Fire Safety Week at MPH, Pt. I
A Fun Spin on Prevention
for Lower School Students

Very few serious safety topics lend themselves quite as much to having fun learning as National Fire Prevention Week, which ran this year from October 4 to 8. And with a health and safety coordinator, Shawn Tompkins, who worked for the DeWitt Fire Department for more than 20 years (who also happens to be a natural, energetic educator), Fire Safety Week at MPH was one of the early highlights of the year.

Mr. Tompkins presented on a variety of fire topics throughout the week, with students from Pre-K through Grade 3 learning about the dangers and benefits of fire and the difference between hot and cold items, in addition to having their questions answered regarding exit strategies and more.

In Grades 4 and 5, students learned about the topic of gaining fire independence, which involves using kitchen equipment and building campfires with parent support, as well as types of fire extinguishers and how to use them.

Another highlight was Mr. Tompkins sharing his firefighting outfit and explaining the different parts and purposes of each piece of equipment. Kids got to try out various items and (you'll read more about this in Pt. II) even participated in equipment and full-dress fire gear relays.

Stay tuned next week for Pt. II
A Message from the Head of School
Be sure to stayed tuned all the way to the end of the video to see the MPH Play Catch Club deliver a pronunciation lesson on "Allostatic Load."
New Staff Profile
Mariah Cochran | Core Health Teacher

Hello MPH! I am beyond excited to be kicking off the Core Health Program with you this year. I grew up in a suburb about an hour outside of Boston, MA, and spent the past four years living and teaching in the Albany area. I just moved to Syracuse this summer with my husband and my dog, Ama. When I'm not in school (or thinking about/planning for school) I love taking long walks with my dog, cooking, and crafting (everything from paper greeting cards to sewing, my latest pandemic project)!
New Staff Profile
Carolina Freuder | LS Spanish Teacher
My name is Carolina Freuder, and I am originally from Costa Rica. I have worked in different pediatric research positions at the University of Rochester, Boston Medical Center, and the National Brain Tumor Society. I have lived abroad in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I worked as a teacher at the Shambhala School. I have been working as a volunteer tutor for RISE (Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment), a local Syracuse non-profit organization. I enjoy helping the immigrant and refugee community. I love Syracuse - it is sunnier than Nova Scotia! I am excited to be part of the Manlius Pebble Hill community and look forward to teaching Spanish.  
MPH Photo of the Week
The rebuilding of the iconic campus building, the Knox Farmhouse, is well underway, with walls removed, support beams in place, and construction targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2022. With modernization comes some underground projects, as well, and Pre-K students got a great look at some deep digging outside the campus recently. Not content to just watch, the curious students lobbed a number of questions at the workers, who were fantastic in responding to the kids. We can't wait to see the finished result.
Nearly 200 Get Flu Shot at MPH Clinic
Kinney Drugs partnered to offer inoculation

A two-day campus flu clinic run in partnership with Kinney Drugs saw nearly 200 members of the MPH community get their shot. While we anticipated a successful effort, Nurse Christine said, "The participation is our community has been amazing!"

She also wanted to send a "thank you" shout out to all of the members of our community who got their flu shot elsewhere. As we know, it's an important part of our comprehensive effort to battle the spread of COVID-19.

For those who couldn't make the clinic and who haven't yet gotten the shot, Nurse Christine says, "there's still plenty of time."
The Scene Around MPH
Upcycling Turns Common Waste
into Uncommon Art
Some colorful bins appeared around campus this week as part of a Grade 8 Upcyling project that will take some uncommonly recycled items, including can tabs, plastic utensils, straws, and plastic bottle caps to create something entirely new and artistically useful. The project is led by coverage teacher Karyn Meyer. Students will collect items for two to three weeks then create their projects. Look for an update here in Snapshot.
Homecoming "Canstruction" Collection Yields More than 500 Cans
The MPH community collected more than 500 cans of soup and other food during Homecoming 2021, buoyed by a donation from Tops in Manlius. The items were taken to Assumption Church Food Pantry on North Salina Street in Syracuse.
TUNE IN! Coach Ridall will be interviewed by ESPN Radio Syracuse, 97.7 or 100.1 around 11 a.m. on Saturday
Lower School Program Night Highlights Dynamic Approaches to Learning
The Lower School held its Program Night on Thursday, October 7, giving parents an opportunity to really dive into the details of the unique and dynamic independent education offered at MPH.

Whether it's literacy, language, art, dance, performing arts, music, or core health, MPH's thoughtful curriculum was on display for the presentation.

Missed it? See the entire slideshow here.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
This week marked the first in which one of our advisories would share a Quote of the Week.
Our first, from Anya Reckess in Grade 6:

'Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.'
- Oscar Wilde (possibly)
Grade 6 Learning Music Notation
Grade 6 students just wrapped up their first unit on reviewing the fundamentals of music notation. First, students learned about subdivisions and composed their rhythm tracks on Quaver BackBeat Lite in a grid format. Then they learned how to write their work in standard music notation.
They're Wild ...
Wild about Books!

First graders readWild About Books, by Judy Sierra, and then went wild with their own favorite books!

Manlius Pebble Hill School | 315-446-2452mphschool.org