A new season.

I love the times of year when the seasons change. I love when summer is coming to an end and fall is beginning, when the air turns crisp, the leaves start to turn, school begins, and football season takes up most Saturdays. I love winter because it brings the birth of the baby Jesus. I love the chance of snow and seeing your breath outside. I love when spring comes, and all things are new. I love the new plants, the green grass shoots, planting a garden, and the warmth from the sunshine. I love summertime because all of my children were born in the summer, and this represents a sweet time for our family when we can all be home together. I love the thought of the beach and having the sand between my toes.

Speaking of seasons, a new season is beginning for me and our family. After much prayer and faith leaping, David and I decided that I would not be working full time next year. When school begins this year, I will not be going to my home for the last 5 years in the basement of The Heiskell School. I will no longer be teaching third graders. Instead, you should look for me in the preschool, where you will find me at the end of the hallway teaching three year olds! What a great change this will be for me and my family! Please, if you dare, follow me on this journey as I begin a new season in my life. www.missheatherodell.blogspot.com

I think we are in for quite a fabulous ride!

Summer Open House at Heiskell

Open House

Friday, August 6, 2010
10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
Campus tour and orientation meeting

The Heiskell School’s accelerated academic program and its focus on building Godly character have had a life-changing impact in the lives of children for more than 60 years.

Preschool • Elementary • Junior High
Two Years through 8th Grade
Call 404-262-2233
www.heiskell.net
3260 Northside Drive, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30305

Story meets the O'Dells

Story met her brother and sisters today. Such a sweet moment. My mommy heart is overflowing with thankfulness.

Story Leigh O'Dell

Story Leigh O'Dell

born on May 10, 2010, at 12:12 P.M.

at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia

7 lbs 12 oz 19 3/4 in

Jesus

"Jesus is patient,
Jesus is kind,
and Jesus is not jealous,
Jesus does not brag,
and Jesus is not arrogant.
Jesus does not act unbecomingly;
Jesus does not seek its own,
Jesus is not provoked,
Jesus does not take into account a wrong suffered.
Jesus does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
Jesus bears all things,
Jesus believes all things,
Jesus hopes all things,
Jesus endures all things.
Jesus never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Jesus is love.
Mr. Leatherman shared these verses with the students this morning.
My prayer for you and me is that these words will wash over us today and give us peace. Find rest today in the Jesus who loves you more than you can ask or imagine. I think we could all use this reminder of the One who never changes as the year is winding down.

Olympic Day - A Heiskell Tradition

Friday was Olympic Day at our school. It is quite possibly one of my favorite days of the entire school year, I love it! The morning begins with opening ceremonies, followed by flags, and a torch runner.

The 8th graders are the flag bearers, what an honor! I think the school flag is a favorite. Each grade level chooses a torch runner, who hands the torch off to the next person. The entire school comes out to see this special moment. Even the pre-schoolers can be seen cheering for the athletes!

After the opening ceremonies, we get to hear the famous words shouted by Coach, "Let the games begin!"

The students had so much fun, and our class did a wonderful job of encouraging each other and working well together as a team. I was so proud of them. What fun memories we are making in this special place! I wouldn't trade it!

Kid's Race 2010

Heiskell KidsRace
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Lace up your running shoes and get ready
for the 2010 KidsRace!

The deadline for early birds was Friday, April 16th. Only early birds are guaranteed a t-shirt before this deadline. After this date you can still sign up but the registration fee will be $17 per person. We look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday, May 8th for a morning of fellowship and fun!

Happy Birthday, Ms. Patterson!

Today is a special day at our school because we are celebrating the life of a very special lady, Ms. Patterson! In honor of her special day, our class shared some praises and prayer requests for her today in our morning devotion time. Ms. Patterson, we hope your birthday is extra special. We are so thankful for ALL that you do at our school and for us.

• We pray that Ms. Patterson has a great birthday and gets some good gifts.
  
• We offer praise that she wants to come and be with us each day.
  
• We pray that she would know what to do here at school.
  
• We pray that she will make the right decisions.
  
• We pray that she won't be too stressed out due to KidsRace and Olympic Day.
  
• We pray she will draw closer to Christ.
  
• We offer praise that she has done so well in the school.
  
• We offer praise that she works so hard for us.
  
• We pray she will have a good day and that no students will be sent to the office.
  
• We pray that nothing bad will happen today.
  
• We pray that she won't have a hard time doing everything she needs to do.
  
• We offer praise that she knows God.
  
• We pray she will be blessed today on her birthday.
  

Happy birthday, Ms. Patterson! We love you!

Atlanta Steeplechase

Come out for a day of tailgating, horse racing, picnicking and family fun
at the Atlanta Steeplechase on Saturday, April 24th
Hat Contest • Disc Dogs • Skydivers • Pony Rides

The Heiskell School will have its very own covered tent at the end of the home stretch.
60 tickets are available for a donation of $25 or more per ticket (a $60 value).
Includes VIP parking pass
Kids under 13 are free
*Bring your own folding/lawn chairs, food and snacks.*
Thank you to a generous benefactor for making opportunity available.
All proceeds to benefit The Heiskell School Outdoor Classroom Project.
Tickets are available on a first come first serve basis.

Please go HERE for more information.

The Sacrificial Lamb

Do you recognize these pictures?

Many of you probably do not, unless you grew up along the coast or unless you are one of our Heiskell junior high students who just got back from sea camp in the Florida Keys. While our students were there, they learned about these special trees known as Red Mangrove trees. These trees flourish along the coast, and their roots are found partially in the salt water, but also on the land. What is so special about these trees you may ask, well up until today I did not know either. Mr. Leatherman once again blessed my heart with a sweet devotion he shared with the children before starting our day. You see, these trees do not need salt water to grow. In fact, they need fresh water. I have your attention now, don't I? Earlier I stated that the roots of these trees are found partially in the salt water, but they need fresh water to grow? How can this be? Well, the One who created you and me also created the Red Mangrove, and He knows better than we do what we need to survive. If you look carefully in the last two pictures, you will see some yellow or brown leaves scattered throughout the lush green ones. These leaves are known as sacrificial leaves. They absorb all of the salt from the salt water, so that the other leaves may live on the fresh water they need. Sound familiar? Jesus did for us what these sacrificial leaves do for the Red Mangrove trees. He is the sacrificial lamb, dying, absorbing all of our sins, so that we may live.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
John 1:29

Open House at The Heiskell School

Open House

Friday, April 16, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Campus tour and orientation meeting

The Heiskell School’s accelerated academic program and its focus on building Godly character have had a life-changing impact in the lives of children for more than 60 years.

Preschool • Elementary • Junior High
Two Years through 8th Grade
Call 404-262-2233
www.heiskell.net
3260 Northside Drive, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30305

As seen from the eyes of a child

Whenever we go on field trips, I always encourage the students to bring their cameras if they want to and are able to do so. One particular student has been faithful to bring his camera along on every trip and has taken some really great pictures. Here are a few of his pictures from our trip to the capitol as seen from the eyes of a child. We may have a future photographer on our hands!

Casual for a Cause Part III

Currently, our school is taking part in several efforts to send relief and aid to the people in Haiti, specifically through a ministry called Reformation Hope. You can go here to read more about this ministry and their pastor, Jean Paul. Tuesday, April 13, students and faculty are participating in Casual for a Cause. Students can bring in $5 plus any donations and wear their finest casual clothes in place of their uniform for the day. Stay tuned for more ways your family can be involved in bringing hope to the nation of Haiti.

"Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"
The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Matthew 25: 37-46

We're ready to run for office!

Well, maybe not quite yet, but being a page when we are 12 does sound exciting! Today, the third grade classes from The Heiskell School toured the state capitol building. We learned so many interesting things about the building itself and the way the law in our state works. During our tour, we were able to visit the gallery of the House of Representatives, and even more exciting than that we were invited to go on the actual floor of the Senate chambers! As if that was not enough excitement for one morning, Senator George Hooks from Plains, Georgia, came out of his office to say hello to the students. His hometown should sound quite familiar, as he shares it with another famous Georgian, former President Jimmy Carter! Here are some pictures from our big day at the capitol.

Capitol Bound

Tomorrow, third graders from Heiskell are going to tour this beautiful building, our state's capitol. We will depart school promptly at 8:45 A.M. and will return no later than lunchtime at 12:30 P.M. Students need to wear their chapel uniforms. Cameras are permitted and encouraged. Please join us in praying for traveling mercies and pleasant weather.

Picture Parent

Each year at the Heiskell School, a parent volunteers to hold the prestigious title of picture parent. The designated picture parent for our class this year is Mrs. W., and she is awesome! The children enjoy the times we share with her so much. I'm not sure if it has so much to do with the artist we are studying for that week or the cultural experience we have, complete with snacks and sometimes music! This past Friday was no exception to our fun times with our picture parent. We had a little Spanish flavor this week, as we studied Joan Miro. Once the children learned some fun facts about his artist, they were set free to do some art on their own. We had a great time! Thank you, Mrs. W., for being a wonderful picture parent. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Visitors on the lower level

Greetings from the lower level of the elementary and junior high school. We have been having lots of visitors to our hallway in the last week. What for, you ask? Why, to see the animals, of course! What animals, you ask? Why, the African animals created by our very own third graders! They will be on display a little while longer, so please stop by, but be sure to watch your step. It's a jungle out there, or a bush, or savanna!

African Animal Projects

Since Christmas holidays, third graders at the Heiskell School have been hard at work learning how to execute and complete a research project. Each student was assigned an African animal of their liking to study and research. The students were responsible for collecting information on their animal, and once they gathered the material needed each student wrote a research paper on their assigned animal. In addition to writing some pretty stellar papers, the students (with parental guidance) colored a poster of their animal and created a model of their animal living in its habitat. Pretty impressive, right? See for yourselves if you like. The animals and posters can be found on the lower floor of the elementary and junior high building. In the meantime, here is a slide show for your viewing pleasure!

God is never tired.

Yesterday morning, families all over Atlanta rubbed their sleepy eyes, attempted to return to their "normal" routine, and headed back to school. Spring break was over and the time changed. Whew, it was rough! Children at the Heiskell School were no different. We enjoyed being out of school last week and spending time with our families. Monday always comes though, doesn't it? Mr. Leatherman, the chaplain here at our school, shared a message in our devotion time that spoke to my heart and my tired bones. He read these verses:
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might he increases power.
Though youths may grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength.
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:28-31
Then he said the most profound and perfect thing for the Monday morning after a long week of spring break, for the Monday morning after the time changed, for a Monday morning that was cold: God is never tired! Aren't you thankful for that?

Casual for a Cause Part II

Currently, our school is taking part in several efforts to send relief and aid to the people in Haiti, specifically through a ministry called Reformation Hope. You can go here to read more about this ministry and their pastor, Jean Paul. Thursday, students and faculty are participating in Casual for a Cause. Students can bring in $5 plus any donations and wear their finest casual clothes in place of their uniform for the day. Stay tuned for more ways your family can be involved in bringing hope to the nation of Haiti.

"Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"
The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Matthew 25: 37-46

Charlotte's Web, the musical

Tuesday, March 2, 2010, our prefirst through 4th graders have the opportunity to attend Charlotte's Web, the musical. During our school's accreditation, we developed a closer relationship with Greenfield Academy, as one of their faculty was represented on the team. Greenfield Academy is currently one of Atlanta's finest Jewish schools. We pray that this friendship will continue to grow and bear much fruit, as we hope later to reciprocate and invite their students to attend one of our Great Performances. Students attending the musical will need to wear their chapel uniforms. We look forward to hearing this timeless tale in musical form on Tuesday.

Third Grade Overnight Field Trip 2010

This past Wednesday, our third grade classes at The Heiskell School embarked on a journey to Coastal Georgia. We began our trip at 6:30 that morning, as we departed for the Okefenokee Swamp. After a smooth bus ride to the swamp and a yummy picnic lunch on the grounds, we were ready to see some swamp life. Our journey of the swamp began with a quick video about the history of the Okefenokee Swamp, and then we readied ourselves for the boat ride. During our time on the Okefenokee, we learned much about the rich history of the swamp. We even saw a few alligators! I think the children loved it. Once our boat ride was over, we departed for Epworth-by-the-Sea, a Methodist retreat center located on St. Simon's Island that was founded by John and Charles Wesley. As soon we got off the bus, we knew we were in for a treat; our noses told us so! On the menu for supper that night was fried chicken that would give my grandmother a run for her money! It was delicious! Saturday was another full day of adventure as we headed to Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation, Fort King George, St. Simon's Lighthouse, and the pier/playground area along the waterfront. At each place we visited, the children learned much about the rich history of the area. Much of what we learned reinforced what we have been studying in Georgia History. Friday morning we loaded up all of our belongings, said so-long to Epworth, and headed to Savannah. We took a trolley ride tour of the city, visiting each of the city's squares and learning much about the rich history of this wonderful city. After a picnic lunch on River Street with the famous "waving girl," it was time to depart for home. We are so thankful that we were able to take such a wonderful trip and learn so much about the rich history of our home state. We are even more thankful for a safe trip home! Enjoy some of the pictures from our journey.