It's not every send-off that features a dragon slaying, a tiny art gallery, and a Broadway number, but then again, Berkeley Carroll's fourth graders have never been ones to do things halfway.

The Marlene Clary Performance Space was packed recently as fourth grade students marked the end of their Lower School journey with a joyful, wide-ranging Showcase, led by music teacher Alissa Jackman. It was a celebration of the year behind them and a fitting farewell to the division they've called home. Families and teachers filled the room to watch students take the stage with music, dance, poetry, and slideshows capturing the highlights of their final year at the Lower School.

At the heart of the Showcase were BC's Grade 4 Elective Classes, each of which brought something entirely their own to the performance. The Dungeons & Dragons Club slayed the monster. Building a Garden showed off the edible plants they'd grown throughout the year. The Mock Newbery Club delivered awesome recommendations for some summer reading. And the Musical Theater group gave a performance that was fit for Broadway, just to name a few.

The band, The Eclipses, made up of three very talented fourth graders also brought the house down with an amazing original song that had everyone clapping along.

By the end of the afternoon, the Marlene Clary Performance Space was filled with applause, wide smiles, and more than a few happy tears. And in a moment that said everything about the community these teachers have built, the audience rose to its feet to give the 4th grade faculty a well-deserved standing ovation, a tribute to the care, dedication, and joy they brought to their students every single day.

Congratulations to the 4th grade teachers and to the now-rising 5th graders on a spectacular show and a wonderful year. Bring on Middle School!

Click Here for the Showcase Photo Gallery