Rebinding our Community: Book Fair 2022 

Last Saturday morning, after Peabody’s librarian Mary Beth Perry had just devoted 60 hours of her week towards orchestrating Peabody’s 2022 Book Fair, she emailed me an avalanche of joyful sentiments collected amidst the flurry of bibliometric experiences throughout that long week. By the time that metaphorical snow had settled, 995(!!) new books were going home with Peabody kids and $3200 in new funds were raised for the school's Middle and Lower School libraries. Thank you, everyone!! Just as valuably, though, dozens of our community members–teachers, staff, and parents–contributed their diverse talents and so much can-do spirit to not only execute the week-long event to near perfection but also and especially to advance in earnest the process of gluing our school community back together after two years of pandemic separation. While guiding kindergartners to the Mo Willems section, learning the purchasing software, meeting new friends, cutting out circles and wings and snail heads, sharing book suggestions, contributing supplies, managing moolah, and maybe even sneaking in some perusing, each of our contributing adults added their own dollops of glue to a community slowly coming back together. We share our profound thanks to all of our parents and colleagues who supported this life-affirming effort, each in their own way, and most especially to our irrepressible Mary Beth for all her efforts to keep everyone comfortable and connected as she orchestrated this glorious carnival of the written word. 
Welcome back, Buddies!

These last three weeks, Peabody's old beloved Buddies program has been the latest phoenix to begin rising from pandemic ashes. Though planned and facilitated by Ms. Jones and Mr. Anderson, buddy groups of 8th graders with 4th graders and kindergartners, and 6th graders with 2nd graders, and 5th graders with 1st graders were really like ducklings taking to the water, requiring almost no guidance at all. Almost instantly, each newly paired group of buddies began reveling in each other's presence, spontaneously initiating conversations, making up games, and overlapping interests. The sails of younger buddies filled with the winds of attention from older buddies; and the self-consciousness of older buddies deliquesced with the innocent ebullience of their juniors. Moans echoed through the gym as joy-dousing grown-ups announced that it was time for them to part, but somehow to us, that felt like a good thing. The benefits of school experiences are amplified immeasurably when students (and teachers) feel safely enveloped within an interwoven community of caring when young children can seek out trusted older students for support or advice or example, and older students in all the throes of early adolescence experience a sense of responsibility to someone other than themselves and that someone reciprocates with predictable and mostly unqualified kindness, appreciation, and admiration. There are only a couple more scheduled opportunities for buddies to get together with each other this school year, but the joy of connection we felt in those gatherings was so palpable, something tells us they're going to orchestrate some unplanned rendezvous of their own.
Camp Invention

Camp Invention is coming back to Peabody School IN PERSON! This inspiring experience has received rave reviews from campers, parents, and teachers, and now it’s returning with an all-new program, Explore! From July 11 to July 15 (9 am-3 pm), rising 1st - 6th graders will team up with friends for fun, hands-on STEM adventures, from adopting a robotic fish to exploring space to building robotic artists and marble arcades! Each activity sparks creativity and builds confidence. Secure your spot by registering online and using promo code SUM25 by 3/31 to save $25.

Also available: Leaders in Training opportunity for rising 7th-9th graders
Contact Amy Brudin, Director, with any questions, at [email protected]
Learn more about Camp Invention 2022: Explore! on YouTube!

WANTED! Your trash for 5th grade’s Earth Day Trash Art!

Dear Peabody students and community...We need your help to collect plastic, trash, and other old junk for our Earth Day project! If it's cool and is going to go in the landfill, drop it off in the box on the ramp near the fish tank. We will be collecting your landfill and/or junk from March 21st, through April 1st!
Peabody Running Club

Do you need a reason to love Mondays? Join the Peabody Running Club! Starting Monday, April 11th, the Peabody Running Club welcomes students in grades 5-8 (and any family members who wish to come along) to lace up those sneakers and go for a run. Ms. Harper will lead this crew in a run from school each week and organize opportunities for runners to participate in several local races this spring. Practice will be from 3:30-4:30 and will meet in Ms. Harper’s room before hitting the trail. Email Ms. Harper with any questions - [email protected].
Alumni Spotlight

We recently caught up with Peabody alumni!

Opeyemi Balogun '17
 
Opeyemi attended Peabody from 5th through 8th grade, and after graduating, went to Albemarle High School where he was a student in their Math, Engineering & Science Academy (MESA) program. He graduated from Albemarle High School in June 2021 and is almost finished with his first year of college at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he is studying bio- and computer engineering.
 
When asked about his interest in computer sciences, Opeyemi credited Peabody’s SCRATCH elective and the Lego League Robotics Team. He also recognized Peabody’s Mr. Merrick as a “great teacher” whose lessons were applicable far beyond the classroom walls.
 
Opeyemi offered wise advice for Peabody’s current middle schoolers: “there’s a lot of pressure to think about college early. Find things you like to do, take time to relax, and pursue your interests.”
 
Well said, Opeyemi! We wish you all the best and hope you keep in touch!
Evelyn Lepsch '18

Peabody alumnus Evelyn Lepsch was recently featured in the Rainforest Trust’s Supporter Spotlight, and we thought we’d take a minute to catch up with her. attended Peabody for 2nd through 8th grade, graduating in 2018. Her interest in the Rainforest Trust began through Peabody’s eighth-grade community service projects. With the help of Ms. Young, Evelyn reached out to the Rainforest Trust and painted a mural of a Cheetah to raise awareness of their work. They ultimately sent a representative to Peabody where Evelyn was able to present her artwork in the new (at the time) gym. In 2017, Evelyn was honored with the Young Conservation Award from the Rainforest Trust.
 
Just this past year, as a senior at Charlottesville High School (CHS), Evelyn reconnected with Rainforest Trust to collaborate for an independent study in which she created art for them to use in their outreach materials. Her painting of the Chocó Rainforest of Ecuador with the endangered Great Green Macaw and Violet-tailed Sylph was used as the cover of their 2021 holiday card.
 
Evelyn has been very busy at CHS. On top of her work with the Rainforest Trust, she has played varsity sports (field hockey, indoor track, outdoor track, tennis); sung in several choirs (including Voices of Virginia and All-District) and was recently accepted to the All-State Choir; been in the marching band and the jazz band; played co-principal viola for the String Ensemble and participated in the Senior Regional Orchestra; learned to play glockenspiel for the indoor drumline; co-directed a subset of BACON (the Best All-Around Club of Nerds); and been an officer in the National Honor Society.
 
Evelyn has fond memories of playing a lot of kickball at Peabody- before school, during recess, basically any free time she and her classmates could find, and offers the following advice to our current students: “It’s never too early to begin reaching out to the community and starting to do work that you love- one can never be too young to start making a difference!”
 
She has not yet decided on a school for next year but has been accepted to the University of Virginia which is among her top choices. We wish you continued success and are so proud of everything you have already achieved, Evelyn!
Join Us for Peabody Partners in Action!

March

7-25: Neighbor 4 Neighbor Food Drive at Peabody, supporting the Blue Ridge Food Bank. Students are invited to be hunger heroes by bringing in canned veggies, soups, stews, & chilis; cereals, nut butter, pasta, sauces, rice, grains, canned tuna, paper products, baby food, diapers, soap, and feminine products. Collection bins are posted inside all of the school’s primary entry doors.  

27th: (NEW DATE) Hiking Club: Hiking Club will meet in the Peabody School parking lot at 10:00 AM and proceed from there to hike and explore the Biscuit Run Natural Area from 10:00-12:30. Biscuit Run is being developed as a natural area/state park and currently is undeveloped with just trails throughout. This hike is relatively flat and will lend itself to more open-ended explorations for wildflowers, vernal pools, amphibians, and other natural delights. Please RSVP to Nicola McGoff if your family or child(ren) plans to attend. Parents are encouraged to join in but not required

Music Together:
 
April

2: Partners for the Earth will meet at Rivanna River Company at 3:00 PM on Saturday to clean up riverbanks, help clear invasives, and possibly plant some new natives. Afterward, we’ll have time to walk the river and/or enjoy some refreshments together, so please BRING YOUR OWN DRINKING VESSELS, PICNIC FOODS, and/or WORK GLOVES. RSVP to Eric if you plan to attend.
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week is scheduled for May 2-6, 2022. Our team of Peabody Parents has already started planning for this exciting week when we celebrate our amazing Peabody teachers and staff. This weeklong celebration is funded by the generous support of our Peabody families. Parents, family, and friends who would like to contribute to this year’s Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week fund can do so by using the Peabody online giving page and Designating: Appreciation Week for your donation.  

If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering during Appreciation Week, please feel free to reach out to Marianne Kish ([email protected]).
Theater Arts Camp

Ms. Saunders, Ms. Parr, and Ms. Colleen are so excited to be offering a Theater Arts camp this summer! Please see this flyer for details. To register and find instructions for submitting payment, please fill out this form. Registration is first-come, first-served once you have filled out the form and paid in full to reserve your spot. The registration deadline is May 1st! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to one or all of the instructors!
We Love our Peabody Students and Teachers!