Lindsay’s Graduation

Tonight we attended Lindsay’s 6th grade graduation from Fairview-Clifton German Language School.  This is a bittersweet event for Lindsay who began her schooling here during mid-year 2006 in second grade.  During her time here she has blossomed academically, socially and against all odds became a straight A German student.  Lindsay has LOVED her years at Fairview.  It’s bittersweet for me too, although I still have a decade left as a Fairview parent. 

On the right is Lindsay’s kindergarten picture attached to a bag that past teachers and friends left notes for her in along with her beautiful corsage which the entire 6th grade student body received tonight.  The middle is the cover of her program.  The left is the cover for the photo CD case and Lindsay’s “funny face” is featured top right.

First came the processional (Lindsay in center) followed by remarks by their principal, Frau Mulligan.

Teacher’s academic awards were given out.  Lindsay received Excellence in German, Excellence in Science, Excellence in Math, Outstanding Progress in Social Studies, and Excellence in Reading; straight A’s in each class all year.  Lindsay is a conscientious student and has worked very hard.  There were a great many academic awards given out.  These are smart kids that Lindsay blends in with and the competition is fierce.

The 6th graders then sang “I’m Letting Go”, (Lindsay far right) a final performance with their veteran music teacher of over 30 years at that school.  This teacher was instrumental serving as our internal connection getting Lindsay into this school “late” when things weren’t going well at her first school.  A fellow music teacher of the district, she knew Rick 25 years ago as well.

Then came other awards to be handed out.  Lindsay walked away with Recognition for Fairview Runs, the S.T.A.R.S. award (consistently demonstrating Self-control, Trustworthiness, Accountability, Respect and Safety), the Presidential Scholars Award and Pin (pin below left) signed by President Obama, and of course finally received her Certificate of Promotion.

She also got one last running team t-shirt, a huge candy bar with a note from her second grade teacher and cute little bubbles with a graduation cap along with other notes from past teachers and friends.

Lindsay is seen here reading her graduation card from her parents.  We expect to see more great things from her as she moves on and finishes up her years in public school.

The cafeteria was decked out in balloons and table cloths the colors of the German flag.  Apparently I do not feed Tristan who took full advantage of the fact that both parents were busy helping children younger than him.  Luckily there were PLENTY of cookies anyway, but just look at his cookie pile!  Haley enjoyed treats with her self imposed rule of “2” while Nathan guzzled lemonade from a big cup… he loves drinking from big cups.

Lindsay and Kaitlyn enjoyed their refreshments, including Graduation cake.  Lindsay ponders her time in this school hoping she’ll be able to re-unite with some teachers and friends on a trip to Germany in a few years  (if she works very hard) while Kaitlyn dreams of joining the student body here.  It’s hard for me to believe that Kaitlyn already applies for admission this fall for kindergarten the following year.

Lindsay is here with a couple of her friends… she has many… she is very likeable and I’m amazed at how much they respect her.  All of these kids have worked hard to find a place for seventh grade in a system full of “schools of choice”.  Most of her friends will not be moving on to SCPA with her so this is hard.  The choice was not easy  as she was accepted into two very good schools.  But the decision was her own.

Before leaving I snapped a couple of pictures of Lindsay just outside this new school building  where she’s attended for 3 years.  I digress here but the school moved to Clifton, a beautiful neighborhood in the gaslight district of the city, from Fairview in 2008.  The old building (pictured in middle) was full of character from the mid 1800’s.  I loved it but it had it’s issues.  It had been there so long that the only bathrooms in the building were in the basement… put there after outhouses became obsolete!  The caretakers of the building, once upon a time, actually lived in apartments up in the attic of this school… I cannot imagine the heat!  Eventually policy/code decided that it was a fire hazard to have living quarters up there.  Such history!  Lindsay came home from school full of stories of the haunted staircase that was now closed off in this old, so neat, building.  This school has an international name for itself and so it could not relinquish the name of Fairview but rather took on the hyphenated name of Fairview-Clifton.  It is much loved and has given Lindsay a great start to her education preparing her for all that comes in the next chapter of her life.

Happy Graduation, Lindsay!  Class of 2017.