Dear Morse School Parents and Caregivers,
February has been a busy month at the Morse School! On this morning’s weekly Live Stream broadcast, we celebrated
Black History Month with contributions from many classrooms and grade levels. Our virtual assembly began with a rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing, performed by our school chorus, the Morse Morning Singers. Our first graders shared affirmations fashioned after the song “I Can'' by Hip Hop artist Nas. Our second graders shared “Museum Box'' presentations (like the one pictured here), which featured a range of African-American artists, scientists, authors, leaders, performers, activists, and athletes. Finally, our third graders shared and analyzed poems by Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou.
This month also included our first
Winter Concert since before the COVID pandemic and last Friday, over 100 Morse School students, parents, caregivers, and staff members joined us for our 3rd annual
Morse Family Paint Night. Led by Morse Art Teacher Aimee Kerr, children and adults worked together to create paintings based on the artwork of local artist
Bren Bataclan (who made a surprise Paint Night appearance!). Many thanks to all of the families who were able to join us for this special community event! (For more info and to see a Paint Night slideshow, please
click here).
This afternoon we also held our
1st Semester Awards Assembly for students in Grades 3-5. The ceremony allowed us to honor and celebrate students who have demonstrated overall excellence in core subjects such as Math and Reading and in special subjects like Art, Music, and Physical Education. Additional awards were given to students who have consistently demonstrated our core values and important qualities of studentship, such as having a growth mindset, persevering through challenging tasks, and learning from mistakes.
Looking ahead to March, we are excited to invite Morse School parents, caregivers, and students to participate in our
Family Gym & Game Night, which will take place on
Friday, March 3rd from 6-8 PM! Morse School students and their families are welcome to join in on small-sided soccer games, basketball, line dancing, a Just Dance competition, board games, and climbing and tumbling in our indoor playground. To ensure a safe and fun event for all, children must be supervised by their parents/caregivers at all times.
Our teachers have also been busy this month. Over the last two weeks, each of our grade-level teams have met for day-long data and planning retreats, working alongside our coaches and interventionists to review each student’s progress. Our teachers have also engaged in learning experiences of their own. On Monday, the members of our Equity Team facilitated small-group discussions around how to recognize and respond to microaggressions, bias, and stereotypes. This is part of a whole-staff professional learning experience that aligns with our ongoing efforts to make the Morse School a welcoming and inclusive space for all staff, students, and families.
As always, I am grateful for your partnership and support. I wish you and your children all the best for a restful and wonderful February vacation. We look forward to seeing you back on
Monday, February 27th!
Sincerely,
Principal Chad Leith