St. George’s encourages students to develop an understanding of the world around them. As students advance through elementary school, they start to crave information. They get glimpses of what’s happening around them, but don't have much context. Third grader Marlowe Leibovich decided to create a unique solution to help quench her classmates’ thirst for knowledge. She knew her fellow students were very interested in community news, but since the 5 o’clock news was a little too focused on grown-up stories, she took matters into her own hands and began publishing a weekly "House News" newsletter in the fall.
Although content varies, she features playground interviews, “man-on-the-street” polls and classroom investigations. Now, circulating the St. George’s Germantown Campus is a fresh newspaper giving local papers a run for their money and bringing smiles to the faces of children and adults alike.
Some of the more recent headlines that have been rocking the 3rd grade world this school year are:
- Closing and Opening: The Bombers restaurant closes but the Cheese Factory opens in its place, taking a stride for all restaurants. And when you thought it couldn’t get worse, the Summer House is also closing. I believe that this is a downfall in business. Will a business survive? (House News, Issue 2)
[The fate of many locally owned businesses, especially restaurants, has been a hot topic for a lot of us this year. But adults are not the only ones who have been invested in whether or not they’ll be able to dine in at their favorite establishment once the pandemic ends.]
- The Latest Buzz: Bee-busters started after two bees landed on a girl. Now they help move the bees off the playground with help from a business we all know…..Wasp-control! (House News, Issue 2)
[Just because they’re young doesn’t mean they don’t want the hard-hitting facts. In fact, there is quite an interest in investigative, on-the-scene reporting in the 3rd grade. Marlowe recently chronicled a playground bee incident and the new safety protocols that came with it.]
- Party like you just don’t care: We have a Halloween party on Friday and if you keep reading you will find some things that you will want to remember at the party.
1. Make sure your costume is not too long, if it drags on the ground you could get hurt.
2. Make sure you can sit and stand while wearing your costume and
3. HAVE FUN! (House News, Issue 3)
[Marlowe knows how to strike the balance between heavy and uplifting, so she always leaves room for a little “fluff,” like promoting holiday festivities.]
- Here are some Halloween movies to watch:
1. Goosebumps, great Halloween movie, and scary too!
2. Nightmare Before Christmas, great songs, animation and story line. (House News, Issue 3)
It’s exciting to see St. George’s active learning emphasis come to life through our students’ ideas and interests. The school’s hope for its students is to impart knowledge and experiences that lead to personal empowerment and lifelong learning – and it looks like Marlowe is well on her way!