Merritt's campus is alive with song this April, as classes prepare for various performances coming in May- COURAGEOUSLY singing out and TOLERANTLY practicing over and over to make sure each note is pitch-perfect!
Our Kindergarten through Eighth grade students will be performing "Merritt On Broadway!", a collection of songs from various Broadway shows, including a medley of tunes from "The Music Man" presented by the Middle School. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, our K3 and K4 students will be starring on the big stage in shows of their own, entitled "Sing-A-Long Songs." For our very youngest performers, our K2 students are stepping into the spotlight for the very first time, and loving every minute of it. They will be performing "Favorite Songs from Favorite Stories", including Bingo, Baby Beluga, Shake your Sillies Out and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
The unseasonably warm weather has been enjoyed by all, and out brand new outdoor classroom, located in a clearing of the woods behind the school is getting plenty of use. Soon it will be time to plant the garden with all the flowers and vegetables to be enjoyed all summer long. Before we know it, the school year will begin to wrap up, but we still have lots more fun before we say "so long" for the summer....
Until next month...
With all the crazy weather we've been having this March, it's hard to tell what season it is, but the bright crocuses and daffodils poking up around campus are a sure sign that spring has sprung!
March at Merritt means special hallmarks for our students, incluing a St. Patrick's day visit from some playful Leprechauns. If we aren't careful, they'll work magic and mischief (and leave behind little green footprints) all over the windows, doors and floors of the classrooms and hallways. We know they don't mean any harm, so we are always quick to show our magical Irish friends FORGIVENESS for the mess they make!
Early in the month, Merritt celebrated "Dr. Seuss Day" on March 2nd- the 100th birthday of Dr. Seuss! The preschool students enjoyed reading Seuss favorites such as "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat", while parading around in handmade red and white hats. At snack time, they even got to see if they like to eat green eggs and ham, just like Sam I Am!
Our K-8th grade teachers and students dressed up as "Things" and spent the day rotating between fun stations like Gameville, Snackville and Musicville. In the afternoon, everyone brought pillows and cushions to the gym to read together with their teachers and friends. Watching some of the middle school students reading to their little project pals was the absolute picture of KINDNESS... just part of the Dr. Seuss legacy!
Another special day was our K2 Supermarket Dash, where our K2 classes got to shop til they dropped in a make-believe supermarket set up especially for them. Be sure to check out the pictures on the Photos and Videos tab!
So much fun during the month of March- Can't wait to tell you about all the fun "hopping" onto campus next month...
The month of February conjurs images of red roses and pink hearts in the minds of romantics, LOVE is in the air...and HONESTLY, at Merritt Academy we are no exception!
But Valentines Day isn't the only exciting thing happening during the month of February- our Kindergarten and First Grade students have been counting up to the 100th and 101st days of school, which happen to fall during first week of February. To celebrate, the students will be doing fun, math-related all day long. Our Middle School students are being given an opportunity participate in a new service-learning overnight trip to Morgantown, West Virginia (home of West Virginia University), where they will join with local middle school students in service projects at an Assisted Living Community and attend a special seminar hosted by the WVU students. We are very excited for this unique opportunity for our middle schoolers to broaden their horizons and serve the community. Later in the month, our Preschool K2s, K3s and K4s learned how to protect their smiles during Dental Health Awareness month, including a special visit from the dentist!
With all the fun packed into February, I'm so glad we have an EXTRA DAY on the calendar this year. Happy Leap Year, everyone!
Happy New Year from Merritt Academy! 2012 has gotten off to a stellar start, with lots of frosty winter fun for our preschoolers and engaging projects underway in our K-8th classrooms. After school, the Merritt Tigers boys' and girls' basketball seasons are underway, supported by the cheerleaders who take extra CARE when tumbling, jumping and performing their stunts before the crowd. Although snow has been light this winter, there has been no shortage of cold weather- an inspiration for the Winter Wonderland and Arctic Animals themes in our Infant through K3 classrooms. Our 1st, 4th, 6th and 8th grade students have been spending time in our Nation's Capital, with field trips to the Freer Gallery of Art, National Museum of the American Indian and the National Archives. We are so fortunate to have such ready access to these national treasures- but just wait untill you hear about the fun coming up in February...!
The holidays are a special time at Merritt Academy with lights and decorations creating a merry mood campus-wide!
One look at the preschool bulletin boards show the JOYFULNESS of our students (and the WISDOM of their very creative teachers!) In the classrooms, the preschool children are working diligently to make special gifts for their parents, while our K4-8th grade students have the opportunity to do a little christmas shopping at our PTO's annual Holiday House gift shop.
Out in the community, our Fourth Grade students spread some holiday cheer for the residents of Sunrise of Arlington by singing carols and passing out cocoa and candy canes, while the Student Council Association (SCA) sponsored the "Lamb Tree" to collect gifts and supplies to benefit the Lamb Center of Fairfax. The Lamb Center provides hot meals, showers, laundry and counseling services to homless adults, and the center's location just minutes from the school provides our older students the opportunity to hand-deliver the special gifts and supplies, which the center and its' guests so desperately need.
My personal Christmas wish is for everyone to have a happy holiday filled with family and fun. May 2012 bring prosperity and peace to you and your loved ones!
Until next "year"....
The leaves may be falling, but our students spirits are soaring now that November is here. Preparations for Thanksgiving are happening all over the preschool as students prepare for the annual Thanksgiving Feast and Dessert Feast in K3 and K4 respectively. Prior to tucking into the delicious food, they entertain the guests with songs of THANKFULNESS.
In the school, our first grade students enjoy Pickle Day and Stone Soup Day and Kindergarteners fill their horns of plenty on Cornucopia Day; while Second Grade gobbles up their Heritage Feast- all examples of the special Merritt Academy hallmarks that make learning come alive.
Our Middle School Handbell Ringers received news that they have been invited to perform downtown at the National Christmas Tree for the second year in a row. The RESPONSIBILITY of such an important performance means lots of practice to perfect old favorites and learn a few new songs. We are so proud of these gifted musicians, and look forward to cheering for them on December 20th at 7pm.
Until next month... stay warm!
With the first few weeks of school under our belts, October sees Merritt Academy students and teachers settling into routines and getting into the groove of the academic year. For our infants and toddlers, this means frequent walks and buggy rides around campus, trying all kinds of new activities like painting, sign language and sensory tables and enjoying the care and comfort of their dedicated teachers.
For the K2s and K3s, exploring letters of the week help them to expand their understanding of language, while show and share offers opportunities to confidently stand and present to their class. Many hallmarks like our Halloween round robin parties and the costume parade allow students to opportunity to practice SELF CONTROL and SHARING, which happen to be the focus values for the month.
Our 2nd through 8th grade students participated in IOWA testing during early October, which enables our teachers to gauge comprehension across subjects and give us a baseline from which to begin new instruction. Our 4th and 5th grade students celebrated Colonial Day by stepping back in time to live a day as 18th century colonial American children- writing with quills, dipping candles and dressing in the costume of the period.
With all of the activity on campus, it's no wonder that October flies by so quickly! Until next month....
As the weather turns cooler, the students and staff at Merritt Academy are sailing into autumn. While discussing the SEPTEMBER values of Respect and Attentiveness in their classrooms, students are practice respect and attentiveness around campus and with their families at home.
Pencils are sharpened and textbooks open to new chapters as our older students (2nd grade through 8th grade) begin to prepare for the early October IOWA testing, and all K-8 students enjoyed special Constitution Day activities, studying the preamble all the way through the Bill of Rights.
This Friday, September 23, our Kindergartners will dive into the legend of American folk hero Johnny Appleseed by donning cooking pots and parading around the campus, while our K4 students will be reading apple-themed stories and picking apples off our "apple trees" on the recreation field.
In our Infant and Toddler classes, children and teachers are getting to know all about one another, talking about ourselves, our families, and the adventure of going off to school. Some classes even got the special treat of getting to visit and tour a real school bus!
Our K2, K3 and K4 preschool students are searching high and low for adventures all over campus-discoving the new basketball hoops and cafe-style picnic tables on the playground, planting their pots of grass for their classrooms, caring for their classroom pet fish or hermit crab and finding other unique ways to "bring the outdoors indoors"- our theme for the year!
Watch out for spooky fun coming to campus, as October will soon be bringing treats for everyone!
During the month of AUGUST....our friends in Preschool are kickin' through the August sun, playing soccer in the Preschool World Cup and dancing to the Hip Hop stylings of Mr. Ricardo. Students practice good SPORTSMANSHIP, because whether win or lose- we all had a great time!
Summer Campers have been working their creative juices this month, performing Lip Synchs to hit music and "making it work" on the runway, creating fashions out of recycled materials for their counselors to model. Off campus, campers are blasting off to visit spaceships and the IMAX theater at the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum, and dodging their opposition during a few rounds of Laser Tag. Of course, there's always fun to be had closer to home with swimming in the pool, making arts and crafts and playing games in the gym.
While Summer Camp and Preschool are beginning to wind down for the summer, a new energy is slowly building on our campus- We are gaining momentum for an awesome start to the new school year, and we can't wait to share it with you and your family!
On-campus preparations for August 30th are in full swing! Our facilities team has been working seven days a week to paint rooms, clean floors, hang bulletin boards and move furniture to ensure everything will be fresh and clean for the new school year. In the classrooms, teachers have carefully selected room themes, and are gathering decorations for the annual transformation. It has taken a lot of COOPERATION to get everything done in such a short time, but when our teachers and staff work together, there's nothing we can't accomplish! U
ntil next time, friends....
Summer at Merritt is always busy, but this JULY has been especially packed with fun as preschoolers and campers alike celebrated America's birthday with a red, white, and blue parade, and campus-wide picnic.
In Preschool, our students continue their travels around the world, learning about the cultures, languages, art and geography of the countries they visit every week. Additionally, they have enjoyed special events like the Bob Brown Puppet Show, and International Food Crawl, and even a visit from some very special furry and feathery friends from the Squeals on Wheels petting zoo!
While learning about the values of CITIZENSHIP and LOYALTY this July, campers participated in a service project designed to provide comfort and aid to wounded soldiers. Supplies were collected for the Soldiers' Angels First Response Backpack project, which provides toiletries, warm clothes and a blanket to soldiers at military hospitals abroad. The students enjoyed collecting items and making cards to give back to these brave men and women.
Summer may be halfway finished, but the fun is still going strong! Stay tuned for next month as we start gearing up for another school year in August!
In the month of JUNE we focus on politeness and neatness as we wrap up the school year and transition into summer fun! We celebrate Graduation Day for our Preschool K4 and 8th grade students with ceremonies and special luncheons, and all students enjoy some wet and wild field day action.
In Preschool, our younger students (infants through age 5) will be "Travelling Around the World" this summer, visiting a new "country" each week to learn about the cultures of Taiwan, Somalia, India, France, Ireland Bolivia, the Bahamas and Russia. They will enjoy a summer kick-off Luau, and the beginning of the Splash and Sprinkle fun, which takes place every Tuesday throughout the summer.
Campers ages 6 through 14 will be doing a time-warp with summer with the Adventures in Time Travel at Merritt Academy Summer Camp 2011. Starting back in the prehistoric era, the first week of camp features Cavemen and Dinosaurs, along with field trips to the Natural History Museum in Washington, DC and an indoor rock-climbing excursion!
In the office we are already getting paperwork in order for this coming fall. We have extremely limited availability in select grades and age groups, so please contact me today if you are interested in joining our school for the 2011-2012 school year.
Until next month....