Above: Neary students created patriotic place mats for the Senior Center to use in its Veterans Day Celebration earlier this week.* Now, seniors are invited to visit the school to work with students. (contributed photo)
Last year, the Southborough Senior Center began offering some intergenerational programs bringing seniors together with Fay School students.** This fall, they are inviting seniors to also interact with public school students.
Woodward 3rd graders crossing of the street to sing patriotic songs at the Senior Center’s Veterans Day lunch is a tradition. What’s new this fall is the invitation to interact with 4th and 5th grade Neary students at their school.
The school and center are recruiting participants for an interactive art program and volunteers for other special activities. Please Contact Peg directly if you would like to participate in one or more of the programs. Call (508) 229-4453, email at pleonard@southboroughma.com, or stop by the senior center to sign up.
The information below is from the center’s newsletter on events still to happen. I’ve ordered events chronologically:
PAWSING TO READ – Friday November 17th, 8:45 – 11:20 am
What is it?–PAWSing to R.E.A.D. is a reading enrichment program for readers. Participants read to a special therapy dog once a week for 20 min. for 5-6 weeks (just Fridays mornings). Amidst the giggles and tail wagging, readers’ confidence, fluency, word recognition, and comprehension improve!
The dog (his name is Zeke) and his handler David are therapy team registered and certified through Delta Society Pet Partners, Tufts Paws for People, and have completed the Reading Education Assistance Dogs workshop. We’ve had it going on 6 years now.
The volunteer would be responsible for calling each classroom to remind the teacher to send down the selected students that need to come to the Literacy Lab to read to/with the Zeke. What we need: At least one adult volunteer (two if the seniors want to buddy up) per week. [Editor’s Note: I missed sharing the Nov 3rd date in time.]
ART QUEST – November 29 or December 13 (8:30 – 9:30 am) *six seats available for each date
Art Quest is a unique educational program designed to develop thinking skills through observation of visual works of art. Art Quest integrates art history and art appreciation with class curriculum providing students with an opportunity to learn visually.
The digital projection of two images simultaneously provides opportunities for comparison and encourages students to participate in discussions. By examining and analyzing works of art participants learn historical information and to identify individual artist’s styles and movements.
Art Quest stimulates curiosity and imagination while improving and developing critical, creative and interpretive thinking skills.
BOOK SWAP – Thursday, December 14th & Friday, December 15th
What is it? The Book Swap will be a great opportunity for students to make room for new books in their home by bringing in “gently used” books that they have enjoyed and now want to give to classmates to enjoy.
The Reading Teacher is requesting 5 volunteers on Thursday, December 14th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm to help set up the Book Swap (no heavy lifting), then will also need 2 volunteers 8:45am to 11:15am and 2 volunteers from 11:30am to 2:00pm on Friday December 15th to assist in facilitating the Book Swap as classes come and go.
**Neary School sent the pic of students with the following explanation:
Neary School is focusing on choosing to be kind, and spreading kindness throughout the year. Classes are going out of their way to do those little extra things to show they care each and every day at school. They are also reaching out to the Southborough Senior Center to extend kindness their way throughout the year.
Around 80 grade 4 and 5 students have kicked off this kindness-inspired partnership with the Senior Center by creating patriotic placemats for their upcoming Veteran’s Day luncheon.
Pictured are students in Mrs. Kim Collin’s grade 5 class holding up their placemats that include beautiful Contour Drawings of the American flag.
*To give Fay School credit, they also issued another invite for seniors this month. But that event took place yesterday before I had a chance to blog about it.
