Extra Programs and Electives at TLC!

         P.E., Art and Chorus are open to all students:

• P.E. program offered daily -- Check out the Physical Education website link to see the accomplishments of our students.

• Art program offered on Fridays -- Check out the Art website link to see the accomplishments of our students. An annual art show is held toward the end of each school year to display student art.

• Chorus program offered Tuesday thru Thursday -- The chorus serves as a wonderful representation of our school to the public.  Every time we perform people are amazed at what even the youngest students are able to accomplish.  The school holds numerous choral performances throughout the year.

Our "Extras" are also available to all students and include:

• Stringed Instruments -- Instructor: Dr. Vern Richardson.  String instrument instruction has great value to young students beyond the value of playing great music.  This has been documented many times, as research in a good library will show.  String instrument study at an early age impacts the development of the brain, particularly the use of left – and right-brain and the cortex of nerves that connects the two (creative and calculative sides).  While in this class you will learn music representing a wide variety of cultures and styles.  Also, you will learn to relate music to other courses such as science, math, and economics, etc.  You learn to develop coordination and motor skills which are necessary in string playing and useful in many other activities.  Other skills that are integrated into learning how to play a stringed instrument include: social skills and cooperation with a group, self-discipline and self-initiative, and how to care for your instrument.  For this elective, you will need a instrument approved by the teacher plus a music stand and music.  A metronome and a chromatic tuner would be highly recommended.  This is a tuition-based program but tuition is very reasonable.  Dr. Richardson will provide information to assist parents in securing materials.  

• Garden-Based Learning- teacher-lead classes that promote gardening across the curriculum as well as offering hands-on gardening experience to our students.  This gardening program is one aspect of the much larger Far Out Foods Venture, "serving westernmost North Carolina and beyond.” The Far Out Foods Venture project is underway with the help of connections made possible through the Oprah Big Dream Contest. 

• Super-Snacks/Nutrition-Based Learning -- small bits of nutrition, environmental education mixed into the curriculum.  Full Course Lessons such as the Progressive Pumpkin offer extended seasonal lessons in nutrition.

• Middle REAL Program -- The Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning program is offered to 5th thru 8th graders.  See the school REAL webpage for more information.  You can also go to the North Carolina REAL website: http://www.ncreal.org/about_ncreal/about_us

• Spanish -- Spanish classes are taught to K thru 8th grade and cover the basics of speaking and reading conversational Spanish.  Students are also exposed to different aspects of the culture of Spanish-speaking countries so that they can get a better understanding of the diversity within the Hispanic community as well.  All the information provided is appropriate for the different grade levels of the students. Teachers  also take into consideration the fact that most of our students have had no experience with foreign languages.  5th thru 8th grade students are learning basic conversational skills as well as the months and weeks in Spanish.  They have learned how to greet their classmates and teachers.  Every Friday, they are introduced to new vocabulary through music, video, and text.

• Odyssey of the Mind -- OM is an international creative problem solving program for all grades, including college. Teams of 5-7 students choose one of the five problems published each year. They spend months creating a solution to take to regional competition in March. Winners can go on to state and world level competitions. The purpose of Odyssey of the Mind is to encourage creativity and learn real world skills of team work, brainstorming, solving problems within a set of constraints while recognizing all of the possibilities beyond those constraints.  This year, TLC! has four teams, including a K-2 non-competitive team coached by Jenni Miller, an elementary team with co-coaches Judy Coleman and Joanna Lesinski, and two middle school teams. One middle school team is coached by Breanne Killen and the other is coached by Joy Lautzenheiser.

• Yearbook -- TLC! publishes a yearbook.  Students apply to be on the yearbook.  The staff is selected at the beginning of each new school year.  They then are responsible for selling ad space, photographing school events, designing the layout of the yearbook and actually creating the book.   

ELECTIVES

We have some wonderful opportunities available for our students as elective courses.  The elective program is available Tuesday thru Thursday.  All 5^th thru 8^th graders get to select ONE elective from a variety of choices every 9-week grading period. The electives offered vary each 9-weeks. Currently, we offer Drawing & Painting, The Fabulous Fiber Tour, Swimming, Chess Club and Lego Mindstorms.  See course descriptions below. Electives offered in the past have included Technology Club, Scrapbooking, Health & Beauty, Weaving, Crochet, Chef's Assistant, Geography Bowl.

Drawing and Painting: Students will study the fundamentals of drawing and painting and explore the world of color theory.  Additionally students will study the styles of a variety of artists.(Note: $10.00 supply fee, and old shirt and an old bath towel required.)

The Fabulous Fiber Tour: Students will explore different artistic applications of FIBER- any type material that is made of continuous, elongated pieces. From sheep hair to plant hair there are so many neat fibers to work with. Students will learn techniques such as appliqué and will make useful objects such as pot holders and wearable art. This class requires a medium level of patience, attention and follow-through. Most projects will take several classes to complete. (Note: $10 fee)

Swimming: This class is suitable for beginning, intermediate or advanced swimmers since two to three lifeguards will be present for all classes. Students will learn water aerobics, synchronized swimming, water polo and more. (Note: $10 fee, plus swimsuit, towel and flip flops.)

Lego Mindstorms: Be an engineer while working with Legos! This class will not only include the creation of a robot, it will also introduce the programming of that robot’s movements on the computer using special software and hardware. Teamwork is a must! The final project will be to create a robot that moves around the classroom based on the program the student has developed.

Chess Club: Learn to play the royal game and play it well! Students will explore chess moves that will appeal to all, those who play for fun and those who play for blood. A former Chess Federation competitor will lead students in exploring Chess openings, pawn formations, Take-a-Chance gambit openings and sacrifice plays.

Sponsored by Dotty Boudreaux Hays, Owner/Broker