Please remember to turn in your green health forms. These forms have to be submitted every year in order to be in compliance with State guidelines.

The Heritage School is looking for field trip bus drivers from the Heritage community. If you have your CDL and would like to drive for the occasional field trip, please contact Judy Cooper in the front office.

On Wednesday, September 7, Rachel's Challenge will be introduced to Heritage students.  This program was founded by the parents and brother of Rachel Scott, the first victim of Columbine.  They were inspired to develop this program of bullying and violence abatement based on Rachel's own acts of kindness and compassion prior to her death and on the contents of her six diaries found after her passing.  The program's intent is to challenge students and adults to change the way they treat others.

During the morning, our students in grades 1 - 12 and their teachers will attend age-appropriate assemblies that promote kindness and compassion.  In the afternoon, students in grades 9 -12 and their teachers will be involved in a special training program, led by the Rachel's Challenge staff, to help carry the lessons of the day throughout the school year and beyond.  Classroom teachers will lead discussions following the morning assemblies for students in grades 1 - 8.

Parents and the community-at-large are invited to attend an evening program conducted by the staff of the Rachel's Challenge program from 7:00 - 8:00 pm in the Student Life Center.  Mark your calendar so that you have the opportunity to know more about this motivating program. 

The United States Pony Club is an international program for youth that teaches "riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies, thereby developing responsibility, moral judgement, leadership and self-confidence." 

A local chapter, Pine Trace Pony Club, is activating in September and has invited Heritage to take part.  The Pony Club accepts members of ages 5 through 21.  Each member must have two years riding background or currently be taking riding instruction, and must be an independent rider (no lead line).

Heritage alumna and riding coach, Jennifer Burns ''85, of Burns Farm, will act as the liaison between the Pine Trace Pony Club and Heritage. 

Local plus national dues are $217 per year.  If you pay your dues by September 1, you will get 4 extra months FREE of charge, extending your membership from September 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012, so ACT FAST!

For more information, please contact Kristen Thompson of Pine Trace Pony Club at (678) 817-7715 or visit www.ponyclub.org.

Junior and AP Photography student, Hannah Smith, has been chosen as an intern at the Serenbe Photography Center. Hannah will be assisting the staff with workshops and groups who come to the center.

Serenbe Photography Center was formed with the purpose of creating a regional photography resource to provide:

• a studio where photographers and working artists can make high quality prints and reproductions of their work at an affordable cost while maintaining control over each step of the creative process
• a wide variety of photography workshops for amateurs to professional photographers, including all types of photography and classic printing processes
• a community focal point where photographers come together to share ideas and find mutual support in pursuing their photographic endeavors

This is not only an honor for Hannah to have been chosen, but is also a wonderful learning and professional growth opportunity.  We are proud of Hannah!

Junior, Carrie Riley, earned Highest Honors for the 2010-2011 school year but was inadvertently unrecognized during the Honors Day ceremony in June.  We regret the oversight.  Congratulations, Carrie!

Miss Ruth Kinsler's new second grade "Bees" visited the Upper School CHAOS (Chemistry and Other Sciences) class to create slimy, gooey "worms." The second graders are becoming "Book" Worms and are reading The Diary of a Worm.

Upper and Middle School Science teacher, Gail Jones, was chosen to attend an outstanding teacher workshop over the summer.  During the week-long workshop, called "Rivers to Reef," the participants traveled from Atlanta to the coast, monitoring the water in different rivers along the way.  They kayaked the Altamaha River, stayed on Sapelo Island, and voyaged out to sea on the R/V Savannah, a research ship.  Only 16 teachers were selected to participate in this workshop, which was hosted by the Georgia Aquarium, UGA at Skidaway Island, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

Please enjoy this slideshow of the first week of school.  Great pictures of happy students!