Maple Street Traditions
All-School Meeting
Monday mornings begin with everyone on campus coming together. We celebrate birthdays, hear annoucements, and an eighth grader gives a Moose Call: A short speech on a meaningful topic. All parents welcome!
Library Birthday
This tradition began as a way to fill our library’s shelves—students would dress as book characters, enjoy a Library Birthday party, and give the library a gift of a book. Over the years, Library Birthday has become a celebration of reading and fun. Students and staff dress as book characters, from the classic to the esoteric, and show off their costumes in a costume parade.
Grandparents' and Grandfriends' Day
This day is a special favorite for everyone. Grandparents and "grandfriends" participate in part of the school day, attending classes, doing hands-on class projects, and enjoying a student mini-concert.
Name Games
We kick off every year with Name Games—a series of fun activities that help students and teachers start to learn the names of everyone on campus.
Thursday Lunch
On Thursdays, parent volunteers serve a hot catered lunch on main campus. Grades all eat together, in Hunter Hall or on the back lawn.
Winter Carnival
When the forecast is sunny and the snow is fluffy, the announcement goes out: Winter Carnival This Week! From sledding to snow sculptures to team tobogganing, it's an afternoon of frosty fun.
Day for Maple Street
Every student and employee spends a part of the day helping out with a project for the benefit of the school: Preparing garden beds, maintaining trails, constructing Outdoor Classrooom seating areas, and more. This is also the day when we ask families to contribute financially in any amount, as another way to “give back” to the school. Last year, well over 90% of our families chose to contribute—a rate almost unheard-of in the independent school world.
Upper School Trip Week
During Trip Week, Upper Schoolers truly experience life beyond the classroom. Eighth graders visit DC as a culmination of their year of study on American history and government. Sixth grade puts French to real-world use in Quebec. And Lower Schoolers step up to "captain the ship" as the biggest kids on campus!
Field Day
We close out the year with a day of team-building and excitement. Multi-age groups take part in a mix of classic and new outdoor games--relay races, water balloon volleyball, Pirate's Booty, and more. May include visits from the ice cream truck and the fire truck!