Celebration of Excellence

This week Raymond High School held its annual "Celebration of Excellence".  I enjoy this event and the opportunity to see some of the amazing work done by our students.  Every department was represented.  Some of what I saw included:

• Beautiful woodworking projects
• Social Studies timelines on important historical events
• Art pottery, sculptures
• Spanish calendars
• Paintings
• Beautifully written essays on books students have read

These wonderful works are on display throughout the event.  The highlight of the evening is the recognition of students who receive awards for their outstanding work.  If you've been known to say things as, "Kids  these days!" or "I don't know what's happening to this generation" then you should attend one of these events.  It will show  you what is up with our kids these days: they are smart, hard working, responsible, and a bright shining star for our future.

Enjoy these photos of some of the work displayed for this evening.

What a Crew!

Last weekend I watched my granddaughter rowing in a crew race.  She is a freshman and has been on the team after attending a training camp last summer- now they are competing and having races with other schools.  It's the first time I have seen a crew event with the extra long boats (60 feet in length for the 8 person team with 12 foot long oars!), and I was very impressed.  Saturday was a cold, windy, drizzly day and we were there for hours, but I wouldn't have left if you paid me!  Here is some of what I saw.

High school students from freshmen to seniors working together:  not just to row in sync but to take care of every aspect of the event.  Crew teams had to carry these long boats past other teams and spectators to put them in the water.  Some of the boats were on huge trailers and must be lifted and carried down, others were in a boat house.  It's amazing to see all the students working together to move these awkward, heavy boats from one place to another. The coxswain (a student) gives directions on land, as well as, in the water.  The instructions are called out one at a time to make sure no one gets hit in the head with a boat and to move the boat safely into and out of the water.  It was truly like a choreographed dance.

Once they reach the water its a different kind of instruction, "Lift" you can hear being called. Then, "Roll away from me". Then, "Lower the boat".  The boat is finally in the water.  Then the coxswain calls, "Starboard get the oars, port hold."  The rowers who will be rowing on the starboard side, go and get the oars for all the rowers, while the port side rowers hold the boat to keep it from drifting.  When they return with the oars, each person locks their oar in place.  Then the coxswain calls out, "Starboard, one leg in."  Then, "Starboard, second in, and sit." Finally, "Port, one leg in" and "Port, second leg in, sit."  The boat stays still in the water while all of this is going on.  Eight students, boats, water, big oars- no one was injured, no  boats were swamped, and everyone listened and followed as their coxswain leader call out the instructions.  While racing, getting out of the boat and taking the boat out of the water, each activity has another set of instructions!

Did you notice in all of this, what I noticed?  There were no adults leading the way.  Not  one.  Yes, adults were there, as coaches, volunteers, spectators, and family- but at no time did they need to step in and "take over".  It was very impressive.  I didn't know any of these kids other than Annie, and yet, I was so proud I thought my heart would burst.  Isn't this what we want for all our students- the  independence to get things done with guidance and training without always holding their hands?  That's the analogy of what I see in teaching:  The teachers provide instruction and training or "coaching" while the students learn to take charge of their learning.  There's no other way to prepare kids for life after high school- we all need to hold on to the bike seat for just a little while, and then- just let go.

For more information, PBS has an article on crew (written at just my level of understanding) at:

http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/teamsports/article4.html

Lifting high to leave the water.                                     Getting out, one leg, one "side" at a time.

Spanish 1 for 8th Grade Students

For the 2016-2017 school year we have an opportunity to offer Spanish to our incoming 8^th grade students.  Due to the addition of a full time French teacher last year, students are a little more spread out than previously in the language department at the high school.  With this, we are able to free up one Spanish teacher from the high school to teach for two hours at the middle school.  The School Board at their May 4th meeting approved a proposal to offer Spanish classes at the middle school for high school credit (a Language Arts grade of “B” or better plus teacher recommendation will be required),

Some advantages to adding this program include:

• ·         Earlier introduction of a foreign language to our students
• ·         Allows students the possibility of the time to take more than one language at high school
• ·         Progresses our goal to “Develop a district-wide world languages program”- Strategic Plan Goal #5
• ·         Students who successfully complete the course will fulfill a high school credit
• ·         Provides a transition to the high school by having a high school teacher at the middle school
• ·         Provides 8^th grade students with some school choice (as they will have in high school)
• ·         Students will still be able to choose band as an option

Some disadvantages are:

• ·         Not all 8^th grade students will be able to take Spanish (there will be room for 2 classes)
• ·         The teacher will need to travel between schools

Here is how this will work. The high school Spanish Classes will be held from 8:00-9:30 at the middle school.  Students rotate days for Unified Arts classes and this class will work in the same way.

Our current 7^th grade students will have an option to choose 6 out of 8 Unified Arts classes for their 8th grade year.  Those students who are in Spanish 1 will have this class for the entire year (not just one semester as they do for Unified Arts classes).

I am so pleased we are able to do this for our students.  Learning a foreign language has been shown to  increase student knowledge, provide cultural awareness, and boost creativity and self-confidence. Please look for information about this opportunity that will be sent home soon from the middle school.

The Value of a Day

This Sunday is Mother's Day and even though this is a holiday that was created by a card company, it still has its importance.  For me, gifts are not what this day represents.  The value of this "holiday" is acknowledgement of all the hard work that goes into being a mom. I love it when one of my  sons thanks me for this hard work!  If you are still lucky enough to have a mom that you can talk with or visit, make sure that you tell her how happy you are that she is your mom.  Make her day when you tell her how much you value her and the wonderful opportunities and lessons she provided that made you who you are.

This is my thank you to all the moms out there who help each of their children to be the best they can be; who teach them respect and responsibility; and who are there for them when things don't go well.  Parents are the backbone of our schools-  we couldn't do it without you.  And, on this day, I want to particularly thank all our Moms.