St. Peter's School

Good Deed-Helping Elderly Neighbors

wendye — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:41:49 +0000

Upon hearing that his elderly neighbor was home-bound, Second Grader, Will Cavalier baked and delivered Madelines to the neighbor, offering to read to him or play board games with him anytime he “felt sad or lonely”.

Good Deed-Computer Assistance from the Cavaliers

wendye — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:58:47 +0000

When the Cavalier family was unable to repair a retired priest’s dial-up internet service, they offered to provide wireless service so that he and the other retired priests and bishops living in his assisted-living home could be connected to the outside world.

Good Deed- Book Donation to the Free Library

tim — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:03:04 +0000

On Friday, February 19th, the 8th Grade Class, accompanied by Ms. Kreider, Mrs. Angelides, and Ms. Leonard, visited the Rare Book Room at the Central Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. Mr. Shemtov, parent of Sam (3) and Lily (K), curator and librarian, gave a comprehensive lecture/tour on satire: its humor, irony, and complexity. Everyone enjoyed viewing the Elkins’ Room, the collections, and the exhibit. In appreciation, and on behalf of the Friends of the Free Library, each student donated a book to the Book Corner.

Good Deed - Preschool Collects Cold Weather Gear for Project Home

kate — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:16:31 +0000

In January, Ms. Stewart’s and Mrs. Wood’s Preschool Classes collected scarves, hats and gloves for Project Home in Philadelphia. Many thanks to Heather Levine, Belinda Quinn and everyone else who contributed, and to Jessie Burns for all of her support and good ideas!

Good Deed-Knitted Hats

wendye — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:02:43 +0000

Knowing that Amy Plummer loved to knit, First Grader Emma Young asked her to knit baby hats for the babies at Pennsylvania Hospital. They made a few different sizes for the tiniest of heads, even the premies.

Good Deed: Prekindergarteners Learn About Haiti and Earthquakes

kate — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:01:37 +0000

During their Special Subject Science class, the Prekindergarten children learned about earthquakes and the drastic effect they can have on people’s lives. In conjunction with the lesson, they learned about the crisis in Haiti and collected money to send to the children whose lives were so changed by the earthquake. The 21 children walked to the bank to have it counted. They raised $161.24. Great job PK!

Good Deed: The Prekindergarten Classes Share Their Love on Valentine’s Day

kate — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:00:32 +0000

The Prekingergarten classes spread love throughout the community for Valentine’s Day. Each of the 21 children shared his/her innocent wisdom by defining what love means. Then they created a poster of their definitions and decorated with pink, red, and purple hearts. They walked to the nearby WaWa on Second Street and presented the poster to the store manager. The poster was hung in the WaWa for everyone to see.

Traces of the Trade: Discussion Led by Filmmaker Katrina Browne (Class of 1981)

tim — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:59:08 +0000

On February 16, the Upper School students had the opportunity to view Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, a documentary written and produced by St. Peter’s alumna Katrina Browne (class of 1981). The film explores the role of Ms. Browne’s ancestors in the North American slave trade and her personal experience in coming to terms with her family’s involvement in this difficult aspect of our nation’s history. Traces of the Trade is a moving film of great relevance to all of us, and it is another excellent example of the contributions made by St Peter’s School graduates.

The Upper School viewed the film during a special assembly. Then Ms. Browne led a thought-provoking discussion about the making of the film, and she helped us grapple with many issues including race, class, and social justice. Her own passion for uncovering the truth and opening a dialogue led to some important life lessons. We were lucky to have a true hero speak to our students and faculty as a part of our greater curriculum.

We encourage you to take a look at the Traces of the Trade website, www.tracesofthetrade.org. Additionally, the School has a copy of the film and would be pleased to make it available to families. If you would like to borrow a copy of the film to view at home, please contact Diane Scirrotto.

Penn Museum and Egypt Day

tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:35:39 +0000

The 5^th Grade has been learning about ancient Egypt in depth. To help them understand the relevance of their studies, Mrs. Patel and Mrs. Hadden took our young Egyptologists to the Penn Museum to see the displays of ancient artifacts. The students had a tour guide and learned a great deal. This visit prepared them for their Egypt Day which took place this week. The students presented information about food, trade, war, and other interesting topics to a crowd of parents, teachers and their classmates. The students dressed in ancient Egyptian style and everyone supped on Middle Eastern foods at the end of the celebration.

SS United States: Author and Advocate Visits the Upper School

tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:04:06 +0000

On Friday, February 5, the Upper School had a special presentation about a noble old ship, the SS United States. Author and former high school history teacher, Mr. Steve Ujifusa, presented his research into the life and times of the naval architect who designed the ship. Mr. Ujifusa talked about ship design, transatlantic travel, and the context in which the ship became outdated in the Jet Age. Mr. Ujifusa has a website and blog including an entry about his talk at SPS as a February 7 entry:

http://www.stevenujifusa.com/blog/

For more information about the author, please head to the website about his upcoming book: http://www.stevenujifusa.com/

The photo is courtesy of the SS United States Conservancy. For more pictures of the ship go to

http://www.perrypics.com/MediaPhotos.html

There is an effort afloat to preserve the ship and keep it from heading to a scrap heap. If interested, please explore The SS United States Conservancy web site and find out how you can help. (http://www.ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/SSUS/Home.html)