Sunday, April 19, 2026

Abenaki Visitors, Ecosystem WeVideo, & Planting


What a fantastic week we had, filled with so many meaningful opportunities!

This week, we welcomed Abena and Charlie as our Abenaki Artists-in-Residence. It was a wonderful experience learning about the Abenaki language, as well as the animals and plants that are important to their culture. Students created wooden figures that connected to both our garden and the teachings they shared.

Thank you for your patience with the recycled material creations that went home this week. Students were inspired by the book Christina Katerina and the Box, and their creativity truly shone through their projects.

We also created an amazing video to showcase our learning about ecosystems. Students researched facts, practiced their presentations, and performed in front of a green screen. Mr. Weber worked his behind-the-scenes magic to bring everything together! We may share the video at our all-school meeting, but here’s a sneak peek! Here is the link 

Lastly, we had a visit from Kristyn Achilich, a parent and the Director of Environmental Studies/Sciences at St. Mike’s. She taught a lesson about how plants give us gifts when we care for them—and how insects play an important role as well. 

Your child may have brought home a dogwood stick to plant, a gift from Kristyn. If your child did not bring one home, they chose not to take one.

Happy break! I hope you’re able to enjoy some time outdoors despite the changing weather.  And don’t forget—Earth Day is on Wednesday and Arbor Day is on Friday! 🌍🌳🌲




Saturday, April 11, 2026


Dear Families,

We had a great week together in Kindergarten!

Students worked diligently in math this week, practicing teen numbers and participating in many fun games. They continued their practice that a teen number is made up of a group of 10 and some ones.

In literacy, we wrapped up our rainforest unit. Kindergartners really enjoyed this topic—though it’s hard to find one they don’t like with such inquisitive little minds! Next week, we will begin preparing for a fun tech project with Mr. Weber, where students will share what they have learned about ecosystems.

A note from Dave Marlow

It's hard to believe, but UCS will soon be starting the process for class placement for the 2026-2027 school year! This is pertaining to any child entering grades 1-4 for next SY. The goal of the placement process is to honor your child's unique strengths and needs as a learner, and to create balanced classrooms in which all students can be successful and learn from one another as dynamic individuals. Your participation in this survey gives us important, key information for determining placement. We appreciate your trust in our educators to provide a supportive and enriching experience for all students and thank you in advance for your thoughtful participation. Please find all the information in the two links below:

 

Important Dates:

Saturday, April 4, 2026

Maple Syrup, Planting, & Rainforests

 



Just like Artemis II, this week has flown by! What a wonderful week together. Students enjoyed watching—or rewatching—the clip of the space launch—what great inspiration! 🚀

This week, we began learning about the lush rainforest ecosystem. Wow, what a difference from the desert! Students are loving the variety of animals and plant life, from the canopy to the forest floor.

During our word work time, we reviewed digraphs th, sh, ch, and ck. Students enjoyed going on a word hunt to search for words with digraphs and did a lot of writing—wow! Students are also continuing to practice long vowel patterns in their small group work.

In math this week, we were immersed in teen numbers—recognizing them in different ways and practicing place value.

During ECO, our focus was on the legends of maple sugaring. I hope your student shared a story with you! We acted out three different versions and had a sweet taste of some syrup.

We ended our week with some seed planting and a garden parade featuring new tools for our garden shed! It felt good to get our hands into some dirt again. Planting season is on its way!  🌻

Important Dates:

Looking for donations of duct tape, please and thank you!!

This week we had a wonderful time together! We took a lovely walk in the woods and searched for spring ephemerals — those early-blooming flo...