Break is coming but first...

Hello Parents,
I know this newsletter is coming a bit early this week, but we only have a few days of school left. I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page about the upcoming half days. First, I would like to say what a tremendous first semester we have had. The support and love you have shown me in the few short months I have been here has been incredible. Alexander Graham Bell once said this very familiar saying, "When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us." I feel we have all seen the opening of many doors here at Ezell and are embracing the change. I'm glad we are not choosing to stare at the closed doors but are opening our hearts to this community of friends and family here at EHCS. We are growing together, and I love being a part of our students' lives everyday! With all that being said, thank you for a wonderful semester, and I look forward to next year! Now, a few things to discuss before the break...


Wednesday, December 14th- Regular school day wearing our school uniforms (one last time before Christmas)!


Thursday, December 15th- ½ day of school, and we dismiss at 11:00 a.m. Our students can wear jeans and an Ezell T-shirt!


Friday, December 16th- ½ day of school, and we dismiss at 11:00 a.m. Our students are having "Polar Express Day," and they can wear their PAJAMAS!!


Monday, December 19th- ½ day of school, and we dismiss at 11:00 a.m. All of our classes are having their Christmas Parties, and students can wear a Christmas/Holiday T-shirt and jeans! The students are also going to get to sing Christmas carols together before their parties start!


Tuesday, December 20th- ½ day of school, and we dismiss at 11:00 a.m. Our students can wear jeans and an Ezell T-shirt or Christmas/Holiday T-shirt.


BREAKING NEWS!!
I have decided that after the holiday break during that first full week I will be coming to school dressed as Fancy Nancy. Fancy Nancy is the character who won the most money during the book fair this year. We collected this money to help Hands on Nashville. Thank you for your support!


That is everything I have for you all before the break. Let us reflect on those special Christmases and remember that it was not the presents that made it special, but the laughter, the feeling of love, and the togetherness of friends and family that makes Christmas special. Have a wonderful Holiday Break!

FOOD DRIVE EFFORTS...

"I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."  ~Edward Everett Hale


You did it!! You did not let anything "interfere with what you could do" and you all brought in...

4, 361

That makes us GOAL BUSTERS, since we asked for 3,000 cans!! (Pictures of our 4th graders loading up the bus are below)


Thank you everyone,
 I so appreciate your contribution to our food drive. You truly did a wonderful thing. Your generosity will directly benefit the New Heights Community Center and those families in need. The canned goods we collected this week will allow New Heights to feed over 100 families! It has been such a blessing to watch children give and see them getting so excited about giving! Parents, you were a tremendous driving force in this effort, and you encouraged your children to give generously. Your example is a valuable lesson and a blessing in itself! Once again, thank you all for participating and supporting our can food drive this year!

  

Christmas is Coming...

Hello Wonderful Parents,

Another week has come and gone, which edges us that much closer to Christmas. “From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another, the warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other”– Emily Matthews. The joy of Christmas is most definitely in the air, and our students are so excited about many of the events coming up. They are practically chomping at the bit each day for the next activity. I am just so glad that we are all a part of this EHCS family and that we can share in the holiday spirit together!

We were blessed to have Steve Liddle, 3rd base coach from the Minnesota Twins, lead us in chapel today. He spoke to our students about being a team, and that the most important team was "God's Team." Thank you, Steve, for being with us today!

We have several things on the agenda to discuss this week. Tomorrow, December 9^th, our annual food drive comes to an end. We are so close to our goal of 3,000 cans! Please keep in mind all the families that we will be helping this holiday season. There is a quote out there by Mother Teresa, and I think it applies here: “If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” If we are all in this together, then our "one" person to feed turns into a hundred people. So let’s bring in those cans! Thank you all for supporting our service project and helping us reach out to those in need at New Heights Community Center.

Tomorrow, our students in the Fine Arts Academy are putting on The Nutcracker. Our teachers, parents, and students have been working extremely hard to put this play together, and you are not going to want to miss it. So put on your coats, hats, and gloves, and come on out to the high school gym tomorrow night at 7 p.m. The cost is $5 (EHCS faculty, staff, and students are FREE). I hope to see you all there!

Moving on to next week, we will have a Make-A-Wish T-shirt and jeans day next Tuesday. If your child paid for their shirt by the first deadline, then they will be able to wear their Make-A-wish T-shirt on December 13^th. There was a mix up with the shirts, and that is why we had to change the date.

Friday, December 16th will be Polar Express Day! All of our students will be watching the movie and participating in various activities related to the movie. The thing everyone loves is that they get to wear their PAJAMAS!!

Monday, December 19th will be Christmas Party Day. All students will be having their Christmas parties, and they are allowed to wear a Christmas or holiday T-shirt and jeans! (Our entire elementary will be getting together to sing Christmas carols first thing on Monday morning.)

**Our last half day will be Tuesday, December 20th!**

Let's not forget about...

Our sweet Brownie troup here at school is asking for our help!

They are collecting baby supplies for Morning Star Sanctuary, a domestic violence shelter. We are asking each grade level to bring the following items:

PK - Sippy Cups

K - Pacifiers

1st - Baby Wipes                  Due by: December 14th

2nd - Diaper Cream

3rd - Hand Sanitizer

4th - Baby Socks

Last week’s “Dinner Discussion” winners:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG?

#1 Answer: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (that is a classic song)

Check out this week’s questions for discussion.

Welcome December...

Hello Parents,
WOW!! It seems like forever since I have spoken with you all! I hope you all had a wonderful break with family and friends! It has been an amazing week! We have decorated the Eagles Nest to get in the spirit of the holiday season! The newsletter this week is going to preview lots of events and activities that are coming up over the next two weeks. It is important information, and everyone will want to be informed so no student is left out!

This morning, Ron Durchame led us in chapel. He spoke to our students about gifts. He said that we already have the best gift in the world, and that is Jesus! Let us always remember his love, especially during the holiday gift giving season! 

Important general information:


Hoodies can be worn to and from school, as well as outdoor school activities such as P.E. However, it has been a school-wide policy that hoodies cannot be worn in the actual classroom. HOWEVER, we have to decided that on Fridays all students will be allowed to wear hoodies to school and in side the classroom(school-wide)!


Next week marks the beginning of our annual Food Drive. Our goal is to collect 3,000 cans for the New Heights Community Center. There is a huge need for food at this center, and our school is the only one collecting for this group. There are about 100 families in need. We are challenging each student to bring in at least 10 cans. The class that collects the most cans will get to have a pizza party and watch a movie. 


**Santa Sale in the Eagles Nest on Tuesday, December 6th! Lots of new EHCS apparel! 



Next Wednesday, December 7th, the students who have already paid $10 for their Make-A-Wish T-shirt will be allowed to wear jeans and their Make-A-Wish shirt. They will be receiving those shirts soon! If you did not purchase this T-shirt then you are to be in your regular school uniform attire. Thank you!


Next Friday, December 9th, our Fine Arts Academy will be putting on The Nutcracker. It will begin at 7 p.m. and the students who are performing need to be here at 6 p.m. Let's all come out and support our students as they perform! 


Some things to discuss that are coming up during our half days of school...


**Friday, December 16th will be Polar Express Day! All of our students will be watching the movie and participating in various activities related to the movie. The thing everyone loves is that they get to wear their PAJAMAS!! 


**Monday, December 19th will be Christmas Party Day. All students will be having their Christmas party, and they are allowed to wear a Christmas or Holiday T-shirt and jeans! (Our entire elementary will be getting together to sing Christmas carols first thing on Monday morning.)


**Our last half day will be Tuesday, December 20th! 

**New Pictures under "Eagle News" and "Work/Friends"

Let's not forget about...

Our sweet Brownie troup here at school is asking for our help!

They are collecting baby supplies for Morning Star Sanctuary, a domestic violence shelter. We are asking each grade level to bring the following items:

 PK - Sippy Cups

 K - Pacifiers

 1st - Baby Wipes

   2nd - Diaper Cream

   3rd - Hand Sanitizer

   4th - Baby Socks

Last week’s “Dinner Discussion” winners:

What will you be doing over Thanksgiving Break?

#1 Answer: Spending time with Family (received lots of votes)

Check out this week’s questions for discussion.

Thanksgiving Break and What's Ahead...

Hello Parents,

I hope this week's newsletter finds you all doing well. We've had a calm week as we've been heading into Thanksgiving break. What is Thanksgiving? The month of November brings spectacular fall colors, hot chocolate and cozy nights by the fire(even though we've had many warm days). It's also a time of giving thanks and a time for thank yous.  Throughout our lives, we have all been reminded during Thanksgiving time what it means to be thankful and what it means to cherish special people in our lives. We also become aware of the loveliness that encompasses us, and we realize the importance of gratitude. I hope you all enjoy your time together over the next week.

Our Veterans are wonderful! We had one stop by Mrs.Sarver's class to thank them for their wonderful letters!

This week we had Associa come and speak with our students. They used their mascot Scout to speak to us and show us his work. Each student recieved a Scout dog, a reading book, and a coloring book. The Scout reading books are used to communicate the importance of safety and fitness. Thank you Associa for coming out and sharing with us about how to be safe and fit! You can see a few pictures under the "Eagle News" tab! 


Rex Barker spoke to us in chapel this morning. It was a privilege to hear what he had to teach our students today. His message was simple and it's one we all need to remember, about making good choices. We are in charge of ourselves and the choices we make. We need to take responsilibity for our actions and choose to listen, obey, and do the right thing in every sitatution. Thank you Rex for your wonderful lesson this morning! Also, in Chapel, our Kindergartners recited from memory Psalms 100! They did an AMAZING JOB!! We are so proud of them!!

Don't forget, we are doing a year-long service project with Make a Wish. Right now we are collecting $10 for a T-shirt and if you bring the money in by tomorrow, the students will get an extra "T-shirt and jeans day" on December 7th. There will be ample opportunities to get a T-shirt over the next couple of months.


**Don't forget if your child has received a second terrific ticket their picture will be located under the "terrific ticket" tab! 

Our sweet Brownie troup here at school is asking for our help! They made an announcement in chapel and have hung up posters requesting our help with their service project. Here is their announcement:
    Brownie Troop 333 from Ezell-Harding is collecting baby supplies for Morning Star 
    Sanctuary, a domestic violence shelter. We are asking each grade level to bring the
    following items:
    PK - Sippy cups
    K - Pacifiers
   1st - Baby Wipes
   2nd - Diaper Cream
   3rd - Hand Sanitizer
   4th - Baby Socks


**BOOK FAIR is the week after Thanksgiving!
**Our annual Food Drive in December 5-9th!

Some Quick Date Reminders to put on your Calendars:
Build a Bear Reward = November 18th

Poinsettias Sale through November 19th = Pick up December 1st

Thanksgiving Break = November 21st-25th

Book Fair= November 28th -- December 2nd

Food Drive = December 5th - 9th

Santa Sale = December 6th

The Nutcracker = December 9th

Last week’s “Dinner Discussion” winners:

What is your favorite Thanksgiving Dessert?

#1 Answer: Pecan Pie (by 1 vote)

Check out this week’s questions for discussion.

Veteran's Day(Thank you), Make a Wish, and MORE...

This past Friday, our entire campus took the time to write letters to those who have served our country. We had Veteran Phillip Alexander and several other military men and women join us for this special assembly; (you can see pictures under the "Eagle News" tab). Our students gave our special guests cards, a stuffed eagle, and a flag as a token of thanks!  Our country has had many brave men and women volunteer to defend our freedom. We might ask, “Where do we get these brave men and women that always step forward when the need arises?” They come from all over our country, and too many times they are taken for granted. These men and women, who during times of war and peace are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, spend countless holidays, birthdays and special events away from their families and friends. They are mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends. While words cannot express what we owe you and your families, we say ‘thank you’ for your sacrifice. Let us never forget the people who did not make it home. We pray for and remember those still serving, and we must never take for granted the sacrifices they make. In closing, one more time WE would like to say…… THANK YOU!!

**We mailed out the letters to all the Veterans whose names were sent in yesterday. We hope they know that our school and staff loves and appreciates each of them!
**LOTS OF NEW PICTURES THIS WEEK!


Last Thursday we had the first, second, and third grade music performance! The first graders began by singing and performing motions to the song, “When He Cometh To Take Up His Jewels.”  Then they paired up and presented the English country dance “Kings and Queens.”  The second graders introduced the audience to several kinds of Orff instruments by playing and singing “Listen To the Glockenspiels.”  Then they beautifully sang the song “O Lamb of God,” which featured three soloists.  Next, the third graders danced rhythmically to the song “Mujji Eno,” using complex choreography they had created.  Then they played the piece “Sleigh Ride” on Orff instruments and other percussion instruments.  Our students showed how talented they were in music.

Finally, all the grades came together to perform the finale, “The Wheel of the Water,” which celebrated the water cycle.  First graders chanted the poem sections in unison and in canon.  It was amazing!  Second graders played five different musical themes on the Orff instruments, which they played individually and then “layered in” until all the melodies were playing together.  I was really impressed with their focus and determination.  At the same time, third grade quartets sang the words to the five themes, describing different phases of the water cycle, while five trios danced with blue scarves.  It was fantastic!  At the climax of the piece, two students played a giant rainstick that was over six feet tall.  I was amazed and very proud of all our students!

There are lots, I mean LOTS, of pictures to view under the "WORK/FRIENDS" tab!

Today in Chapel, we had Tim Frizzell from Crieve Hall Church of Christ come and speak to us. He said to look at others in the way that God sees us. We are quick to judge others based on how they look. Once we get to know one another, we get the opportunity to see all the wonderful qualities everyone has! (Be sure to click on the "Chapel Speakers" tab to see who is coming next week!) I also handed out 13 terrific tickets this morning! We are so proud of our students who receive their second ticket this morning!
 

“Ezell-Harding Christian School has been given a great opportunity to participate in the Make A Wish Foundation program.  Through Make a Wish, a child who has a terminal disease or other sickness gets one of his/ her wishes granted.   The wish can be anything from getting to meet one of their heroes to going on a trip.  Our student body is excited about this opportunity, and we cannot wait to see how God will continue to work through Ezell.  We have to raise at least $7,000 over this school year.  We will be conducting fundraisers and great activities to help us achieve our goal.  Your child is also encouraged to bring in money to his/her teacher.  Once your child has brought in $10, he/she will receive a T-shirt that says, “ I helped Make a Wish at Ezell-Harding.”  The money does not have to be brought in all at once.  Please prayerfully consider helping out through the year to help Ezell Harding make a wish come true!”


Don't forget that there are several new links to see on the blog. Our Guidance counselor has a spot called "Guidance Corner", where she is updating important seminar dates and relevant information pertaining to our new partnership with AGAPE. There is also a link called "Policy Reminders"  to check for important policy clarifications and updates.

**Click on "PTO NEWSLETTER" to see what is happening with the PTO!

BROWNIE ANNOUNCEMENT:
Brownie Troop 333 from Ezell-Harding is collecting baby supplies for Morning Star Sanctuary, a domestic violence shelter. We are asking each grade level to bring the following items:
PK- Sippy cups
K- Pacifiers
1st- Baby Wipes
2nd- Diaper Cream
3rd-Hand Sanitizer
4th- Baby Socks


GET OUT YOUR CALENDARS....Dates, Dates, and Dates:
Donuts with the Principal = Tomorrow
Fall Festival = November 12th 
Build a Bear Reward = November 18th
Poinsettias Sale through November 19th = Pick up December 1st
Thanksgiving Break = November 21st-25th
Book Fair= November 28th -- December 2nd
Santa Sale = December 6th
The Nutcracker = December 9th

Last week’s “Dinner Discussion” winners:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THANKSGIVING DISH?

#1 Answer: Turkey and Dressing (lots of votes on this choice)

Check out this week’s questions for discussion.

Music Performance and ...

Hello All,


It's been another fabulous week here at school, and there are lots of new pictures under the "Eagle News" and "Work/Friends" tabs. There are too many current and upcmoing events to mention them all, but here are a few.  We had a school wide chapel, where Russ King did a fantastic job bringing us God's word.  It is so wonderful when the entire student body can gather to worship and sing praises to our God!  John Luke Campbell and Carson Hollis read scripture and led us in prayer.  Tonight, at 6:00 p.m., we have our 1st-3rd grade music performance.  Sunday, November 6th, we have open house for prospective families from 2-4 p.m.!

Here are some highlights from this past week, as well as some important upcoming dates and information:


**Report Cards will be e-mailed out this Friday, (November 4th), at 3 p.m.


**Friday, November 4th, we will have an all-school Veteran's Day writing activity. Our entire campus will be taking time to write letters to those who have served our country. We will thank the military men and women who have served our country in the past, as well as those who are presently serving for our freedom. To those who have served our country this way, we are grateful for all that you have done and may still be doing! Thank you! Also, on Friday, we will have a guest speaker, along with several soldiers, who will talk to our students about being in the military. It will be a special day and a special experience for our students.


**Our Box Top total was 11,737! We flew past our goal of 6,000 and headed straight for 20,000! Since our students did an incredible job bringing in those box tops, they get to wear "crazy hats" on Friday (Nov. 4th)! We are so proud of everyone's effort, and we ask that it continues as we strive for a bigger goal on February 28th!


**Monday, November 7th, there will be NO SCHOOL and NO EXTENDED CARE for our students. This is a teacher in-service day.


**Wednesday, November 9th, because of their excellent behavior in the cafeteria during the last six weeks, students get to wear "crazy socks"!In order to earn another dress-up day, students know they need to demonstrate even better behavior this six weeks! Let's keep encouraging our students to show good conduct at lunch time!



**Next Saturday, November 12th, we will have our annual Fall Festival at EHCS! This is a huge fundraising event that is lots of fun. In order for it to be successful, we need your help! If you can help with your child's classroom game, please let your child's classroom mom know as soon as possible!


**This week, on the blog, you will find TWO new links which are very important for reference points. Kristy Pomeroy, our guidance counselor, has a spot here where you will find lots of useful information about seminars and even information about our new partnership with AGAPE. Please click on the Guidance Corner to find out more. The other link will highlight important policies from the handbook that, as of lately, are being addressed more frequently.  Some of these include tardies, absences, and dress code violations. Students NEED a NOTE when absent. Please click Policy Reminders to find out exactly what our policies are on certain situations. 


This past week, we had several field trips and activities taking place on campus. Third grade went to Edwin Warner Park, second grade went to Walden Farms, fourth grade challenged themselves with a new science experiment, and all of our students attended the pep rally for "Spirit Night" at Chick-Fil-A! On Monday, many students showed their holiday side by wearing Halloween shirts. Check out some pictures under the "Work/Friends" tab! You will also find pictures of all these activities under the "Eagle News" tab! Be sure to check out the pictures of our students learning and participating in exciting activities!  


Lastly, I wanted to re-copy my thank you note from last Friday. I feel like I can't thank you all enough for your continued support for EHCS...
I personally cannot say thank you enough! Last week our school had a huge turnout at Chick-Fil-A and the elementary played a big part in  the event! Your school spirit, your love for the school, and your wanting to build a sense of family and community has REALLY SHONE THROUGH! I can definitely see how much you all love this school and want to be a part of it. If you didn’t get to attend, no worries, we will have plenty more opportunities! I just really wanted to express my gratitude and appreciation to all the families we have here at Ezell-Harding. Thank you for making the first “Spirit Night” an immeasurable success.

P.S.  P.T.O YOU ROCK (and I mean it)!!

LOOKING AHEAD...

The school book fair will be Nov. 28-Dec. 2.  We will be offering an online fair, with free shipping to the school, beginning Nov. 16--Dec. 6.  There is a link to the online fair from this website page.

http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/ehcs   

Our annual food drive is December 5-9. You will be receiving more information on this opportunity very soon. This collection benefits New Heights Christian Community Service.

"Donuts with the Principal" = November 11th

Fall Festival = November 12

The Nutcracker = December 9

Piano Recital = December 12

Last week’s “Dinner Discussion” winners:

WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE HOUSEHOLD CHORE?

#1 Answer: Cleaning the bathroom

Check out this week’s questions for discussion.