To that end, students are recognized for their achievement in these areas at special assemblies every nine weeks. As a result, we see kids really working hard for them. But it isn't all hard work at the new school out in the woods. Friday mornings, in fact, can be downright fun. These special, two-hour activity periods are led by teacher assistants, parent and community volunteers and sometimes Corley herself.
Students sign up for six-week club sessions based upon their interest and the grade level specified.
Clubs can include anything from digital photography to chess, gardening to guitar, baby sitting to electronics. One recent Friday, Theresa Ball, Bluffton Elementary's volunteer coordinator, was supervising as a group of special education students assembled tiny colored pegs into small keychain frames they would later display proudly on their book bags. Never mind that they were actually working on sorting and pattern skills - this was fun. Meanwhile, retired patent attorney and Bluffton volunteer Aaron Retzer is outside coaching his group in the almost-lost sport of wiffleball. Another session might find Retzer, a scratch golfer, taking his young charges to play three holes of golf.