April

Dear Lab School Families,

April has arrived! As I was standing outside this morning greeting students a parent wished me luck today. I thought to myself why would this mom be wishing me luck and then I realized that it was dreaded April Fool's Day. Next to Halloween and the last day of school, April Fool's Day has the most potential for silliness and mayhem in a middle school. So far the best I've seen was 1st period when 8th graders decided to return to their 7th grade homeroom. It certainly did make me do a double-take.

The 8th graders are coming to completion on their mural project. For the past month Ms. Rinna's art classes have been working with an organization called Groundswell to produce a mural on the 4th floor of our building. The mural's design was a collaborative effort - incorporating ideas from students in two homerooms. The theme of the mural is Diversity and depicts many elements of our school community and culture...including a six foot long alligator and portrait of Jabu. It has brought so much to the space and will leave a lasting mark on our school.

The 7th graders are in the midst of a food unit in Spanish class. They have each been assigned to write a Spanish recipe that will be compiled into a Spanish Cookbook. This book will be published and sold at the Taste event in June. A food unit wouldn't be complete without a food day too. The students will be cooking their recipes and sharing the food with their classmates and teachers.

The Gay Straight Alliance is getting ready for their assembly next Tuesday. The GSA was a new group to come to Lab MS last year. With the help of Mr. Mosher and Ms. Whelan it has grown to become one of the most active student groups at Lab. Tuesday will be the first ever assembly put on by the GSA. I am excited to be starting a new tradition at Lab School.

Spring sports are also in full swing. Our spring season includes Track and Field, Softball, Baseball and Cheerleading. It is certain to be a great season for all our gator athletes.

The Auction is tonight. This year's theme is April in Paris. This is a wonderful event that Lab MS and HS put on annually. It allows the Parents' Associations to raise money for the two schools and is also a nice moment to come together as a community. I hope to see many of you there.

I will close with three calendar reminders. 3rd Quarter ends Friday, April 8th. Report cards will be BACKPACKED home this quarter (due to Spring Break) on Friday, April 15th. Spring Break is April 18th - April 26th. Students will return to school on Wednesday, April 27th. Finally, the state ELA and Math exams are fast approaching. The ELA exam with be May 3rd and 4th and the Mathe exam will be May 11th and May 12th. There will be more information to follow regarding testing.

Warmest,
Meg