Mother’s Day is Sunday and as your child’s principal, I just wanted to take the time to thank you for all that you do. Your role as a mom is always evolving. You are there for all of your child’s highs and lows, regardless of what you are personally going through. The support you give to your child’s education pales in comparison to any educator. In fact, the success of your child’s progress is directly connected to your emotional praise, your moral guidance and academic embrace. People say it takes a village. No! It takes a mom who dries tears, sets boundaries and builds confidence. Please understand that your child deserves all of your love and all that you have to give.

Most of you see me in passing,.. at the start of the day, in the hallways or during dismissal. Together we share your most precious jewel, your children. I am in awe that you entrust me every day to keep your children safe, inspire them and challenge their perception of the world around them. Know that you are an integral part of my life because of the trust you have placed in me. It is my privilege to be a part of your child’s world, to watch them grow in maturity, independence, and self confidence. So here’s to you, Clear Stream Moms! Thank you for being the best mothers you can be. And I want to thank you all for helping me be the best principal I can be.

Introducing children to science doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be as simple as a bar of soap, dishwashing liquid and water. Students in our Pre-K stepped inside of the world of bubbles and blurred the lines between play and experimentation.Bubbles are intrinsically interesting to young children, making them a great source for discovery. As a sensory experience, bubbles invite children to become observant of size, shape, patterns, reflection and color. All of these phenomena draw upon the natural curiosity of children. Our Pre-K students blew, waved, stretched and poked bubbles to their enjoyment. As spring has sprung, this is a wonderful activity to do at the house or outside in the park.

We were very fortunate to be invited to the Very Hungry Caterpillar play put on by the pre-k students. In case you never read the Classic story by Eric Carle, here it is. On an early Sunday morning, "a tiny and very hungry caterpillar" hatches from its egg and immediately begins searching for food. For the following five days, the caterpillar eats through an increasing quantity of fruit: one apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, four strawberries on Thursday, and five oranges on Friday. However, the caterpillar remains hungry. On Saturday, he feasts on a piece of chocolate cake, an ice-cream cone, a pickle, a slice of Swiss cheese, a slice of salami, a lollipop, a piece of cherry pie, a sausage, a cupcake and a slice of watermelon. Later that night, it gets a stomach ache from overeating.

The following Sunday, the caterpillar eats a green leaf, relieving its stomach ache. Now a "big, fat caterpillar", he builds a cocoon around himself and stays inside of it for more than two weeks. Afterwards, it nibbles a hole and pushes its way out, emerging as a large, multi-colored butterfly.

This is what we wish for all of our students… to grow into big beautiful independent minded students.

Students in our kindergarten classes celebrated Eid al-Fitr. Also known as the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. One of the two main Islamic festivals (the other is Eid al-Adha), this day celebrates the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Parents of the community read books to students, led crafts, and shared their insight with our students. Muslims who observe Ramadan have taken part in the tradition with sunrise to sunset fasting for the entire month, praying, giving and spending time with family. Now that the month of fasting is over and it is time to celebrate.

This year's “Spring Melodies” was an amazing way to usher in the Spring season. The concert was praised by parents, teachers and administrators alike. The combination of music complexity, improvisation and the exceptional skill of the students made this concert one for the ages. The performance brought out the usual overflow crowd of Clear Stream parents and well wishers. Mr. Adams and the band performed “Starfire Fanfare: The Galactic Empire Part 1” a piece that transports you directly into the movies. Our chorus wowed the crowd with perhaps the most uplifting song of the evening “Sunday Best.” It was an inspirational song that reminds our students to always try their hardest. Mrs. Gorey taught the orchestra how to improvise with string instruments. They played a new selection "G Street Rock.” That song was accompanied by Mrs. Cooke on piano and Mr. Adams on drums. Finally Mr. Adams and the Jazz band closed the show with 4 tunes including “Celebration” in honor of the 100th Anniversary. (Click on Photo Link below for Jazz Video) Several students are destined to be Jazz aficionados. It was definitely a night to remember and our Music teachers and students performed at their optimal potential!

Our kindergarten and 6th grade buddies performed a play called “Everybody Smiles in the Same Language.” It was the first time that all kindergarten students and every 6th grade student participated in a dramatic performance. The children memorized the lines and told the crowd how important it is to smile as it is the universal language of the world. It is my wish that we all embrace this simple message as it holds the key to solving the world’s conflicts. Big shout out to the kindergarten teachers, aides and the music department for making us all smile.

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