We stopped and took a breath, we sang and danced (multiple times), and we worked in the lab...
see what else we've been up to at MPH!
M indful P ause H ere
Last Wednesday, the entire MPH community enjoyed not only a dress-down day but a stress-down day, thanks to our special visitor, Dr. Elizabeth Perryman, who connected with all students (in various classrooms or in the gymnasium), all employees (in an after-school session), and any interested and available parents (online in the evening). Dr. Perryman shared breathing techniques appropriate for each age group, as well as other strategies that lend themselves to mindfulness and allow us to mitigate the effects of "toxic stress."
See the video and photo gallery above!
Days of Dialogue
Students in Grades 7 and 8 participated in a "Days of Dialogue" program, constructed to give students a forum to discuss identity, challenge stereotypes, and foster empathy within our community. Developed by Interfaith Works and facilitated by Upper School student leaders, students participated in a variety of activities, including a large-group art project defining who we are as individuals, and as a school community. A special thanks to Interfaith Works, Upper School student facilitators, Middle School faculty, and Grade 7 and 8 students for their substantive contributions that made the event a success.

See the photo gallery to the left.
Colores y Ropa

Karin Trouyet began her Grade 7 Spanish class with an exercise that included both the singing of a repeated chorus (by the whole class) and individual students' taking turns with various spoken responses -- all in Spanish. In this exercise, they identify and practice colors and clothes and learn to describe what they wear at different places and appropriately use formal terms of address.
Kindergartners Get Into the Halloween Spirit!
In one of the Lower School music classes, we found Mrs. Dannan engaging the Kindergarten students in singing and dancing as they learned about Halloween. They worked on songs with rhythm, as Mrs. Dannan provided the beat using a hand drum, and they changed their voices to higher and lower pitches to accompany the different characters being represented--such as Frankenstein, goblins, and witches. 
Testing for Salinity
Mrs. Foster's Grade 8 science students had decided among themselves which types of soil they would like to test for salinity in their most recent lab experiment. (At least one of their ideas led Mrs. Foster to reach out to her friend to put, for example, "ocean-side soil" in the mail for use in their lab!) We caught the young goggle-clad scientists in action testing the salinity of the aforementioned "ocean-side soil," as well as soil from right here ("MPH soil"), from the roadside, from a farm, from a volcano, from a swamp, from Lake Ontario, and even from a store.  See the photos below!
Just for Fun!
Learning specialist Ann Ellerton arrived at school last week to find two 8th-grade students who arrived coincidentally dressed as separate parts of her ensemble for the day!
Class of 2019 Soccer Players Reminded of Home
The Girls Varsity Soccer team has embraced a new tradition that reminds former players that MPH, and their team, will always be home for them. Team members and coaches write notes, pack snacks, and send small gifts in care packages to the previous year's seniors. A small token that surely goes a long way for those college freshmen!


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Plus, The Week Ahead Newsletter is posted on My MPH each Thursday and regular news stories are posted on our News Digest, found on mphschool.org .

Manlius Pebble Hill School | 315-446-2452 mphschool.org