Recently, students and staff at Sauk Trail Elementary celebrated ‘El Dia del Niño,’ which means ‘Day of the Child’ in Spanish. Students were able to connect their learning with various regions of Latin America.
Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd-grade students started the day with a special morning meeting in multi-aged groups. They then rotated through stations including lotería, piñata breaking and a playground game, jugaremos en el bosque.
Art teacher, Danielle Cascio, helped second-grade students create piñatas that were used during the celebration! This enhanced the sense of ownership and excitement leading up to the celebration.
“Part of being in the Two-Way Immersion program at Sauk Trail is participation in authentic Hispanic cultural experiences. Thanks to a grant from the MCPASD Education Foundation, grades K-2 were able to experience a Día del Niño celebration on April 29th,” said Sauk Trail, 2nd-grade teacher Jeanette Wiederhoeft.
The day ended with a closing ceremony where the teachers performed an Encanto-themed dance and then students joined them for a dance party.
“The event was full of smiles and surprises! It reminded us how much learning can be done outside our normal classroom routines! We connected with kids in the most authentic way- through song, play, and laughs,” she said.
The K-2 Two Way Immersion team helped put this celebration together! Special thanks to the following staff for all their hard work:
- Kari Buer
- Madelyn Christopherson
- Paige Bessick
- Kristina Mendiola
- Jeanette Wiederhoeft
- Carmen Janecky
- Karen Miranda
- Gabby Schloessler
“We believe that by elevating the traditions of our bilingual students and families, we all develop a deeper sense of community and appreciation for the differences in our community,” said Sauk Trail 1st grade teacher Kristina Mendiola.