Walnut Park Montessori School celebrated “Grand Day” on the last day of May. Children entertained the “grand” people in their lives: grandparents, parents, relatives, nannies, a favorite neighbor or babysitter.

The “Grand” guests were first invited to the Student Center for a musical presentation directed by music teach Mr. Nick Linder. Standing on stage, primary students opened the ceremony with a Prayer by Gandhi followed by songs from around the globe. Among the songs presented were “Funga Alafia,” a West African Welcome Song; “The Garden Song;” Kookaburra,” an Australian nursery rhyme; “This Pretty Planet;” “Shang Xue Ge,” a song in Mandarin meaning “Going to School” sung by the WPM seniors; “Sancte Joseph,” sung in Latin to honor the sponsorship of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph; “God Bless America;” and their own Walnut Park School song.

Following the presentation, the children and their special guests were divided into two groups. One group stayed in the Student Center to enjoy refreshments and engage in arts and crafts before moving to the lawn and Natural Playground. Here they enjoyed a petting zoo, created front walk chalk images, and relished a beautiful spring day on playground equipment and with the playground’s musical instruments. The second group of children took their guests to their classrooms where children and adults engaged in classroom activities together. After 40 minutes, both groups of children exchanged locations and activities to enjoy the rest of the morning with the “Grand people” so important to them.

It truly was a “Grand Day!”