NEON Program: Some students from the NEON Program pose with the group quilt project completed this year at NEON. Each square of the quilt represents positive contributions that each student and staff member have made to their community.

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Sandburg Elementary: Students at Sandburg Elementary learned about the structure and function of the Plains Indian tipi. Demonstrated also were the activities that happened during the pre-1840's fur trade rendezvous. Students also viewed artifacts and clothing of the era. Kindergarten teacher Jude Bremer and her husband presented the information for the benefit of Sandburg students.

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Sennett Middle School staff and students had their first annual soccer game June 1. The school was split in half with staff and students playing together on blue and white teams. It was an amazing community building incentive event. The blue team came out on top, but our entire school is filled with winners.

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MSCR: Jill Cohan is a great example of the many connections that happen within our community! Jill is a technology teacher at WrightMiddle School, a busy mom, and serves on the Friends of MSCR Board of Directors. Jill is also a self-confessed "MSCR Junkie"! She says "I can't wait to get the program guide for all seasons!"

Jill has played MSCR Fast Pitch Softball (for 23 years), participated in fitness programs, coached soccer and is now head taxi driver to help her kids participate in MSCR programs! Her family participates in everything from Safety Town Camp, karate and pontoon pirate trips, to soccer and cross-country skiing.

"I can't imagine our city without MSCR, therefore I feel great about serving on the Friends of MSCR Board, to be a part of providing quality programs for our community." The Friends of MSCR Board directs the goals and activities of the young organization that has given back over $31,000 to support special MSCR programs and projects through the Friends Mini-Grant Program and Acorn Fund.

Have you ever considered serving your community by supporting public recreation? If you would like to discuss the options call Lucy Chaffin at (608) 204-3015 or e-mail: lchaffin@madison.k12.wi.us.

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Doyle - In February the Doyle staff continued their work on equity and diversity issues with an open workshop on customer service. This session was geared toward learning how to help Spanish speaking families we may have contact with in our work. It provided some key phrases in Spanish to use in these instances as well as how to call for additional help from our ESL and Bilingual Education district translators. From this meeting came a suggestion for further training on learning to speak Spanish.

Rhonda Stravinski (pictured leading a lunch session), the ESL and Bilingual Education Administrative Clerk, stepped up to the task. She began 'The Word(s) of the Day' email. Each day a new word is sent out with the pronunciation, meaning and an example sentence. This is wonderful for Doyle staff to build their Spanish vocabulary at a slower pace.

In addition to this idea, she has organized and instructed brown-bag Spanish classes over the last month during lunch time. (She has offered to do this for as long as the desire is there for learning.) Rhonda creates worksheets and overheads for the sessions and comes with prepared lesson plans. She creates a comfortable atmosphere for all learning levels.

Whether you are a first time Spanish speaker just learning pronunciation or have taken college courses in Spanish and are there for a refresher, she greets you with a smile. She is patient and always makes you feel at ease with questions you might have (even the questions that are repeated time after time). Those attending the sessions appreciate the time and effort Rhonda has put forth to help increase knowledge and familiarity of the Spanish language.

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Allied Drive Students Build Home Libraries through First Book Program

The children who attend the District's Allied Learning Center are getting an extra dose of literacy this summer. As a result of a collaboration between the Schools of Hope Literacy Project and Madison School Community Recreation (MSCR), First Book Dane County has provided $1,200 to fund a summer book distribution program at the learning center that serves approximately eighty kindergarten, first-, second-, and third-grade students. This summer, each child at the learning center will receive five books to take home in order to start his or her own library.

Two summer AmeriCorps VISTA members, Sarah Garske and Joanna Yeske, actively engage the kids each week in reading, writing, and art activities based on the book themes. VISTA site coordinator Jill Knutson oversees the program.

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MSCR Happenings

MSCR offered new Parent/Child Hair Care and Parent Child African American Hair classes at Hoyt and Kennedy Elementary. Families learned new tricks and styles to tame hair for the hot summer. The Capital Times did a feature story on the popular program.

More than 1,600 participants enjoy Goodman-Rotary 50+ summer classes which include golf, fitness, yoga, walking and Tai Chi. Tennis classes take place mornings at Rennebohm Park.

Super Center Art Camp is just one of many summer camps that MSCR offers. More then 3,400 youth, ages 3-18, participate in camps that feature activities like soccer, kayak, rowing, outdoors, wrestling, bowling, cheerleading and more. For more information please call 204-3000 or go to www.mscr.org.

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The Foundation for Madison's Public Schools held its First Annual Retirees Luncheon on June 19th at Olbrich Gardens. Approximately 65 retirees gathered for this inaugural event, enjoying time together with former colleagues. A brief program included an update of Foundation activities as well as sharing of ideas by retirees of how to support the Foundation including planned giving concepts. The Foundation was established with the support of MMSD retirees and this luncheon is one way to continue building relationships with this group. In the future, the luncheon will provide an opportunity for the Foundation to honor an MMSD retiree that continues to give back to the District. (Pictured: Virginia Henderson and Ann Walser)

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Huegel Elementary School first graders presented a concert featuring music and stories from Africa. The students acted out the African folk tale "Anansi, the Spider" and sang many songs from different regions in Africa. All of the girls wore head-dresses and the boys wore colorful vests. A favorite part of the concert was hearing the children play the drums, xylophones, and many other percussion instruments.