More from last week’s assembly

The celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and works culminated in last Friday’s assembly. Students and teachers spent the week studying his works, going out into the community to volunteer, and drawing, singing and writing about ways to change the world for the better. Here is Krista’s Primary One class reciting a poem they worked on all week:

Dr. King’s Dream

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Also at this assembly, Oscar’s 5th and 6th grade Spanish students shared their wonderful family posters. Each student drew and labeled a family tree of sorts in Spanish. They were allowed to be fanciful (and thus work on vocabulary skills) and so we were introduced to families of vegetables, monsters, kitchen implements and many others. Here is one of my personal favorites:

A family of mythical monsters, written in Spanish

 

 

A special day in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

North Branch School was in session today to honor the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We began the day with a special morning assembly. Charlotte talked for a bit about Dr. King’s life and the things that were different in the time before the Civil Rights movement. We had several special guests, among them parents and friends. We also enjoyed seeing several former students who came back to spend the day with their classes. The Big Room was decorated with posters and art that students have been working on:

Students were asked to think of ways in which they could improve the world

Here are some interesting facts about Dr. King from the Little Rock School District website, among others: “In 1957 Dr. King was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and between 1957 and 1968 he traveled over six million miles and spoke over 2,500 times. In these years he led a massive protest in Birmingham, inspiring his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail;” he planned the drives in Alabama for African-American voter registration; he directed the peaceful march on Washington, D.C., of 250,000 people to whom he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech; he conferred with President John F. Kennedy and campaigned for President Lyndon B. Johnson; he was arrested more than 20 times and assaulted at least four times; he was awarded five honorary degrees; he was named “Man of the Year” by Time Magazine; and he became the symbolic leader not only of African Americans but also of people of all races all around the world.”

The students in the middle school annex got an interesting lesson on segregation:

This was the sign on the main door

The sign on the side door - most students had to knock for entry

We were lucky to have one of the school parents come in and share this song with us:

This little light of mine

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Another video to come tomorrow…

Lab Coat Ceremony

Today, we had a special guest at assembly. Dr. Alison Criss, who is a microbiologist and Assistant Professor of Microbiology at UVA, came to speak with the school about science as a career and how she became interested in microbiology. She was recently honored with the 2011 ICAAC Young Investigator Award, of which only five are awarded worldwide! After her talk, the eleven 7th and 8th grade students were awarded their lab coats. They will wear them as they begin research on their upcoming science fair projects. More about their chosen projects can be heard in the video below.

Lab coats!

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The students gather after receiving their coats

The students with Jebb Cuthbert and Dr. Criss

More St. George videos

The kitchen staff and villagers enjoy cooking, feasting and dancing:

Joy and feasting

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The grand finale…

And fight no more

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Some of the littlest cast members

At the start of the afternoon performance of St. George, Nursery and Early Primary students took the stage with Charlotte. I especially liked the unicorn horn one little girl wore.

This little light of mine

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In come I….

In the video below, the Big Fight! The Dragon Bold faces off against St. George.

My body is made of iron

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St. George

This year, St. George was played by Audrey Wood and Father Christmas was played by Nathaniel Marion. A few photos, more to come:

St. George in a moment of contemplation

St. George

Oh, cruel Knight, what hast thou done? Thou hast killed my only son!

St. George and the Dragon, 2011

Yesterday, we all enjoyed the 28th production of St. George and The Dragon. Congratulations to the wonderful and hardworking cast and crew, and of course, the team of teachers who helped guide the play into being. This year, the play was on the Winter Solstice. After seven years with children at North Branch, I’ve come to see St. George as less of a play and more of a living representation of the passage of time. Each year, students have larger and more complex parts, until finally they graduate and return to see the play as alumni. Each year, parents watch their children go from preschoolers or villagers with a line or two to skilled actors that carry large parts of the play. Every year, the echoes of past winter solstices and celebrations are heard – most especially in the horn dance.

I will be adding to this post throughout break; I took hundreds of photos and many videos, but I thought I would start it, for those who would like to see!

At the start of the evening show, people bring candles up to add to the light

The Juniors began the show by playing Noel

Ding-a-ding, recently sung as part of a musical contest, was another show-opener

There was a pig went out to dig, Christmas Day, Christmas Day...

Villagers all!

Throughout the play, students and teachers provided the music

The speaking part of the play opened with a story

Sword Dance

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More to follow…

The dragon waiting in the wings

The annual North Branch School production of St. George and The Dragon will be presented at 1:30 and 7pm on Wednesday, December 21st at RVCC. The school is humming with rehearsals, carols, costume mending, recorder practice and choreography.

On Friday, I watched St. George and the Giant practice their sword fight

In the spirit of the season, the Dragon chooses not to eat the Hobby Horse

Roast beef! Plum pudding! Strong ale, and mince pie!

Natasha’s second grade class recites a poem:

Christmas Tree

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Listen to NBS Singers on Z95.1 on Wednesday, December 7

A group of 18 singers, led by NBS teacher Katrien Vance, entered this year’s “Christmas Idol” contest on local radio station Z95.1 .  You can hear their rendition of “Ding-A-Ding” by Greg Gilpin on Wednesday, December 7 at 7:15 am.  You can also vote any time that day (and as many times as you like) by going to the Z95 website and clicking on NBS’s link, or by using this direct link:  http://literockz951.com/pages/11643624.php? .  You might hear us again at 12:15 and 4:15 that day.  Our “page” will be open for voting all that day, from 7 am to midnight.

The group of singers, from the Seniors and Middle School at NBS, met once or twice after school for about 3 weeks to prepare the song.  They sing it a cappella, and Katrien was very proud of the way they learned their interweaving parts.  ”At one point in the song,” she says, “there are actually 5 things going on, and the kids were great about keeping their part going, with no accompaniment to help them.  That’s pretty unusual for singers this age!”  She noted,”They also had a great time, both practicing and recording the song, and I’m sure it will be fun for them to hear themselves on the radio.”  George Staten, an NBS parent, recorded the song using the school’s computer and “Garage Band” software.

Other schools’ entries will play throughout the next two weeks; NBS is the only Nelson County school represented, and one of only three entries that includes elementary-aged singers.

All of the entries will be played again on December 16, the “Grand Finale” day, and you can vote again on that grand finale day.  (You can vote as many times as you want.) Anyone from anywhere can vote by going to the website, so tell long-distance friends and grandparents to get in on the contest, too!  When you reach the NBS page in the contest, you can also hear the song, so folks who cannot get Z 95 can hear the song whenever they go to the website.  BUT YOU CAN VOTE FOR NBS ONLY ON WEDNESDAY AND THE GRAND FINALE DAY.  NO OTHER DAY’S VOTES WILL COUNT FOR NBS.

The winning entry will receive $1000 from Stacy’s Music for their music program.

We hope you’ll tune in and hear our NBS singers, and vote if you like!