THE IMPORTANCE of good values is a core component of the character-building project undertaken by all K-5 students at the Little School where the hallway to each grade now has a name based upon the value. Participating in the presentation to the School Committee recently were (front row, l-r): Eleanor, David, Gwen, Riley, Patrick, Myra, Lillian, Porter; (back row, l-r): Adjustment Counselor Veronica Rogers, JD, Stella, Emily, Isabella, Francesca, Eva, David, Harper and Adjustment Counselor Alexandra Aleksa. (Chris Molle Photo)

 

 

By NEIL ZOLOT

NORTH READING — Corridors at the E. Ethel Little School will be named in reference to themes in a recent character-building project undertaken by all grades and coordinated by adjustment counselors Alexandra Aleska and Veronica Rogers.

“They worked closely with our students in the classroom on specific characters and the importance of having good values,” Principal Christine Molle told the School Committee during its annual meeting in the school cafetorium Monday, May 20.

Rogers added, “The students worked hard on posters and spoke in public in front of the whole school in February in honor of Martin Luther King Day.”

Each grade’s poster used shapes filled in by students with thoughts on their theme and new corridor name. The kindergarten hallway will be Caring Street. Their Caring poster used sneaker shapes. “We stepped into other people’s shoes to notice their feelings and thought of ways to show we care,” student Lilian Dougherty explained.

“Show you care and make the world a better place to be in,” student Myra Sharma advised.

The first grade hallway will be Fairness Boulevard. “Fairness means treating everyone equally and with kindness,” student Eleanor Mendell said while showing their Fairness poster using sports balls shapes.

The second grade hallway will be Respect Avenue. “Respecting others helps people feel comfortable and safe,” student David Cyr said.

The third grade hallway will be Responsibility Road. “Responsibility means taking ownership of your decisions,” student J.D. Webb explained.

“Try your best to follow the rules and be honest,” student Isabella Yuan added.

The fourth grade hallway will be Trustworthiness Way. Their poster used dog shapes. “Trustworthiness means being dependable, honest, reliable and responsible,” student Francesca Giordano said.

Lastly, the fifth grade hallway will be Citizenship Lane. Their poster used arms as symbols. “Citizenship means recognizing your position in the community and devotion to its values,” student Gwen Davis said.

Davis was also one of the fifth graders chosen to display their posters from the school’s recent science fair. Her project was entitled “Motion Madness: Applying Physics to Hoola-hooping” and demonstrated how smaller hoola-hoops increase duration in hole-hooping. She even showed off her hoola-hooping technique.

Alexander Brain’s Science Fair project was entitled “Plop, Plop Fizz Fast: The Effect of Temperature on Chemical Reactions.” He used Alka-Seltzer tablets in his experiment.

Maddie Brown’s Science Fair project was entitled “Parachutes: Does Size Matter?” and demonstrated the slow descent of larger parachutes.

 

LITTLE SCHOOL fifth-graders who presented their science projects to the School Committee were (l-r): Maddie Brown, Gwen Davis and Alexander Brain. (Chris Molle Photo)

The Science Fair was coordinated by science teacher Amy O’Brien. “I did it several years before the pandemic, so I had a system,” she said.

“We hadn’t had one since prior to the pandemic,” Molle added. “With the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s shift to performance-based tasks and investigations, we thought it was the right time to bring it back.”

“Great job everybody,” School Committee member Noelle Rudloff reacted.

Member Jennifer Leenders called the presentations “amazing.”

“You’re all excellent speakers,” chairman Scott Buckley told the students.

“I could never have come close to this when I was that age,” member Jeff Friedman joked.

Superintendent Dr. Patrick Daly noted Molle has “been excited about the signs” in recent weeks.

Eagle Scout project approved

Later in the meeting, Middle School student and Boy Scout Troop 750 Eagle Scout candidate Pierce Burnham received unanimous committee approval to build two sandbox tables with chalkboards at the Hood School for use by pre-schoolers for his Eagle Scout project.

Four members of the School Committee were present at the meeting held at the Little School, while member Tim Sutherland participated remotely.

Burnham, who attended the Hood School, hopes to finish the work before September. He estimated that it will cost between $800 to $1,000 and is hoping to receive donations at the Hood School Open House. He’s already received $400 from the Middle School Parents’ Association.

Other scouts will help him complete the project. “Part of the project is leadership,” Burnham said. “Scouts for the troop will come and I’ll instruct them on how to build the sandboxes.”