The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are starting to wind down! Thoughts of "back to school" flood our minds with school supplies, new clothes, bus schedules, early bedtimes, and maybe even a mild case of the "jitters"!

 

Here at Donna's Holiday House we even have a
Back To School Suite for those who feel the need
to buckle down and get with the program! :o)

lilapple.gif (881 bytes) Summer's over... and it's time to say 'hello' to Autumn! Don't you feel that every season with its own colors, sights and sounds symbolize emotions and feelings ? If seasons were emotions, Autumn would be about memories, sharing, caring and being together. When summer says goodbye - suddenly there's a nip in the air, the trees shed their flowery summer dresses and adorn in a spray of autumn colors and soon gracefully, joyfully, colorfully, Autumn enters into our lives. The Autumn winds blowing away the falling leaves, the scarlet leaves catching fire in the sunlight, the setting sun painting the sky in a vibrant orange... Autumn has a breathtaking beauty all of it's own.

           

A NEW School Prayer

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen

Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me,"
I will be ashamed of you before my Father."

           

lilapple.gif (881 bytes) CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
He learns to find love in the world.

Achievement ABC's

TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS...REMEMBER YOUR ABC'S

  

AVOID negative sources, people, things and habits.
BELIEVE
in yourself.
CONSIDER
things from every angle.
DON'T
give up and don't give in.
ENJOY
life today, yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come.
FAMILY and FRIENDS
are hidden treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches.
GIVE
more than you planned to.
HANG
on to your dreams.
IGNORE
those who try to discourage you.
JUST
do it!
KEEP
trying no matter how hard it seems, it will get easier.
LOVE
yourself.
MAKE
it happen.
NEVER
lie, cheat, or steal, always strike a fair deal.
OPEN
your eyes and see things as they really are.
PRACTICE
makes perfect.
QUITTERS
never win, winners never quit.
READ,
study, and learn about everything important in your life.
STOP
procrastinating.
TAKE
control of your own destiny.
UNDERSTAND
yourself in order to better understand others.
VISUALIZE
it.
WANT
it more than anything.
XCELLERATE
your efforts.
YOU
are unique of all God's creations, nothing can replace you!
ZERO
in on your target and go for it!

Charles Sykes is the author of DUMBING DOWN OUR KIDS. He asked
high school and college graduates to make a list of eleven things they did not learn in school. In his book, he talks about how the feel good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and set them up for failure in the real world. You may want to share this list with them.

Rule 1: Life is not fair; get used to it.

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He/She doesn't have tenure.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This, of course, doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

lilapple.gif (881 bytes) 5 WAYS TO BEAT THE BROWN-BAG BLUES

1. Try packing burritos for lunch. Rather than mess with a lot of little containers for the toppings, just combine salsa & sour cream in a plastic ziplock sandwich bag and all you have to do is clip the corner and squeeze the topping over the burrito.

2. Try using tupperware cups, apporx. 16 oz., and put salad dressing on the bottom, maybe 2 tablespoons, and then layer the salad ingredients over the dressing. When you're ready for lunch, just shake. Since the dressing is on the bottom, your salad won't get soggy."

3. Put a hot dog in warm water in a thermos. then pack a bun, and at lunch time your child has a warm hotdog to eat instead of cold lunch every day.

4. To pack lunch for a whole week, I recommend packing non-perishables ahead of time on Sunday evening such as chips, crackers, fruit roll-ups and other packaged items in separate bags. Then, each morning all you would have to do is grab one bag and add fruit and a sandwich making packing last minute a breeze!

5. Since little ones don't like the crust from the bread, make the sandwich and then cut it out with a funny shaped cookie cutter. They eat the whole sandwich that way. Also write a message with a permenant marker on the baggie. Kids get a real kick out of that and it gives them something to read while they eat.

Chicken Soup for the Soul - 07-06-02

A Typical Day By Brian Totzke

As a high-school teacher, I have understandably become concerned not just about the future of our profession but the public perception of it as well. I decided recently, therefore, to take advantage of the so-called "spare" time that I have in my work day to take a leisurely stroll around the building and see for myself just what goes on outside my own classroom.

The first door I passed was that of a math teacher who was providing individual attention to a student who was quite obviously having some difficulty. The student's face said it all: frustration, confusion, quiet desperation. The teacher remained upbeat, offering support and encouragement.

"Let's try again, but we'll look at it from a slightly different point of view," she said and proceeded to erase the chalkboard in search of a better solution.

Further down the hall, I came across the doorway of one of our history teachers. As I paused to eavesdrop, I witnessed a large semicircle of enthusiastic students engaged in a lively debate regarding current Canadian events and issues. The teacher chose to take somewhat of a back-seat role, entering the fray only occasionally to pose a rhetorical question or to gently steer the conversation back toward the task at hand. They switched to role-playing and smaller groups of students chose to express the viewpoints of various provinces. The debate grew louder and more intense. The teacher smiled and stepped in to referee.

Passing the gym balcony, I looked down to see a physical education teacher working with a group of boys on a basketball passing drill.

"Pass and cut away!" he shouted. "Set a screen. Hit the open man."

Suddenly there was break in the action.

"Hold on, guys," he said. "Do you guys really understand why we're doing this drill?"

A mixture of blank stares and shrugged shoulders provided the answer, so he proceeded to take a deep breath and explain not only the purpose of the drill, but exactly how it fit into the grand scheme of offense and team play. A few nods of understanding and the group returned to its task with renewed vigor.

The next stop on my journey was the open door of a science lab where, again, a flurry of activity was taking place. I watched intently as a group of four students explained and demonstrated the nature and design of a scientific invention they had created. As they took turns regaling their small but attentive audience about the unique features of their project, a teacher was nearby, busy video-taping their entire presentation.

As I was leaving, I heard her say, "Okay, let's move the television over here and see how you did."

Finally, on the way back to my room, I couldn't help but investigate the roar coming from down the hall. Music blaring, feet stomping, instructions straining to be heard above the din. Dancers of every shape and size were moving in seemingly random directions, although their various destinations were obviously quite well-rehearsed. Good things were happening here: hard work, sweat, intense concentration. And then, a mistake. One of the dancers offered an explanation, which led to a discussion among several of them. The dance teacher intervened and facilitated a resolution. A half-hearted plea by one of the students for a quick break fell on deaf ears.

"We'll have our break when we get this part right," she called out. A brief pep talk imploring them to push themselves just a little further seemed to create some new energy, and once again the place was hopping. "Now, from the top..."

My excursion complete, I returned to my corner of the school and reflected on what I had observed. Nothing surprising really. It was essentially what I had expected to find: goal-setting, problem-solving, teamwork, critical analysis, debate, discussion. In short, learning.

The only thing that you may have found surprising, but I didn't, was that when I began my journey, the regular school day had already ended an hour before.

Bye Nikki!! Ahhhh.... Peace & Quiet!!

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September 1999

           

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Back To School Suite By HoneyBrook
Images used here were purchased from both HoneyBrook
School Collections and are not available for download
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