Ranney School Celebrates the Tradition of Family with Grandparents and Friends Day

It was a sea of smiling faces that criss-crossed several generations as members of the Ranney community came out to celebrate yet another annual tradition – Grandparents and Friends Day. Panther Hall was filled to capacity as children, parents, grandparents and friends joined together to usher in the holiday season surrounded not only by their own family, but their family here at Ranney School.

The morning began with a welcome from Head of Lower School Patricia Marshall and was quickly followed by lively performances by the Classes of 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021. Led by Ranney’s Lower School teacher Victoria Chriss, the Class of 2024, Ranney’s littlest students charmed the standing room only crowd with their adorable versions of “Hello Mr. Turkey,” “5 Little Pumpkins” and “Down on the Farm.” Other classes followed suit, entertaining their families with familiar favorites such as “Rock around the Clock,” as well as a moving performance of “We are the World” which was accompanied by a slide presentation by Ranney Lower School teacher Meghan Kiel. The program’s finale was a rousing sing-a-long of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” with Head of School Dr. Lawrence S. Sykoff accompanying the students on guitar.

The afternoon program also boasted a packed Panther Hall as Ranney music teacher Dr. Dorothy Sobieski led the Class of 2020 and Class of 2019 through a variety of song and dance routines that saw students performing with woodblocks, egg rattles, cymbals, rhythm sticks and jingle bells, to name a few. Traditional favorites such as “America,” This Land is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful” brought out the American spirit in everyone thanks to stellar performances by the Class of 2019. Led by Ranney music teacher Mrs. Lilly Torrente, the Class of 2018 also elicited cheers from their grandparents and other family members as they performed “Grandma’s Chicken Soup” and “Autumn Leaves Canon” with handbells. A brass band performance by 4th graders led by Ranney music teacher Kevin Cotter and a graphic arts presentation of original children’s’ drawings directed by art teacher Barbara Levine rounded out the afternoon’s festivities.

At the close of both morning and afternoon programs, grandparents and other family members were invited to visit with their grandchildren in their classrooms. The day ended just as it begun – with the warm and loving smiles of all generations celebrating the tradition of family.