Observation on Inquiry

I trust you all had a great Spring Break.  I’ve heard so many stories already from the children about heading north to ski and play in the snow, to heading south to beaches and various amusement parks.  Karen and I declared our time in Orlando our best vacation ever.  I hope some of you can say the same thing.  While floating down the “lazy river” at Discovery Cove I was reflecting on some of the things I had seen that day, and the impact on children that a discovery experience has (and on adults like me!).  I watched as children snorkled with fish at the coral reef and swam with the sting rays with their barbs removed.  They were examining through observation, through touching and through listening to information from trainers at the park.  It was a glorious learning experience for them.  So often we forget that “play” is critical to the development of children.  When was the last time you were able to take your children to a forest, a nature preserve, a bird sanctuary, or other experience with nature?  When you take them, just watch as the process of inquiry takes off.  Their minds are opened and they begin to wonder about so many different things that they see and touch.  I love talking to the children about their experiences… one even told me that he was a professional skier now!  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to know your children. 
Rich Webb

Hot Lunch Menu & Servers

Monday ~ Steakfingers ~ Susan Harriman
Tuesday ~ Fazoli's Spaghetti ~ Roxann Samples
Wednesday ~ Double Dave's Pizza ~ Carol Lea Contella
Thursday ~ Hot Dogs ~ Donna Shelley
Friday ~ Easter Break ~ No School

Recycling Plastic Bottles

In conjunction with the Keep Waco Beautiful Project, St. Paul's school will be recycling plastic bottles from now through the end of May. We're looking for water bottles, milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles, etc. Please rinse out bottles and put them in the big green trash can by the stage in the Parish Hall. Schools around the nation are collecting plastic in hopes of saving 45 million plastic bottles from going to the land fills. These plastics will be recycled into jackets, backpacks, park benches, etc. If we are one of the top 100 schools, our students will each receive a backpack made from recycled plastic. Last year, we were the 101st school. We just need a little more effort to be in the top 100! Thank you!

Komen Race for the Cure

It's that time of year again! St. Paul's is sponsoring a team to run/walk in the Komen Race for the Cure, which will be held this year on May 3, beginning at 8 a.m. Our team is participating to honor our own breast cancer survivor, Claudette Basden. To join in, go to www.komencentraltexas.org and sign up by April 19. Cost is $25 per participant.

This Week at St. Paul's

March 19 ~ 11:30 a.m. ~ Finance & Executive School Board Committees
March 21-24 ~ EASTER BREAK ~ No School

IB in Action

Attitude of the Week ~ Respect
~ To value yourself and the people and things around you ~

Each of our classes is working on something exciting in IB. Some units have just begun and others will begin this week.

Threes ~ Our three year olds are re-visiting their Celebrations unit to talk about St. Patrick's Day and Easter this week.
PreK ~ Caring for pets has been the theme in PreK for the past couple of weeks. Students have talked about various pets and have practiced caring for them in the pet clinic center.
Kinder ~ Kingergarteners have begun a look at animals, their life cycles, and their habitats. They will look at how humans can help or hurt animals and their habitats.
1st Grade ~ Expressing ourselves through storytelling is the focus in first grade. They are specifically looking at fairy tales and their structure and similarities and differences.
2nd Grade ~ Our second graders have finished making a family tree and have each read a biography of a famous person. They have also made an autobiographical poster and made a timeline. They will finish up this unit this week.
3rd Grade ~ Third grade will begin a study of the oceans of the world, looking at their make-up and the interconnectedness they bring. One of the activities the students are looking forward to is the ocean creature museum where each child will create a costume of an ocean creature and learn information to share with the school.
4th Grade ~ Fourth grade will begin a look at rights and responsibilities They will kick this unit off by potting a plant and then working to care for that plant all week long. They will have to bring their plant with them wherever they go to practice having responsibility.
5th Grade ~ Fifth grade is jumping into the exciting world of energy. They will learn about the various types of energy, how energy is produced and how it can be transferred.
6th Grade ~ Our sixth graders have just finished their unit on the middle ages and will now turn their focus to finishing their exhibition projects. Each student has researched a topic of their choice, is taking some step of action to help in that arena, and will create a presentation to give on April 24. Please plan to come see them that day. You will be amazed!

Congratulations Are In Order

Congratulations to the Goodman family on the birth of their daughter, Daisy, who was born in February.

Congratulations also to Karol Daniel who became a first time grandmother over the weekend.