Admissions Testing Day

For those of you interested in applying for the 2010-2011 school year, we are holding our Admissions Testing Day on Saturday, February 6, at 9:00 AM. This is open to all students who have submitted applications. Please contact me for a tour or to answer any questions you might have.

Shine bright,
JDG

Hearts for Haiti

Our PK-12 Lipscomb Family will be combining our efforts to respond to the need in Haiti over the next few weeks. We are collaborating in order to increase our impact. This effort will be called "Hearts for Haiti." The French Club at DLHS has taken the lead in the project, with each of the three schools responding in different age-appropriate ways. From Feb. 1st until Feb. 11th, we will be taking collections to be donated to Healing Hands International for Haiti Relief.

Here at the elementary school, our students will bring in coins (we would also take bills) to add to the collection jar in each classroom. A small paper heart will be hung in the hallway to represent each quarter given in the classroom. We are hoping to connect each grade level’s hearts to form a long chain in several sections of the building. We will be totaling our donations through Feb. 11th and adding them to the middle and high school’s donations.

If you want to send a check instead of cash, you need to make it payable to Healing Hands International with “Haiti Relief” written on the “for” line. As announced last week, until March 1st, donations can be made to Haiti Relief and reported as charitable donations in 2009 or 2010.

Thank you in advance for the money you will send. Whatever the amount, we know God can achieve big results with any gift. It is through this kind of service that young children learn to be responsible adults who truly treat others as they would like to be treated. We hope you will talk with your child about sharing with others; here at school, we will be seeking ways to make this experience not only a service project, but also a teachable moment.

From the heart,

Sharon Farmer
Elementary Principal
David Lipscomb Campus School

Tennessee Wildlife

A couple of weeks ago, our first graders began their unit on animals. Doug Markum, the gentleman in the picture, is from the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) and brought Tennessee animal pelts, teeth, bones, and more to show as he talked about wildlife in our fine state.
Following his visit, the students selected a Tennessee animal to research. They modeled their chosen animals out of clay and built a 3-D habitat to house each of them. I'll try to get pictures of the finished products - pretty impressive, I must say!

70 Ways to Make it Snow

As some of you might have seen, our entire third grade made a human snowflake last week in anticipation for the incoming snow. This picture was featured two different times on Channel 4, much to our delight! In addition to creating the design out on our playground for this great snapshot, the students also compiled a book of writings entitled, 70 Ways to Make it Snow, a compilation of each child's personal snow ritual. For those of us who enjoyed the beautiful white stuff Thursday, Friday and Saturday - wouldn't we agree - it worked!

Shine bright,
JDG

We're B-a-a-a-a-a-a-c-k...

It seems like yesterday we were gearing up for the holidays, anticipating the magic of the season, doing Christmas performances for beloved grandparents on Grandparent's Day - WHICH, by the way, was WONDERFUL! I will post a slideshow soon of the festivities... so much fun! Time, as always, has flown and we're into the new year as if we'd never left the last one. Yesterday I was intrigued by what might be happening on the first day back and wasn't disappointed. We really have the most wonderful students and teachers in the whole, wide world. You do know that, don't you? We invite you to come and see for yourself, if you haven't already. In the meantime, the following is what I discovered and heard about the first school day of 2010. It was a keeper!

**Singing Chapel began with 30 songs of praise in 30 minutes - 20 + 10... Get it? Happy 2010! The kids LOVED it!

**Ms. Collins' Kindergarten enjoyed telling all about their Christmas break adventures and celebrating the recent snow flurries. According to one student, they FINALLY got to mark "snow" on their weather report.

**Ms. Seay's and Ms. Sansom's pre-first group started their unit on the Arctic and Antarctic. They're studying the Eskimo way of life and God's creatures that live in these harsh climates (plus the beautiful Northern Lights). The children are even making Eskimo children to put out in the hallway. You gotta see them!

**Second and third grade classes had very meaningful conversations about resolutions, what it means to have good intentions and follow through. Third graders came to the conclusion that seeing those intentions to the end is not only for the good of moms, dads, and teachers, but they themselves will feel the pride of meeting their personal goals. Curious about their resolutions? Second graders offered such ideas as "work on better handwriting," "be a better friend," and "do homework without being told!” Third grade shared the desire to "get more math objectives," "read more," and "not get in trouble as much!" You gotta love the honesty of children!

Needless to say, it's so easy to come back to such a place where God is front and center and learning is all about. Our DLES family wishes you a super duper New Year! We can't wait to see what God has planned!

Shine Bright,
JDG