SOLON & BEYOND: News from Solon Elementary School

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

As always, I was very pleased to receive the Solon School News, to share with you. They have some great activities going on.

The Solon Civil Rights Team has had a busy start to the school year. Part of the Maine Civil Rights Team Project, it’s responsibility is for the education of young minds about matters of discrimination regarding race, religion, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, and disability.

The team advisors are Mrs. Stevens and Mrs. Jillson. The team is made up of students in grades 4-5 who will organize activities for the school.

The team celebrated Unity Day on October 23. They asked students and staff members to wear orange in support of Unity Day, and there was a great response.

The Civil Rights Team ran a Halloween Dime Raffle in which they raised money to be used for T-shirts and for other team activities. They are sponsoring a Thanksgiving Food Drive from November 4-21 to benefit the Solon Food Cupboard.

The team has displayed a beautiful banner welcoming everyone to the school on Welcome Day, October 25.

The Solon Civil Right Team members are Isabella Atwood, Izaiah Busler,Kaylynn Clark, Amelia Cooper, Katelyn DeLeonardis, Katlin Dellarma, David Dixon, Emerson Golden, Veronica Hoffman, Alex Jerkins, Elijah Katz, Jayden McKenney, Joseph McLaughlin, Nevaeh Palmer, Riley Pelkey and Jillian Robinson.

In addition to a Civil Rights Team, they have a Kind Kids Club made up of K-3 students and run by Mrs. LaChance. All of the K-2 students do activities to show kindness to their classmates, school staff members, their families, and community members.

On October 10, the Solon Fire Department visited the school to do presentations about fire safety in conjunction with Fire Safety Week. Firefighters Todd Dixon and Jenny Rollins, of the Solon Fire Department, talked to students about how to keep safe in the event of a fire. The firefighters brought goodie bags for the students.

The school administration thanks the Solon Fire Department for their continuous education and support of the students at the school. First grade Naturalists at work. This fall Mrs. Campell’s first grade students watched their butterfly house as beautiful butterflies emerged from their chrysalides. The students released the butterflies outside the school.

There will be a Thanksgiving Food Drive from November 4-21. Please send in donations of nonperishable food items to help the students in this community service project. Food will be donated to the Solon Food Cupboard. Sponsored by the Solon Civil Rights Team.

Mark Your Calendar! No School Days: November 11 Veterans Day Holiday and November 27-29 Thanksgiving Break. Christmas Activites: December 9. District Chorus, Christmas Concert, 6 p.m., CCS. December 12 Solon Christmas Program, 6 p.m., and December 17, PTO Children’s Christmas Shopping Day (donations appreciated). PTO meeting on November 14 at 6 p.m.

Book Buddies Enjoy Books Together: Students in kindergarten and fifth grade are meeting once a week as book buddies. The older students read to the younger students and sometimes the younger students read to the older students.

Had lots of fun yesterday helping Amanda at the Christmas Fair, at Carrabec High School. There were lots and lots of other people there enjoying themselves as well. As I sat watching everyone, there were lots of hugs being exchanged with love; and I got lots also, from friends that I see there every year. Another thing that made my day was sitting there cuddling a precious little baby.

And now for Percy’s memoir: Each day you are provided many opportunities to practice peacemaking. St. Francis wrote, “For it is in giving that we receive.” By giving peace you will receive peace, and after you are at peace your problems all dissolve. By becoming a peacemaker you are literally providing yourself with a remedy for virtually all your anxious moments. Today be on the alert for any opportunity to become a peacemaker. (words by Wayne W. Dyer, There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem.)

I know I dream a lot, but I used these same words for Percy’s memoir in this column in the October 19, 2017 issue. I hope some of you tried this advice. The world definitely needs all the help it can get!