Balloons Over Doherty

Doherty students had their own Thanksgiving Day balloon parade inspired by the book “Balloons Over Broadway” by Melissa Sweet. Unit I and II students decorated balloons and paraded them throughout the Doherty Campus and through Halie Hall for their fellow classmates and teachers. Though a few balloons escaped to the skies over Doherty, it was a great way to celebrate the upcoming holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Seventh-graders read books to Doherty students

Unit III students display their improv skills

Doherty Unit III students had seconds to pose for wacky photos, spring into action in an active volcano, and find ways to avoid a suddenly terrifying classmate. “I focus on improv a lot. I want to make every drama class stand on its own with its creativity and fun,” Lower School creative dramatics teacher Russell White said. He added improv makes the students think more about drama writing and acting than memorizing a script and acting it out. The students practiced their improv skills with a series of games. Students would make suggestions about settings and behaviors, which others would listen to, think about, and act out.

Day of the Dead in Unit I

Unit I students learned about Day of the Dead in early November and how it is similar to and different from Halloween. “We wanted to showcase two different holidays celebrated by people around the world. We explored how and when these celebrations began, how they have changed over the years, and why people celebrate in general,” said Unit I teacher Amy Kulhavik. The students read stories about the two holidays and compared and contrasted them. They created their own sugar skulls and wrote and drew what they learned about Day of the Dead.

Garden Center Visits Doherty

Doherty pre-kindergarten for 2-year-old students learned about gardening thanks to a visit from Ellie Falk, youth education coordinator for the Civic Garden Center. Falk led the students in planting cover crop seeds in the gardens at Doherty, which will provide a protective layer and enhance the soil. The students also practiced their colors by hunting for leaves of the same color. They later used the leaves to make sun catchers with art teacher Kacey Watkins. “I just loved that we took what we found outside after a nature walk and created art with the leaves that we collected,” said pre-kindergarten for 2-year-old teacher Julie Brackett.