Posts Tagged "lower school"
Little Artists, Big Imaginations
January 28, 2026
Lower school art is much more than crayons and paper. When students walk into my classroom, I want their imaginations to come alive. Entering into this year, I wanted to create interactive walls that allow students to take ownership of even the very space where their creativity comes to life.
Beyond fine motor development as they cut, color, and shape materials, taking a piece of art from idea to finished product is an exercise in creative problem-solving and enriches academic curriculum.
The goal of lower school art is for students to acquire an appreciation for art and art-making. Students will draw, paint, sculpt, collage and design using a variety of media, from crayon to pastel, markers to watercolor and more. Students are introduced to the elements of art, principles of design, and selected artists and artistic styles. We build a diverse portfolio, and our art show celebrates our work by giving each student the chance to showcase a favorite project.
As an art teacher, I love watching students grow in confidence and creativity from one project to the next, to make each piece their own, and even learn how to turn mistakes into “design changes”. I love seeing students so excited about art that they can’t wait to show me a piece they worked on at home like this third-grader below! He took the initiative to create this artwork on his own at home. When he brought it in to show the class, his enthusiasm for his artwork and the skill he demonstrated inspired us all. Cultivating this love for art and creativity is what it's all about!
Necie Allen is in her fifth year at CHS and currently serves as the Lower School Art Teacher. In addition to this role, she teaches 8th grade math, serves as the Lower School Yearbook Editor, and is a member of the PTL Leadership Team. Outside of school, Necie enjoys crafting with her little one, cheering on her kids at the sports they love, spending time with family, and traveling. A proud CHS graduate herself, Necie is also a CHS mom of three: a 2025 grad, a junior, and a second grader.
Celebrating Our Heritage At CHS
May 05, 2025
Hello, Hola, Olá, Bonjour, 你好, 안녕하세요 (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, and Korean)! We have a very special tradition here at Christian Heritage School that takes place every spring in the 4th grade. Each student chooses one country of ancestral or adoptive descent on which to create their Heritage Report. This assignment integrates three important class subjects: Social Studies, Writing, and Reading. It enhances our Social Studies discussion on immigration to America and helps develop research skills, organize a report with specific requirements, and write an informational piece. We also integrate reading with the novel Letters From Rifka, which is about a Jewish girl immigrating to America in 1919. It’s a joy to celebrate our individual heritage as families at CHS and in this country!
Each week, students write one paragraph, revise, edit and bring it to presentation form using research materials from our school library, their local libraries, as well as websites. Each student researches their country’s location and size, natural features, climate, capital and government, culture, and history, as well as their own family’s immigration story. They also create a photo section, landform map, political map, world map, a recipe of food from their country (cooked and brought to the Heritage Fair), a hand-drawn flag of their country, and prepare a short presentation.
All this work is later compiled and presented at the Fourth Grade Heritage Fair, and we celebrate with food native to the students' heritage country, a presentation, and a time to view each child’s project where they excitedly display their newly found knowledge of their heritage country. The families join us in the cafeteria and enjoy the rich diversity and cultures represented, sampling delicious international flavors and foods; each of us truly Comes to the Table (this year’s chapel theme). Every year, the Marketing department compiles a collection of the students' recipes into a cookbook to celebrate their respective countries. This cookbook is provided for each student as a cherished keepsake and a lasting memory.
We look forward to this wonderful project each year. It is truly a blessing to see a bit of the world here in the cafeteria at CHS. The Lord tells us in His Word that every nation, tribe, people and language will gather before His throne and the Lamb. This Heritage Fair is a beautiful representation of this and shows the uniqueness of the Body of Christ.
“The heritage project was a great experience for me to get to know my fellow classmates by tasting their country’s food and hearing fun facts about where they came from. My country of heritage was Switzerland, and my grandma helped me make a Swiss Apple Pie. It was difficult but rewarding to try a new Swiss food. She also showed me some pictures of where my great-great grandmother lived in Switzerland and this brought us closer together. Overall, the project was fun, challenging, and special.” Paige Taylor -5th grade student
We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about His power and His mighty wonders.
Psalm 78:4.
Mrs. Elizabeth Pelaccia is one of our fourth grade teachers. This is her third year teaching at CHS. She received her BS in Elementary Education from Messiah University. She enjoys spending time with her family and her adorable chocolate lab, walking on the beach, gardening, farming, and hiking. She looks forward to hatching ducklings and chicks in her classroom each year. “I am so blessed to be part of this CHS family.”
Afternoon Adventures: Discovering New Interests Through Lower School Clubs
February 11, 2025
An exciting change to our Lower School program over the last couple of years has been the increase in the number and variety of after-school clubs known as Kingsmen Clubs. These after-school activities are offered to our Lower School students immediately following the school day in several locations on campus. Kingsmen Clubs offer a unique opportunity for elementary students to engage in activities outside the typical classroom setting. Research shows that children involved in extracurricular activities often perform better academically. These programs not only support academic growth, but can also foster important social, emotional, and physical development.
Clubs provide our students with an opportunity to explore topics such as Crafting, STEM, Coding, Martial Arts, Strategic Games and Sports in a safe after-school setting with classmates and students from other grades. They are held in a structured setting and run by our exceptional teaching staff.
These clubs give children the chance to discover their interests, talents, or passions for possible future fields of study or extracurricular activities at the High School level. Students are given an outlet and the chance to participate, create, and learn. Clubs also provide for a strengthening of social skills. These environments are often less competitive than the classroom, giving students a chance to develop a strong sense of identity outside their academic achievements. Important skills such as teamwork, collaboration, problem-solving are all reinforced when a child participates in a club. Many times students are engaging with a teacher and other students they might not otherwise interact with on a daily basis. This gives students the chance to feel connected to others with similar interests and skills. These newly forged relationships only help to strengthen us as a community.
Our Kingsmen Clubs offer a range of benefits to parents and students alike. From supporting academic achievement to promoting physical health and emotional growth, these programs help students develop into well-rounded individuals. It’s no wonder that our after-school clubs have become an important part of the elementary school experience here at CHS.
Lilian Mogle is the lower school principal at CHS. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Connecticut and an M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Southern Ct. State University. She has over 30 years of experience in the classroom.