First Friday

Each year our middle school students participate in "First Friday" activities on the first Friday of the school year.  (Clever name, right?)  Rather than go to regular classes, they participate in several seminars during the morning and then go to a local park for lunch and various activities.  Read on for an account of today's First Friday events.

The morning began with an inspiring talk from our new principal

We then sang a few songs

 After this time of collective worship, students traveled with their grade level to three different morning activities: 

Group-building in the gym

Learning to know one another better in the commons

Grade-level seminars in homerooms

Sixth-graders heard about student-led conferences and took a learning profile assessment.  Seventh-graders exercised their minds as part of their year-long theme of loving God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Eighth-graders did activities that helped them think about time management to prepare for a school year that will be more demanding than what they've been used to.

We then left school and went to the park for a picnic lunch.  After lunch students participated in various activities that they had signed up for through their PE classes: swimming, wallyball, basketball, game room, and disc golf.  Then we wrapped up the afternoon with icy pops before heading back to school.

The water was a little chilly

Icy pops to cool off at the end of the day

 A good time was had by all, and now I'm ready for a good night's sleep!