July 5, 2023
AUGUST 3
Good morning.
Welcome to week 5 of the summer program. I hope you are all well and staying safe. First and foremost, as you may have heard on the news, we are expecting Tropical Storm Isaias to arrive sometime Tuesday afternoon. Just as the last tropical storm, we have sprung into action to safeguard the students and staff throughout this event and our plans are in place. As always, our immediate concern is the well being of everyone at Maplebrook.
This past weekend’s activities called for us to get in touch with our inner artists. Activities encompassed music as well as the arts and when I was with the students on Saturday, we were able to make the day our own masterpiece.
Michelangelo was primarily a sculptor, not a painter. He was very reluctant when Pope Julius II asked him to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The Pope was adamant, leaving Michelangelo no choice but to accept. In those days, you did what the Pope asked you to do. I felt the same as my group was tasked to use music as a means to create a chalk drawing on the circle around the main campus. Unlike Michelangelo, I am not an artist, but with the help of my team of students and a bit of artistic guidance from Mr. Diamond, what we created was a masterpiece. Thankfully, no one was as unrelenting as Pope Julius.
My point is not about the final product, which was, indeed, pretty great. My point is about the teamwork and enjoyment we had working together. We brainstormed, there was a feeling of excitement as each piece of the chalk mural was completed, we air high-fived, we felt accomplished. These are the moments when the teacher becomes the student. It was refreshing to have the students lead the way, each contributing what got them excited about the project, all with their chosen songs in their hearts, a murmur of them singing as I followed their lead.
Even though we are in the latter part of the summer program, I am still amazed at how much energy we are drawing from our students. They make each day a masterpiece in their own way. Please enjoy the highlights from week 4: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQKUzzmKp2vKsnNh7
Be well,
Jenn Scully