Students in Grade 1 held an Author Share this month where they chose their favorite stories they'd written to share and worked on reading smoothly and clearly to classmates, teachers, and parents! We had such an amazing time having our visitors on campus to experience the progress being made in Grade 1 reading and writing....
Every Elementary cycle, I display an image of a work of art in our art class. These are selected from across a broad spectrum of countries, cultures, artists, media, and time periods. We have a short discussion about what we see, the significance of the artwork, and the connections we can make with our own experiences. Images shown this year include The Great Wave by Hokusai, The Listening Room by Rene Magritte, The Forest by Gustav Klimt,...
Students in Kindergarten, First, and Second grade recently had an author visit from veterinarian and author Dr. Ruth MacPete, who read from her picture book Lisette the Vet. Dr. MacPete also spoke to the students about her career as a veterinarian and answered some student questions. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book, please visit her website....
Elementary students kicked off Running Club this week with over 30 students participating. They began with dynamic stretches, followed by running laps, and finished with a cool-down stretch. Running Club will meet each Wednesday morning on Pirtle Field at 7:30 a.m. until December 7, and all Elementary students are welcome to join! Cheyenne Kibblewhite & Ed Whelan, Physical Education Teachers...
Pretending to be cartographers conducting research, Gillispie third graders visited the Map and Atlas Museum of La Jolla to investigate various types of maps and map parts. Students identified maps and used their iPads to document their findings!...
DOING GOOD TOGETHER is a national organization that provides opportunities for families to volunteer, or “do good” together. Click on the link below and then look for the blue San Diego square. Click here for a list of meaningful family-friendly volunteer opportunities. Better yet, become a member! www.doinggoodtogether.org...
Students in Spanish class have been learning about Hispanic Heritage Month. Students learned about Mexico's Independence Day (September 15) by watching videos and making comparisons with 4th of July celebrations. Students are also being taught about different Hispanic celebrities. First graders are learning about Frida Kahlo and her love for nature, while fifth graders are doing a research project about famous Hispanic people in the United States and their contributions to society. Nieves Ruiz, Spanish Teacher ...
To kick off the school year, students designed projects to warm up their hands and brains while remembering the importance of caring for their classroom communities. First and Second graders built mazes, based on a popular project from last year. In teams, they designed, planned, made, tested, and remade these cardboard-and-tape structures following the Design Thinking model, while brushing up their best communication and collaborative skills. Once done, they carefully followed specific directions, limiting how they were allowed...
In Ms. Leard’s Builders Club, architects each got a tray of Legos and were challenged to use all the Legos to create a structure. These junior builders then presented their designs to other club members. Who knows what next week’s challenge will bring! In Ms. Boisnard’s Stupendous STEM, students read Iggy Peck, Architect, which described a broken bridge and how a little boy, Iggy Peck, repaired it. Children then constructed their own bridges and challenged themselves by...
Did you know that in 1933, a full 20 years before the formation of Gillispie as a school, it was a food pantry? Sam and Ada Gillispie, along with other community volunteers, ran thrift shops in town to raise money to stock the pantry, which was made available to those families who needed it. This is one of the many reasons that we prioritize community service here at School. It is in our DNA! Fun Fact about...