There is nothing better on a hot day than a bowl full of ice cream; especially the home made kind.  I have fond memories of making it with my Grandma “Dee Dee” and her mother, my Great-Grandma Bernie.  They were two old ladies who did not mess around with their ice cream.  They did not believe in using mixes; if we were going to make it, we were going to do it right!  That meant making it from scratch and along with the hand churning, it took several hours.  The recipe has been passed down in my family and I will gladly admit it is pretty darn good ice cream.  I truly enjoy making it and sharing it with others… as long as I don’t have to churn it by hand.  

 Every Wednesday, our CALO students are involved in a course simply titled, Seminar.  Each week is different; one week we might discuss science, the next the Civil War and the next week, we might learn how to play chess.  The students look forward to Seminar and the teachers enjoy stretching their wings and teaching lessons that are outside of the box. 

 After my most recent visit home, a conversation with my Grandma Dee Dee made me think about making home made ice cream.  Immediately I knew that I wanted to make it during Seminar with my students! 

 We had to break the students into two sections; making ice cream with 45 teenagers is not a simple feat.  We found the perfect opportunity when half of the campus was on their most recent camping trip; the girls were up first with the boys following the next week.    I enlisted the help of our fantastic CALO staff and they came though with flying colors.  Not only did they help to supervise the activity, but several allowed for the use of their ice cream machines.  For two weeks, 6 teachers, 6 CALO coaches and 20+ students were ready to go!

 We met in the kitchen for the excitement to begin.  The students were eagerly anticipating the ice cream and only a small few had ever made it before.  We discussed the directions and the ingredients that were used and they were divided into teams of 3-5 students.  There were many humorous incidents most of which involved the cracking of eggs and the separation of the egg whites and yolks.  Each team should have used 6 eggs but the overall average was more in line with 10-11 eggs; needless to say, our CALO boys will definitely need another lesson in egg cracking!

 I have never seen such patience and team work from our students.  Each team had their own different obstacles, from egg cracking to mixing the ingredients and adding their rock salt and ice.  They were all engaged in positive conversation and there were smiles and laughter all around.  The entire 2 hour process was such an uplifting positive experience; their good humor was contagious.

 When the churning process was complete and it was time to eat the ice cream, the students dove in head first.  The girls were willing to share with others, the boys…not so much.  A team of 4 boys and their staff were so excited about their ice cream that the moment it was finished, the grabbed a few toppings sat down at a table and within a very short amount of time, had eaten the entire batch! 

 Needless to say, all of the students were proud of their accomplishments and their bellies were the recipient of the reward!  

Jennifer Robinson, Assistant Academic Director, just had her two year anniversary at CALO.  She has lived in the lake area all of her life and attended high school at School of the Osage. After graduation, Jennifer attended the University of Central Missouri to pursue a degree in education.  She has always had a desire to help children of all ages learn and grow in their academic studies. After working as a second grade teacher for several years, Jennifer began teaching at CALO in the summer of 2008.

Within a short period of time it was obvious that she was more than just a teacher, she was a leader and a vital part of the academic team. She was promoted to assistant academic director in the fall of 2008.  Her attention to detail and drive for perfection make her the perfect fit for the position.  Jennifer states that it gives her a sense of accomplishment in knowing she helps to make a difference in the lives of her students.   

Life changes are quickly approaching for Jennifer, in just 4 short weeks, she will be getting married and our CALO students will need to learn a new name; she will no longer be Ms. Robinson, she will be Mrs. Rosa.  Thank you Jennifer, CALO is blessed to have you as a dedicated member of the Academic Department. 

In January of this year, the CALO Academic Department added Mr. Bret Garton to its team.  We have been very blessed to have him as he is an excellent teacher and has extensive knowledge in his subject area, History.  We now have even more reason to celebrate as he has joined the academic team full time and will be assuming a lead teaching position. 

Bret is a retired federal civilian employee and the current NCOIC of training with the 164^th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Tennessee Air National Guard, located in Memphis, TN.  During his twenty two years in the Air Force, Bret has been deployed to the Middle East during The Persian Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

He possesses an M.A. in Ancient and Classical History from American Military University and a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Maryland.  He is a current member of Golden Key, and International Honor Society.  An Air Force brat, Bret has traveled extensively throughout the world, but says that there is no greater joy than being home with his wonderful wife, Yvonne, and their four very active children.  When he isn’t busy with family activities, Bret enjoys hunting, fishing camping and watching football. 

Two weeks ago, another student graduated the CALO program.  That day was extra special as not only did she graduate the CALO program, she also graduated High School that day too. 

Graduations are always bittersweet for me!  I become a little selfish and deep down wish that those students would never leave.  As staff, we become attached and want to hold onto them as if they are our own.  Unfortunately, we can’t do that; we must watch them grow and leave the CALO nest.  We wish them the best and hope that we have taught them all that they need to be successful in their next endeavor.

As the summer starts, we have many students who are ready to start their next educational year.  So many of them come in academically behind.  There are many reasons for this, but in short a great deal of them have a lot of catching up to do.  So when a student is ready to graduate high school, it makes it all the more special.  For many, the long awaited and highly anticipated diploma sometimes seems to be almost mythological. More...

Several months ago, a Student Council was formed at CALO.  Five members were elected to support and represent their peers.  One student from each team: Doves, Sparrows, Hawks and Falcons was elected and a President from the entire student population.

Immediately, they got to work.  They created agendas from new uniforms to a food survey to help with ideas for the cafeteria.  They sought ideas and gathered information from fellow students so that each agenda item would have a significant impact on the entire CALO student community. More...

CALO is blessed to have a friend and cohort in the community, the local school district, School of the Osage.  We have been working in conjunction with them for over a year and their impact on CALO Academics has been tremendous. 

Many of our CALO students have had difficulty in school; be it because of emotional difficulties, learning deficiencies or other trauma.  While School of the Osage cannot help with the emotional aspect of education, our relationship with them allows us to provide additional special services, to students who qualify, with learning deficiencies. 

Every school age student (who qualifies by meeting specific Missouri criteria) has the opportunity to receive services by the district they reside in.  The most common services we are able to provide are in Reading, Mathematics, Written language and Speech services.  So far, several of our students have had access to the additional help. School of the Osage’s experience and expertise in Special Education has made a significant impact with the students and is helping them to rebuild the educational confidence that has been lacking.

If this is something you are interested in for your child or would like additional information, please feel free to contact the CALO Academic Department. 

A few weeks ago, we received a letter from a former CALO student; this letter made my month!!  In his letter, he stated that not only were both he and his dog doing well, but that he was working, getting ready for his first apartment, in an appropriate relationship, doing well with his family and also preparing to attend a well known four year university. 

This particular student was my first “new student” here at CALO; I had only been here a few weeks when he arrived.  I remember that he stood out differently than other students because of his absolute desire to not only come from behind but to graduate High School during his stay.  I thought it was a far fetched plan as he was behind over a year and a half in school.  He proved us all wrong and was able to complete two and a half years of high school in just under a year.

It is wonderful to hear from our old students.  I am always glad to know how they are doing and will always continue to celebrate their accomplishments.  This young man was the first student to graduate High School here at CALO and to know that he is preparing to attend a four year university is tremendous.  I am so happy for this student and with him the best of luck.

Every day, the teachers at CALO work with the students in a multitude of ways.  One student might do better if they are able to read aloud, while another student might do better if they work in absolute silence.  No two students at CALO are alike and the academic department strives to make sure we daily meet their needs. 

There are no average students at CALO.  All of them are different and exceptional in their own way.  However, many come in behind in both academic credits and in their organizational skills.  This is where the teachers make their first intervention.  We get to know our students with a small interview and start the work on their individualized educational plan.  We assess their learning styles and help place them into a program designed to best accommodate their needs.  More...

GRADUATION!

Recently I had the pleasure of conducting a High School graduation ceremony for a CALO Student.  For privacy sake, I will call this young man Bill. 

Bill came to CALO very behind in his studies.  In all actuality, he was over a full semester behind.  He should have been an 11^th grader, but was still trying to complete the second semester of 10^th grade.  I was assigned to be his lead teacher and after our first initial meeting, I realized that I had my work cut out for me. 

I tried engaging this young man in conversation and didn’t get very far.  I tried asking him questions about his interests, likes/dislikes, favorite subjects and his goals for the future…no response.  The only information that I did get was that he did not like school.  I won’t say he hated it, but the feeling wasn’t far off.  That was the “start” to our educational journey together.

After the first couple of weeks in school, I was stuck.  More...

In the late 1890's there was a gold rush in the Yukon Territory of Alaska.  Thousands made the journey, few struck it rich.  Writer Jack London made the journey and his experiences there were fodder for his classic short story "To Build a Fire".

Last Sunday this story was read to all CALO students during Sunday Reading. Today, they viewed the film.  Yes, I said the film. A vintage 1970s era film projector was used to project the reel to reel LPP color film onto the screen.  Clicks, crackles, and wonderful mechanical noises filled the room as it was explained to the students what film actually is.  It was as if they traveled backward in time to a 1970's classroom.

Ask your child about the film and story. Self-reliance, interdependence, and arrogance were major themes.  In the open dialogue between teachers and students that followed the film, one student stated the film was pointless.  Through Socratic questioning the student then inwardly discovered and outwardly revealed numerous points the story clearly made. Not every story has a happy ending, yet much can be gleaned and learned from those who walked the Earth before us.

go to:  http://www.jacklondons.net/buildafire.html to read the story on line.