"We need to be smart."

Excitement is high here! I guess it is most weeks, but this week I have been especially aware of it.

There was a Pre K trip to pick apples. K-1's wondered why spiders don't stick to their own webs - and they did an experiment with sticky tape and oil on their fingers to do some testing. 7th grade Spanish class is translating a menu and planning a trip to a Mexican restaurant. The soccer team is planning an exhibition game for Monday at 4 PM. Come!! In Assembly, 4 duos from health class performed raps or poems about the human body - Wow! They were great!

We launched our new on-line newsletter! I think it looks wonderful and reads well. We want your feedback so we can improve as we go. I thought the contrast was a little low on the text, and the pictures a little small - what do you think?

Middle School teachers launched a website for information about social studies, language arts, math, science and art. There are homework assignments and photos. Please check it out! The link is on this page under Parker Links - Middle School.

The teachers have a goal this year to each communicate via email newsletters, blogs, or websites. The life of the school is now being sent out there is so many ways. I will try to link it all to this blog.

Bob Carey, Vice President of Resettlement at the International Rescue Committee spoke to both middle school students and to teachers and parents on Wednesday. He is a college friend of mine and came to Albany just to speak here. He headed off to Washington after his presentation to meet with the State Department as chair of the Refugee Council USA - a group that coordinates all the refugee agencies in the US.

His talk and video clips were riveting. The problems of refugees around the world came into much better focus for all of us. We heard the stories of individuals and now their plight and struggles have a personal face.

4-5's were wondering why this year they have math every day of the week - in particular Fridays. Cade said, "If we want to expand the circle of caring, we need to be smart!" That is it, exactly.