The Lamplighter School

The Class of 2026 celebrated their final Senior tradition this week with the beloved Carpool Parade!

As students made their final laps around the Murray Swain Ring Road, Pre-K through third grade students lined the route to cheer on the graduates with excitement and love.

Congratulations to our newest Lamplighter alumni!

As the 2025-2026 school year comes to a close, we celebrate members of the faculty and staff who have achieved service milestones:

25 Years: Amy Brown, April Seeds, Reagan Tate

20 Years: Ed Goff

15 Years: Ana Bohanan, Ana Casanova, Joan Buchanan Hill

10 Years: Caroline Finnegan, Anita Orozco

5 Years: Tate Alvarez, Lauren Ornelas, Katherine Roberts, Amy Welling

Happy Retirement to Susan Regan Donnenfield, Joan Buchanan Hill, and Liz Tipton Ingram!

Last Hug ’em In!

Yesterday, members of the Lamplighter Class of 2026 were lovingly “hugged in” by Lamplighter faculty and staff. This cherished tradition offers a heartfelt send-off to our graduating Seniors, reminding them just how deeply they are valued by the teachers and staff who have guided them along the way.

Congratulations, Seniors—we will miss you!

Pre-K friends enjoyed a sweet end-of-year tradition at the Teddy Bear Picnic! Students gathered outdoors with their favorite stuffies for a special picnic filled with friendship, laughter, and fun together.

The baby chicks have a new home!

Last Friday, our rising Seniors, the Class of 2027, took part in one of Lamplighter’s cherished traditions as they carefully transferred the baby chicks from the incubator to the Junkins Family Chicken Coop, where the flock will live during the coming year.

As next year’s Seniors, students will care for the chickens through the Lamplighter Layers program, a student-run chicken-raising and egg-selling business established at the School in 1970. This special moment marked the Class of 2027’s first step into leadership of the beloved tradition.

Congratulations to the Lamplighter Class of 2026!

This morning, we celebrated Senior Graduation and proudly welcomed 55 students into the Lamplighter Alumni Association. It was a joyful celebration of reflection, growth, and the many memories made during their time at Lamplighter.

Congratulations, Seniors! The Lamplighter community is cheering you on as you begin your next educational journey.

Bravissimo! The Class of 2026 proudly presented their Senior Operas in two spectacular performances for students, parents, and members of the Lamplighter community.

This beloved fourth grade tradition is a capstone Lamplighter experience that weaves together literacy, music, and drama while showcasing months of creativity, collaboration, and hard work.

This year’s Senior Operas were dedicated to Literacy Specialist Ana Casanova and Catherine M. Rose Head of School Dr. Joan Buchanan Hill in honor of their 15 years of service to Lamplighter.

Congratulations to our Seniors on an unforgettable performance!

Hot off the press! The latest issue of Barn & Gardens is here!

Produced by Lamplighter Seniors, this student literary magazine is packed with exciting stories, recipes, crafts, comics, jokes, games, puzzles, photography, and more—all created by students for students.

Congratulations to our fourth grade publishing team and Faculty Advisor Ana Casanova on another wonderful issue!

This morning, the Lamplighter community gathered for the final Hootenanny of the school year! This special gathering was led by one of our Lamplighter Seniors, the lucky winner of the “Lead a Hoot” experience from this year’s LPA Auction.

The Hootenanny also offered a meaningful opportunity to honor Dr. Joan Buchanan Hill at her final Hootenanny before retiring at the end of the school year. The Klyde Warren Auditorium was filled with joy, love, and celebration for Dr. Hill and her extraordinary leadership.

We love you, Dr. Hill!

Third graders showcased their research projects during the annual Biography Day celebration this week.

Dressed as their chosen historical figures or notable individuals, students delivered oral presentations before sharing gallery displays featuring portraits created in Art, timelines developed in Technology, constellations designed in Science, and written reports completed in Literacy. The event highlighted a truly cross-curricular learning experience!

Students in all Pre-K classes participated in the annual Pre-K Farmer’s Market yesterday, a culminating event of their Science and Environmental Science curriculum.

In preparation for the event, students harvested vegetables they had planted earlier in the year and created a variety of handmade crafts to sell at the market. Wearing custom aprons and carrying shopping bags, students enjoyed the experience from both perspectives—as sellers and buyers—while putting real-world skills into practice.