Kids' Triathatlon Fundraiser

Look for a flyer coming home next week about the Tuscaloosa Kids' Triathalon, a fun event supporting a great cause.

The triathalon is a fundraiser for the "Secret Meals for Hungry Children" program. This is a really awesome partnership between Alabama Credit Union and West Alabama Food Bank. The program provides little packages of "weekend meals" for children who may not have enough to eat between school lunch on Friday and school breakfast on Monday. The food items are always thoughtfully chosen; they're generally things kids can fix themselves without adult help, and they are nutritious, balanced combinations.

The triathalon is Saturday, May 18 at the University of Alabama Recreation Center. Kids ages 5 - 16 of ALL athletic abilities are welcome to participate. Every athlete receives a medallion, water bottle, and t-shirt. The swimming, running, and biking distances vary based on children's ages, but no one runs more than 1 mile, bikes more than 4 miles, or swims more than 150 yards. The event meets the safety standards of USA Triathalon (USAT).

You can find more information at www.secretmeals.org or by emailing Tuscaloosakidstriathalon@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading! We are glad you are here!

Spread the Word to Pre-School Parents!

There is an exciting opportunity about to start for parents of low-income 3-and-4-year-olds! A great organization is running FREE groups for parents on Tuesday evenings. Participants will receive free books and supplies, free childcare during class, gift cards, and light refreshments. The groups teach parents how to prepare their children for school success.

If you are a parent of a 3-or-4-year-old and your family qualifies for free or reduced lunch at school, call 855-332-9333 for more information about signing up for the program. The first meeting is Tuesday, February 26 at 5:30pm in the Chestnut Trace Community Center.

Or, if your church or business is looking to partner with a group for community service or charitable donations, this is a great cause! The organization is called First Teachers @ Home, and I have been very impressed with the passion and intentions of the people running it. You can call the number above if you would like to volunteer or contribute in any way!

Cards for Hostage

If anyone would like to send a birthday card or supportive card to the child who was taken from the school bus in Midland City last week, a TPS parent thoughtfully sent me the address. It is:

Napier Field Police Department
c/o Lt. McDaniel
400 Headquarters Street
Napier Field, AL 36303

The boy's name is Ethan. His birthday is sometime this week.

Thank you for reading! We are glad you are here! Hope you have a good weekend.

Walton's Event Tonight!

Thinking about picking up dinner or eating out tonight? If so, you may want to consider Walton's here on 69 South!

Tonight from 4:00 - 9:00, Gail Watkins' Bible study class is hosting a charitable fundraiser at Walton's. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to Water of Life, a filter system that provides clean water for families in Africa. All you need to do is tell Mr. Bill Walton that you are there for Water of Life when you place your order and check out. Gail's 4th graders will be demonstating the filter tonight too, if you would like to see how it works!

For more information on "Water of Life" check out this website...
http://water.compassion.com/about-water-of-life/

Gail (one of our awesome reading specialists) and Valley View Baptist Church's 4th grade Bible study class thank you for your support, or for spreading the word!

Thanks for reading! Have a great day!

Hurricane Sandy Project

I just got word that Englewood Elementary is heading up a drive for items to send up to New York. Dr. Robin Blackburn (one of the counselors there) says that after our tornado, her contact person up there sent down a huge 18-wheeler full of supplies for Tuscaloosa. Now, we have a chance to return the favor!

If you would like to participate, here are the details!

Englewood is collecting the following new, unused items in their original packaging:

• diapers, baby formula
• socks, gloves, underwear
• wash cloths, towels
• sheets, blankets
• garbage bags
• kleenex, toilet tissue
• cleaning supplies
• toiletries
• empty boxes and empty plastic bins for packing these items
• gift cards from Target, Home Depot, Wal Mart, and Lowe’s

Any items you'd like to donate need to be at Englewood by this Friday, November 9, at 2:00pm. We apologize for short notice, but that is when our big truck will start making the long drive to New York City!

If you only have children at Taylorville (not Englewood) please feel free to send any donated items in to me at TPS. I will drive all our donations over to EES on Friday around noon.

If you would like to volunteer your time to help with this project, or if your Sunday School class, church group, business, or other group would like to partner with Englewood, please call Dr. Robin Blackburn at 342-2644 extension 3.

2nd Grade Career Day

As many of you know, our annual 2nd grade Career Day took place last Friday. Every year the variety and enthusiasm of our parent and community volunteers exceeds my expectations. They truly bring to life incredibly valuable information that we teachers simply cannot provide from firsthand experience like they can. It is like a big field trip without ever leaving the school!

Many teachers asked their classes to dress up as a career for the day, and I wish you could have seen all the fantastic outfits! Regular second graders became a French artist with a painted-on mustache and a sweater vest, a fully-dressed ninja, a nurse with a cheerful red feather hair accessory, business men wearing their Sunday best, doctors, nurses in full scrubs, golf pros, tennis players, and a karate instructor. It was so much fun to see.

Below I will share some pictures of our speakers, so you can get an idea of what the students experienced. One of my favorite moments may have been the students dressed as army men swaddling baby dolls with the labor and delivery nurse speaker. It is always enjoyable to see how the children react to the speakers as they walk through the hallways. Our real "army man" speaker in full dress got many admiring looks from our kids!

We are incredibly grateful to all our parents and community members who made this day possible. It is truly a one-of-a-kind educational experience, and we could not do it without you! Thank you so, so much for bringing your professional knowledge to our students!

And look at all these other clothes he brought to show the kids the full uniform! See them piled on the floor beside him?

This is the first year Northstar Paramedics has been one of our guests. We were thrilled to welcome them, along with Captain Jackson's fire team! Both brought their vehicles and spoke to the classes outside.

Success Pack Feedback?

Almost all of the Home-School Success Packs I wrote about in the Primary Bulletin went home last week, and some 2nd grade classes will send theirs home today due to the aquarium field trips. If you have any feedback on the packs themselves, what you and your child think of them, and how you're using them at home to build academic skills, we would love to hear from you! This is the first year we've created Success Packs, and your insights will help us decide whether to continue similar projects in future years. We appreciate any comments or questions you would like to share!

Thanks for reading. We are glad you are here!

Volunteer Opportunity With Local Kids

I've gotten word about a program called First Teachers @ Home that is starting next week at Chestnut Trace apartments. It sounds really cool! This is a nonprofit organization that aims to teach parents of 3 and 4-year-olds how to prepare their children for kindergarten. What a fantastic head start for those families! I can tell you without any doubt in my mind that those kinds of skills are incredibly valuable for school success over the years.

First Teachers @ Home is looking for volunteers to either work with the children's program, or provide simple meals for the meetings (for example, a hot dog, chips, apple, and water). I thought I would let y'all know, in case you or a group/church/business you know of may want to support this cause.

You can read more about the program in this article:

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20120819/NEWS/120819774

And you can watch a video clip of a WVUA news story about it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O85VDImKWWo

If you're interested in volunteering, you can visit the website http://www.first-teachers.org/ and contact Yolanda McKinney, the Community Partnership Director, at 951-8989.

If you live in Chestnut Trace, have a 3 or 4-year-old, and would like to participate in the program, please let me know! School counselors can make "referrals" and I am happy to do so for anyone who is interested!

Thank you for reading! We are glad you are here!

Grief "Camp" and Christmas

Y'all, I'm sorry to bombard you with so much information right at the beginning of the year! Hopefully once we get beyond all these sort of obligatory announcements we'll be more in our pattern of informative articles, resources, and lesson topics!

First, has your child suffered the loss of a loved one? The wonderful Sunrise Center at the Hospice of West Alabama is hosting their one-day "bereavement camp" for children ages 6-13 on Saturday, October 6. Counselors will work with kids on fun, therapeutic, and active skills to help them deal with their grief and successfully adapt to life after their loss. The day camp runs from 9am - 12pm. It is free (!), but pre-registration is necessary. If you would like me to send a flier home with your child so you'll have more details, just let me know.

Secondly, Christmas letters and fliers went home with every child earlier this week. If you did not receive them and would like the information, please let me know so I can send home a second copy. The fliers give details on exactly when and where the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots are taking sign-ups next week, the week of September 24, and the week of October 1. If you need assistance with Christmas, please be sure to sign up with one of these organizations!

For those of you who are Christmas "angels," if your family, church, or business is interested in donating time, funds, or gifts to families in need for the holidays, you might consider funneling your generosity through these two great organizations. They take on the huge task of creating a master list of which children are being served in our city, and try to make sure everyone in need is helped, but no one is double-helped. They could definitely use the support of the community with that enormous undertaking! For more information, you can call 553-1600.

Thank you for reading. We are glad you are here! Have a great weekend.

Bully Self-Defense Summer Class

One more summer opportunity! We got word from a TPS parent about a Cobra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class focused on "bully self-defense" this summer. I don't have many details, but it looks like it is for kids ages 7-12, and that it will be held at 3740 Resource Drive; Tuscaloosa 35403.

For more information, you can call 345-3535, visit www.headhunterscrossfit.com, or email headhuntersgym@comcast.net.

Have a wonderful summer! Thanks for reading! We are glad you are here.

Exciting Success Story/Community Resource

I've got two tidbits for you today!

First, one of our student teachers who interned with us at TPS this year is interested in tutoring kids over the summer. She is charging $25 an hour. If you would like her contact information, please let me know!

Secondly, I have a really exciting sucess story and community resource to share. A former TPS parent has recently fulfilled her dream of opening a resale and consignment shop that gives 20% of its profits back to the community. I will not go into personal details, but in brief, this is a mother who has weathered difficult times, and she and her daughter have taught me lessons about strength, people, and "doing the right thing" that remain close to my heart to this day. 

If you ever are looking for a place to donate or sell on consignment things like clothing, furniture, and household items, this is a small business that would appreciate your support! Of course, you can shop there too. It looks like they have tons of VHS tapes, DVDs, clothing, various decor items, and even some cute handpainted kids' furniture. They say their prices are so low, you will think they are crazy! It looks to me like they also rent booths in the store, so if you had lots of things to sell or know someone who does, they have spaces available for that.

You can see more pictures on the website below!

The owner would especially like to give back to our school, so she has a neat opportunity for us! It is called School Bucks. Basically it is a card that you would present when you shop at the store. Just by showing it, you will receive 5% of your purchase total in "come back" dollars for you to spend on a future shopping trip, AND she will donate another 5% of your purchase total to TPS! Isn't that amazing?! What a win-win. If you would like a card, please just let me know and I will send one home with your child.

The store is called Nu-Beginnings, and you can see their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/nubeginningsresaleandconsignment

You'll find Nu-Beginnings at 307 Skyland Blvd. On the map, it looks to me like you would turn right onto Skyland from traveling north on 69, then you would pass Old Montgomery Hwy and 5th Ave, and look for the store on your right, in the same shopping center as the antique mall. If you pass Skyland Drive, you've gone too far. The phone number is 752-0550.

Fundraiser Night at Dairy Queen

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday April 24, the Taylorville area Cub Scouts will be holding a fundraiser night at Dairy Queen to support their local packs. You can visit DQ between 5:00 and 8:00pm to eat ice cream and other treats for a good cause! My understanding is that all the money raised stays right here in the Taylorville area for programming that directly benefits our boys and community.

The Cub Scouts thank you for your support!

Thanks for reading. We are glad you are here!

Project HELP applications are here!

Last week I received applications for Project HELP, which is a summer program for children in both city and county schools. The program addresses reading, writing, oral language, math, and social skills. It is intended to help children retain their academic and social skills over the summer and not regress during the break from school.

Project HELP runs from June 4 - June 27, Monday - Thursday, 8:00am - 12:00pm. It will be held at Sprayberry Education Center in Northport. The cost is $125 per child, which includes breakfast and a sack lunch.

If you would like me to send home an application with your child, please let me know! I also have some applications outside my office in one of the Parent Pockets on the wall to the right of my door.

Thanks for reading! We are glad you are here!

Dairy Queen Cub Scout Fundraiser!

If you eat at the Dairy Queen in the Publix shopping center across from Bobby Miller Parkway this Thursday between 5-8pm, 10% of your bill will go to Cub Scout Pack 151, which is our local Taylorville pack. The money will be used to help carry out the scouting program in our area. It's a great opportunity to get a treat and support a good cause!

It is Bucket-Filling Week!

Welcome back from Spring Break, and Happy Bucket-Filling Week! Remember that your children can bring in the paper buckets sent home with them last week to document any kind deeds they've done over break or as this week progresses. Of course they can do more than two bucket-filling acts! The more the better! The paper buckets are just intended to get them excited, jump start the brainstorming, and open up a world of possible ways to make others feel special and important. If you would like any extra buckets for your child or family, there are some in the Parent Pockets outside my office, which is near the intersection of the square and circle hallways across from the student restrooms.

Thank you for your support of this and all our character education initiatives! Hope you had a wonderful break, and have a good Monday getting back in the swing of things!

Thanks for reading! We are glad you are here!

Bucket-Filling Week is March 19-23

The week immediately after Spring Break is Bucket-Filling Week at TPS! Usually we hold this event in the fall, but we were super busy with that big statewide reading initiative then, so we postponed until spring this year. We hope this will help combat "spring fever" among students, and kick off the last couple of months in a positive way!

Look for a parent letter and a sheet of two buckets to come home in your child's backpack today or tomorrow. The letter contains all the details you need to know about the week, but the basic idea is that it is an "acts of kindness" week based on the book we read in my first lesson with each class: Have You Filled A Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.

To celebrate Bucket-Filling Week, we are asking students to make a special effort to say and do nice, friendly, respectful things for others. You can help by talking with your child about kind words and actions and brainstorming some small acts for him or her to do during Spring Break or Bucket-Filling Week. The kind deeds do not need to take place at school, they can be carried out in the neighborhood, at home, or anywhere! Students will write or draw the kind deeds they do on the paper buckets that are sent home, then bring them back to school during Bucket-Filling Week. We'll display the buckets up and down the hallways to celebrate our kindness. Please feel free to visit school March 19-23 and walk up and down the hallways to check out all the unique ways of filling other people's buckets!

If you'd like extra buckets for your child or for other family members to document their kind deeds, they will be available in the Parent Pockets right outside my office, or please let me know to send a few home with your child. Thank you very much for your support of one of our last character education initiatives this year! Your help is what makes this week meaningful and successful!

Recent Photos

I am long overdue to share some photos with you! Here are just a few of the hundreds of Valentines and crafts we gave to the Veterans' Hospital.

Earlier this month, our Adopt-A-School partner First United Security Bank invited one 2nd grader from each class to a job shadowing event. It was educational and fun! We really appreciate all the ways they support TPS and the learning and development of our students.

Thank you for reading! We are glad you are here!

Character Education Shows Monday - Wednesday

This afternoon we were treated to a character education performance by Dennis Lee, a ventriloquist with messages about being kind, respectful, honest, responsible, and a good citizen. If your child's class attended the show, he or she may come home talking about "'nana pudding" like one of the puppets did. :) If you and your children would like to see Dennis Lee again, he is performing tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday of this week at Valley View Baptist Church at 6:30pm. Mr. Lee's show for TPS did not contain religious content, but his shows at the church will. I believe they will also be different themes than the specific act he shared with us at school. I just wanted to let you know in case you were interested in some family entertainment with a positive message this week!
I'm sorry I don't have pictures of the show to share on the blog, but I think Gail Watkins may be able to post some of the show on the TPS website soon. I forgot my camera! Oops! You can visit Mr. Lee's website here:

http://www.dennisleeproductions.com/#!__main

Thanks for reading! We are glad you are here!

Ask Questions to Create Thinking

Don't forget about the expert panel on ADHD at the university tonight! It is from 7:00-8:00 at the Bryant Conference Center on campus. If you'd like more information, you can find it here: http://training.ua.edu/adhd/adhd-agenda.html

We've finished our coping skills lessons in second grade, and I think the word scramble game was enjoyed by all! Today I start Safe Child lessons in first grade. If you are a first grade parent, I sent a letter home to you right after winter break with details about those lessons. If you didn't receive it or would like more information, please let me know!

And lastly, here's another blurb from the Love & Logic people. It is about helping kids become good thinkers by asking more questions and giving fewer commands. I don't know about you, but I often notice kids here at school who seem perfectly content to let me do all the talking and thinking when they have done something wrong! They know that if they just wait it out, I'll stop correcting them eventually and they will be on their merry way, just having been inconvenienced by a few minutes of babbling. They have quite a surprised look on their faces when I ask them a question, and indicate that I will wait for their response instead of just continuing to talk, no matter how long it takes them to come up with one. I don't have data on whether or not it cuts down on the wrongdoing, but I do feel good that the gears in their brains are turning and thinking is being done! (Just to be clear, I am referring here to issues like running in the hall, not serious concerns that your children need coaching or support to address. :))

At Love and Logic® we believe that kids are best prepared for the real world when we allow them to do as much thinking as possible. It's good practice for the real world, and it keeps the monkey off of our backs most of the time.

Here's the problem. Do you know kids who like to keep adults doing all of the thinking? Do you know kids who are good at tricking us into doing so?

How do we avoid falling into this trap? One strategy involves using plenty of questions!

The more questions we ask, the better thinkers our kids will become.

People who understand Love and Logic also understand that the human brain seeks closure. When we use plenty of questions, children's brains are so busy searching for closure that they have less energy left over for power-struggles.

The more questions we ask, the fewer power-struggles we will have.

Kids grow the healthiest and strongest brains when they're fortunate to spend time around adults who say things like:


"I don't know. What do you think?"


"Are you sure that's the best idea?"


"How do you think that's going to work out for you?"


"Would you like to hear what some other kids have tried?"


"Do you think that's going to work out well or ________?"


"What do you think you are going to do?"


"Which one of these is the best solution to your problem?"


"Do you have enough money to pay for any possible damage?"


"Is that a wise decision?"


Perhaps the quickest way to start giving children the gift of good thinking skills is to get into the habit of asking instead of telling.

Thanks for reading! We are glad you are here.
Sharon

ADHD Expert Panel at UA

For a few years now, the University of Alabama has hosted a great annual conference on ADHD here in Tuscaloosa. One part of the event is an hour-long question-and-answer session with a panel of experts. I've been to this twice before, and it has been interesting and informative to hear "experts" from different professions talk about many aspects of raising, educating, and treating children and teens who have ADHD. Even if you don't have any questions, you can just listen!

In the past the panel has included researchers, medical doctors, advocates for children with disabilities, parents of children with ADHD, counselors, and educators. This year it looks like there will definitely be a researcher and a medical doctor who specializes in ADHD, and I'm not sure if there will be other panel members as well.

If you would like to mark your calendar, the panel is scheduled for Thursday, January 26, from 7:00 to 8:00pm, at the Bryant Conference Center on the UA campus. If you'd like more information about the conference and the panel, you can go to http://training.ua.edu//adhd/.

Thanks for reading! We are glad you are here!