The Season for Giving

December 12, 2017

The Season for Giving

The Lower School has been awhirl with gift giving this season. We started with all-school projects like the canned food drive and mitten collection and then most of the grade levels had their own special projects during this time of year.



Kindergarten students exercised their new writing skills by sending letters to the servicemen and women overseas.  What could be more fun in a far away place away from home than receiving an individual letter in invented spelling from a five year old with a kind message!




First grade stayed closer to home and sent Angel Letters to their first grade friends.  The sentiments were very thoughtful and reflective of the individual students.  What gift could be better than knowing that someone else appreciates who you are!





Second grade has had a flurry of projects.  In November and December they decorated lunch bags for Meals on Wheels and stuffed socks with toiletries and goodies for homeless teenagers. 

The Christmas trees in their classrooms were hand decorated by the students and will be donated to two needy families.  Throughout the rest of the year classes will take turns visiting the Clermont Park Assisted Living Community once a month.  Our community is certainly brightened by second grade kindness!


Third Grade participates in the Jared Project.  Students pack up boxes full of games, toys and other exciting items for children of various ages who must spend the holidays in the hospital.  These gifts send messages of joy and add some happiness to what could otherwise be a "less than fun" experience.




Fifth Grade has been busy over several months with their readathon; collecting money from sponsors to go to books for 1st and 2nd grade students at Bishop Elementary.  With their efforts many of the Bishop students will be able to take home their own books to read over the holidays.  We certainly know how important it is to all students to be able to practice those early reading skills in order to be proficient readers!  I am sure that they appreciate all of our fifth graders for their gift of literacy.



Last, but not least, some of our fifth graders in the Changemakers Club have been collecting new socks and gently used shoes for the homeless.  In 2016 we gave over 300 shoes to Clothes to Kids, a local charity.  This year the goal is 400 or more.  They are collecting new socks for Sock It to 'Em, another local charity that supplies thousands of socks yearly to homeless children and adults.   Changemakers is also making what they call Gallons of Love.  These are handmade packages with a bottle of water, a food bar, hand warmers and a note.  They keep them in their cars and hand them out to people asking for help.  These are the projects Changemakers are involved in for the season, but they sponsor many other projects throughout the year.

As you can see, we take every opportunity to encourage our students to give of themselves to others now and throughout the year.  All of us in the Lower School would like to thank you for the irreplaceable gift you give us everyday; the opportunity to work with your precious children.  What they do and who they are fills our hearts with joy on a daily basis.  Have a very happy holiday filled with special times that stay etched in memories. Sincerely, Dr. T.