Coolidge Food Drive

December 2003
The students at Coolidge Intermediate School went all out to help needy members of the Ferndale Community this past Christmas. Mathematics teacher Tom Craft saw opportunities to incorporate math activities and to involve the students in something that would bind them to the larger world. As it developed, the students were stimulated to contribute a large amount of canned goods to the members of our community who are in need. We all felt good that we were able to serve the community in a very positive way. Plus, it was just plain fun!

These fifth and sixth graders collected well over 1,400 cans in a less than two week period. No one, not even the old-timers, can remember Coolidge students ever collecting so many cans of food. Congratulations to all of the great Coolidge students who helped on this project! You make us proud.

FE-PTA's Craft Night

Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Our 2nd Annual Craft Night was held on Wednesday, November 12 and was a rousing success. Students were given the opportunity to make "secret" crafts as holiday presents (including wrapping) for their parents who waited on the opposite of the Ferndale High School cafeteria with coffee and Market Day cake provided by the FE-PTA.

Many thanks to the MANY VOLUNTEERS and especially our Craft Night chairperson, Tracy Stocker, who did such a wonderful job. The children and parents all had a great time.

Coolidge Intermediate's Playground Build

Saturday, August 24, 2002
On Saturday, August 24, 2002 the brave, the proud and the few showed up for our Over-the-Summer Playground Build at Coolidge Intermediate School.

Our Playground Committee consisted of Jodi Apsey, Coolidge PTA First Vice President, Bruce Bethuy and Darcey McLaughlin, Ferndale Elementary PTA President. Picking out and planning the equipment was the easy part. We knew from past research that the Kompan Galaxy line of equipment was best suited for the fifth and sixth graders, in addition to being the most unique equipment we had ever laid eyes on. Jonathan Dreyfuss of Fundamental Playscapes, Inc. was instrumental in designing the layout.

The build took place on the weekend before school started. Postcards were mass mailed to students' homes, flyers were inserted into the school's student information packet and we recruited whomever we could at the school's opening activity on Thursday, August 22nd. You'll see from the photos what a cool structure it is and how much our kids enjoy it! We couldn't be prouder.

The following volunteers should be commended for their dedication that day:

Andy Apsey
Jodi Apsey
Bruce Bethuy
Karen Breen-Bondie
Bill Carter
Tom Carroll
Michelle Cohen
Nancy DeRousha
Jeanette Farley
Colleen Gallagher
Joe Germaine
Joe Goedert
Bill Karges
Fay Kodsy
Roger Lawyer
Barb McLaughlin
Darcey McLaughlin
John McLaughlin
Paul McLaughlin
Kelly O'Meara
Gayle Owens
Greg Rose
Steve Sarris
Blair Simmons
Scott Sobolewski
Tracy Stocker
Greg Williamson
Dirk Vandemeer

In addition, we would like to thank the head custodian, Fran, for taking such phenominal care of us that day and also two Coolidge neighbors who saw us and joined in: Ken Honkinen and Mike who lives on the southeast corner of Oakridge and Bermuda. They worked hard and we really appreciated their help. We sincerely apologize if there is anyone that we missed; please let us know right away so we can update this page.

Now that the equipment is installed, the search for corporate sponsors is on because there is much more planned: landscaping, benches, soccer goals, as well as an outdoor classroom. More information will be forthcoming from Bruce Bethuy, the chair of the outdoor classroom phase. You'll have an opportunity to buy a brick with names or sayings engraved on them (e.g., "Susan Smith--2003" or "Coolidge Pride", etc.)--whatever you would like. The sale of the bricks will help fund the classroom. These phases will be completed once funding has been achieved, so please make sure you participate in all of our important fundraisers.

Finally, we would like to thank the school district and especially Dave Prybys, the district's business manager, for all of their help with this important project. The district paid for approximately 75% of the equipment, while the FE-PTA is funding the rest. Our kids cannot thank you enough! We are extremely proud, but there's still more work to do. The Playground Committee is in need of many more committee members. We look forward to hearing from and working with you.

Sincerely,

The Coolidge Intermediate Playground Committee
The Gang
The Experts
The Laborers
...and finally, The Players



Updated: March 1, 2004

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