By Reed Gabhart, Head of Goshen Campus
It’s been a little bit of a “slow week back at the ranch” as the 8th grade is away on their annual trek to Big South Fork, taking a gaggle of teachers with them. While they endured some drizzly weather the first 24 hours or so, the rest of the week was supposed to be magnificent! I’m sure the pictures and stories will be flowing when they return on Friday.
Last Friday, we held our annual Middle School Halloween Dance which was a smash! (“A Monster Smash?”). This may be our most fun dance of the year! For one, it’s the first dance for our 6th graders who always come out in force and bubbling over with excitement. We also started a new tradition of having our 8th graders be the DJs using school equipment, and Carly Schramko and Julian Spalding-Wooten did a bang-up job in their first stint behind the “laptop!” The decorations were wonderful (and thanks to the many parents who sent some in for us), and our Student Council did a great job decorating, as did our 7th graders in cleaning up at the end. Thanks are also in order to Shelly Jones, Claudia Snow, Alex Taylor, and Ann Mundt for helping me chaperone. But the real highlight is the costumes; while the prize for the costume contest may only be a $5 gift card to Graeter’s, you’d think the kids had won an Oscar when they were announced! The picture above shows most of the winners in full, frightful regalia. But ultimately, it is the wholesomeness of our dances that makes me proud. Our kids have a great time, and we have no problems to deal with (other than a few spilled drinks). My favorite moment of this dance came at the end when one of our 8th grade girls passed me crying. I asked what was wrong, and she said, “This is my last Halloween Dance at Goshen!” Now, that would make even the most hardened ghoul get a little misty!
PS – I also wanted to let you know that yesterday we participated in the Great American Shakeout Earthquake Drill on the Goshen Campus. The kids took it very seriously, and it was cute to see our little (and big!) ones safe and secure under their desks. We’ll know what to do if the ground ever starts rumbling.