Irish Culture, customs focus of SJEDS Art Day

Irish Culture, customs focus of SJEDS Art Day

Blarney Castle
and its famous Blarney Stone turned up on the San Jose landscape last month
thanks to San Jose Episcopal Day School’s annual Art Day. As part of the
school’s global studies program, students learned about the culture and customs
of Ireland through music, art, games and service. The 2012 Art Day also
featured a community service component. Students made St. Patrick’s Day cards
which will be sent out to service men and women connected with the area. SJEDS
faculty assistant and Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars 6th
District President, Barbara Bobbitt is sending out cards for the students.
SJEDS students also created a mosaic Celtic cross during the Art Day
festivities. The cross will become part of the school’s permanent art collection.

San Jose Pursues More STEM education

San Jose Pursues More STEM education

San Jose
Catholic School announced it plans to integrate Lego Robotics into its middle
school science curriculum in the 2012-2013 school year.

The
decision follows a heavy period of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics, known as STEM, experiences in late 2011 and early 2012.

In
October, a group of 65 students, 37 parents and teachers from the middle school
traveled to Huntsville, Ala. to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center to attend a
weekend long Space Camp. The three-day visit included an presentations
on team-building, rocketry, the history of the space program, a simulated
shuttle mission and exposure to various scientific fields — including robotics.

This
school year, middle school science teachers at San Jose also added Lego
Robotics as an after- school program for students. Club members have
learned to build and program robots, build NXT Lego Robotics challenge
missions, and conduct research as a team. A San Jose Catholic School team
went to a Merritt Island Lego robotics competition in January, where they won
first place in research and presentation. The students also were
recognized in the category of “Gracious Professionalism”. The plans to
have several competition teams up and running for the next school year.

“Groundhog Day” includes all star cast

“Groundhog Day” includes all star cast

Punxsuatawney
Phil, a replica of the famed groundhog, made an appearance at The Bolles School
last month for the first graders’ presentation of Groundhog Day. The play
highlighted topics about the weather, hibernation and Groundhog Day. The play
was part of the students’ monthly, curriculum-based performance by each grade
on campus.