Littlefield Unified School District #9 News

Each year the Beaver Dam Elementary first grade reads the story Miss Jill’s Ice Cream Shop. They also read about how ice cream is made. This year Beaver Dam Elementary first grade students visited an ice cream shop and watched the making of ice cream first hand. Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in St. George was generous enough to have all 45 first graders come for their field trip. Each child got to make their own waffle cone and choose which ice cream they would like in it. Blue Bunny also provided the students with some delicious pizza that they are now serving. After the ice cream, they headed to Hidden Valley Park in Bloomington Hills to play and eat lunch. Beaver Dam Elementary first graders and teachers would like to thank Blue Bunny and its employees for making this field trip fantastic!

The students and staff at Beaver Dam Elementary School celebrated Red Ribbon Week October 20th-24th. It was an eventful week starting with a classroom door decorating contest with the “No Drugs” theme. Tuesday was “Sock it to Drugs” day and the students and staff sported crazy socks. The “Hugs not Drugs” motto was endorsed by the bringing in stuffed animals to school. There was also a “Give Drugs the Slip” PJ’s or sweats and slippers day. It all ended with wearing red on Friday to show support of the nation wide awareness program.

On Tuesday November 4, 2008 the country went to the polls to elect our new president, so did the students at Beaver Dam Elementary School.

A few weeks before the election, Mrs. Dotson’s class sent around a ballot to take a primary vote before the real election. Mrs. Dotson’s class was in charge of this whole project at school. The whole school did the first vote and at the time picked Barack Obama as our next president. As time grew closer to the real election, teachers registered all students with Kid Voting so they could partake in the real election on November 4th. After the kids were registered, they received a real voter’s identification card and were allowed to vote on November 4th.

When the real election came around, Mrs. Dotson transformed her room in to a real election site. Her class made the room look like a real voting site and followed the same procedures just as if they were doing it to the public. In the end, the students at Beaver Dam Elementary school voted in Barack Obama and had the chance to have a real life experience just like the rest of the country did on Tuesday November 4, 2008.

Boy Scout Alex Busenbark, with Troop 1753, wanted to do a service project for kids for his Eagle Scout Project. He approached Principal Steve Peterson of Beaver Dam Elementary School for some ideas. Together they came up with a plan to enhance the playground at the school. After outlining specifics, Alex requested money to be donated by the Beaver Dam Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The PTO graciously donated the money and Alex began putting his plan into action.
After organizing his project and presenting it to the Eagle Scout Advancement Committee, Alex organized a crew, came down to the school and got right to work. Alex and his crew painted nine four square courts and seven hopscotch grids. He installed a tether ball pole with adjoining rope and ball and installed two new nets on the basketball hoops. Alex’s plan also included enhancing the soccer field. Lines were burned to mark boundaries for the game adding the perfect finishing touch to the entire playground. The “new and improved” playground looks amazing and Alex and his crew seemed to get it done in no time!
Beaver Dam Elementary would like to thank Alex and the PTO for providing the students at Beaver Dam Elementary with more fun and excitement while playing on the playground. The school would also like to encourage other young men to think of Beaver Dam Elementary when considering Eagle Scout Project ideas.

Last March Mr. Peterson, the principal at Beaver Dam Elementary School, and the Food Service Director, Susan Burch, applied for a federal grant that would allow the Food Service Department to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to the students with no cost to the parents.

Ms. Burch was excited to learn that her school was one of the 25 schools state wide that would be receiving this grant. The students and staff are now able to fill up on their favorite fruits and vegetables, as well as try new ones, everyday! This is allowing Ms. Burch to introduce the students to food that they may never have had the opportunity to try before.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program from the Department of Education is not part of the National Lunch Program. The school has provided a separate area for the children and staff so that they can choose from the variety available. Ms. Burch was amazed by the success from day one. Nine watermelons and seven cantaloupes were consumed that day and the students have not looked back! The favorites so far are watermelon, grapes, mango, pineapple, snow peas, baby carrots and broccoli.

The pre-school is also benefitting from this grant by being treated to the healthy snacks each day through the lunch program of Susan Burch. The children anxiously await the fruits and vegetables that have been provided. It’s amazing to see the “little ones” chomp carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe and pineapple as well as other new and tasty fruits and vegetables. These healthy snacks are setting a new precedence, that food that is good for you can also be fun!

With the grant, Ms. Burch was also able to purchase educational materials such as veggie puppets, story books, CDs and coloring books. Ms. Burch is looking forward to having these items on hand for parents, students and faculty to enjoy at the annual school Wellness Fair. Overall, the new fruit and vegetable program has been a fantastic experience for the students of Beaver Dam Elementary.