July 7, 2005

SCHOOL SCENEin Almaden Valley

Music, art and a wedding highlight San Jose Christian’s ‘Grandfriends Day’

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

Jo Slee laughs at some of grandson Philip’s descriptions of his grandmother in his “Grandfriends are Special” poem.

Jo Slee laughed as she shared the poem her grandson Philip, a first grader, wrote about her for San Jose Christian’s Grandfriends Day in May.

“His teacher made up a poem with the first letters each of Grandfriends and asked her students to describe their grandfriend using the sheet. I really liked the first few, which were ‘great,’ ‘radiant,’ ‘always there’ and ‘nice,’ but then I got to ‘ding dongs’ and I don’t quite know why he associates me with those or with ‘rilly silly’ or ‘dangerous!’” she said with a laugh. “And, I really don’t know where he got an idea that I was an ice skater.”

The school hosted a large number of grandparents in the younger grades and a smattering of grand folks in the middle school, which apparently is not unusual. The visitors were treated to an elementary school program, which featured songs, poems and musical instruments. The highlight of the day, according to school Super-intendent Al Kosters, was the wedding of Q & U, which was held on the 1-5 playground. “That’s always the highlight!” said Kosters.

The grandfriends also worked on projects with their grandchildren such as creating a butterfly window hanging in the junior kindergarten and making kites (and flying them!) in the second grade.

Shelby Philips reads to an adoring audience as her two grandmothers and her grandfather listen in the kindergarten room.

The visitors to the middle school were treated to a musical program featuring a sax duet, a snare drum duet and a vocal ensemble by the seventh grade girls choir among others, all under the watchful eye of their music teacher Jennifer Baham.

“This is always a fun day for everyone,” said a smiling Principal Carol Vander Baan, an Almaden resident, as she observed a sax trio perform “Pathetique Symphony.”

The private school, located in Campbell on the Willow Glen border, draws students from all over San Jose, including Almaden Valley. For more information on San Jose Christian you can call 3371-7741 or visit their Web site at www.sjchristian.org.