Chamber's Prairie Elementary is a fairly new school, this is the fourth school year. The staff is very warming to the students and to guests/parents.
I lost my job September 9, 2009 just when school started and I am still unemployed. I have volunteered time at the school while seeking work and going to school. I have been able to see first hand what these amazing people do for the students and parents. I didn't believe there were teachers that taught because they wanted to make a difference and these teachers do.
Volunteers are not just asked to help with little things in the school, they are asked to share in areas of expertise. Retired teachers and parents with the ability to do so help in tutoring math, reading, spelling, etc...This enables the children to receive one on one help. I have seen teachers and/or staff buy students lunch if they don't have lunch, because the district policy does not allow more than one charge to accounts. I have seen bags of food prepared for students that are known to be without to take home with them. One of my daughters was possibly going to loose her instrument because we couldn't afford to lease one and the district was low on donations of instruments. Mrs. Porche (6th grade teacher) offered to lease one for her, and had told me that they do this for students frequently. Mrs. Porche and other teachers pick children up for school if they have no way to get there because their parents have transitioned frequently due to a lack of stable living conditions. My daughters are in the Leadership Program at the school and I could not afford to buy the t-shirts. Mrs. Jennifer and Mrs. Porche made sure that my daughters received one. They did it in a way that did not embarrass me or my daughters, but in a way so my daughters felt like if anyone deserved it was them. Last year I graduated with my AA in Accounting. Miss Thrasher, my daughter and her class made me a huge banner with signatures, stickers, notes, etc...congratulating me. I have never been so moved and during such a tough time in getting a job lifted me. Mrs. Styger created a wall 2008-2009 for all Veterans, Active duty and retirees of the childrens heros. One young girl lost her father last year in Afghanistan and her father was on that wall. Many teachers did the same after to show respect and reflect on heros. The school had never dealt with this yet so they reached out for resources to handle the situation, they provided counciling to everyone, and they now have a staff member who is qualified to deal with these type of losses.
The Principle, the teachers, and the staff know and care what is going on at their school. They don't just watch, they act and these are just examples of the amazing things that they do everyday. This is above and beyond what I have seen from any school I have attended, or my daughters have attended. They are my secret heros!
