Clubs begin next week (with the exception of Tuesday clubs – those won’t start this week because of parents’ night). It’s so much fun to see our after-school offerings expanding so much, with so many valuable programs. Here’s the information on each.
CHOIR
Mondays in the Music Building, 3:15 – 4:00 p.m.
Grades 3-9
Michelle Despard, m.despard@pinecobble.org
Do you love to sing? Do you wish there were more vocal opportunities in addition to the Winter Concert and Graduation? If you answered yes to these questions, then the Pine Cobble Choir is for you! The Pine Cobble Choir provides the opportunity for students in 3rd through 9th grade to sing throughout the year, participating in venues such as assemblies, community events, graduation, and, of course, the Winter Concert. The choir is not only about performing, it is also a weekly time where students who love singing can join together and have lots of fun. Students of all vocal abilities are welcome. In order for the choir to exist, there needs to be a minimum of 10 students. In addition, please remember that appropriate classroom behavior is expected at all times and that choir is a group activity that requires commitment. Choir will meet on Mondays from 3:15 – 4:00 p.m., with rehearsals beginning on Monday, October 1. I am looking forward to both returning and new members!
WRITING
Mondays in the Library, 4 – 5 p.m*
Grades 5-9
Corey Baldwin and Ali Benjamin, c.baldwin@pinecobble.org ali.wade.benjamin@gmail.com
* note: if there is not a lot of overlap with choir, we will move it to 3:15 – 4:15
Who: Writing Club is open to students in fifth through ninth grades. You don’t have to consider yourself a writer – you just need to be positive, constructive, courteous of your fellow students, and open to trying something new.
When: Monday afternoons, from 4 – 5 p.m.
What: Writing Club will be a chance to dive into great stories – reading them, listening to them, watching them, and, yes, writing them. We’ll enjoy fun works of literature, watch films, and listen to podcasts. We’ll examine some innovative ways that writers have utilized to bring scientific ideas to life, and we’ll consider how an entire story can be told through an art exhibit, a poem, a dance, even a single photograph.
Because storytelling isn’t easy, we’ll also explore what professional storytellers – playwrights, novelists, filmmakers, and others – have to say about writing. We’ll begin to understand why Joseph Heller said, “every writer I know has trouble writing,” and why Anne Lamott observed, “almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts.”
Want some guest speakers, field trips, and other special events? Yes, we can probably organize that, too.
While the club may have things that will help you in your schoolwork, Writing Club is not school. It’s a chance to hone a lifelong skill, with no grades, pressure, or expectations. (Except courtesy, of course. And openness. And shoes. We do expect those things).
How: Our format, most weeks, will be:
- 4:00 – 4:10: Other people’s stories
- 4:10 – 4:45: Your stories
- 4:50 – 5:00: Sharing (or not)
The final ten minutes will be open to sharing writing – yours, or even something you’ve read that you really, really loved. While we promise to be a friendly audience, sharing is not mandatory.
Of course, sometimes we might take longer with one part than another. Another week, we may want to devote the whole hour to a guest speaker. Or perhaps we’ll spend an entire session just writing. As Ernest Hemingway said, “that is what we are supposed to do when we are at our best – make it all up.” So that’s what we’ll do from time to time, make it up.
TAP DANCE
Tuesdays in the Multi-Purpose Room, 7:30 – 8:00 a.m.
Grades 2-9
Maude Rich and Cindy Collyer, m.rich@pinecobble.org
Let’s start dancing! On Tuesday mornings from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m., we will tap. I look forward to reconnecting with any returning tappers as well as meeting new people, tap shoes in hand, who would like to join in the fun!
Dancers should wear clothing they can move in, and it is always a good idea to bring a water bottle. The objective of the program is to involve people who want to dance AND give those who have experience another venue and point of view to explore. The requirements for any of the dance programs are a true desire to participate and a willingness to respect the space and the people involved while supporting each other. The “team” aspect is for Friday dancers and those tappers who wish to join, and more information will be available on the first day. Those who wish to go to a competition (which is always optional and NOT the only, or even the main, reason to dance) may need to pay a participation fee based on the venue. Happy dancing!
Please e-mail me at m.rich@pinecobble.org, even if we have spoken in person or your child is returning, so I can confirm which days may be filling up and whom I can expect to see. Also, please include all e-mail addresses to which you would like updates and information sent.
Future Problem Solvers (FPS)
Tuesdays in the Library, 3:15 – 4:15 p.m.
Grades 4-9
Sarah Dewey, s.dewey@pinecobble.org
This year we are continuing the extracurricular activity Future Problem Solvers. Students in grades 4 through 9 compete as a team or as individuals to address a problematic scenario set in the future, using a 6-step process to identify challenges and then generate plausible solutions. Students will have the opportunity to research and learn about a variety of topics, from human rights to coral reefs to trade barriers, as they prepare for competitions against other FPS teams in the state, and perhaps eventually on an international level. By participating in FPS, students will have the opportunity to enhance their creative thinking, develop oral and written persuasion skills, work with other members of their teams, and problem solve, just to name a few of the benefits. We will meet Tuesdays after school until 4:15.