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News & Photos
Lower School Closing Ceremony
The sun shown brightly for the Lower School Closing Ceremony held May 31 on Childs Memorial Terrace. The day began with a breakfast for the fourth grade students in the Brass Eagle, during which the four homeroom teachers placed a McDonogh pin on each child’s blazer lapel. After the students were officially “pinned,” they joined the rest of the Lower School in front of Elderkin Hall.
The ceremony began with the kindergarten through third grade students processing down the hill behind their class banners, followed by the Lower School Drum Corps who lead the 69 fourth graders to their seats. Before Headmaster Charlie Britton presented each fourth grader with a certificate of promotion to Middle School, Lower School Head Noreen Lidston shared the group’s favorite memories, as well as their sage advice for the younger children navigating the grades ahead of them. While some suggestions applied specifically to those younger than 10 (Don’t swing on the monkey bars on wet days., people of all ages would be wise to take to heart other nuggets of advice (Always be kind and fair to everyone. Don’t be a bully.) Other recommendations included:
When it rains, wear your raincoat because you will regret it for the rest of the day if you don’t, and your room will be a puddle because all of the kids in your class will be wet, too. There is nowhere dry!
There isn’t a point to being in school if you don’t make mistakes.
If you get in trouble, do not worry! The teachers are nice and they will not punish you very much. PS. I am not telling you to get in trouble.
Always study and do reports as early as possible and NOT the night before.
Don’t spread rumors because they are hurtful and they can come back to you.
When you do problem solving, be open to every idea. Most likely, your idea will not work.
Always ask a teacher if you need help. I see a lot of people who don’t understand things and don’t ask the teacher. So don’t miss out - just ask!
Take pride in your work, have discipline in your attitude, and take ownership of your actions.
If you see someone getting bullied, don’t be a bystander, step in. You should get a teacher or stand up for them.
You have to be very organized to enter fourth grade. You have to know where everything is or there will be trouble. You do not want to learn the way I learned.
Don’t be so crazy all the time! Three-fourths of the time, have discipline! But have as much fun as possible.
Always hug your mom before school.
In fourth grade you have to pay attention because you never know when your teacher might call on you. Even if you think he’s not looking...he’s everywhere!
Don’t fall asleep under a table at Mrs. Reed’s birthday party.
The world is a strange place, especially during the fourth grade puberty unit.
Fighting never solves anything. Get a teacher if anything gets out of hand. I almost became enemies with my best friend. Never think it is not cool to get help because it isn’t all about style.
Always do your homework. Homework is good for you, even if it seems bad. Just live with the knowledge that most people have done it and it only helps you.
Just because someone does something doesn’t make it right. As you get older, situations where you need to remember this come up more often.
A few words of advice about camping…
Pack carefully and wisely for the camping trip. It might be warm in the day but it will be cold in the night - I guarantee you that!
Don’t put your tent near the spot-o-pot.
If someone in your tent goes to the bathroom, go with them! It is not cool to wake someone up at 6:00 a.m. because you have to go. Seriously.
You should set up your tent near the picnic tables. Then, if you forget to bring your plate to the “buffet,” you can go back to your tent to get your plate and still be the first in the food line!
And two last bits of advice…
When you are in fourth grade, listen to all your teachers and do your best in school. That is all they want from you.
Don’t look in the future, only look in the now, and have fun! It won’t be long till you’re on your way to Middle School.
Finally, the Closing Ceremony would not have been complete without the tradition of each Lower School teacher personally congratulating each fourth grader with a handshake or a hug and the ceremonial tossing of blazers into the air by the rising fifth graders. When the rest of the Lower School dismissed, they walked back up the hill behind a different banner, signifying their passage into the next grade.
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The sun shown brightly for the Lower School Closing Ceremony held May 31 on Childs Memorial Terrace. The day began with a breakfast for the fourth grade students in the Brass Eagle, during which the four homeroom teachers placed a McDonogh pin on each child’s blazer lapel. After the students were officially “pinned,” they joined the rest of the Lower School in front of Elderkin Hall.
The ceremony began with the kindergarten through third grade students processing down the hill behind their class banners, followed by the Lower School Drum Corps who lead the 69 fourth graders to their seats. Before Headmaster Charlie Britton presented each fourth grader with a certificate of promotion to Middle School, Lower School Head Noreen Lidston shared the group’s favorite memories, as well as their sage advice for the younger children navigating the grades ahead of them. While some suggestions applied specifically to those younger than 10 (Don’t swing on the monkey bars on wet days., people of all ages would be wise to take to heart other nuggets of advice (Always be kind and fair to everyone. Don’t be a bully.) Other recommendations included:
A few words of advice about camping…
And two last bits of advice…
Finally, the Closing Ceremony would not have been complete without the tradition of each Lower School teacher personally congratulating each fourth grader with a handshake or a hug and the ceremonial tossing of blazers into the air by the rising fifth graders. When the rest of the Lower School dismissed, they walked back up the hill behind a different banner, signifying their passage into the next grade.