The Agony of Defeat

So for those of you who haven't heard yet....Rory was the winner of our checkers tournament.  I'd like to say that it was a close match, but he had me on the run the whole time.  As many of you know, Rory and I have been spending our recess time lately playing checkers and it has turned into a sort of grudge match...friendly of course.  I have played a lot of checkers against a lot of fourth graders, but I have officially met my match.  During our recess matches, I have held a slight lead, coming from two games down.  It is because of this that I officially challenged Rory to a best of three tournament to be played during our game time at our holiday celebration.  The stage was set....I was ready to send the message that I am the Checkers Champion of the Universe.  Apparently, I am not. 

As is my way, I try to look at the outcomes of events in my life and see what I can learn from them to improve myself as a person.  Here is what I learned today:
1.  Never challenge Rory to checkers.
2.  How to win gracefully.

Even though I did not win today, I learned a valuable lesson from Rory in how to win like a true champ.  After Rory delivered his final blows to my poor little checkers pieces,  he naturally celebrated and showed his excitement....as he should have.  It was how he did this that impressed me the most because it was all good natured.  It was at that moment that I was actually a little thankful that I didn't win, because I probably would have done something like "IN YOUR FACE, RORY!" and then proceed to get everyone's attention and make an announcement of my victory.  Boy, would I have looked stupid.  So today, I learned a valuable lesson, and for that I am very thankful to Rory.  You are a great kid, a great opponent, and a fantastic winner.  Well done, my friend!
On a different note, I would like to send an enormous "thank you" to everyone for the incredibly thoughtful gifts I received today.  From beautifully decorated cards, beaded bookmark, delicious cookies, picture frames, books, and even a note box made from elephant poo, I am truly appreciative.  By the way, the elephant poo note box is an awesome example of how to reduce and reuse!  My new Jack cookie jar has found it's place; safe in my kitchen where no cats or children can cause it harm.  And Rory, if you're reading this, your gift is under my tree, where I said I would keep it until Christmas Day.

Big thanks to all the families who were able to join us in our celebration and made the day even more special.  You are an awesome group of parents and I thank you for teaching your children to be equally awesome!

Thanks again to everyone and as this will more than likely be my last post of the year...I wish all of you a very safe and happy holiday.  Enjoy every minute with your loved ones and be sure to let them know how important they are to you.

King me,
Mr. Fletcher

How Cool Was That?

One thing I love about running the spotlight for Mrs. Hoyt's concerts is that I get to stand back and take it all in.  I may have one of the best seats in the house!  Last night's concert was fantastic.  You ALL looked absolutely incredible and as always, I am amazed at your talents.  You made your families very proud....and your teacher!  If there were any backstage "butterflies" it certainly didn't show, as the way you presented yourselves as musicians, both vocally and instrumentally was inspiring.  If you are already this good, I can't wait to see what you have instore for the spring concert!  Great Job!


Shining a spotlight,
Mr. Fletcher

Me and My BIG Mouth

It's not a huge secret that one of my biggest pet peeves is seeing cars with wreaths on the front of them during the holidays.  It is even more annoying in April.  I apologize to any of you reading this if you adorn your vehicles with wreaths during the holidays.  Personally, I'm not a fan.  So imagine my delight (horror) as I looked out my classroom window this afternoon and saw this:

That's right...my sweet, innocent, little Element, who has never hurt a fly was accosted by some "elfishly" clever practical joker.  In case you are wondering, those are indeed antlers and a red nose, in addition to the lovely wreath on the front.  I guess I have been asking for it.  I'm kind of surprised it has taken this long.

So to my funny friend who so graciously decorated my ride.....I'm watching.  And plotting.  Well played, whoever you are!

As of right now I am declaring a new pet peeve........I absolutely hate it when people give me hundred dollar bills!  (Hopefully some will come my way now)

.

'Tis the Season,
Mr. Fletcher

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might

In the spirit of the season, let's take some time and share some of our favorite things about the holidays that we celebrate.  I'm sure we each have some special traditions or things that we enjoy the most this time of year.  Maybe it is the thrill of the hunt for that elusive item you want to get for someone.  Maybe it is the time that you get to spend with family and loved ones you only see this time of year.  Whatever it is, take a moment and share it with us.  Here is mine:

When I was growing up (and still to this day) we had a kind of ritual on Christmas day where my family and I each opened one present at a time.  We would pass out the gifts under the tree to each person and then we would go around in a circle so everyone knew who the gift was from and what the gift was that we were opening.  Each person would open one gift and then the next person would go and then so on.  When I was a kid, it was absolutely tortuous.  I just wanted to rip into my gifts as quickly as possible.  As I got older, I really began to appreciate this tradition when I realized how excited I got when someone opened a present that was from me.  I was able to watch their reaction (good or bad) and feel that rush or excitement you get  when that gift you are so proud of giving is finally received.

It is a tradition that I plan on carrying on in my own family as my children get older.  It gives you a chance to thank the giver on the spot and gives you the gift of someone thanking you.

If you don't do this in your family, I say try it for one year and see if you notice a difference.  I certainly have.

Looking forward to your traditions,
Mr. Fletcher

Picking Myself Up and Dusting Myself Off

This past week has been kind of a rough one.  As I shared with the kids in class, I received some not so great news last week.  Last Friday I found out that I did not make the cut to become a Nationally Board Certified Teacher.  In the field of teaching, this is a pretty prestigious title to hold and it is in no way an easy process to become one.  I spent the better part of a year preparing portfolio entries and studying for a test in order to achieve this honor.  When I found out that I didn't certify, I was pretty upset...more sad and disappointed than anything else because the work I put into this was extensive and what I considered to be my best.  I was then forced to think about this:  What do you do when your best isn't good enough?  My next reaction went to anger as I couldn't believe that the National Board powers that be decided to release scores less than a week before Thanksgiving.  My next thought...what do I have to be thankful for?  It was this question that immediately reminded me how insignificant this event actually is in my life.

If I am to truly believe that everything happens for a reason, perhaps not passing my certification this time around was a blessing in disguise.  Here's a list of reasons why:
1.  The process is not completely over for me....I still have two more chances.
2.  I don't need this certification to keep my job.  This is a challenge that I presented to myself to practice what I preach to my students about not settling or being afraid to take on new things no matter the difficulty.
3.  There are some people who look at the requirements to become Board certified and decide on the spot no to do it.  I, at least took the chance...even if the first outcome wasn't what I hoped for.
4.  If at first you don't succeed, try and try again; which is exactly what I intend to do.

Later on in the day last Friday, I found out that there was a serious car accident on the road that my in-laws live on involving three teenagers, and one of them was killed.  My thoughts about my Thanksgiving being ruined became absolutely ridiculous, especially when you think about Thanksgiving this year for the parents of the girl that was killed.

I have a million things to be thankful for this year for Thanksgiving and every other day of the year.
Three of them are:

Perhaps I needed to fail this time to remind me what's truly important.

Make every minute count with your family this Thanksgiving.  Feel free to leave some comments and share what you are Thankful for...everyday, not just on Thanksgiving.

Not certified and fine with it,
Mr. Fletcher

How's it going, Avery?

It has been one week since our good friend Avery switched schools.  It is definitely different without her and we miss that huge smile!  Let's check in with Avery and see how things are going for her at WAJ.  We are so lucky that we will have a friend to help introduce us to some new ones when we go to Ashokan in June.  We miss you, Avery and hope you're having a great time at your new school. 

Keep Smiling,
Mr. Fletcher

Do Gooders

At a conference I attended over the summer, I learned about a site called freerice.com.  This is a site where people can answer some basic knowledge questions in a wide variety of areas.  It has been on my list of suggested sites to check out since the day I found out about it, but nothing has really been done with it.  As I was teaching the group this year how to navigate through the site to find old postings or other sites to visit.  It was during this time that I was reintroduced to freerice and showed the kids how to use it.  Everyone was immediately hooked and in about ten days, as a class, we have already donated over 12,000 grains of rice.  This is a pretty amazing number since you get ten grains for every correct answer you give and the time we have had to spend on the site has been minimal.  While I think it is awesome, to watch the excitement and intensity the kids approach the site with, what has been even more heart warming is that the kids are visiting this site when they have their own choice for computer time.  How cool is that, spending indoor recess doing something to help out someone less fortunate or in need.  Keep up the great work everybody!  Perhaps we can set a goal and a celebration for when we reach one million grains!


Upside down like a gravitron,
Mr. Fletcher

Don't Forget Us!

Miss Berger has promised to check in with us and let us know how she is doing at her new placement.  Let's leave her some questions or words of encouragement for her to reply to!

Do You Miss Me Yet?

Hi Everyone!

I know you all have had a great week with Miss Berger and I would like to hear all about it!  What's been going on?  What have you been learning?  While this solo week is an incredibly important time for Miss Berger on her path to becoming a teacher, I can't help but miss your smiling faces!  Take some time to fill me in on everything that has been going on with you that you would like to share.  Give Miss Berger some feeback about how you think this week has been going.  Before you know it, we'll have to say goodbye to her.  Let's use this opportunity to catch up with each other and share all the positive things that have been happening in the class this week!  I can't wait to read and respond to your comments!

Talk to you soon,
Mr. Fletcher

Ordering Online From Scholastic 2010 - 2011

Online Ordering Information


Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs

Class Activation Code: GNRZW



Dear Parent,



There’s no time to lose! In order to make our deadline and have all our books arrive on time, your order to Scholastic Book Clubs is due by the date shown above.



Use the order form in the flyer your child recently brought home and return it to me with your payment right away!



Or, make it easy and send me your order online!



Go to www.scholastic.com/bookclubs and log in using your user name and password.



If it’s your first time ordering online, use the Class Activation Code shown above to get started

SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Don’thave a user name or password?“ link, then register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This code ensures that your order is sent to me.





SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers.





SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to my classroom.

Ordering online is fast and easy!



Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.





Thank you!

Makin' New Friends Along the Way....

I'd like to send a big "Thank You" to everyone who was able to make it to Open House last night.  It was a fantastic turn out and for that I am truly thankful.  Your presence at these types of events speaks volumes about the involvement you have in your child's education!  Based on last night, I'd say I have some pretty lucky kids.  Thank you for the more than kind words of support, encouragement, and praise....they are truly appreciated and meaningful....despite how much I try to take the attention off of myself!  This year has gotten off to an amazing start and Open House last night gives me a strong feeling that many, many, more good things are to come.  Thanks again for a great night!

Keep in touch,
Mr. Fletcher

6 Hours and 40 Minutes

That is the amount of time that your child spends in school each day. This is also the topic that I am going to speak about the most at tonight's open house (here's a preview for those of you who are followers already and attending tonight). Six hours and forty minutes is a lot of time. When you think about it, your child may in fact spend more time here at school than awake at home with you. Let's do some math:

6hrs. 40min. is only the time in the building, we also need to add time on the bus if your child is not brought to school. If we allow thirty minutes travel time each way that is another hour and brings us to 7hrs. 40 min. Perhaps your child is involved in early morning art or music. You would need to add another hour which would bring your total to 8hrs. 40min.

If you let me use 7:00 a.m. as the time that your child gets up in the morning, that would give you one hour of awake time with your child. Let's say that your child arrives home from school at 4:00 p.m. and goes to bed at 9:00 p.m.. That gives you a total of five more hours with your child awake, bringing your total to 6 hours of awake time with your child. Please adjust the times accordingly to fit your lives. The point is this....where does your child spend more time awake? For most of you the answer will be here at school.

This fact determines many of my classroom policies. For example, homework. If we examine that five hours you have when your child gets home, how much of that time is spent doing homework? In my opinion, that time should be spent with you enjoying each other's company. This is why I will explain my homework policy as follows:

#1. NEVER spend more than 45 minutes on homework. NEVER! Yes, your child may have homework most nights, but my belief is that it should never be anything more than what can be completed in 45 minutes or less. I give the kids plenty of assignments and tasks in school that I use to assess them with on a daily basis. In addition, I give the students numerous times throughout the day to work on their homework assignments and complete most, if not all of it. What I ask is that students do not turn an assignment in until the next day so that if it is completed in school, you still get to look it over with him/her before it gets handed in.

If your child does come home with work and is struggling, please don't let them stress out all night. If he/she has put in a full and honest 45 minutes, stop them and write me a note on the assignment letting me know that the task was difficult and then I am able to address the problem during our support time here in school.

The numbers speak for themselves. Your child spends so much time with me that the last thing I want to do is invade or take away from the precious time that you have with your child. After all, I am a parent myself and I know firsthand how crazy things can get during the evening hours.

What I ask of you in return is that you spend that time I am not taking up with your child. Use it. Ask them about their day. Check in and see if everything is good with their friends. Tell them a joke and make them laugh. Use the time and enjoy your child being nine and ten years old...it will never happen again. Get them involved in something they enjoy without any pressure.

Other Policies:

#2 Let's be on the same side. Could you imagine how miserable your child would be if the place they spend the most time awake is a place they hate being? As your child's teacher, I ask for your help, support, and understanding. I have the safety and well being of fourteen little faces to think about each day....I am only one person. Your support is essential if I am to do everything I possibly can to make your child's fourth grade experience a positive one. If there is ever a problem, question, concern, please bring it directly to me first. Nothing is worse than finding out about a problem after it has been discussed with numerous other people and usually blown out of proportion. Feel free to email me at anytime. This is the easiest and fastest way to reach me.

#3. Have fun.

#4. Be involved.

Many thanks to all of you who are able to attend open house tonight. I look forward to seeing you all!

You should look as good as your outlook,
Mr. Fletcher

Sugar Maples 2010

What a fantastic day! We were able once again to visit Sugar Maples under the direction of the AMAZING RitaMary Vining to design and paint reusable canvas bags. The weather couldn't have been better and Miss Rita treated us to an absolutely fantastic day. The purpose of this trip was to kick of a BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag campaign to promote reusable shopping bags as an alternative to plastic or paper bags. Each student designed a bag with a positive environmental message to help spread the word and encourage others to BYOB.

Reflections on Peace

On Tuesday, September 21, 2010, we celebrated the International Day of Peace. Besides creating and planting pinwheels for this celebration, the students also created some works of art and poetry inspired by peace. For these poems, students were asked to think about peace in a variety of different ways. The first line of the poem required students to think of how peace feels. The second line describes where they are when they feel peace. The third line describes what they are doing when they feel peace. The last line is reasons for being peaceful. This is a pretty simple format for any of you to follow just in case you would like to take a minute and think about peace in your life. Enjoy!

Peace Out,
Mr. Fletcher

Quiet, nice, relaxing
In bed, outside, home
Drawing, watching t.v. playing video games
Be calm, relax, be silent
By Cody


Calm, quiet, happy
In the woods, at a waterfall, at home
Swimming, writing, reading
For family, for animals, for friends
By Jessica


Great, nice, calm
At school, at home, not at home
Skateboarding, snowboarding, doing math
To help people, make people happy,
By Lee


Happy, nice, relaxed
Home, outside, with toys
Sleeping, playing my flute, drawing
By Abby


Calm, peaceful, relaxed
At home, at the farm, at Grandma’s
Playing with my cats, riding horses, coloring
For friendship, for the environment, for the nation
By Heather


Relaxed, calm quiet
In classroom, near water, with family
Playing with dog, with friends, hiking
For friendship, working together, for animals
By Avery


Nice, happy, peaceful
Outside in my front yard, with my dad
Having a catch, playing baseball, playing with my dog
For friendship, for citizenship for the Earth
By Chris


Nice, quiet, calm
With my friends, home, outside
Playing with my friends, being with animals, being with family
For animals, for family, for friends
By Aurora


Happy, nice, peaceful
Home, school, in bed
Playing, drawing, listening
For people, for friendship, for peace
By Rory


Relaxed, nice, happy
Home, outside, my grandparents’ house
Playing football, playing Monopoly, laying on my bed
For family, for friends, for cooperation
By Jeremy


Quiet, relaxed, calm
Outside, home, in my fort
Being outside, playing with my cats, being with family
For the environment, for animals, for friends
By Kamryn


Happy, grateful, relaxed
With my family, at friends house, in my bedroom
With Justin, drawing a picture, reading a book
For caring, for friendship, for feeling
By Logan


Quiet, calm, nice, relaxed
Snowboarding, BMXing, skateboarding
Playing football, playing video games, swimming
By Hunter


Calm, relaxed, fun
At home, outside, living room
Dancing, watching t.v., being with animals
For friendship, for caring, for thankfulness
By Riley

Let's Get This Show on the Road!

So, here it is. Today I am officially letting my little blog grow up and releasing it into the world. When I first created it last year, I had intended it only to be a small, low key place for the kids to share work and ideas. What I'm realizing is that if I am to convince the kids that their writing and their words do have power, then I need to provide an audience for them. That's why today I am officially launching my campaign to get 100 followers on my blog...currently we are up to ten (welcome to Logan and her family!!!). What a great place for the kids to have their work read by people from all over the world! I encourage you to sign up and become a follower, if you enjoy reading and participating....SPREAD THE WORD AND SHARE THE SITE WITH OTHERS!
All the security measures I have in place will stay the same. No one will be able to post anything or comment on anything without my approval. This may seem like a violation of free speech, but I am looking out for the best interests of my past, present, and future students. I will do my best to approve any comments that are made, but I will not allow anything that is disrespectful, harmful, or mean spirited to be read by the students. This isn't the place for that. What this is the place for is to encourage young minds to share their thoughts and give feedback that will help them to grow and become good people.
A blog is nothing without comments so please leave some. They are what start conversations and creative thinking.

To my faithful followers who jumped on at the beginning....a big Thank You and prepare yourself for some company!

Here we go.....ten and counting,

Mr. Fletcher

Will They Stand Their Ground?

This year and throughout your life you will make new friends. Making new friends is one of the best feelings in the world....for most people. Take some time to think about who you are as a person. Are you the same person you always are around a new friend, or do you find that your personality takes on that of the person you are around? If that is the case, why do you think that is? Making new friends is a wonderful opportunity to be introduced to new things, people, and ideas. What is important to consider is that through out this process you need to remember not to lose yourself. Is a new friend really worth losing your own identity? If someone is your friend because of something they think you are...is it worth having them as a friend? What if you are in a group of friends...is it hard to keep track of which "version" of yourself you need to be? Let people get to know the real you...the ones who stick around will be the ones that will appreciate you the most.

You should look as good as your outlook,
Mr. Fletcher

Truth and Beauty

Today I was introduced to these two amazing videos. Please watch them in order and then feel free to share your thoughts! I will warn you ahead of time that each video does show some graphic images of what is unfortunately a part of everyday life for many people.

Just Sayin....

(you can click on the image to see more clearly in another screen!)

Food for thought,

Mr. Fletcher

Ode to Francine

A special date is fast approaching. Almost a year ago, in a small shop in downtown Boston, I looked up and laid eyes on one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Her name is Francine and I love her deeply. For the past year, Francine has been my constant companion and source of hydration. Some people have taken to teasing me about Francine because of her pinkish hue and flowers. I say those are the things that make her special. It's true that I could have chosen a more masculine looking bottle, but none of them spoke to me like Francine did. There is something about that skeletal face that makes me smile. To the teasers, I simply reply with the age old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Luckily for me, public opinion is no longer a concern of mine (See last blog posting)!

What is so great about Francine is that thanks to her, I have gone an entire year without purchasing a plastic water bottle. Before I leave the house, Francine visits the ice dispenser on the refrigerator and is then filled with some delicious water straight from the well. I have even attached a clip in the car....a car seat of sorts...just for her.

Happy Anniversary Francine. I look forward to a long life together!

Dear Francine,

Thank you for keeping me hydrated and healthy. Because of you I am taking a small step to do my part to protect this planet while looking good and feeling great at the same time. Hopefully your presence with me has inspired others to follow our lead. I am deeply sorry about the number of dents you have received. Rather than dents ...let's call them scars, for each one has a story of how it was inflicted and just adds to what makes you the delightful soul you are. I think they make you look tough.

Find your own Francine,

Mr. Fletcher

Clear Blue Morning

Yesterday I went into Jacob's bedroom and was greeted with, "Good Morning Daddy! It's a beautiful day!" The day outside was anything but beautiful...dark clouds and humid, what you might call a dreary day. What that made me realize was that Jacob wasn't talking about the weather, but rather what the possibilities were for the day. It seems all too often that we base our description of the day based on the weather, rather than what lies in store.

A wise man once said, "Don't ever let your mind stop you from having a good time." These are words I am currently trying my best to live by. We've all heard people say that famous quote that goes "I don't care what anyone else says/thinks of me!" What I've come to realize is that people who make that statement tend to care what others think more than anyone else. I know this because I used to be this way. I constantly found myself missing out on some incredibly fun opportunities because I was more concerned with what people around me might say or think of me. What a waste! I now try to approach life like my three year old son does. When a good song comes on....get up and dance with everything you've got. Even if you are in the middle of an aisle at Wal Mart. Who cares? Have fun and enjoy every minute of it.

I will admit that this journey of mine is not an easy one. I'm still quite uncomfortable doing a lot of things in public (singing) but I realize it is going to take a lot of time to reprogram myself inorder to get back to a simpler, more care free existence.

Laugh as much as possible. Be able to laugh at yourself. Laugh with others, but not at the expense of someone else. Don't be the reason that someone let's go of their spirit and becomes worried about the reaction of others.

Dear Jacob,
Thank you for helping me to see the world in a whole new light everyday. Thank you for being an awesome big brother and showing Chase how to enjoy life. You make me smile and proud to be your dad. Be sure to always dance in the aisles and encourage others to do so as well. Should people ever laugh at you.....think about who is having more fun...and dance harder. I love you.


Leap and the net will appear,
Mr. Fletcher

How do you sound?

My day at school started today with getting out of my car and hearing one student loudly tell another student to "shut up" as they got off the bus. I was immediately disappointed and realized how much more that kind of talk bothers me now than it once did. Perhaps it is because I have children of my own now and it would sadden me if one of my children was on the receiving end of that "shut up," or even worse, the person saying it. This made me think of the power our words have. I don't think for a second that there was any kind of tension between these two students because they walked in together laughing. I think this phrase was used simply as a conversational joke between two friends. What bothered me was how it sounded to someone who wasn't part of their conversation or friendship. I now wonder, in all my loudness, how I may sound to people who pass by our classroom or even in other public places. I guess it is like being in a mall or other situation with young people who are cursing. I immediately get angry when I hear foul language being used and my children or other people's children are in hearing distance. I'm not even as angry as I am embarrassed because I now know how ridiculous and offensive I sounded when I was their age. I don't necessarily have a point with all of this, other than to remember to choose your words appropriately and think about how you may sound to people who aren't part of your conversation. Learn from the mistakes of others and save yourself any public embarrassment.

Speak kindly,
Mr. Fletcher

My Broken-Hearted Little Blog

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry you've become so neglected lately. My hopes and dreams for you have slowly dwindled as I watch you get passed over for video games and love tests. I have done you wrong by not keeping up with you as much as I would like and for becoming discouraged with the choices my students make with their free time. My fear has come true and you have become the crazy old lady on top of the hill with a hundred cats that no one ever visits. For that the fault is mine and mine alone. You do not write yourself. It is I who make you what you are and if I want people to visit you....there should be a reason to visit. It is now that I will renew my vows with you and promise to update you more regularly, even if it just with a line or two to remind you how important you are to me.

Much love,
Mr. Fletcher

Open House at the Ashokan Center

On April 24th, the Ashokan Center will be holding an open house to celebrate Earth Day. There is no charge for admission and some great activities are planned. If you would like to go and check out what Ashokan is all about before our trip, this would be a great opportunity.

Here is the link for all the information:
http://www.ashokancenter.org/earth/index.html

Have Fun,
Mr. Fletcher

It's Almost Time For Ashokan!

Greetings Everyone!

Thanks to everyone who has sent in their paperwork for our trip to Ashokan. For those of you who haven't, you still have plenty of time.
I thought it might be fun to use our blog (since again....it's been a while) to let everyone ask questions they might be having about the trip. This is not just for the kids. Parents, feel free to post any questions you might want answered. If you aren't comfortable signing your name to your post, feel free to post your question anonymously. Don't be embarrassed about any question you have! I've gone on the trip so many times I should be able to answer anything by now! If not, I'll be sure to find the answer for you!
Going away on an overnight trip, especially two nights, is a big deal. I'm happy to do anything I can to make sure this visit is one hundred percent fun and absolutely stress free....for EVERYONE!


You can also visit the Ashokan Center's website at: http://www.ashokancenter.org/ This site has some great pictures and tons of information about their facility.

Counting down the days,
Mr. Fletcher

Hope for Haiti

This months character trait is cooperation. While this is always an important trait for us to acquire, the recent events in Haiti have really shown what cooperation is all about. We have been discussing Haiti all week and using the earthquake to inspire cooperation in our cooperative learning groups. Here is the link to the article we read in class to begin our discussion and study of this tragic current event:

http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753355



What are your thoughts and feelings about the earthquake in Haiti?

What are some ways you can think of to help the people of Haiti during this time?

Thanks for cooperating,
Mr. Fletcher