Conservatory Lab Charter School
Music in Public Education
Conservatory Lab students take ownership of their learning. Each one grows as a Scholar, Artists, and Leaders through project based learning, music, and community engagement.
Here at Conservatory Lab, we believe in traditions; from morning crew and Friday Finale, to Spring Fling and performing at the Hatch Shell every summer, we revel in the things we can always count on to bring our community together.
Last week at 320, we had an especially fun Friday Finale! Ms. Goddard had a video taken of the K2 students perform “Five Little Monkeys” and “I’m a Little Turkey.” Click the image below to watch it!
In Humanities, students are currently learning about Ancient Greece. We studied how the Greeks created democracy, which led us to study different forms of government. Students were given an assignment to research and create a PowerPoint about either democracy, monarchy,
For this week’s Family Notes, the fourth graders in Ms. Wagner’s class wanted to share their wrap-up of the narrative writing unit they’d been doing for the past 6 weeks. Over the course of the unit, the students learned about
Powerful. Passionate. Inspiring. Creative. Evocative. Authentic. These are some of the words educators at the Expeditionary Learning (EL) National Conference in San Diego last week used to describe Master Classes offered by master teacher Jenna Gampel, 1st-grade teacher Jovanne Buckmire,
Continue readingExemplary Teachers Get Spectacular Reviews at EL National Conference
Have you heard the news? Our Giving Tuesday campaign kicked off this week with a brand new video for everyone to watch! Our campaign will consist of videos we’ve made that celebrate a few of the many students and stories
The first floor halls at the Upper School have filled all this week with sounds of our students excited about books. The book fair was back in town at Conservatory Lab, which means students have been busy picking books out,
On Thursday, four Dudamel Orchestra musicians travelled to the lower school to spend an hour peer mentoring 1st grade musicians. Fifth grade violinists Ethan Chen and Sergine Muzac worked with Resident Artist Ms. Amidon with all the upper strings and
Music is mathematical. Its rhythms, melodies, beats, and tempos are built on mathematical patterns and sequences. With the help of Resident Artist Leah Hennessy, first graders have been exploring the relationship between math and music by learning about musical notations—whole
On Tuesday, the 3rd grade classes got turn their clocks back a few days early – way back. They traveled by school bus to Plimoth Plantation to immerse themselves in Wampanoag and colonial history and culture. This Expedition, Whose Story
Last year, we raised spirits, hope, and $23,000. This year, we’re planning to raise even more awareness for the cause of our school. It’s time once again for the Conservatory Lab community to get ready for Giving Tuesday! Giving Tuesday
Coach Kay has selected students from the 4th and 5th grade to be Junior Coaches, who will assist Coach Kay during recess. These students have been selected for their outstanding displays of responsibility, empathy, and perseverance! Congratulations to the following
The middle schoolers are working on their first music integration project, which focuses on spirituals and how they were tools of resistance and sources of inspiration during the era of slavery in the US. By studying Amazing Grace, students are
Continue reading8th Graders Learn About the Power of Spirituals
Last week, our beloved resident virtuoso violinist Adrian Anantawan was proud to have the opportunity to play a concert with the Guangzhou Philharmonic Orchestras, one of the most prestigious orchestras in China. This was a unique program, as the entire
Ms. Corning’s 5the graders engaged in an instructional activity in which students become the teacher in small group reading sessions. Students learned to guide group discussions using four strategies: summarizing, question generating, clarifying, and predicting. The students gathered in groups of
This week we said good bye to the Santiago family as they prepare to move to Georgia. Fifth grader Ezavier and 4th grade twins Elijah and Manny all attended Conservatory Lab since K1 but the family has been a part
This week, the K1 classes worked diligently to create class books inspired by Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear Who Do You See? Students wrote text, painted textured backgrounds, photographed one another, and drafted and revised self-portraits and portraits of one
Continue readingK1 Creates their Own Versions of Classic Books
The sun was out, the leaves were turning, and everyone was in high spirits. Last Sunday, everything was in place for a fabulous HONK parade, and the citizens of Boston were not disappointed! Among the dozens of marching bands and
Pablo Escamilla, Attorney at Law, member of the Texas Association of School Boards Council of School Attorneys and a passionate supporter of education, arts & culture visited our two school sites last Friday. He was charmed, awed and delighted by all
We are so pleased to announce that Conservatory Lab parent Karla Walker wrote about our school in an op-ed piece published in the Boston Herald on October 12. We thank Ms. Walker for her thoughtful discussion of public schools in
Our very own Director of Brass and Winds, and Dudamel Orchestra conductor, Chris Schroeder was selected by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Longy School of Bard College to join a team of 12 International Teaching Faculty for the first ever
Continue readingChris Schroeder Represents Conservatory Lab at National Festival
For his outstanding civic leadership and work in the field of music education, Resident Artist Adrian Anantawan has been selected as a 2015 Onein3 Impact Award Winner by Mayor Walsh and the City of Boston’s Onein3 Council. This award is
Continue readingAdrian Anantawan Granted Award by Major Walsh
At a joyous Friday Finale last week, we saw an excellent example of how our school community comes together. Jazmine Brown (6th grade), Jameel Emmanuel (8th grade), and Junior Fuentes (7th grade), came to the Friday Finale not only
Continue readingStudents Celebrate and Learn Together at Friday Finale
All 50 of the K-2 students gave a warm welcome to Ms. Cecilia Soriano, our Director of Marketing & Communications this week, as she visited their classrooms to request their help in preparing a “Who’s Who at Conservatory Lab in
This week, Grade 2 launched the very first expedition they will do at the Upper School: the On the Move Expedition! In Ms. Carrico’s class, the students began their expedition with some good, old-fashioned observation at a Gallery Walk. Ms.
Continue reading2nd Graders Launch Their Expedition with Gusto
Beginning this year, Wednesdays are early release days for students which gives time to all teachers to attend professional development sessions carefully designed to make them even better at their profession. These sessions are rigorous; full of information and techniques for
Continue readingBehind the Curtain of a Professional Development Session
Last Friday, members of the Abbado Orchestra got together as a full string ensemble for the first time. They have been doing intensive work in smaller group sectionals since the start of the year, and at last had the opportunity
Continue readingAbbado Meets as a Full String Orchestra for the First Time
This week, the 7th and 8th graders in Ms. Patilla’s class have been learning about violence against black people by police officers. On Tuesday, the students read and analyzed Darren Wilson’s deposition on the death of Michael Brown. First, the
This week, our Director of El Sistema Josue Gonzalez attended (along with several other El Sistema program leaders) a series of meetings in New York City with the executives of El Sistema in Caracas and the CITGO foundation. These important
Continue readingDirector of El Sistema Attended Meetings for Potential Exchange Program
On Tuesday, 6th graders visited the Nightingale Community Garden in Dorchester to conduct field work for their latest academic expedition on “changemakers and heroes” in the community. During their visit, students explored every corner of the garden while recording observations
Continue reading6th Graders Conduct Field Work at Nightingale Community Garden
On August 28, Conservatory Lab hosted 11 partner educators from Boston Public Schools in a meeting held by the Transforming Literacy Project (TLP). TLP, a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education funded grant, has been working to share Conservatory
Continue readingThe Transforming Literacy Project Kicks Off the New School Year
Last week, two of our fifth graders did an amazing job helping to support some second graders in Ms. Folkes’ class! Kyre Ambrose worked with Ms. Gampel-Tzadok to help the students’ book shop and was extremely helpful. Aaron Kennedy, who
On Thursday, students in Grades 2-8 were looking their best for Picture Day! Jennifer Connelly, a photographer who specializes in creating fun, outdoor school photos, spent the day in Dorchester Park where she was taking individual and full class portraits.
On Saturday, September 12, several members of the Dudamel Brass Ensemble joined more than 70 arts, cultural and social service organizations all of whom had received support from artist and philanthropist Fay Chandler. All these friends of Fay came together
Continue readingDudamel Brass Honors Fay Chandler at Finding Fay