We are grateful...

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. 

 ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

As we come upon the holiday of Thanksgiving, our thoughts often turn to gratitude.  There are many quotes on gratitude and gratefulness, but the words above remind us to live this way all of the time.  At Eagle Ridge Academy, it is important to teach children to be grateful each day not just during this special time of year.  That being said, we have been taking some time to focus on gratitude and students have written and made many things (some cute turkeys, too) that highlight what they are thankful about right now. 

Mr. Ulbrich has started working with small groups of students on posting and recovering the American flag in front of Eagle Ridge Academy each week.  It is known as Posting the Colors and Retiring the Colors. It teaches the students an appreciation for our American flag and gives them a skill that is not typically taught in schools anymore.   Teachers have signed up their classes to participate in this ceremony.  On Monday, four students from Ashley Hudak’s second grade class were the first Lower School students to participate.  Below is a picture of our first participants.  Thanks Mr. Ulbrich for including Lower School students in this ceremony.

Today was our November Pillar Ticket Drawing.  The jar was truly full of Pillar Tickets this month.  The winners were:

Arie C.-4th grade

Ava F.- 4^th grade

Aindri M.- 4^th grade

Emily R.- 3^rd grade

Andrew W.- 2^nd grade

They will join Mr. Ulbrich for lunch in his office next week.  

Aquila the Eagle has flown to Mrs. Bradley’s classroom for the week.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break.  The next blog entry will be on December 6^th.

Mrs. Baier

Beauty in All Things

“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.”     ~Dalai Lama

At Eagle Ridge Academy we are trying to instill an appreciation for beauty and goodness in the students.  As indicated in the quote above, in order to live a life of filled with beauty and goodness one must first have an appreciation for those things.  The students have been and will continue to learn new ways to appreciate these things, as well as begin to recognize what they see as exhibiting true beauty and goodness.

Students in the third grade have done some work with beauty and goodness and some of their papers are hanging on the third grade excellence wall and on the wall outside Mr. Schloesser’s classroom.  Learning to see beauty in the things around us is something we all know we should do, but we often get caught up in the hubbub of daily life.  We forget to admire and be inspired by the beauty that surrounds us.  It often takes a young person to remind us of those things.  I know after reading some of their thoughts on beauty, I was inspired to take a moment each day to notice something of true beauty around me that I tend to take for granted.  I hope reading some of them in the pictures below inspire you, as well.

 

Thank you to everyone who gave to Eagle Ridge Academy on Give to the Max Day!  Your generous donations will be put to good use.

Just a reminder that colder weather has arrived.  Please make sure your students come to school each day with their proper outdoor wear for recess.  Coats, hats, glove, etc.  are a must during our winter season. 

 

The next pillar ticket drawing will be on Friday, November 22^nd.  The five winners will join Mr. Ulbrich in his office for lunch one day the following week.  

Aquila the eagle is traveling to Mrs. Merritt’s classroom next week.  

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Baier

Honoring Veterans

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.

~Author unknown, sometimes attributed to M. Grundler

On Monday, we celebrate Veteran’s Day.  While this day is on the calendar for all to see and recognize, we often let the day pass without truly acknowledging it.  For some it is a holiday from work or school and like many of those days we use them to catch up on errands or appointments.  At Eagle Ridge Academy, this is not the case.  Not only do we acknowledge the day, we make certain to appreciate those among us who have sacrificed (in many different ways) so we can live the lives we do.  We will be having our annual Veteran’s Day programs on Monday.  We hope you will take the time to discuss the significance of the day with your family, as well.  The schedule for our programs is below.  Please feel free to join us at one of the programs, if you are able.

We invite all families to Eagle Ridge Academy’s 2013 Veterans Day Celebration. We encourage you to bring a veteran that you know. We will take time to honor all veterans in attendance. The celebration includes performances from our choir and orchestra, a presentation from veteran and ERA parent Mrs. Samantha Sommerness, and honoring of our veterans in attendance.  Please note that students are to wear formal dress uniforms on Monday (including their black or brown shoes).  Thanks!

Program Times:

           8:10-8:35  Kindergarten through 3^rd grade

                              9:00-9:25  4^th grade through 8^th grade

                              9:55-10:20  9^th grade through 12^th grade

      Mr. Anderson has given us a new set of Lower School office artwork.  Currently we have Illuminated Name Plates from the 4^th graders.  Here is an explanation of the project and some pictures of the art work, but they hardly do them justice.  Please stop in the office to see them if you are in the building.

      Students in second grade have been studying clouds.  The classes have been led in an experiment to see why rain comes from clouds by their teachers.  Here are a couple of pictures of Ms. Rickard’s class as she led them through the experiment. 

      As you may know rainbow bracelets are the new fad among our young students.  It is always interesting to see these fads come and go in the Lower School.  We have had some young entrepreneurs who were selling and trading them.  I applaud their ingenuity, but could not condone the running of these businesses at school.  Right now we are struggling with what is the appropriate number of rainbow bracelets to wear at school.  I visited each 4^th and 5^th grade classroom (as these seem to be the grades most directly impacted) personally on Wednesday to announce only one rainbow bracelet may be worn at school.  Rainbow bracelets with multiple strands on one band are not a way around the one bracelet rule.  If these bracelets prove to be a continued distraction in the classroom, we will have to resort to a no rainbow bracelet rule.  At the current time we are going to see how the one bracelet rule goes.  I will keep you updated.

      Have a fantastic week!

Mrs. Baier