Grace Church School

A little griffin told us it is International Dance Day! At Grace, movement and art are integral to our program starting in junior kindergarten. Through their journey at Grace, students have the opportunity to deepen their dance practice through courses, engagements with guest artists, performance opportunities, the High School Dance Ensemble, and more.

Just a day in the life at MacBurger’s! The middle school cast took students and faculty on a whirlwind journey through the vignette-style play, "Fast Food"! From quirky employees to spell-casters, indecisive customers to... a chicken, the play was an hour of charming hilarity.

The high school neuroscience class invited the third grade to a workshop exploring the impact of social media on the brain. Across five rotating stations, students learned about the structures of the brain, trends in social media usage among kids and teens, how visual and social media influence the brain, and shared alternative activities to screen time. As part of their unit on learning, development, and memory, the high school class worked over several weeks to prepare interactive sessions to both inform and engage the third graders on the topics that they themselves are also interested in investigating!

Award-winning author, illustrator (and Grace parent!) Azadeh Westergaard visited fourth graders earlier this week to read her book "The One & Only Googoosh: Iran's Beloved Superstar." Between the lively narration and equally stunning visuals—Azadeh even brought in her original artwork—students were fully engaged from start to finish. Thank you, Azadeh!

"I'm looking for something for my sister." "My dad will love this!" "I want to donate a toy too." Tuttle has been busy with chatter and cheer as students shop for their loved ones at the Holiday Fair. Parent volunteers contributed their time, gifts, and spirit to transform Tuttle into a winter wonderland full of books, games, jewelry, and more. Younger students perused the displays with gift labels in one hand and their Book Buddy holding the other, ensuring they find the perfect present for their shopping list.

The annual All School Thanksgiving Chapel is one of several times throughout the year when all Grace students, from the youngest junior kindergarteners to the soon-to-be graduates, gather together for a time of communal reflection. This afternoon, students shared some of the things that fill them with gratitude—family, friends, and Grace—through readings and songs celebrating the spirit of the season. From all of us at Grace, we wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

The high school Food & Justice course explores the relationship between food and justice, examining the ethical considerations surrounding food production, sustainability, and distribution; the role of government support and intervention, workers' rights, and issues of food access and sovereignty. A visit to Sky Farm LIC, an educational rooftop farm operated by the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens, helped to illustrate many of these concepts in a practical setting.

The Oysters and Estuaries class is a sustainability and service elective run in the High School by Chrissy Dilley. The course works with the Billion Oyster Project to support their work of engaging the public in the rehabilitation of our oyster reef habitats. The class regularly engages in local litter cleanup efforts and aims to have students recognize the environmental and economic challenges New York's harbor has faced. This week, the class traveled to Williamsburg to clean up the East River shoreline and in December will head to Govenors Island to prepare oyster shells for their placement on the city's oyster reefs.

The yearly book swap offers students from JK to grade 6 a chance to acquire new books at no cost. PA volunteers and Grace community members donated and organized books that students browsed today, allowing them to take home 5-10 titles to enrich their personal collections.

Today, Grace families brought their furry friends for a Senior Surprise! Seniors celebrated submitting college applications and got a much deserved break with puppies, snacks, and more puppies.

JK–8 students welcomed their parents to school today for Parent Visiting Day! Grownups got to experience a morning in the life of a Grace student, and re-test some of their grade school knowledge. Students enjoyed demonstrating their songs, math skills, and routines, and got some laughs out of watching their adults try and remember geometry.