…and it’s not just the holiday. As most of you know, we celebrate virtually all holidays at GHS. The significance of Easter, beyond any specifically religious focus, is its centrality to the celebration of resurgence, of rebirth, of newness and…well, Spring – expressed in many cultures in many different ways.

For students in the traditional calendar school year by US custom, it represents the emergence of new knowledge, the coalescence of a set of newly acquired and expanded skills. There is one more race to the Finish Line — the market is already trying to sell us products labeled for NEXT school year, 2026 -2027.

This may sound unusually pensive or reflective, but we hope you take the spirit of the season into account. With every holiday, our celebration takes many forms, a lot of expression coming through art and group projects. For me, it is amazing how Ms. Julia always invents a new twist or angle to tackle a typical project a seemingly endless number of times. At this juncture, egg decoration, basket making, cooking — a flurry of integrated art and other necessary skills.

In this new pensive mindset, I was collecting pictures as always, documenting this particular cadre’s journey through what usually seems like familiar territory, but nevertheless differs every time. As I clicked, it dawned on me that these girls were tackling a more challenging and more sophisticated project, a new exposure to another way of dyeing, weaving, design and construction. Just as both of their older sisters had done, and which they were too young to take on just a short while ago.

Pictures probably don’t do it justice. But it actually takes one’s breath away, watching and documenting students’ abilities growing and changing before one’s very eyes. It is, in a word, fun. No matter how stressful and complex the whole process can be, the need to stretch funds, meet different needs and worries, and keep moving forward no matter the challenges… these are moments when you can just simply say – this is fun. Enjoy.

Just a Tuesday. A day in the life. Whether it’s reading (and crochet), math, Spanish, science, social studies… Well, imagine an environment where learning is a dawn-to-dusk enterprise in a seamless array of subjects, projects, chores–the rhythm and simplicity.. we call it simplexity… of daily living. Navigating the Strait of Hormuz together–from a distance, don’t worry, checking on progress in science projects like the kitchen scraps experiment… it literally never ends. And feels like it never should. Can you imagine it…oh, wait, we already do that. Psyche!!

Of course I forgot sharing a school snack donated by an alumni mom, and the careless mess left by one of our *artists.* But hey…

Oh and the random stopby of a Brazilian cook friend who brought pastelitos.

Nothing huge, nothing particularly unusual. But I had to post because for us, even random pictures on a nonparticular slow day at school is gratifying, ryhthm and machinery in working order, brains humming… in other words… Never Stop Learning!

Students celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, Greenhouse School Style, upheld a longstanding tradition. Songs depicting the genocide [formerly known as the Potato Famine], rebellions, culture and history…and we have sung so many over the years…are now compiled in Mr. Danny’s “ongoing dissertation,” the Greenhouse St. Patrick’s Day Songbook (coming soon to a bookstore near you!).

To order a copy of the songbook email Mr. Danny at danielpatrickwelch@gmail.com $25.00 plus $2.50 shipping.

SHOP SMALL SHOP LOCAL – FIND THE UNIQUE, HANDMADE GIFT FOR THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE – SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL

Hello Friends!

 

 

PLEASE NOTE SEVERAL ITEMS HAVE BEEN SOLD AT BUY NOW OPTION

Also please visit other posts where gift ideas are available.

SHOP SMALL SHOP LOCAL!!

Bid on any of these items [click on picture] and or check back for more! If it somehow isn’t working please email mr. danny danielpatrickwelch@gmail.com. Donations and payments can be made by clicking on the donate button on the right sidebar.

Some items from our Fall auction, so that people can bid from anywhere in the world! Please tell your friends and help spread the word–we will be adding to this list as more items become available. Most can be shipped, and while some are more locally based, they can also be used as gifts for friends who live nearby or who may visit in the future. Follow to our Auction Album here Facebook and place bids in the comment section for each photo. We will be changing and adding bids to each item. Payment can be made either through check or through paypal. Happy browsing!

Some of these items are also available in our online store or on site, so please feel free to browse here and share with friends. There are a bunch of fine gifts for the holiday season.

On that note, don’t forget to order your Christmas & Holiday Cards from us! Are your Christmas cards the coolest in your circle? If not, why not? Check out our unique, special cards. – Green House School Part of our Trash-to-Treasure Arts Initiative. They are indeed quite unique, and will make a splash among your friends!

Keep checking back since we are still adding new items, people may be buying or bidding on others, etc. Such as this new one!

Who among you still does the old school thing of actually *mailing* cards to family, friends, clients and others at Christmas and New Year’s. Everyone is familiar with the famous Christmas Letter tradition. And there have been so many digital and online “cards” that many people forget how we all used to revel in the annual fun of trading our holiday greetings.

It’s not a competition, of course. But it’s that time for year, maybe for Christmas, maybe another holiday or the turning of the year, when people send each other cards. And like it or not, we all fret over them, deciding, comparing, reminiscing and whatever. So order yours here!

Our cards are made from our handmade, recycled paper, part of our “Trash to Treasure” initiative More here Trash to Treasure at Greenhouse School | Scoop News  Holiday designs are pictured here and include The Forest (or the trees), We the People, Hands Raised Together, Doves of Peace and Joy, and Swimming Fishes.

$4 each, 25 for $75. To order send to

danielpatrickwelch @ gmail.com

or contact through the Greenhouse School Alumni page here:

Facebook

Payment can be made by clicking the Donate  button.

Each card is completely unique and original. Friends will be amazed and made to feel special and loved. And there is nothing more old school than our envelope made (cleanly and smartly) from a repurposed grocery bag. They can be mailed through regular first class mail like any other card. When we say HURRY and order while you can, we’re not expecting a tidal wave of orders. But we’re not a factory, and we won’t be able to keep up in time for the holidays for an endless stream! See photos below and other posts  Special Handmade Recycled Cards and other items – Green House School to get an idea of how our handmade cards and envelopes came to be.

Our “Cards With Cats” are very popular and also still available. Please also scroll here and on links provided to find more of our art and craft items for gifts and collection. Article: GREENING UP the Holidays With a Little Help From the Kids | OpEd News Soaps, ornaments, jewelry, art pieces…you name it. Please help spread the word, the link and the excitement. Thank you!

Many other items are available for gift selection, some posted here and elsewhere. We will also be at the  28th Annual Crafts Fair and Holiday Bazaar  Sat, Dec 13, 2025 at 10:00 AM | where more of our unique gifts are on display.

The Topsfield Fair is a huge part of the opening of any school year at GHS. As has become tradition, students this year brought home blue ribbons in everything they entered, both individually and as a group. Fourth, fifth and seventh graders all won first place in the postercontest following this year’s “Farm to Table” theme.

Entries require a lot of work, and our year round schedule gives our students a bit of a head start as they are raring to go once the traditional calendar says it’s the new school year.

The pumpkin display exhibit showed off our own theme of The Addam’s Family, with each specimen designed as one of the famous and well known characters. This was the same design we used in our float for this year’s parade (see parade post).

It is always thrilling to watch the projects come together under Ms. Julia’s prodding, cajoling and inspiring tutelage. Alums who return and see current kids working are always taken back in time to their own experiences in the same contests. The hectic pace, the thrill of waiting to hear… it is quite a spectacle.