Circus McShirkus

Family School

All Family School first through fifth grade students have the opportunity each year to perform in Circus McShirkus. By working with teachers , peers and using their own creativity, they learn circus skills using, mats , juggling equipment, diabolos, devil sticks, spinning plates, stilts, unicycles, and much more.. Students then put their "tricks and stunts" together to create individual and group routines in which they practice performance skills. Each performer then chooses his/her own circus costume and is ready to step into the center ring. Families help decorate the gym for our 2 performances: an assembly for the school and an evening show that is free to the public. Our circus comes to town in February this year. If received, the $ 500 grant will be used to purchase new types of equipment and replacements for items that have been lost or broken.

Why is this project important?

Our circus format allows us to work toward many of our self-stated goals: 1) The wide variety of circus acts and hierarchical nature of the skills required for each act allows each participating student to find her/his own niche and progress at his/her own pace which supports our firm belief that students learn best in developmentally appropriate activities and have ownership in the content of their learning. 2) Our school is structured to allow students of different grade levels to support each other's learning. In a recent circus class, when asked what circus skills she already had, a second grader proudly stated that she knew how to be the top of a ten person pyramid. Fifth graders chose her for their pyramid last year because she had good body control, and she wasn't afraid of heights. 3) We work hard, in this test driven era of education, to use a multiple intelligence's approach to support our students' abilities and learning needs. Some students who struggle academically find a time to shine because of their high level of body/kinesthetic intelligence. 4) We want to instill attitudes of being willing to learn from failure, determination to succeed and perseverance in our students. You can't learn to juggle without dropping the ball, and to see one of our performers "miss a trick" and have the courage and confidence to try it again and go on with her/his routine is inspiring. 4) Our principal, Sally Huling, has said that a major part of our mission is "Memory Making." Our annual circus certainly helps fill that bill!

How will the funds be spent?

Purchase new types of equipment and replace items that have been lost or broken.