The final two coordinator meetings are scheduled for January 31^st and February 12^th.  In response to a survey completed last spring by school and business coordinators, the coordinator meetings have been revamped to meet the needs of the coordinators.  Each of our Coordinator meetings during the 2007-2008 school year offers a different topic for the attendees. 

 

The agenda on Thursday, January 31, 2008, at JVC America will include a Coordinator "Roundtable" Meeting and ideas for Adopt-A-School Week, as well as information on Job Shadowing programs.  This meeting is a perfect opportunity to "share and steal" partnership ideas through the roundtable information exchange.  We will also discuss ideas for AAS Week and have a presentation from Junior Achievement on job shadowing ideas. 

 

On, Tuesday, February 12, 2008, at Stillman College we will focus on "Being an Effective School  Partner".  This program is geared toward school coordinators, however business coordinators are welcome.  We will also discuss ideas for celebrating Adopt-A-School week. 

 

Contact carolyn@tuscaloosachamber.com if you would like to attend either meeting.  Please make your reservation at least two days prior to the meeting you plan to attend so we can prepare appropriately for each meeting. If an additional person from your school or adopter would like to join you, we'd love to have them; however, we must also have a reservation for them. 

Adopt-A-School needs additional adopters!   Three new schools in the Tuscaloosa County School System and one new school in the Tuscaloosa City School System are scheduled to open next August.  Adopt-A-School partners are needed for all four schools.

 

Lakeview Elementary School, Duncanville Middle School and Northport Elementary are the three county schools scheduled to open in August.  According to Gary Mims, assistant superintendent for pupil support services with the Tuscaloosa County Schools, Lake View Elementary, in Lake View, is scheduled for completion by July.  Northport Elementary will be finished as early as the end of March and construction on Duncanville Middle School should be completed in May.

 

In the city school system, the new K-8 South School is scheduled to open in August, 2008.  During the 2008-2009 school year and during the construction of the new school building, the students will be housed in the current Tuscaloosa Middle School building located on McFarland Boulevard.  Upon completion of the South K-8 facility, the students are scheduled to relocate to the new building in August, 2009.

 

Huntington Place Elementary and The Credit Union of Alabama will hold the Third Annual 'Drive Through Dinner" on January 29th from 4 PM to 7 PM.  Tickets are $9 and will be sold January 18^th through January 25^th.  Dinner, prepared by Robertson's Barbeque, includes barbeque, beans, slaw, bread and cookie.  All proceeds go to Huntington.  For more information, call Elaine Cole or Terri Stacy at 342.2652.

December was a busy month for Northington Elementary School and their Adopt-A-School partner, Cadence Bank.  On December 10^th, Northington Elementary held their Spelling Bee in the school's library.  Cadence Bank purchased Spelling Bee green and gold ribbons for all of the participants and engraved medallions for the first and second place winners.  Congratulations to Northington's Spelling Bee winners: 1st place - Brendann Anderson and 2nd place - Shanitra Peoples.  They will participate in the Tuscaloosa County Spelling Bee on January 29^th at Bryant High School.

 

Holt Elementary School students, faculty, parents and their Adopt-A-School partners, Sam's Club, Wal-Mart and Junior League of Tuscaloosa, are all busy fundraising for a new community playground.  The playground will include age-appropriate equipment, a new basketball court, walking trail, picnic pavilion, revamped baseball field and a new soccer field. 

 

On February 9^th, Holt Elementary will host a pancake breakfast to generate funds for the playground.  Tickets are $3 and are available at the school or through the Junior League of Tuscaloosa.  All proceeds will go to the new playground. 

 

Austin Woddail, 2008 Tuscaloosa Idol star recently performed for the students at Crestmont Elementary School.  Spiller Associated Furniture Stores serve as the Adopt-A-School partner for Crestmont Elementary School and is also a sponsor of the Tuscaloosa Idol program.  The students enjoyed a short concert by Miss Woddail during their lunch.  After the concert, Miss Woddail met with several classes and talked with the students about the proper etiquette one must use when performing.  The students learned the importance of proper attire and proper behavior for performers.  Additional performances and training classes will be scheduled later this year. 

Sam's Club employees recently put into action the philosophy that "Volunteerism Always Pays".  Through the Wal-Mart Foundation's VAP or "Volunteerism Always Pays" program over 30 local Sam's Club #6435 employees spent over 184 hours volunteering with their Adopt-A-School partner, Holt Elementary School.   As a result of their efforts, the Wal-Mart Foundation awarded a VAP grant in the amount of $3000 to Holt Elementary. 

 

From Santa visits to choral presentations, Adopt-A-School partnerships celebrated the holidays in a variety of ways.  Many area students and their families benefited from the generosity of their Adopt-A-School partners.  Below are accounts of several of the special celebrations enjoyed by the schools and their partners. 

 

On December 17th the pre-k students at University Place Elementary School enjoyed Breakfast with Santa.  The annual event was sponsored by their Adopt-A-School partner, Alagasco, who provided the breakfast and helped serve.  The Republican Women of Tuscaloosa also helped prepare the room and helped serve breakfast.  Students were joined by Santa and had an opportunity to sit in his lap and have their photos taken. 

 

Over sixty students from Woodland Forest Elementary School visited their Adopt-A-School partner, Thompson Tractor, on December 18^th.  The students performed a variety of Christmas carols for the employees and thanked the Thompson Tractor employees for all the wonderful things they do for Woodland Forrest.  After the performance, the students and employees enjoyed hot chocolate and marshmallows.   

 

To celebrate the holidays and to show their appreciation, Vulcan Materials Company provided lunch for the Vance Elementary School faculty and staff on December 19^th.   In addition to the meal, Vulcan also provided gift cards to Outback Restaurant for three lucky staff members whose names where drawn during the Christmas luncheon. 

 

On Thursday, December 20^th, several Brookwood Elementary School Students visited their Adopt-A-School partner, Black Warrior Methane, for the annual Christmas party.  Students selected by the school staff, traveled to the BWM Field office and were greeted there by Santa Claus and several of his helpers.  Carolyn Willard, Santa's primary helper and Adopt-A-School coordinator, organized the event for the Brookwood students.  Santa personally distributed gifts to the students and not only did the students received lots of toys, each student also received a new coat and a new pair of shoes.  The Christmas party has become an annual event and because of the generosity of the employees of Black Warrior Methane, many students from Brookwood Elementary School had a very Merry Christmas.

 

 

 

The Westervelt Company has operated in Tuscaloosa since 1927, when it was known as Gulf States Paper Corporation.  With competencies in manufacturing - from the invention and production of the EZ Opener paper bag to paperboard and packaging materials - the organization shifted its focus in 2005 when it divested of its paperboard and packaging businesses, choosing to focus on the 500,000 acre land base it has acquired in its 124-year-old history.

 

As the first forestry company to initiate environmental best practices in Alabama long before there were requirements or guidelines, The Westervelt Company forests, managed by Westervelt Natural Resources, are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).  This land base is the platform for the operating business divisions, each of which adheres to the company's environmental policy and supports the vision as an organization of environmental stewards.

 

Since 2005 the company has successfully launched Westervelt Ecological Services, a provider of wetlands and conservation mitigation banking with banks in Alabama and California, and will soon open banks in Florida and Mississippi.  Westervelt Realty, known locally for developments in the Lake Tuscaloosa area is moving into eco-community development.  The organization has acquired an Illinois-based satellite imagery company called Lanworth, and in 2008 Westervelt Renewable Energy will begin the production of alternative fuel products made from woody biomass.

 

Westervelt Lumber, one of the largest Southern yellow pine lumber facilities in North America, switched its natural gas-powered boiler (used to make steam to run the drying kilns) to a wood-burning system that uses wood byproducts leftover from the lumber production process.  This ensures no raw materials are wasted while increasing efficiency and avoiding the use of fossil fuels.

 

The company's Westervelt Wildlife Services group provides habitat management for recreational properties, and Westervelt Sporting Lodges Network caters to adventure sportsmen at its lodges in Canada, Alabama, and New Zealand.

 

A process-focused organization that places great value in collaboration and fair and ethical business practice, The Westervelt Company constantly seeks opportunities to maintain its position as an Employer of Choice.  Deeply rooted in Tuscaloosa, its associates make great contributions not only through their roles as professionals, but also as volunteers with many community organizations.

 

Visit www.westervelt.com to learn more.

The City of Tuscaloosa Environmental Services Department is sponsoring the contest for phone book recycling.  Many schools are collecting phone books and Adopt-A-School adopters are encouraged to join their school partners in recycling the books.  New books are currently being delivered and the recycling event will be completed by January 31, 2008. 

Award money will be contributed by AT&T The Real Yellow Pages and awards will be given to the four schools with the greatest number of phone books collected on a student enrollment basis.  Award checks will be presented at an appropriate School Board meeting in the spring.  Award amounts in the past have been $1,000, $500, $300, and $200.

Don't miss this great opportunity to help the environment and your school!  For additional information contact Bill Herz, Recycling Coordinator, Environmental Services, 248-4900 or wherz@tuscaloosa.com.