We Love Those Teachers!!!

You may not have known, but last week was Teacher Appreciation Week.  Luckily Ms. Correa and the Parents Council for the Perkins School were very aware of the occasion.  

Click on any photo to make it larger

Thanks to them, Friday was the...
 

Teachers' Luau! 

There was great food. Many different choices.  No poi, though; it's very hard to find in South Boston or probably any part of Boston.

It was a nice time to sit and relax and enjoy each others' company.  Let alone, feel appreciated.

Even the Perkins' author-in-residence and blog master.

Another Way to Give Thanks

The Perkins kids left for the long Thanksgiving weekend thinking of turkey, stuffing (and, of course, a mini-vacation). Now, however the kids also knew that other Americans had  different fall harvest holidays to celebrate.

Ms. Jannette Vanderhoop is a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah / Gay Head on Martha’s Vineyard.  She came to talk to the Perkin kids about what it means to be a member of a Native American tribe – in the present 21st century and at the time the Pilgrims arrived in North America in the 17th century.

Her book Cranberry Day explains the major thanksgiving festival the Wampanoag Tribe celebrated long before the Pilgrims came to their land. In the old days, the celebration of the cranberry harvest was three days long.  Nowadays it is just one, but it is still lots of fun.  Kids don't go to school.  Elders of the tribe share stories of the past with them and everyone eats a feast--including cranberries, of course.

Ms. Vanderhoop also brought some of the cloths and traditional jewelry her people used to wear.

After she left, the kids had their own celebration; many classes turned much of what they learned into beautiful bulletin board displays.

Ms. Leverett-King's class demonstrated that the cranberry can be used for another purpose besides food and a good way to get enough vitamin C.

It can also be used for painting!

Yes, there is learning going on at the Perkins today, as always, but...

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

We Love You, J.P. Licks!

What's your favorite day of school? The first day, full of promise? The last day, when summer looms long and luscious? The days of MCAS testing? (Just kidding!)



















At our school, this year's serious contender was the Michael J. Perkins Third Annual J.P. Licks' Scooper Bowl, which took place last Friday. This is the third year that this delicious, generous ice cream shop has donated vats of vanilla to give us a special occasion.





The line was long, but it was worth it.

The weather was perfect for being outside.

It was also a perfect day for ice cream!




















No question, these kids were ready!






























It all starts with J.P. Licks' vanilla...
























Ms. Correa, Family Coordinator for the school and our Parent Council did their part as well. They spent part of the money they've raised this year to provide more toppings than you can imagine. Everybody could have his or her Ultimate Sundae. Topping choices were Oreo cookies, gummy bears, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, M&Ms, chocolate sprinkles, colored sprinkles, and chocolate cookies. You could have any--OR ALL of them!
























Hopefully, with room left over for gobs of whipped cream.








THANK YOU, J.P. LICKS!

Mother's Day, Part 2

Moms should know that they aren't just appreciated one day a year on Mother's Day. The first and second graders at the Perkins made sure their moms knew by holding a Mother's Day Tea!


Signs were put up.


Tables were set with flowers and hats (crowns, actually) and tea cups--all of which, the moms could take home.




















Many moms, those who could, came to enjoy their day at school. Tea was actually served at the tea, of course, although moms who were coffee drinkers had that choice. Some dads came and chipped in by helping to serve.


















Delicious cookies and cakes filled each classroom.


















As they were sipping and munching, moms got to listen to songs their children had prepared.


















They heard poems and essays about how great they are.























Sweets, presents, love--who wouldn't like a day like this one!?!

Gotta Love Our Teachers!

Ms. Smith

Mother's Day is coming up very soon, but moms aren't the only ones who deserve appreciation. Yesterday was Teacher Appreciation Day and parents and kids at Perkins knew just what to do.























Ms. Leverett King

What is welcome during the school day? A delicious lunch, that's one thing. How does a catered spread with ziti, chicken, and broccoli sound? Or calzones, lasagna, meatballs and sausage? Don't forget the roasted potatoes and salad.




















Ms. Haney

Then there were the flowers on the table and the two cakes for dessert.























Ms. Breneus

Food is a classic way to say, "Thank you." So is saying thank you! At the end of the school day, a parent got on the loudspeaker so her voice boomed through the building. Thank you, she said, we all appreciate each and every one of you. (Not just the ones we featured in pictures here.)






















Ms. Lynch

Then the school burst into applause. In the classrooms, in the halls, our kids' claps and cheers showed that this is a real holiday to be celebrated.























Ms. Correa

The Play Continued

The kids learned a lot of history while doing Evacuation Day, the Musical. They learned about how the colonialists increasingly resented the British having power over them. They also learned how the colonialists managed to drive the British out of Boston without bloodshed.

How? Well, here's the short story. Take a look...



















#1 General Howe and the Redcoats bragged about their power over the colonists.
A mistake!


















#2 The colonialists didn't like the British attitudes and actions.
























#3 The colonists asked General George Washington for help kicking the British out of Boston.



















#4 Henry Knox worked with General Washington in protecting Boston and the colonists by bringing cannons over the Berkshire Mountains to Boston. The British had no idea this was happening!



















#5 Eventually the British found out the hard way. The colonialists faced off against them on Dorchester Heights (which is right near the Perkins School!) Guess who won!



















The Redcoats left Boston and the curtain goes down on our play and this incident in history.

The play is over for this year. Amazingly enough, the kids got to sing a few of the best songs from it once more--this time in front of Boston's Mayor Menino AND the Governor of Massachusetts.

When? How? You'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out!

Come Join Us!

If you've been following the blog, you'll know that it's almost time for the first annual production of Evacuation Day, the Musical!

If you're new to our blog, we'll give you some background. Several years ago we published our book, Why Do We Celebrate Evacuation Day? in the photocopied black-and-white version. A couple years later, we presented it to the world in glorious color edition with an ISBN number and a bar code. It's always available on Amazon and at the Perkins School. If you buy it directly from us, the proceeds go to the Perkins School College Scholarship Fund for Perkins alumni. Books will be on sale for $14.99 at the play (cash or check only).

The musical is going to get better each year too. As we teach our kids, revision is one of the most important parts of writing! Also next time we are going to make the play a multi-generational community event. So, if you'd like to sing and dance in public NEXT year, let us know!

If you want to see this year's version, there is some limited availability for the public. Here are the scheduled performances:

Thursday, March 15, 6:30 p.m.-a final Open Dress Rehearsal for parents, family members, and other interested visitors

Friday, March 16, 9:30 a.m. - a performance for audience of kindergarten to grade 2 students and their teachers at the Perkins. Additional seating available for family members, members of the community, etc.

Friday, March 16, approximately 10:30 a.m. - a performance for our grades 3 to 5 students and their teachers. Additional seating available.

Saturday, March 17 - Evacuation Day ! - a matinee at 1:00 p.m., open to the general public including, perhaps, Mayor Menino.

Our "theater" is not in the Perkins School. Performances are held in the brick building (known as the former Head State Building) next to our school's basketball court. The entrance is on Patterson Way in the Old Colony Housing Development. If you are using GPS to get here, the building's official address is 265 E. 9th Street, South Boston, MA 02127.




Hope to see you.

Another Rehearsal

"What are we going over today?" one actor asked.

"Colonialists, British, George Washington, and Henry Knox if we have time," her friend answered.

No doubt about it, the kids are learning their history. As they run through the first scenes, Mr. Stanfield is giving them an ongoing lesson in stage craft as well.

"Don't lean against the wall. On performance day that will be the scenery, Colonial Boston."

"Speak so they can hear you all the way downtown."























"Use big movements!"

"Your characters are happy here. Smile when you sing. Smile when you dance. That's what the audience will love."


















"Alright, now at the end of the song hold your positions and wait for the applause."
"Hey kids, the audience does the clapping, not you!"























The colonialists and the British managed to remember the precise way they were to squabble through the first several scenes. Sometime they needed a bit of help remembering their lines.


















Everyone, however, remembered what they were supposed to do when General George Washington came onto the stage at the beginning of Scene IV (or Scene 4, if you haven't learned Roman numerals). They snapped to a salute. They also remembered the words to yet another original song, "Hail to the General," written just for Evacuation Day, the Musical.

It was a great scene, except for just one problem--the general had to leave early before agreeing to fight the British. He had to be home by four.

How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?

The answer to the famous question in today's title is, "Practice, practice, practice!"

Practicing can also get you to the former Head Start Building on Patterson Way, right next door to the Perkins Scool. That's where our kids are memorizing and running through their parts for Evacuation Day, the Musical! They are also learning the melodies so they can sing some of those lines as well as saying others. They are learning their blocking, knowing where to move and exactly when so there isn't, well, a messy revolution up on stage. Except for the American Revolution, that is!


Here is a picture of the first Evacuation Day, George Washington and the colonialists watching the British leave Boston (oops, we hope we didn't spoil the ending of the play for you!).

Here are some pictures of the Perkins kids who are playing colonialists...
























Airing their complaints about the British (you know, soldiers taking over their houses, taxation without representation, that kind of stuff). As you can see, they are pretty angry about it.



















Here they are deciding what to do about their complaints.

What did they decide? We are going to leave some surprises for you, but remember that a line in one of the musical's original songs is, "Did you ever hear of a victory with no blood?"



















We're not going to tell you what happens next, but look at the colonialist all the way to the left in this picture. She looks pretty happy, doesn't she?

Stayed tuned. Evacuation Day is only about a week away!