Hmmm What's that smell??

I smell an election, a State election which, undoubtedly, some feel will be decided on how often your name is in print and what meetings you will attend. We have the inevitable Liberal last minute show up who no one has heard of, despite the Liberal President and ONE local GP crying the candidates accolades about being on a schoolboard, opening a Diabetes Foundation facility and other such irrelevant and un noteworthy humdrum. Yet no one else claims to know of or supported the platform.

Being on the board of a PRIVATE, INDEPENDENT, EXCLUSIVE school hardly validates your role as advocate to the constituency of public and semi private, religious schools in the area, does it now?? Being dressed the nines for a possible photo op and cutting the ribbon to open a facility is hardly supporting the cause nor working for it, is it now? What have you DONE for us? Answer, nothing!!!

Jumping on the bandwagon of political opportunity in a vain self motivated attempt for personal gain, I have yet to hear about " the community's wishes" or " what you want" its all party motivated with the Liberal party taking first, second and third on the list of wants, wishes and needs.

Then we have the local "coulda been" champion of the children fighting his fictional bogeymen of society via media hype and mob hysteria. Don't forget to call up the media before the rally at some unsuspecting persons home in a effort to garner some exposure before the election. Must be due for another game of spot the Claytons pedophile soon...The pedophile you have when there is no pedophile. Seems that they have the issues of the individual confused with the issues of the electorate, your issues are yours: take ownership of them but do not attempt to force your poisoned ideals upon the rest of the community using the soapbox of public office to do so. The amount of information this individual spouts to have access to about alleged offenders whereabouts gives serious issue to:
1. The persons honesty and integrity if they do not have the information
2. The persons ethics and integrity for annoucing that they have such classified information
3. The persons ability to be trusted in a position of public representation if they announce private information so publicly.

Time will tell and like all bad smells, the stench will fade and fresh air will prevail again.

Terrific Kids who can do it!!!!

There is a program in many local schools called "terrific Kids" it is promoted and supported by the Kiwanis and it along with programs like "You Can Do It", goes a long way in the support, validation, recognition and encouragement of our children in all aspects of their education.
Every child, in every class is a Terrific Kid at some time throughout the year, they are recognised for various skills, achievements or often for not giving up on a task or for facing some form of adversity. Mr 6 was Terrific Kid a few months back, his teacher makes a badge for them and they wear it all week and get to sit on the special chair. Each class has special privileges in place for the terrific kids and the recognition brings with it acknowledgement by the other children and staff at the weekly assembly as well as the school community at large by way of the listing in the school newsletter. Mr 5, this Friday, will be awarded Terrfic Kid for the term!!!!!
It is a good incentive for the kids to strive for betterment, be better people and generally care for themselves, others and society. I'm glad my kids are being taught acceptance, tolerance and recognition of everyone's abilities and contributions, they will be better adults for it. The entire student body cares for each other in a manner that out distances their youth. The Buddy system where the Preps are allocated both a Grade 6 and Grade 5 'Buddy" to look out for them and undertake mixed level activities with, is one for which I am extremely grateful. The older children take this task seriously and with the graduation of the Gr 6 buddy to secondary school the role of buddy falls to the new Gr 6 , formerly Gr 5 buddy who as the last buddy in the school for the now Gr 1 child to turn to and learn from.
Miss 9 greatly admired and loved her Gr 5/6 buddy who was a great friend and when she was in Gr 6 I thought about how the Gr 6's had few recognitions or impacting evidence of what they had left the school. A photo and Gr 6 jacket, a yearbook perhaps but little else to carry them into secondary school knowing they had made a difference, left a mark, been part of a history.
I wrote a poem that year, the title was decided by the staff, the reading of the poem that first year I asked to be done by Miss 9's buddy, in consequent years ,the reader has been decided by the Grade 6's and it is read at the graduation of the grade 6's. I was invited the first year it was included in the graduation program to hear it read, I declined. The poem is owned by the students and administered by the school. The copyright is theirs. The memories it instills are theirs for they are all terrific kids who can do it and did!!!