Young Musicians Shine On Stage Throughout December

Posted on December 18th, 2019 by acsrochester

In December, a month known for holiday celebrations and excitement leading up to a well-earned break, AC student musicians did their part to spread joy with performances in two Winter Concerts, caroling at the Genesee Valley Club, performances at the AC Holiday Book Fair at Barnes & Noble and, of course, to complete the circuit, the Holiday Breakfast.

Performances featured works that ranged from pieces connected to Project-Based Learning (“My Paddle (Dip, Dip and Swing)” and “What Do You Do With a Water Waster?”) to classic American pop tunes (“Sweet Caroline,” “Rockin’ Robin” and “We Are the Champions), from major Broadway musical medleys (Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables) to film music favorites (The Lord of the Rings and The Pink Panther) to holiday pops numbers (“Let It Snow!/Winter Wonderland” and “Christmas in Killarney”). The students not only brought joy to the hearts of their listeners, they had genuine challenges to accept and an authentic way to publicly demonstrate the learning they experienced in the ensembles and music classes that are a standard part of the academic landscape at Allendale Columbia School.
Without the talent and effort of the students who have devoted themselves to the study of music, in addition to their hard work in all other areas of their lives, the fabric of our AC culture would not be as colorful or emotionally meaningful as it is today, so we would like to express our gratitude to students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade music classes, the 4th Grade Band, 4th Grade Chorus, 5th Grade Chorus, 5th Grade Band, Middle School Chorus, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Select Chorus, and Upper School Chorus.
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WATCH: Lower School Winter Concert Preview

Mark your calendars for upcoming concerts and musicals!

January 16 – Lower School Solo Performance Night
February 13 – Lower School Musical
March 6 – Lower School Side by Side Band Concert
March 27-28 – Middle School Musical (Music Man, Jr.)
April 28 – Middle & Upper School Spring Concert
May 1 – Lower School Side by Side Choral Concert
May 6 – Lower School Spring Concert
May 22 – Strawberry Breakfast
Posted in: Eighth Grade, Eleventh Grade, Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Highlights, Kindergarten, Lower School, LS Birches, Middle School, MS Birches, Ninth Grade, Second Grade, Seventh Grade, Sixth Grade, Tenth Grade, The Birches, Third Grade, Twelfth Grade, Upper School, US Birches

Solo Performance Night 2020

Posted on December 18th, 2019 by acsrochester

Join us for an AC tradition: Lower School Solo Performance Night! All students in grades K-5 are welcome to perform for an audience of family and friends on Thursday night, January 16th, 2020, with an ice cream social to follow. To participate, students must register with their performance selections by Friday, January 10th, 2020.

Fill out the Registration Form to specify the song to be performed and whether an accompanist is needed. Submit the completed form to Mr. Costanzo or Ms. Grossman by January 10th (digital or printed copies will both be accepted), and start practicing for the performance!

Posted in: Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Kindergarten, Lower School, LS Birches, Second Grade, The Birches, Third Grade

Empty Bowls 2019

Posted on December 17th, 2019 by artwitholiveri

Last Friday, December 13th, the Middle School ceramics class presented The Willow Center of Rochester with a donation of $1,368, which they raised at their fifth annual Empty Bowls event at Allendale Columbia School on November 26th. The class made a lot of ceramic bowls and worked with AC faculty and students to help them make items for the fundraiser. They also wrote letters asking local artists to donate items to the raffle.

Roxy Reisch (class of 2020) did a live demo at the event showing attendees how she creates pottery on a wheel.

Empty Bowls is a worldwide grassroots movement to fight hunger and provide items for basic needs. The Willow Center is a nonprofit organization in Rochester that offers a variety of services to families and children. The AC ceramics class was happy to donate all of the proceeds from the event, in the amount of $1,368, to the Willow Center.

Students from the Middle School elective, Ceramics, meeting with representatives from the Willow Center to present their donation

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Posted in: Authentic Learning, Eighth Grade, Entrepreneurship, Kid Kudos, Lower School, LS Birches, Middle School, MS Birches, Partnerships, Seventh Grade, The Birches, Upper School, US Birches

Second Graders Learn About Cities by Meeting with a City Planner and Building Their Own!

Posted on December 10th, 2019 by acsrochester
Learning about cities
As part of our project-based learning in Lower School, our second graders are learning about cities and what goes into designing and building one. Project-based learning is dependent upon the collaboration of several teachers and in-depth planning. Throughout this unit, the classroom teacher, Annie King, sought the expertise of our STEM teacher, Donna Chaback and our art teacher, Shari Ellmaker. They worked on concepts of engineering and the arts as they designed blueprints of their ideal city and then worked in teams to decide where certain businesses, landforms, and organizations should be located. Once they had a plan to propose, they presented their ideas to a mock city planning board comprised of Head of School, Mr. Gee, Head of Lower School Mrs. Feiss, Head of Middle School Mrs. Duver, Director of the AC Invent Center Ms. Crosby, and Director of Food Service Mrs. Reynolds.

 

Meeting with a Rochester City Planner to learn about transportation systems
After receiving feedback from the mock city planning board, the students were ready to design their own 3-D city. Public transportation was an issue the mock planning board raised, so the second grade students began their research in this area and quickly became experts learning about a variety of traditional and cutting edge transportation systems. They were captivated to learn about Elon Musk’s Hyperloop train as well as Sea Bubbles which are being tested in Paris, France. They also met Manager of Special Projects for the City of Rochester, Erik Frisch to discuss different transportation systems and learn more about the city of Rochester as they planned and created their own city, Birchville.

 

“What about a homeless shelter?” turns into donating to RAIHN
Next, students wrote and sent emails to members of the AC community asking what is needed to make a community great. One response they got was about a homeless shelter and how shelters are an integral part of a community. Once the students learned this, a deep and meaningful class discussion took place, resulting in their decision to include a homeless shelter in Birchville. This conversation also moved them to want to take immediate action to help those affected by homelessness in the Rochester community, so they decided to sell the crock-pot applesauce they’d been making in their classroom each week. The sale generated $140 which the students then donated to RAIHN, a non-profit that assists homeless families to achieve sustainable independence by supporting them with shelter, food, personalized case management and a network of caring volunteers.

 

Community Art
The students decided early on that they wanted art to be a part of Birchville, so they took a field trip around Rochester viewing a variety of sculptures to help determine what they wanted in their own city.  Then, Art Teacher Mrs. Ellmaker helped them design a collaborative sculpture (called “Colorful Life”) which is located in the center of Birchville.
The formal “ribbon-cutting” of Birchville was held on Monday, December 9th. Click here to view the Spectrum News coverage of this event.
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Posted in: AC in the News, Authentic Learning, Highlights, Lower School, LS Birches, Second Grade, The Birches

AC Holiday Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Dec. 12th

Posted on December 4th, 2019 by acsrochester

Support Allendale Columbia School by Shopping at Barnes & Noble in Pittsford on December 12th!

Enjoy caroling, story time with local children’s authors, student musical performances, AC recommended reading by grade level, a scavenger hunt, and more! Just mention “Allendale Columbia” at the register and a portion of your purchase will be donated to support our students!

 

Thursday, December 12th
Barnes & Noble in Pittsford Plaza
3349 Monroe Ave.
10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

 

 

Volunteers Needed

Parents of Allendale Columbia Kids (PACK) invites parents, guardians, and grandparents to help make the AC Book Fair a success by volunteering! Shifts are 30-60 minutes long and include set up, staffing the welcome table, and helping with the craft table.

Sign up to be a volunteer here. (sign in to MyAC required)

 

Performance Schedule

The AC community will be onsite at Barnes & Noble spreading holiday cheer. Plan to be there to hear musical performances or a story from children’s author Vivian Vande Velde and Kevin Kurtz!

  • 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: AC Ukulele and Voice Performance
  • 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: AC Godspell cast and Select Choice Performance
  • 3:30 – 4:00 p.m.: A story with local children’s author Vivan Vande Velde
  • 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.:AC Brass Ensemble and Chorus perform
  • 5:00 – 5:30 p.m.: A story with local children’s author Kevin Kurtz
  • 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: AC Brass Ensemble and Chorus perform

 

Gift Wrapping (Complimentary!)

Now you can buy your gifts AND get them wrapped! Parents and AC staff will be there to wrap your gifts and tag them with AC cheer. Gift wrapping is free but donations to the Allendale Columbia Book Fair are always appreciated!

 

Cheesecake Sales

You can also order a delicious Cheesecake Factory dessert through the B&N Cafe and a portion of the purchase will be donated to AC. The Winter 2019 menu includes Seasonal Cheesecake, Original Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, and a sampler cheesecake with all four. (Hungry, yet?!) Order now through Dec. 17th by downloading the order form.

  • Pay by cash or check made out to Barnes & Noble.
  • Drop off your order form and payment at the AC Welcome Desk anytime before Dec. 12th or bring orders directly to the Barnes & Noble where you’d like to pick up your cheesecake. Orders submitted directly to Barnes & Noble must be brought in between Dec. 12th-17th to count toward the AC Book Fair.
  • Pay by credit card in the store by simply bringing your completed order form to the B&N Cafe.
  • Pick up your cheesecake at the store where you ordered any time Barnes & Noble is open. They stay open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve!
  • Cheesecakes are frozen so allow a day or two in between your pick up date and your enjoy date.
  • AC Book Fair pricing is only good for cheesecake orders placed and paid for by December 17th, 2019.

 

Print This Page to Cut Out Your Voucher Now!

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Posted in: LS Birches, MS Birches, PACK, The Birches, US Birches

PACK Connections Symposium Survey

Posted on November 15th, 2019 by acsrochester

Parents of Allendale Columbia Kids (PACK) is considering hosting a Saturday Symposium for AC parents on Saturday, February, 29th, 2020. Please fill out this survey to gauge interest in the event and possible topics.

The event will consist of two sessions of about 1.5 hours each. You’ll be able to choose one topic in each session to learn about. Supervised activities may be offered for AC students depending on interest and availability.

Please fill out the survey to rate some suggested topics, and please suggest topics you think you or others would like to learn about or teach. Note that these are only suggestions. If there is enough parent interest, we will move forward with the event.  If you would be interested in helping to plan the Saturday Symposium, please fill out the contact info at the end of the survey or contact PACK President Lois Palomaki at lois@palomaki.org.  THANK YOU!

Posted in: LS Birches, MS Birches, PACK, The Birches, US Birches

Ready for Fun? Get Tickets Now for HAC Seabreeze Nite June 11th

Posted on May 30th, 2019 by Allendale Columbia School

Seabreeze Nite flyer - click to open as PDFJoin us at Seabreeze Amusement Park on Tuesday, June 11th, rain or shine! The water park will be open from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. that evening, and rides will be open from 6:00 -10:00 p.m. Please note that parents must accompany their children, as supervision is not provided.

Tickets are $20.00 and can be purchased from Lisa Shearing in Admissions until Monday, June 10th, at 4:00 p.m. Children age 2 and under are free. (Tickets will NOT be available for purchase on June 11th.)

 

Posted in: LS Birches, MS Birches, The Birches, US Birches

Strawberry Breakfast 2019

Posted on May 16th, 2019 by Allendale Columbia School

Spring has arrived, and with it comes preparations for Strawberry Breakfast, which will take place Friday, May 24th, at 8:30 a.m. This is a wonderful, school-wide AC tradition, and students will perform for their families and friends. Afterwards, everyone will enjoy strawberries and donuts in the Dining Commons.

As a reminder, parents must provide transportation on Friday, May 24th, as there is no bus service, and school is dismissed for the Memorial Day weekend after this event.

The following information is to help make you aware of the commitment for your son or daughter at Strawberry Breakfast and what they need to wear:

Nursery – Grade 1:

  • Students in Nursery – Grade 1 will not be performing but are encouraged to attend with family members
  • Uniforms will not be enforced; dressy spring attire is encouraged

Grades 2-5:

  • Students in Grades 2-5 will be performing
  • Dress up/concert clothes required
  • If your child will NOT be able to attend Strawberry Breakfast, please email your child’s classroom teacher or Lynn Grossman immediately so we can plan accordingly

Grades 6-8:

  • Middle School Chorus Students: Dressy spring attire (Ex.: dress, dress pants, skirt, blouse, shirt and tie)
  • Non-Chorus students in Grades 6-8 are encouraged to attend (dressy spring attire)
  • If your child is in Middle School Chorus and will NOT be able to attend Strawberry Breakfast, please email Rachael Sanguinetti immediately so we can plan accordingly

Grade 9:

  • Students in Grade 9 will not be performing but are encouraged to attend
  • Dressy spring attire is encouraged

Grade 10:

  • Sword Dancers: black dress pants, black shoes, long sleeve white dress shirt
  • May pole dancers: dressy spring attire (Ex.: dress, dress pants, skirt, blouse, shirt and tie)
  • All Grade 10: Pinning of the Seniors
  • If your child will NOT be able to attend Strawberry Breakfast, please email Diane Broberg immediately so we can plan accordingly

Grade 11:

  • Students in Grade 11 will not be performing but are encouraged to attend
  • Dressy spring attire is encouraged

Grade 12:

  • All seniors will participate in the official pinning ceremony
  • Dressy spring attire required (Ex.: dress, dress pants, skirt, blouse, shirt and tie)
  • If your child will NOT be able to attend Strawberry Breakfast, please email Diane Broberg immediately so we can plan accordingly

Select Chorus:

  • Performing “Good Cheer”
  • Dressy spring attire (Ex.: dress, dress pants, skirt, blouse, shirt and tie)

Upper School Chorus:

  • Performing “Now is the Month of Maying”
  • Dressy spring attire (Ex.: dress, dress pants, skirt, blouse, shirt and tie)

Wind Ensemble:

  • Performing a musical arrangement for the Sword Dance and May Pole Dance
  • Dressy spring attire (Ex.: dress, dress pants, skirt, blouse, shirt and tie)

There will be a rehearsal on Thursday, May 23rd, during the school day.

On May 24th, the students who are performing (outlined above) need to arrive in the Alumni Gym between 8:00 – 8:15 a.m. The program starts at 8:30 a.m. and usually concludes by 9:30 a.m., followed by treats in the Dining Commons.

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing everyone on campus!

Ray Istas
Director of Athletics

Posted in: LS Birches, MS Birches, The Birches, US Birches