They have arrived! Our tiny Painted Turtle hatchlings are now in Ms. Sutton’s class ready to grow and be cared for. This is our fourth year working with local naturalists from the Harris Center and many other turtle specialists to help these turtles get a head start on life. In the 7 months that we will have them, they will grow to be the size of a 3-4 year old turtle. We call this process “head starting”. Raising these adorable reptiles allows us to connect with local animals, integrate learning into all subject areas, and will provide life long memories of caring for and protecting these animals. When they were first introduced, one student said,”I don’t understand, but I feel like I might cry.” A true connection to the natural world!

This week we spent time getting to know them, marking them for identification and we learned about the tools we will use to measure them. All students will collect weekly data to make sure they are growing big and strong. This has been an exciting week! Stay tuned for the names chosen and updates on their growth.

Please see the "What's Bruin at Pierce School?" Newsletter by Rachel Lunan-Hill by clicking the link.

Pierce School welcomed the New Hampshire Dance Institute (NHDI) back this week, thanks to a generous donation. Students danced to the theme of setting goals and reaching for the peaks of mountains! At Pierce School we can do hard things! The enthusiasm was contagious as everyone worked hard and achieved their goals, culminating in an amazing performance!

Please see the "What's Bruin at Pierce School?" Newsletter by Rachel Lunan-Hill by clicking the link.

A big thank you to Bennington Fire and Rescue volunteers for visiting today! We started the morning with a practice fire drill, and students quickly and quietly exited the building. Afterward, they participated in a question-and-answer session, getting an up-close look at EMT and firefighter uniforms. Students then traveled to the fire station, where they saw the fire trucks, sprayed the hoses, toured the building, and practiced staying low in smoke. We are so grateful for our local volunteers and all the thought and hard work they put into keeping our community safe!

Please see the "What's Bruin at Pierce School?" Newsletter by Rachel Lunan-Hill by clicking the link.

Kindergarten learned about the beat in music and how to move to it and play it! It was fun to explore lots of different ways to respond to the music. They used scarves, instruments, and their bodies to show the beat.

The 1/2 class learned about steady beat and we practiced playing instruments along with the beat, using many silly poems, songs, and even our own creations!

The 2/3 class and grade 4 reviewed steady beat. They loved using the Boomwhackers to play along with songs. Circle games and movement games were a big success to help them learn about beat versus rhythm.

Please see the "What's Bruin at Pierce School?" Newsletter by Rachel Lunan-Hill by clicking the link.