Bee there or Bee Square!

The Tybee Island Spelling Bee benefiting Tybee Island Maritime Academy (sponsored by Tybee Island Residents and Property Owners Association) is set for Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 6:30pm at the Tybee Island Gym.

Admission: $5 for adults and $1 for children under 14. There will be a “Bee-stro” cafe that will open at 5:30pm. Local restaurants have generously donated a variety of sandwiches, wings, etc. available for a modest donation! Please plan to attend this evening of fun and cheer on the spellers!

Tybee Island Maritime Academy will be a charter school operated by a governing board, approved by the Savannah-Chatham County Public School Board and the Georgia Board of Education. Charter Schools are independent, tuition-free, public schools that operate under a performance contract with the local school district and the state of Georgia.

The school will be located at 714 Lovell Avenue, Tybee Island, GA 31328. The site includes classrooms for up to 300 students, a cafeteria/gymnasium and a multi-purpose room. The school will also plan to use additional resources such as: The Tybee Island Library, the U.S. Coast Guard Station, the Tybee Island Lighthouse Station.

The school’s tentative opening date is August, 2013.

St. Andrew’s private school in Savannah is bringing nationally recognized author and speaker, Joe Bruzzese to campus. The program is set for October 9 and 10 beginning at 6 p.m. at St. Andrew’s School on Wilmington Island

The presentation is open to the public and reservations may be secured at www.saintschool.com .

Joe Bruzzese, author of A Parents’ Guide to the Middle School Years and parent education expert, speaks to parents across the United States offering practical and long term strategies for overcoming the struggles of the middle school years. Joe’s background in education includes a Master’s degree in addition to his former tenure as teacher in the middle school grades. Joe brings years of educational theory and practical experience to his work with families.

On Tues. Oct. 9, the program focuses on students’ needs in 5th and 6th grade; the Oct. 10 program provides more information for parents of 7th and 8th graders. However, the program is open to all adults. A $10 donation per adult is requested.

St. Andrew’s,  a private,independent school,  601 Penn Waller Road, Savannah,  31410, www.saintschool.com

We asked for creative suggestions for parent involvement in the classroom & we got it, thanks to input from local teachers & parents. Check out the tips in the article here.

As parents, we all know we’re supposed to be volunteering in our kids’ classrooms as much as our schedules allow. The tricky part is coming up the time AND fun, creative things to do w/ kids during our volunteer time.

Here are some additional helpful tips from Savannah teacher Carolyn Perry on how parents can help out in your child’s classroom:

1. Be the class photographer/yearbooker, esp. in the younger grades where they may not get an annual or year book. I have had a mom who took pictures at all the field trips, assemblies, concerts, etc and some candid shots throughout the year and then she burned 25 copies of a windows movie magic movie she made. She made me a coffee cup with the pics & I still have it from that year.

2. Supplies- there is time, there is talent- and there is treasure. Gift cards to Dollar Tree? Super! Pick us up an extra box of tissues? Awesome! For lots of items, if you don’t buy it, I do.

3. Have time? Come in and read. Play a learning game with a few kids (maybe not your own, okay?). Help me with photocopying, filing, cleaning desks, dusting, etc. Yes, I do all of that too.

4. Did you see something really neat on Pinterest? Maybe I did too, maybe not, but either way- how about you make it for me? Fun poster? Make me one! I will love it. Great game you saw or Mother’s Day art and craft? Help me out by jumping right in and take on that project.

5. Phone a friend! Take on anyone of these projects with your friends. The more the merrier!

6. Join the PTA, it’s cheap and gives all the kids a voice.

Bacon Park Christian Day School is dedicated to providing children K-6th grade a traditional education combining challenging academics and character development in a Christian family atmosphere.

The school’s small classes will afford children more individual instruction time.

As part of character development, children are taught about honesty, integrity, good manners, and respect for God, family, friends, and community.

If you are looking for a nurturing environment where your child is valued as an individual and family involvement is encouraged, Bacon Park Christian Day School welcomes you to visit the school. More info here.

Bacon Park Chrisian Day School, 5411 Skidaway Road, Savannah, 31406, (912) 484-9880, email baconparkchristian@gmail.com , www.baconparkchristiandayschool.com Bacon Park Christian Day School is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Trying to find the perfect school for your child for the upcoming 2012-13 school year?

Check out our school open house listing here to find open houses happening this winter at Savannah-area public and private schools.

Below is a guest post from Brenda Marion, who is on the governing board working to get a charter school on Tybee Island beginning with the 2012 school year. For more info on the proposed Tybee Island Charter School, email tybeeislandcharterschool@comcast.net

On July 13, the Savannah Chatham County School Board will vote on whether or not to approve the Tybee Island Charter School application. In order to ensure that each Board member understands that the Tybee community and other stakeholders stand firmly behind this initiative, we are asking that you send each of them an e-mail asking that they vote YES on our application.  Please take some of the talking points below to craft an individualized e-mail to them.

Here are their e-mail addresses:

Joe.buck@sccpss.com; Julie.wade@sccpss.com; Floyd.adams@sccpss.com; Alexander.luten@sccpss.com; Gregory.sapp@sccpss.com; Irene.hines@sccpss.com; lori.brady@sccpss.com; Julie.gerbsch@sccpss.com; ruby.jones@sccpss.com

Below are some talking points:

·Tybee Island has had a school for over 60 years. Tybee children, families and citizens and businesses were extremely supportive of both Tybee’s public school and private school. A school is something that binds a community together and Tybee lost that when St. Michaels closed recently.

· Tybee citizens represent less than 1.5% of the population of Chatham County yet its property owners pay more than 10% of the property taxes for the Savannah Chatham County School System. A small K-5 school is something that we would like to have for our community’s families.

· There are over 100 students who attend SCCPSS k-5 schools who live east of the Lazeretto Creek Bridge. Additionally, there are numerous students who attend private schools. We believe that a school on Tybee would attract a sufficient number of students, would serve as a reason for families with young children to move to Tybee Island and would attract students from elsewhere in Chatham County who are interested in our specialized curriculum.

· We have a facility already in place. Access to a suitable facility is typically a major stumbling block for new charter schools.

· The existing elementary public school for Tybee students is currently at capacity. A Tybee Charter School would help mitigate this problem.

· Tybee students are currently transported to schools all over the County. The SCCPSS Passport to Excellence has as its underlying theme the goal of “neighborhood schools”. A Tybee Charter School would help achieve that goal while also potentially saving money in terms of transportation costs.

· Tybee has a strong and supportive constituency. A Tybee Charter School would have support from various organizations and institutions on many level. Examples include the Tybee Branch of the CEL Library system, the Tybee 4H Center, the Tybee Marine Rescue Squadron, the City of Tybee Island and many others. Additionally, the business community is well-organized and has shown very strong support in the past for Tybee educational initiatives.

Please vote YES for the Tybee Island Charter School on July 13

The above is a guest post from Brenda Marion, who is on the governing board working to get a charter school on Tybee Island beginning with the 2012 schol year. For more info on the proposed Tybee Island Charter School, email tybeeislandcharterschool@comcast.net

Bacon Park Christian Day School is running a promotion until July 8, 2011.

Registration has been reduced to $500 with an additional $50 off monthly tuition for 10 months.
Savings of $1,000.

TUITION: Kindergarten: $5,600 for the year or $500 registration and $510 per month for 10 months.

Grades 1st – 6th: $5,800 for the year or $500 registration and $530 per month for 10 months.

SAVE THE DATE: Join Mrs. Pam Cunningham, July 6, 2011 from 10:00 to 11:00 am. Mrs. Cunningham will be on-hand for Q & A on curriculum and general school information.

Bacon Park Christian Day School is dedicated to providing children K-6th grade a traditional education combining challenging academics and character development in a Christian family atmosphere.

The school’s small classes will afford children more individual instruction time.

As part of character development, children are taught about honesty, integrity, good manners, and respect for God, family, friends, and community.

If you are looking for a nuturing environment where your child is valued as an individual and family involvement is encouraged, Bacon Park Christian Day School welcomes you to visit the school. More info here.

Bacon Park Chrisian Day School, 5411 Skidaway Road, Savannah, 31406, (912) 484-9880, email bpcds@att.net , www.baconparkchristiandayschool.com Bacon Park Christian Day School is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

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