News & Views

Lower School Builds Community

Collaboration and problem-solving skills were at the heart of this week’s Lower School Fall Community Day. First through fourth graders divided up into 18 teams to practice working in small groups, and build friendships. 
“Community Day is designed to foster friendship and connection,” said Head of Lower School Meaghan Mallin. “Children who might not have known each other before now have had a bonding experience and have shared laughter and learning together.  The day offers our fourth graders the opportunity to step into a leadership role when supporting the younger students on their team. It is also a day to reinforce and practice the Country School values of kindness and courage while tapping into the skills of resilience and teamwork.”

Activities included drawing full-body chalk self-portraits on the sidewalk, memory match, charades, cone flip relay, crossing the river, community relay, shoe fly, pipeline, and the crowd favorite; rock-paper-scissors in which two students hop toward one another from opposing ends until they meet and play one round of the popular hand game. Winners keep hopping forward until they reach the other side. 

At the end of the day Lower School students and teachers gathered on the field behind the Athletics & Wellness Center for ice pops and a spontaneous dance party with many fourth graders leading younger students in “Y-M-C-A” and the Macarena.

“Our goal is to foster community and help the kids get to know one another,” said Director of Physical Education Steve Willson who helped organize and facilitate the annual event. 
Check out the photos of the day in the Media Gallery.
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New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.