CMS art instructor shares good news with board

CLOVERDALE -- Janelle Cole, middle school art instructor, shared a picture collage of her students enjoying art projects with school board members and Superintendent Carrie Milner.

The projects were made possible by a couple of grants Cole received to be used for art materials, which will help bring art to life in her classroom.

During the regular school board meeting Monday night, Cole explained how she received the two grants -- McDonald's Make Activities Count and Donor's Choice -- for hands-on art activities. The hard work she put into applying for the monies paid off.

McDonald's MAC Grant awarded her $500, which will be used for meaningful, hands-on activities to enhance the learning process for students. With this grant, students have made scrapbooks and other art projects.

The Donor's Choice grant provided Cole and her students the chance to study Dan Chihuly and his Fireworks of Glass installation at the Indianapolis Children's Museum; and sculptural materials to accompany the study of relief sculptures by such artists as Michelangelo, Stella and van Gogh.

Donors handpick recipients of the Donor's Choice grant. Cole said two ladies who are fans of Chihuly's artwork donated the grant money for middle school students to create glass sculptures.

According to CMS news, Cole's favorite project is a bookmaking pack, which will enable students to create book covers, marbleize pages, print border patterns and add poetry, short stories and sketches, reinforcing the necessity and enjoyment of reading.

School board members were excited about Cole's work and thankful to the local McDonald's restaurant for sponsoring the MAC grant.

Milner went on to remind everyone the month of June holds summer classes. She said several exciting, fun and educational things are planned.

In addition, Milner touched on a legislative update. She noted the textbook adoption program and promised to have more information available at the next school board meeting.

"A lot of change is coming down the pike," she said. "Some good and not-so-good changes."

In other news:

* Rob Schroer gave a transportation update. He informed board members of the cost to transport students to Area 30 Career Center. The $25,000 per year spent in fuel may have to be reduced by half, he said. Several options will be examined.

Board member Bobbi Nees took the opportunity to commend all bus drivers for a job well done. During the harsh weather "they showed they are truly professional drivers," she said.

* Board members approved the 2009-2010 school-year calendar with two changes. The first is a slight readjustment to move the end of the third grading period to the end of March.

Secondly, Aug. 12 will be the start date for teachers and Aug. 13 for students. This pushes the first semester back to before Christmas break leaving more time in the second semester for ISTEP testing.

The next school board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 9 at the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Center.