Elementary students entertain with the ABC’s of Christmas
By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – The 1st through 4th grade students at Chester Grade School helped kick-off the 2022 Christmas season with their annual Christmas production Thursday December 8th. This year’s extravaganza was titled, “The ABC’s of Christmas” and featured all 1st through 4th graders in an exciting, music-filled concert of Christmas music complete with singing and choreography.
The production was created by Sue Colonel, CGS General Music Director. Accompanist for the evening was former CGS General Music Teacher and Choir Director Jane Kruse.
Mrs. Colonel had the assistance of teachers from all four grade levels as well as Special Education teachers and Para-Professionals.
Teachers included 1st Grade Ali Bierman, Rachel Marshall, Priscilla Martinez, and Jessica Whiteside; 2nd Grade Alisa Herrell, Kasi Jany, and Amanda Middendorf; 3rd Grade Rebecca Gielow, Stephanie Kennedy, and Mandi Lochhead and 4th Grade Stephanie Jany, Meg Schnoeker, and Sarah Surman.
Special Education teachers included Lynne Gonzalez, Adrienne Klump, and Rachel Francis.
Para-Professionals included Gina Hafertepe, Becky Clendenin, Kristin Uhrhan, Jamie Davis, and Rosalie Weinhoffer.
CGS Principal, Bill Grafton welcomed everyone to the concert and praised the efforts of Mrs. Colonel and all of the students in working hard to prepare for the wonderful performance to come. He also introduced Assistant Principal, Tim Blair.
The program began with a standing tradition of having the performers lead the audience with the singing of the National Anthem. Principal Grafton began the singing by asking everyone to please stand, remove all caps and put their right hands over their hearts. He then gave the students their opening note as the packed house joined in the singing of, “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Throughout the event, different combinations of grade levels often combined to perform the 13 songs presented in concert. For example, all performers (grades 1-4) joined together to performed five songs; Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 each performed one song by themselves; Grades 1 and 2 performed two songs together; and grades 3 and 4 performed two songs together.
The Christmas Concert began with the ABC’s of Christmas. All four grade levels performed the “Christmas Alphabet”, followed by three songs that began with “A-B-C”. A: “All I Want for Christmas” (Grades 1 & 2); B: “Blitzen Boogie” (Grades 1-4); and C: “The Chipmunk Song” (Grades 3 & 4).
The next portion of the program, titled, “C is for Christmas” featured songs that started with the letters of the word, “C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S”. Mrs. Colonel did an amazing job of arranging the songs to complete the task. Songs were presented in the following order:
C: “Christmas Waltz” (Grade 3)
H: “Here Comes Santa Claus” (Grades 1 & 2)
R: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (Grade 2)
I: “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” (Grade 4)
S: “Santa’s Coming Down the Chimney” (Grade 1)
T: “Take Me Out in a Snowstorm” (Grades 1-4)
M: “Mele Kalikimaka” (Grades 3 & 4)
A: “Angles We Have Heard on High” (Grades 1-4)
S: “Swingin’ Holiday” (Grades 1-4) to end the show!
The performance was met with raving applause as everyone enjoyed the singing, choreography and antics of the 1st through 4th graders. The children were dressed in bright holiday apparel and they did a wonderful job of following the direction of Mrs. Colonel. In addition the behavior of the performers was exemplary!
Mrs. Colonel “knocked another 1st-through 4th grade Christmas performance out of the park” with the 2022 “A-B-C’s of Christmas” and “C is for CHRISTMAS” presentations.
CGS 3rd Graders perform, “Christmas Waltz” during the 2022 CGS Elementary Christmas Program, Jim Beers Photo
CGS 1st and 2nd Graders perform “”All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” at the 2022 Chester Grade School Elementary Christmas Program Thursday December 8th. Jim Beers Photo
Chester Grade School Principal Bill Grafton (right) and Assistant Principal Tim Blair (left) prepare introduce the audience to the performance, teachers, staff and directors of the 2022 CGS 1st through 4th Grade Elementary Christmas Program December 8th. Jim Beers Photo
Chester Grade School 1st grader, Korryn Smith, from Ms. Jessica Whiteside’s class enjoys her performance at the 2022 CGS 1st thru 4th Grade Christmas Concert Thursday December 8th. Jim Beers Photo
Jane Kruse (right) stepped in as accompanist for the 2022 Chester Grade School Elementary Christmas Program December 8th. Alongside Kruse is Steve Colonel, CGS Choral Director. Kruse filled-in at the last minute for accompanist Vicky Beers who was suddenly sidelined due to a detached retina. Kruse agreed to take over for Beers with just two days’ notice and did a wonderful job. Kruse was the General Music Teacher and Choral Director at Chester Grade School from 1980 to 2004 before retiring. Jim Beers Photo
Chester Grade School 4th Graders Jackson Conway (left) and Violet Carter (right) perform at the 2022 CGS 1st thru 4rth Grade Christmas Concert Thursday December 8th, Jim Beers Photo