Meet Our Animals
We are very animal-friendly here at school! Our beautiful play yard includes our Animal Garden, home to a family of animals cared for (and thoughtfully named) by the Olive Branch children. These animals are very much a part of our community and our daily life at school. Read below to learn a bit about what makes them each so lovable!
Frenson
Frenson is a young Russian Tortoise with some stories to tell! Before joining our Olive Branch family, he experienced an unfortunate encounter with a dog, leaving some rugged scarring on his beautiful shell. We love him with all his quirks and eccentricities nonetheless! His scars do not slow him down, but only add more character to this spunky little guy. Frenson enjoys sunny walks around the yard, and spends his winters burrowed in hibernation while we count down the days until he wakes up to play!
Socks
Our children noticed that the fluffy feathers on this chicken’s feet look like a pair or black socks, and agreed unanimously on her name! Socks is our friendly maternal hen. She is our most prolific layer of eggs, which are so dark that they look like they’re made of delicious chocolate! While our other hens are more elusive, Socks is the first to let children pick her up and carry her around. She’s cuddly, loving, and the sweetest addition to our lovely animal garden.
Cheese
Cheese towers over our other chickens with staggering height. This girl is big! Although she may seem intimidating, don’t be fooled! She is the most timid and shy hen of the flock. She follows closely behind her sisters, and flutters around with worry if she’s ever left behind. The colors and patterns in her feathers are spectacularly flashy with speckles, iridescence, fluffs and points, but this is a hen who does not like to show off. She is too shy to be handled, and speeds away like a roadrunner if you try to pick her up!
Mohawk
Small but mighty, Mohawk is the leader of the flock. Although she is our smallest hen, her sisters follow in her footsteps (or really just her silly little prances). She skips around our yard while her fluffy feathers for which she was named bounce atop her tiny head. Her clucks sound like a funny, honking squeaky toy and her eggs are a beautiful shade of blue. We love our wacky Mohawk for all of her quirks!
Vencume
The children creatively thought of Vencume’s unique name, and we believe it suits her quite well: she is mysterious, quiet, and likes to move slowly and stealthily through the tall feather grass. She lays big, delicious eggs and the children shout with excitement each time they find one in her nest. Her voice is much like her artful and serene personality. Although she is typically quiet, she offers soft, deep clucks when she so chooses.