‘Reed Rally’

A Warm Welcome For Incoming Intermediate School Students

By Nancy K. Crevier

It was a giant “family” reunion Tuesday evening, September 7, as Reed Intermediate School Principal Sharon Epple and nearly two dozen staff welcomed incoming fifth grade and new sixth grade students and their families to a picnic on the grounds of the Trades Lane school, and to join in four activities geared toward wellness, health, and physical fitness.

“The Reed Rally is the first event of the year for all of our fifth and new sixth graders,” said Dr Epple, as she looked out over the hillside where dozens of families had spread blankets and were happily devouring the picnic dinners they had brought with them. Banners flapped in the breeze against the roadside fencing, welcoming students from each of the four elementary schools from which they had graduated.

“It helps families to meet other new families in their children’s cluster. After they eat and play a little, we have four great activities for everyone. We have a dance station, a nutritional game and snack inside with Ms Patterson, a slide show put together by our vice principal, Dr Salvatore, and in the gym, we have the Reed Rally Relay,” Dr Epple said. Laughing, she added, “Try saying that four times fast!”

Connor Munro and his friend Alex Watson raced up the hill from the playground to great little brother Dylan, and his father, John Munro. Former Hawley students, Connor and Alex said they were excited to be coming to Reed Intermediate School this year. “I have Mrs Shull,” announced Connor, “and Alex has Mrs Cunningham.”

At 5:45 pm, the evening’s DJ, sixth grade teacher Matt Brown, started off with the announcement that it was time for families to head with their assigned group to the first of the four activities to which they were assigned. As three groups hurried into the building, the first group taking part at the dance station clustered about Mr Brown and the four dance leaders, RIS reading specialist Pam Kohn, fifth grade teachers Julie Shull and Kelly Marcoux, and sixth grade teacher Sarah Strait, outside the school entrance, for 15 fun-filled minutes of energetic dancing. Then it was on to the next event. Each group of family members and students spent a quarter of an hour experiencing the four stations during the evening.

In the gymnasium, physical education instructors Michelle Failla, Mark Gerace, and Rosanne O’Neill and teacher volunteers spent the hour leading the action-packed Reed Rally Relays, a series of gym dolly races and Styrofoam “noodle” contests to prove that teamwork and exercise can be fun and productive. A few of the parents took on the challenges, but it was mainly the students scrambling from one end of the gym to the other and dissolving in laughter at the finish line.

It was a quieter scene in the art room, where resident dietician Jill Patterson held the attention of students gathered in a group on the floor in front of a PowerPoint program. “Is It A Meal?” was the name of the game they played, with Ms Patterson and a selected student throwing out food combinations to the crowd and asking, “Is it a meal?” Hands shot up in the air, eager to answer the question. Some of the choices tricked the group, but most of the children recognized a healthy combination.

“He’s having a great time tonight,” said Kim Heran of her son James, a new fifth grader at RIS and a student of Karen King’s. “It’s fun for the kids to get together and reconnect after the summer. He was looking forward to coming to Reed and they did a great job with the orientation. This is good school spirit,” she said.

Ms Patterson’s groups leaped to their feet at the end of the presentation, anticipating the snack of fresh raw vegetables and dip provided by Chartwells School Dining Services and served by RIS cafeteria staff. Munching the crisp broccoli and carrot sticks, the group moved on to the fourth station, in the cafetorium, a slide show of these very first days of school at Reed Intermediate School — and a healthy dessert served up by volunteers, a frozen juice pop. “There I am,” whispered one girl excitedly as her face appeared on the screen. Families quietly visited with each other and with staff, enjoying the final moments of the evening.

“This was absolutely a successful evening,” said parent Michelle Hankin, pausing to thank Dr Epple.

“I loved watching the teachers dance,” offered her daughter Talia, a fifth grade student. “I liked doing the Macarena.”