Wow , your grandaughter is must go to a great school - 3 languages plus sign language ! When my kids went to school there were two classrooms - K 123 in one room and 4-5-6 in the other, with one teacher in each classroom. It makes me happy to see that children have such better learning chance now.

that is hilarious What I would like to know, is this a Christian school? Here they cannot do any religious songs or anything about what Christmas is really about, like the birth of Jesus. I might offend somebody.

How about the people who are offended by the people who are offended? :))

I read this some years ago , when it was "OK" to have true Christmas stories.

I have another story I like - when missionaries came to tell the story of the birth of Christ to the Inuit people (arctic Canada) there was no word in their language for "donkey" so it was translated as - Mary rode into Bethlehem on the back of a baby caribou with big ears. (caribou are a type of deer native to the north)

Thanks for the 'RATS'. What a hoot!

I attended my grandson's Christmas program last night. They had a kindergarten choir, a first grade choir, and a third and fourth grade honor choir. Each group sang 3 songs; out of all the songs, only one was not related to religion. I was surprised, but we are in rural America close to the Bible Belt.

They all did wonderfully well, by the way. And you could tell their teacher had really worked with them.

It's a huge amount of work for teachers to help kids to put on a holiday program. There have to be decorations, practices (which interfere with the regular schedule), parent notifications, notices home about clothing, coordination with other grades.

At our school, one grade always did a Hanukah song. The kinders always sang first, and it's amazing how much better each grade sounds. The kids are always so proud to be in a program. Good memories. Thank you, teachers.

When I look at the little girls, I think I see the women they will become. I don't see the men as clearly in the little boys. (Just me?)

I have had that experience, Chisue. About 4th through 6th grade, we used to do a school wide play, and the boys and girls wore stage makeup. Boy, I could certainly see the young women and teens they would become, but not the boys.

Many public schools do Christmas plays and concerts. Ours do. It is usually the school principal who calls the shots, and sometimes the superintendent and/or board. Often our choral groups sing in several languages, including sign language. Our district is known for its music program, and our teachers are quite dedicated and talented.

I don't know about our school district now, but even when DD was in school in the late 90s they avoided any religiously themed songs.

I was just thinking as I was listening to the radio station that plays all "Christmas" music now, and listening to the same dozen songs for the umpteenth time, that they are playing only secular songs. They mention Christmas, but just as a date/holiday, in reference to love or family, or about Santa, not as a religious observance -- no traditional Christmas carols except Carol of the Bells in that rocknroll instrumental version.

That's funny!

Back when I was working at a school, we did several programs throughout the year and they were always popular with the community. One time, the kindergarten class was performing their number and one of the little boys yelled out "teacher, teacher this is too hard!" and he ran off of the stage. The audience cracked up!

The little ones can be unpredictable and you just never know what might happen no matter how often they rehearse.

It can be somewhat risky to let the young guns (" 'uns", that was supposed to be) ...

... go to school ...

... or to visit with the minister at kids' time at the front of the church during worship.

I'm interested in the experience that some of you had in seeing the youth/woman of the future prefigured in the little girls ...

... and also not in the little boys.

ole joyful

Wow , your grandaughter is must go to a great school

California schools are a real hit and miss. So awful in many districts that DD was getting ready to home school. We found out that in her district they still offered half day kindergarten and they had a new principal turning things around from the last one who had an awful reputation. So she decided to give them a try. DGD had a great teacher last year and this is the same teacher who stayed after school with another teacher to make the 1st/2nd grade chorus happen. DD is still taking it year by year. So far she is pleased with most of what is happening at the school The principal is a HUGE factor in this. He is so engaging with teachers, students and parents. He also takes time to attend activities outside of school that involve the students and he is hands on during recess and lunch break. He comes up with occasional fun after school enrichment activities he invests his own time in. Plus it is the investment of the parents that make a difference. This is not a wealthy district at all but the culture that predominates is highly vested in their children's education which sets the bar a bit higher. That is the elephant in the room no one addresses. Demographics count. And it's not about income.

I loved the Christmas plays when DGS's were in nursery school as it was a church nursery school. Elementary school? Silly and ridiculous as there could be NO mention of Christmas or even "holiday" - it was a "Winter Festival" play. Grrrr...

When my own children were in private schools, their school did Benjamen Britten's Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" - one of my favorites during the season. They were too young to participate but they did go to local shopping malls and do performances of Christmas carols there - just lovely.