European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday december 31,1990 the stars and stripes education Roundup education a amps Jenl Jones Bundlach elementary school principal Robert Van Epps left pins a birthday Bunch badge on Bruce folding shortly before Bruce and four other pupils dined with their principal. Little Mark Aquino right enjoys his lunch and conservation with Van Epps and his schoolmates during the Friday birthday Bunch lunch where pupils celebrating birthdays get to visit the principal s office a on a positive lunch a fun trip to the principal s by Jimi Jones education writer Bundlach Germany a seven year old Mark Aquino had never been to the principals old fice neither had fourth graders Sandra Bradley and Bruce Golding but that a history. Earlier this month these pupils along with schoolmates Jason shoates and Tanya Hutchins had an encounter with the headmaster at bind Lach elementary school a but with a twist. These pupils were formally invited principal Robert Van Epps lad sent each child a computer drawn invitation to unch. A a a fridays birthday Bunch lunch is Van Epps Way of getting to know his Pupil Sand building positive relationships that he says last throughout the child a stay in the school each Friday five or six children who have birthdays that week a do lunch with the principal. A a we re All searching for ways to get to know the kids a Van Epps said. A a in be found that casual visits to classrooms Only skim the surface producing general impressions but no thorough insight into the Little ones under our care a a it a a Hazard of the Job that you re going to meet the kids that have been caught not being Good a Van Epps a said \ a _ a what was needed was a some Way to meet them in a Small group situation with a relaxed Van Epps said he remembers his dealings with parents years ago when he was the principal at a primary school. When parents would come to meet with him Janice Mcintosh a third Grade teacher at bad mers Feld elementary school wrote to the stars and stripes with the following Story from her classroom Mcintosh was talking to the third graders about diseases when one student asked whether it was True that people could have Worms. A yes a she replied a people can have another child in the room knew All about Little creatures in the body. From the Back. Angenetta Manear contributed a yeah and i had flu bugs in my stomach one if you have s he of claw room Ilia to share please Sand it to Small talk the Star and stripes attn a cml Jones Apo 09211. A they literally would come up and Stop right there a he said pointing to the doorway of his office. A a in a have to escort them in and they a say a of in be never been to the principals office that got Van Epps thinking that there must be some Way Tii ease the tension associated with a visit to the principals office each monday Van Epps hand delivers a personally written invitation to the Friday lunch to each Pupil celebrating a birthday that week. On Friday he revisits the classroom and pins on birthday Bunch badges giving each child what he Calls a second sharing experience. The badge reserves a place at the head it of the lunch line for each birthday boy or girl. A. Van Epps and guests then carry their lunch to his conference room where birthday place Mats and reserved name signs adorn the table. Birthdays Over the summer round out the number of students on weeks when birthdays Are few. Invitations to those children read a by Oft Are invited to celebrate your All the. Invitations carry the personal hand written note a i sure Hope to see you there a and a computer written note at the very Bottom reads a i made this card just for i about Halfway through the usually Lively meal the food services manager shows up with an ice Cream treat. Van Epps said some groups Chat More than others lie usually asks questions of the children and they of him. The group on a recent Friday was a Lively one with lots of questions for Van Epp where did you get All that Gray hair one asked. Why does your Mustache look Blue Why Are you wearing a red tie when did you Start wearing glasses Van Epps asked the children questions about their hobbies birthday presents and celebrations. He said the children sometime relate some interesting tales a such As one Pupil whose Hobby was a mixing things a like go Rox detergent and vinegar. And what did the Young scientist do with his experiments Van Epps asked Quot try it on bugs a the Young boy said / about 15 minutes into the meal Van Epps invites the children to his office where some sit and Chat some ask More questions some wander around and others might Paw everything in sight a All of which is of he said. The Point is to make the pupils realize that his of file can be a a warm place that kids can come to a he said. A they bring me artwork that i display Quot he said gesturing Wall where several children a drawings and other Art Hung. Quot they can come to talk if they have a. Problem. I have to be a Counselor this far into the school year Van Epps has lunched with about a third of the children. A it makes the Atmo t. Sphere totally different w Hen i walk into a classroom a he said. A you can see the 89 Alconbury grads honoured for activities London a amps a two 19k�?~> graduates of Alconbury High school were among hundreds of students who received the highest award in the Duke of Edinburgh program during a ceremony at St. James s Palace participants Complete various activities. Sueh As learning and enhancing a skill participating in sports service in tie Community and expeditions. There Are Bronze,.silver and Gold Levels to the awards. Kate Slowinski and Derek Cal Ini who Are now sophomores in stateside colleges received their Gold award luring the ceremony which was attended by Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh. Slowinski 19, is attending Chattanooga slate technical Community College in Tennessee. She is the daughter of Sian and. It. Col. Joe Slowinski the Deputy commander for logistics at rap Greenham Ini is studying math and economies at Bow Doin College in Brunswick Maine. He is the son of Janice and Robert Cal Ini the High school vice principal at rap l.akl�?~nheath.2 Dodds students picked for program Washington a amps two department of defense dependents schools students have been selected for the"24>th annual . Senate youth program officials said. Catherine Uram a senior at Fakin Heath i Ligh a school England and Angela in a Junior at Kubasak High school Japan will represent Dodds in the we Klong program which begins a feb.,2. A v. A a a. The program is designed to give High school students an intensive look at the inner Workings of the Federal government with emphasis on the a Senate. It a it both students will spend a Day with their Poinc state senators a Uram with Republican sen. John Warner and democratic sen. Charles Robb of Virginia and in with democratic senators Ai Bert Gore or and James Sasser of Tennessee. Briefings Are also scheduled with president Bush leading Cabinet members and a supreme court Justice a a. A the program involves two High school students from each state the District of Columbia and Dodds the 104 delegates receive a $2,000 Cpl lege scholarship guide possible through a Grant from the William Randolph hears foundation a a been the one to 1 represent Dodds and state department schools at the. National spelling Bee in Washington May 26through june 1,1991, for More information Contact. Cheryl Colaw Cis Issac shape Apo 09055 ets 4235324/4887 the european spelling Bee is co sponsored by the european Congress of Amon can parents teachers and students. Capt 5 and the stripes a
