St. Mary's Episcopal Day School Tampa Florida

Classroom Reports 2009 - 2010

6th Grade Overnight

March 25th ~ The Sixth Grade was wonderful during this year's overnight trip! The students were very responsible and respectful. You can be very proud of your children! On Thursday morning, students attentively toured the behind-the-scenes rescue facilities of Sea World in Orlando. They asked questions and learned about how institutions such as Sea World help our wild life. Their questions and answers were thoughtful and demonstrated great understanding of the challenges our native wild life faces. After the tour, students explored the park in small groups, enjoying the many rides and activities the park has to offer. The students did a great job of cooperating and caring for each other during their free time. We were very proud of the responsibility their showed. That night the students attended the Medieval Times tournament dinner. They cheered enthusiastically for their knight, wearing the St. Mary's fleur-de-lis. They also explored the Medieval Times museum, learning about life during that period. After a full day of activities, students quickly fell asleep. The next day students boarded the bus for Rainbow River. Students had a lot fun exploring more native wild life as they snorkeled down the pristine Rainbow River. Students swam with hundreds of fish and explored the numerous springs with their water guides. They had fun getting their wet suits on and relaxing in the beautiful environment. Throughout the trip teachers received unsolicited compliments about the students' excellent manners. The students seemed to have a memorable time, but so did the teachers. On behalf of faculty chaperons Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Boza, Mrs. Cardenas, and Mr. Joyce, we thank you for raising such fun, responsible, and appreciative children.

It was a great trip! ~ Andrea Cardenas

After School Art Class

March 24^th ~ For the past six Tuesdays, eleven students have joined me for an hour after school for arts-n-crafts. We have been painting a variety of wood pieces, such as bird houses, trinket boxes, plaques, picture frames and door signs. The children are having a great time and really expressing their creative talents through painting! Here are a few pictures from our last class, where we were painting crosses as an Easter decoration. ~ Sarah Hopkins

”Sit!” “Stay!” “Watch!”

No, those weren’t the words of Ms. Roverts and Miss Hamill to their students! Those were the commands heard over and over again on their visit to the Kids and Canines Program at the Dorothy Thomas Exceptional Center in Tampa. Eager third graders boarded the bus on Thursday, February 25^th, 2010, with bags and bags of doggie donations. They had collected an assortment of food, treats, and toys to take care of all the Golden Retrievers, Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, and Yellow Labradors that awaited them. This year the students had the chance to meet the J,K, and L dogs! Every child had an opportunity to brush the dog’s teeth or comb their fur. They learned how each dog is trained with commands and hand signals in order to be a successful assistance dog for handicapped individuals. The day was memorable and delicious, ending with a pizza party with all the staff and students in the Kids and Canines Program. It is a wonderful feeling to know you are contributing to a charity, isn’t it? ~ Diana Roverts

8th Grade Math Challenge

On Wednesday, December 9^th, Mr. Murphy’s 8^th grade class came down to test the math skills of the 3^rd grade students. The 8^th Grade Math Enrichment students had designed wonderfully creative Christmas-themed board games with math as the main focus. Each game had to include 50 evenly-spaced squares from start to finish, four player pieces, and two separate stacks of cards with 3^rd grade math problems. Ms. Roverts proudly looked on as her students answered questions concerning place value, money, multiplication, addition, and so forth. It was refreshing to see the 8^th graders proud of their nicely created board games. It was just as nice to watch each third grader, with pencil and paper in hand, trying to outsmart their opponent. What a great way to join forces and match skills during the Christmas holiday. We may have future “board game creators” in our midst! Thank you 8^th grade for sharing your time, talents, and creative ideas with us!

Ice Pops with a Purpose!!

Once again, the third grade students had a successful ice pop sale. Last Thursday, October 15^th, the Saints students supported Kids and Canines, a program designed to train assistance dogs for handicapped individuals. A total of $138.25 was collected. Thanks for the ongoing support. Look for our next ice pop sale in the spring! ~ Diana Roverts

3rd Grade Hosts Fall Breakfast

Fall was certainly in the air in the 3^rd grade classrooms on Friday, October 16th! Our parents helped welcome in the new season with a delicious feast of banana bread, donuts, grapes, and strawberries. The students had a chance to show off the wonderful oak tree mobiles, poems, brochures, and timelines they’ve been diligently working on. All the parents left the classroom smiling, feeling full of food and pride!

5th Grade Trip to DaySpring

On September 24th fifth grade boarded a bus for their overnight outing to Dayspring in Ellenton. This is the first overnight trip St. Mary's students take and is always an exciting event. Working on group activities and problem solving challenges, the students bond and learn how to work as a team.

8th Grade Trip to DaySpring

The annual trip to DaySpring for the High Ropes challenge took place right after the start of school. 8th graders were released from class Monday morning August 24th to travel to the site for team building exercises. As the participants worked together to achieve common goals, bonds were forged and trust increased among classmates. After completing the course, students and faculty chaperones enjoyed a day of relaxation at Adventure Island and returned August 25th.

7th Grade Ropes Course

Seventh Grade took their annual field trip to DaySpring in Ellenton on August 27th and 28th. The purpose of the Initiatives Course the students participate in is to promote trust and teamwork. It's also fun to miss a few classes!