. . . Were the students in MLC Elementary classrooms on Friday
Mountain Lake Christian (MLC) elementary students celebrated the school’s traditional Grandparents Day on Friday morning, September 26. Their grandparents, adopted grandparents, mentors or special friends joined them to observe and participate in education programs – turning the classrooms simply “grand.”
In addition to learning the Sycamore (kindergarten), Acacia (first- and second-grade), Oak (third- and fourth-grade), Cedar (fifth- and sixth-grade) curriculums, the choice school visitors also dabbled in music class and physical education’s S.M.A.R.T. (Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training) workout for the day. They also attended an informational meeting led by the school’s administrator, Dr. Michael James, and shared noon lunch with their specific student – or, in some cases – students.
The gallery of photographs below capture some of the moments of class participation by the “grand”students:
A SIGN WELCOMING the special folks to the school.
DURING DISCOVERY TIME in the Sycamore Classroom (kindergarten), Jackson Stoneking, left and his grandma, Margaret Duerksen, center, set to building a tall tower – with Grandpa Gene Duerksen, right, the construction engineer. Class teacher is Sheryl Fast, with Leechelle Quiring the classroom teaching assistant.
IT WAS A full house of grandparents in the Sycamore classroom for kindergarten twins Mareena and Levi Onken. Pictured above working on Lego construction, are, from left, Levi Onken, Jessah Janzen, Mareen Onken, Grandma Jean Black and Grandpa Jim Black. Not pictured are Grandma Mary Onken and Grandpa Gary Onken.
FROGS ON A log. Adopted Grandma Delores Flaming, left and kindergarten student Lola Berg, right, use the color-coded amphibians to do a little number counting work.
IN THE ACACIA Class (Grades 1 and 2) students and their special adults made some grown-up/child handprint bookmarks. Katie Meyer, left, paints her Grandma Tary Johnson’s right hand, right, a beautifully-bright purple. (Katie’s hand plan was for her own hand to be painted in pink.) Acacia teachers are Rachel Knutson and Brenda Adrian.
CALEB KLASSEN, LEFT, selected the team colors of the Denver Broncos pro football team to be used on the handprint bookmark he made with his grandpa, Wendell Klassen, right. Grandpa Klassen’s big-size handprint was blue, with Caleb’s hand yet to be painted orange.
WITH HER LEFT hand already painted up in blue, Grandma Marlys Nickel, left, deftly applies a pink coating to the hand of her granddaughter, Kirstin Nickel, right. (Good thing she is right-handed.)
GRANDMA KATHY PENNER, left and her granddaughter, Shelby Penner, right, show off their pretty painted hands – as well as the child’s hand juxtaposed inside the adult’s hand. The finished products were scanned, “shrunk,” placed atop a bookmark-sized strip of paper and laminated to be protected and saved forever.
MLC PHYSICAL EDUCATION teacher Nicole Meyer incorporates S.M.A.R.T. (Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training) into the phy ed curriculum. S.M.A.R.T. is an obstacle course specifically designed to train students’ brains. Aside from providing physical activity, the varied stations also strengthen students’ math and reading skills, as well as improve classroom focus. Above, Grandpa Harlan Glenn, right, collects some minutes of video of his grandson, Cameron Meyer, left, working on the equipment and skill charts. Cameron is concentrating on his balance at this station.
WATCHING THEIR GRANDDAUGHTER, Sofia Flohrs, right, maneuver the overhead ladder during her run through the S.M.A.R.T. course are Grandma Gayle Flohrs, left and Grandpa Allen Flohrs, second from left. Cameron above, and Sofia are both students in the Acacia Classroom (grades 1 and 2).
GRANDPARENTS IN TEACHER Nordis Olson’s Oak Class (grades 3 and 4) were put to task writing a letter to their student grandchild. Their assignment was to write a letter to their third- or fourth-grader answering the questions asked. A pre-addressed, stamped envelope was provided for the grandparents to send to their grandchildren in the mail. Questions included – Where did you go to school when you were in third- or fourth-grade? How did you get to school? What was your classroom like? Did you have a favorite subject? Why did you like it best? Who do you remember from third- or fourth-grade? Why do you remember them? How many students were in your school, or class? What special activities did you like or do at school: sports, music, Christmas programs, art class or other special things you remember? Do you have a special memory or event that you want to tell about? Doing her assigned homework is Grandma Gloria Klassen, left, with her grandson, Zach Klassen, right, checking her work.
GRANDPA RICK PORTER, right, works studiously to complete his writing assignment under the watchful eye of his grandson, Sam Petersen.
OAK STUDENTS MOVED on to music class with MLC’s K-12 music teacher, Aaron Petersen. For the third- and fourth-graders, that meant recorder music. Above, Tyler Dick, left, shows his Grandma Bernice Dick, right, how to hold the recorder and position his hands – and the fingers on his left hand to play a G.
RECORDER QUARTET OF grandmas and their grandsons. From left, Dianne Porter and her grandson, Sam Petersen and Janice Schroeder and her grandson, Ethan Schroeder.
WHEN THEY GOT to playing a song, “Cotton-Eyed Joe” was the sheet music up on the stand. Following the notes are Adopted Grandma Judy Shepherd, left and her adopted granddaughter, Lydia Rete, right.
LANGUAGE ARTS WAS the focus subject in Karin Stoesz’s Cedar Classroom (grades 5 and 6) – specifically word/picture puzzles – including this one. A “clue” was provided by Mrs. Stoesz in a second drawing below.
IF YOU GUESSED “Eiffel Tower” – you get an A. Riley Schroeder, left and her Grandma Janice Schroeder, right, were on the right track with “eyefull,” but just had not quite make the connection – yet.
THE STUDENTS THEN created their own puzzles, which their classmates solved. Jordan Linscheid, left, puts his ideas down on the white board, encouraged by his Grandpa Lloyd Linscheid, center and Grandma Jean Linscheid, right.
GRANDMA BERNICE PENNER, left and her grandson, Aiden Penner, right, came up with the puzzle “10SC.” Can you solve it? (To find out if you are right, ask Bernice or Aiden.)
