Spring 2004
We were told that the Spring 2004 Newsletter did not reach too many of our friends, and are therefore resending it. Our apologies to those of you who are receiving it for a second time. We hope to get an updated newsletter out in the very near future.
Spring Time is Here!
Well, at least Spring is here on the calendar, but it has been a cool and wet early spring here on Long Island.
I will ever remember April and the Spring of 1945 - the month and year of our liberation. The weather was sunny and bright; the trees and the grass were lush and green; flowers were in bloom; the birds were singing. It was a wonderful, exciting feeling to be free at long last!
I`ve had a busy schedule thus far into 2004, which will continue through the early part of June. In March, we were in the Chicago area, where there were 9 presentations in 4 days. Jackie Seaman of the Marie Murphy School in Wilmette was the contact person, and she did a marvelous job in coordinating the visit. While there, I had the opportunity to speak at 2 junior high schools, Plum Grove and Carl Sandburg, and in the evening, to a parent and townspeople group in Palatine School District 15, where I learned that District 15 had just been awarded the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge Award for Excellence, the only school district in the nation to receive such an honor this year. Thank you, Dr. W. Chrisitine Rauscher, for the invitation to your district, and congratulations once again on achieving this outstanding accomplishment!
Many thanks to the schools in the Chicago area for your warm hospitality.
We have had many back and forth visits around the New York and Long Island area, and many visits to New Jersey – especially in and around West Milford, much through the efforts of Faith Delaney, principal of the Maple Road Elementary School. It is definitely word of mouth that gets us from one school (or organization) to another. Here is one good example: through the efforts of Deb Thibault, we were in Connecticut at the Irving A. Robbins Middle School in Farmington and at the Avon Middle School in Avon. Betty Wolfe, the media specialist at Avon, wrote buoyantly about the presentation on the librarians` list serve, and presto! – an invitation came from Kansas just a few days later for a visit to their area in March of 2005! The wonders of the internet!
Speaking of wonders, is there someone out there who can arrange an appearnace on Oprah for me? Or, perhaps a visit to South Dakota and Mount Rushmore?
After a local presentation at the Oceanside Middle School this this week, we will be traveling from Sunday, April 18, through Sunday, April 25, for a very intensive visit to Peoria, Illinois and PEORIA READS 2004, thanks to the hard work and super efforts of our dear friend, John Wetterauer, principal of the Charter Oak School in Peoria. We are also grateful for the help proivided by Peoria School District 150, COMMON PLACE and other sponsors of PEORIA READS 2004. It will be good to see old sights, and many new and long-ago friends. If you are in the Peoria area, please do check my schedule and make an effort to meet me at one of the many presentations.
For a more detailed look at my schedule and to see where I have been, please visit FourPerfectPebbles.com
Speaking about the web site, when you visit it in a few days from now, you will see brand new tabs at the top of the navigation page which will make it easier to maneuver from one area to another without having to scroll from side to side. Of course, this new innovation is being effected with thanks to the efforts of Hayley, Gary and Anthony ofAdvanceWare Solutions, Inc. They can be reached by e-mailing anthony@advanceware.net
I hope all had a Chag Pesach Samech (a very happy Passover Holiday) or, a very Happy Easter Holiday. My very best to you all, and please remember, let us be good and kind towards one another.
Fondly,
Marion
