IL / CA News
11/2/2010
Dear Parents:
I find it impossible to believe that two-thirds of this semester has gone by already!
We are now in the midst of our Child Care Unit. I hope that your Independent Living student has shared with you a story or two about the computerized infant simulators that they have been holding during the last week, or of the demonstration babies who suffer from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Shaken Baby Syndrome. These weeks have been packed with emotion, interesting discussions, and a lot of crying babies.
Students worked for two weeks on their “Dream Bedroom” projects, and as a whole, did very well. They were very excited about including hot tubs, foam pits, skate ramps, aquariums, and pools into their designs. This project took three weeks and was the major focus of this grading period. Extra help was given at lunch for four sessions to any student who wanted to avail themselves of this opportunity; although very few did.
In Culinary Arts, students continue to keep busy making frittatas, muffins, biscuits, crepes, and pancakes. Last week, all Culinary students competed in a pumpkin–decorating contest. Although there were several Giants-themed entries, our two class winners were an eye-popping, fog-producing pumpkin (Thank you, Claire Eustace, for your generous donation of dry ice to class!) and a multi-layered, gut-spewing ghoulish pumpkin. Nutrition Pamphlets were the next big project in Culinary, in which students were to research a key nutrient and explain the food sources, deficiency diseases, the function it plays in the body, and a recipe including foods rich in their assigned nutrient. Each grading period, students compile our classroom recipes and add a few of their own; resulting in a cookbook holding all of the recipes made in class. This will be added to throughout the year. I’ve found that parents appreciate seeing what students have prepared.
Thank you for our wonderful volunteers: Kerith Allino; sous chef extraordinaire, and Bob Givens.
Exciting things will be happening in the garden once again! Thanks to the superstar vision of Martha Jones, the talent of Tony Battaglia, surveyor, and Bob Brockman of Alfresco Designs, we will have a beautiful, sustainable garden shaping up before our eyes. Stayed tuned for workdays this summer and come help out. Thanks to Autodesk and the cookbook fundraiser for supplying “seed” money.
For the next two weeks, from November 2nd through November 16th, the Independent Living and culinary classes will be selling cookbooks. This is our major fundraiser. It benefits our classroom and students only. The money raised in this cookbook sale is what sustains us all year. Each student who chooses to participate will be issued one copy of the cookbook, which will be used as a sample to show prospective customers. They are responsible for them. If they are unable to sell the samples they may return them at no charge, providing they are in the same shape as when they received them. ALL BOOKS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 19th.
We encourage the students to contact good friends and family only. In NO WAY do we want the students selling door to door or to strangers. The books cost $10.00 and our program will receive $4.00 for every book sold. There will be some prizes or incentives offered as a reward for selling many books. We have found the books to be an excellent product since all the recipes come from Home Economics teachers. In fact, Mrs. Nugent has two recipes published in the book. Many people use them as gift ideas, thank you presents, stocking stuffers, etc.
At this time, we desperately need a parent each lunchtime, or for half an hour after school, to help fill orders, count money, and keep an accounting of all cook books sold. Please contact me immediately if you can assist.
I so appreciate your support. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
~Charlene Nugent
Culinary Arts/Independent Living Teacher
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