Holiday Fun!

On December 18th, the Hospital School hosted their annual Holiday Party for students and their families! Cheer was spread with snow-themed games, 3D trees, sand art ornaments, and snow globe crafts. The teachers and staff at the Hospital School love starting off the holidays with the love and warmth from students and their families. Happy Holidays!

Artist Visits the Students

On Tuesday the Academic Troubadour Program had a visiting artist come to the Hospital School.  Kim helped teach almost 30 students draw cardinals in a winter scene.  Each student left with a drawing of a cardinal they made themselves and a new appreciation of drawing.  Kim is a local artist who shared her love of art with children and adults.  The Hospital School Thanks Kim for helping students learn to be better artists.

Geography Bee

Drew, a sixth grader at Swansboro Middle School, was one of two students to represent his school at the Onslow County Middle School Geography Bee. Unfortunately his doctors needed  him to stay in the hospital during the week of the Geo Bee.
Drew's teacher, Faith Becker, arranged to have him Skype in to the Geo Bee from our classroom. Drew was prepared but had a moment of uncertainty and chose the wrong city for the capital of Michigan. WRAL TV did a news story about Drew, The Geography Bee, and his candy store. He made enough money to purchase books (which he donated to the Hospital School library) and other items for kids in the hospital. Watch his story here.

Drew plans to keep studying geography and try the event again next year.

The Loreleis

The Loreleis, an a ccapella group of UNC students, treated the Hospital School students and teachers to a medley of holiday songs today; some old favorites and a couple of not-so-familiar ones but the audience loved them all. The most common comments from the students were "It was really cool that they could make their own beats", and "They used their voices for the instruments." Thanks, Loreleis, for the beautiful music!

NC Children's Promise Radiothon

The NC Children's Promise Radiothon is underway here at the NC Children's Hospital and Jason Michael Carroll stopped by to sing for the kids in the play atrium. Kids of all ages, parents, and employees crowded in to hear his performance.

Happy Halloween!!!

 


Hospital School students and teachers enjoyed a Halloween celebration in the classroom with teachers dressed as book characters! Amelia Bedelia, Fancy Nancy, Curious George,The Man in the Yellow Hat, McGonagall, Max from Where the Wild Things Are, and Stellaluna all made appearances and the kids did ghost bowling, Pin the Bowtie on the Skeleton, Dress up your Minion, decorate a pumpkin. Afterwards the students traveled down the hall to start trick-or-treating in the play atrium.

Metal Art

Helen Buiskool, a local artist, was at the Hospital School on Wednesday, October 29^th.  Helen worked with students of the Hospital School on creating artwork using metal, markers, and tools to create designs.  Students learned how to manipulate the metal to create three dimensional artwork on a thin metal sheet.  By manipulating the metal students created Halloween designs and art and then colored the three dimensional art with markers.  The students enjoyed the chance to express their creativity, and work with a local artist.

Car Art!

Hudson stands proudly with his newly framed painting that he and Miss Anna made in preschool. Following a lesson on automobiles, Hudson dropped splashes of paint onto his paper and then drove toy cars through the paint, leaving behind several different types of tire treads. What an artist! 

New Hospital School Principal

Dr. Nancy Yoder started her work as principal of the Hospital School in July 2014 and is excited to be an educator and administrator in such a fine medical facility as the UNC Children's Hospital! Early in her career, Dr. Yoder taught students with emotional and behavioral disabilities in the Midwest as well as 5th grade for the Department of Defense in Germany. 

Dr. Nancy Yoder

She served as principal of 4 elementary schools in Wisconsin prior to becoming the Executive Director of Student Services in Madison, Wisconsin where she provided leadership for social workers, psychologists, counselors and behavior coaches in addition to overseeing the district's alternative programs. In this role, Dr. Yoder was responsible for programs that served students facing challenges such as chronic and acute illness, hospitalization, incarceration and homelessness. The wide range of experiences she has had as an educator make her a good match for the position of Hospital School Principal and she is eager to learn everything she can about the school and the services it provides to students and families. 

When Dr. Yoder is not at the Hospital School, you might find her running or biking the wooded trails in her neighborhood, checking out the area's festivals or reading a favorite book at a local coffee shop. Next time you are in the hospital, stop in one of her offices on 2nd or 7th floor and introduce yourself --- she will be happy to meet you!

In Memory of Major Geer

We honor one of our retired teachers, who passed away in April, 2014. 

 

 Major Geer, Sr. was a founding teacher of the UNC Hospital School and taught for 33 years in the Chapel Hill Carrboro School System.  In his memory, the hospital school faculty, including some of those who have retired, purchased a plaque with his name, which is permanently displayed in the courtyard of the NC Cancer Hospital. Major touched the lives of many students, and their families, who struggled with cancer and other illnesses.