An Afternoon in Rockwell-Swaledale

One of the things I often say when visiting Team ISEA members in their school settings, is my travels are like being on a great treasure hunt. I often find the "gems" of friends that I've met throughout my years as an association activist along the way. Well, Team ISEA....Wednesday afternoon was just one of those moments!

Here on Wednesday, December 12th as I walk into the Rockwell-Swaledale building (in Rockwell) is a friend I met many years ago, Cathy Petersen! Cathy is pictured here with student Anthony N. Gee it was fun to see Cathy in her "element", doing the magic she does every day with students! Cathy Petersen teaches Language Arts and Spanish.

Cathy had arranged for six student leaders to give UniServ Director Sandra G. and I a tour of their school. Now remember, I've had a full morning in SCMT (in Sheffield), then we visited the Thornton building too! What a crew of enthusiastic leaders!

Pictured with me (back row, left to right) are Dylen, Macy, Me, Casey, and Andi. In the front (left to right) are Stephen and Zach.

Of course I tried to keep up with them, but it didn't take long that I had to slow down the tour as I was slowing down! We stopped along the way and met many of the staff and always stopped in rooms of their favorite teachers.

One special stop was in the shop class of Mr. Echelberger. Here several of the students are putting together a model of the framework for a house. Most facinating! It was a beautiful facility with many areas for students to have these experiences!

At one point as the classes were breaking for the next class, the Rockwell-Swaledale EA held their monthly fundraiser for their scholarship fund by having a sale of brownie sundaes! I served the brownies in the bowl, Sandra G. and Cathy put on scoops of ice cream and another association leader had bottles of chocolate syrup for them to top off their sundaes with. I wish I had gotten a picture of that! The association netted $65 towards their scholarship fund!

The last classroom visit for the day was in 1st grade teacher Dianna Ditsworth's room. I read a story outloud that she had for me, then she had a follow-up activity the children constructed.

It was a great afternoon in Rockwell-Swaledale! Terrific students, outstanding staff, and great things happening for the students of Iowa!