Welcome to all of our new awardees!!!
Welcome!
As my first official “President’s” letter to you, our SEPA members, I thought I would share about another “President’s Letter”. Two years ago, I had our 4th graders write a letter to thank President Obama. We had our fourth graders print out and use their “FREE” National Park pass on our fieldtrip to Florissant Fossils Bed National Monument and even earned our Jr Ranger badge. This pass, created by President Obama, allows all 4th graders and their whole family to enter all national parks for FREE for their whole 4th grade year!! What an incredible opportunity to share the beauty and wonders of our country with our future citizens and their family! What a gift!
Our 4th graders thanked the President for this authorization to create this program, shared our experiences/ photos of our national park fieldtrip, and mentioned other national parks they hope to visit. The kids were so proud to be writing to the President of the United States. I heard comments like, “Are you really sending these to the REAL President??” and “He’s really going to like mine! I used great word choice!” and “I’m want this to be my best writing EVER!” I have to say, this assignment was very inspiring to my class, the other two 4th grades, and teachers as well. At the last minute, I thought I better include my own letter too, so I wrote a handwritten thank you on our school letterhead.
To our amazement and surprise, we got a package from the WHITE HOUSE a few months later! This included a set of photos of the President, his family, and his dogs. President Obama also included an official letter to the students, praising them for their writing and encouraging them in their future. He even wrote a personal letter to me. (included below) A few months later, I was supervising indoor recess when my supervisor came into my room carrying the phone saying… “It’s the White House! It’s the White House!” and it was! They wanted permission to use “quotes” from our students’ letters for the White House blog. They included my whole handwritten letter as well. What a thrill it was to have our 4th graders experience this real-world connection with our national leader, their PRESIDENT !
So, no matter who our president is, what your political affiliation or feelings are about any standing president, it is a motivating, unique, and special opportunity for students to “write the President of the United States”! Yesterday, I received this letter and photo from the White House in the picture above. It seems that President Obama wrote an additional thank you for our letters, our reaching out to thank him, and a fond farewell to those who wrote him during his presidency. What a special way to end his presidency and start off the 2017-18 school year! This little lesson in letter writing grew into a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our students. I definitely will have my 4th graders write the President of the United States every year. I encourage all teachers to try it with their students too! You never know where one gesture of thanks can lead.
With that, I want to thank you for your dedication to educating our country’s future! The preparations, care, and wisdom you give makes such a difference in the lives of your students. You touch the future! I am honored to represent the members of SEPA as your president. I look forward to serving you, sharing opportunities for mentoring and encouraging your leadership as a Presidential Awardee.
Happy School Year!
DeLene Hoffner
4th grade Teacher at School in the Woods
12002 Vollmer Road, Colorado Spring, CO 80919
SEPA President 2017-2020
dscinut@gmail.com
As my first official “President’s” letter to you, our SEPA members, I thought I would share about another “President’s Letter”. Two years ago, I had our 4th graders write a letter to thank President Obama. We had our fourth graders print out and use their “FREE” National Park pass on our fieldtrip to Florissant Fossils Bed National Monument and even earned our Jr Ranger badge. This pass, created by President Obama, allows all 4th graders and their whole family to enter all national parks for FREE for their whole 4th grade year!! What an incredible opportunity to share the beauty and wonders of our country with our future citizens and their family! What a gift!
Our 4th graders thanked the President for this authorization to create this program, shared our experiences/ photos of our national park fieldtrip, and mentioned other national parks they hope to visit. The kids were so proud to be writing to the President of the United States. I heard comments like, “Are you really sending these to the REAL President??” and “He’s really going to like mine! I used great word choice!” and “I’m want this to be my best writing EVER!” I have to say, this assignment was very inspiring to my class, the other two 4th grades, and teachers as well. At the last minute, I thought I better include my own letter too, so I wrote a handwritten thank you on our school letterhead.
To our amazement and surprise, we got a package from the WHITE HOUSE a few months later! This included a set of photos of the President, his family, and his dogs. President Obama also included an official letter to the students, praising them for their writing and encouraging them in their future. He even wrote a personal letter to me. (included below) A few months later, I was supervising indoor recess when my supervisor came into my room carrying the phone saying… “It’s the White House! It’s the White House!” and it was! They wanted permission to use “quotes” from our students’ letters for the White House blog. They included my whole handwritten letter as well. What a thrill it was to have our 4th graders experience this real-world connection with our national leader, their PRESIDENT !
So, no matter who our president is, what your political affiliation or feelings are about any standing president, it is a motivating, unique, and special opportunity for students to “write the President of the United States”! Yesterday, I received this letter and photo from the White House in the picture above. It seems that President Obama wrote an additional thank you for our letters, our reaching out to thank him, and a fond farewell to those who wrote him during his presidency. What a special way to end his presidency and start off the 2017-18 school year! This little lesson in letter writing grew into a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our students. I definitely will have my 4th graders write the President of the United States every year. I encourage all teachers to try it with their students too! You never know where one gesture of thanks can lead.
With that, I want to thank you for your dedication to educating our country’s future! The preparations, care, and wisdom you give makes such a difference in the lives of your students. You touch the future! I am honored to represent the members of SEPA as your president. I look forward to serving you, sharing opportunities for mentoring and encouraging your leadership as a Presidential Awardee.
Happy School Year!
DeLene Hoffner
4th grade Teacher at School in the Woods
12002 Vollmer Road, Colorado Spring, CO 80919
SEPA President 2017-2020
dscinut@gmail.com