Mrs. Catoe’s Chronicles

I had a wonderful opportunity on Friday to accompany our fourth graders to Myrtle Beach for thier end of the year field study.  I truly enjoyed our visit to the Dixie Stampede, as the children witnessed and learned concepts of the Civil War (and ate a lot of food with their hands).  Moreso, I was so proud of their behavior and character.  There were several other schools present at the show - our students far outshined them in their excellent manners and behavior.  They listened well to their chaperones and followed the directions given to them by their teachers. They were true ambassadors for our school and community.  I also thank the chaperones who took time from their busy schedules to accompany us on our trip. It was a long, but enjoyable day. Finally, kudos to the fourth grade teachers (Cook, Peake, Clark, and Ashley).  They planned, presented and highlighted material, and made this trip a true learning experience. 
As a teacher, field trips are not always the most enjoyable part of one’s job.  This type of event entails a great deal of planning.  Also, when you take 100 students off campus, they are consumed with the safety and security of the children in addition to making sure that learning takes place.  Whew!  These four teachers truly went above the call of duty to make this day a true learning experience for the students and chaperones.

In closing, in between events, we had time to take the students to the beach for a beach walk.  Many of you may not believe this, but many of our students have never put their toes in the warm sand of the Atlantic coast line.  I walked to the shoreline with a group of students and caught my eyes watering as I realized that this may be one of the ONLY times they experience the waves crashing, the sand in their toes, and the warm sun on their face in their childhood.  I was glad to share this experience with them.  What a powerful memory it was!