St. Charles, Missouri
Row 2 (L to R): Tim Scholle (Assistant Principal), Robin Foster, Dr. Bridgett Niedringhaus (Principal and ATP Co-Chair), Tiffany Nix, Robyn Heimburger
Fine Arts Night
On Fine Arts Night, families and community members came to school to participate in and enjoy hands-on activities in art, music and dancing. The activities also spotlighted what the children do in class in the arts, and celebrated the wide array of talent in the community. Students displayed their art work and conducted new art activities with their families. Many local and regional groups volunteered to facilitate and/or perform during the evening. These included The Painted Pot, Mid-Rivers Music, and Foundry Art Center. Local artists—painters, quilters, and glass blowers—demonstrated their talents.
Students had important roles to play. Throughout the year, art teachers collected work from each child to put on display. Students in the Raz-Ma-Taz music group entertained. Art and music teachers created stations for families to enjoy together, such as spin art, color mixing with play-doh, drumming to the music of STOMP, collaborative weaving, and a funny photo booth to dress up in and take pictures together. In all, over 700 people celebrated the arts on this exciting night.
Seuss and STEM Night
Add a new idea to a successful program and the result may be fun for all. At Castlio Elementary School, the Action Team for Partnerships (ATP), teachers, and other school leaders added reading activities to the annual Family Tech Fest—creating Seuss and STEM Night. Students and parents were given a map that described all activities and their locations throughout the school. First, everyone congregated in the Learning Commons to hear a local author read aloud one of his books for children. He stayed to autograph books throughout the evening.
There were 24 different Dr. Seuss-themed activities related to reading and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Some activities were building a car, making a kazoo, creating origami, stacking cups, making spaghetti towers, and more. Parents and community partners took active roles. Representatives from community groups led demonstrations and conducted hands-on STEM activities. Parents, teachers, and students also led engineering, math, and science activities of interest, including teaching basic coding skills in the computer lab, and “flashlight reading” of Dr. Seuss books in the cafeteria (along with milk and cookies).
Seuss and STEM Night is featured in Promising Partnership Practices 2017.
