Island Times Volume VIII, Number 8 Pensacola Beach, Florida August 7, 2012 Sandpipers Flock Back To School Beach School Classes Begin August 20 Twenty-two kindergartners will offi cially become Pensacola Beach Elementary School Sandpipers when they arrive for the fi rst day of school, Au- gust 20. Among the fi ve-year-olds will be Lily Montgomery, center, and Lola Reeves, right. Neither are worried about the fi rst day of school. They have bookbags packed and colorful new lunch boxes. Jennifer Neal, left, a veteran kindergarten teacher at the Beach School, has a curriculum full of tried-and-true lessons to add to her fun and new ways to instruct the eager rookies. To learn more, go to page 2. PAGE 2 Island Times August 7, 2012 Kindergartners Ready For First Day Could it be true that all Students will not have time keeps the students engaged, the Beach are eligible to attend should come to school Wednes- you ever needed to know you to fret in the kindergarten class, and interested in learning. The Gulf Breeze Middle and High day, August 8 and sophomores learned in kindergarten? If it is, according to Neal. The fi rst day School maintains an “A” rat- Schools, which are located in Thursday, August 9 from 8 a.m. the future of Pensacola Beach includes learning where to sit ing in the State of Florida. The Santa Rosa County. The Beach to 1:15 p.m. is in good shape. Twenty-two and where everything is locat- days are fast paced, but the School shares the same calen- Orientation for the Class youngsters will begin their ed. The Beach School campus technology does not replace the dar as the Gulf Breeze Schools. of 2016 and students new to elementary education in Jen- is not large, but Neal includes dose of caring and encourage- Orientation for students at Gulf Breeze High School will nifer Neal’s kindergarten class a Walk of Fame game where ment that Beach School teach- Gulf Breeze Middle is set for be Friday, August 10 beginning at Pensacola Beach Charter students visit each classroom ers dish out daily. Friday, August 17. Eighth grad- at 8 a.m. Locker assignments, School on Monday, August following a map. “You see the promise in ers may visit the school from yearbook orders, t-shirt sales 20. The bell rings at 7:45 a.m. “We will tour the school, each student, and then watch 8 to 9 a.m.; seventh graders, will be available until 9 a.m. signaling the beginning of the leaving a snack from their them grow as the year pro- 9-10:30 a.m. and sixth graders School tours will take place thirty-fi fth year at the only friends in kindergarten,” com- gresses,” said Neal. “Before and new students should drop from 9 to 11 a.m. Orientation school located on Pensacola mented Neal. “Our theme this you know it, they graduate.” in between noon and 2 p.m. includes informative discus- Beach. week will be sharks, so we will New students aren’t the “Students will get their sions on high school success Pensacola Beach Elemen- wish everyone a ‘fi n-tastic’ only fresh faces this year. The schedules, fi nd out about the and a question-and-answer ses- tary, which opened in 1978 as day!” Beach School welcomes a buses, buy PE uniforms, meet sion. Students will receive their an Escambia County School, The day continues with new fourth grade teacher Erin teachers and locate their class- class schedules. Students and has operated as a charter school writing, reading, physical Olsen. She joins a top notch rooms,” said Middle School parents are reminded to bring since July 2002. The school has education and computer class teaching staff which includes Secretary Becky Grace. their checkbooks or cash and one class per grade and con- sandwiched around lunch time. Tara Turk, fi fth grade; Sarah Information about order- any paperwork required. tinues to rank at the top of the “I like math,” said Lola Farej, fi rst grade; Debbie Cam- ing a yearbook, school supplies And for those who drive state in standardized test scores Reeves, who is looking for- panella, second grade, and Joy and joining the PTO will also on Via de Luna or Highway 98, and learning gains. The Beach ward to entering kindergarten. McLaurine, third grade. be available. please note that the 20 mile per School students, whose mascot “And, I have a new blue lunch- They are responsible for Gulf Breeze High invites hour speed limit in the school is the Sandpiper, fl ock back to box with polka dots.” giving the students the fi rm seniors to get their lockers, zones is strictly enforced. It’s an idyllic campus where sugar “You will love the Estima- foundation that carries them schedules and parking passes part of following the rules – white sands serve as their play- tion Jar,” encouraged her sister through to high school gradu- from 8 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. something you should have ground. Jocelyn, who has been a Beach ation. The students who live on Tuesday, August 7. Juniors learned in kindergarten. Kindergartners will arrive School student for four years. rested and eager to learn after “It is really neat.” they have had a good night’s Neal embraces everything sleep thanks to their teacher’s the beach has to offer and in- 2012-2013 School Calendar Magic Sprinkle Dust. tegrates it into her classroom. “That is something I give She refers to her students as August 20 Students Begin to their parents at Orientation,” “friends,” and each day there September 3 Holiday - No Classes chuckled Neal, who is famous is a new lifeguard in her class. September 12 Early Release for her clever ideas. “Parents The lifeguard has special tasks instruct the child to sprinkle and gets to wear a t-shirt with October 22 Planning Day - No Classes it under their pillow knowing the designation while he sits in November 7 Early Release that they will awake refreshed the tall lifeguard chair. November 12 Holiday - No Classes and ready for the big day. No “We learn to follow the tossing and turning worrying rules, take turns, be friends, November 19-23 Fall Break about the fi rst day of school.” share and make good choices,” December 18 Early Release Parents can learn every- said Neal. “Those are really December 19-Jan 2 Christmas Break thing they need to know about important life lessons.” the Beach School at Orienta- The classrooms at the January 18 Planning Day - No Classes tion, Friday, August 17 at 10 Beach School are a blend of January 21 Holiday - No Classes a.m. The kindergartners do not traditional and cutting edge. January 30 Early Release attend this session, but older They have colorful bulletin students are invited to attend in boards and high tech Smart February 18 Holiday - No Classes their prospective classroom. boards, which take the place of March 18-22 Spring Break School supplies can be chalkboards. Each classroom is March 29 Holiday - No Classes delivered on Orientation Day. equipped with wireless internet The lists are available online at access and teachers are issued April 5 Planning Day - No Classes www.pbes.org. iPads. It is the balance that May 27 Holiday - No Classes May 31 Seniors Last Day June 1 GB High Graduation Day Island Times June 7 Students Last Day/Early Release Day Published every other Tuesday Contact Information SHELLEY W. JOHNSON, PUBLISHER Post Offi ce Box 844 Pensacola Beach Elementary Gulf Breeze Middle School Gulf Breeze, FL 32562 Gulf Breeze High School 850-748-6878 phone www.pbes.org gulfbreezemiddleschool.org www.santarosa.k12.fl .us/gbh 850-270-1117 fax [email protected] 900 Via de Luna 649 Gulf Breeze Pkwy 675 Gulf Breeze Pkwy www.MyIslandTimes.com Pensacola Beach, FL 32561 Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. 850-934-4090 850-934-4080 850-916-4100 August 7, 2012 Island Times PAGE 3 Forever ...Barefoot on the Beach As a tribute to Jane Waters who passed away January 10, Island Times will continue to run some of Jane’s favorite columns for your enjoyment As long as I can remember, greyhounds named Duke and feeding them, and trying to brown paper bags of food for Well, after my Dad paid the dogs have been a part of my Duchess. keep their water buckets filled. the dogs with me - so, naturally, farmer for all those chickens, I life. I have had a Cocker Span- Actually, I inherited those I was allowed to keep the two they thought all large paper knew I would have to employ iel, French Poodle, Dachshund, two lithe, fawn colored crea- monsters in the basement of our bags contained food. Which some kind of new strategy, Bull Dog, Springer Spaniel, tures. They originally belonged home until my dad discovered isn't totally true. so I asked if I could keep just Irish Setter and a few as- to my brother who thought it fleas in the pool table, and he Nails were delivered to the one of the dogs, and bring him sorted mutts. I have also had would be neat to train them evicted them to a warehouse sand boat in large brown paper back to town if I de-flead him a parakeet, a pony, a monkey, to race until he found out how area he owned. I walked there bags.