Gig Harbor Academy welcomes our new Administrative Assistant, Leigh Ann Myhre, and she says that she is thrilled to have the opportunity to be working here at the school and we are equally excited.  She looks forward to getting back into the world of education and can see that her background and skills will come in handy in a number of ways at the school.
 
Leigh Ann earned a B.A. in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Journalism at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Immediately after college she moved to Mexico to teach English at a private preparatory high school in the city of Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. Once she moved to Washington in 2004, she joined AmeriCorps and worked at an elementary school implementing the Washington Reading Corps program. In 2005, Leigh Ann transitioned into fundraising and development for non-profit organizations and that is where she has stayed for the last five years. 
 
Leigh Ann and her husband Bjorn live in Tacoma with their 7-year-old boxer mix named Guinness. They enjoy spending time outdoors and especially like traveling when the opportunity arises.  She is a vigorous knitter, spending most of her Sundays in yarn. And on most weeknights, she plays roller derby for the Dockyard Derby Dames, Tacoma's own women's flat track roller derby league under her alter ego "Knitty Gritty".  She is on the pink and black team and has been playing since November 2009.

Leigh Ann's first day will be on Monday, January 3, 2011.  Please come in to introduce yourself and welcome her to the Gig Harbor Academy community. 

Auction Basket of the Week is............

Please drop your auction donation off at the front desk, fill out a procurement form, and record your donation in the binder so we avoid duplications! 

Check out our e-newsletter or the binder at the front desk for the entire basket wish list and what items have been donated to date!  We are featuring over 50 baskets that we hope to fill with wonderful items.

Thank you in advance for your participation. 

Gig Harbor Academy is proud to report that we have received a grant worth $1,350 from the KGI Watershed Council.  This grant will be funding the "Wetland Restoration" project that will be completed in four different stages with the end result being a restored habitat for native flora, with free access to wildlife, including bird and insect species. 

Stage 1:  Clearing of invasive plant species.

Stage 2:  Cultivation of native plant species.

Stage 3:  Trail improvement and signage.

Stage 4:  Release of native plant project video.

A time lapse plant cam will be purchased to monitor new plant growth.  With this footage and the student's notes, a video diary will be produced explaining the process from start to finish, and highlighting the benefits of the restoration of native plants and wetland areas.  Students will also produce a pamphlet describing the project, and guiding visitors through the wetland trails.

It is planned that Gig Harbor Academy students will continue to maintain the trails and wetland area, continue to monitor the inventory of species and the water quality, and protect and cultivate the installed native plants.  Over the following years, it is anticipated that with the students' continued attention the end result of this project will yield a surplus of native plant seedlings, so that plants may be harvested for other restoration projects. 

Today when I walked into the first grade classroom I was bombarded with jokes!  Here are just a few that I could remember. Enjoy!

What do you call a lizard monument?

           The Statue of Lizardy

Where do germs come from?

           Germany

What do you get from a cow after an earthquake?

          A Milkshake        

We are pleased to announce that Sheila Walther's maternity leave replacement will be Heidi Estano.  Heidi holds a Master's Degree in Education with a K-8 endorsement, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, with area emphasis in psychology (specifically child psychology), human development (specifically child development), and history.  Her passion for education is evident and is the driving force behind her continued efforts in the field.  Her strong and consistent classroom management skills will compliment Mrs. Felton's.  Sheila's due date is January 21st so expect Heidi to show up any time before or after that (depending on the baby's schedule, of course)!     

Mary Lou Hunt will be stepping in for Lynn Swanson to teach music at Gig Harbor Academy when Lynn leaves for maternity leave sometime in January.  Mary Lou has taught children in the public school setting for thirty two years finishing her career in the Bremerton School District. She lives in a neighborhood near Gig Harbor Academy with her husband,Warren Hunt, who is the band director at Kopachuck Middle School in the Peninsula School District. Her two sons went to school in the Peninsula School District. David is 26 and lives in Troy, New York where he is attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying physics. Jonathan is 19 and attends Western Washington University where he is studying computer science. Mary Lou's favorite musical activity is playing oboe and English horn, although she also loves to play piano and has just started to study the Celtic harp. When not doing musical activities she enjoys gardening, hiking, kayaking and watching the birds and bears in her yard.

On the evening of Monday, December 13th dad's of preschool children gathered in the preschool room to show off their gingerbread house making skills.  Both child and father decorated their own house any way they pleased and not one house was like another.  This annual event in preschool is an evening that is cherished by father and child alike. 

   

CLOSED    Dec. 24th     Christmas Eve

OPEN        Dec. 31st       New Year's Eve

Non holiday days are business as usual.  If you have any questions please call childcare at 253-265-8773. 

Prekindergarten and Kindergarten took a trip to bring holiday cheer to the residents of Merrill Gardens Assisted Living.  They sang several songs including "Mambo Santa", "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", and "Must Be Santa", to only name a few.  The Kindergartners also did their T'was the Night Before Christmas play.    

In her spare time, Mrs. G volunteers at the Tacoma Humane Society.  She has recently taken over the responsibility of taking care of a bunny named Panda (4 months old).  Panda comes to visit the fourth grade classroom every Friday where the the fourth grade students socialize her by feeding her treats and petting her, which will prepare her to be adopted this coming January.   

This week fourth grade and preschool got together to make a dry mixture of pasta, rice and legumes that when mixed with broth and your favorite veggies turn into a delicious soup.  Each fourth grader helped 1 to 2 preschoolers carefully scoop and measure each ingredient into a bag while making one for themselves.  Along with the "filling the soup bag" station, there was the "decorate the bag" station, and the "reading" station.  After the event was finished, each child had a soup gift safely tucked in a beautifully decorated bag especially made from them to give to a loved one.......and one more wonderful experience in their memory banks with their buddies.   

To make your own Family Favorite Winter Soup Gift Mix put the following ingredients in a plastic bag:

3/4 cup dried green split peas 

1/3 cup dried yellow split peas

1/8 cup rice

1/8 cup pearl barley

1/4 cup macaroni

1/4 cup lentils

Make a recipe card with the following directions:

1.  Rinse & sort (if needed).

2.  Add mix to 2 quarts boiling stock.

3.  Chopped veggies may be added (onion, garlic, carrots, celery, or other favorites).

4.  Simmer covered 45 minutes.

5.  Season with your choice of pepper, salt, thyme, & oregano or curry powder or chili powder.

6.  Wrap and give!

Monday, December 20th -

Friday, December 31st

Wednesday, January 5th

9:00 AM in the Library 

The School Family Network (SFN) is an informal, yet energetic group of parents who meet once a month to organize numerous school-wide events.  With the intent of supporting and enhancing GHA through communication and commitment, SFN hosts family fun events such as bowling nights, the annual pumpkin carve, weekly hot lunches for the students, teacher appreciation activities, as well as the bi-monthly snack sales.  In addition, SFN reaches outside of the Academy with varying community service projects throughout the year.  All parents are welcome to attend.

Thursday, January 6th

Hosted by Faculty & Staff

For $1.00 you can purchase yummy treats provided by the Faculty and Staff of Gig Harbor Academy.  

Friday, January 7th

8:45 - 10:00 AM 

All parents and staff are invited to attend a baby shower in honor of our two expecting mothers, Lynn Swanson and Sheila Walther.  This Open House Forum Baby Shower hosted by School Family Network will be held in the library on Friday, January 7th from 8:45 - 10:00 AM.  There will be treats and School Family Network will be presenting the mothers-to-be (both babies will be girls) with a basket of goodies.  If you have any questions, please contact Cristina McDougall (SFN President) or Niki (in the office).  We look forward to seeing you all there!   

Tuesday, January 11th

5:00 PM

Thursday, January 13th - After School

First Tuesday of every month at 3:45 - 5:00 PM

Come to the Harbor History Museum and participate in their Family Fun Time program.  It will be held the 1st Tuesday of every month from 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM.  During this time they will read a story (usually related to the special exhibition), explore a "mystery" object from the collections, and do a craft project. This program is free for members and $1 with paid admission for non-members.

Every Saturday until Christmas

12:00 - 4:00 PM

Don't go all the way to the mall for pictures with Santa when you can stay right here in Gig Harbor.  Santa will be visiting Teaching Toys, Too in Uptown every Saturday from

12:00 - 4:00 PM up until Christmas.  Ho, Ho, Ho!