Friday, November 6, 2020

We Rise By Lifting Others

 Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! Over the summer, a team was given the assignment to “beautify” our Buchanan lounge and turn it into a space that is warm, inviting and motivational.  We received a coffee cart and a large chalk board to hang above it.  Since we returned to in-person learning, the chalk board has been waiting to be “beautified”.

Outside of Buchanan, our speech therapist, Mrs. Parnell, has the pleasure of working with the students at the Livonia Transition Program. This program teaches life and vocational skills to students with a variety of disabilities that are 18-26 years old. One student she had the pleasure of meeting was Dylan and she quickly learned that he is more than a person with autism, more than a gentle giant, more than a young man who LOVES movies and cartoons and technology. Dylan is an amazing artist. 

Knowing that our “message board” was in desperate need of “beautification”, she asked the team at Buchanan if they would give Dylan the opportunity to showcase his artistic talents and beautify our sign.  He was given only the guidance to be mindful of the picture hanger orientation and the knowledge that someone at our school loves Superman. Below is his finished product that we are proud to display at Buchanan! 


UPCOMING EVENTS
  • Thursday, November 19: PTA Meeting (Virtual) 7:00 PM
  • Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27: Thanksgiving Break
  • Friday, December 4: No School for Students (Records Day)
PTA POINTS

  • Fall Treats for Students: A big THANK YOU to Cantoro Italian Market for its donation of donuts and cider and to Walmart (7 Mile) for its donation of cups so we could provide a Halloween treat to our Face-to-Face students last week! Our Livonia Virtual students should look out for a fall treat from the PTA at Materials Pickup on Friday. 
  • Last Call for Art Contest Entries! Reflections is an annual art competition held by the National PTA. Artwork is accepted in the following categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts. This year, all entries will be submitted virtually. Entries are due to ValerieRJackson@gmail.comby Friday, November 13. Please see the flyer attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email for details.
  • PTA Membership: Last year we finished the year with 203 PTA members, but we are sitting at just 94 members so far this year. Can you help us reach our goal of hitting last year's number? PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential education and curriculum needs, advocating on behalf of children and educators, and building an inclusive school community for all families. Please show us your support and become a member today at our MemberHub store: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store
  • Follow the PTA on Facebook: @BuchananElementarySchoolPTA
  • Next Meeting: Thursday, November 19, 7:00pm

MEET THE STAFF


Hi Buchanan Community! My name is Haley Yost and I'm thrilled to be at Buchanan. I went to Central Michigan University and graduated in 2018.  After graduation, I served as a building substitute in Walled Lake Public Schools. I have a dog named Buster that gets my attention when I'm not in school. A goal I have this year is to try and make this year as normal and fun as possible for my students! 


Hello Buchanan Families! I am Brittany Brown the new fourth grade teacher here at Buchanan. Being a first year teacher I am thrilled to be here in such a welcoming district and school community. In December 2019, I graduated with honors from Eastern Michigan University with my degree in Elementary Education and minors in integrated science and reading. One of my favorite things to do outside of school is skating, I have been a figure skater for 16 years and a Learn To Skate Instructor in Garden City for 6 years. I also enjoy spending time with my family; mom, dad, younger brother Alan and my grandmother. One of my main goals is to make this a memorable year for my students and not just because of COVID-19. 


Hi Everyone! My name is Bobby Miller and I'm excited to be a part of the Buchanan team. Before working for LPS, I was a manager at Granite City for 4 years and have been in food service a total of 12 years. I enjoy working with my hands and am happy to be working as a building supervisor. My wife's name is Liz Miller and my daughters name is Cora. I enjoy spending the weekends watching football with my family while cooking delicious meals (steak dinners are my favorite). My professional goal for this year is to learn the ins and outs of our John Deere tractor. My personal goal is to perfect my beef wellington recipe!

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