Elementary Images

Gearing UP

2010-04-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

What do we have to look forward to during the last 5 weeks of school? Here are a few events you won't want to miss: The RAP Annual Basket Raffle fund raiser, the Fifth Grade Play, Awards Assembly, The Chorus Concert, Field Day, and of course, Closing Ceremonies!

John the Conquerer

2010-04-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

Our son, John, was home on leave during Spring Break so we spent some great times together both at the cabin and in Durham with the girls. John has completed dive training and has now moved on to his more advanced training with the Navy. While at the cabin he "conquered" a branch that had broken off high up in one of the trees closest to the deck that, thanks to the winter ice storms, was hanging rather precariously. Now we can sit on the deck safely!! It was great to be together as a family - with all our busy schedules and John's duty, those times are few and far between. Enjoy the ones you love as much as possible while they are young. Down the road, who knows where they'll be in this big wide world!

Update on THE BOYS

2010-04-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

A recent weekend at our cabin in the mountains with Landon and Connor (and their Mommie and Daddy, of course!), found our big boy helping his Pop making fresh apple juice, hiking to the waterfalls, helping his Mommom water the flowers, listening to Pop tell him stories about Lewis, the squirrel (a character that Doug and Landon share each time they get together - Lewis is a very adventurous little squirrel!), and enjoying some great laughs around the supper table. This was Connor's first visit to the cabin so he spent most of his time watching us and sleeping. I loved sitting with him in my rocker, just listening to the birds and watching the clouds roll by. The cabin is a refuge for the whole family and these times together are very special to us all. Zaiya is still just a little too young to travel that far but he is growing like a weed! His Mommie has several friends who are professional photographers so there is no shortage of great portraits of this very photogenic angel!

A Year of Professional Development

2010-04-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Elementary teachers spent many hours during this school year studying how to make their classrooms more appealing and interesting environments for learning. Nearly 60 days of off-site conferences, seminars and workshops included: Charter Schools Reading First Academy, NC Math Teachers Conference, NC Exceptional Children's Conference, visits to schools in Davidson and Columbia, National Board Certification Workshops, various technology workshops, NC Technology Conference, Response to Intervention Strategies Workshop, Odyssey of the Mind Coach's Training, UNC Charlotte Early Childhood Conference, Reggio Emilia Study Abroad Program, NC Music Teachers' Conference, NC Kindergarten Teacher's Conference, and NC PE Teachers' Conference. On-site teachers attended workshops on Edline, Curriculum Mapper, SmartBoard, Neo, Strategies and Modifications for Exceptional Children, and Differentiation of Instruction, Instructional Strategies for Children with Aspergers and ADHD, and many more!

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-04-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what happens to your time when springtime is in the air! March and April have flown by for us all - and next week is midterm for the fourth grading period. That means that we only have 5 weeks left of school!! But before I share our progress toward ending the school year, here are some highlights of our spring so far: 1) Our Fire Safety Quiz Bowl Team won second place in the regional competition - they will compete in the state Quiz Bowl as a result, 2) Our three Odyssey of the Mind teams represented both American Renaissance elementary and middle school in the regional meet - all three teams presented fabulous skits!, 3) Fourth and Fifth Graders travelled to Raleigh last week for a day of museums and site seeing in our state's capital, 4) Kindergartners and first graders visited the Lazy 5 ranch to see the animals and take a wagon ride through the park, 5) Mrs. Robbins and Mrs. Spence spent a week on Ocrakoke Island at the NCCAT (North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching) seminar - Women in Aviation - both teachers were selected among many applicants across the state and we are so proud of them for stepping out of their comfort zone!, 6) Six elementary teachers were named as candidates for RBC's Tribute to Teachers program. Mrs. Spicer was named a winner and won $500 for her classroom!!7) Our second graders have completed their 2 week swimming course thanks to our partnership with the Statesville YMCA, 8) Our spring book fair raised enough funds for us to purchase another classroom Smartboard!, and so much more, but time to move on...

Three Little Boys!!

2010-03-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

On February 5th my family welcomed grandson number THREE!! Zaiya Barack weighed 6 pounds and was 19 inches long and he has a full head of jet black hair! What fun we'll have in a few years when our little boys are ready to go hiking and fishing in the mountains!

2010-01-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

PEACE! And Happy New Year!!

Welcome to 2010 at American Renaissance Elementary! We have begun the new year in high gear with all the projects for science (the universe and planets and landforms), creating costumes and dialogue for theatre arts, finishing up Because of Winn Dixie, and on and on and on! Please come in and check out all the fabulous models and design work our students have created. The walls and bookshelves are covered with awesome work.

We are also beginning the application process for enrollment next year. Applications are flying out of Ms. Sandy's office and we have already begun taking prospective parents on a tour of our school. Be sure and tell all your friends and relatives about ARS and the amazing school we have become.

Before we know it the apple blossoms will be in full bloom and we will be relishing in the springtime sun! But for now - try to stay warm and cozy while we wait!

Precious Pretzels

2009-12-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

We LOVE Pretzel Day!! Our Odyssey of the Mind Club is raising money for their competition this year by selling fresh soft pretzels thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Smith. There is absolutely NOTHING more scrumptious that a warm, soft pretzel with a little bit of mustard... hmmmmmmmm good!

Hands On Happiness

2009-12-07T07:51:00.000-08:00

Recent activities in various classrooms clearly demonstrate that our students are using all their senses while learning math, language arts, science and social studies concepts. In kindergarten and first grade we have future bankers and architects, during recess our fourth graders demonstrate eye-hand coordination skill in a game of table football, our third graders are learning about fractions with apple slices, and second graders are testing their skill with flying paper helicopters in social studies class! Our fourth and fifth graders were treated to Diamond Del's Mobile Educational Gem Mining to enhance the study of rocks and minerals.

Holiday Happenings

2009-12-07T07:11:00.000-08:00

The holiday spirit is alive and well at American Renaissance Elementary! Our students are creating festive decorations to display across our building and making holiday hats to wear in Mrs. Munday's traditional Hat Parade! We are especially proud of two important projects that will enhance the lives of folks in need in our community and across the world. Our Mitten Tree project is collecting mittens and gloves for needy children and our Renaissance Adventure Holiday Crafts Shop for Heifer International has already exceeded last year's collection of funds. Two of our students have taken it upon themselves to collect gently used and new toys for needy children - Lexi and Megan you are amazing! Our first graders took a trip to a tree farm last week and got an unexpected treat - a wagon ride through the Christmas Tree fields. Fifth graders attended a special showing of the new film, A Christmas Carol last week as well. Raine was happy to model the 3-D glasses movie goers wore for a more realistic experience!

National Boards

2009-12-07T06:49:00.000-08:00

We are so proud of several of our teachers who are stretching their professional dedication this year by working toward National Board Teacher Certification. Mrs. Duncan, Ms. Spence, and Mrs. Hardig are all starting this very rigorous process that will further excellence in their individual teaching. Part of this year long preparation for evaluation by a national board of teaching experts is video taping lessons and then assessing them them as they meet certain criteria. Ms. Duncan has completed two of her video tapes so far!

Back in Business

2009-11-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

November has flown by and I can't believe we are only three weeks away from the holiday break! My blogging has suffered a bit with all the events with family and school but I will do my best to bring you back up to speed before we leave each other again! First order of business - our new little grandson is growing, growing, growing and is more precious every day. He and his Pop had a very serious discussion while everyone else was cleaning up after dinner during the Thanksgiving break. He definitely has that "look" of wisdom - if only Pop could read his mind!

The Adventures of Blue Flame

2009-10-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

A dastardly plot is afoot in the quiet town of Rabbleville. It seems as though The Jokester is in town and using natural gas unwisely. And he wants everyone to do this same! Mayor Babble is frantic and there’s only one thing left to do! It’s time to call Rabbleville’s resident secret superhero! The Blue Flame! This past Monday, all students at American Renaissance Elementary were treated to an outstanding performance of The Adventures of Blue Flame with the National Children's Theatre actors, David and Ryan. The purpose of this presentation was to stress the importance of natural gas as an energy source that we must work to conserve. As The Blue Flame said, "Natural Gas, Make It Last!" Students learned how natural gas is produced in nature, how we use it in our everyday lives, what measures we can take to conserve it, and what to do if there is a gas leak nearby. This production was sponsored by PSNC Energy.

He's Here!!

2009-10-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

We're tickled to announce the arrival of our new grandson, Connor Douglas, named for my husband, Doug:) He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. He was so sweet to make his grand entrance on a teacher work day/weekend so that his Mommom and Pop could spend time with him and big brother, Landon. While Connor and his Mommie were in the hospital, Landon kept us entertained with Thomas the Train, his many Nemo friends, and, of course, his favorite CARS characters. Never a dull moment with our little Landon! We are so blessed to have these two little boys in our lives!

Let's Go to the County Fair!

2009-10-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Where do the firemen sleep?

2009-10-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our kindergartners recently made a trip to the fire department and learned all about a fireman's life - where they eat, sleep, and wait for the call. After the trip Ms. Spence explains to her class the meaning of the Maltese cross as a symbol for all firefighters. Students at American Renaissance Elementary have the good fortune of visiting many local agencies during the school year since they are just a short walk away. We so appreciate the cooperative efforts of our neighbors - the fire department, the post office, the Sweet Shop, the Chamber of Commerce, and so many more - in expanding and enhancing our educational program each and every day.

A Sample of Smiles

2009-10-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

Biomes Anyone?

2009-10-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

What's the best way to learn about BIOMES? Why making a game, of course! Mrs. Smith's fifth graders spent hours and hours creating these master pieces to try and trip up their classmates. From all appearances, everyone was a winner!

My Grands

2009-10-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have to brag a little and give you a glimpse of how my new grandbabies are doing! My daughter Kristen (on the right) is the mother of our grandson Landon and obviously, his little brother will be arriving any day now. Karen's little boy will be here in February! Landon is really looking forward to having some team mates to play soccer and basketball. My husband and I are so excited and can't wait to take our three rambunctious grandboys fishing and hiking in the mountains!

Science Scenery

2009-10-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Come and take a look at all the fabulous science projects that our fourth and fifth graders have created during their study of animal adaptations and ecosystems. Here are a couple of sneak previews:

The Nurse is IN

2009-10-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Cook is keeping busy taking temperatures, checking for red throats, and listening to those annoying coughs. Our students have been doing a great job remembering to cover mouths and wash hands regularly. So far we have been able to dodge the flu "bullet" since our absentee rates have been fairly normal for this time of year. Thanks to Mrs. Cook for keeping us up to speed on flu education and taking care of all our aggravating symptoms.

Say CHEESE

2009-10-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Today is Picture Day and it's pouring rain!! It seems as though this has been the weather for the last 3-4 years on Picture Day at American Renaissance Elementary! This morning in car line all the hair styles were gorgeous and our students' favorite outfits looked so nice and neat...we hope that their school pictures show all the special time and effort spent in preparation at home this morning! The good news is that we elected to keep the photographer on site. The children were able to keep their special hairstyles in place and dry since we didn't have to walk across the street to the church!

The Techno Sisters

2009-10-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Gay and Mrs. Shipman are our local "techno wizards" this year as the designers of our brand new digital newsletter, The Bookworm. Once a month they collaborate, cut and paste, and create this outstanding addition to our home-school communication. I love sitting in my office listening to their problem-solving, their giggles when they find a cute picture or piece of clip art, and their total concentration and determination to get it right. Many thanks to Mrs. Gay and Mrs. Shipman for taking on this special project!

Enriching Lives

2009-10-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

One of our fourth grade enrichment classes recently partnered with a kindergarten class to make bagged lunches for our neighbors at Fifth Street Ministries. They worked together to make and wrap ham and cheese sandwiches as well as other nutritious lunch items. Then they actually delivered the lunches and were treated to a tour of this brand new facility. We are so proud of our students and teachers who constantly search for ways to give back to our local community. Our children learn what community service means through hands-on activities just like this one on a regular basis at ARS!

NEOs are Nifty!

2009-10-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

On Friday, September 25th, our entire staff attended a Webinar (a workshop actually conducted through the internet!) to learn more about our NEO word processors. We discovered that there are many more ways we can use these "mini computers" in our daily work. Up until now we have used the NEO's just for Accelerated Reader, but we discovered last week that we can use them for word processing, as a thesaurus, and we can even "beam" files from one NEO to another! Our teachers will be teaching students all these new possibilities in the near future!

Why Come to School?

2009-10-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

Most students at American Renaissance Elementary recently viewed President Obama's speech on the importance of getting a good education. From Kindergartners to Fifth Graders the message came through loud and clear - stay in school! After the speech, teachers led discussions that reviewed the main ideas in the speech. Students shared their thoughts with confidence and understanding. This speech helped them focus on the importance of getting a good night's sleep, eating healthy foods, studying hard, and challenging themselves. They also discussed achievable goals such as getting a college education or attending a special school to study their career choices. Our students provided so many thoughtful reflections but one student shared an extra special thought: "We all need to encourage each other." In my view, without this critical piece in the "school success puzzle," we would accomplish little. Why do we come to school? We come to learn, to learn how to learn, and we come to be affirmed in the possibilities of our individual strengths and gifts.

ARES Artistry

2009-10-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Over the past month our students have been busy creating master pieces in art and core classes. Some created Class Quilts to represent unity and team work. Mrs. McCachren's classes created Mandala's to "capture the moment," recycle sculptures to raise our awareness of the many items we can use over and over again, and more recently, wire art. Ms. Munday's K-1 students studied the line designs of Joseph Stella using special markers and water. Mr. Powers students looked at various careers in the field of art such as: carpenters, car designers, photographers, carpet designers, and portrait artists, and then they drew designs and careers of their choice. At the moment they are recreating Van Gogh's "Starry Night." ARES students are busy practicing their talents in so many ways every day!

Learning Challenges Update

2009-10-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

Our fourth graders are finishing up their unit on disabilities soon. This study has helped our students realize that we all have challenges that we face each day - many different kinds that require all sorts of accomodations. One student asked the teachers to allow him to share how his own learning disability affected his approach to school. What a courageous gesture! Many thanks to Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Spicer for developing this unit for our students. What they are learning here will stay with them throughout their lives and enable them to empathize as well as relate to the feelings of others.

Smith and Johnson Jammin'

2009-09-22T03:06:00.000-07:00

We have THE BEST Special Ed. staff on the planet! Mrs. Smith and our new EC teacher, Ms. Johnson work with teachers to find the learning formula that works for every student here at American Renaissance Elementary! Together they bring us nearly 50 years of experience and expertise! Their compassion for their work is rare. Their guidance and determination in educating teachers as well as parents provide our students with opportunities for success at every turn. We LOVE this team!

Dynamic Duo at ARELEM

2009-09-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Mr. Fowler's first field trip for Fourth and Fifth graders was a huge success. The Allison Woods reinactment had so many amazing learning opportunities in spite of the drizzle and mud!

Ms. Duncan is gung-ho about science for our Second and Third Graders! She is also helping with K.A.R.E., heading up a running club in cooperation with middle school staff members, and working on National Board Certification. She is busy, busy, busy!

K.A.R.E. Cares!

2009-09-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

On a recent Saturday, our Kids Alliance for Renewing the Environment had a great time making compost bins.

We have lots of budding carpenters at American Renaissance Elementary!

Our worms are very happy campers!

Classroom Glimpses

2009-09-18T10:04:00.001-07:00

As I have visited classrooms over the past couple of weeks, I've seen lots of fascinating activities. Here are a few examples of how American Renaissance Elementary students spend their time at school:

Fifth Graders learn African drumming techniques. Quinton is really a master already!

Third Graders are reading Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. Would YOU drink this crazy concoction: grape juice, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, juice from one lemon, pepper and salt, ketchup, olive oil, and a speck of onion...The faster you drink it, the faster you get FRECKLES (just like MsDr. Frey!)

Mr. DeLamatre's enrichment math cinquains are fabulous! Here are a few:

Math
Cool, difficult, fun
Demanding, interesting, confusing
We all need math
Learn
by Kaden and Elijah

Pi
Unlimited, decimal
Challenging, dividing, multiplying
It's part of math
Geometry
by Addison, Dawson, Claudia, RJ

Square
Rigid, uniform
Interesting, equaling, conforming
A square is a quadrilateral
Rectangle
by Jelani

Mrs. Munguia's SmartBoard integrates Hispanic cultural history video and audio as well as practice with vocabulary and conversation.

Mrs. Shaginaw teaches letter sounds using touch, sight, hearing and signing. This way, EVERYONE learns!

Flat Stanley is off on all kinds of adventures once again as Ms. Overcash's students send their friends to neighbors all over the world! (Including my Navy recruit stationed in Great Lakes, Illinois!)

Mrs. Duncan's second graders are learning about making hypotheses. Will this object float or sink? What is density? Why do some objects float and not others? You can try this experiment at home in the bathtub or kitchen sink!

Mr. Fowler's enrichment students are practicing writing and following directions with step-by-step Monster Art. I wonder if the second Monster will resemble the first?

Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Spicer are teaching a unit on disabilities by reading The Summer of Swans by Betsy Byers. Students are inviting friends with various disabilities and handicaps to come and speak to the classes about their special challenges and celebrations.

AR Elementary 2009-10 Begins!

2009-09-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

A new school year always brings me such joy! I love greeting parents, grandparents and children and renewing the bonds that bring us back to each other each August. American Renaissance Elementary is a special place and I am very proud to call her my professional home.

Open House night finally arrived and our new school year was a GO! It was so much fun to see our families once again – lots of happy faces and students who were obviously eager to come back to school. The first three half days of school were filled with exciting activities. Second graders practiced walking to the house, 2-3 and 4-5 students enjoyed team building games at Statesville’s brand new Fitness Center, K-1 students learned to “follow the yellow arrows” to find their way to the dismissal area, and so much more. This year we spent the first full week of school focusing on building classroom communities with special activities in each grade level. Our 2-3 teachers introduced “Morning Meetings” which will be integrated with AR time each morning. Children will share special celebrations, express concerns, and practice social skills during this ten minute community time. Our 4-5 graders will participate in “Class Meetings” once a week with the same emphasis. Our school focus this year is, obviously, building positive relationships. With a strong foundation of skills that enhance collaboration and cooperation, as well as raise awareness and practice of empathy, integrity, and support, increased excellence in academics will naturally follow. We want all our students at American Renaissance Elementary to be thoughtful and compassionate classmates and, at the same time, reach their highest academic potential.

Quote of the Week

2009-09-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

A Kindergartner strolled into my office the other day and announced – "Hey! Did you know I’m five now?? I said, "No, I thought you were 10!" He replied, "No! I got rid of four and now I’m on five!"

Inside the Classroom

2009-09-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

During the first days of school I observed some fabulous activities. Your children were learning all about how to be a good team member, found out their individual learning style, got to know their classmates interests and strengths by completing the activity, What’s Your Talent Quotient – based of Gardner’s 7 Intelligences, etc., and practiced collaboration skills. I observed: The Cooperation Evaluation - after a team building exercise, students evaluated themselves on how well they cooperated with team mates, students collaborating on designing a Class Quilt, and students completing a survey called the Common Characteristics Scavenger Hunt. For this activity students were asked to find classmates who shared characteristics such as: Do you have freckles? Do you wear glasses? Have you ever traveled outside the US? Do you have sisters/brothers?, etc. I saw students working in pairs to get through the Blind and Sighted Obstacle Course - one child had his eyes closed and the other was the guide.

During an enrichment class I observed a brainstorming session on "What do you want to learn about?" Students offered suggestions like - How is sand made?, How do you teach someone to ride a bike?, How do you make bread? In another, the students were writing poetry using math terms! In a kindergarten class students were learning about self-discipline and taking responsibility for our actions by watching parts of The Wizard of Oz!

MsDr. Frey's Summer Highlights

2009-09-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

The best parts of my summer were: eating Blue Crab on our cabin deck in the WNC mountains, watching hummingbirds feast on the nectar I provided them every day I was there, floating in the warm lake as often as possible, fishing for bass and blue gill – my husband and I always have a contest – who catches the first, the last, the biggest and the most – he was the big winner this time (they just didn’t like my worms for some reason!), and picking a total of 3 gallons of blackberries in early July and freezing them for winter Blackberry Cobbler. I also loved practicing my photograhing skills, playing with my grandson (he caught his first fish in June!) and reading two great books - Outliers and The Birth Order Book.

Parent Work Day

2009-08-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

Our Parent Work Day on August 15th was proof that our little “village” of teachers, parents, and friends were determined to be ready for Open House! Our biggest challenge was spreading the mulch in our playground. In the heat of August this was especially difficult, but our TEAM got it done!

Getting Ready

2009-08-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

Weeks before our students arrived, our administrators and contractors were busy preparing the building for the new school year. Two additional classrooms and an office space for our associates have been added to enhance instruction and work space. Mrs. Gay worked on designing the new areas so that they would blend in with the old. I think we can all agree that she did a fabulous job!

As our first day of school drew closer, staff members participated in professional development activities that served to spark that special excitement for a new school year. Believe it or not teachers get more excited than students and yearn for the BIG DAY to arrive! Over the summer our elementary staff read the book, Classroom Management Strategies That Work by Carol Cummings. Chocked full of great techniques to engage all learners in cooperative learning activities, practicing responsibility, and building up self-discipline and self-confidence, this book has literally changed the way we teach.