Magnolia School Traditions
Over its 25-year history, The Magnolia School has developed and come to cherish many student-centered traditions. These traditions enrich our community, and in participating in them—often with their own styles—our students, families, staff and teachers consciously create the culture that is The Magnolia School. Our traditions make us unique, and represent our best in terms of creativity, connectivity, and living with great love and joy.
Twice a year, in the fall and the spring, the community sponsors a camping trip for students and their families. These trips are usually coordinated with the current theme students are studying. These trips are great learning experiences and provide excellent opportunities for bonding between the students and between families.
The Florida Earth Day Jam is the signature community service project of The Magnolia School. A music festival and environmental exhibition, Florida Earth Day Jam celebrates the importance of the Earth Day observance in today’s world. Learn more.
Graduation
The last day of school is usually a few days before the last day of public school. We have our last field trip to Silver Lake on this day. Graduates usually have their parent’s coordinate to rent (and pay for) a limo to transport them to Silver Lake. The children go swimming and share in a potluck meal. Graduates make a wish list of foods they would like to have and parents sign up to bring food. After lunch is the graduation ceremony. Students get “pied” by their fellow students (only those who choose to participate!). Those who do the pieing qualify through participation in TV Turn-Off Week. The entire Magnolia community makes a tunnel by touching hands and the graduates run through and jump in the lake. At that point the graduation is officially over and we go back to the school. As part of graduation, students and their families get together to decide on a parting gift for the school community to enjoy in future years.
Every year we have a Halloween party. This party is usually on a Saturday night and includes a pot luck dinner. After the dinner, parents volunteer to work carnival type games for the children to play and earn prizes (also donated by parents). The highlight for this event is the Halloween Tunnel. Children create a spooky tunnel out of very large pieces of cardboard, lots of duct tape, paint and whatever their imagination desires. Former students attending high school can earn community service credits by helping on the tunnel during weekends and afternoons. The tunnel stays up after the party for the children to play in during playground time. Right: The Halloween Tunnel & Party culminates at dusk with the opening of the tunnel, where different students create their own “rooms” that reflect their personalities (and their tolerance for scary things!).
Holiday Angels
Children do not have to be infected with HIV or have AIDS to be affected by the disease. HIV and AIDS is a financial burden for many parents struggling with the virus. Every year, The Magnolia School adopts a family affected by HIV, providing holiday gifts and necessities to the family to help create a happy holiday.
