Philadelphia Primary School

A huge thank you to our 4-H students and staff for creating and donating a set of beautifully crafted co****le boards for our school community! Co****le is a fun outdoor game where players take turns tossing bean bags toward a raised board, earning points by landing bags on the board or through the hole. What makes these boards especially meaningful is that they were custom designed with Indian River pride in mind. Not only do they look fantastic, but they were also built with exceptional quality and durability, ensuring that our students and families will enjoy them for years to come during school events and outdoor activities. We are grateful for your generosity, craftsmanship and partnership. Thank you for supporting our students and helping make our school community even stronger!

On Friday, Philly Primary School proudly held its annual Flag Day Celebration, beginning with a short parade to kick off the event. Families and friends then gathered in the gymnasium to learn more about the American flag and enjoy patriotic songs performed by our students.

A special highlight of the celebration was hearing from four of our third grade students, who shared thoughtful reflections on “What the Flag Means to Me.” Their words were heartfelt and demonstrated pride, gratitude and appreciation for our country.

Due to the warm temperatures, the program was shortened to help keep everyone comfortable and safe. Thank you to all of our families, staff members, and especially our Flag Day Committee for helping make this meaningful tradition possible. We would also like to give a special shout out to Stewart's Shops for their generous ice cream donation on this hot day. Thank you for being such a valued community partner! Thank you to officer Clyde for his presence on the parade route!

What a way to wrap up a busy week at the school!

On Thursday, all Philly Primary K-3 students recently participated in an exciting end-of-year educational trip to The Wild Center in the beautiful Adirondacks. With thoughtful planning and strong organization in place, students were safely transported to and from the museum, complete with snacks, water and scheduled bathroom breaks to ensure a smooth and enjoyable day for everyone.

While visiting The Wild Center, students had the opportunity to learn about porcupines, aquatic animals, and the many types of wildlife found throughout Northern New York. They also experienced the popular Wild Walk and explored the incredible troll displays throughout the grounds. The Wild Center is truly a unique and memorable place for children to explore, learn and connect with nature.

This trip required a tremendous team effort to make it successful. Thank you to our families, teachers and staff, cafeteria ladies, bus drivers, custodial staff and Wild Center educators for all of the work and support that went into making this experience possible for our students. A huge thank you to Miss Easton for presenting the idea and communicating back and forth with The Wild Center to make it such a success. Everyone played an important role in helping the day run smoothly. The pictures truly tell the story.

On Wednesday, selected students participated in Philly Primary’s Talent Show. Under the guidance of Mrs. Westlake, students showcased their talents in front of families and community members during an impressive and entertaining performance.

The show featured a wide variety of acts including singing, dancing, basketball skills, gymnastics, and even magic performances. Our students demonstrated creativity and school pride as they took the stage and shared their talents with others.

Great job, Philly students! We are so proud of all of the performers for their hard work and confidence. Thank you to our families for attending and supporting our students and a special thank you to Mrs. Westlake for organizing such an outstanding show for our school community. Mrs. Westlake is a tremendous asset to our schools!

👕 Tshirt Design Winners 🏆

Once again this year, Philly Primary students put their creativity on display by designing artwork in art class based on the theme "Things I Enjoy About Summer." From sunny adventures to favorite summertime activities, our students created some amazing designs!

After staff members had the opportunity to vote for their favorites, the winning artists were selected. The talented students pictured below were recognized this morning with a certificate and a special prize from the prize box. These shirts are neon yellow to help stand out as they will be worn on our schoolwide field trip tomorrow!

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to all of the students who participated and shared their creativity. We are so proud of the imagination, effort, and artistic talent displayed by our Philly Primary students!

Seeking to enjoy the beautiful morning sunshine, Mrs. Shanahan’s third grade class brought blankets outside for a special reading session. While enjoying our books together, we were treated to a delightful surprise as we quietly watched four playful squirrels scampering through a nearby tree. The class loved spending time outdoors, listening to the birds sing and appreciating the warm sunshine. We encourage families to take advantage of the lovely weather by going on a nature walk or relaxing under a tree with a favorite book or two!

Philly Primary opened its doors for Kindergarten Registration, and what a wonderful day it was! We had the pleasure of meeting so many bright and excited 4- and 5-year-olds along with their families. A warm welcome to all of our new students and families, we are so excited to have you join our school community!

We can’t wait for an amazing year filled with learning, growth, and fun together.

A huge thank you to our Kindergarten Roundup team and Mrs. Warner for coordinating everything and making the day run so smoothly!

The North Country Adventure Team is a youth nonprofit focused on providing noncompetitive adventure bicycle summer recreation for children age 5-18 who are off of training wheels. We are preparing for our 3rd season of one-day-a-week 2-hour bike rides for seven weeks in 2026. Children ride in groups to explore, develop riding skills, get more summer social time, and exposure to an activity that they can do for the rest of their lives! Register your child today at: bikereg.com/ncatkid, or visit bikereg.com/ncatvolunteer to sign up to volunteer!

Our kindergarten students had a fantastic time Thursday on their field trip to the bowling alley at Fort Drum! After a short bus ride, students eagerly jumped into friendly bowling games, working in teams of three or four and cheering one another on throughout the day. Families were invited to join the fun, making the experience even more special. Students celebrated plenty of strikes and spares and with a little help from the bumpers, everyone enjoyed success and built confidence on the lanes. Many students also enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch, which was a big hit with our young bowlers. The staff at the bowling alley were incredibly welcoming, helpful and accommodating, helping to make the day a memorable one for all. We would also like to share that the bowling alley is open to the public after checking in at Fort Drum’s Main Gate, making it a wonderful local destination for families to enjoy (great winter activity). A heartfelt thank you to Fort Drum for being such a valued community partner and for providing this outstanding experience for our students. Thank you to our bus driver, too! We had an amazing day and look forward to visiting again in the future! Be sure to check out the photos from our bowling adventure!

🐣Our chicks have officially hatched in Miss Easton’s room!🐤

They began hatching on Sunday and were ready this morning to move into their next home of the tote in the classroom for the remainder of this week. Students were SO excited to see the chicks up close and watch this amazing part of the life cycle happen right in their classroom!

A big thank you to Mrs. Warner and Miss Easton for creating such a fun and memorable learning experience for our students! Also, a shout out to Mrs. Leuze and her family for lending us the eggs and incubator to use!

There will definitely be lots of egg-citement in Miss Easton’s room for the rest of the week as students continue observing and learning about our new fluffy friends!