Bulletin #15 | December 10th, 2019

This is the perfect time of year to get involved in traditional Christmas events. For schools around the world, Christmas offers the opportunity to involve children more in singing and music, and at JFK we are no different. Learning to sing and play musical instruments is an area of development that many schools sadly ignore. Exposure to these activities helps students acquire skills that they will not necessarily be exposed to outside of school. Many students do learn instruments outside school, but most of those who develop these interests begin their passion at school. Many others begin at school but sadly stop playing or singing when they leave school and this is something that we are working on: to help children take on a life-long passion for music and singing.

 

At JFK, we offer these opportunities for students and do so without selecting only those with great talent: all students can participate, learn, and have fun doing so.

Our orchestra works for all developmental stages, supporting both the youngest and older students in providing classes to learn to play an instrument. It then offers a series of concerts and opportunities for students to display their skills in public. Participation helps students learn new skills, build self-esteem, work as part of a team, and also an appreciation of the appealing value of music within our culture. It is also a great deal of fun! This week the school orchestra will be playing at various events in and out of school, and I highly recommend coming to see the children play and to help celebrate their talents and the joys of the winter season.

 

Our traditional 3rd grade Christmas concert is also an incredible example of this: the wonderful Christmas concert and carol singing is a great experience for all participants and their families. It is even more remarkable when you hear the quality of the singing and understand that this is all the students, and not a selected choir of the ‘best’. This year this was, as usual, such a wonderful event and full of Christmas spirit!

 

I do wish to congratulate all our students for their incredible skills, and all those teachers involved in putting on these Christmas concerts and performances for us. I also hope that all of our readers take the opportunity to come and support our students at some of these performances and feel a little of peace and happiness that this season brings.

 

• Christmas Concert. This year we will be exploring holiday traditions from the different cultures of our community. Thank you to all the families that are helping to teach their classmates about the traditions from their countries. Our concert will be on December 19th at 8:00 AM in the auditorium, we hope to see you all there!
• Holiday Learning. The holidays are a great time to enjoy family and friends and create traditions. Please try to spend some special one on one time with your children this holiday and not to stray too far from routines so that kids will be ready when we come back to school.
  
  
  

Mark Dunn
Elementary School Principal