Fun Run & Spirit Week Details

The Fun Run is next week! In celebration of our fundraising campaign, all students will participate in the Panther Pride Fun Run on Friday, Oct. 4. Each grade will go to the outdoor playground/track area during their Related Arts time to run/jog/skip/walk and celebrate together on the track! We invite all family members to attend, if able, to join in on the school spirit and celebration!  

Fun Run Schedule Oct. 4
Kindergarten 12:40-1:40
1st 9:00-10:00
2nd 11:10-12:10
3rd 1:45-2:45
4th 10:05-11:05

To make our first Fun Run a success- we need adult volunteers from each grade level to help set up, breakdown, keep everyone safe and administer first aid. Please consider lending a helping hand for one hour: sign up here to volunteer.

Leading up to the Fun Run- we will celebrate with Fun Run Spirit Week!

Encourage your student to participate and we hope to see you, too!  

Popcorn on the Playground

Students enjoy popcorn on the playground for being one of the classes to raise the most money for the Fun Run campaign in the last seven days.

Fun Run Week 2 News!

Our Panther Pride Fun Run fundraising campaign is half-way through…and we are right on target at half-way to our goal!!!! Way to go Sylvan Park!

Congratulations to last week’s winning classes!

K: Team Hobgood
1st: TIE between Team Rossberger and Team Woods
2nd: Team Hunt
3rd: Team Linton
4th: Team Bray

* These classes raised the most in the last seven days, not necessarily overall. They celebrated with a popcorn party!

Highest earning classes for Week 2 celebrated with a popcorn party.

Winners for Week 3 will earn an ice cream party! Reminder: All classes that hit classroom goal will receive a special Fun Run treat!

Thank you for your tremendous support— and keep it up! Every donation helps!

Walk to School Day

The annual Walk to School Day takes place next Wednesday, Oct. 2 starting at 7:30 at Sylvan Park Church. Join Coach Scott and other Sylvan Park families in a healthy start to the day!

September Science Labs

Third graders (L) studied the water cycle and first graders (R) learned about sound waves.

This year, lead science volunteers direct Friday science activities for each grade. With lead volunteers Kourtney Parks and Nyshauna Travers, fourth graders investigated potential and kinetic energy using materials loaned by the Vanderbilt Students Volunteering for Science program. Third graders, under parents Molly Smith and Jayme O’Neal, observed how the water cycle works works and how melting glaciers causes sea level rise. Last week, first graders discovered aspects of sound waves through ingenious activities developed by lead volunteer Tracy Smith with input from James Davis and Hector Segundo.  (Kindergarten and 2nd grade haven’t officially had Science Friday yet this month. Stay tuned!)

Thanks so much to all of the fantastic lead volunteers and parent participants!  Ask any 4th, 3rd, 2nd or 1st grader if they like science!!! 

All interested volunteers are invited to the first meeting of the Science Committee Monday October 14th at 8 am.  We will discuss how to best support, develop, and sustain the science program. The goal will be defining recommended focused efforts. Please come if you can. While the time prevents teachers from participating in this meeting, they will be included! If interested, but unavailable at that time, please contact Molly Miller at Molly.Miller@vanderbilt.edu.

West End Coffee

Sylvan Park parents are invited to a morning gathering with administrators from West End Middle School Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8 am in the Sylvan Park Library. This event is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our zoned middle school and ask questions of leadership. Sylvan Park families who live out of the zone (lottery families) do get preference in admission to West End Middle. See you all there!

Staff Seminar: Project Based Learning

The notes posted above are staff writing responses from their Paideia Seminar on Project Based Learning. Engagement in such projects can excite students as much as their favorite extracurricular activities. The exercise helped staff launch their Paideia focus for this year, which is Paideia Projects!

STEM Club Begins in October

Your child will explore the field of robotics through a series of exciting and dynamic lessons. Students will learn about mechanical engineering as they construct and use robots to complete tasks and engage in competitions. A variety of topics will be covered including gear ratios, electricity, rotation, friction, force, transmitters and LEDs.

This course gives students the opportunity to experience the captivating world of robotics in an inviting and fun environment. No previous experience is necessary; both new and returning participants are welcome! Each participant will receive an award on the last day of the session and will have the opportunity to earn Energy Belts by demonstrating their learned skills.

The club will be held Mondays from Oct. 14 through Dec. 2. Register using course code SYL10.14.19 or view the flyer for more information.

Special Events Next Week!

Next week is FULL of special events your child will want you to know about. Here’s an overview but read on for additional details:

Starting Monday, students are invited to dress in a different theme each day for Spirit Week.
Tuesday is Spirit Night at ML Rose
Wednesday is Walk to School Day
Thursday is West End Parent Coffee
Friday is the Panther Pride Fun Run

See additional details for each event below.

Upcoming Events

Fall Picture Day – Tuesday, Sept. 24
Spirit Night – Tuesday, Oct. 1 at ML Rose
Walk to School Day – Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 am Sylvan Park Church
West End Coffee – Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8 am (library)
Panther Pride Fun Run – Friday, Oct. 4
Fall Break – Oct. 7 – Oct. 11
No School – Friday, Oct. 18 (professional development day)

Girl Scouts Interest Meeting Tomorrow

The Girl Scouts of Middle TN will have a Family Interest Night meeting on Wednesday, 9/18, in the cafeteria starting at 6:00 pm.This recruitment/information meeting is for any interested scouts that are not currently registered (i.e., Kindergarten families, families new to Sylvan Park).

Popsicle Party for Fundraising Leaders

Classes with the highest donations to the Panther Pride Fun Run Campaign enjoyed popsicles Friday. Read below for class standings and the overall status of fundraising week one.