Monday, May 22, 2017

Empty Bowl Project

This week on Thursday, May 25, our staff will sponsor the "Empty Bowl" Project.  This event is organized and supported by Kathy Mutch, High School Art Teacher. Students and staff under Kathy's guidance have made beautiful ceramic bowls while others have made some delicious soups.  On Thursday, from 5:00-6:30, the doors will be open for a supper of homemade soups and bread in a gorgeous, hand-made bowl.  The soup offerings are for every taste:  Polish sausage and potato soup, cheese and broccoli, and grandma's chicken noodle are just some off what you can choose.

This dinner (that you don't have to prepare or cook) will be in the high school FCS room (Room 109).  The price is $12 for the soup and bread and you get to keep the bowl!  Each bowl is unique and hand-made so it's always difficult to choose.  A family soup bowl to keep plus child or student is $12.00 & $3.00.

The Empty Bowl project is an international attempt to fight hunger and all proceeds (100%!) from this event will go to the Raymond Food Pantry.  We are so grateful to Kathy and all of the staff and students who are helping to bring the issue of hunger in our community, in our state, and world-wide to our consciousness.  Be a part of something big.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

For those who love to....

READ!  I love to read.  I'm a very eclectic reader and read everything from history to adventure to mysteries to science to Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  Reading allows me to meet so many people involved in so many situations and with so very many problems to solve.  I've been introduced to kings and queens, writers, soldiers, poets, scientists, detectives, a few ghosts, talking animals, farmers, doctors, sailors, lawyers, Olympians, as well as, people from every continent.  Books help me to be more empathetic, patient, and tolerant; allow me the freedom to travel; and provide hours of free entertainment.

When I was a young student, the city library wasn't accessible to me.  I wasn't allowed to walk downtown by myself and, with only one car, my dad took it to work. But, we did have a school library- and I soon went through everything I was interested in.  I remember reading all of Edgar Allen Poe as a 7th grader.  I also read our encyclopedias.  We had two sets at home and I started from A and went all the way to Z- of course, this wasn't a full 26 books for each set, as some of the letters had to share a book (think Q, Z, or X).

I always try to squeeze in a little reading every day.  Sometimes I have one book upstairs and another one down!  Then if the television is on and I'm not interested in the show, I read.  If I'm having a hard time falling asleep, I read.  If I'm going to the beach, relaxing on the porch, or traveling, I read.  I'm not sure what made me love reading so much (although I remember my dad reading a lot, too), but I am so grateful for this appreciation of books.  I know that many of my successes in school and later in life have come from the knowledge I received, the vocabulary I acquired and the understandings I have of our place in history.  I'm so grateful to have this gift of loving to read.




Thursday, May 4, 2017

SAT's and the Rite of Passage

There are many "Rites of Passage" that our students and parents anticipate and celebrate:  going to school for the first time; transitioning from elementary to middle and then high school; first dances; getting a driver's license; graduation and more.

It used to be that SAT's were "reserved" for those students who were already prepared to go on to college after high school.  This is no longer the case.  I am proud to say that our state, our high school has made this a "rite of passage" for all students.  Junior year, our students all take this test together and they take it seriously.  Students and parents want to know "what they know" and this exam can be a part of that.  I quietly "peeked" as our students recently took the SAT.  I was so proud that every student was attentive and appeared to be working hard on this exam.

All of our students should have a goal of continued education after high school:  trade school; community college; a 4 year college; on-line education; work-study; there are many more options now than ever before for us all to be life-long learners.  Our schools provide opportunities for our students to take interest surveys to see what possible jobs would be a good match for their interests and the skills they would like to develop.  Students can use this to find information on how to obtain that position, and the next steps needed in their education.  Careers and continued education are explored at all three of our schools.

The SAT, in my mind, is just one of the steps our students can use to begin making those all-important decisions on the future they want for themselves.  This is a great new "rite of passage" that every student can take advantage of.