Beyond the Classroom

Beyond the Classroom:
After School Activities

We are pleased to offer a wide variety of extracurricular activities for our students to enjoy after school hours. Please note that many of these programs are offered at an additional fee beyond tuition.

Art Club
Janna Civittolo, art gallery owner and experienced teacher, offers a once weekly immersion experience in art using different mediums such as paint, drawing, mixed media, water color, clay, collage, etc.

We have also submitted artwork to many shows and contests and students have placed Best in Show twice, as well as being included in the Maine Recycles Calendar three times.

Odyssey of the Mind
"Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college." The problems that are solved in OM range from math to science to theatrical in genre. Odyssey of the Mind is not only about creativity and problem solving skills—there is also a competition aspect to the program. After students work together in small groups (of no more than 7 students) to solve the chosen problem, they may go to a regional competition with other teams from other schools. At Stepping Stones, OM is offered once a week after school most weeks September through March for interested students in grades 3-8. (Advisors: Miss Karen and Miss Maeghan)

Click here to link to the Odyssey of the Mind website. (www.odysseyofthemind.com)

Drama Club
Love to act and sing??!! Drama Club meets weekly on Thursdays after school for interested students in grades K-8. Past performances (and ones we plan to repeat) include The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. Participants act and sing, as well as work on set design and costumes. (Advisors: Miss Jen and Miss Carrie)

Geography Club
In this club, we have lots of fun exploring geography, playing geography games, and practicing for the National Geographic Bee (held in January for interested students in grades 4-8). Students in grades 2 and 3 are also welcome to join us for practice for future years. Geo Club meets twice a month on Wednesdays, September through January. (Advisors: Miss Melissa and Miss Carrie)
Click here to link to the National Geographic Bee website. (www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/)

Organic Farming
Spend an afternoon per week on Swallowtail Farm, a local home-based dairy farm. You will garden, milk cows, get to know spring farm babies, and make yogurt and cheese, and much more!

Club Re-Wild
Amp your senses, learn new skills, cultivate community, and become safe and comfortable in the wilderness. Deepen your connection to and understanding of the natural world. We will combine art, music, movement, natural healing, bushcraft, and survival skills in a 6-week or 12-week experience (depending on which session you choose) that will expand your awareness and sharpen your mind. Expect to get dirty, play hard, and go home seeing the world differently.

Outdoor Winter Sports (Ice Skating, Cross Country Skiing, Snowshoeing)
We love our Maine winters! During the months of January through March, weather permitting, we offer Ice Skating on the school pond and Cross Country Skiing/Snowshoeing excursions. We generally offer both of these activities with a supervisor at least once per week after school. Also, children are welcome to ice skate on the school pond any day after school with a parent present (and a helmet) and may ski/snowshoe around the playground with their own equipment any day during recess or after school. (Advisors: Mr. Jaye and parent volunteers)

Instrumental and Voice Lessons
Interested in learning to play an instrument? Weekly lessons are offered on site with Mr. Mike, who has been a private music instructor for over 20 years! Children may study piano, voice, and/or guitar. (Teacher: Mr. Mike)

Pineland Suzuki School Violin Lessons
We are fortunate to have a Pineland Suzuki School teacher come to Stepping Stones once weekly to offer violin lessons to interested students. These lessons take place during the school day, and a parent must attend the lessons with the child, as is essential to the Suzuki method of instruction. (Teacher: Miss Betsy Kobayashi of the Pineland Suzuki School.)

Math Club
A Math Counts Club, new this year, is held on Friday mornings during the school day for those working at a Grade 6 or higher level. Challenging thinking activities are practiced and in February, students compete in a regional competition!

New Activities…
We are open to suggestions for new activities. For example, this year we started a Spelling Bee. Some possibilities might include: Chess Club, History Club, Yearbook, Photography Club, School Newspaper.