I was trying to think of a theme that connects the many, many updates in this Newsletter. It was hard. The end-of-year sprint is a busy time, and I think a lot of us are not feeling at their best right now. And then an idea literally came and knocked on my door. The Kindergarteners arrived, full of good cheer, singing a “Happy May Day” song, and looped a home-made rainbow vase of lilacs on my doorknob. It’s now filling my office with the scent of spring. And the word so carefully inscribed above the rainbow — “Beauty” — seems as good as any to animate this Newsletter. It’s easy this time of year to get lost in the countless loose ends that demand our attention, to feel a little impatient or irritable or frustrated. I’ve certainly had my moments where beauty seemed far away. So in the spirit of our students, who constantly teach me that there’s beauty I forget to see, Happy May Day to you. May beauty find its way to your door.
For a bonus beauty story, see the postscript at the end of this Newsletter.
The Beauty in Learning
This week has been full of adventures in learning. Our 1st graders went to the Nature Center at Jefferson County Park, and our 2nd graders had a special reading day for the stuffies. And if you’re a 2nd-grade parent, be sure to pick up this month’s copy of The Iowa Source, where their bird art is featured on page 10.
Our 4th graders learned about plant ecology at the Wetlands in Fairfield, and realized there’s no such thing as waterproof boots. They tromped through the marsh to discover crawdads and frogs in various stages of the life cycle, and only fell in a couple of times. :)
Meanwhile, our 5th and 6th-graders went to the Stanley Art Museum, the Antique Car Museum, and the Iowa Wetlands Walk. And as I write, our 7th graders are on a Field Trip to Burlington and Iowa City.
Accomplishments
Our spring athletes are in peak form, and the last two weeks saw a slate of games and successes. Our tennis team is now 5-2, and yesterday defeated Mt. Pleasant, who was 7-0 and beat us just two weeks ago. Team #1 Bowen reversed his fortunes and won a close match, while Pranit, Caelan, and Yangyi also won. Pranit and Yangyi were able to win their doubles match to secure the hard-fought victory, 5-4. You can read more on their recent matches here.
Our soccer team is now 6-2. Last Friday, they beat Fort Madison away for the first time in 10 years. Oliver was able to score both goals in a tight, 2-1 contest. Though they lost yesterday, the team is loaded with 9th and 10th graders, so the future is even brighter.
Finally, 7th grader Lilah excelled at the US Trampoline Association Iowa state championship last week, winning first place in both Trampoline and Double Mini. You can see a video of her trampoline routine here. She now advances to Nationals in June.
Congratulations to all of our athletes!