School Wide Event Reflection 1:

PTO Meeting
September 22, 2015

I found tonights Parent Teacher Organization meeting to be very

intriguing. First of all, I found it interesting that people outside of the
education world did not know what PTO was. I had to explain it several
times to different people throughout the day. That surprised me,
because I assumed it was a common organization that every school
had. Despite this, the event itself was well done and well attended.
I had never been to a PTO meeting before, so I did not know
what to expect. I was surprised by the amount of families that were
there. I believe this was partly due to the fact that the students were
performing. That is an excellent strategy in order to encourage parents
to attend the meeting. If I am in administration one day, I will use that
strategy because I think it is simple yet extremely effective. Also, I will
admit that the Kindergartners singing the animal sounds stole my
heart. They were precious. After the Kindergartners performance, I
was surprised about how official the meeting was. The parents had to
vote and it was very official in the way it was conducted. I also found it
strategic how they left some students to perform at the end so that
parents did not just leave. Unfortunately, I did not think the meeting
part was very effective. I could not hear what most of the speakers

were saying from the back of the room. I also was unclear what they
were talking about for the most part. The only part that I think was
clear was the explanation of STEAM and STEAMAPALOOZA. However,
Im assuming the other details were just as important and hopefully
the parents understood it better than I did. I know the president
distributed an itinerary, but I think there are better ways to explain
what is happening and what is being discussed than I saw tonight. For
example, giving the parents a handout clearly summarizing what was
talked about as they leave the room might be a better plan. However, I
did enjoy the experience and now I know what to expect in the future. I
also have strategies to implement in the future.
After the meeting, the parents and students were able to go to
their classrooms. Unfortunately, I was not able to see what they did in
the classrooms. That would have been beneficial, but I assume they
spoke to the teacher, received updates on the class, and asked any
questions that they had. While the students were in their different
classrooms, we were monitoring the different tables that were in the
hallway. Each table displayed different crafts that the students have
been doing the past couple weeks. Some showed paper sculptures that
they had been working on. Others showed cardboard sculptures that
they made from toilet paper tubes. One table had a hands-on
experiment with water and aluminum foil that the students could work
with. These different tables helped the parents understand the hands-

on aspect of the classrooms and also demonstrated how STEAM is

implemented school-wide and across the curriculum. The parents
enjoyed seeing what their students had created, and I think it is
important for the parents to see what the students are doing and to
understand STEAM.
Overall, I enjoyed the PTO meeting. It was a great experience to
have, and Im glad I was able to not only witness the meeting but also
participate in it.

School Wide Event Reflection 2

Meet You at The Pole
September 23, 2015

Meet You at the Pole was always a very special occasion at my

elementary, middle, and high school. I always looked forward to this
day because to me it is very special. I love how, even in a public school
setting, Christ is the focus for just this short time. It is always so
moving to me, too, to see students, faculty, and parents alike gathered
around the flagpole to give thanks for the freedom we have and praise
the God that gave it to us.
Trace Crossings Meet You at the Pole was no different than my
elementary schools gathering. It was very moving, and was just as
special as any of the other ones I had attended. I always forget,

however, that Meet You at the Pole is a national event, and that schools
all around the country are gathering to pray at the same exact time.
That is extremely powerful and I always get a glimpse of the Lord
during these times. Sometimes, we had little worship services where
we would sing one or two songs, and then pray. Trace did not do that,
but the service was still excellent. I loved how they opened it up with a
Bible verse. Acts 1:14 talks about gathering together in continuous
prayer. They talked about how the disciples were facing a terrifying
time, but they clung to the Lord and trusted in His mighty name. That
is such a true and powerful statement. The power of prayer should
never be underestimated. Then, they began to pray. They had students
from each grade come up and read a prayer. They prayed for the
school, for the teachers, for the state, and for the nation. They also
gave thanks for the freedom we have as a nation and a school to do
events like Meet You at the Pole. The prayers that students say during
this time are always very intriguing to me. I love how it starts off basic,
praying for the students and the teachers. They need wisdom and
guidance to make correct choices and to do their very best at all times.
Then, they pray for the school and the administration. Both are very
important and need to run smoothly and effectively. Next, they move
to the state and nation. This is the coolest part to me. The students
focus shifts from themselves and their schools to the nation as a
whole. Their perspective has changed. They realize how the nations

choices affect them, and they realize the importance of having godly
leaders and administration. It is also really powerful to think that every
school in the nation is praying for the nation at that time. That gives
me chills to think about. Finally, they close by being thankful for what
God has given them, as well as recognizing that freedom is a gift that
not everyone has. After the prayers were read aloud, then the students
broke into small groups to pray. I think this is a good idea because it
gives the more timid children a chance to say what they have in their
hearts and minds, and also gives all students a chance to pray. After
that, they closed the ceremony with a final prayer.
Meet You at the Pole is a very special occasion. I appreciate the
gift of freedom and the opportunity to have events like Meet You at the
Pole. It is rare and beautiful, and should never be taken for granted. I
am so glad that I had the opportunity to experience it today.

School Wide Event Reflection 3

Walk to School
October 14, 2015

The students participated in an event on October 14th called

Walk to School. They walked to school in the morning from a set
location, instead of being driven or riding the bus. There were many
students who did this, and it was fun to see their excitement about

walking to school. I am always an advocate for being outdoors and

getting exercise, so I loved this event. I was stationed close to the
school, so I got to see the students joy at almost arriving at their
destination. That was fun to see. I had never heard of Walk to School
before, so I researched it to find more information. It originated in
1997, and has now become a day that most schools observe in
October. It serves to recognize safety and safe routes to school, as well
as recognizing the importance of walkable communities. It is a good
way for students to learn about community and be aware of the
community that they live in. The Samford students were there to serve
as monitors for the students, and it was fun to see the many different
reactions. Because it was so cold, many of the students were very
excited to be at the school. I was pretty excited when it was time to go
in, because I had on a short-sleeve tee shirt and sandals. Many of them
were excited to see the school as well because it was their goal, and
they had reached it. It was an honor to be a part of such a special day,
especially because I had never heard of it or participated in it before.