The Saturday Art Program is staffed by faculty and students (both undergraduate and graduate) from the Art Education area. This very successful and popular program serves the greater Oxford community and is open to anyone from ages 5 through adult. Each student will experience a range of creative projects in a variety of mediums. Classes are designed to challenge students at their own level and new lessons are presented each week. Previous experience is not required!
Trivia Night auction items
Holy cow!
Have you seen all the amazing items that will be part of the silent auction at Trivia Night this year? Make sure you visit the Trivia Night page to peruse the items, and think about what bids you’d like to place. Remember, if you can’t attend, you can always ask a friend to bid for you.
We still have a few spots left at some tables, so buy your tickets soon and join the fun!
Posted in announcements, fundraising, McGuffey
Extended Day and homework
“Homework Time!”
Each day during our Extended Day program, the students hear this familiar phrase around 4:00pm. We like to give the students who stay after school the opportunity to do assignments since they will be returning home later in the evening. Staff is available and willing to help out, as long as the students let them know about the assignments. If your student is staying with us in the afternoons, please encourage them to take advantage of this “homework time” opportunity.
Posted in extended day, intermediate unit, upper unit
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last week in the Preschool we talked about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his significance in history. At this age, we try to find a gentle way to talk about this subject.
We began with a basket of eggs in a variety of colors. We gave each child an egg and asked them describe it—color, size, and shape. Then one at a time, we asked for the eggs back, cracking them into a big bowl. What we noticed was that while the shells of the eggs looked very different, for the most part, the insides of the eggs looked very much the same.
We talked about how this was much like people—we look very different, but on the inside we are very much the same. We told the children that this was the work of Dr. King, to spread the idea that he felt all people should be treated equally, regardless of the differences we might see on the outside. We all deserve love, respect, and a chance to thrive.
Posted in McGuffey, preschool, social studies
Audubon art
McGuffey Students will be using their skills to draw, paint and cartoon midwestern and endangered species of birds. The students will also learn more about the lives of John James Audubon, Roger Tory Peterson and, still living artist, David Sibley.
The Project coincides with Audubon Miami Valley’s Art Contest for K–12 area students. In February several examples of our students’ work will be chosen for the contest and exhibited in the atrium at Alumni Hall, Miami University, Oxford campus on Saturday, March 3, 2012 and 12–4:00 pm.
All students will have a chance to choose what kind of birds they want to draw; select a media and catagory; and learn how to prepare a artwork for exhibit. We will have our own exhibit in the art room beginning next week until February 15.
Posted in art, intermediate unit, McGuffey, primary unit, upper unit
Collect your box tops!
We know many of you have been collecting Box Tops for Education. Thanks to some changes in the program, McGuffey now gets 10¢ for every Box Top you collect. It may seem like a drop in the bucket, but most years, McGuffey raises nearly $500 through Box Tops—that’s enough to cover the cost of a bus for two or three field trips!
There are a huge number of participating products, from groceries to office supplies, most of which you buy anyway. Remember, this is a program that grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends can participate in.
Liz has a box for collecting Box Tops in her office, so once you have a few collected, be sure to drop them off!
Posted in fundraising, McGuffey
Winter Break Camp
In case you didn’t hear, Winter Break Camp was a blast! We built cities, created shapes, went hiking, and took a whirl at bowling. It was a fantastic week, and a great way to manage an unusual academic calendar this year.
Posted in community, intermediate unit, McGuffey, preschool, primary unit, upper unit
Take this for a spin!
We are excited to announce an amazing addition to our Trivia Night auction!
You could place the winning bid for a Precor UBK 815 Upright Cycle at Trivia Night, Saturday, February 4th. The self-powered UBK 815 upright bike features custom-designed handlebars with integrated handheld heart rate for maximum comfort and efficient workout experience. One-handed seat adjustment on or off the bike, redesigned saddle for riding comfort, and improved knee over pedal spindle (KOPS) geometry for efficient pedaling mean a smooth, comfortable workout.
This bike is a heavy duty, commercial piece of equipment which has a list price of $3,000. It’s the perfect way to keep those New Year’s resolutions, so start thinking about placing a bid! The bike was donated by Commercial Fitness Solutions. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Commercial Fitness Solutions owner Mark Ramage for the donation, and McGuffey parent Karen Staley, who helped coordinate.
Posted in announcements, fundraising, McGuffey
Visit to Jungle Jim’s
Right before Winter Break, the primary through upper units took a field trip to Jungle Jim’s International Market in Fairfield. Students were guided through the store and learned about the foods of different cultures and communities as well as learning about the inner workings of a huge grocery store.
Posted in community, field trip, intermediate unit, primary unit, social studies, upper unit
Sewing and STEM
Just before Winter Break, the third and fourth grade students designed and created their own sock puppets and stuffed “animals”. We combined the practical skill of sewing with using our spatial skills in design. The result was a classroom of engaged students all the way up to break, and many delightful creatures! The sock puppets will stay in the classroom for all-school use, but the stuffed creatures got to go home. Some of the creatures were still under construction—if anyone needs any spare resources, please let me know.
Posted in art, intermediate unit, math, McGuffey, science, technology
