Governor's Wife Visits AES GATE!

Many students at AES had quite a treat today!  Mrs. Dianne Bentley, the First Lady of Alabama, visited Albertville Elementary School.  We are so glad Mrs. Bentley had a few minutes to visit with GATE students!  Mrs. Bentley is no stranger to Albertville.  Governor Bentley's sister, Marjorie Nolan, lived in Albertville.  In fact, she was my neighbor when I was a little girl.  I even took art lessons from Mrs. Nolan!  Last spring GATE students created watercolor dogwood pictures inspired by Mrs. Nolan's watercolors.

While at AES, Mrs. Bentley read to 4th grade Pod 4 students in the media center.  Mrs. Bentley was accompanied by her assistant, Heather Hannah, and two security guards.  Miss Hannah was a gifted student in Albertville many years ago.  (My mother was her gifted teacher!)  The staff was very cooperative in letting us have a photo of the team!

Gifted Education usually does not receive state funding.  Last year was the first time in a long time that gifted has had a line in the budget.  School systems and gifted education teachers are so thankful for this  funding the past two years!  We have been able to add new technology to continue to offer the latest and best to our students, we have been fortunate to purchase art supplies and other curriculum needs for the classroom, and attend quality professional development in order to bring best practices into our classroom.  I was able to give Mrs. Bentley a note of thanks to take home to the Governor and also express my thanks to her of his support of gifted education.  What a way to celebrate!  January is Gifted Education Month!

Thank you to Mrs. Bentley, Miss Hannah, and her team for stopping by AES and especially for her time spent in our GATE class!

Letter from Alabama's First Lady!

Look what we received in the mail!  Mrs. Dianne Bentley, First Lady of Alabama, sent our classes a letter of appreciation for the ornaments we sent the mansion for Christmas tours in Montgomery!

Governor's Mansion Christmas

GATE students have been busy elves making Christmas ornaments!  Students will be able to take these ornaments home to decorate at their homes this holiday season....but we made extra ornaments to share with Governor Robert Bentley and his wife, Dianne, at the Governor's Mansion this year.  Heather Hannah who works with Mrs. Bentley is a former Albertville GATE student.  She sent an email to school systems in Alabama asking for handmade ornaments from students to decorate the trees in the mansion and in the John Blue Hill House next door to the mansion.

GATE students have made "BLUE DOG" ornaments inspired by the artist George Rodrigue.  Rodrigue, a Louisiana artist, is famous for his paintings of his BLUE DOG.  GATE students drew their own BLUE DOGS as well as painted dog bones blue...with blue glitter, of course....and hand-stamped "dog tags" with GATE 2012 on a "blue dog" collar.  Each student will take home their Blue Dog ornaments in BLUE tissue paper for their families to enjoy.  Our ornaments for the Governor's mansion were mailed to Montgomery today.  The Governor's mansion will be open for Christmas tours on Dec. 3, 10, 17 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. and admission is free.

Our GATE students along with the GATE students at Evans will be decorating the Christmas tree at the Albertville Board of Education office wishing everyone a "Merry BLUE DOG Christmas!"  Our tree will have blue lights, blue tinsel, and our blue dog ornaments!

Mrs. Dianne Bentley, the First Lady of Alabama, visited the Albertville Museum last spring.  Pictured with her are Betsey Adams, Lynn Ayer, Mrs. Bentley, Gayle Cribbs, and Dianna Adams.