Seminars, Trees and Tiger Days
By Steve Bartholomew - FF/S
I look forward to your participation in our mini-seminars that will begin on Nov. 3. Each grade will share with you their expertise, along with the Teaching and Learning Center specialists. The purpose of these seminars is to partner with you and share reading experiences with your children. The text that the teachers are using in conjunction with our Reader's and Writer’s Workshops is the 7 Keys to Comprehension by Zimmermann and Hutchins. Please see schedule below. Feel free to bring a friend – the seminars will take place in Thornwood.
Nov. 3 2-2:45 p.m. Grade 1 Gayle and Rebekah
Nov. 7 2-2:45 p.m. Grade 2 Jody and Erin
Nov. 10 2-2:45 p.m. Grade 4 Flo, Rebekah, Byron
Nov. 14 2-2:45 p.m. Grade 3 Alice, Steve M.
Thanks to the Hicks family, a seedling has been planted in the Primary Circle area. The tree is unique because it is one of the Witness Trees from Gettysburg, Penn. It is believed to have provided the background when Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address and is being renamed as Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysbury Address Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos).
Steve McConnell is going to undertake the dedication of the tree in November with students delivering the Gettysburg Address. Please look for the seedling enclosed in a black fence on the slope adjacent to the Primary Circle. It is a fast-growing tree and can live to be a 100-150 years old. We thank the Hicks family for their generosity and thoughtfulness.
Tiger PRIDE moms did a great job providing refreshments at our October faculty meeting. The faculty and staff really appreciate the hospitality and kindness of Becky Robinson, Martha Curlee, Alethea Roach, Melissa Hernandez, Sandi Smith, Sumer Kizziah, Ashley Ellington, Misty Braden and Kimberly Moseley.
A local Atlanta radio station put out a challenge to area schools to write letters to our servicemen and woman to bring joy and encouragement for the holiday season. Jill Pate took on this project in conjunction with the third- and fourth-grade teachers. Letters were written this past week by our students and will be mailed out from the radio station. We thank our students and staff for supporting our servicemen and women overseas.
Monday's Halloween Parade will take place at 2:15 p.m. in the gym. Chairs will be set up for the parents. The students will parade around the gym and Ashley Henry will lead the students by grade in several Halloween songs. You can send your child to school in partial costume since Monday is a Tiger Day. Teachers will have time to help them finish up their costumes before the parade begins. Please do not send any weapons (swords, etc.) with your child.
On Nov. 1, we will kick off our Warm Clothing Drive for McHenry Primary School. This has been a great tradition at the Lower School and a chance for parents to clean out closets. The students and faculty really appreciate the generosity of our families. There will be drop-off boxes at the Primary Circle and Thornwood. Our Character Education Word of the Month is Thankfulness; this is an appropriate time for our students to learn the meaning of the word.
Late Start for the month of November has been moved to Nov. 9. Parent volunteers, please report before 7:30 a.m. to your assigned classrooms. Thank you for your help and support.
When you are out and about downtown Rome please stop by Honeymoon Bakery to view the third-grade class art display. It is awesome! Kelly and Jennifer Moore did a terrific job in finding a unique and creative way to display the students work. Thank you both for a job well done!
