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About Port Orford news. (Port Orford, Curry County, Oregon) 1958-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2009)
Port Orford News May 13, 2009 • Page 7 Community news The kids at Driftwood School heard that a new set of friends were going to get to come to school with them next year, but were a little nervous about the move, so they wrote some L etters to B lanco ‘Dear classmates’ p.s. Otter’s and eagles are the same. You friend By Matt Hall PON staff writer W hen a school closes it’s like a chapter closing in many lives, and lifetimes. Hallways that rang with the sounds of racing feet and laughter fall still. And while the ripple is felt by many, in the end the students are the ones who face having to pick up their books and beginning again - in another school. New surroundings. New teachers. And new classmates. It’s a big change. It’s a big step. And it helps to have friends to help you through. Georgia Weinblatt’s fourth and fifth grade Driftwood students knew that. They have been looking forward to the kids at Blanco School join- ing them at Driftwood School next year. But word was that their future classmates were a little uneasy at moving from one school to another. A little scary. The kids at Driftwood understood. So they took time, pen, pencils and paper and they wrote their future classmates and friends let- ters to tell them what to expect. What things were like, and to try to make them feel welcome. Here they are ... reprinted exactly the way the kids wrote them Dear classmates, We get to go on walking field trips some of the place are the beach the library, mapping the town, going to Agate beach and the park. At the park we get to play tennis, basketball and racquetball. Behind the school there is a wetland. We are going to clean out and put flowers. We have a big field too and to have P.E . Next year the 6th grade they will have new looker rooms. We play soccer with Mr. J. Your friend, Quanita Wilson Dear classmates, I am looking forward to having you at our school. We have a huge field to have P. E. We walk around town and play tennis, map the town, go to the beach and more. We hope you will like Driftwood and have lots of fun. Sincerely, Josh Stephens P.S. it is pronounced Stevens, not Steffens. Dear Classmates I think its really cool that you are coming here next year. You will have so much fun here. We go on field trips to the beach library, and, the park. We are working on a wetlands project behind the school. We are going to plant flowers and plants there. You will meet new friends and new people. You probably know most of the people and some you won’t. Math will be challenging for some people. But it will be really fun to. Your Friend, Violet Dear classmates, Let me tell you about are school. We can go to the park and play tennis. It takes us 15 minutes to go there and back. Sometimes we just play ball. We have great teacher’s too. Mrs. Weinblatt is my teacher. Sometimes she give’s us challenges. Mrs. Weinblatt gives tea and candy. We get to walk to places too. Some of those places are the park, the beach and Rays. When we go we do activities. Another thing we get to do is go to are wetlands. We got to pick up leaves. Kyle Bayard Dear classmates, I hope you are exited about going to Driftwood. It’s going to be so much fun. For recess you could play soccer. You could play on the play ground or you could play on the black top. For p.e. you could park. You could even stay at the school. For feld trips, you could see performances, like pipi long stocking Sincerely, Alexis Doane Dear classmates, Yo, I’m excited for you Guys to come to our school its really fun, we get to play soccer with Mr. J, at the beginning of the soccer game Mr. J kicks the ball really high in the air then the soccer game starts. Another fun thing is that we have a lot of field trips, we go to the beach and at the beach we draw the ocean and rocks. Sometimes we go to the park and play tennis and racket ball. One or two more things is that you can make new friends and you get to have a big field for P.E. and on the P.E. field there is two basball field and in the middle there is the soccer field. Our school is very fun and… I hope you like it bro’s. Driftwood class mate Dear class mates, Howdy, I thing you are going to like Driftwood. There is a lit- tle of hard math and easy math, but it’s worth it. Playing soccer is like a battle field with a ball, as a flag and you are trying to score with it. Oh and the science the most amazing science, my brain is like a sponge in water. Don’t forget the food. We had cornbread with honey butter. Come hear soon. P.S. Otters and Eagles are the same for all sports. Your class mate, Kaden Ashdown Dear Classmates, It is not so bad here at Driftwood because back behind the play shed there is a wetland. We are going to clean the hole wetland out. We can walk to the beach, park, library. It’s going to be awesome when you guys come. After lunch we play soccer with Mr. J he kicks it really high in the air then the game begins. Next year we get locker rooms so we don’t have to change in the bathrooms. Your future classmate Garrett Phillips Dear classmates, The teachers in Driftwood are really friendly. Mrs. Weinblatt likes every single student. We also learn in a fun way. PON photo by Matt Hall The students of Georgia Weinblattʼs Driftwood School class who wrote letters are shown. Sometimes we go on walking field trips. We went on one to Aget beach, park, tennis, racket ball. We even go on field trips for P.E. Are wetlands are right next to are school. Don’t worry Otters & Eagles are part of Driftwood. The cafeteria is huge and the cook is there. Sincerely, Niki Whitlock 4rth grade Dear Future classmates, I’m very blissful that you have the opportunity to come to Driftwood School. Driftwood School is an awesome school. Driftwood gets many guest speaker it is really fun. I know not everyone wants to come to Driftwood but it is a really nice school. Sometimes we walk to the beach or the park we also walk to the wetland right outside our school. Well like it or not your coming to Driftwood next year. Your Future classmate, Amanda Finley Dear classmates, We are so glad that you are able to our school, we will all be together like a great big fanily. We will have so many kids we will have full teams the Otters and the Eagles. We will also be having many different field trips like to the park, beach, library, taking the buses to the coosbay arts Performance Theater. The activities we do at the park are tennis, racket ball and we bounce balls. Most importantly we will probabally be mak- ing new friends it will be our first time being together for the past few years. Hope your exited. Sincerely, Brittney Fink Dear Classmates, I hope you have fun next year. We go on field trips.We go to the beach.Also we go to the park. The Otters and the Egels are the same. The Otters some times play with the Egles. There is no difring. You will have the same size class, a new play ground and we will have a lockeroom. The teachers will try to make school fun. You will make new frends. I hope you have fun. Your friend, Autumn Dear Classmates, We are excited for you to come to are school. You will have locker rooms. You will have soccer with Mr. J. We can have more friends.Your school will be bigger. The otters and eagles have always combined in sports, you will have some same teachers. You will still have Spirit Week. Another thing you will still have to ride the bus to the high school . Things you don’t have that your will have are a science fair. You will be able to walk to the beach. You Friend, Sawyer Heckard Annual ʻShoes for Kidsʼ project is off and running in Port Orford Last Friday afternoon, Mrs. Weinblatt’s fourth and fifth grade class at Driftwood school assembled bags containing shampoo, toothpaste, tooth- brush, soap, and other personal care items. These kits will be provided to students-in-need when they receive brand new school shoes through the Shoes for Kids pro- gram in August. A big thanks to all those who helped coordinate this effort, especially Tim May- nard and River Harlan from Pacific High. Shoes for Kids provides new school shoes and socks to any student-in-need in the Port Orford – Langlois school dis- trict. Families can register their children for this program at The Common Good food pantry in July. This program is totally fund- ed by donations. Our goal is to make school a successful experience for local kids. Please look for the giant basketball shoe donation canisters coming soon around town to make a contribution. Or send your donation directly to “The Common Good – Shoes for Kids,” PO Box 564, Port Orford, OR 97465. We are a 501(c)3 organiza- tion; you will receive a tax receipt for your check. The Common Good is a non- profit, all volunteer administered organization and equal opportu- nity provider. Contributed photo Georgia Weinblattʼs class, and other volunteers are shown working on assembling the kits which will be given away in August. Chef David Smith The Port & Starboard Restaurant Homemade Desserts Orders to go ◆ Open until 9 p.m., 7 days a week The Best Clam Chowder in Curry County 460 Madrona Ave. & Highway 101 ◆ 541-332-4515 Port Orford’s family restaurant Salads, pizza, pasta, steaks, fresh fish
