Precipitation and other WOW Moments
Source/Author: Mike Murphy, Headmaster
April 24, 2015
Recently, in our Alpha 3-year-old class, during a discussion on weather, Officer Day was WOWed to hear one of the boys refer to rain as precipitation. Language rich environments result in vocabulary development which leads to great opportunities for future learning. They also give adults WOW moments when they listen to young children.
Students from kindergarten, first, second, third and fourth grades recently joined Dr. Bianco, Mrs. Kotsko and Mrs. Finnemore for a presentation of a Reading/Writing Workshop share to the Board of Trustees. Adults who do not have regular contact with our Lower School students are WOWed when they see the depth of knowledge and skills are young children demonstrate. In less than a generation of school children (13 years) our Lower School students are doing work once delayed until Middle School.
If you and your children have not seen the new Florida Native Classroom and Marine Study area at the far NE corner of school property that eighth grader Waker W. organized for his Eagle Scout project, it is worth a visit! The idea was ignited during Walker’s science fair project. When you see the restored site, I trust you will join me in saying, “WOW, this is beautiful and that must have required a ton of work.” It did. But the real WOW experience is to hear Walker discuss what he has learned and accomplished. (Photo shown, video to come.)
Two of our Upper School athletes have recently had WOW experiences. Junior Peter L. just won the 1A FHSAA State Championship in tennis with a 6-3, 6-1 match in the finals. That’s a WOW! He is committed to attend Brown after his senior year at Shorecrest. Then this past week, senior Raquel G. put an exclamation mark on the end of an incredible career as the pitcher for the Chargers’ softball team. She pitched 101 complete games and had 721 strikeouts. Raquel pitched every inning since she was in 7th grade. That’s a WOW, WOW, WOW! I trust there is a young girl out there interested in breaking Raquel’s record.
Our Upper School Robotics Team, guided by teachers Eric Hunt and Anna Baralt, has just returned from the National Championships in Iowa. When I asked what the goal is for next year, I was told, “Get to the Global Games.” I love their attitude. We were WOWed by the team’s success in just their first year of competition.
Like most people in our community, I spend more time thinking about what is going to come next rather than on past accomplishments. I encourage readers of this article to take some time in the coming days and weeks to reflect with your children on what they have accomplished and how they have developed in the past year. The teachers and I have seen the growth. I hope we can applaud our children for their efforts and accomplishments, and then we can encourage them to set goals for the summer and coming year.
Cheers!
Mike
Mike
