Friday, March 22, 2013

Rainbows in the Clouds



It was so wonderful to see each grade level dressed up in their specified colors for our Rainbow School Spirit Day this past Wednesday, the last day of student attendance before Spring Break. The bright, cheery colors throughout the school reminded us that blooming flowers and warm weather will soon be here, despite the lingering cold temperatures and snow.

Being immersed in such a beautiful rainbow of colors among our students and staff reminded me of an inspirational keynote speech I heard from world-renowned author and educator, Maya Angelou, last weekend at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) National Conference in Chicago. At 85 years old, her speech was energetic and inspiring. Through her vivid storytelling, Maya referred to the caring educators who are a constant source of strength and hope to others, and see unlimited potential in each individual, as "rainbows in the clouds". Coming from a childhood of poverty, abuse and broken family, Maya expressed deep gratitude to the "rainbows" who believed in her, supported and encouraged her.  She went on to proudly recite a poem she was asked to write in honor of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, A Brave and Startling Truth, which provides a beautiful vision for world peace. 

To build on Maya's metaphor, if we as educators, parents and community members, are "rainbows in the clouds", the children we serve are definitely the "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow. Seeing them experience the excitement and wonder of learning is the ultimate treasure. They fill us with hope and optimism for a bright future and a better world.

It has been a pleasure celebrating the growth and progress of your children during Parent-Teacher Conferences these past two days. May your families delight in the moments with your "treasures" during Spring Break next week! I look forward to seeing you back at school on April 2nd!





Maya Angelou on the stage at ASCD Conference, Chicago (3/17/13, photo by the author)

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Cultural Arts Fair Highlights


The Cultural Arts Fair at Thomas Middle School this past Friday was a night to remember!  I'm so glad I got to be there and learn so much about our wonderful world!

It was great to see so many Dryden families participating in this enriching evening.

Timothy particpated in a Chinese Kung Fu demonstration. 

You can see the many countries and cultures that were represented at the Cultural Arts Fair on this world map. 

It was great to see the students' creations for this year's Dryden PTA Reflections.

Our Chinese language teachers taught visitors about the art of paper-cutting.

Chinese calligraphy was also a special activity that meny enjoyed. 


Watching this Turkish artist create an oil painting on water was mesmerizing!


The halls were lined with many tables with artifacts, books and information about so many beautiful countries that I hope to visit someday. 

Henna hand-art was a special treat for many of the girls.

Dryden music teacher, Mr. Deptula, led an invigorating African drum circle throughout the evening. 

"UNSTOPPABLE" 5th Grade Shoot Out

This past Friday, the Dryden Class of 2013 participated in the Fifth Grade Shoot-Out, a fundraiser to purchase a gift for the school. The fifth grade students voted to purchase a wheelchair accessible swing for the school playground. It was such a fun competition! Congratulations to Mr. Holston's class for winning the shoot-out! Dryden sends a huge thank you to our PE teacher Mr. Gries, and to PTA volunteers Mr. Rolla, Mr. and Mrs. Salemi, and Mrs. Zei for coordinating this special event!!








 

Clean Sweep Winners


Congratulations to Mr. Noltner's class for winning the Clean Sweep Contest! All the classes in the fourth and fifth grade hallway participated in a friendly competition to see which class kept their coat hook area the most neat and organized-not an easy job with all the snowpants, boots, gloves, hats, coats, backpacks, band instruments, folders, notebooks, safety patrol belts and water bottles to keep track of! It was a close competition, but Mr. Noltner's class came away victorious, and as a reward, chose an extra fifteen minutes of recess. I enjoyed spending time with them outside and even got to shoot a few baskets! 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Engaged In Learning About Our Government

High levels of learning are the result of high levels of student engagement. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending time in a third grade classroom that had a lot of wonderful student engagement as the children learned about the three branches of government. 

Students had researched, written and shared notes about the three branches of government on this color-coded graphic organizer. 

They referred to the graphic organizer and different texts to determine answers to to a categorizing game led by their teacher. The teacher provided some clues, and the children had to identify the branch of government.  

The children were excited to share their responses and referred to specific evidence they found in texts to  justify their responses. 


I'm very proud of the childrens' persistence, attention to detail and teamwork!