Hawk’s Eye

By Karen Sattler
Hodgdon Mill Pond School
    Sarah Harbison’s second grade class recently recognized Fire Safety Week with a special guest speaker. Jon Harbison is a volunteer member of the Houlton Fire Department, Hodgdon Fire Department, and Houlton Rescue Team 100. He also happens to be Ms. Harbison’s brother. He spoke to students about the importance of having working smoke detectors in their home and the need for each family to have a “plan” in place to escape and be sure everyone in the home is accounted for. Jon donned his fire gear to show the students what a firefighter looks like when they are all dressed up so students would recognize them as someone who is there to help, should the fire department ever need to come to their home. So, take a moment to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and review or make a plan!
Contributed photo
FIRE SAFETY — Jon Harbison of the Houlton and Hodgdon fire departments shows the gear that firemen wear when fighting fires to a class at Mill Pond School.
    Our students also enjoyed a visit from Paul Janeczko, author of Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto. Janeczko is a well known poet/author who visits schools to share his love of the writing process and to invoke that same love for the written word in students. He spent most of the day working with fifth grade students in their classrooms. A large school-wide assembly was held as a culmination of his visit. He shared a few of his poems and also shared some details about his illustrator friend, Chris Raschka. In his poetry anthology titled, A Kick in the Head, Raschka did many of the illustrations by tearing pieces of wrapping paper and putting them together to form the complete picture.  Mr. Janeczko shared some of his unusual poems with the students and received a strong ovation at the end of his presentation. The current Children’s Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis, chose Requimas his November book pick. Check out his personal website to find out more about this child-friendly author and presenter.
    A.S.K., or After School Kids, was busy working on patriotic necklaces and letters of thanks to be given to veterans at the Veterans’ Breakfast held at the high school. Staff members during the after school program took time to ask children what they knew about Veteran’s Day and why it was important to celebrate it. It was amazing how many students fully understood and appreciated the sacrifices made by those veterans in their lives. It isn’t always easy to get kids to give up their special craft projects, but once they knew who was going to receive them, they were excited to share their work! 
    As part of the “Hawk’s Eye,” we will be highlighting various staff members throughout the year.  This week’s pick is Scott Walker, music teacher and choral director for Mill Pond School and Hodgdon High.  He has been working with us for four years. His wife, Sharyn, is a music teacher in the Houlton school system. They have two sons: Ben, in grade four, and Jonathan, in kindergarten.  He also shares his home with the family pet, a Boston terrier named Abby. Describing his dream vacation, Scott would love to return to Russia or England. He would also love to take a trip to Ireland and the Azores. Walker is a compulsive genealogist who has traced his family lineage back many generations.  Quite the family tree he has there!  Would he change anything or do anything differently if given the chance? Scott said that, overall, he is happy with the way his life has turned out.  When asked about his proudest moment, his instant reply was, “Becoming a dad!”
    Until next time, keep your eye on the Hawks and see where we fly!