by Devon Boatwright

 

The art room at Terraset is right before you head left into the library.  Because of its expanse of windows, I always find myself peeking into the room to see what Mary Wehle, the art teacher, has in store for her students that day. The room is always cheerful lined clay sculptures, bright paints and colorful drawings. Sometimes I see Mrs. Wehle reading a book to her class and sometimes I see the kids hard at work, but they are always enjoying themselves.  
 
Mary Wehle is Terraset's art teacher and has been for the past 7 years. She didn't always teach art. Before returning to school to complete her certification for teaching, she was a special education assistant at another elementary school. However, her love has always been for art. She even used to teach GRACE Art, a PTA sponsored supplemental art curriculum, to her children when they were in elementary school!  Of her experience in high school, Mary says "The art teacher was very encouraging and exposed [us] to many different kinds of art.  We worked with wood, silver, oil paint, watercolors and print making." Along with many excursions to the DC area art museums, she was inspired to explore her own creativity through college, getting her BA in Fine Art. 
 
Now Mrs. Wehle is at Terraset, inspiring her own students to explore their creativity. She loves many things about the job, including the fact that she gets to go to work and "paint, sew, create ceramics, weave and draw with the students". She loves the fresh, relaxed perspective children bring to their art. All jobs have their challenges, and the most challenging part of being an art teacher is keeping the lessons engaging while also teaching a skill through a new project. She says this takes time to plan but it is always enjoyable.
 
When Mary Wehle isn't teaching her students, she enjoys gardening, riding her bike, walking her dogs and painting on her back porch. Her favorite artists, both impressionists, are Degas and Cassat. She finds their drawing and painting techniques "expressive and skillful". She also enjoys seeing fiber arts of different cultures and enjoys studying and working with weaving and basket making.
 
Art is clearly a passion for Mary Wehle and it shows, from the cute clay pots the kids bring home to the art lining the sill in the windows of her classroom. I know my own children love art and Mrs. Wehle is instilling in her students the freedom to explore their creativity in the classroom.

GRACE Art is more than a classroom based program... it is brought to us by a wonderful art gallery right here in Reston. Here is an opportunity for your children to experience the visual arts by taking them to an exhibition. The Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) has a new Focus Exhibition opening next week -- Joseph Barbaccia, Currents; Craig Kraft, Unintentional Drawings; and Judy Southerland, Borderland. Why not spend a cold winter's day inside.

  

The three snow days that extended our winter break have used up all the kids' "free" snow days. If by chance we have another snow day before Feb 15th, Presidents' Day, then there will be no holiday... that's the day set aside by FCPS to catchup in the event of four snow days. If you are interested in when other catchup days are scheduled, see the Terraset PTA Calendar on www.terrasetpta.org or go to:

http://www.fcps.edu/about/09-10cal.htm

Superintendent Jack Dale will present the FY 2011 proposed budget today, January 7, at the School Board meeting at Luther Jackson Middle School. Specific budget information will be posted online later this evening.

Terraset PTA is still working hard to educate our community about the potential impact of this budget. It has been proposed that a number of programs will be cut including: full-day kindergarten, FLES, and Band and Strings in Elementary Schools let alone the proposed reduction of Assistant Principals, School Based Technology Support personnel, and custodial staff.

 

Clearly, these types of cuts will eliminate the features that make our school system one of the best in the country. But what can be done? Make a lot of noise! We need to let the county know that they must fund our school adequately to ensure these programs continue.

 

The kids and parents at the Terraset Band and Strings Winter Concert on December 15th did just that! They prepared a card for Supervisor Cathy Hudgins to thank her for all she does for our school and to remind her how important these programs are to our community.

 

What will you do? Will you write to your neighbors asking them to speak out? Even if they don't have children in the school system, a deterioration of the system could impact them! There is a relationship between the value of their homes and the quality of our schools. Many people come to Fairfax County for the schools, so it is in everyone's interest to maintain the quality of our schools in order to support the value of our properties.

 

Some of you may be able to reach out to your Home Owners' Association. Send them the link to our Budget Background Information Sheet or point them to the discussion piece on our Blog - do something... your kids need you to!

Many of you know that Angela Petersen is now teaching kindergarten. This move left a vacancy in the special education team, so a new part-time Instuctional Assistant has been recruited. Terraset will be welcoming Catherine Scoggie to the team!

 

Welcome Ms Scroggie... we are all looking forward to meeting you!

BoxTop-by-BoxTop we are raising funds for the school. Our next target date is January 15th, so don't forget to send those BoxTops in... just 2-3 count as "participation" and may help your child's class win a party!

 

Campbell's labels count too! The Labels for Education program has been supportings schools for over 36 years. This year, there is a new focus on the Arts, Athletics and Academics programs. We can earn free stuff for our school just by collecting labels from Campbell's and Pepperidge Farms products. The 2009-2010 Merchandise Catalog contains arts supplies, musical instruments, physical education equipment, and many other items. So, lets help the school place an order for some of these items.

Your PTA has been in the happy situation of being able to budget $8,000 for Teacher Mini-Grants this year. So far, the following grant applications have been approved for support:

 

It is great to see these exciting opportunities being offered to our students by Terraset's teachers and heart warming when we hear from the students.

 

 

 

However, we want to do more! There is over $7,000 in the budget, so come on teachers... just ask, we are champing at the bit to help you enhance student enrichment offerings at our school. The application form can be found online on our web site.