THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 20, 1995 TAG: 9510180119
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
The St. Christopher School, now in its 25th year of operation here, has seen a lot of changes in its development over the years.
The fact has not gone unnoticed by Dorothy Seward, director of the school since 1978.
``I came to the school in 1971,'' a year after the school was opened by Margaret Heely and Mariana Sumner, said Seward.
``At that time, the classrooms were learning centers, and then they began to grow.''
And grow, and grow, until the school has reached its saturation point.
The school will celebrate its anniversary with a Fall Festival being held from 11:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday at the school campus.
Activities will include pumpkin painting, leaf printing, and crafts and games. Anniversary cake will be served and a songfest with Dave Walker and Friends will take place from 2 to 2:45 p.m.
When the school opened in 1970, it had two teachers and 35 students. It now has 14 full- and part-time teachers and 135 students.
The school, which began as a pre-kindergarten and kindergarten program, has expanded to include primary education up through third grade.
``We currently use all of space in the building and campus,'' said Seward.
In 1978, the learning centers became classrooms.
While changes, such as moving to a departmentalized program and increases in size have been adjusted to, the mission has not.
``Our approach has been that learning involves more initiating than receiving,'' said Seward. ``Children are not just receptors of information, they need to act on the information they are getting.''
The curriculum combines direct teaching methods with hands-on experiences.
``Our purpose always has been to have an experiential program, that children should be actively involved in the learning process,'' said Seward. by CNB