Thank You, Volunteers

Thank You to our 2nd Volunteer of the Year, Zoë Rogers.  Miss Zoë Rogers has been volunteering with us for about 6 years.  So far this year, her family donated candy and prizes for Fall Festival, and Zoë attended Fall Festival to help with the Face Painting station.  Zoë is currently a junior at High Point University, studying Interior Design.  She continues to support Fall Festival, Field Day, and other school events.

Thanks Again Zoë for all you do to support the students at Diggs-Latham Elementary Magnet School.

Dixie Classic Fair Winners

1st Place: Dorian

2nd Place: Eudocio & Heidi

2nd Place: Kevin

2nd Place: Brayan

Congratulations to these students for earning ribbons at the Dixie Classic Fair 2012!

Art Honors is Bully Free!

Fourth Grade Art Honors Students recently painted an original banner, designed by Mrs. Gordon, for staff to hold and present at the Anti-bullying Walk this Saturday, October 13.  Diggs-Latham staff and students are proud to be Bully Free! 

Dixie Classic Fair Student Art Exhibit

We are so excited to have art work on display at the Dixie Classic Fair.  We have 24 students in grades first through fifth with original art hanging in the Annex Building from Friday, September 28 through Sunday, October 7.  Students and staff are anxiously waiting to hear who won ribbons for this annual exhibit.  Congratulations to all students who have art in this show.

First Grade

Alberto

Shah'd

Eudocio

Heidi

Second Grade

Kevin

Jonathan

Susy

Yarixel

Third Grade

Alexander

Izabela

Dorian

Ruby

Fourth Grade

De'Shay

Sergio

Fernando

Aleshahi

Fifth Grade

Jennifer

Travon

Tiffany

Brayan

Adamaris

Darian

Mary

Clindell

Open Dream Ensemble

Last week, grades 3rd, 4th, and 5th we excited to work with the Open Dream Ensemble.  Members of this group are graduates of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  They started the week with a program they presented to all grades and then worked with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to make science connection with drama, music and the arts in general.  Check out their website: http://www.opendreamensemble.com/

Specialists

Specialists aka the Arts Team is gearing up for an exciting and productive school year. We have several events, programs, and exhibits scheduled throughout the year.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of parents and students at Open House.

Mr. McNeil (PE) Mr. Powelson (orchestra)

Ms. Farthing (music) Ms. Stevenson (dance) Mrs. Gordon (art)

Band and orchestra teachers are preparing for their next class.

The dance teacher welcomes her next group of students.

Thank You, Volunteer

Diggs-Latham is very excited about the connections we have developed with our community volunteers and partners.

The first volunteer of the year for the Art Studio was Mrs. Delores Smallwood. This is Mrs. Smallwood's 2nd year volunteering at our school. So far this year, she has helped in organizing and setting up the art studio. Last school year, she was involved in classroom setup, fall festival activities and other school events, and her family was an advertisement sponsor for the school yearbook. Mrs. Smallwood is retired from BellSouth; she has 2 children and 5 grandchildren who are products of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System. Her husband is a local pastor and business owner. Other than volunteering at Diggs-Latham Elementary School, Mrs. Smallwood spends her free time with her family and friends and is involved with activities in her church and community.

Volunteers truly make a difference!

New School Tee-Shirt Design

Congratulations to 5th grader, Jerry, for his work on the new school tee-shirt design.

If you have not ordered your school tee-shirt, see PTA for an order form.

Tiger Pride!

The 2012-2013 School Year

The Art Studio

We are off to an exciting and productive school year. For the first rotation of Specials, students are reviewing expectations and procedures. School wide, students are working on Being Respectful, Being Responsible and Being Ready so they will show their "Tiger Pride" and ROAR, (they will be... Ready, Organized, Attentive, Respectful.)

Band/Orchestra Concert

The Band/Orchestra Concert was a huge success. Band and orchestra students in grade 4th and 5th showcased all they have learned this year. Some students even explained the different parts of their instruments and how they work to create a sound.

Mr. Spencer explained what the band has learned this year.

Mr. Powelson introduced the Orchestra students.

Fifth grade orchestra students 'danced' during their performance of "We Will Rock You".

"Diggs-Latham Goes Cross Country"

Dance/Drama Concert

The Spring Dance/Drama Concert was an original production by our dance teacher, Amanda Stevenson, entitled "Diggs-Latham Goes Cross Country." Third graders were the dancers, and select students in grades 4th and 5th served as the speakers, who were a group of people stranded in an airport lobby. These travelers were from San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle, New York and Honolulu, and they all showed stereotypical characteristics of the culture of each city. Ms. Stevenson choreographed a dance, representative of each city.

Updates on the Bench

The Bench Project is coming along. Several students have worked on painting the details in the arms and under the seat. Today, we started the design on the seat of the bench.

Click here for pictures.

For more information on the Bench Project, see our previous blog post here.

Black History Celebration

On Friday, March 2, staff, students, parents, and many visitors from the community gathered in the school auditorium for a Celebration of Black History. In attendance were two granddaughters of Mr. Diggs, one of the leaders whose name we have in our school name. Also in the audience, we were pleased to welcome School Board Member Jill Tackabery and reporters from The Chronicle and the Winston-Salem Journal.

The Celebration included a welcome by Mrs. Gordon, introduction by Mr. Stover, and "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the Negro National Athem, sung by Ms. Ingram. Keynote Speaker, Thomas Barksdale, a local youth minister and motivational speaker, challenged students to work hard and do their best. Stephen McCloud, a local church leader, recited exerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King's speech, "I Have a Dream." Students participated in a Wax Museum of famous people, a dance by the school cheerleaders, and a Zumba performance by 5th graders with Miss Stevenson. The Celebration ended with the entire student body singing "Free at Last," under the direction of Ms. Farthing. Special guests enjoyed refreshments immediately following the event.

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." -Booker T. Washington

The Bench Project

Dr. Clarice Graham Carter was a former teacher of Diggs and Latham Elementary Schools. In August of 2011, she held a reunion for her students and was given an award for her accomplishments. As a gift and legacy to the new Diggs-Latham School, Dr. Carter generously donated money to purchase a bench that will be placed in our school for the sole purpose of a special place for a child to sit, perhaps with a mentor, teacher, or volunteer, and think about and reflect on their special characteristics and character.

Click here to see photos of the bench going through the design process with our art teacher, Mrs. Amanda Gordon, and several art students.

Magnet Fair

Diggs-Latham Students were a hit at the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Magnet Fair on Saturday, January 7. Students performed a parody of "America's Got Talent." In "Diggs-Latham's Got Talent," we had our host, Nick, a panel of 3 sarcastic judges, and peformances by band, orchestra, the dance ensemble, visual artists, and chorus. It was a fun and entertaining show, and the students were full of energy to show off what goes on and what they learn in their Arts classes at Diggs-Latham Elementary Magnet School for Arts and Global Studies.