In Little School for the 2023-2024 academic year, we have focused on strengthening our Student Success Team and bringing in more learning specialists to accelerate students across each grade level in both math and literacy. Our new Family Visiting Days were a success and showed families the connection to what students learn in Little School and how it continues through Morrow House and beyond. In addition, we have continued to instill the 4 C’s with our Apple Bake Sale, a PE social-emotional learning class, and our weekly divisional assembly. We are continuing our commitment to growth in literacy, piloting a new social studies program, collaborating with our gardening faculty to create new programs aligned with environmental and sustainability efforts, and so much more.
Community
FAMILY VISITING DAYS
New this year are Little School Family Visiting Days, where families are invited to connect with Head of School Marek Beck, Ph.D., regarding the impact of our literacy program at Little School. Then, they visit their child’s class and experience it firsthand. After the class, they have the opportunity to discuss with Dr. Beck and Interim Head of Middle School Jed Silverstein the connection to what students are learning in literacy in Little School and Morrow House, the secondary school process, and beyond.
Our third and fourth grades’ Family Visiting Day experience includes an up-close look at our instrumental music program during their child’s ensemble class and the magical music-making that takes place at EMS every day.
GIVING BACK
Our first graders hosted their annual Apple Bake Sale and raised $1,045 to donate to the Center for Food Action’s Snack Pack Program, helping local children who are experiencing food insecurity by providing care packages (weekend snack packs) filled with healthy, kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare food items. Lori Oliff, a CFA representative, discussed food insecurity with the students before assisting them with making snack packs for donations. “Teaching the children about giving back and hunger in their backyard sets them up to connect with community service going forward,” says Oliff.
New this Year: Weekly Assembly
All students and faculty in Little School participate in a weekly assembly. It’s an opportunity for students to share their learning with the entire division. Recent assemblies have included our first graders presenting on their Apple unit that included the results of their Apple Bake Sale, which raised $1,045 and was donated to Center of Food Action; the announcement of the winners of our annual Little School Caldecott Cafe, where our second graders become Caldecott judges and vote on 10 previous winners of the Caldecott Award, and first-grade teacher Amy Goodwin and her family leading a celebration during Native American Heritage Month. In addition, our family affinity groups have shared their cultural heritage through dance, song, and presentations, including celebrating Latino Heritage Month, Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), and Diwali, with more to come in the new year. Assembly begins with our Little School community reciting a newly written poem about the 4 C’s created by music teacher Emily Spaeth and concluding with everyone linked up arm-to-arm singing our “The Apple Tree Song.”
STRENGTHING THE MIND AND BODY
FOCUS ON LITERACY
Little School has continued our commitment to growth in literacy. All students experience literacy for one hour and a half every day. During this period of time, students across each grade level split into multiple flexible groups to ensure students are learning at the highest level possible. Each grade level has upwards of three distinct groups.
NEW PILOT PROGRAM
Third grade is piloting a new social social studies program, InquirED. This program inspires inquiry-based learning, develops literacy skills, and supports culturally responsive instruction. Our two new units of study include “Global Connections” and “Natural Resources of the United States.”
FOLLOWING THE 4 C’S
Our physical education department in Little School is focusing on social-emotional learning and helping our young students in kindergarten, first, and second grade to develop self-management skills, self-awareness, social awareness/relationships skills, and how to show kindness while practicing manners.
GET OUT AND ACTIVE
Let’s Move, our before-school early morning walk/run club, has had record attendance this year with approximately 35–50 students participating each morning. A total of 122 students in Little School have participated in a morning walk run at least twice — that’s 87% of all of the students in our division!
IN TUNE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT
Jenny Lee, our science/STEAM teacher, is collaborating with our gardening faculty to create new programs aligned with environmental and sustainability efforts. We are also in the beginning stages of a student-led initiative, a Junior Green Team, where students will identify sustainability efforts in Little School and collaborate with the PA Green Committee to help take action on our campus.
Did You Know?
Second-grade teacher Andrea Rankin received her master’s degree in Education Leadership, and Policy from Boston College.
Our third- and fourth-grade recess chorus has been invited to perform at this year’s Tenafly Holiday Fair, taking place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Peace Plaza in Tenafly.
Our Summer String Festival Chamber Orchestra, consisting of students ages 7–14, opened up for Itzhak Perlman and Rohan DeSilva at bergenPAC in October.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR VISION AND GOALS FOR THE FUTURE OF EMS
Important 2023–2024 State of the School topics include updates from Chilton House and Morrow House, as well as Advancement, Auxiliary Programs, Communications and Marketing, Enrollment, Facilities and Operations, Finances, and Community Life, Equity, and Belonging.
