The Soundtrack to my Life: Music, Books, and Movies

Hello ladies and gentlemen. This is a new "label" where I, Mary, will give you, the people, my recommendations on movies, music, and everything with pop culture value.

Music: There is a ton of new music out right now. Everything from rap to rock. Songs I would like to recommend  are "Money Grabber" by Fitz & the Tantrums; their sound is a mix of old-school soul, new wave, with a pop twist. I have to say I like their sound; it's very vintage, but also a breath of fresh air to the music scene. Another song I would like to suggest would be "Make Some Noise" by The Beastie Boys. I know they might look old, but they're better than ever with this first single off their new album. The music videos are great as well with tons of celebrity cameos by actors such as Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, Seth Rogen, and Jack Black. The actual Beastie Boys never make an appearance in the video, but they have the dressed as look-alikes of the rap-group. Check it out; its beats will get you in a good mood.

Books: Currently, I'm obsessed with Oscar Wilde. A genius writer of the 1890's has poems, plays, and novellas that are timeless, and still have great meaning to this day. Currently, I am reading Wilde's only complete Novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray." It's beauty comes from topics of a "starving artist", and his inspiration, (none other than, Dorian Gray), for "the greatest art he has ever done". It tells a story of love, loss, and what youth means in Society. I definitely recommend this to people who enjoy the classics, and who have a deep appreciation for art and all it's beauty.

My Blast of the Past song for the time being would be a flashback to the 90's, with "Spiderwebs" by No Doubt. This would be fans for ska mixed with power-pop. The song talks about a man who won't stop calling the lead singer (Gwen Stefani), as she refers to it as a "Telephonic Invasion". It will make you want to discover more artist like No Doubt. Toward the ska sound of the song you might want to look up Operation Ivy. It's perfect for teenage angst and adults could be reminded of their teenage years just by the  lyrics and slick guitar riffs.

Thank-you for reading; I hope you can find new things to discover and enjoy from this blog!

Written by Mary

Neighborhood & Community Sustainability Grant

Congrats Jordan and Alex on the
2011

Neighborhood and Community Sustainability Grant!

The Outdoor Learning Center Draft Proposal:

The Learning Center (TLC) at Linlee is a school that designs integrative programs which include students, teachers, parents, professionals, and community representatives in providing meaningful opportunities for real world experiences in an empowering environment.  Impact on the community is a vital part of the TLC philosophy.  Students interact with community representatives through hands on projects.  The projects provide exploratory and real world opportunities to expand and enhance the whole student within a secure and nurturing environment.

Middle and high school students currently attending TLC have the opportunity to grow and prepare fresh vegetables while exploring growing processes, scientific impact, diet, nutrition and entrepreneur opportunities.  The school empowers students to design activities that have them problem solve ways to increase disease-free organic food production from ground to table and sustain a healthier lifestyle for those living in the community.  Students will use the fresh vegetables within the school cafeteria/bistro projects. 

The students have surveyed the school's land and conducted soil sample analysis in planning locations for rain gardens, flower beds, tree farm (arboretum) and an area for planting/harvesting crops.  They will take part in scientific experimentation that focuses on variables (climate changes, insect/pest management, and community attitudes) that will affect the longevity of the targeted programs.  They will be the ambassadors for district students at all levels to help young minds change the practices of adults and teach them ways to better utilize land and improve land development.

The school has support from community schools, businesses and organizations.  These contributors have supplied TLC with seed, soil, materials and some monetary support.  TLC’s commitment to sustainability and empowerment is interwoven into its educational mission.  Some students are currently involved in an Environmental Club and focus groups that collect and evaluate data in order to expand and improve the sustainability of TLC’s Outdoor Learning Center.  Students attending TLC will use the food garden to grow vegetables as part of elective class currently offered at TLC.  Also members of the student developed Environmental Club will partner with local garden club to assist with the production and dispersal of food.

Some key points:

·         Students will utilize the fresh vegetables within the school cafeteria and Bistro project.  Food will also be distributed to other agencies (for example: local churches, Women/Children’s Shelter, MASH, or local soup kitchen).

·         Students will work with volunteers from local garden club and utilize donated materials from local suppliers which will strengthen the value of volunteerism by example and through participation.

·         A vital part of all student activity is empowerment to improve their community through service.  Students work to "pay it forward" to those less fortunate.  This philosophy empowers not only the students but the community.

·         Design and implement new projects

·         Revise, improve and extend existing projects through sustainability commitment

·         Organize community involvement projects

·         Collect feedback from participants, stakeholders of project

·         Initiate adoption of a healthier lifestyle

·         Collect data on student driven projects / evaluate

·         Promote healthy lifestyle through personal experiences

·         Increase awareness of procedures involved in food production and preparation

·         Increase civic responsibility through community involvement

Through the development of the TLC gardens, students will impact the community by donating surplus crops to local charitable organizations.  Students are stakeholders and participants in developing, documenting, and evaluating hands-on, real-life experiences while connecting through established curriculum guidelines.  They will use successful experiences to assist/train others with the implementation of similar projects.  The students’ vision is to have a global, sustainable impact…

Click on the link below to see the actual grant!

2011 Neighborhood and Community Sustainability Grant

The Book Nook @ TLC

Date:  Tuesday, May 31

Time: 4:10-4:40 p.m.

Place:  The Page Turner’s Café

 

**Drop by the Book Nook and check out your copy today!**

 

 

Summary:  Clay Jensen comes home from school and finds a package by his front door. He's excited. An unexpected package with no return addresss, for him? What Clay finds inside is a shoebox full of cassette tapes. He rushes to the old radio/cassette player in his dad's garage to check out these mysterious tapes. What he hears when he inserts the first tape is the voice of Hannah Baker. Hannah, the girl he'd had a crush on, went to school with, and worked with at the movie theater. The girl who had changed, drastically, in the past few months. Hannah Baker, the girl who committed suicide. Clay soon realizes that these tapes aren't just a suicide note, instead, these are thirteen reasons -- thirteen people, to be exact -- who created a snowball-effect of events that led Hannah to believe that suicide was her only option. But why is Clay on that list? How could he possibly be one of the reasons that she killed herself? This is an emotional book that will make readers examine their own actions, and consider the effect they may have on others.

Amber C. Tongate

The Learning Center at Linlee

TLC's Got Talent

TLC Talent Show!

The TLC Talent Show is underway and coming soon.

We're asking students to participate in the talent show, by auditioning. If hosting is one of your "Secret Talents" then you also have a chance to audition for a hosting gig for the talent show! Auditions start on Friday, May 19. So, here's your chance to shine students of TLC! Our judges will consists of 3 teachers, Ms. Straney (English teacher, and head of newspaper), Mr. Hefling (U.S history teacher), and Mrs. Baxter (the greatest secretary in Kentucky school systems!!). Don't worry kids there will be no biased judging so everyone has the same shot to shine. The winners will receive a cash prize; there will be a 1^st place, 2^nd place, and 3^rd place winners. And some of the contestants will receive an honorable mention.  Sign up to join the talent show auditions and the hosting audition. Flyers will be posted soon. TLC's Got Talent will take place on May 25th!

Written by Mary

Secretary Day

Interview with Mrs. Judy Baxter
Written by Clarissa

It's not uncommon to walk into the TLC office and see Mrs. Baxter busy answering phones, letting guests in the front door, swarmed in papers, and typing hastily on her computer. However, today is Secretary Day, which means it is our day to serve her!  She looks beautiful as ever, surrounded by candy, and colorful bouquets. She kindly interuppted her busy schedule for an interview.

 CG : How long have you been a secretary?

JB : 20 years.

 CG: What kinds of gifts did you receive and from who?

JB: Flowers, candy, and a UK cup!

CG: What inspired you to choose this career?

JB: It was just the first job I got.

CG: Where did you work first?

JB: National Yellow Pages in Louisville, Kentucky.

CG: What do you do on a typical day?

JB: Everything, haha. Answering phones, greeting people, attendance, handle subs who come in, and bookkeeping – all kinds of things.

CG: What's the best part of being a secretary?

JB: Dealing with people.

CG: The worst?

JB : Oh haha, people calling and fussing about things you have no control over.

CG: What's been your best experience at TLC?

JB:  Being a maintenance man --Me, coming to fix the copier? No...of course, it is the great staff and students – getting to watch them accomplish things.

What a woman!  We love you, Ms. Baxter!

Faculty Spotlight

Please be advised that Josh Wilson has secret talents, one in particular which could be beneficial in your classroom, if you need a dramatic reader. He participated in my class's challenge to select a poem and prepare a rough dramatic reading of it within five minutes for Ms. Tongate's Poetry in a Pocket week.  His rendition of Poe's "El Dorado" had adults and students in stitches!  

Invite Josh into your class to be a student; he is a big kid and gets the students excited about an assignment.

Thanks, Josh for participating.  I could use you in the next few weeks to do some Shakespeare, as I cannot read all parts myself.

Ms. Crisp  

The Archery Team

The Archery Team is The Learning Center's first archery team.  It started last year when we qualified for Worlds, a big archery tournament in Florida where people from all over the world attend.  This year we just finished up a great season as well.  We didn't make it as far, but we still did really well.  I really saw improvement in our team at our recent Anderson County tournament since the beginning of the year.  I really love Archery and Ms. Harris. 

Come check us out if you get the chance!

-Nick C.

Our Archery banquet is to be announced.  It will be in the cafeteria.  We will be grilling hamburgers and hotdogs.  Everyone is invited to come and celebrate our team and enjoy fellowship with the families.  I will talk more about it in the meeting.

TLC- BFAAI

International Humanitarian Project

       Students from The Learning Center at Linlee (TLC) recently solicited books, toys, clothes, and school supplies from the generous people of the community for its International Humanitarian Project. There were three massive boxes filled with the solicited items shipped to the Philippines last April 17, 2011. These items will reach the recipients within 45-60 days from the day it was shipped. The recipients will be the victims of the latest “super typhoon Megi”, one of the most intense tropical cyclones ever recorded, that hit the northern part of the country leaving homes and schools severely damaged and flooded. The Bluegrass Filipino-American Association Inc. (BFAAI) funded the shipping of the items.

          The Isabela State University’s Education Department, Jones Campus, in the Philippines will spearhead an outreach program to distribute the items to the places hit by the typhoon. The boxes should arrive right on time before school begins in June 2011.

          The TLC family reaches out to the world with helping hands through the awesome leadership of Mr. Chi, the principal. Mrs. Galla, a member of the faculty, lead the students in doing this humanitarian activity. Along with the efforts of TLC is the generosity of the officers and members of the BFAAI headed by its active president, Dr. Maria Agtarap.

For the next phase of the project we already have one box packaged and ready to ship to the next recipient. However, we need to solicit more books and school supplies from the kind- hearted people from the community. Tiffany, an active officer of the TLC Student Body lead the sorting and packaging of the items with members of TLC’s “Pay It Forward” exploratory group.“I would be very happy to donate books and I’m very excited to help others” said Mary, a senior student at TLC.  Anyone else who is interested should contact Mrs. Galla!  Let's continue to "Make a Difference: Inside out!"

Article submitted by Mary and Tiffany

Project Fundraiser for the Art Department

Update:  We have plants out in front of the cafeteria and some in music room today. If you would like to purchase some today see Ashley or I at dismissal. We have some really nice jade plants for 10.00 in the music room.

 

Also I put the leftover ice cream from yesterday in the freezer in there. Please tell all your friends about our plant sale! Thanks, Cindy

The TLC Art department is having a plant sale as a project fundraiser on May 6. We are growing tomatoes, zinnias, banana peppers, basil  and marigolds. Also, I have donations of heirloom tomato plants, perennials, etc. I have cone-flowers, day lilies, iris, woodland poppies, spider-wort, bronze fennel, galleria, etc... from my own garden.  Proper Plants greenhouses are selling us plants wholesale to resale. I am attaching a flower for what they have to offer. They have beautiful hanging flowers. Hold off buying your plants-- if you need something sooner let me know! Tell all your friends and family!! 

Ms. Zeller and Ms. Fosson (Baker)

The Great Gatsby Goes to Pennsylvania

Check out the link below to see a Literature Circle with students from Hickory High School in Hermitage, Pennsylvania via videoconferencing:

http://tlctigertechnology.blogspot.com/2011/03/great-gatsby-goes-to-pennsylvania.html

Exploratories: Boys to Men a.k.a. Men On a Mission

  

Mr. Chi's Boys to Men group (M.O.M: Men On a Mission) is mainly about helping troubled kids with their school work and guiding them to make better choices.  We aren't running away from our past, but we definitely don't want younger kids repeating our mistakes.   Right now we're helping 4^th grade kids at Maxwell Elementary each of us get one or two kids each.  First we get to know them, what they like, and what their problems are now.   Once we know what we are dealing with, we can start connecting through hands on activities and one on one discussions.    I love what we are doing and I look forward to more opportunities to make a difference.

--Jordan H.

Maxwell Spanish Immersion Magnet Elementary School

http://www.fcps.net/media/65013/maxwell%20-%20web%20version.jpg

Mr. Chi,

The "MOMS" just left us, will you please pass on these sentiments?

 

As the guys were leaving the kids were ecstatic that they had been visited.  The impact of this program is totally making a positive impression on our kiddos.  We have some that are making sure they are working hard and staying focused on positive behavior so that they get to join us when the MOMS show up.  Other students, usually absent because they do not value school come to school just at the prospect that the MOMS show up - amazing! Everyday I get at least 3-4 students asking me "Are our MOMS coming today?"  This truly has been a fantastic program for our kiddos. 

 

Such a fantastic program!  Thank you so much for letting my students and I be involved!  We can not wait for your return visit!  I wanted to let you know that next Friday the 13th we are having celebration day for students that made academic goals - we would love to share this celebration with the guys.  The 20th we will be at Woodland Park, our "Read Around the Park" day - the guys are more than welcome to join us - we are reading short stories and playing kickball.  On the 27th we are having our Geography Bowl, in which the students are on teams.  I just wanted to give you the heads up about the rest of our Fridays so you all can plan accordingly.

 

Again, thank you so much for letting my kids and I be involved with the MOMS program - sometimes TIME is all people really need :)

Katie Grossman

4th Grade

Maxwell Elementary

How Clean Is Our Water? Part 2: A Water Fountains Analysis

 How Clean is Our Water?
Part 2: A Water Fountain Analysis

By: Clarissa

Another interesting thing students discovered during our water fountain discovery experiment was that certain water fountains tended to be colder than others, even when they were in close proximity. Curious, we decided to investigate more. The height of the water fountains didn't seem to matter, nor the location. Surprisingly, the brand seemed to make the most difference in temperature as well as turbidity.

On average, the Elkay water fountains were the coldest, followed by Oasis. The coldest fountain over all was Halsey Taylor, which is located by the gym. The warmest was the "Kelvinator," by the faculty bathroom.  The average temperature of the school's nine water fountains was 63.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which is pretty good. Oddly enough, the fountain on the girl's side of the gym was a chilly 65 degrees, while the boys side was a lukewarm 77 degrees. That's a strange difference in temperature for only being a few feet apart.

So, whats the best fountain to drink from? The tall fountain by the gym is the absolute coldest, but the Elkay fountain on the right hallway follows as a close second by only .2 degrees warmer. Maybe next time you're stopping by to get a drink, you'll consider all the variables that make your water warm or cold.

Earthquake

 Disaster Among Disasters

By Tiffany

In the early morning of March 11, 2011, the world had received news that Japan had suffered a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake. However, the earthquake was not the disaster that caused the most destruction or the most deaths. It was the aftermath effect that did the most damage caused by the tsunami and nuclear invasion.

Japan is a country that is prepared for the devastation that an earthquake can cause; for example, one of Japan's many preparations are the buildings that are built to withstand earthquakes.

The occurrence of the second natural disaster is what caused the most havoc in japan. A huge tsunami wiped through South Eastern Japan and left death and demolition in its path. Another tsunami later hit Northern Japan as well. There were some cities in Japan that were totally annihilated. Unfortunately, in those areas people had less than a few minutes to evacuate. Many didn't make it.

The tsunami led to the nuclear disaster that had occurred in Japan. This nuclear disaster is the biggest since the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Several people in Tokyo, Japan had already been exposed to the radiation that had escaped from the nuclear power plants. Even now the Japanese government is still trying to contain the rest of the radiation from getting out into the population.

As of right now, the number of people who are dead or missing are up to around 13,000.

We send our prayers out to the Japanese people and hope that we can rebuild a better and strong Japan.We send our condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones. However, this tragedy has also brought the Japanese citizens and the world closer together. They are helping and comforting each other through these trying times. Let everyone in this world get together and be one,and send our love, prayers, and support to the people of Japan (CNN Wire Staff).

CNN Wire Staff, "Widespread Destruction from Japan Earthquake, Tsunamis."  CNN World Turner     Broading Casting Systems, 2011.  

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-11/world/japan.quake_1_hokkaido-tsunami-east-japan-railway?_s=PM:WORLD

Picture Links:

http://bimchat.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/japan-earthquake-march-11-2011.jpg?w=512

http://www.treehugger.com/japan-radiation-fukushima-nuclear-nukes-photo-001.jpg