Happy New Year

Well, 2010 is well underway and we are approaching our first holiday! I'd like to take a moment to remind everyone of a fantastic fundraising opportunity at our school...and it doesn't cost you anything! Just clip and save "Boxtops for Education" labels from specially marked products and bring them to our school. We get 10 cents a piece...and that adds up quickly!

Oh yes! Congratulations to Karen Blocker...winner of a copy of "Good to Great" by Jim Collins! Thanks for leaving a comment on our school blog.

What makes a school great?

Blanchard's Leadership Team is beginning a book study after Christmas on Good To Great by Jim Collins. As the year ends and a new year looms on the horizon, I want to throw out the question:

What do you think makes a school great?

Leave your answer in the comments...and using a random number generator...I will choose a lucky winner to receive their own copy of Good to Great!

Golden Apples

Congratualtions to Teresa Peirce, kindergarten teacher! She is this week's winner of the WRBL Golden Apple Award.

It was a morning of fun and excitement as Mr. Carlos Williams, Creative Services Manager of WRBL, came to Blanchard, rolling a camera, ready to present and film the award. One of the things that makes this award so wonderful, is that the Golden Apple nominations come from parents....or in this case a grandparent. It means an awful lot to a busy teacher to know that someone thought to take a moment and send in a nomination recognizing hard work and dedication in the classroom.

It means a lot to Blanchard that we have such an outstanding faculty working with families to make a difference each and every day.

Mrs. Peirce is extremely thankful for this award. "It is a privilege to be part of these children's lives," she commented during her interview. "It is an awesome responsibility to lay the foundations of learning in kindergarten. Being part of the Blanchard family is a wonderful experience because of the supportive administration, comraderie of teachers, and especially working in partnership with my paraprofessional, Ms. Dortch, in the classroom."

Congratulations Mrs. Peirce! You make Blanchard rock!

If you are interested in nominating a teacher, please check out the WRBL web site.

3 Weeks and Counting

This is one of the busiest times at our school. We are packing in a whole lot of learning, PLUS...a whole lot of activities to celebrate the season.

First and foremost, we are teaching. Blanchard has a high standard of excellence and as you walk through the school you will find busy students, work on display (come check out our new "Writing That Pops" board in the main hallway), and teachers teaching and planning.

It is also a tradition this time of year for Blanchard to give back to our community. We have an ongoing food drive for the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Salvation Army. The PTA is sponsoring a sock and underwear drive (brand new only, please) for the Sara Spano Clothing Bank. Our student government is leading this year's toy drive. Reaching out to our community is part of what makes us great.

One of our ongoing school fundraisers is our Blanchard Night @ Chili's Restaurant. Our next one is on Tuesday, December 1st. You can go any time of day...just give them the flyer and tell them you are there for Blanchard. The money raised goes directly into supporting students and education at our school.

The Blanchard Owl Chorus and a cast of students are busily preparing for our annual Christmas play, "A Storybook Christmas". This is always a lot of fun! They will perform at Shaw High School on Thursday, December 10th at 7:00 PM. Come join us-it's free!

So, you've been using the school library....what's next? Use your school library online! Mrs. Mitchell is hosting a workshop on Tuesday, December 15th at 2:00 PM. Come create your account and get acquainted with your virtual Destiny.

The PTA is gearing up for the traditional Secret Santa Shop. Your child will have a chance to shop for gifts for members of their family. Gift wrapping is free! Who knows, you may find a few Christmas gifts yourself. The shop will open Monday, December 7th at 9:30 AM. It ends on Friday, December 11th.

On our last day before the holiday, December 18th, Blanchard will host a spelling bee. Students in fourth and fifth grades will compete in a spell down to see who will go on to the district competition. Who knows how far they will get? Maybe state....maybe nationals! A special guest judge will be on hand to help us as we spell our way into the holiday.

Even Santa will make an appearance at our school! If you have a little one in PreK or Kindergarten, they will get to spend some time with the big guy...courtesy of the North Columbus Branch Library.

Whew....it was a lot just to type! Only 3 weeks left to fit it all in...but then we will have a nice long holiday. Come visit us....and join in the fun!

Remembering

Loss is always hard...and the loss this past week of Mrs. Rutherford affects us deeply. With loss, it is always comforting to remember the good times spent with our loved one. I would like to invite you to share your thoughts and memories of Mrs. Rutherford.

Simply comment on the blog....and we can all remember Mrs. Rutherford with a smile on our lips and peace in our hearts.

It Is A Beginning

We are beginning our Web 2.0 journey at Blanchard today. All faculty are invited to join us...and if a parent wants to join in...please come. We'd love to have you! Our first session is today at 4:00 PM in the media center. We will work through The 23 Things together in hopes of becoming more adept at the technology tools are students are beginning to use in our 21st century world.

This is certainly something you can do on your own...so if you can't make it today...go ahead with Week 1 and join us next week for the second part.

If you are a MCSD employee, you will be eligible for technology hours for the sessions you attend. Thank you BJ!

The 23 Things

Confused about Web 2.0? Were you baffled by this year's technology writing contest topic? Dismayed to find out that we would be receiving podcasting equipment?

Wondering why your children and students think email is old fashioned?

The 23 Things and your media specialist will unravel the mysteries of Web 2.0. Start by checking out the site and post your comments and thoughts here at our blog. And remember...

DON'T PANIC.