On the afternoon of October 23 at 4:00, our families gathered with the children to share the youngsters’ accomplishments. Each child spread out precious work from the first six weeks of school. Our collections of treasures covered the front foyer! Children were the guides, checking off a full page of “notables” as they toured with their families. The assortment was astounding–from fairy houses with diagrams and expository writing (capturing and explaining the process of making and lighting fairy houses), sock dolls and their accompanying plans, penny books, name stories, “bucket-writing”, personal quality keepsakes and beaded jars, pull-string designs and drawings, proportional sketching, writing strategies galore, botanical illustrations, writing journals, math books, homework and communication journals, poetry anthologies, text selections…. and more! We even shared recitations, readings, and our theater costumes! At 5:30, families went out for dinner in the neighborhood and returned to the theater for a performance of Winnie-the-Pooh by the NWCT cast. It was an incredible “closure” for our first half-term, and a magnificent “opening” as we spill ourselves into exhilarating options for the school’s winter celebration of learning in December!