The SIS Blog

Many of us have enjoyed the custom SIS ice cream flavor, Moose on the Loose, at Kaleidoscope Cafe, but do you know how we got our own ice cream flavor?

During the fall trimester (2022), our Director of Finance Jon Kluth pitched a small business elective to the middle school students. He challenged them to consider what it would take to open an ice cream shop next to a local independent school. 

By October, the Small Business Elective was in full swing. Students explored the differences between large companies and small businesses. They unpacked the “language of accounting” to differentiate between assets, equity, and liability and used this knowledge to create a business model.

Learning from a Survey
With this in place, students were ready to conduct market research. They administered a survey during an elective period, traveling from classroom to classroom to meet with students throughout the school. Kluth remembers this as a favorite moment in the elective.

“I was most proud of the way students took the elective and made it their own, especially the market research part. That’s when you saw the spark in their eyes. They enjoyed pulling information out and engaging with the younger kids.” “Administrators and teachers filled out the survey too, with one change: we were asked if we eat ice cream never, 1x/week, 2 -3x/week, or as often as our kids will let us!”

Students also remarked on this process, noting that they enjoyed working with younger children and gathering data.

Students spent the next elective period analyzing the results of their survey. Using their findings and drawing on our school motto, “We take care of ourselves, each other, our school, and our community,” students envisioned their new ice cream flavor, Moose on the Loose.

“We chose chocolate because there’s nothing “vanilla” about SIS and its students. We added chocolate chips because who doesn’t love those?! And a caramel swirl represents our motto because it goes through everything we do” presented Roxi, a 6th grader at the time.

For a name, students took inspiration from our school mascot: Thunder the Moose to confirm Moose on the Loose as the name of the flavor

Partnering with a Near-by Business
While the idea of designing an ice cream parlor next to an independent school was appealing on its own, partnering with Kaleidoscope Cafe owner Bruce Wadsworth gave students first-hand experience with a small business. The Cafe is within walking distance of school, making the parternship even sweeter.

Wadsworth invited students into the kitchen at Kaleidoscope to create their new flavor. He explained the ice cream-making process to students, and then it was time to get started. “Everyone got to come in and touch the machine.” Students added ingredients, started up the ice cream machine, and then checked to see if they had gotten the taste they wanted.

Students remarked that they enjoyed getting behind the scenes to see how ice cream is made as well as getting to make their own flavor. One student remembers being pleased with the flavor combination of chocolate, caramel, and fudge. Another student remarked, “This is amazing! It should be a permanent flavor.”

Moose on the Loose - a Permanent Flavor at Kaleidoscope

Families can visit Kaleidoscope (588 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs) anytime to enjoy our custom ice cream flavor or get a taste at school events on campus throughout the year.