Two Good to Be True: Nightingale's 100th Day!

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Colorful artwork, photos of families, number lines, and helpful learning graphics cover the walls of the Kindergarten classrooms. One particular and eagerly watched item hangs from the front bulletin boards—the day-counting chart. Little red and yellow links dangle from the chart—one more placed each morning of school. And after a long, three-day weekend, Kindergarteners were thrilled to be finally adding the 100th link to the chain, symbolizing the 100th day of school.

What was even more special about this school year’s 100th Day, was that it wasn’t the only thing to celebrate that day. Lower School students had also been prepping to celebrate for Twosday, better known as 2-22-22. Prior to Twosday, Kindergarten students engaged in activities that reinforced their counting skills. They brought in 100 items from home and recounted them at school, by ones, twos, fives, or 10s. Kindergarten students also created necklaces where they strung pasta pieces onto a lanyard in groups of 10 and then separated it by a bead. Aligning nicely with their geometry unit, Class I students worked together to create an elaborate, underwater scene using pattern blocks, counting out 1000 individual pieces. They also created necklaces with beads grouped by fives. In Class II, students worked on different ways to make the number two and charted it on a large number two display in the Lower School hallway. In Class III, students came up with 100 ways to make 100 and also charted it on the large number two as well. In Class IV, students came up with 188 ways to say one hundred in different languages. They also put their fraction knowledge to use and created a timeline of big events during our 100 days of school this year.

“We highlighted Twosday this year because the date is a palindrome, which students have learned is a number that can be read the same forwards and backward,” Lower School Math Coordinator Ms. Allison-Griffith explained. “The 100th day of school is always a special day and tradition because students get to reflect on their academic achievements and how much they have learned that year!”

On the morning of February 22, Lower School students gathered in the auditorium to celebrate 2-22-22 as well as Nightingale’s 100th Day. To kick off the assembly, Ms. Spiridellis and Ms. Alexander led the students in “Let’s Count It Out,” their own rendition of The Black Eyed Peas’ song, “I Gotta Feeling.” Students eagerly sang along to the words cast on the projector and danced and swayed to the music.

Next, Kindergarten students filed out of their seats and onto the stage to share “what 100 looks like.” Each student displayed a baggy full of 100 items and shared what item they chose to count out. Popcorn kernels, macaroni noodles, and bingo chips were amongst the many creative items Kindergarteners brought from home. Students from each class also got up to share 100th-day jokes, 2-22-22 puns, and what they did for the special day.

During the assembly, Lower School students engaged in various, interactive 100th Day activities like singing, dancing, and hearing from fellow classmates in other grade levels.

Following the assembly, students journeyed back up to the fourth floor for some games and 100th Day-themed, fun activities.

“It was wonderful to have the 100th-day assembly in person again,” Ms. Allison-Griffith shared. “I remember in 2020 it was one of the last assemblies that we did, so to be able to feel the excitement and enthusiasm about this day, all together in one room, was just magical.”