Maniac and Loser!

~Wow, we are really grooving in Maniac Magee.... we are already up to Chapter 15.  He has wandered into the East End after the Cobra gang chased him into the "Black" section of town.  A family takes him in and treats him as one of their own..... but will everyone in the East End feel the same way?  Meanwhile in Loser, Donald is already going to second grade!  Last night and tonight all Apes were to read Earthquake Terror for homework (p.28).  We listened to the story after lunch today, and most rated the story 3-5 out of ten, which is a shame considering it was taken from a pretty good book by the same name.  We all agreed that real books are always more interesting than a "piece" of a story.  

~We will have our first STAR Student on Friday the 24th........ there are so many Apes that could be STAR Student this week...but we can only pick one!

 Jojo and Maniac

 Shubey and Amanda Beale!

 We actually have the real book the selection was based on

I wonder who will be STAR Student?

Connection Section: Tsunamis

~Cool footage of the recent tsunami in Japan.  The man in the car survives and tells his story.  Remember that tsunamis are caused by earthquakes under the ocean floor.

Off and running with Maniac!

~We are off and running in our first piece of literature, Maniac Magee.  It was fun listening to the kids narrate, and hearing how fast they picked up the dialogue and how they waited for others to jump in with their assigned dialogue.   Maniac's parents were killed in a train accident, and Jeffrey (Maniac) was shipped off to live with his hateful and selfish aunt and uncle.  He couldn't take and ran away at age 11 to the town of Two Mills.   

~The Apes are also falling in love with Donald Zinkoff in Loser.  The boy sure does love school, and we have a giraffe hat just like his...... our first STAR Student actually gets to wear the giraffe hat... we call him Alonzo.   Former Ape below with ALonzo on his head.

 

~Don't forget to ask your child about tsunamis and earthquakes..... we are becoming experts on these natural disasters in only a couple of days!

 Narrators Brighty, Harrell, and Rasata

this Ape looks a little like an Ape from a few years ago....hmmmm

My first day as an Ape!

~Thank you to all those parents who turned in their paperwork from Orientation.  Your child's picture cannot appear on the website until we have the paperwork back.  Here are some pictures form our first day together!  Also, you may notice that your child will be called by a nickname on the blog.  Mr. Gibbons and Mrs. Goodman do not want to use the real names of the Apes in order to maintain students' privacy!

Volunteering at Beauclerc and Visiting Beaulcerc.

~If you plan on visiting Beauclerc, or volunteering at Beauclerc in any way, you must be screened by the school board.  There are no exceptions to this rule, that includes eating lunch with your child.  You will not be allowed past the office unless you have been screened.  To start the screening process, which takes about a week to complete, please click HERE

Ape Success Story

~Congratulations to former Gibbon Ape, Rijad Kobiljar from Mandarin High.  He was accepted into the MLS (Major League Soccer) training program in Chicago.  He will be going to school in Chicago and will be training for the US National Team, at age 15! WOW!  Beauclerc is proud of you Rijad!  That is is little brother Anel next to him who is going into the first grade!

Almost ready for the Apes!

~Room 71 is almost ready!

Thanks PTA!

~Big THANKS goes out to PTA for serving up breakfast to the teachers and staff of Beauclerc!  We are truly appreciative of all the work you do for students ant teachers at Beauclerc!  Thanks for the way cool presents for our classes in the shopping bags too!

~Sorry to Mrs. Bergeron...couldn't find you and the others for a picture!

Welcome to the home of the APES!

~If you are here right now, then you have been notified that you are either a Goodman Ape or a Gibbons Ape!  We look forward to meeting you at Orientation Day or on the first day of school.  Please note that the ONLY supplies that Mr. Gibbons and Mrs. Goodman need you to bring to school are:
*4 composition books
*4 pencils
~We will have parents sign up to bring soap, tissue, paper towels etc at Open House for different months.  We do not have the room to store these supplies.

York Beach, Maine

~Spent the last few days in Maine.  These are the pictures I took not far from York Beach at Nubble Light, which is a historic lighthouse on the Maine coat.  This is definitely one of the most beautiful places in America.  One more week, and it is back to Jacksonville.  By the way...it is 59 degrees as I am typing this with a sweatshirt on...... 

 Cliffs at Nubble Light

 Nubble Light House, which is actually on an island (doesn't this look like a painting?... Mr. G actually took this picture!)

 Just beyond these cliffs is a beautiful beach

 beach roses

old school taffy making machine in York Center

Gibbons Fun

Today I spent the day with:
Frank Gibbons
Kathy Gibbons
Francie Gibbons
Thelma Gibbons
Bridey Gibbons
Megan Gibbons
Patrick Gibbons
Buddy Gibbons
Florence Gibbons
Eddie Gibbons
Mark Gibbons
Danny Gibbons
Jennifer Gibbons
Shamus Gibbons
Ben Gibbons
John Gibbons
Elaine Gibbons
Emily Gibbons
Thomas Gibbons
Katie Gibbons
Mary Gibbons (Derrick)
Philip Gibbons (Derrick)
Anne Gibbons (Quinn)
Sheila Gibbons (Quinn)
Joe Gibbons (Quinn)
Janet Gibbons
Pauline Gibbons
and a whole bunch of other folks connected to the Gibbons family in New England...... I will post some picture of the Gibbons clan later!

The Rocky Gorge

~Spent the day driving along the Kankamagus Highway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and swimming in the Rocky Gorge.  What a beautiful place!

Where did Mr. G go to college?

FSU!
Fitchburg State University in the western part of Massachusetts.

Camp Gibbo Idol

~Today was our first annual Camp Gibbo Idol Contest.  Not to be confused with American Idol.  Bridey and Megan performed to Michael Jackson and Patrick did a Johnny Cash song.  

Bonfires and a day at the pool

~A day at the pool...and ending it with a huge bonfire