Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School

Last week, hosted the WonderLab Arcade to test-drive handcrafted games and challenges. From Pokémon-themed pinball to magnetic air hockey, the results were equally impressive and fun! 🏒🤖

We're so impressed by our artists! 🙌 This year, they experimented with a variety of techniques and media to create everything from personal mandalas and fiber art to imaginative botanical figures and ceramic jars. At the end of May, their work was displayed throughout the school during the first annual Middle School Exhibition. 🖌

Last week, took an incredible field trip to Hillman Library at the University of Pittsburgh! 📖

🎬 During their visit, they met up with Ms. Strada's husband and two class parents, all of whom work at the library or in podcasting. Then, they split into three groups to explore the Media Labs and Text & conText Lab. Activities included DIY paper marbling, testing out the green screen in the One Button Studio, and answering podcast questions like “What’s your favorite thing about being a kindergartener?”

The morning ended with a beautiful picnic at Schenley Plaza and a short bus ride back up the hill to Falk. At the end of the trip, one student shared, “This was the BEST day of YEAR!” 🤩

🥀 And just like that, the curtain has closed on Beauty and the Beast JR! Over the past two weeks, Falk Middle School put on eight fantastic shows, filled with hilarious and heartfelt moments alike.

As always, part of what made the performance special was the collective time and effort put into it. From choreography and set construction to stage management and lighting, every single seventh- and eighth-grade student had a uniquely important role in bringing the show to life.

👏🏽 Congratulations to our wonderful cast and crew!

Happy Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Last week, enjoyed a fun, interactive lesson on Polynesian culture and traditions, led by a Falk parent and aunt. Students learned all about Polynesia, how dance can tell a story, and how to hula dance! 🌺

Happy ! Tim Wagner teaches in the and currently serves as Humanities Team Leader. During his 12 years at Falk, he's also been a technology teacher, maker teacher, and interim co-Division Director of Falk Middle School. 💼

🔨 Mr. Wagner's favorite Falk tradition is the "Making for Others" unit, where Middle School students build playground equipment for their younger classmates! His favorite memory is watching his daughter play Tweedle Dee in Alice in Wonderland.

Growing up, Mr. Wagner's favorite school subjects were math and science. He also loved PE, woodworking, metal shop, circuitry, and auto shop. 🚗

🏙️ Today, Mr. Wagner says the best part of living in Pittsburgh is the "big city feel in a small city." If he could travel anywhere in the world, it would be to Austria to see where his paternal ancestors lived.

It's field trip season at Falk! 🚌

💧 Last Wednesday, visited the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden to learn about water conservation and the water cycle. With help from the garden's education team, they took a large bucket representing Earth's water supply and slowly divided it into smaller buckets to see how much freshwater, saltwater, and potable water there is in our world.

🥫On Friday, visited the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank warehouse for a tour. Each year, this trip serves as a meaningful kick-off to the third-grade activism unit, where students learn about food insecurity in Pittsburgh and launch a fundraising campaign to support the Community Food Bank.

Congratulations to our Kids of Steel runners, who completed the Pittsburgh Kids Marathon on Saturday! 🏃🏿

Our dedicated team spent the whole spring practicing, learning about running, and building their strength together—plus, we even had a few students join the fun on Saturday! Great job, runners!

Congratulations to our director, Dr. Jill Sarada, for receiving both the Dean's Above & Beyond Award and the Mary Jane Taylor Distinguished Service Award last month! 🎉

The Dean's Above & Beyond Award is bestowed at the sole discretion of the Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Eboni Zamani-Gallaher, to honor faculty and staff for their exceptional performance and dedication to the school community.

Presented by the International Association of Laboratory Schools (IALS), the Mary Jane Taylor Distinguished Service Award is given to a member who demonstrates exceptional service and leadership for the organization. It's awarded in memory of Mary Jane Taylor, who dedicated herself to leading and supporting IALS.

Ever since our founding in 1931, play has been an integral and magical part of the Falk experience. Starting this summer, we plan to honor this tradition by installing a new slide, swing set, and jungle climber—structures that will become the source of lifelong memories, just like Bonnie (Baird) Mitchell's.

As we approach the end of the school year and look ahead to the renovation, we invite Falk alumni, families, and friends to make a gift to the Falk School Building Renovation Fund (🔗 link in our bio). Your support will help us meet our fundraising goals, keep play at the center of our students' lives, and build upon the magic that's always had a home here at Falk.

Visit falkschool.pitt.edu/our-new-playground for more.

💬: Quotes by Bonnie (Baird) Mitchell
📸: Photos from the Falk archive