News, 2007 - 2008
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
May 15
School's Out, school's out...! Un. Be. Lievable. The school year has flown by, the closing program is over and done, the students are out and about, and all that's left is the ball game!
Thanks to everyone involved, this was a very good year. Between the school board's wise planning and oversight, and the parents' support and cooperation, God sees a successful year of education and growth for the students.
Only 95 more days until school starts!
There are a few pics on the snapshot
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
May 5
Next Wednesday, May 14, is the last day of school -- and school dismisses at 12:00 noon. The same evening is the Closing Program, to be held at the Sunnyside Church house, beginning at 7:00. Please have your students at the school house by 7:08, for final preparations before the program begins.
Saturday, May 17, will be the school picnic. For lunch, please bring a salad and a dessert; drinks and tableware will be provided. Also, remember to bring a cash donation to help cover the cost of the grilled chicken that we'll be enjoying. Be at the Sunnyside Fellowship Hall by 10:00 for the traditional Fathers vs. Sons softball game. Following the game we'll have lunch, then more softball afterward.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
April 25
The Year-End Field Trip was great! Cypress Gardens has lots of rides, of course, for the more daring, and the shows were first-class, as usual. The younger students enjoyed the antics of the Pirate Show, and the world-famous water-ski show is always a big hit. After some detours on the way home (traffic problems due to accidents), we all piled in at Cici's to relax and enjoy their pizza. Thanks to the school board for the great job of organizing it all! And thank God for a safe, enjoyable day!
Some students were kind enough to get a few photos to the webmaster; check them out on our Snapshots page.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
April 23
Today we went to Africa--and a few other countries, too! Our school was invited to tour the home of neighbors Bill & Angela. Angela is an award-winning big-game hunter, who has traveled around the world in pursuit of exotic and unusual animals. We saw a water buffalo, a wildebeest, a kudu, a pheasant, a white-tailed deer, an elk from New Zealand, two kinds of zebra skins, a black bear skin, a dik-dik, a wallaby, a baboon, a civet cat, and a couch throw made entirely of coyote skins. There were lots more animals, with names even more strange.
Angela also told us how horns and antlers are measured for scoring, and she showed us the books in which all the details of each animal and hunt are recorded. In her collection are several trophy animals that hold world rankings, including at least one trophy that holds the world record. She also displayed a number of awards which she has garnered for her record-breaking trophies.
Thanks to John and Ruth for arranging, planning, and organizing the entire event. It was fascinating. Here are some pictures.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
April19
The Students' Science & Art projects were great! Everything from cakes to a third-world water filtration system was on exhibit. Such imagination--and perseverance! Some of the projects obviously required a great deal of time and energy. Thanks to the school-board, we all enjoyed pizza and soda-pop and chips, while the children fished for prizes. Awards were given to Taylor K. (1st Place, Science), Daniel B. (2nd Place, Science), Hannah Y. (1st Place, Art) and Dillon M. (2nd Place, Art). Well done to everyone!
Today was Dress-Up Day for Kindergarten & First Grade. Miss Sarah had a roomful of characters parading in and out all day...and they looked like they thoroughly enjoyed it! Miss Sarah interviewed each of them, asking them questions about who they were and what they were doing. The young ladies were all bakers/chefs, and the young men were either baseball players or American Indians. And they were all cute!
Check the Snapshots page for pictures of both Dress-Up Day and Science & Art.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
April12
Stop! Don't eat before you come to Science & Art on Friday evening. There will be pizza in abundance, and drinks to go with it! And the pizza is delicious--just ask the students; they love it.
It will be an enjoyable evening. Come see the results of your students' creativity!
The festivities begin at 6:00.
See the Extra-Curricular Events page for more details.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
April 4
The Thunderbirds Air Show was quite a sight to see! With the jets roaring through the sky at speeds approaching 1,000 mph, we held our ears as the ground shook under us. Dazzling aerobics played out in the ethereal blue: flying upside down, close passes, tight formations, and dizzying climbs made for an unforgettable ballet at blistering speeds.
Thanks to our hostess, Jacinda G., and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of southern Florida, for the adventurous and awe-inspiring day. We enjoyed every minute of it.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
April 3
Dunkin' Donuts for the whole school! Henry D. brought fresh-squeezed orange juice and 4 dozen donuts this morning, and what a treat it was! The students dove right in, and by the time it was all over, the donuts were gone and the students were fueled up for the day.
Thanks, Henry!
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
March 19
Our School Calendar has been improved! Please make a note that Science & Art has been rescheduled for April 18, instead of April 4.
Also, the closing program has been moved to the last day of school. The closing program will be held on Wednesday evening, May 14, God willing. The school picnic will still be on Saturday, May 17, as usual.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
March 18
Today the Honor Students enjoyed a guided tour of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. Our tour guide, Mary, showed us through the ticketing and baggage check area, out onto the observation deck to watch jets land and take off, and showed us the enormous fish aquarium. The airport police also let us visit the holding cell they use when they arrest someone. We got to see the police use a taser - it was impressive. Like lightning.
After touring the terminal, we went to the Airport Fire Department. The fire truck tires were as tall as our fourth graders! They showed us the fire suits they wear, and we even got to see a fireman slide down the fire pole!
From there, we went to McDonald's for lunch, then to the Park. Since no Honor Roll Field Trip is complete without Slurpees, we ended the day with a tall, cold one.
It was good.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
March 10
Do you need a reminder about the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conference, scheduled for Tuesday evening, March 18? Thanks for keeping that evening open! We will soon be sending home schedules for the Conference, and we anticipate meeting with you all!
Also, Easter is coming up quickly: there will be no school on Good Friday, March 21.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 1Corinthians 15:55-57
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
February 16
It was a splendid evening. Zook did a great job of grilling the meat and potatoes, the school board had the whole place fixed up and organized (along with preparing the rest of the menu), and your students showed excellent teamwork in serving the guests.
Thanks again to our sponsors, especially Zook's BBQ, Sutter's Quality Foods, and Fruitville Grove, for their contributions to the evening and to our school. Congratulations to all the fortunate winners of the prizes! We hope you enjoy them!
We appreciate your support and interest in our school; you make a difference! Thank you.
Of course, there are pictures, here.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
February 1
Come To The Banquet! For the first time in history, our school is hosting a fundraiser dinner, and you are invited! A famous catering chef from Virginia will be preparing the main dishes, and those who've enjoyed his fare before are certain you will be entranced with his mouth-watering delicacies. Yes. It's that good.
Our school board has been working hard to pull this together, and they will be carrying the kitchen responsibilities for this event. The students in Mr. Jason's classroom will be welcoming you, and serving you, and generally working to make your dining experience as enjoyable as possible. Plus, we have lots of exciting things planned, to make your evening unforgettable.
Make plans today to be there!
See the Extra-Curricular Events page for more details.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
January 23
Root Beer Floats! That's what Eleanor treated Mr. Jason's class to this afternoon. That was yummy! She had the floats all ready to go at last break, so we all trooped in and had a mini-party. Yeah. Good stuff, good memories. Bless you, Eleanor. Thanks!
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
January 22
The Honor Roll Field Trip was great! We left the school house at 8:45 and went downtown to the Herald Tribune's new building on Main Street. It is quite a fancy place. Their offices are very modern, with lots of open space; we especially enjoyed the open deck on the third floor, overlooking Main Street. Our tour guide showed us conference rooms, office cubicles, and even the studio for SNN News. Several students sat at the news anchor's desk, and we got to stand where the weather reporter stands to film the weather forecast.
After we were done there, we went to the Herald Tribune's production facility on University Parkway near the airport. They showed us enormous rolls of paper, each weighing 2,000 pounds. We followed the paper from the place they offload it from trains or trucks on the ground floor, all the way upstairs through the huge machines that do the printing, and down to the ground floor again where it is collated and inserts are put in. By then, it is all folded; they stack the different advertisements and sections on pallets, ready to go.
By the time we saw all that, we were hungry, so we went to Cici's Pizza for lunch, and finished the day with play-time in the gym at Colonial Oaks Park. Slurpees, of course, topped it off at the end.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
January 18
The Second Quarter Honor Roll Field Trip destination and schedule is announced on the Extra-Curricular Events page. Check out the links there.
Give the Honor Roll students a round of applause -- they've earned it!
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
January 16
Our Guest Speaker today, Leon, is a representative of the Gideons organization. The Gideons distribute Bibles free of charge all over the world to hospitals, hotels, schools, and the armed forces. In existence for exactly 100 years, they currently distribute Bibles at the average rate of 2 per second, globally. Leon told us stories about his trip to Africa, and how they passed out Bibles to African school children who had no school books of their own. These children will use their new Bibles to learn how to read.
Leon, by the way, is the grandfather of four of our students. His chapel talk was very interesting!
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
January 14
The P.E. Director has released the schedule for this year's Track & Field events! With five events from which to choose, everyone can excel at something. And it's not too early to be practicing. Go to the Extra-Curricular Events link to see the events and the events schedule. Registration begins soon; don't miss it!
This will be a great family day! Don't forget to let the grandparents know, because they want to be there, too.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
January 4
Welcome back, everyone. So far, it looks like not everyone survived the holidays. Several are still not back from vacation, and others are home sick, fighting off colds. We miss y'all: Hurry back already! Hopefully we can all take good care of ourselves, so we can all be well and enjoy school.
Yesterday being the coldest day of the year (so far), it hurt to even go outside, but Miss Angie warmed up the students with hot cocoa and hot cappucino mixes at first break. Wow, that was a treat.
An enormous package was delivered to the school campus yesterday... 200 pounds and nine feet tall, to be exact. The students are having a ball with it. Really. In fact, they challenge any of their parents to a game; just stop in before school or at break time, and you'll find plenty of competition! Oh, and check out the pictures, too.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
December 20
The Christmas Program last night was beautifully done by the students! The youngest ones were little troupers, pulling themselves together in spite of their nerves, and delivering their lines with plucky, innocent charm. The older students sang like angels, too. The second- and third-graders carried it off with amazing aplomb, and the play written by your high school students was not only finely done, but carried a timeless message reminding all of us of how blessed we really are.
An excellent job, everyone! If you'd like to see some photos of the students practicing for the program, click on the link "School Snapshots." Now, enjoy your Christmas break!
And a very Merry and Blessed Christmas to you all.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
December 17
Anybody here enjoy Rice Krispie candy? How about chocolate? The high school students (coached by Miss Angie) put together a fun finger-food treat for the whole school. Everybody knows Rice Krispie candy is delectable all by itself, but they took it a step further. They dipped one end in chocolate, topped it off with sprinkles, then impaled the whole thing on a pretzel rod.
It took a lot less time to eat them than it did to make them... that assignment was completed in record time, and with delight! Check it out on the picture page-- and try not to be envious.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
December 3
Picture Day is scheduled for Thursday, December 6. We will begin with the youngest students shortly after morning chapel, and hopefully have everyone's picture made before lunch.
The set-up will be studio-portraits, wth a neutral, brown-and-gray, variegated background. Parents, please be aware that dress codes remain in effect for these photos. Do not ask us to publish your child's photo in the yearbook if they do not conform to our dress code.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
November 30
Today was "Clash Day" for the older students, and what a sight it was. Many students showed exceptional gifting in the area of Creative Dressing for Shock Value. Colors, and articles of clothing, brazenly clashed with each other, causing no limit of hurt to the eyes.
The King & Queen of Clash (as voted by the students) are pictured in the "School Snapshots" link, standing on chairs. For their effort and creativity, the King & Queen of Clash were awarded the prize of their choice of chocolate bar.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
November 26
Today the students nearly went crazy for a hot new item on campus. Many of them were seen walking around with little white sticks poking out of their mouths. Seems they discovered the Lollipop Tree in Miss Rosita's room.
The tree sits on the bookshelf, with space for about 60 lollipops in it. Lots of delicious flavors, of course, which means they simply must try all of them. They sure are yummy.
We may not be able to keep up with demand, because these are gourmet lollipops, and they certainly won't last long. If you would like to try one, just pop in and pick yours out -- they're only $1.00 each, and that's a bargain. (Plus, the proceeds go to the school! So you're paying yourself!)
They really are yummy. But don't take our word for it: you just gotta try them; you owe it to yourself!
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
November 15
Today was the Poem Festival for the students in Miss Sarah's and Miss Rosita's rooms. Moms were invited to the Sunnyside Fellowship Hall for the event, and the youngsters each recited a poem that they picked out and memorized weeks ago.
After all that hard work, everyone enjoyed refreshments, while the students in Mr. Jason's room were surprised with a treat of home-made ice cream. Two freezers were set up during first break; the coffee ice cream was more like a milk-shake, but the vanilla turned out ok.
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
November 8
The entire school enjoyed a Field Day at Oscar Sherer State Park today. The students enjoyed mini-hikes, a hay ride, canoeing on the river, and lunch in the pavilion.
The arrangements with the park were made courtesy of Dutch Haus Furniture. Thanks to the Millers!
Photos have been posted on the Snapshots page. You just gotta see 'em!
>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<
November 1
The Honor Roll students spent their morning at G.Wiz Hands-On Science Museum, in downtown Sarasota, before lunching at Burger King and going to the Colonial Oaks Park in the afternoon.
It was great to get to see the traveling exhibit of artifacts from King Tut's tomb. The museum even had a genuine 4,000-year-old mummy on display! Upstairs, there were all kinds of science exhibits and hands-on experiments. Great fun.
(Click on the "School Snapshots" link for photos.)
