Catfish & Chicken Dinner

Our Author's Day is fast approaching. One part of the festivities is a catfish & chicken dinner the evening of April 17! The students will receive a flyer in the Tuesday folder on which family and friends can place their orders. The flyers and money should be turned in by Friday, March 31.

New computers for lab

A pleasant surprise awaited our students as they visited the computer lab just before spring break. The entire lab was outfitted with brand new Gateway computers. Funding was provided through our CSR grant, the same grant that purchased the PlayStations and educational CD-ROMs.

The computers that were in the lab have been placed in classrooms of teachers in grades K-3, giving those teachers an addition computer in the room to use with students.

Youth Art Month

In addition to being "Music in Our Schools Month," March is also "Youth Art Month." Throughout the month, we have displayed in the lobby works of art created by people our students know. This post features twopaintings by Bobby Givens.

Playground Workday

Thanks to the parents (and several students) who made our playground workday a success. As a result of Saturday's work:

• Teachers have 2 nice benches where they can sit and supervise students during playtime.
• We have 2 heavy-duty picnic tables located near the newer playground equipment.
• We have a thicker pad of pea gravel covering the play area (over 19 tons more pea gravel)
• The entrance to the school has been pressure-washed.
• Flowers have been planted in front of the school and leaves raked and bagged.
  
  We had a great group of parents turn out to make it all happen. Thanks to:
• Brad Austin
• Barry Baines
• Andy Carden
• John Cullimore
• Graham Davis
• Stephanie Dodgen
• Jeb Fannin
• Cheryl Ford
• Mack Ford
• Britt Parker
• Jody Parker
• Mark Rasco
  
  Thanks also to the students who helped: Peyton, Grant, Paxton, and Tanya.
  
  

National Anthem Project and Music in Our Schools Month

March is "Music in Our Schools Month" across America. This year's celebration is special because of an initiative called the "National Anthem Project."

According to a Harris Interactive Poll of 2,200 American men and women over the age 18, 60 percent do not know all the words to the National Anthem, and of those who do, 70 percent learned the anthem in school music classes. An ABC poll of teenagers found that 38 percent do not know the official name of the national anthem, 15 percent can sing it from memory, and less than 35 percent can name the author.

The National Anthem Project is all about changing those statistics. The project officially began in March 2005 and will culminate in 2007. At Graham, students have learned the words and music through their music classes. Fifth and sixth graders learned about the event which inspired the stirring words.

In celebration of "Music in Our Schools Month" and the "National Anthem Project," we have been including the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner at the conclusioin of our morning announcements. To hear the children's voices echo down the halls in unison supporting over our intercom by a full instrumental accompaniment is a thrilling sound!

If you wish, you may print a copy of the Star-Spangled Banner from here. You may also download recordings of the Star Spangled Banner.

Bound for the State Science Fair

Congratulations to Ryan, Tanya, Ariel, and Casey! All four were either 1st or 2nd place winners at the regional science fair. Their projects now advance to the state science fair. Their awards and categories are as follows:

Tanya - 1st place Zoology
Ryan - 1st place Earth Science
Ariel - 2nd place Health & Medicine
Casey - 2nd place Space Science

America, We the People

Fourth and fifth-grade classes have been invited to attend a performance of "America, We the People." The program will take place on Tuesday, March 14 at 12:15.

This unique program designed to promote understanding of and respect for cultural and physical differences through the writings, language, music, and history of Americans.
Drama, music, dance and sign language are employed in this dramatic performance of American writers’ works: Walt WhitmanAbraham LincolnEmily DickinsonRobert FrostMartin Luther KingLangston HughesCarl Sandburg …and others.

Our thanks for George Culver and Antique Talladega for arranging this oportunity for our students free of charge.

Picture Day, Friday, March 17

We will make spring pictures on Friday, March 17. Kindergarten cap & gown pictures will also be made the same day. There is no make-up for these pictures.