Umbrellas for Peace was AMAZING!

I have been waiting to blog about our amazing display of peace until I finished compiling the video.  What a day!  The support from our small community was fabulous and the kids had a wonderful time making memories!

Umbrellas for Peace Video Here

  A select number of fourth grade parents received a permission slip in communicators for Kindness Kids Club.  If this is of interest, please return the application and permission slip by October 3rd.

Third and Fourth Grade parents also received a note in communicators about our Mexican Folk Art Unit and Dia de los Muertos.  If you or someone you know would be interested in coming in as a guest speaker on a Wednesday, please send me an email ASAP!  Also, if you are willing to allow your child to bring any fun Mexican artifacts to share, that would be wonderful!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Countdown!

Umbrellas for Peace will wrap up on Thursday with a two school, plus marching band and Pecatonica Police & Fire Departments parade at 9 am.  We plan to begin on 7th & Main and parade to 3rd Street on Main.  The kids are excited!  Lets show our students what small town support is all about!  Kindergarten finished painting their umbrellas today, hence no pictures as I had my hands full even with Mrs. V helping.  My parent helpers are the best around!  Want to join the Dragonfly Studio?  Sign up to be a volunteer through the office and send me an email at beckygocken@pecschools.com .  See you Thursday at 9am on Main Street.  You don't want to miss it!

Umbrellas and Unity Day

One week countdown until our Umbrellas for Peace parade!  We are set to begin on Main at 7th Street and walk to 3rd Street, looping back up Reed Street.  This will be an amazing display you won't want to miss!

Last Friday, thanks to Miss Hoffman, Unity Day returned to PES!  I, personally, think I had the best team of the day!  We exchanged many group high 5s and made new friends!

I placed the Umbrellas for Peace shirt order yesterday.  A huge thank you to Scott Wenstrom at Northstar Graphics for his design work and quick turnaround!

We ordered the umbrellas!

We placed the orders for the umbrellas for the Umbrellas for Peace project today!  A huge thank you to the Pecatonica Education Foundation and Ms. Ginny Meyers of Gambino Real Estate for your generous donations to push this project forward!    The excitement continues to build!  We hope to have enough funds to purchase more paints as well!

Braids Against Bullies & Umbrellas for Peace Updates

Today Pecatonica stood up to bullying by wearing Braids Against Bullies!

We also had two staff painting days for the Umbrellas for Peace project!  They are beautiful!  We have some very talented artists on our staff!

Braids Against Bullies

On Friday, find a creative way to wear braids in support of victims of bullying!  Growing up being bullied in grade school was terrible, so this idea really hits home for me.

Thank you to the teachers that stayed after school today to paint umbrellas together!  I appreciate your support in the Umbrellas for Peace project.  The studio will be open tomorrow evening for staff members as well.  

W.O.W. piece 5 is due May 29th.  Students are to complete the majority of work individually in the studio.  Fused glass pieces may not be W.O.W. pieces. The end of the school year is drawing near!

Earth Day Collaborative Project

After collecting hundreds of water bottles (THANKS MRS. VANDEVOORDE!!!), we have started our Dale Chihuly inspired sculpture this week.  Our goal is to have our first sculpture finished in time for the Art Show on Wednesday evening from 6-7:30pm.  Monitoring non-washable acrylic paint with the kids kept my hands busy during class time hence the pictures are without children.

 Red at the beginning

Almost finished!

We will also have a donation box at the art show for the Umbrellas for Peace Project.  An example of the project can be seen at Umbrellas for Peace.  So far we have received 2.6% of the $2, 590 we need to make this project come to life.  I will have a few umbrellas out for students to paint for some of our staff members.  If you have fun paint colors to donate, please send those in ASAP.  Thank you for your support on this "once in a lifetime" project!  I can't wait to see it come to life!

Artist statements due tomorrow!

Just a reminder typed artist statements about students' chosen W.O.W. piece for the art show are due tomorrow!  A note came home in communicators a couple weeks ago and students have been reminded by classroom teachers.  Typed statements should include their name and teacher's name, few sentences about what your child created and what they want the viewer to notice about their artwork.  Some students have created mini stories about their artwork!  

We will be accepting monetary and paint donations for the Umbrellas for Peace project through May 9th.

A huge thank you to Mrs. VandeVoorde for collecting water bottles for our collaborative sculpture!  I hope to have it finished for the art show!

The art show is Wednesday, April 30 from 6-7:30pm.  Mrs. Hickman will also have her book fair open that evening!