We have been busy here, despite the high number of absences related to illness. Interestingly, in terms of percentages, the various maladies, flu included, have seemed to hit staff harder than students, but Denise has worked her “magic” and made sure all classes have been covered. Thankfully, we have some healthy subs who have come in to help, so we have managed. Also, Angie and her staff received a 95 on this week’s building inspection, and they have been working diligently to disinfect possibly contaminated areas in the building.

Today was Balinda Renault’s last day. Balinda has done a great job as nurse for our students, and we wish her well in her new endeavors.

This week classes have been out in the community eating and shopping and here at school students have had lessons on topics such as weather, the Super Bowl, temperature ranges, layers of the Earth and South Carolina symbols. The Bebo word for the week is “eat” and students have been working on using this word appropriately in a variety of settings. Administrators have been having mid-year conferences with teachers, and I am told that students are well on their way to meeting assessment targets for the year. Also, Barbara and I have been conducting ELEOT observations in preparation for the AdvancEd district accreditation visits that will be conducted next fall when the district is re-evaluated regarding accreditation status. 

This week PTA met to continue plans for the April “Run, Walk and Roll”, and this year they are adding a “Phantom Runner” option for folks who want to participate but cannot actually be at Furman in person. For details on this and other information regarding the event, please go to our school website. This is the PTA’s biggest fund raiser of the year, so we need everyone’s support. In terms of support, I also want to remind folks that you can help Washington Center by using Amazon Smile and choosing the Washington Center PTA, rather than going to your usual Amazon site. This is a really easy way to make contributions to the school, and every little bit is greatly appreciated.

Next week we will have dog therapy --- or at least a dog visit by Mr. Skeeter Powell and Chief; and, everyone here is getting excited about our upcoming Valentine Dance on the 14th. Our older students will be all dressed up and will be escorted down the red carpet by students from Eastside and Shannon Forest. This is always a big event for us and lots of fun for everyone. Come and join us if you are looking for a party. Also, mark your calendars for upcoming student holidays on February 16 and February 19. 

That covers things at Washington Center. Have a great weekend.