11Jul/092
Update on Granite City Schools’ Dress Code / Uniforms
Tweet ThisThe Belleville News-Democrat has posted an interesting follow-up article on the issue of school uniforms in the Granite City public schools.
Someone posted the article as a comment last night on my original post about the uniforms, but I've deleted it there and chosen to link to it from here.
The main point of the article is that the school board met illegally in private to discuss the uniforms, as opposed to keeping their discussions on the uniforms open.
This revelation, of course, doesn't change my opinion on the uniforms. I still think they're a good move and the right thing. It does, though, make me wonder about our school board. I suppose there is some of what many would call "politics in Granite" at play.
Although the commenter added no commentary to the article when he posted it on the old entry, I would suppose he's advocating increased vigilance over our school board and its discussions and moves.
I don't agree, personally, with the "open meetings" law that the board supposedly violated. It sounds ridiculous. We elect people to represent us and to do our work, and they should be able to meet privately about any issue they deem necessary. But the results of their discussions are and should be a part of the public record, and open to public scrutiny. However, the rules are the rules, and it sounds as though the school board didn't play by the rules in this case. Did they?
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3Jul/090
Keep Dreaming… and Keep Going!
Tweet ThisA friend of ours from church just posted this link to the 1st place essay that her daughter wrote for the Patriots in the Park celebration in Granite City this week. Congrats, Lillie. Great essay on having dreams and working on them!
Then, I come to realize that a few more friends' kids essays were also winners. Josh's came in 2nd place among 7th graders. And Freddy's took 2nd place among 5th garders.
Now that I notice, in fact, Holy Family & St. Elizabeth rocked the essay contest. Among 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners in grades K-8, Holy Family had 12 and St. Elizabeth had 4. That's 16 of the 26 winners! Frohardt and Coolidge each had 3, Grigsby had 2, and Niedringhaus and Mitchell each had 1. Very cool for our Catholic schools in Granite!
Read the essays: Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade, and high school.
This month, all comments on all posts score you entries into a drawing for a $25 Starbucks Card. Click here for info, or to subscribe to email updates of new posts. Every word of every comment in July equals one entry, so share your thoughts and feedback below.
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1Jul/090
Granite City Patriots in the Park 2009
Tweet ThisWell, it's time for the "biggest July 4th party in the metro-east" right here in Granite City, Patriots in the Park. We plan to walk the couple of blocks to the park at least once - on Saturday night for the fireworks. But here's the full schedule, to keep handy if you're interested in swinging by Wilson Park here in Granite City over the holiday weekend:
2009 "Patriots In The Park" Schedule
Wednesday, July 1st
Carnival and food vendors 6pm-11pm
Granite City Community Swing Band 7:30pm-9pm
Thursday, July 2nd
Carnival and Food Vendors 1pm-11pm
Evening Matinee (all rides $1.50) 6pm-10pm
Pony & Carriage rides ($3.00 per person) 4pm-8pm
Softball Tournament 7:00pm
Friday, July 3rd
5k Run/Walk 7am registration
Youth under 13 ($8 in advance $10 race day) 8am start time
Adult ($17 in advance $20 race day)
Carnival and Food vendors 1pm-11pm
Armband Day ($16 each) 1pm-5pm
Pony & Carriage rides ($3.00 per person) 4pm-8pm
Patriot Idol Contest 6:30pm
Softball Tournament All Day
Saturday, July 4th
Carnival and Food Vendors 1pm-11pm
Coolidge Main Stage:
Gospel/patriotic performance 6pm-7pm
Warren Barfield
"Hometown Song"
Alicia Schaefer & the idea lab 7pm
High School Essay Winner 7:25
Greater St. Louis Parachute Club Demonstration 7:30-7:45
Patriot Idol Winner 7:45pm
Patriot Junior Choir & Master's Voice Choir 8pm
Fireworks 9:15pm
Sunday July 5th
Car Show ($20.00 per car) 8am registration
Noon show
Fireman's Rodeo 10am
High school Parking Lot
Family Fun day Noon - 4pm
Granite City K-9 Unit
Face painting
Crafts
Granite City Park District Gymnastics Demonstration
Patriot Paws Dog Show ($1.00 entry fee) 1pm
Carnival Rides and Food Vendors 1pm-4pm
Afternoon Matinee (all rides $1.50) 1pm-4pm
Softball Tournament Finals
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25Jun/094
Neighbor + Water Bottle + Neighbor =
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= What the heck is wrong with our society?
Tonight, I was standing at our kitchen sink, cleaning up after dinner, looking out the window onto 25th Street and beyond.
Across the street, our neighbor Kyle was cutting his grass, and I noticed that he had a water bottle on the hood of his car.
As I was watching, from left to right, a woman was walking down the sidewalk across the street, pushing a stroller with her two young children.
When she got to the neighbor's car, she stopped, stretched her neck to look around the corner of the house to look for him. Seeing that he was cutting away from her - with his back to her - she slyly grabbed his water bottle and slipped it into her oversized purse. And then she kept watching.
I was flabbergasted.
So I immediately opened our back door, walked onto the porch, and yelled across the street: "Excuse me, ma'am... are you going to take that, or are you putting it back?"
After looking at me dumbfounded for a moment, she just stomped and said "Well d@mn!"
She went to pull the water bottle out of her purse and put it back on Kyle's hood. She mumbled something about her boy just needing water. So I apologized and explained that I'd be happy to give her a cup of water if they needed it.
To which she changed her reply yet again, saying "No, my boy just wanted the bottle, so I thought I'd take it."
I was even more flabbergasted.
What the heck is she teaching her kids by this kind of behavior? "Oh... I want it... so why don't I just take it? That's okay."
Goodness gracious. These are the kids my boys will be alongside in school and in life. Scary.
When she walked off and Kyle stopped cutting his grass, I explained to him what had happened. Funny... his first reply was exactly the same "What the heck is she teaching her kids?"
I'll be the first to admit - it's hard enough being a parent. When you're in severe need, I can imagine it's that much harder.
And I would do just about anything for my boys. But I wouldn't steal. That's just too much. And goodness, if I was even going to do something that bad, I wouldn't do it on their request, in sight of them. Not that I ever even would, mind you.
So I'm still in disbelief, and go to bed praying even harder for a conversion of our culture; a righting of our moors, if you will. Would you pray with me for that?
All comments count toward the June giveaway of the $25 Borders gift card. Remember... through the month of June, every WORD in every comment you make on a post here on BreadAlive.com will earn one entry into a drawing - to be held July 1 - for a $25 Borders gift card.
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23Jun/091
More good news on U.S. Steel Granite City
Tweet ThisEven more good news today, via Reuters (full article): US Steel is seeing better orders, and is eyeing the re-opening of a blast furnace in the U.S. Granite is called out as the possible one.
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21Jun/090
More on U.S. Steel Granite City
Tweet ThisThe Beacon has more up on the great news about the mill re-opening, and the number of workers going back at this time.
I know that my dad seemed really happy to be heading back today, even though he's been blessed with work of one sort or another through most of this downturn at the mill.
It's great to read good news, of steel workers "ecstatic" to be heading back.
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18Jun/090
Ameren Illinois Helps its Unemployed Customers
Tweet ThisSome good news today for friends and family who are out of work. Reports the St. Louis Business Journal (emphasis added):
Ameren Illinois Utilities is giving one-time grants of up to $300 to customers who were laid-off since December.
In order to qualify, a residential electric customer must provide documentation of unemployment, such as confirmation of an unemployment insurance claim.
There is a limit of one grant per household.
A total of $2.2 million is available for grants.
The funds are part of the Illinois rate relief package adopted by the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law in 2007.
All comments count toward the June giveaway of the $25 Borders gift card. Remember... through the month of June, every WORD in every comment you make on a post here on BreadAlive.com will earn one entry into a drawing - to be held July 1 - for a $25 Borders gift card.
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12Jun/090
What’s July 4 Without Fireworks?
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According to the Belleville News-Democrat, at least two metro-east towns - Caseyville and Collinsville - will go without municipal fireworks displays this year for the Fourth of July, thanks to the state of the economy.
I didn't know that J&M displays usually did the Caseyville display. I used to get my display materials from J&M, in fact. But according to the article, they did. And according to J&M, these aren't the only two towns cutting the fireworks line item this year - many cities are.
Caseyville typically shoots a $25,000 display, Collinsville Jaycees had typically shared a $10,000 display.
By contrast, Granite City's display costs nearly $40,000 and will still happen on July 4 as part of Granite City Park District's annual "Patriots in the Park" celebration. Granite's display is funded through local sponsorships.
Other recent posts on Bread Alive:
- Great News for Granite City: US Steel Callbacks
- When the Goin' Gets Tough - Pass the Altar Wine
- Tummy Thumping - feeling the new baby thumping inside mommy's belly (6/12)
- Blooms #2 - some current snapshots from the garden (6/11)
- June 7. Ordinations. Clear Creek Monastery - some great photos
- What would you ask a married couple?
All comments on all posts this month count toward the June giveaway of the $25 Borders gift card. Remember... through the month of June, every WORD in every comment you make on a post here on BreadAlive.com will earn one entry into a drawing - to be held July 1 - for a $25 Borders gift card.
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12Jun/090
Great News for Granite City: US Steel Callbacks
Tweet ThisThe St. Louis Beacon is reporting - just within the last few minutes - that U.S. Steel plans to call at least the first 30 or 40 laid-off steelworkers back to their jobs early next week as they begin "to resume at least limited operations."
Reportedly, local union presidents were called to an unexpected meeting with local management this morning. Apparently, there's been a slow growth in steel orders in recent weeks and "...This week, the orders surged, and the sense of urgency apparently set in to start up steel-making as soon as possible," the Beacon quotes Dave Dowling, a spokesman for the local United Steelworkers.
The first to be called back are maintenance personnel. It's unknown when or how many of the plant's roughly 2,000 employees will be back to work.
Nevertheless, it's great, unexpected news to end the week.
Other recent posts on Bread Alive:
- When the Goin' Gets Tough - Pass the Altar Wine
- Tummy Thumping - feeling the new baby thumping inside mommy's belly (6/12)
- Blooms #2 - some current snapshots from the garden (6/11)
- June 7. Ordinations. Clear Creek Monastery - some great photos
- What would you ask a married couple?
- Expanding the Arch Grounds into Illinois?
All comments count toward the June giveaway of the $25 Borders gift card. Remember... through the month of June, every WORD in every comment you make on a post here on BreadAlive.com will earn one entry into a drawing - to be held July 1 - for a $25 Borders gift card.
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26May/092
Uniforms in Granite City Schools
Tweet ThisWell, well, well. I remember one of the high points of graduating from Holy Family back in the day being that we could finally hang up our slacks and collared shirts, and could trade them in for t-shirts and shorts to wear to school.
Not so for this year's graduating 8th graders who are headed to Granite High!
At tonight's school board meeting, the Granite City school board approved (unanimously) a measure requiring uniforms ("slacks, skirts and collared shirts") starting next school year in Granite City schools.
Personally, I think this is great.
Now... before you pull out the tar & feathers, light up the torches, and come to do me bodily harm, let me explain.
We're not talking blue blazers and red ties here. We're talking collared shirts and slacks.
I don't like the idea of the government regulating much of what we do, what we wear, etc., etc.
But our schools are a different story. As a community, we are funding our schools and expecting them to accomplish certain objectives on our behalf. Most broadly stated, the goal is to educate our youth and prepare them to succeed in their lives in our society.
Part of that preparation for success is helping them understand successful attitudes and behaviors. There's a lot that's already been written about good dress, grooming, and success. You can do a Google search for that and find plenty, so I won't belabor the point here.
But the most important point for me in all of this is reflecting back on how my dress has changed through my life, and how the situations where I'm able to "succeed" the most require me to step up the plate and dress the part.
I think it's good that we're instilling that in our kids.
I'm led to recall what Superintendent Harry Briggs mentioned in last week's article about our schools in the St. Louis Beacon "Uneasy Street: Granite City" series article "Granite City schools try to prepare students for a life beyond the steel mills." The truth of the matter is: our city can't expect our graduates to be able to walk down Madison Avenue and get a good job at the steel mill for another generation.
We have to raise the bar, help our kids strive for a higher standard, and teach them how to get there. And I mean EVERY kid - not just the ones who are segmented into "Honors / College Bound" as they move through junior high.
We owe it to our kids to expect more out of them, and I'm glad we're taking this step.
PS: Some are complaining about the cost of uniforms. But I'd be willing to bet that the simple directive of "collared shirt and slacks (or skirt)" frees you up to buy a lot less expensive of a wardrobe than the standard designer denim and brand-name t-shirts.
PSS: I know this post could get some good responses - particularly from my younger (read: still in school or just out of school) friends here in town. I'd love to hear your feedback - and have you test out the new commenting feature on the site with which you comment via Facebook.
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