TAYLOR TEEN HEALTH CENTER: Signup now for summer arts and prevention academy

The Taylor Teen Health Center is now accepting applications for the Taylor Summer Arts & Prevention Academy. 

If you like art, dance, drama and music come join us this summer! It’s FREE!! Breakfast and lunch is provided, as well as transportation for Taylor residents. See application for more information.

BLAIR MOODY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Great day at the zoo

The students in Blair Moody Elementary School’s ECSE, Young 5’s and PreK POHI classes are wild about animals.

This month they headed out to the Toledo Zoo with students and their families for a day of fun with the animals. Each family was given a scavenger hunt sheet to help them find the different animals around the zoo.

They enjoyed seeing the monkeys, giraffes, polar bears and naked mole rats. One of the favorite exhibits was the sea otters. This was a special day for the otters at the zoo, recently two baby otters were born, and the group were there on their first day out with the public.

They also got to meet a special guest at the zoo, a crocodile who is 17 feet long and visiting from Australia.

It was a great day to spend with for students, their families and the animals.

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: The sky is the limit when it comes to this presentation!

Taylor Park Elementary School pupils in Mrs. Fletchers' fourth/fifth-grade class had the opportunity to not only study the sky, but to learn a new way to relay this knowledge.  

The students worked in teams picking a planet and finding several resources about that planet (for example, size, position from the sun, characteristics that are unique to only that planet).  

Once the information was documented, the students, with the help of Mrs. Fletcher, created a Power Point slide show.  This is a computer program that allows information to be shared by viewing uploaded slides.

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Music fills the air

Sweet music filled the air at Taylor Parks Elementary School recently.  

The chorus, made up of fourth- and fifth-grade students, put on a beautiful performance for staff students and parents.

Under the direction of Mrs. Tammy Keen, music teacher, the students sang a series of songs about the need to be “Responsible.”  

“Agents of Change,” “Do I dare?” and “Happy” were among the selections performed.  The concert was dedicated to all the positive role models, whether they are parents, teachers or others who have helped guide students into becoming better citizens and caretakers of the world.

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Teachers attend yearlong watchshop

Teachers from Taylor Parks Elementary School attended a yearlong session of Math Institute at Wayne RESA.

They met once a month to get trained on supplemental strategies to teach many math standards in our curriculum. They attended seven sessions and have learned some wonderful ideas to bring to our K-First grade students at Taylor Parks.

This picture is of Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. ambrosia, a few teachers from neighboring Taylor schools with their instructor at RESA, Shannon Smulski. 

TOMMIE SAYLOR: One moment that I couldn't miss ...

“Getting what you want is not nearly as important as giving what you have.”

Tom Krause

By Tommie Saylor

Kennedy High School Principal

Have you ever had your heart broken and full of joy at the same time? Well, it happened to me Wednesday evening when my oldest daughter’s boyfriend purposed marriage, and she accepted.

I found myself standing in a dark hallway.  I strained to hear what was taking place in the adjacent room, hearing the voices of Nathan, my older daughter’s boyfriend, along with the sweet tones of daddy’s little girl, my oldest daughter, Nikki. Months earlier, while stopping for a visit, Nathan took me outside and looked me square in the eye with an intensity I have never seen before, showed me an engagement ring and asked if he could have my daughter’s hand in marriage.  

I told him that I would be honored to call him my son-in-law, and gave him a strong, hardy handshake knowing that the “wheels were now set in motion.”

So here I stand in a darkened hallway, memories of my little angel flashing through my mind.  The days when I would carry her on my shoulders home from the sitter’s house asking her, “What does a cat say?’

“Meow.”

“What does a dog say?”

“Ruff.”

“What does a cow say?”

“Mooooooooooo” (she always liked that one).

Flashes of father/daughter dances, elementary recitals, band concerts and volleyball games. Images of those who broke her tender heart. The tears of growing up and the joys of discovery.

Then the words that we all came to hear chased the images away, as Nathan on bended knee proclaimed his never-ending love for my first born and ask her to do him the honor of becoming his wife.

Nikki laughed, a nervous cackle, then uttered a word that pierced the air like the breaking of glass, a word that changed my world forever, a word that sent chills up my spine.

She said yes.

I instantly became weak in the knees. I just lost my little girl to another man. On cue we stumbled out of hiding surprising Nikki to the point where she lost all composure, sobbing uncontrolled as she embraced each of us in turn.  Champaign was served and soon tears became smiles and laughter, as I soaked in the moment happy to have the chance to play a role in a lifelong memory.

I would never have had an opportunity to experience that precious moment if it were not for Ms. Lancina, Ms. Duty, Ms. Huffman, and several others in the office near the end of the school day Wednesday.

You see, Wednesday was the day of our Honors Convocation, and though my role in this event was minor, I felt that I still needed to do my job, to be there while my students were honored for excellence in education.  The problem was that our Honors Convocation was scheduled to take place at 7 p.m., and Nathan wanted me to be in Kalamazoo (more than a two hour trip) at 7.

I have done countless times throughout my career, I was willing to sacrifice my personal desires.  I can’t begin to name all the birthdays I have missed. But, the girls in the office told me to go, that this was a moment that could not be missed.  

Ms. Lancina was willing to “cover” for me at the Convocation and my part was not really all that important anyhow. I thank God that I have the opportunity to work with such people.  I thank God that I have the opportunity to work with a staff that understands that I’m not just the boss, I am a human being with all the frailties and weaknesses as everyone else.  

I thank God that I work with a staff that “has my back,” a staff that looks out for me as much as I look out for them.  

I thank God that I am an Eagle.

I only wish that those who are outside of the field of education knew of the sacrifices we make for their children.  How we commonly set our own lives aside, sacrifice the needs of our own children and family for our students.  The fabric of our society has been built upon the backs of those who work within our nation’s schools.

Remember, their future is in our hands. Making Kennedy the school of Choice. Excellence by design.

BLAIR MOODY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Great time at camp!

Fifth graders at Blair Moody Elementary School had a great time at camp recently. They had the opportunity to work together while having a good time. A big “thank you” from Principal Laura Tetrault to all of the chaperones who were brave enough to spend the week with our students!