Dear Lower School Families & Friends,

Today we spent the day fielding!  We have celebrated with our time-honored tradition of Spring Field Day.  The rain may have altered our plans a bit but great fun was had by all!

Sometimes, families ask us why this tradition exists, is it truly worthy of the three days of field days we have? I answer this with a simple quote from a favorite poem of mine...

When you ask me what I’ve done at school today, and I say, “I just played”

Please don’t misunderstand me. For you see, I’m learning as I play.

I’m learning to enjoy and be successful in my work. I’m preparing for tomorrow.

Today, I am a child and my work is play.

From "Let's Play" by Anita Wadley

Have a wonderful long weekend!  See you Tuesday for the last days of school!

Stacy, Jeanne, and the whole team

Dear Lower School Families & Friends,

It's the time to celebrate academic achievements and the incredible talents of our students!  Congratulations to our Second Graders with their culminating event about space last night!  We also extend our delightful gratitude for all of the many wonderful participants in the talent show today -  weren't they wonderful???

It truly takes the support of home and school to support our children into becoming not only scholars of excellence, but the best of humans.  

The following is a quote I used during our 8th-grade recognition celebration this morning - and how incredibly fitting it is for us all:

Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

-Stevie Wonder

Have a wonderful weekend!

Stacy, Jeanne, Anne Mass, and The Whole Team

Dear Lower School Families & Friends,

Dear Lower School Families & Friends,

This is a week full of gratitude and appreciation. It is no small thing to say that all of you made our teachers feel appreciated and extra special this week. The faculty send their gratitude for the small and large gestures of caring and appreciation you and the children gave them throughout Teacher Appreciation Week. We never cease to be amazed by the open hearts and generosity of our families.

Now that the chicks have emerged from their eggs, it is time to name them. The JK4 Chickens class brainstormed names for our new feathered Lakers and invited everyone in the Lower School to vote for two of the chicks! 

Welcome…Frog & Toad (the roosters) and Mango, Tango, Itsy, Bitsy, and Eclipse… to the Lower School family!

May this week of mutual gratitude and appreciation set the stage for patience and positive thinking as we move into the final weeks of the school year.

This is a week full of gratitude and appreciation. It is no small thing to say that all of you made our teachers feel appreciated and extra special this week. The faculty send their gratitude for the small and large gestures of caring and appreciation you and the children gave them throughout Teacher Appreciation Week. We never cease to be amazed by the open hearts and generosity of our families.

Now that the chicks have emerged from their eggs, it is time to name them. The JK4 Chickens class brainstormed names for our new feathered Lakers and invited everyone in the Lower School to vote for two of the chicks! 

Welcome…Frog & Toad (the roosters) and Mango, Tango, Itsy, Bitsy, and Eclipse… to the Lower School family!

May this week of mutual gratitude and appreciation set the stage for patience and positive thinking as we move into the final weeks of the school year.

Dear LS families and friends,

We had a wonderful concert last night - congrats to Mrs. Smyczyk and the whole LS staffulty and students.  Hard work (and a significant amount of adorable-ness) really pays off!

It's a short blog week due to our delightful Grandparents Day and Special Friends Day!  We hope everyone had an amazing time on Hawk Hill!

Have a great weekend!

Respectfully,

Stacy, Jeanne and the whole team

Dear LS families and friends,

Earth day, assembly prep, spring fever, oh my!

We are so excited to spend Grandparents and Special Friends with you next week - please remember to RSVP your family/  It is for anyone - so please come even if grandparents aren't able to come, we would love to see you!  Sign up is below.

Also, a small group of parents have organized a parent/staffulty meet-up  Hope you can make it!

Parent/Staffulty Meet Up!

Where: Tabi's Wine & Bar

111 E Capitol Dr, Hartland, WI 53029

When: Thursday, May 9th, 2024

Who: ULS Parents & Staffulty

Time: 5:00pm

Have a great weekend!

Respectfully,

Stacy, Jeanne and the whole team

Dear LS families and friends,

The school year is speeding up and we see the busyness in the hallways and classrooms. and on the fields.  Today we ended our week with our 4th  grade Magnum Opus projects which were awe-inspiring.  The interests of the students and the depth of learning within the projects was incredible.  I  cannot wait to see what middle school looks like for our 4th graders! 

Also, you may have seen the email about our new chicks that are soon to be born! If you can help with a home for an adorable little rooster, or know someone who would, please reach out to the LS office or to Mrs. Wilkowski in JK4. We would like to find loving homes for any little roos that arrive. We are also in need of ad-free newspaper to line the brooder. 

We hope to see you tomorrow night at the auction and at the many events coming up this spring!

Respectfully,

Stacy, Jeanne and the whole team

Dear LS families and friends,

I hope everyone is enjoying the wonders of spring!  We heard the frogs singing in our neighborhoods for the first time last night, and it was a sound we didn't know we had been missing!

This morning, the whole school came together to complete a spring-inspired "Buddy Mission". Because the beautiful herons are so active right now around campus, the lower school students each received their paper heron, which they could name. Paired with their older buddies, small groups created a story together, using the herons as characters. The older students will take these stories and create a book or slideshow, which, once completed, they will share again with their little buddies! A huge thank you to Mrs. McSorley for planning this fun activity.

In other news, the 4th grade parents met in the middle school last evening with 5th grade teachers, Liz McSorley and Joe Hardgrove, to discuss their students' transitions to middle school next fall. Ideas, thoughts, and feelings were shared about how to help their children navigate this exciting time. Parents were given a wonderful and informational book titled Middle School Makeover by Michelle Icard. It was great having everyone come together for this 'class community' time. Here at ULS, we strive to continually strengthen our parent/teacher/student relationships and getting together to share stories and suggestions is so important!

Last, but not least, you may have seen the email about our new chicks that are soon to be born! If you can help with a home for an adorable little rooster, or know someone who would, please reach out to the LS office or to Mrs. Wilkowski in JK4. We would like to find loving homes for any little roos that arrive. We are also in need of ad-free newspaper to line the brooder. 

There is one week from tomorrow until A Moment in Time, our fabulous 2024 Auction. We hope to see everyone there! 

Respectfully,

Stacy, Jeanne and the whole team

Dear LS Families and Friends,

It has been a busy week and the students and staffulty all hit the ground running in anticipation of the sprint to the finish line that is April & May at ULS.

This is definitely my favorite time of the year, as it is so wonderful to see how the kiddos have grown and matured since August. As teachers, we 

don't always get the instant gratification that other careers might offer up when one meets a deadline, achieves a certain amount of sales, or checks off their respective professional boxes, however, the beauty of being an educator is that we get to look at the long term successes, achievements, and growth in our students. 

This will become even more evident in several weeks when our beloved seniors walk across the Treiber stage to receive their diplomas! 

Here are a few snippets from just this week of the journey our kids take:

• SK used their senses on their Friday Frolic to hear, smell, see and touch the changes that are occurring in nature right now as spring replaces winter around our campus.

• 3rd grade presented an LS assembly this morning which featured an amazing play based on the theme of immigration in the early 1900s.

• JK4 Chickens are planning to hatch chicks in a few weeks. They put the eggs in the incubator yesterday and hoping to see them hatch in 20 days!

• 4th grade started to build their exhibits for their Magnum Opus projects. The projects will be presented on Thursday, April 18th and Friday, April 19th.

Lastly, if any fourth-grade girls would like to join the middle school soccer team, please let us know!  It is not too late!  Reach out to Ms. Synold or Mrs. McRae for more information.

Have a wonderful weekend and go Lakers!

Respectfully,

Stacy Synold, LS and MS Head

Dear LS families,

I have freshly returned from an exhilarating and exhausting trip to Washington D.C with our 8th graders.  Our middle school culminating leadership experience was inspiring - from the personal integrity displayed throughout to their historical presentations given at each sight we visited to their care of one another - we were so impressed and so excited for their futures at ULS.  It gives me much hope and joy for our youngest students - they have so much to look forward to, and their experiences in the Lower School prepare them for this type of learning adventure ahead!

Many thanks to the teachers throughout ULS who kept the home fires burning.  It is a busy time of year and we all are ready for some time and space to relax and rejuvenate.

Please note that our summer camp program registration, Sunny Pines, is now closed.  Thank you for your tremendous interest!

Volleyball for JR LakerSports is starting right after the break.  It is for grades 1-4.  Here is the sign-up: hJr. Lakers Volley Ball Sign-Up

Wishing you and your families a healthy and happy Spring Break!

Respectfully,

Stacy Synold, LS and MS Head

Dear LS families,

We are buzzing with excitement for the LS dance tonight!  Many thanks to the incredible talents of Leslie Peterson and our students for the magical decorations and vision, and Megan Prochniak and her parent and family brigade for their attention to detail and making sure the evening is magical for all.

I will be with our 8th graders in Washington D.C. next week. from Monday through Thursday evening  Please reach out to Mr. Dewis, Mr. Hardgrove, Mrs. Tiffany, or Mrs. Benson if there are any immediate concerns or joys to share.  I can't wait to learn alongside them during this week away, growing our ULS future Upper School students, one leadership moment at a time.   I will return Friday at 8 a.m.

Finally, on Monday, we welcome a new teacher to ULS, Mr. Chimeng Xiong!  We are excited to welcome Chimeng Xiong, “Mr. Chi,” as an instructional aide, who will be working with a student(s) and occasionally small groups of students within 4th grade, beginning this Monday, 3/11/24. He will be a full member of the teaching team in fourth grade. He will also be in stay and play each evening, so many of you will get a chance to meet him and know his kind self. Please introduce yourself to him when you see him!

A little about Mr. Chimeng Xiong: Chimeng is a Milwaukee native with an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. He has provided instructional support from birth through eighth grade at local independent schools and exceptional early childhood programs throughout the North Shore of Milwaukee. He loves to cook, bake, and run.  Please see his photo below so you know him when you see him!

Have a wonderful weekend and GOOOOO Lakers!

Stacy Synold, LS and MS Head

Dear LS families,

A sincere note of thanks to all our parents and guardians who attended conferences this week. We value having the time with you to connect, reflect, plan, and share. The success and growth of our students truly relies on the three-part collaboration of student, home, and school!

Many of the LS students have been busy, busy, busy, creating a magical world fit for Wishing Upon a Star. The LS Dance is in two weeks, March 8th!  If you signed up for dinner, we will have the pizza ready at 5:00. If you are dining on your own, the dance portion will begin at 5:45.  Magical, fairytale, and/or adventure costumes are encouraged but not required. Please no scary costumes, for the sake of our littlest Lakers.  See the link below to RSVP if you have not already done so. 

As the weather continues to warm, please be sure to send appropriate outdoor gear for your student. We love to take students outside to explore, but with that can come mud and puddles. Students should have a change of clothes to be kept at school at all times. 

And last, but most certainly not least, a huge shout-out THANK YOU to all the families who donated funds and food items for our Teacher Conference Dinner last night. The teachers truly look forward to this special meal twice a year. We had the whole lower school staffulty, together in the LS lounge, enjoying the food and each other's company, all because of your generosity. Thank you!

Have a healthy and happy weekend!

Stacy Synold and Jeanne Flesch

LS and MS Head and LS Admin Assistant

Dear LS families,

This week, we were fortunate enough to have seven Wisconsin Lutheran college students visit the Lower School to observe our teachers in action. It was a wonderful thing to be able to share some knowledge and wisdom with young educators. Their bright, young minds seemed to soak in the experience, and they seemed to enjoy their time here as much as we enjoyed having them visit. 

Many of the LS students have been busy, busy, busy, creating a magical world fit for Wishing Upon a Star. The LS Dance is in two weeks, March 8th!  Please see the link below to RSVP if you have not already done so. 

The cell phone outage on Thursday of this week served as a good reminder that we should all strive to have an alternative way of connecting with friends and family should a situation like this arise again. We rely on technology to help make our lives easier...until it does the opposite! Please take a moment and make sure the contact information in your Alma portal is current, including emergency contacts with addresses, phone numbers, and emails. If you have a change, you can do that yourself in your portal. If you have a change for your child's emergency med form, please contact Mrs. Flesch in the office. 

Conferences are coming, starting next Monday, February 26th!  Please read the info below to sign up.  Please note, that this year, I will be away during conferences at the NAIS Thrive conference in St. Louis for professional development.  I am always happy to meet with you and can schedule time at your convenience, just not during the actual conference times.  Please reach out to me if you would like to set up some time to talk.  

Have a healthy and happy weekend!

Stacy Synold and Jeanne Flesch

LS and MS Head and LS Admin Assistant

Notes from Ms. Synold, February 9, 2024

Dear Amazing LS families,

Thank you so much for your kindness and tremendous patience as we navigated an unprecedented number of staffulty with illnesses.  I will be most grateful for next week when our beloved faculty return!  I have dusted off my elementary teaching skills and while rusty, it was an honor to serve our school this way.  Thank you to the many family, administrative, and faculty volunteers who made the wheels keep turning and the kiddos and teachers keep smiling.

Next week, teachers will have Valentine bags in the lobby.  Please feel free to leave a valentine for our sweets!   You can also buy candy grams in the lobby from the US students.  Nothing is required, but we are willing the winter doldrums and illness away with a celebration of love and friendship.  Please email Mrs. Flesch or me with any questions.

If you are planning on attending the LS Family Dance, "Wish Upon a Star," newly rescheduled to 3/8/24, RSVP as soon as possible so we can get appropriate counts: LS Dance RSVP.

Have a healthy and happy weekend!

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

Today, our staffulty is in professional development for a day, focusing on deep dives into learning groups which were established earlier in the year and safety training.  Please enjoy the long weekend with your family!

If you are planning on attending the LS Family Dance, "Wish Upon a Star", please RSVP as soon as possible so we can get appropriate counts: LS Dance RSVP.

With gratitude,

Respectfully,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

A heartfelt thank you to the families and friends (old ones and new!) who took the time to visit us yesterday during our Lower School Open House. It is truly a wonderful thing to watch our small Lakers as they show off their school to their loved ones.  It is joyful to see their pride for their classrooms, their teachers, and the work displayed. Thank you for sharing that with us! Thank you as well to the parent ambassadors who shared their stories with potential Lakers, and of course, we want to thank our teachers. Their kindness, hard work, and dedication for our students is amazing every single day. They truly go above and beyond. 

On another note, January is almost in the books, but February can seem long (even though it's the shortest month!) We have two days in February when school is not in session; February 2nd is a teacher in-service day, and February 19th is President's Day and a holiday for students and staffulty.  There are many simple ways to enjoy the outdoors with your children, even in winter. Something as simple as filling squirt bottles with food coloring and water and letting your children "paint" in the snow can bring hours of fun for the whole family. 

Here are some great websites for outdoor fun:

For activities without snow: https://thimbleandtwig.com/30-fun-and-cheap-outdoor-winter-activities-for-kids-without-snow/

For activities with snow: https://barleyandbirch.com/discover-best-kids-outdoor-winter-play-activities/

Fun in Winter in MKE: https://www.mkewithkids.com/post/winter-activities-for-kids-milwaukee/

Enjoy the ideas and stay warm!

Respectfully,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

We braved the cold this week, and learning happened all around!  JR Lakers sports and Cinderella rehearsals are in full swing.

Please invite someone to attend the LS open house next week on Thursday, January 25th:  Register HERE.  We would love to see you and encourage you to join us and visit the classrooms ahead of your child on their learning journey.

We have enjoyed our 4th graders making their first visit to the Middle School for chats with Ms. Synold and Mr. Dewis.  What a joyful next step for some of our young learners. Please celebrate them and their families should you see our intrepid soon-to-be 5th graders!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

It's been a busy and snowy week for us all.  I am sharing a shorter blog today due to the multiple snow days.  We had a wonderful snowy field day with fun for all!  We look forward to more fun in our snowy paradise As we still have recess in the cold and snowy weather (over zero as a general guideline) and even some educational activities outside, please ensure your lower schoolers come equipped to use our winter wonderland as a learning opportunity - hats, gloves, snow pants, coats, boots, scarves or balaclavas would be helpful!

Today!  Our amazing summer Sunny Pines camp is open to our current families.  Please see the link in the school newsletter for registration!

Thank you for all you can do to support our students in their imperative to learn personal integrity and character through service.  One of my favorite Dr. Martine Luther King Jr. quotes is, " The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."  I am grateful for all the ULS community does to foster both critical thinking and the development of character.  It will be in this marriage of these values that our students and children will find meaning and we all can have hope for our future!

Wishing you a warm and cozy long weekend,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

It is a new year and we are back in the swing of things!  During this second half of our school year, our minds turn to our growing students and you, the families of these incredible children.

During the next few months, we can all challenge ourselves to see our children as capable and curious smaller humans.  We can foster independence, whether it is encouraging them to tie their shoes, walk into school without being carried, packing their lunches, putting away snow gear, or even taking care of their laundry or doing the dishes.  In the classroom, we will also begin to increase expectations because we know our students can do it.

Sometimes, as teachers and families, we think that our children can be physically capable, but perhaps we worry about them socially.  Perhaps they have "frienemies" at school, or they worry about who they are going to play with at recess.  As families and educators, we often wish to provide a soft landing for every hurt or sad feeling.  Sometimes as adults, we need to intervene if the situation is too big for little hearts and heads to comprehend.  Research suggests the opposite.  Adults controlling childhood friendships often muddy the waters, even with our best intentions.  From Melbourne School Psychology and School Psychology Services come the following recommendations for us as adults in supporting childhood friendships and the challenges children face within these relationships:

1. Redefine friendship challenges as opportunities to learn.

Friendship skills get easier with practice.  Let's make sure we give the children ample opportunity to learn with our support.

2. Listen and empathize.

Children need our emotional support but they do not need us to solve their problems.  Listening carefully and acknowledging their feelings often provides room for them to figure out their challenges.

3. Encourage them to stand up for themselves.

Children need to know it is okay not to accept poor behavior and that they have a voice in how they wish to be treated.  Role-playing how to talk to a friend can be our best support for a child struggling.

4. Discourage the word "bully."

The word bully comes with the risk of being overused and often mislabels difficult behavior into something much more sinister. Melbourne School Psychology suggests renaming it to "mean on purpose."  This clear and transparent language makes sense to children and doesn't downplay what is happening. Of course, some situations can escalate and that is when adults need to be more involved.  However, in most situations children respond very well to a simple call out, "that was mean"  or "not cool."

5. Lead by example.

As we all know, children are always listening to us and feed off of our emotions.  They watch how we talk about others, including our own friends and family, and they hear us talking about their friends and often repeat what they hear parents and teachers share - the good, bad, and the ugly.  We can lead by example by speaking positively about others and stopping them when they are name-calling their friends, even in a private conversation.  We can ask good questions and encourage them to understand healthy and unhealthy relationships.  

I hope some of these suggestions are helpful for you - I know the research for this blog was a great reminder for me!  Please reach out to Mr. H-L or myself if you have questions about childhood friendships.  We look forward to watching these amazing small humans grow!

With gratitude and respect,

Stacy Synold                     

LS and MS Head              

Dear LS families and friends,

Happy almost winter Break!   Last night's concert was a marvelous example of our Laker Spirit.  From twirling little ones, to the sweet and clear voices which remind us what is important through the holidays and beyond - every aspect was magical.

As we turn off our lights and unplug our refrigerators for the much-needed winter break, let me wish you a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and a joyful time with your family.  Should you be traveling, we wish you safe journeys - with little traffic or delayed flights.

I always love to end the second semester with a long list of things for which I am grateful.  For this time of year, 5 seems like the perfect number.

Here are a few of my favorite things from the Lower School at ULS:

1. Morning high fives at the pre-primary door

2. Recess at Toad Village with fourth-grade

3. The holiday concert!

4. The teachers eating together at lunchtime at the long table in the faculty room

5. Your kindness and support!!

Thank you for being part of this spectacular community.  We treasure each of you!!

Stacy Synold                     

LS and MS Head              

Dear LS families and friends,

The Lower School students and teachers have been contemplating the theme of "Peace" for the last few weeks, as it is our shared theme for December. Many classrooms have been decorating their classrooms and doors with ideas surrounding peace and have been talking about what peace means to them.

It has been wonderful to hear the children's ideas of what brings peace to their little lives. We would encourage your family to continue this discussion at home with your student(s). There are wonderful children's books available at the library that incorporate the theme of peace, including one of Ms. Synold's favorites, Wishes of the World by Melissa Stiveson.  

We wish all of you a peaceful and restful weekend with your loved ones.

Stacy Synold                       Jeanne Flesch

LS and MS Head                Lower School Administrative Assistant

Dear LS families and friends,

What a busy week of returning from Thanksgiving break!  We had a wonderful Hanukkah celebration and learning event, where we sang together, and learned about traditions that may be different from our own, yet have similar notes and themes that bring us together!  Today, some of our fourth graders chose to help decorate for the Christmas holiday season in the lower school - holiday cheer abounds in the hallways!

We are excited about all of the special events coming our way in the next few weeks; please see below for important information.

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

What a wonderful Veterans Day assembly today, led by our illustrious 4th graders!  We are so proud of the hard work, creativity, and compassion they devoted to welcoming our veterans.

Thank you to one and all for making our little book fair a success last week!  It was a wonderful week of community for conferences and the fair - seeing so many of you in the Lower School was lovely!

Before everyone starts to disburse for their upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations, we take this moment to reflect with gratitude for this amazing school community.  We wish you safe travels, your loved ones near in person or to your hearts, and hope for all a peaceful and healthy holiday season!

Please note that we will not have blogs next week, given its short duration.  Thank you for your understanding!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

It's been a delightful week here in the Lower School, with halls full of people browsing for books - what is more lovely than reading together?

Perhaps it is talking together!  This week, we came together to celebrate and partner in your child(ren)'s learning journey.  Hopefully, your minds are full of even more questions and curiosities and your hearts are full, full of knowing your children are learning, growing, and truly being seen for the wonderful humans they are!

Let us all take a moment of gratitude for our tremendous faculty and their herculean efforts to prepare for this week.  We'll all be resting this afternoon and over the weekend as we prepare for yet another week of learning adventures.

Have a wonderful weekend!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

We started the week with Halloween festivities and despite the snowy weather, our annual Trunk or Treat was again a huge success. Seeing all of my lower school friends in their Halloween costumes is one of my favorite times of the school year. 

We ended the week with a very different event, but one that was just as successful. We were visited by about 60 preprimary educators from Madison’s Preschool for the Arts. Our guests received guided tours of the campus, as well as time to observe and learn from our amazing teachers. 

Of course, every day this week was filled with exploration and learning, from the littlest Lakers to the biggest ones! Our 4th graders are preparing for the Veterans Day assembly on November 17th, our 2nd graders prepared, practiced, and performed a wonderful lower school assembly, holiday concert music has started to fill the halls, and the SK class took their Friday Folic out to the Be Brave area of campus today. 

Please make sure to log into ALMA and celebrate your child's growth by viewing their skills and narrative-based First Trimester Report Cards.  I spent each night this week reading each student's report card and I am delighted with the tremendous growth and spirit of these wonderful children.  Equally awe-inspiring was the expertise, thoughtfulness, and care with which the teachers documented the children's learning.

Have a wonderful weekend and see you at conferences!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

We are about to truly enter Fall and with that come the treasures of Fall ULS traditions -  Trunk or Treat, Veterans Day Assembly, LS conferences, and the LS Book Fair!  Please stay tuned for important news in the Weekly Wednesday Reminders and here in the Blog.

Today, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the incredible work happening in our art studio and re-introduce many of you to our art teacher, Leslie Peterson.  Leslie has served ULS for the past 6 years in our classrooms, particularly in 4th grade.  Her brilliance and creativity never went unnoticed, nor did her incredible skill and education with a variety of artistic mediums,  When Mr. Scot Plier retired last year,  It was time for us to take a moment and re-vision our already strong art program into a fully functional, Reggio-inspired atelier, or studio.  

What does that mean exactly?  In the Reggio approach, an atelier, or workshop, is a place for students and a "workshopper/atelierista" to explore learning with a plethora of materials.  It is also a place where our beliefs about children come alive;  we believe children to be capable of co-constructing their learning and that teachers serve as guides and researchers.  In the studio, that looks like art experiences across learning domains, integrated into science, technology, language arts, social studies, mathematics, and outdoor learning.  Please take a moment to read Leslie's words about this dynamic vision: About Art in the Lower School.

Every member of our staffulty brings a unique passion and perspective in their work with children and I look forward to sharing more thoughts and words from each of our teachers in the LS.

Today, I leave you with words from one of the founders of Reggio Emilia,  Loris Malaguzzi, whom I believe captures the essence of how our ULS teachers work:

Stand aside for a while and leave room for learning, observe carefully what children do, and then, if you have understood well, perhaps teaching will be different from before.

- Loris Malaguzzi

May we all strive to be students and observers of our children...

Have a wonderful weekend!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

What a busy week we had -  the great inaugural jack o'lantern jaunt, a learning visit from our incredible Lake Country Fire Department complete with seeing the fire truck, ending with a grand finale of our 1st graders' culmination of their butterfly metamorphosis project and the 2nd-grade poetry slam.  The walls and forests were alive with learning!

We also are concluding a long week of MAP testing for our 3rd and 4th graders.  We are so proud of them for their dedication and perseverance.

We look forward to the awaited events of the fall in the Lower School - Trunk or Treat and the annual Book Fair!  Please see the sign-ups below and more information with details coming next week!

Have a wonderful weekend!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

What a great Open House event last night and an excellent showing for the end of Fall Sports season here at ULS.  We are so grateful to all of our families for their participation in both events!  We all extend a sincere note of gratitude for all of the parent and student ambassadors who lovingly shared "their ULS" with new families.

Good luck to our 3rd and 4th graders with MAP testing next week - what wonderful leaders and students we have!  Also, please pay close attention to all of the activities coming up below.  We can't wait to see you on Hawk Hill!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families and friends,

What a wonderful week full of the spirit of ULS and homecoming!  Students have also accomplished much within the classroom. From pumpkin hunting to chili making, - the halls have been full of fall adventures in the LS. 

We look forward to celebrating homecoming with you tonight! Have a wonderful weekend - good luck to all of our student-athletes and we hope you can join us at the Barn Bash tomorrow!

Goooo Lakers!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS Families,

This week was a busy week culminating in field day, hence our very short note!  Good fun, stiff competition, and sweaty happy kids were the outcome!

Have a wonderful weekend - good luck to all of our student-athletes in the US and MS!  Check out the athletic calendar and come to the games to cheer on our teams!

Goooo Lakers!

With gratitude,

Stacy Synold

LS and MS Head

Dear LS families,

As the leaves begin to change into an amazing array of colors on our beautiful campus, the Lower School students and staffulty are settling into a comforting and rhythmic routine. Little brains are exploring and learning, hands and feet are exploring, and creativity is everywhere. 

We had our Room Parent introductory meeting yesterday, and lots of fun plans for the year are beginning to take shape. Please be on the lookout in the next couple of weeks for an email from your child's Room Parent, introducing themselves and outlining what is in store in the months to come. 

Next week Friday is Fall Field Day. Mrs. Bisbee is busy creating a schedule for the day and all are getting excited! Fingers crossed for more beautiful weather. 

The Apple Crisp Run is on October 4th, after school. We are still in need of several bakers of apple crisp. Please see the information below to sign up.

Homecoming is also fast approaching. The LS students will attend the Homecoming Parade here on campus. More information about this is in the ULS Newsletter and in your child's classroom blogs. Be sure to check out both!

Finally, tomorrow, September 23rd, is the first official day of fall. I hope you are able to celebrate this cozy season in a special way with your family. 

Enjoy your weekend! 

With gratitude for each of you,

Ms. Stacy Synold

Lower and Middle School Head

Dear LS families,

Thank you for attending listening conferences this week.  What an important opportunity for us all to build relationships in support of the students.

Sports are off to a wonderful beginning and more clubs will be coming soon!  Please make arrangements to come as a family to the Apple Crisp Run - and make a dish to share of the yummiest apple crisp in the world!

Finally this, evening marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.  We wish all who celebrate a healthy, happy, and sweet new year, l'shanah tovah.

Enjoy your weekend and please make sure to click on the individual classroom blogs above for more grade-specific information.

With gratitude for each of you,

Ms. Stacy Synold

Lower and Middle School Head

It has been a busy week, acclimating to routines and more, as we start to truly dig deeper into learning, friendships, playtime, and activities.  We see signs of activity everywhere, on the fields, in the forest, and in the classrooms.

Thank you to the many of you who attended our Family/Parent Information Nights in your child's classrooms.  Family Information Nights are a wonderful way to hear more from our expert teachers.  Part of the art of teaching is to know when to forge ahead with an adult-focused plan and when to hold back and watch and support the learning that evolves within the students.  Our teachers have found that unique rhythm and the results are breathtaking, as our students take ownership and engagement with their work with great intensity and focus, fueled by curiosity and passion.

LS Families, a special note to remember that doors do not open until 7:50 a.m.  Teachers will not be able to accept students before this time; they must go to our morning care program in the music studio.  School ends at 3:05 for pre-primary and 3:20 p.m. for primary classrooms and students need to be picked up promptly or attend our stay-and-play extended day program  Thank you for helping us to promote safety by dropping off at 7:50 or later and picking up at your student's assigned time.  

Enjoy your weekend and please make sure to click on the individual classroom blogs above for more grade-specific information.

With gratitude for each of you,

Ms. Stacy Synold

Lower and Middle School Head

Dear LS families,

This week, I turned 51.  I don't know exactly what 51 is supposed to feel like but I guess this is how it should feel for me.  I know I feel younger than 51, I think I probably look 51, and some days, I  definitely feel the 5 decades of my life deep in my bones.  I sat with my family during dinner on my birthday and my 22-year-old son asked me what my hopes and wishes for the year might be.  I paused for a moment and thought deeply. I shared I wanted to learn not to be so afraid of snakes, as I love animals.  I also shared I wanted to find and enjoy some downtime given grad school and ULS being such big parts of my life, and finally, I shared that I wanted to continue to enjoy the small moments, just like I had done that day.  I had a birthday cake made out of sand for me by our three-year-olds, and I took a walk with a parent to our Forest classroom, I read Edgar Allan Poe with eighth graders, and I looked in wonder at the giant blue moon. 

Birthdays are very similar to the start of the school year.  We have hopes and dreams as parents for our children's happiness and academic prowess.  We may want a certain goal to be met or a milestone to be achieved.  Yet a school year is also another passage of time for us as parents and for our children.  Dreams may come true or disappointments may be felt.  And both of these outcomes are perfect for our journey.  As Reggio Inspired educators, we try to make room for the inherent self-worth of each child, for their capability, and their uniqueness.  A workbook won't tell this story and neither will a test. These moments will be found in a child's questions, in their struggles, in their wonderings, and in their efforts and affinities.

We can't wait to be part of your child's journey here at ULS.  I may continue to add wrinkles along the way, but I look forward to watching them walk across the stage as a ULS graduate someday soon, far faster than we could ever imagine.

I'd also like to share quick business notes:  Please sign up for listening conferences during the week of September 11-15th.  Links were sent in the Weekly Wednesday Reminders email.  Please contact your child's teacher or the office for the link if you did not receive the email.

We'd also like to invite you to our first all-school assembly next Friday, September 9th, at 8:10 a.m. at the Treiber Theater in the Fine Arts Building.  We invite you to join us for another morning of coffee and conversation, like the first day of school, on the Upper School Commons Porch near the administrative entrance in the Upper School Building.  We hope you can make it!

With gratitude for each of you,

Ms. Stacy Synold

Lower and Middle School Head