December at the ELC: A Month Full of Joy, Connection, and Community

December was a magical and meaningful month at the ELC, filled with laughter, learning, and moments that brought our school community closer together. As the days grew shorter and the excitement grew bigger, our students, teachers and families embraced the season with playfulness and connection.

Throughout the month, classrooms came alive with fun dress-up days, from crazy hair to candy cane day, giving everyone a chance to express creativity, build relationships, and share smiles. These lighthearted moments reminded us that playfulness is an important part of learning for everyone at the ELC!

Our hallways were transformed during our Gingerbread Hallway Decorating Contest, as classrooms worked together to bring festive visions to life. Creativity, collaboration and student-created artwork were on full display, and awards were given to celebrate the joy and teamwork behind each design. Classrooms earned honors such as “Most Likely to Be Made Out of Real Gingerbread,” “Most Holiday Spirit,” and the “Family Teamwork Award,” highlighting not only imagination but the strong partnerships between school and home.

“The Gingerbread Hallway displays highlighted the strength of our team. Everyone was showing their creativity and incorporating student artwork.  Ideas were constantly being shared across the hallway, materials being shared, and it really reinforced a culture of collaboration and a shared sense of belonging.” - Erica Parus, Assistant Director  

December also gave us an opportunity to pause and celebrate the incredible people who make the ELC such a special place. During our Roars of Recognition, staff members were honored for the everyday, often unseen acts of kindness, care, and dedication that make a lasting impact on our students and each other.

One of the coziest highlights was Pancakes & Pajamas Day, when students arrived in their PJs and enjoyed making pancakes with friends. It was a perfect blend of hands-on learning, independence, and simple fun!

We were thrilled to welcome families and OLHMS students for Cookies and Cocoa, creating a cozy space to slow down, connect, and celebrate together. Seeing students proudly share their school, create art projects together, dance, and for some, drink hot cocoa for the very first time, made the event especially sweet.

“The Cookies and Cocoa event is one of my favorite traditions because it brings everyone together. The smiles, laughter, and pure joy you see throughout the day is a beautiful reminder of the happiness found in the simple things. These moments are what make our school community so special.” - Nicole Petschenko, Instructional Coach/Family Resource

We wrapped up our Bread Unit of Study with International Bread Night, a beautiful celebration of culture, family, and learning. Students explored breads from around the world, connecting classroom learning to real-life traditions and shared experiences.

From joyful traditions to meaningful learning moments, December at the ELC was a reminder of what makes our community so special: connection, curiosity, kindness, and a whole lot of heart.