Parents-

Enjoy my all-time favorite back-to-school commercial!  :)

Back to School shopping

Good morning families!  I decided this post could wait no longer.  Target, Meijer, Staples, Office Max...their adds fill the newspaper, reminding us that back-to-school is really NOT that far away.

Ouch!  Wasn't it just yesterday we were putting away winter jackets, buying sunscreen, and planning our summer trips?

It is what it is!  Enjoy these wonderful August days; if you do so happen to feel the NEED to do some back-to-school shopping you'll need the following:

• Shoes (white-soled) that stay at school for gym class.
• One to 1.5 inch binder with inside pockets.  PLEASE do not buy trapper keepers--they are simply too big!
• One box of Kleenex.  These are donated to the classroom and pulled out as needed throughout the year.  We pulled the last box out in May last school year, so they really are needed.
• Index cards:  One set of lined and one set of unlined.  These will stay in cubbies and are pulled out for projects throughout the year.
• One set of thin-tipped markers. (Not required, but nice to have.)
• One set of snacks for the "forgotten snack" cupboard.  Please avoid snacks with peanut products.

Most other items are provided at school.   However, we would also appreciate donations of Orange Cube Cricket Diet (orange cricket cubes found at VI Pets), Clorox wipes, and a "green" all-purpose cleaner.  We would also appreciate a donation of a ream of wide-ruled lined notebook paper.

That's it!  If your family is unable to afford any of the items above, please contact me and I will make sure they are equipped for the start of the school year.  Otherwise, please check in at this blog every few days to see if anything new has been added. 

-Mrs. Perrien

Mrs. Art

“Every day is a gift.”  What is often an overdone phrase takes on new meaning when it is uttered by someone fighting for her life.  Two weeks ago I ran into Mrs. Art (Claudia Hayes-Hagar) while having breakfast at deBoer with friends, namely Mrs. Coney and Mrs. Sale.  We were three friends enjoying our time together, catching up on summer activities and events.  We were delighted to run into Claudia.  All three of us knew that Claudia had received the news that her cancer had returned.  Furthermore, we were aware that she faced a difficult road.  However, standing there that day with Claudia it was evident that she was in excellent spirits.  She shared with us the latest news on her cancer treatments.  While she stood there talking I couldn’t get over how wonderful she looked.  She was dressed in loose, yet stylish capri’s with a peasant top.  She had on the cutest shoes! (Claudia always wore the neatest shoes!).  Her hair was a little longest that I was used to on her, but I loved how it softened her face and if I dare say, made her look younger and more carefree. 

 

As Claudia turned to say goodbye, she commented to us, “You know, every day is a gift.”  When I heard the news today of her passing I thought back to her words.  Every day IS a gift!  In the seven years that I taught with Claudia at Waukazoo she often shared the gift of her friendship.  She taught me to adore French press coffee!  Whenever I walked into her classroom she pulled out a coffee mug and prepared a fresh cup.  She never asked, she just gave me a smile with the coffee mug.  I also remember a staff meeting where Claudia shared a few yoga stretches to get us into the right mind for the meeting (I’m not really sure that is possible, though!)

Claudia was the type of teacher who spoke her mind.  She was fearless, opinionated, and passionate.  Her gift was that you always knew where she stood with you.  If she didn’t like something you’d said or done, you knew it.  But you also knew when she agreed with you, was happy with you, or proud of your work!  I appreciated this as a colleague, and as a parent of two of Claudia’s students.

My girls loved art class!  They loved the art projects, the creativity that took place in the classroom, and the faith that Claudia had in their efforts.  Claudia’s gift to her students was her belief that each and every one of them was an artist.  She saw the uniqueness in each of her students and worked hard to pull that out during her classes.  I believe she was successful! 

Every day is a gift!  Claudia embodied this spirit when she battled cancer in 2008, when she walked the Waukazoo halls and made students smile, when she stood up in meetings and spoke up for kids.  Claudia reminded three friends of this when she saw them just two weeks ago.  I will miss Claudia.  I will miss being called, “Dude!”  I will miss seeing her at the Holland Area Arts Council, where she taught my girls once again in after school art classes.  Most of all, I will just miss Claudia.

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Waukazoo Boys and Girls:  Feel free to add your favorite memory of Mrs. Art in the comments section.  Make sure to sign only your first name!

The clock is ticking...

Parents--

I hope you and your children are enjoying all that summer has to offer.  It has been busy in the Perrien household!  We've traveled to Florida (Yay, Harry Potter!) and Traverse City.  I've also taken on some summer projects.  One of those projects is to get my girls' school photo albums up-to-date.  That leads me to my reminder...

All photos taken during the 2010-2011 school year will be deleted from my Picasa account shortly before school starts.  If you have been planning to print or save photos but haven't actually done it yet, do it now!!

All the best!

Mrs. Perrien

Beating Summer Boredom

Activities to beat summer boredom:

• Take a walk.
• Teach your child a new sport: golf, tennis, basketball, volleyball, etc.
• Play with your pets!
• Research something new and different--visit the library or go online!
• Learn to play a new board game or card game.
• Teach your son or daughter how to cook a few easy dishes.
• Limit television viewing (!)
• Sign up for a summer library program (or the Barnes and Noble summer program).
• Ride your bicycle (Wear a helmet!)
• Play family games--Sorry, Monopoly, Memory, card games...these are all great fun!
• Go to a movie!
• Spend a day at the beach
• Pick strawberries, blueberries, whatever is ready this summer and U-pick
• Visit the Farmer's Market
• Plant a summer vegetable or herb garden
• Go to the Ionia Free Fair (July 21-30, 2011)
• Great day trips: Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Children's Museum, John Ball Zoo, Binder Park Zoo, Detroit Zoo
• Visit the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo
• The Grand Rapids Picnic Pops are well worth the 40 minute drive! It's a great family evening.

Summer at the Perrien House

People often ask me what we do over the summer at our house.  Well, I actually begin thinking about summer in May.  I invest a couple evenings of my time considering what camps and activities would best fit the girl's needs and interests over the summer.  Dance is a fact of life--my girls both spend time at the dance studio to avoid getting rusty.  I'm also concerned about getting rusty academically.  to avoid this we do the following:

We have set up an "At Home" schedule that includes 30 minutes of daily reading, plus math fact practice, and chores.  Next week we will begin doing "A Page a Day" from a grade level math workbook--something that will keep the girls sharp and prevent the summer knowledge slide.

Limited TV viewing is just a fact of life at our house.  When the TV is off I do not entertain my daughters.  Instead I have provided for my girls colored pencils, paper, clay, Legos, toy cars, dolls, and much, much more.  Telling my girls to learn to use their OWN imagination is the best gift I can give my children.  Of course, we play outside everyday!  And yes, I do play with my children, too! 

The website, Kids Reads, is a great reading website full of book recommendations, kid's activities, and book trivia.  It's a great place to visit to find new reading ideas!

Both Evelyn and Abby go to camps.  Evelyn spends a week up north at horsemanship camp.  Abby does day camps close to home.  If cost is a factor there are many great free or low cost options including summer reading clubs at the library and Barnes and Noble.  Herrick District Library offers many guest speakers and activities designed to engage kids.

Whatever you do with your kids throughout the summer please make sure they are doing more than just watching TV and playing video games!  One final thought, go to the beach!  We are lucky in Holland to have great entertainment just a couple miles down the road.  Building sand castles is so fun!  If you go to the beach, please be sure to discuss water safety with your children.

Schedule for the Final Week

Our final week of school is full of activity!  Here's a breakdown of the upcoming week:

• Monday--Waukazoo Talent Show
• Tuesday--Classroom cleaning (Please send empty backpacks or extra bags)
• ***Please remind your child that ALL school and classroom books should be returned to Waukazoo.  Students may not keep books belonging to Mrs. Perrien at home over the summer.
• Wednesday--Discovery Days (Students should dress in clothes that can get dirty!)
• Thursday--5th grade pizza luncheon with Mrs. Perrien
• Friday--1/2 day.  We will hiking in the woods behind the school.  Students should wear clothes shoes suitable for hiking.  Bug protection is also a good idea!