The Final Graduation, Class of 2010

The sixth grade class of 2010 enjoyed all the typical Oak Lane traditions in their June graduation ceremony that began and ended with processional and recessional music by the 4th/5th grades. The main event of the ceremony was the presentation by each sixth grader of their individual reflections of the school and teachers. These had been thoughtfully deliberated on through classroom discussions, and had been written and rewritten until perfected. Together the class sang “Ria Binushka" as their final performance piece, a class favorite. Hand-crafted ceramic pots made by art teacher, Mr. Mednick, were presented to each graduate along with a diploma. The class gift to Oak Lane will support a new website dedicated to the memory of the school and the needs of Oak Lane alumni. Congratulations to our graduates!
 

Video in Celebration of Oak Lane, May 16

Dan Brown '92, brought his camera and recorded his impressions of Oak Lane on a day we had set aside to celebrate everything good that has come from Oak Lane in this, its final year. Hope you enjoy! And thanks, Dan!

Fourth Grade Mold Symposium

WHAT A FABULOUS MOLD SYMPOSIUM DAY! Just before spring break, fourth grade students from Oak Lane Day School, Abington Friends School, Plymouth Meeting Friends School (PMFS) and William Penn Charter School congregated at PMFS to share the results of weeks of experiments and discoveries in growing mold.

Each school shared a delightful mold song of its own creation, and individually-created mold t-shirts could be seen sprouting on the backs of 99+ fourth graders! Students enjoyed seeing old friends and creating new friendships. Reporting on our moldy bread, peppers, and sushi, and our mold-resistant foods (lemons, mushrooms, ketchup and mustard) and hearing about others' experiments was exciting, and the glorious spring weather topped off a perfect day.

Maple Sugaring

On a Thursday in February, Judith Gratz and her fabulous volunteers from the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association came to Oak Lane to teach students about maple sugar. What a perfect day for this event! Through the creation of four different stations, children learned and participated in the maple sugar process. At one station they saw a maple tree tapped for sap. At a second station they practiced boring through the bark of a log into the sapwood. At a third station they learned the five layers of a tree leaf, and explored tree cookies to see the tubes that allow sap to flow in the tree, and at a fourth station they saw how sap is cooked so that the water evaporates, leaving behind maple sugar. And, they each got to taste maple sugar on a waffle!

Haitian Earthquake Relief Dinner

OVER 70 PEOPLE ATTENDED the February lasagna dinner sponsored by the sixth grade, which raised nearly $1,400 for UNICEF in support of Haitian relief efforts. Diners were treated not only to a delicious meal, but also to a wealth of information provided by their sixth grade hosts regarding earthquakes, the history of Haiti, and the complexity of dealing with a natural disaster in a country with no government and devastating poverty.

The sixth graders are to be commended for the tremendous job they did grappling with challenging materials (a primary source was The New York Times) in preparation for their presentations. We are grateful to our Oak Lane families for their support, and also wish to acknowledge the many families who had already given generously through their places of work or worship.

2nd/3rd Graders Shine in Dance Residency

OUR 2ND AND 3RD GRADERS wrapped up their Dance Residency in January, and shared the culmination of their experience with friends and family in an evening performance. The kids were terrific: not only did they learn about dance, but they also learned the importance of listening, following directions and working together, to imagine and create. They also had a lot of fun!

November News

As of November 5, 2009, Karl Welsh has stepped down as head of Oak Lane Day School after serving the school community in this capacity since July 1999. A hallmark of Karl's tenure has been his care of the physical plant, with significant improvements in the Perch Hankin Building and the Barn, and with special care of the grounds.

Karl led the Tribute Campaign that raised funds to build our beautiful Cutler Gymnasium. Under his leadership, the academic program was strengthened: the Learning Skills program was added, progress reports were standardized, and teachers implemented Reading and Writing Workshops and the Everyday Math program. The decision to close the school at the end of this year has been difficult for all of us, none more so than Karl and his wife Karen Cavallo, who have given enormous time and effort to make Oak Lane the very special place it is. Karl and Karen will continue to be part of the Oak Lane community as parents.

Martha Platt will serve as Head of School for the remainder of the 2009-10 school year. Martha is a member of Oak Lane's Board of Trustees and, for the past twelve years, has been both a part of the faculty and the Director of Oak Lane's summer camp program.

Besides providing a full academic year for our students, we are working hard at the appropriate placement on behalf of our students as they seek to continue their journey of learning following this school year.