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Grandparents & Friends Join Lower School Students

Surrounded by generations of loving family and friends, the Lower School hosted its annual Grandparents’ and Friends’ Day on Monday, November 21, 2011. Smiles filled RSPA Panther Hall as students — Beginners through grade five — welcomed their loved ones to Ranney School and demonstrated thanks for the support they receive day after day.

The morning consisted of a festive “Thanksgiving Celebration” hosted by Beginners through second grade students and their teachers in RSPA Panther Hall. Led by Lower School Music Teachers Lisa Geene and Dorothea Lippart, the Class of 2026 opened the assembly with song and dance to the popular tune entitled “Wheels on the Bus.” Afterwards the Class of 2025 joined the audience in singing aloud the lyrics to a song known as “Hello! Hello! Hello!” The Class of 2024 also performed such songs as “I Promise,” “Let’s Shake Hands,” and “Five Smart Turkeys,” while using tambourines, maracas and other handheld instruments.

Additional musical performances during one of two assemblies held before lunch included “Autumn Leaf,” “I’m Grateful,” and “We Appreciate You,” presented by the Class of 2023, which also shared that which it is grateful for this holiday season and all-year-round. The final act of the morning contained members from the Class of 2022 performing songs like “A New Day,” “A Time for Peace,” and “The Turkey Tango” using wood blocks and mini-xylophones.

Following lunch together with family and friends, the afternoon contained another “Thanksgiving Celebration” — this time for students grades three through five. Once again led by Mrs. Geene, the Class of 2021 opened the afternoon’s assembly with performances to “Home is where the Heart is” and “Be Grateful.” They also dedicated the Randy Newman song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” — best known to Lower School students as a tune from the Disney movie Toy Story — to their grandparents and friends. After hearing three holiday songs from the Class of 2020, the Class of 2019 then used drums, violins and more to present the audience with such songs as “Simple Gifts” and “Thanksgiving Day.” The Class of 2019 also ended the assembly with a special performance to “Lean on Me,” accompanied by Head of School Lawrence S. Sykoff, Ed.D., and Middle School Head David Fischer on guitar.

While Ranney School emphasizes the importance of family and community, Grandparents’ and Friends’ Day allows students to introduce their loved ones to the classmates and teachers that they consider part of their extended family. “These little ones bring hope and optimism to our worlds,” said Lower School Head Patricia Marshall. Parents, grandparents, family and friends spent the remainder of their day taking guided tours of art-filled hallways and classrooms throughout the place that their children proudly call home.
 
 
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society. 

We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.