**A Maine Connection to a Former President**
In honor of President Jimmy Carter's passing a few weeks ago, I shared a personal connection with my students. I have the rotary phone that he used during a trip to Maine. It has the White House label on it. The students were fascinated by the rotary phone and asked great questions. It was a fun and educational experience to share.
**Consider Adopting a Pet!**
Recently, some 4th-grade students in the ELA class discussed the idea of adopting a pet. They wrote opinion papers to support the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. The students explored the league’s website to see all the adoptable animals, from dogs to bunnies. After learning how to structure an opinion paper, they explained why their chosen animal would make the best pet. Their papers were delivered to the league, and the staff members were very appreciative!
**Sullivan House Bakery Collaboration**
Sullivan House Bakery collaborated with the 5th-grade ELA group. They generously donated tasty treats that the students sampled before writing descriptions of their menu items using figurative language. Owner Nancy Ames and manager KG Wentworth loved reading their descriptions. Thank you, Sullivan House Bakery!
