Ms. Cassario’s 4th graders have the unique opportunity to present an illustrated book to Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea. The class has appropriately titled their book Sixteen Cups of Tea.

Mr. Mortenson’s book is a true story of his mission to build a school for a poor village in Pakistan. He was motivated by a desire to repay the people of the Village for their kindness and assistance when his group became lost while climbing K2.

The book was chosen as a  “read aloud” book for 4B because it allows the class to work, as a group, with a novel that may be beyond their reading level.  The reading operates much like a book club, with frequent opportunities for class discussion.

After finishing a read aloud novel, students typically draw pictures, discuss the book, and write about their favorite part. Many of the students enjoyed the interview at the end of the book, with Greg Mortenson’s daughter Amira. She talks about what it’s like to share her father, now a philanthropic leader, with the world.

After learning about the reading assignment, one 4th grade parent, a friend of Greg Mortenson, suggested that Mr. Mortenson and his daughter Amira would enjoy seeing the student illustrations. She graciously arranged for a bound compilation of the students illustrations to be sent to Mr. Mortenson.

Villa Academy 3^rd grade artwork will be on display at The Confectionary in the U-Village this spring.  The student art is based on the creations of artist Wayne Thiebaud, who is best known for his paintings of desserts. His symmetrical compositions have strong light and shadows and bring the viewer right into the picture.

The student art caught the attention of Kristi, a Villa Academy parent and owner of The Confectionery, an upscale candy boutique in Seattle’s University Village. Kristi invited the students to share their yummy looking artwork with her customers.

Through this assignment students practiced drawing 3-dimensional cylinder shapes to use as their cake form and experimented with oil pastel layering techniques. Colors were layered in varying values to show light and shadow. Decorations were added to the outside of the cake and platter to finish off the delicious looking creations.

Stop by The Confectionery this spring to satisfy your sweet tooth and your appreciation of student artwork!

Lent is a season of simplicity, self-reflection, and Christian growth – An excellent time for spiritual spring-cleaning and a perfect opportunity to reflect on our service to others.

One of the highlights of the Lenten season is the fourth grade’s annual Empty Bowls Soup Dinner.

On Thursday, April 29^th our fourth grade students will prepare a simple soup supper. That evening, at 5pm in the Villa Cafeteria, students will host their families and friends to dinner. Soup will be served in bowls that were handmade by the student’s themselves as part of the art curriculum in Ms. Kunselman’s class.

Bowls, as well as the soup, will be for sale, with all proceeds going directly to Food Lifeline, a local hunger relief organization, serving Western Washington.

This annual fundraiser is a continuation of the fourth grade’s yearlong service project. Each class has already visited the Food Lifeline Distribution Center twice this year to assist with the sorting and packaging of food donations.

Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort to bring money and awareness to the fight against hunger. Events like this take place across the country several times a week throughout the entire year, and Villa Academy is proud of its fourth grade for their participation!

Monday, December 14, 2009 at 11:00am

1st-2nd Grades

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 2:15pm

3rd-4th-5th Grades

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 1:15pm

Villa Voices/String Ensemble/ Beg. and Adv. Bands

Thursday December 17, 2009 at 7:00pm

Remember: Dress for all programs is nice holiday attire. For Kindergarten through Grade 5, students may wear free dress the day of their Christmas program.

Shea Salyer is pleased to accept the role of director of Villa’s Youth Theater Program. Shea majored in Theater at Smlth College and has been teaching drama and filmmaking to youth since 1996. She has taught at Bush School, International School, Woodland Park Zoo, Northwest School for Hearing-Impaired Children, Morningside Academy, and Madrona Elementary.

Shea welcomes any feedback from students and parents about previous theater productions as she strives to make this year’s after school theater program the best it can be.

Honk! is a musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story The Ugly Duckling, incorporating a message of tolerance. The book and lyrics are by Anthony Drewe and music is by George Stiles (of the British songwriting duo Stiles and Drewe). Aimed primarily at children and their parents, the musical is set in the countryside (originally “a backwater of England”, although American productions usually relocate this to the U.S.). The story features Ugly, a duckling who discovers his inner beauty when he becomes a swan, his tearful mother Ida, a drake who “ducks” his fatherly responsibilities, a gaggle of comical geese, a sly, French tomcat who wants to befriend Ugly so he can eat him, a wisecracking bullfrog, and other barnyard creatures, together with a great many “fowl” puns.