May 24th TALENT SHOW at R.L. Young

R. L. Young will gather in the auditorium to celebrate and showcase the many talented students who attend our school. The event is for entertainment only. Relax and enjoy the fun!

Missing a Coat?

Is your child missing a coat or jacket? Many items remain in the LOST AND FOUND. It is located up the stairs by the speech room. Please check this area to see if these items below to your child. All unclaimed items are donated to the Hannah Home after school ends. 

The Daily Home - A new look for an old school

Thanks, Daily Home for your kind words about R. L. Young. You can read the editorial by clicking the link below:

The Daily Home - A new look for an old school

Auntie Litter Sings with YOUNG 2010

AWARDS DAY at YOUNG

AR Field Trip 2010

R. L. Young Students Participate in St. Jude Children's Hospital Math-a-Thon

The students at R. L. Young used their brains and generosity to help children who are patients at the St. Jude Hospital by raising over 1,200 dollars collectively. Each student pictured above completed a math workbook and gaithered sponsors to support their fundraising efforts. A special thanks to 3rd grade teacher, Cathy Thornton for chairing this schoolwide project. This is just one of many projects our students participated in this year to give back to the community. 

Teacher Appreciation 2010

This year's luncheon sponsored by our wonderful PTO was centered around the legend of the Starfish. A little boy was spotted on the beach picking up starfish that were stranded on the shore and tossing them back into the sea. A man watching this activity said, "Boy, you can't expect to save all of these starfish!" The little boy reached down and tossed another fish into the sea and said, "I saved that one!". Teachers keep working to reach all children. Teaching...the most powerful job in the world!

Teacher Appreciation 2010 - Slideshow

2010 Logo Contest Winner Announced

Congratulations to Kevin W., a fourth grader at R. L. Young. He submitted the winning logo drawing for the upcoming school year. His design was selected by the faculty and staff as the one that best represents the school's motto, "R. L. Young....a good place to learn and grow." 

This design will be featured on the new t-shirts sold in the fall. A special thanks to Ms. Porter for spearheading this project.

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APRIL 2010 GOOD CITIZENS

April 2010  GOOD CITIZENS

                          

        KINDERGARTEN

            Chloe D.    Astrid W.      Montavious W.

FIRST GRADE

DAVID M.      WALKER C.        ALYSSA L.

SECOND GRADE

HALEY W.      JACORY D.

            

THIRD GRADE

LUKE W.           CALEIGH C. 

               

FOURTH GRADE

JORDAN S.       MAKENZIE L. 

                  

FIFTH GRADE

MADISON H.                CLAY T.

                        

SIXTH GRADE

A'Kentia H.         Libby G.

Windows Going in this WEEK!

This upcoming week promises to be very exciting for all R. L. Youngers! As the saying goes, "Out with the old and in with the new". The workers will be on campus Monday through Wednesday installing the new windows in the auditorium. This should be interesting for our students. I recently had an inquisitive 4th grader ask if we were going to sell the old panes on Ebay. I like the way our students want to help the school raise funds for different projects. I have never been one to wait for someone to give me what I wanted. I believe one must "go after" what they desire. 


Someone asked how new windows could possibly affect the learning of students. This is a fair question and one I would like to address. The surroundings and atmosphere of the learner have a direct effect on how well someone learns. Clean, bright, cheerful places help people relax and enjoy where they are. They are not distracted by items that are broken, unattractive, or in need of removal.  Learning comes easier when the mind is free to absorb what is being shared. 


When children take an active role in the improvement of their surroundings, it gives them ownership and and a sense of belonging. An improved campus allows teachers to focus more on teaching, not what needs to be done to the school. Taking pride in our school is a healthy, important part of growing up and learning how to belong to a place. 


Next year when Honor Roll Assembly or other meetings are held in the auditorium, our students will be sitting a little straighter. They will have a warm, clean, pleasant environment to receive recognition. In fact, we will all have a little more pride in this big ole' room that we are so fortunate to have at R. L. Young. 

LATEST STAR STUDENTS!

Jessie K. and Coach Stephens

Ava P. and Coach Stephens

Milk Does a Body Good!

R. L. Young had a special treat last week with a visit by the Alabama Dairy Farmers. Children were entertained and informed about the importance of drinking milk and facts about the production of this healthy drink.

Our speaker even shared a sample with the audience.

It was fun for everyone!

Thank you, 2009-10 AMBASSADORS!

Hard Work pays off for 2010 Ambassadors

The 2009-10 Ambassadors took a field trip to DeSoto Caverns as a reward for their service, effort, and dedication to R. L. Young throughout the year. 

Quotes from the Ambassadors:

Connor G.: The maze was confusing, fun, and awesome because it was challenging. Check out these pictures of us trying to figure out the way to escape. Each person had a ticket that had to be stamped 3 times in different locations to

complete the maze.

Alivia J.- The Gift Shop was great. There were a lot of cool things, especially the fudge. A sign above the fudge said, “This fudge is listed on the top 100 things to eat before you die”. There were bags to fill with rocks, you could even make your own necklace, or buy lots of neat toys.

Chelsey B. -Our trip was fun and exciting. We went into the cave. It was big, beautiful, and very wet. There was an amazing waterfall, lightshow, and stalactites. There was a bat room full of bats (Just kidding!) and a Bugs Bunny Room. They called it the BBR because of the orange-colored rocks on the wall. We didn’t mind getting a little wet from water drippings that came off of the stalactites. 

      

Al G. -The temperature in the cave was 60 degrees!

Before the lightshow the tour guides turned off all of the lights. Total DARKNESS!

Tristan S.- The Butterfly House was a new item to DeSoto Caverns. There were butterflies everywhere, beautiful plants and flowers, and cocoons. You have to open one door and come in all at the same time. Many of the butterflies landed on us. 

Bullfrog, see him?

The grounds at the caverns were filled with flowers, plants, and water. We discovered bullfrogs and goldfish. We even saw an albino fish. We rode the train and the horse, even though it was pretend. The goats took a liking to Chelsey  and Alivia by head-butting them in the arms. 

Panning for GEMSTONES!

One of the coolest things at DeSoto Caverns was the foot massager. You sit on a barrel,  put in a quarter, and it vibrates your feet. We think R. L. Young should have one for the teachers ONLY! 

We appreciate the parents that accompanied us on the trip, (Mrs. Butler and Mrs. Graves). It was a great day

for fellowship and celebrating a wonderful year of service. As we drove off, it began to rain. But we didn’t care because the day had been fantastic. 

Thanks Ambassadors for doing a GREAT JOB all year long! 

Young's Blog featured in Education World Article

Raymond L. Young's blog is featured in EDUCATION WORLD, an online magazine for educators. You can read the article here.

Happy Mother's Day!

Often homemade gifts are best, especially for Mother's Day! Seeing the teachers this week help students create special surprises for their own mothers reminded me of a special gift I received one Mother's Day. It was a poem written by my daughter, Haley at age 16. I'd like to share it with all the wonderful mothers we have at R. L. Young. I hope your day is special! 

The day you are born, there's someone there
Who will always love you and always care. 
They're there when your life begins
They guide you when you start and praise you when you end.


They're people who know, even when you think they don't 
Advice they give aplenty, even times when advice isn't what you want.
You won't always agree with them, that's for sure
But anytime you're sick, you know they'll have a cure.


It's love that goes beyond all other kinds
It's love that only in one place you'll find
This person teaches life lessons to you
But it's not until later in life when you realize what they told you was all true.


They've been through it all
They'll smooth out the bumps and catch you when you fall.
They both anger and amaze you with their insight
And you hate to admit when you know they're right.


Sometimes things get so rough and you think they're not fair
But they'll still always love you, because they were the first one there.
I know you'll be there until the end.
You're my mom and I'll glad I can call you my friend. 


Happy Mother's Day!

Thoughts about Reading From Dr. Carbo

How can parents recognize the difference between an emotionally turned-off reader and a child with a learning problem?

Dr. Carbo:
Go to the library and ask the librarian for books that would be appropriate for your child's age. Can your child read that material? Can they understand it and discuss it with you?

Does your child show symptoms that something's wrong? If kids complain of stomachaches, don't like going to school, or don't like reading anything, then they're probably struggling. If they reverse b's and d's when they copy letters, that could be an indication of a visual problem, especially if it persists through the end of first grade.

Making a Difference in the Life of a Child

Thanks to the teachers of R. L. Young for making a difference in the lives of our children. 

What if Kids Struggle with Reading?

What should parents not do when they're reading with their kids?

Dr. Carbo:
I'll never forget this. A woman was sitting behind me on an airplane reading with her child. It was excruciating to listen. Her child was doing more stumbling than reading; the kid was going through torture.

All you need to do in that situation is read it to your child first,then read it together. Many parents think that the struggle is normal -- it should be hard; that's how you learn. That's the first thing I want to wipe out of people's minds. Reading is supposed to feel good to the child. When it does, they'll become readers. We all repeat things that are pleasurable.

How Far Technology Has Come in the Classroom

 R. L.Young continues to grow in its use of interactive technology in the classroom. A special thanks to Dr. Frank Buck for sharing this video on his blog.

To Our Dear Teachers

Encouraging Kids to Read at Home by Dr. Carbo

How can parents encourage kids to read at home when they're struggling with reading in school?

Dr. Carbo:
It all depends on how it's done. Try to make it relaxing and low-key for a short part of the day. Share something of your own. Read aloud some funny or interesting parts of a book that you're reading. Draw your child in with a riddle book for kids, a passage from Sports Illustrated, or a newspaper story. Show your own enjoyment with it. Make it real short and real light. You don't want to be heavy-handed about it, especially if your child is being turned off at school.

For kids who have lost the motivation to read, the way back is through material that's intensely interesting to them. The likelihood is that your child may almost have to disassociate what he's doing at school with the act of reading something for fun. Again, ask a librarian to recommend some high-interest, age-appropriate stuff and share some fun parts of it. If your kid likes a movie, bring home the book. Really get down to their interests.