The Blue School in NYC

This past week I had the opportunity to enjoy a visit to the Big Apple and spent time with David Kelly,director of curriculum, at The Blue School. This amazing school was started by the founders of The Blue Man Group whose creative performances entertain people daily in big cities in the US and around the world. Their dream was to build a school that supported the delevlpment of creative skills and valued problem solving and unique thinking over rote, one size fits all education. the school is located in a renovated building in South Seaport with fantastic views of the Brooklyn Bridge. David has studied Reggio Approach in Italy and was a director of studio teachers at Chicago Commons prior to joining the Blue School. The school reflects Reggio best practices and we exchanged ideas and enjoyed discussing the similarities and differences in our schools. I hope this connection will allow the two schools to share resources and ideas in the future.

We Shall Overcome Some Day

I just watched the dedication of the Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, DC. Having come of age during the era of the civil rights struggle, this beautiful program touched my heart.

Charter Schools....?

I enjoyed hearing Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Kid's Zone speak recently at an event sponsored by The Village of Promise. He is so passionate that all kids can make it with the proper support and encouragement. His schools are charter schools in New York City. I have followed the charter school movement nationally for many years and am a firm believer in charters potential to allow great educators to be able to do what they need to do to really educate our kids. Alabama is one of the only states to be adamantly opposed to even trying this idea. That is a sad thing for students in our state. A new charter bill has now passed the House and is heading to the Senate (HR2218) which makes it even more appealing to states to give charters a try. I can only hope that people like staate Rep. Phil Williams will again continue to push for this in the Ala legislature and that Govenor Bentley will get on board and try to break the AEA's oppositional hold on our state on this important issue.

New school year begins.......

What a superb start to the 2011-2012 school year! Four weeks in an everyone is happy and very productive. I do believe it was the easiest opening I can ever remember. The Preschool opening was a small miracle-no crying after the first day or two, both students and their parents. The Primary kids were excited to get into a new routine and enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones after the summer. The Elementary classes came back ready to learn and took the month early departure of their teacher, Mrs. Jan Hayes, for maternity leave in stride. Mrs. Fuller stepped right in as their interim teacher and everyone has been making good progress and building a great sense of community. I am easing into retirement slowly as I am now at school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I do, however,call in several times a day on Monday and Friday to check on everyone. All the office staff keeps things running so smoothly and Stacie is a great co-director. Did you know she has taught every grade in our school at one time or another. I am blessed to have her stand in for me...I have every confidence in her ability to do the job. The staff of teachers and specialists this year are awesome and we have so much extracurricular activity going on after school. I predict that this is going to be A VERY GOOD YEAR.

Full Circle

I have been blessed to know many wonderful children and their parents in my career. Two of those students, now all grown up, are bringing their children to me at CDS to be educated this Fall. What a excellent and strange feeling is that! In this years' Preschool group will be two daughters of children I personally taught at Gifted Child, the school that grew into Country Day School. I remember them both very well as three year olds, and cherish the thought that now we will be teaching the second generation. It really makes me want to spend more time actually in the Preschool classroom, which is where I have always said I would end my career. It all makes me very happy, nostalgic, and makes me realize how much time has past, and how old I really must be getting.

School starts soon

So excited about the possibilities of a new school year at Country Day School! This should be a banner year with a great staff and group of students. We are ready to begin the journey anew.

Pray for Sasha

One of our former Preschoolers, Sasha Dison, has been diagnosed and is fighting cancer. Her Mom, Larissa, was a teacher at CDS. Our hearts go out to the family and ask anyone reading this to stop and say a prayer for Sasha's complete and rapid recovery.