joins us as Middle School Dean and will teach history in grade 6. He holds a B.A. in history and communications from Santa Clara University and a single-subject credential in social studies from Chapman University. Most recently, Anthony was chairman of the social studies department at Palma School.

Patricia Orquisa, Upper School Spanish teacher, will teach one section of eighth-grade Spanish during the fall semester while Maria Canteli is on maternity leave. She has a degree in environmental management and planning from the Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes in São Paulo, Brazil. She has taught Portuguese and Spanish as a private tutor in Brazil and Monterey and has taught Spanish and English to Brazilian students.

Jeremy Sandler will teach English in grades 6 and 7. He has a B.S. and a single-subject teaching credential from Vanderbilt University. Most recently, Jeremy taught seventh- and eighth-grade language arts at the Windward School in New York.

Marisa Tonini joins Heather Medina as a kindergarten teacher. She holds a B.A. in liberal studies and a multiple-subject credential from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Most recently, Marisa taught both second and third grades at Olson Elementary in Marina.

Sarah Paff will teach English in grade 8. She has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in English and American literature from Stanford University. Sarah taught Upper School English at Stevenson School for 10 years before starting a family and most recently served as an interim English teacher at York School.

Debbie Basham, our new Registrar and Assistant Director of Admission, holds a B.S. in human development from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and an M.A. in educational administration from Chapman University.
Santa Catalina Alumnus Earns High Military Honors

Updated July 16, 2012

On May 13, 2012, Alexander Nikssarian ’02 LS was awarded three prestigious military honors: the Bronze Star Medal, the NATO Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

The Bronze Star Medal was established in 1944 and may be awarded to individuals in the U.S. Armed Forces who distinguish themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement or service in connection with ground military operations against an armed enemy. As of June 26, 2012, the Army had awarded 48,246 Bronze Medals for sevice and achievements for Operation Enduring Freedom, according to the Army HRC website.

Alexander Nikssarian received the Bronze Star Medal on May 13, 2012. Photo: U.S. Army Specialist Robert J. Holland

The NATO Medal is awarded by the NATO Secretary-General to military and civilian members of the Armed Forces who participate in designated NATO operations, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal was authorized in 2004 for members of the military who have served in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom and meet certain criteria.

In 2010, Nikssarian graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a double major in economics and Russian language. Since then, he has served a yearlong tour in Afghanistan and completed the Infantry Basic Officer Leader’s Course and Air Assault, Ranger, and Airborne Schools. A first lieutenant in the Army, he is currently stationed in Grafenwoehr, Germany, where he leads the 2nd Platoon “Roughnecks,” ABLE Company, 3-66 Armor, Task Force 1-2 Infantry, 172nd Infantry Brigade.

"The nine months I served as an Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader in combat with my 21 'Roughnecks' was the most rewarding experience of my life," Nikssarian said. "The lessons I learned about leadership and the wisdom that was imparted to me by my noncommissioned officers, the friends I made and depth of camaraderie we shared, and the personal growth I experienced have profoundly impacted me. My platoon truly became a 'Band of Brothers' and family, and I was extremely proud, honored, and most of all humbled, to lead them.”

1st Lt. Alexander Nikssarian completed a yearlong deployment in Afghanistan on June 14, 2012. Photo: U.S. Army Specialist Robert J. Holland

Alexander’s connection to Santa Catalina is multifaceted. He and his younger brothers, Isaac and Benjamin, graduated from the Lower School in 2002, 2006, and 2012, respectively. His mother, Mary, has been actively involved in the Santa Catalina Parent Association for 19 years and will serve as the SCPA’s president for the 2012–2013 school year.

The Nikssarian brothers: Benjamin, Alexander, and Isaac. Photo: Flossie Stowell
Grades 2 and 6 Skype with Living Water International

A group of Lower School students recently connected with Uganda by way of New Jersey — and what started as a month-long change drive might turn into an ongoing partnership between Santa Catalina and Living Water International (LWI).

On June 6, the second-graders and several sixth-graders came together for a special Skype session with Matthew Pearson, a research and evaluation specialist for LWI. Currently living in Princeton, N.J., he took the job with the Houston-based organization in April, after working as an economic consultant for several years.

Pearson, who holds a doctorate in economics from University of California at Davis, puts his expertise into practice by measuring the effectiveness of LWI's work. He is tasked with gathering data about the people and environs that the organization serves and with helping determine the impact of current and future projects.

After Pearson's introduction, the students told him how they had collected change in classroom water bins throughout May and raised about $1,500 for a Living Water well-drilling project. A few of the boys shared the story of their break dancing at this year's Carnival — an activity that encouraged several triple-digit donations.

"The organization's website just really spoke to us — the videos were incredible and moving — and with it being faith-based, we thought, 'This is it,'" said Ibi Janko Murphy '83, religion teacher for grades 1 and 2, on why the school chose to support LWI.

Pearson also took questions from the students about his recent trip to southwestern Uganda, where he visited schools and other areas that benefit from LWI projects. The questions ranged from casual and fun to quite profound. A sixth-grader asked if the students in Uganda wore uniforms, and a second-grader asked if he thought all of Africa would have clean water someday.

Since the Skype session, Murphy and Pearson have corresponded on ways to continue the partnership in future years. John Nadolski, director of the southwest region for LWI, is based in Sunnyvale and will be our point person going forward.

"(Matthew) bragged about your wonderful hospitality, making him feel welcome and invited as you shared the Skype phone call," Nadolaki said in an email. "Please pass along my sincere thanks to the students, staff, and families at Santa Catalina School."

Click here to watch a video of Pearson describing his impressions of Ntungamo, Uganda.
Apple Store Helps Grade 4 Create California Missions iBooks

Santa Catalina's Lower School is the first school on the Monterey Peninsula to be hosted by the Apple Store to utilize the iBooks Author app for its reports on the California Missions. All California fourth-graders are required to study the California Missions as part of the state history curriculum.

Each year, Catalina fourth-graders do a combination project that involves a written report, an oral presentation, and a visual piece on a mission of his/her choice. The visual pieces in the past have ranged from missions built of Legos, stained glass, cake, and a traditional model of styrofoam.

On May 7, with the help from employees at the Apple Store in the Del Monte Center, our fourth-graders took their project a step further by creating multi-touch iBooks using the iBooks Author App. The app allows students to become more engaged in the project and deliver their visual piece in a format that is exciting for them to learn and technologically current.

Photo by Joan Yu
An 'Enchanted' PreK-Kindergarten Annual Dinner

Earlier this month, our youngest students gathered in the Upper School dining hall for the Annual PreK-Kindergarten Dinner. Affectionately known as "Daddy Dinner," this event gives the little ones time to celebrate what they've been doing at school with their fathers or other special friends.

This year's theme was Enchanted Forest, and a dedicated parent committee transformed the dining room into a woodland wonderland — complete with a plush green entrance, magical tablescapes, and whimsical decorations around the room. The dads and other honored guests had steak and shrimp kabobs, the students dined on chicken, and everyone was offered strawberry parfait for dessert. Catered by Bon Appétit, the meal only added to the evening's already-celebratory atmosphere.

After dinner, the dads and special friends helped the children warm up their voices by singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" together. The children were then ready to take their places on the steps of the stage to sing for their guests.

"As always, their performance was the highlight of the evening," PreK teacher Lydia Mansour said.

As tradition goes, the students closed with a medley of songs. This year's performance included "Be Our Guest" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, "Puff the Magic Dragon," and "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" and incorporated annual favorites "The Daddy Cheer" and "Hey, Look Us Over."

Photos: Photography by Yu
Two Middle School Students Win National Scholastic Art Awards

Congratulations to seventh-grader Rennie Lembo and eighth-grader Benjamin Nikssarian for winning national Silver Medals from the 2012 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Both won for submissions in the film and animation category and will be honored at New York City's Carnegie Hall on June 1. They are are two of only 133 students from the western region to have received national honors.

The Scholastic Awards program has an impressive legacy dating back to 1923 and a noteworthy roster of past winners including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, and Robert Redford. Students in grades 7 through 12 can apply in 28 art and writing categories for the chance to earn scholarships and have their works exhibited. To date, the program has made available more than $25 million in awards and scholarships and is the longest-running recognition U.S. program for creative teens.

In the regional Scholastic competition, the Santa Catalina had 20 middle school winners with 28 recognized works. Five students won Gold Keys, nine won Silver Keys, and 10 received Honorable Mentions.

Gold Key Winners
Rennie Lembo, Film and Animation
Ben Nikssarian, Film and Animation
Courtnie Breitfuss, Digital Art
Jordan Crisp, Digital Art
Sierra Papazian, Game Design

Silver Key Winners
Veronica Zelles, Film and Animation
Jordan Crisp, Digital Art
Annie Goldsmith, Digital Art
Anna Hunt, Digital Art
Gianna Nale, Digital Art
Graison Sitenga, Digital Art
Veronica Zelles, Digital Art
Haley Hougardy, Photography
Dalan Laughlin, Photography

Honorable Mentions
Zain La Chance, Film and Animation
Grace Russell, Film and Animation
Quinn Bernal, Digital Art (2)
Blythe Bonan, Digital Art
Nicholas Kimes, Digital Art
Tristin Rammel, Digital Art (2)
Hannah Ray, Digital Art (2)
Veronica Zelles, Digital Art (2)
Courtnie Breitfuss, Photography
Marie Ramirez, Photography
Los Angeles Screenwriter Visits Grade 8

On Thursday, March 15, Mr. Doherty's eighth-grade English classes hosted Los Angeles screenwriter Stephen Ladd. He showed clips from Pixar movies such as WALL-E and Toy Story 3 to demonstrate the elements of a good story.

He discussed the importance of theme, scene setup, aesthetics, and "little human touches" that create an emotional connection between viewers and characters. After showing the students a clip of WALL-E's interaction with EVE, he explained to the students the idea of catalyst heroes, characters who change the people around them without changing much themselves. Ladd used the example of WALL-E as this type of hero.

He also showed the incinerator scene from Toy Story 3 and asked the students what made it so powerful. He and the students agreed that the characters seemed to accept their fate but not without acknowledging an emotional connection to their neighbors.

"Pixar doesn't pull any punches," Ladd said. "They let things get down to the wire."

Luckily, the toys are spared, but it's the acceptance of their fate that makes the survival so meaningful. The friendships built between the characters along the way helps to set up this nerve-racking scene and makes it even more powerful.

Currently, Ladd is working on a film based on Old Testament Nephilim for the Syfy network.

Ladd talked about how Toy Story 3 incorporates the human struggle with growing up and of saying goodbye.
Calling All Doodlers

Last year, our Lower School students submitted artwork to the Google Doodle competition, which is currently in its fourth year. This year, librarian Stephanie DeYoung is organizing the school's submissions, and she is accepting artwork through Thursday, March 15. At that time, she will mail the submissions to Google in time for the overall March 23 deadline.

The competition is open to all k-12 students in U.S. schools, and this year's this year's theme is "If I could travel in time, I'd visit...."

Students, as you think about what you might create, enjoy these submissions from last year. Happy doodling!

Artwork by Hannah Ray

Artwork by Annabel Stork

Artwork by Rennie Lembo

Artwork by Fionnuala Ghinn
Jump Rope for Heart
Apropos of Valentine's, students in PreK through grade 8 participated in Jump Rope for Heart today. Under gorgeous blue skies and with dance music playing, the Lower School students skipped rope in their Compass groups for almost an hour.

Some did double Dutch, others did individual jumping, and several did a little of both. Jumping rope requires coordination and stamina, and so does operating the double Dutch ropes! It's almost like juggling — one slight move and you're sunk. Fortunately, several teachers and students were pros at keeping the dueling ropes going.

Before the event came to a close, the groups converged on the field while a few third-graders reported some interesting facts that their class had calculated. In the past 12 years of participating in Jump Rope for Heart, Santa Catalina Lower School has:
- Traveled 1,704 miles, which equals the distance from the school to Disneyland five times over.
- Skipped 83,334 feet high, or three times the height of Mount Everest.
- Raised more than $25,000 for the American Heart Association.
- Donated 1,800 jump ropes to schools in our area.
Kudos to Jeff Hrepich and Paul Elliott in the Athletics Department for organizing Jump Rope for Heart every year!

To see more photos from this heart-pumping event, check out our Flickr album.
Grade 2 Takes a Firsthand Look News and Weather

As part of a study on weather, our budding meteorologists in Grade 2 have been tracking daily temperatures and recording rainfall levels on campus. To supplement their study, the second-graders visited KSBW-TV in Salinas on February 1 and took a firsthand look at what a real-life meteorologist does.

They watched Lee Solomon deliver a live weather report and asked him questions about his job. He discussed forecast planning and explained how he comes up with weather reports and creates the on-screen graphics. The students loved seeing the controls that change the weather slides during a report. Each student was given the opportunity to go in front of the green screen and give a brief weather report.

News director Lawton Dodd gave the class a tour of the station, including the control room, which was a big hit. In the reporting room, where the news anchors film the news and weather, they also met anchor Dale Julin, who answered their questions about news reporting.

Hands-on learning such as this enable the students to discover their own talents and interests. Who knows? Maybe one of the second-graders will choose a career in news or weather. If not, at least they can say they've tried.
Kindergartners Experience Aquatic Life in Action

Last week, our kindergartners visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and it appears they were quite intrigued by the creatures they encountered. We're thankful to have such a fabulous hands-on learning facility in our midst.
Mini-City Project Develops Grade 5 Business Savvy

On January 26, Grade 5 was open for business in the Lower School. The classroom was transformed into a shopping area, where the students had a hand at being business owners for the day. Some of the students worked the booths, and others served as tour guides who helped shoppers find their way around Mini-City. The fifth-graders offered an array of creative goods and services to customers in PreK through Grade 8.

For those feeling sluggish, there was hot cocoa for sale. For others in search of Valentine’s Day gifts, there were heart-themed hair accessories and hats available. Other businesses included several bakeries, a used-book store, a jewelry booth, a coffeehouse complete with live music, and much more.

“I’m all out of money,” said second-grader Jenna Tarallo after buying a book, a bracelet and some hot chocolate. She said she received her spending allowance from her mother, and when asked if she bought anything for Mom, she cleverly replied, “Oh, I’ll read my book with her, and I’ll share my bracelet.” Good answer, Jenna.

Connor Jacobs, the featured guitarist at the Mini-City coffeehouse, graciously took requests including songs from The Beatles, Green Day, and Ray Charles. He also sold copies of his CD, which includes cover songs he recorded on Windows Movie Maker.

Emma Leaney, owner of Daisy Cakes, said her Cougar Cupcake was the most popular menu item. That didn’t come as a surprise when she mentioned using New York City’s Magnolia Bakery recipe for the cupcake’s buttercream icing.

The Mini-City goods and services ranged in price from $0.50 to $20, and all proceeds from the event will go toward the Grade 5 overnight trip to Riley’s Farm in Oak Glen, California.

“Since the beginning of the school year, the students have been designing business plans,” said Grade 5 teacher Gina Edwards. “First, they identified their customers and what products or services they would provide.”

Edwards’ students also wrote mission statements and evaluated what personal experience, skills, and strengths were required to bring about their new ventures. They also went through the pricing and advertising process.

“Ultimately, the fifth-grade Mini-City Project was a fun way to actively and creatively engage the children in the process of raising funds for their upcoming field trip,” Edwards said.

In fewer than five hours, the class raised more than $3,000.