Building One- Nursery &amp; Preschool

Hi! My name is Sandy Jordan. Welcome to Nursery I. I am very excited to be starting my second year as a nursery teacher at Julie Rohr this year.

I have actually been part of the JRA family for four years. Mr. Bill and I worked diligently taking care of the buildings and grounds for those years.

Over time, I have enjoyed getting more and more involved with the children on a daily basis until last year when Ms. Julie gave me the opportunity to have my own class.

Bill and I have been married twenty-five years. We have a 24-year-old daughter living in Chicago. I have always enjoyed working with children and used to have my own daycare for 10 years while my daughter was growing up.

I look forward to welcoming my new parents to JRA this fall and working together to make this the best year ever!

Ms. Sandy

August, 2007

Dear Parents,

Hello, and a huge welcome to the 2007-2008 school year at Julie Rohr Academy! My name is Susie Bulger and I will be your child's teacher. Our class, Nursery II, is better known as the Ladybugs.

My husband and I moved here with our three children fifteen years ago. We have since raised our children and are now empty nesters.

I have taught at Julie Rohr Academy for fifteen years. This is my true calling. I wake up every day and anticipate the energy that two year olds bring into the classroom. Our days are by far never boring.

My goals this year are to bring excitement, challenges and fun to the classroom. I want to keep each and every child involved! Time to learn, socialize, grow and giggle is very important to a young child. Love, security and an overall desire to help them grow are my main goals.

When I am not at JRA my husband and I enjoy cooking, trips to the beach and long bike rides. We have also been blessed with our first grandchild. Our little Rose is six months old and a true gift.

I hope that you know how important your child is and feel confident leaving them in my care. I am first and foremost a MOM!

Once again, welcome to JRA and welcome aboard Nursery II, better know as the Ladybugs!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Susie

P. S. My hours are from 7:00 am until 3:00 pm daily. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to call the school at 371-4979 any time. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you.

Dear Parents,

My name is Sarah Watkins and I will be the Nursery III teacher during this school year at JRA. This is my third year at Julie Rohr; I started working here in June of 2005 helping out with summer camp. Since then, I worked as a school-wide aide until last year when I got a class of my very own: Nursery III. I really enjoy working with this age group and can’t wait to get started on a new school year! I look forward to meeting my new class this year, as well as you, their parents.

I am from Indiana, Pennsylvania, a small town about an hour northeast of Pittsburgh. Not only is it the Christmas tree capital of the world, but it is also the hometown of actor Jimmy Stewart. I lived in Pennsylvania my entire life until I graduated from Penn State in May of 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a healthy dose of Lion’s Pride. We Are...Penn State! After moving to Florida that same month, I did administrative work in an office for a year and hated every minute of it. I finally decided to pursue my initial career choice: teaching. This year I plan to begin work towards earning my Florida Teaching Certificate for Preschool Education, which covers birth to 4 years. I am excited to get back to school; not only do I love teaching, but I love being a student as well!

I hope to see you at the Open House, if not, I look forward to meeting you once school begins.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Sarah

Dear Parents,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Kerri McPeeks and I will be teaching Pre-school I this year. I have been with Julie Rohr for approximately four years and I have known Julie for almost eight. I was in a group with some other staff members under Julie's direction in high school, called Changing Tide. I was also a part of her Soundwave group after high school. I have completed two years at The University of South Florida towards a nursing degree, but have since changed my mind and considered staying with teaching.

Now, a little about myself! I grew up in an active duty military family and I've lived overseas, among many other places in the United States. In my spare time I enjoy scrap booking, working out, and spending time with family and friends. My husband was also a former member of Julie's Changing Tide. We have been best friends since we were fourteen and we have been married for a little over two years. We will be expecting our first child, a boy, sometime this October. My hours this school year will be 7a.m. to 4p.m. If you have any questions I can also be reached at Kerbear8289@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

Kerri McPeeks

Hello! My name is Debbie Tisdale and I have had the good fortune to be associated with
Julie Rohr Academy since 1986 when my family moved to Florida from Maine.

At that time, my husband and I only had four children but we managed to increase that
number to seven! All but one of those seven have graduated from Julie Rohr Academy.

Our oldest, Maureen, lives in Detroit, Michigan and is an editor with the Detroit News.
After leaving JRA, she graduated from Booker High School, got her degree in journalism from
the University of Central Florida and immediately became involved in her career.

Our next oldest, Billy (now Bill to everyone but Mom), lives in Chicago, works for J. P.
Morgan, is attending Kellogg Graduate School in pursuit of his MBA and will be getting married in October of this year. Shelly, his future wife, is a wonderful lady and we look forward to welcoming her to the family!

Next is Bobby (now Rob) who lives in Maine and has his own real estate management
company. He is married to a lovely young lady, Bethany and together they have given me my first grandchild, Chloe, who turns one year old this month!

Tiffany lives in Florida and attends the University of Central Florida in Orlando. She is
majoring in Public Administration and will be a junior this year. She is the “peacemaker” in
our family.

Moving down the list, our next is Brice who is 20 and attends the University of South
Florida. He has worked at Julie Rohr Academy since high school and will continue to work
here during the school year.

Baron is our 18 year old. He obtained his GED at Sarasota County Vocational Technical School. Baron is still deciding what his future will be.

Still in attendance at JRA is Mavi, who is entering 8^th grade this year. She is 13 and will
graduate this year. She is the “baby” of the family and much adored by all brothers and
sisters (OK – so sometimes “adored” might be an exaggeration!) Her full name is Mavourneen,
which is Irish for “my darling”.

Sadly, we lost our husband and father two summers ago. We were visiting in Maine when he
passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. We had to stay in Maine for a while to resolve some
personal issues but were fortunate to be able to return to the “home” we had known for so long.

I consider myself very lucky to be back at Julie Rohr Academy and look forward
to meeting all the parents. Thank you for letting me enjoy your children!

Sincerely,
Ms. Debbie J

Dear Parents,

My name is Ashley Doble. This is my second year working at Julie Rohr Academy. This year I will be teaching Preschool 3 and I am very excited. Last year I worked as an Instructional Aide with the Pre-1^st Kindergarten class and the Transitional Kindergarten class. Even though this is only my second year here, I have been working here during every winter holiday and summer vacation since I graduated from high school in 2002. During that time I have worked with nursery, preschool, and pre-k classes.

I graduated in May of 2006 from the University of Miami. I graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Health Science and completed minors in chemistry and psychology. After graduating from college I decided to take a year off before returning to school to get my master’s degree. This year I will be attending the University of South Florida in Sarasota to begin working towards my master’s degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling.

I live with my parents here in Sarasota. I have two younger brothers, who attended Julie Rohr for their middle school years. My brother, Andrew, will be a senior at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. My youngest brother, Mat, will also be at Gustavus this year as a freshman. Both of them will play college basketball this year, which makes me a huge Gustie fan. Besides supporting them, I am a devoted Miami Hurricane fan. I love college football.

I am very excited about the beginning of the school year. I am looking forward to seeing all familiar faces and meeting new ones.

Sincerely,
Ashley Doble

PreK I Ms. Melinda TK/K Meg Curulla Kindergarten/Pre-1st

Building Two

Pre-K TK/K Kindergarten/Pre-1st

PreK II Ms. Darlene

PreK III Mrs. Sally

August, 2007

My name is Mrs. Melinda and I am one of the Pre-K teachers. This will be my fourth year teaching at Julie Rohr Academy. In May 1991, I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Bluefield College in Virginia. I began my career as a substitute teacher for Tazewell County Virginia schools then spent 8 years teaching the lower elementary grades in private schools in Virginia and West Virginia before joining Julie Rohr in the fall of 2003.My love for children also leads me to be actively involved in the children’s programs at Suncoast Community Church. My family and I have moved three times in the past six years due to my husband’s work transfers. We are blessed with four beautiful children. Our oldest, Kyrie, is 12 years old and entering the seventh grade at Julie Rohr. Our 9 year old son, Ethan, will be in the third grade at Wilkinson Elementary. Our youngest daughter, Kiersten, is 4 years old and enrolled in the TK program at JRA. Our youngest and last child, Michael, is 15 months old and growing everyday. The four of them keep us very busy, but we love them so much that we wouldn’t change a thing. When I have time I like to read, go to the beach, and spend quality time with my family.

I enjoy teaching at Julie Rohr Academy. The children spend their day in an atmosphere that is both inviting and challenging for the young mind to grow and develop through the activities planned for the entire school year. If during the year you feel the need to contact me for any reason, I can be reached at the school M-F 8am-4pm. I am looking forward to working with you and your child throughout the school year.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Melinda

August, 2007

Welcome to JRA Pre-K class. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Darlene Nauman and this is my fifth year teaching at JRA. I will be working along with Mrs. Sally and Mrs. Melinda. We work very closely to help make your child's learning experience the best it can be.

I am from New York, but grew up in Sarasota. I have also had the opportunity to live in Colorado and Ohio. I graduated from Riverview High School, Manatee Community College and the University of Florida. I have two terrific children. My son Kyle is starting his senior year at SHS and my daughter Lesley is in 8th grade and attends JRA. She loves it! Together we enjoy the beach, biking, tennis, traveling and spending time with our friends and family.

Lesson plans are posted so that you know what your child is learning about each day. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. I truly enjoy working with children and I am looking forward to another exciting year of fun learning experiences.

Mrs. Darlene

July 2007

Dear Parents,

My name is Sally Malatesta. The children call me Mrs. Sally. I have been at Julie Rohr Academy for thirteen years. I teach PreK and the learning for Preschool. I am the coordinator for Early Childhood Education for Building 1 and Building 2.

I grew up in Sarasota and went to Phillippi Shores Elementary, Brookside and Riverview High schools. I attended Stetson University in Deland. My degree is in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. I really love small children and enjoy teaching and nurturing them. It is great to watch them grow and learn!

My favorite thing to do is spend time with my family. My husband, Frank, and I have two children, Kimberly and Frankie. They moved to the Orlando area after graduating from college and still live there with their families. We have four grand-children; Frankie is three years old, Alexis is two years old, Michael is 16 months and Evie is one year old. (I always have photos readily available.)

In my spare time I enjoy reading, cooking, traveling, antique shopping, photography and sewing.

I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you and your children. If you have any questions about your child or the program please let me know. I always want what is best for your child.

Sincerely,
Sally

August – 2007

Dear Parents:

Welcome to our very special K/Pre-1st classroom. My name is Denise LaMilza, but everyone calls me Dede. I will be your child’s teacher this 2007 – 2008 school year. I have been teaching at Julie Rohr Academy since 1984. Throughout the past 23 years I have met so many wonderful people at JRA and made many beautiful friendships. I cannot believe I am starting my 24th year at JRA. I look forward to adding this year to my long list of treasured memories.

I am originally from Grosse Pointe, Michigan near the Detroit area and graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. In Michigan, I taught Special Education for the multiple handicapped, preschool for the learning disabled, kindergarten, and first grade. I have also traveled extensively and speak a conversational French and German.

I enjoy spending my spare time with my family and friends enjoying a good home cooked meal, good conversation, and a good movie. I keep very active after my school day helping out with our cow/calf operation – the J & L Cattle Company. I am a member of the Sarasota County CattleWomen's Association and have served as Secretary, Vice-President, and President.

My husband Dominic and I will be celebrating our 33rd anniversary on August 17^th. Dominic is Director of Purchasing for the Johnson Smith Company in Bradenton. Our family also includes our son Gabe, pugs named Frodo and Lilly and two felines - Cupcake and Twinkie. Gabe has overcome many developmental, physical, and health issues throughout his young life and has become a truly remarkable young man. Gabe just celebrated his 29^th birthday and is working for Publix. He attended J.R.A. for eight years, beginning with kindergarten in 1984. It is hard to imagine how the years have flown by.

There are several matters of importance I would like you to know. Your child may bring his/her own morning snack, or we will provide one. In the classroom will be a message center labeled with your child’s name. When you pick up your child at the end of the day, please check the center and his/her tubs for any papers or messages. Each class has its own clipboard with a class list on it called a "sign-in/sign-out sheet". I will write messages to you on the sign-in/sign-out sheet almost daily. So often, the person responsible for picking up a student will hastily sign the student out and pay no attention to a message that may have been written on the sheet. It is the child who misses out when this occurs.

NOTE: It is required to sign your child in each day and sign your child out whenever your child leaves the school. The Sign-out sheet is a legal document! Thank you very much for paying close attention to this important issue.

Each child will have a labeled tub of his or her own that will hold pencil cases and workbooks.

Your child will need the following supplies:

1. A sturdy zippered pencil case (a zippered bank bag works great). Please do not purchase the small tubular type. They are too small.

2. At least 4 regular pencils (sharpened) and a couple of erasers (NO TOY ERASERS!) The pink erasers work best.

3. Safety scissors your child can work comfortably (Fiskars scissors work very well).

4. A box of 24 Crayola crayons. Please do not bring more than 24! (To prevent your child’s crayon from being lost, write your child’s first name on each crayon.)

NOTE: Items 2, 3, & 4 should be the only items in the zippered pencil case.

5. A 4 oz. bottle of Elmer’s white glue (not the blue glue)

6. Another zippered pencil bag to hold:

A. 8 large wide tip Crayola markers

B. 8 thin tip Crayola markers

REMEMBER: Please label all supplies. First name (or initials) on each crayon and marker, please!

7. Two coloring or activity books to use during homeroom.

***PLEASE: NO BACKPACKS, JEWELRY, OR TOYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I am looking forward to an exciting and stimulating school year with your precious children – Let the memories begin!

Yours very truly,

Mrs. Dede

Dear Parents and TK Students,

August, 2007

Welcome to the 2007-2008 school year. My name is Meg Curulla and I will be your child's teacher. I have been teaching Transitional Kindergarten at Julie Rohr Academy for fifteen years. TK/K is set up for children who aren't five years old by September 1st but are ready for a more structured academic day than Pre-kindergarten. It is also for those students who are age-appropriate but need a little extra growing time. I look forward to meeting all my students and having an adventure-filled year.

I am originally from Greenwich, Connecticut and graduated from Wheelock College with a Bachelor or Science in Education. After graduating college, I taught pre-school in Kentucky for two years. I moved to Florida in 1993. I have been married for ten years to Jim, who is a Detective with the Bradenton Police Department. We have one son named Jack who is four and a half and the absolute joy of our lives. He is so much fun. He loves to go swimming, building with his tools and riding his bike. He will be in my class this year, which I am very excited bout.

There are a few important matters I would like you to know before August 20th:

	School starts at 8:30 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early so your child can prepare for his/her day. Late arrivals disrupt our learning time.
	Many children ask their parents if they can bring toys to school. We don't have enough room in our class and cannot be responsible if anything gets lost. There are plenty of toys at school to play with. Also, NO jewelry except earrings.
	NO backpacks. Each child will have a message center and tub for their papers and crayon boxes. A backpack tends to take up the entire tub.

I look forward to seeing you at Open House!

Mrs. Meg

Welcome to the '07-'08 school year here at Julie Rohr Academy! My name is Cynthia Mason and I will be aiding in TK-Pre1st and also teaching music to Pre-k through 8th grades. This will be my sixth school year here at JRA and I am excited to be working with your child in music!

In the past eight years Mrs. Julie has been my teacher, my boss, and my mentor! I started performing in Julie's show choir Changing Tide at Sarasota High School when I was 14! Through my high school years in Changing Tide we performed approximately 70 shows a year, including shows at Walt Disney World, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Cruise Lines! After high school I started working at Julie Rohr full time and was a member of Julies show choir Soundwave for two years.

My first four years here at JRA I taught Nursery classes, Pre-school and Pre-k classes and I assisted Mrs. Julie in middle school music. And for the past year I taught music to 2yr. olds through 8th grade! I truly enjoy singing and dancing and I'm very excited to be teaching music again this year!

If you have any questions you can contact me either at JRA or you can e-mail me at loowho6179@yahoo.com!!

Sincerely,

Miss Cindy

1st Grade 4th/5th LA 4th Math

Building Three

Elementary Intermediate

2nd Grade 4th/5th Social Studies

3rd Grade 4th/5th Science

3rd Grade Science 5th Grade Math

Dear Parents,

My name is Angie Kaliher and I am going to be your child’s First Grade teacher. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Florida in 2002. I have a two-year-old daughter Kiley, and a nine month old son Killian. My husband Ryan and I love being parents and spending time with our family!

This will be my fifth year at Julie Rohr Academy, and my third year teaching First Grade. Watching the children grow and learn throughout the year is such a wonderful experience. I am looking forward to meeting all my students and getting to know their families as well.

First Grade is a very important step in laying the foundation for success in every child’s academic and social future. I will help foster their success by providing a happy, loving, creative, and safe environment for the children to learn in.

Communication is essential between teacher, parent and child. On the “Parent Info” board you will find homework assignment sheets, permission slips, newsletters and other important information. Please be sure to check this board frequently to stay current with class activities. Information and homework assignments will also be placed in your child’s message center so be sure to check folder on a daily basis.

If you should have any questions or concerns, please feel free to talk to me. Thank you for entrusting me with your child’s education. We are going to have a wonderful year!

Sincerely,

Angie Kaliher

August, 2007

My name is Donna Confer, and I am delighted that your child is in my Second Grade class. I am looking forward to a joyful year of teaching your child many new and exciting things. I was born in Chicago, Illinois and lived in the suburbs for twenty-one years. I received my B.S. in Elementary Education at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. I student-taught 1-3 in Downers Grove, IL. I received my Illinois Teaching Certificate for Grades K-8.

Upon moving to Florida, I got my Florida Teaching Certificate. I taught in the counties of Lee, Broward, and Sarasota. In Ft. Myers I taught 3rd Grade, and in Ft. Lauderdale I taught 5^th Grade. I started teaching at Julie Rohr Academy in 1980. I have taught various grade levels, which include second through eighth. I am the Division Head of the Elementary Department.

Communication is essential between school and home. A homework sheet will be placed by the door. It will also be available on the web at: http://www.teacherweb.com/FL/JulieRohrAcademy/MsDonnaConfer/. If your child is absent, an individual homework sheet is automatically filled out for your child. You don't need to call the school for this information. The sheet, papers, and books will be placed on your child's desk. You may pick up the work after 3:30.

When you pick up your child in the afternoon, please check the message center. Important messages, notices, and letters are placed there for your convenience. Please sign your child out daily. Messages will also be placed on the sign-out sheet. Check my website every day.

Please feel free to come in and say Hi! My hours are 7:00-3:00. If you wish to contact me by telephone, the best time to reach me is between 2:00-3:00 at 371-4979. It will be a pleasure to meet and work with all of you.

Sincerely,

Ms. Confer

To email me at home: jra2nd@comcast.net

August, 2007

Dear Parents,

My name is Kathleen Hughes and this is my second year at Julie Rohr Academy. I am delighted to have the opportunity to teach third grade this year. I am looking forward to another exciting and productive year at JRA.

My husband, Michael, and I moved to Sarasota from a small village in Vermont, 2 years ago. I have a B.A. in Elementary Education and a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a concentration in English from Johnson State College. I also hold a Vermont certificate as a Special Education teacher from the University of Vermont. I taught severely disabled students in K -2 for 10 years; kindergarten for 5 years and was the K - 2 special education case manger for 1 year before we relocated. Upon moving to Florida, I obtained my Florida Teaching Certificate for Elementary Education.

We are the proud parents of two young men. Matthew graduated from SUNY New Paltz this year and is now living in Iowa and currently working for one presidential candidate. Robert is a senior at Brown University in Providence Rhode Island and looking forward to his graduation this year.

Below are a few “housekeeping” items for this school year.

Lunch boxes and all other items brought in by your child should fit in his/her tub or desk. Please do not send in toys.

For your convenience, you will find the weekly homework assignment sheet in the Communication Center along with a menu, calendar of events, important messages, notices and letters. Please check this board when you drop off or pick up your child.

I will send homework sheets home on Mondays. If your child is absent, they are responsible for making up any missed assignments or tests. wwwteacherweb.com/FL/JulieRohrAcademy/KathleenHughes
is my website address.

Please sign your child out daily.

I look forward to working closely with you to ensure that your child gets the most out of their educational experience at JRA!
If you have, any questions please feel free to contact me at school at 371 - 4979 between the hours of 7:30 - 3:30 or through my current email at kathleen_hughes@hotmail.com

Sincerely Yours,

Kathleen Hughes (Ms. Kathy)

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those special moments that take our breath away." Anonymous

Return to top of page

June 15, 2007

Dear Parents,

Hello, my name is Sue Anthofer (Mrs. Sue). I will be teaching fourth and fifth grade language arts this year. I am also the Director of the Intermediate Division. I have worked at Julie Rohr Academy for twenty-seven years. I graduated from the University of South Florida with a B.A. degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. I am married to Scott Anthofer, who works in Information Services for the Sarasota County School Board, and have one daughter, Amy, who recently graduated from Keiser College with a degree in business. She was extremely fortunate to be hired by Walt Disney World for her "Dream Job". She works as an Event Coordinator on the Event Team at Magic Kingdom.

I feel that it is vitally important that all children receive positive encouragement, love, and an opportunity for successful accomplishments each day. This enables them to build a positive self concept and perform to their fullest potential. It is also important for your child to be happy and relaxed while at school. Therefore, if you or your child have any questions or concerns at any time, please feel free to see me to discuss them. I will have morning home room from 8:00 to 8:15, or you may call me after 1:00 each day to discuss any questions or concerns that you or your child may have.

You will be receiving an information packet about the Intermediate Program. Please read it carefully. It will contain important information on curriculum, homework, tests, etc.

I am looking forward to the coming school year and thank you in advance for your help and support. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share a year with your child. I am looking forward to many exciting and rewarding experiences.

Sincerely,

Sue Anthofer

Mrs. Blankenship, 7th Grade Science

Middle School

Mrs. Blankenship, 8th Grade Science

Ms. Dotson, Language Arts

Mrs. Altomare - 6th grade science; 8th grade algebra

Mrs. Kelley math

Mr. Weitzel, social studies

Cecilia Blankenship
Julie Rohr Academy
4466 Fruitville Road
Sarasota, Florida 34232

941-371-4979

jracademy@msn.com

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to Julie Rohr Academy and seventh grade science. I’m excited to begin the new year with a new group of students. I already know many of you and look forward to meeting our new members of the JRA family. This is my 20^th year teaching at JRA (hard for me to believe!) and I still look forward to the new year with great anticipation.

My undergraduate work was done at what is now James Madison University with a Bachelor’s of Science in biology and general science with minors in chemistry and secondary education. After teaching a few years, I attended Virginia Commonwealth University to get an endorsement in elementary education because Virginia was moving to a middle school system. My Master’s Degree from Longwood University is in earth/space science with concentrations in curriculum design and teacher supervision. I began the educational leadership program at William and Mary to work toward my doctorate but moved to Florida before I completed it. Since that time I’ve continued taking curriculum and science courses just to keep up with all of the changes. Plus, I’m one of those people who would be a professional student if it were possible. I love learning new things and I love the opportunity to share with my students what I have learned and the excitement of the natural world around us. I really enjoy it when students come in with new information to share with me! I like a challenge!

Seventh grade science is an integrated course so we will be studying many different topics. If you were in sixth grade at JRA last year, you are familiar with the series we use. I encourage you to make use of the online resources and quizzes associated with Glencoe Science. (If an audio version of the text would be helpful to you, please let me know as I have CDs available.) The year will start off with an introduction to the nature of science and the scientific method. As with subsequent topics, there will be assignments in the textbook, workbook and online. We will use the book I, Robot throughout the first semester as a supplement to the nature of science and technology.

There are many ways for us all to keep in touch. Homework assignments will be posted on line at www.teacherweb.com/JulieRohrAcademy/CeciliaBlankenship and each student will have an assignment book that must be used daily. I will give each student and parent a password to access www.thinkwave.com which is a secure site on which I post grades each evening. You will always be able to tell exactly what the science grade is and/or if there are missing assignments so no one should be surprised when progress reports and report cards are sent home. You can always reach me through one of my email addresses – jracademy@msn.com or cblank1806@aol.com. There is a link on the www.julierohracademy.com website to my sites. I will often communicate by email and every time I post a grade, you automatically will receive an email notice that grades have been updated. If you do not have email access, please let me know. In that case, I will send home a weekly printout of grades. Of course, I can be reached at school at 371-4979 between 8:00 and 5:30. Please keep in touch, whether you have questions or comments. I look forward to seeing you all and hearing from you. Thanks for being a part of the JRA family!

Sincerely,

Cecilia R. Blankenship

Return to top of page

Cecilia Blankenship
Julie Rohr Academy
4466 Fruitville Road
Sarasota, Florida 34232

941-371-4979

jracademy@msn.com

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to Julie Rohr Academy and eighth grade science. I’m excited to begin the new year with our new eighth grade students. I already know most of you and look forward to meeting the new members of the JRA family. This is my 20^th year teaching at JRA (hard for me to believe!) and I still look forward to the new year with great anticipation.

Eighth grade science is an integrated course so we will be studying many different topics. If you were in seventh grade at JRA last year, you are familiar with the series we use. I encourage you to make use of the online resources and quizzes associated with Glencoe Science. (If an audio version of the text would be helpful to you, please let me know as I have CDs available.) The year will

Sincerely,

Cecilia R. Blankenship

Return to top of page

August 13, 2007

Dear Parents,

          Wow! It is hard to believe that I am going into my 5^th year here at Julie Rohr Academy. Time flies when you’re having fun. So we begin a new year once again.

          I teach the language arts program for the 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades. We do all kinds of things, such as vocabulary, spelling, reading novels, comprehension, language, and grammar. It is a great deal of work, but with so many components to language arts, there is something for everyone.

          Some personal information about me is that I graduated from Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Virginia with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, and from Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Kentucky with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. I have a temporary certificate to teach secondary education language arts and am in the process of obtaining my permanent certification.

          I have two sons. Jonah is going into the 6^th grade this year and is very excited to have me teaching him. Micah is going into the 4th grade and is very excited about getting more responsibility as a 4^th grader. Both of them love school. They also love sports, namely baseball. This year, Micah’s team won the championship and Micah had the highest batting average on the team. Jonah plays baseball very well also, but has lately expressed an interest in bowling, so we may be doing something new this year. We have two dogs, two pet snakes, some pet rats, and a pet spider so our house is definitely kid and pet friendly.

          I love teaching and cannot wait to get this year started. If you need to talk with me, you may always call the office and I will return your call that day. Email is also a great way to keep up with your child’s progress, so don’t hesitate to email me. My email address is Smartiepoo@aol.com. I look forward to seeing all of you again, and I can’t wait to get to know all of our new parents and students.

Sincerely,

Stephanie B. Dotson

Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Return to top of page

August, 2007

Dear Parents,

        Welcome to the 2007-2008 school year. My name is Patricia Altomare, and I will be teaching science in 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grades this year. I am very excited to be teaching science again. In addition, I will teach the 8^th grade Algebra class and I will assist in 3^rd grade. This is my fourth year at Julie Rohr Academy, and my 15^th year teaching.

        My educational background includes earning a Bachelors degree from Barry University in Business. I later earned my Masters Degree in Science Education from Nova Southeastern University, and my Educational Specialist Degree from Argosy University. I am currently working on my doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Argosy University.

        I have three children; my oldest child Lauren graduated from Julie Rohr Academy last spring and will be attending Cardinal Mooney High School. My middle son Ricky will be entering middle school at Julie Rohr, and my youngest will be in 3^rd grade also attending Julie Rohr Academy.

        I am excited for this school year to begin. I look forward to teaching your children.

Sincerely,

Patricia Altomare

Return to top of page

    August, 2007

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you.

My name is Pam Kelley and I will be teaching fifth through eighth

grade math.  I am excited about the year ahead and look forward to

working with your child.  Julie Rohr Academy is unique in that it

provides a safe, nurturing family atmosphere and offers the arts,

academics and extra curricular activities for the students.

        On a personal note, I graduated from Western Illinois

University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education.

I have taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math in Illinois.

I also managed a tax office for several years.  In 1994, our family

moved to Florida from Illinois. This is my fifth year at Julie Rohr

Academy.  I am the proud mother of five very active children.

My four youngest children attend Julie Rohr Academy. Chris is in

first grade, Theresa is in fifth grade, Kyle is in seventh grade,

and Ryan is in eighth grade. Shane is a junior at Venice High School         .

        I know this will be a great year and I am looking forward to

working with you and your child.  If there is any way I can assist

your child, please do not hesitate to call me.

August, 2007

Hi, my name is Steve Weitzel and I am the 4^th-8^th-grade social studies teacher. I have been working at Julie Rohr Academy for six years and look forward to another exciting adventure filled with learning, discovery, and collaboration among families, students, and staff. I joined the staff and have felt part of a second family ever since. The environment at JRA is welcoming, creative, accepting, and innovative.

I graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education. From there, I realized that my passion was social studies and continued my studies at Manatee Community College, taking all the necessary classes to be able to work at Julie Rohr and embrace history.

I am also the coach of the boys and girl’s basketball teams and the girl’s volleyball team. We have a lot of fun learning the fundamentals of the sports and competing against other schools. We have made it to the playoffs and I look forward to another successful season.

I am blessed with a wonderful family. My wife, Cyndi, is also a teacher. She works at Tatum Ridge Elementary. I have three wonderful children. My son, Colton, is seven years old and entering first grade. My daughter, Taylor, is 3 and will be in Pre-K at JRA this year. Karlee is getting ready to celebrate her first birthday. When I am not working or coaching, I love being with my family.

If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with me right away. I believe that open communication is the key to a successful year. I am anticipating another wonderful year and hope each and every student reaches his or her highest potential.

Sincerely,

Mr. Weitzel

Kristie Bryan, Computer Lab

Enrichments

Music - Julie McHugh

Spanish - Nicole Fallon

Angie Artman-Scott, Art Teacher

Howard Zehr, PE

July 18, 2007

Dear Parents,

I am Julie McHugh, director of Julie Rohr Academy. I have a Master of Music Degree in Music Education from University of Miami. I have also taken many elementary education courses from both University of Miami and University of South Florida. Prior to coming to Julie Rohr Academy, I taught chorus classes at Everglades Middle School in Fort Lauderdale for a period of six years. This is my thirty-second year at Julie Rohr Academy. In addition to being director, I teach music to 1^st through 8^th grade and direct the spring musical.

I have five sons. Mitchell is fourteen, Martin is twenty-two, Matthew is twenty-nine, Mark is thirty-two, and Michael is thirty-four. All of my sons attended Julie Rohr Academy until they graduated.

Michael graduated from the University of Central Florida in Orlando in 1995, taught at JRA during the 95-96 school year and then returned to UCF to work toward a Master of Music Degree in Music Education. He completed a second degree in music education in 1999 and began teaching at Millenium Middle School for the Performing Arts. He resigned from his teaching position six years ago to “follow his dreams” and sing professionally. Michael moved to Japan and sang professionally for Universal Studios in Osaka for four years. Two years ago he began teaching music at the International Baccalaureate School in Kobe, Japan. He got married on July 22, 2006 to a wonderful girl from Japan. Her family came over for the wedding. It is amazing how well we managed to communicate even though they did not speak English.

Mark graduated from UCF in December of 1996 with a major in Business and Finance. He worked at JRA from January until August ‘96 primarily organizing, ordering, and setting up our computer lab. He began Law School at Harvard in September of ‘97 and graduated in June of 2000. The following month, Mark began working as an investment banker with mergers and acquisitions at Credit Suisse in New York City. He is now a Vice President at Credit Suisse. He recently transferred to the Los Angeles office. Mark got married last April to a beautiful girl named Suzzette. Suzzette has a nine-year old daughter, Brittney, so I became an instant grandma!

Matt graduated from Sarasota High School in June of ‘96. He began working at Julie Rohr Academy while still in high school and continued while attending MCC. He took a reduced load at MCC while Mitchell was in chemotherapy to allow time to drive me to and from Tampa Children’s Hospital. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Finance from the University of South Florida in May of 2005. He now works full-time at JRA as our Business Manager. It is wonderful having him here five days a week!

Martin graduated from Sarasota High School in June of ’03 and from Manatee Community College in May of ‘05. Martin also has worked at JRA throughout high school and junior college. He will begin his last semester this month and will graduate in December from USF with a degree in Business and Finance. We will miss him at JRA! He may work here in the summer until he finds a full time job in his field.

Mitchell will be in ninth grade at Sarasota Military Academy this year. I will teach a show choir there every other morning. As most of you know, Mitchell was diagnosed with leukemia in November of 1998. He completed chemotherapy in November of 2000. We are now nearly eight years post-chemo and Mitchell seems to be doing just fine. We go every six months for blood work and exams but so far, all is well. It is a chapter in his life that he wants closed and rarely mentions it anymore. He does, however, frequently mention his sister, Meaghan, that he never met because she died from leukemia before he was born. Meaghan died seventeen years ago at age three. It is interesting that in my 39 years of teaching, I have taught only two children with leukemia and they were both my children.

My husband, Michael, is currently the director for the Sarasota County Public Schools Support Services. He will retire this year and will help out at JRA. I am delighted to have his expertise.

My mother, Dr. Julia W. Rohr, the founder of the school, works here during the day giving private music lessons. She also directs the Shriners Chanters. She works full time and still has time left to fuss at people who park in her parking spot! On July 13^th, my mother celebrated her 90^th birthday. Congratulations, Mom!

It is very important for me to know each of you well. I want to talk with you frequently and get your feedback on how things are going. Please be sure to see me at least once a month just to touch base and let me know how you feel your child is progressing. Even though our school is large, we want to always maintain our “family” atmosphere. I am at JRA from 8 AM to 6:30 PM daily. Should you need to call me before or after those hours, you are welcome to call my home at 371-5840 or my cell phone at 544-4232. I stay up late and get up early so you can usually reach me!

Have a wonderful year and I am so happy that you are part of our JRA family!

Sincerely,

Julie McHugh

Director

Dear JRA Families,

Welcome to the start of the new school year at Julie Rohr Academy! My name is Louise Kiser, and I have been working at JRA for almost twelve years.

My husband, Shane, teaches high school English at Sarasota Christian School. My daughter, Charity, is working on her M.A. at USF in Tampa and my older daughter, Share, is finishing her BA with a double major at USF. My grandchildren, Cameron and Kendall, attend Julie Rohr Academy, which is a treat for me!

This year I will again be teaching Pre-K music with Miss Cindy, as well as working with her in assisting Mrs. Julie in first through third grade music, fourth and fifth grade music, and Middle School music. I will also be helping Ms. Angie and Ms. Confer in the mornings during first and second grade Language Arts time, and taking care of TK and Pre-1^st in the afternoons.

To our new families, we’re looking forward to getting to know you, and to our returning families, we’re happy to have you back!

Sincerely,

"Miss" Louise

Dear Parents/Guardians,

My name is Kristie Bryan and this will be my 9^th year as computer teacher at Julie Rohr Academy. I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Florida. I am certified to teach K – 8^th grade.

I’ve lived in Sarasota for 15 years. My dad (91 years old!), son and sister all live in Sarasota.

I have two pug dogs – Mookie and Rosie – and two cats. I like to kayak, fish and garden. I swam, biked and ran in the Siesta Key Sprint Triathlon in 2004 and 2006!

I help with the girls and boys basketball teams and I instruct the teachers on how to use their computers for in-service points toward renewing their certification.

I love teaching the children how to use computers, programs and how to search the internet. I believe that children should be in a safe, happy and educational atmosphere while at school and I do my best to provide that for them.

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and if you have any questions you can contact me through the school or at home (388-1812).

Sincerely,

Kristie Bryan

Hola! My name is Nicole Fallon-Ramirez and I am looking forward to my second year as the Spanish teacher at JRA. I am a longtime resident of Sarasota, having graduated from the Booker High School VPA program where I studied classical voice. I went on to attend Flagler College in St. Augustine; there I had a double major in Spanish and theatrical arts. During that time I traveled to Costa Rica and completed a semester long study abroad program at the University of Costa Rica. My most recent training has come from the University of South Florida where I have been working on my M.A. in elementary education.

Last year kept me very busy teaching all levels of Spanish from TK to 8^th grade. When I am not teaching Spanish, I often fill in for other teachers so I get the opportunity to meet almost every student in school. I just can’t wait to see those familiar faces again and meet all our new students as well.

My philosophy for teaching Spanish is to create an environment that is fun and inviting where students feel free to experiment with the language and not be afraid of making a mistake. Within that framework I aim to provide students with clear explanations and examples of grammatical structures and vocabulary. Repetition in the early levels is key to acquiring a base of knowledge of the language and this is accomplished through songs, chants, and choral response.

This year I will meet with students in TK on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Pre-1^st on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I will correlate the activities and vocabulary for these students with the school’s topic list. Additionally we will play educational language games, read bilingual books, and sometimes watch fun videos.

I visit with students in grades 1^st through 3^rd for thirty minutes Monday-Friday. This really gives me a lot of time to develop several theme units throughout the year. This year I will be covering many seasonal and holiday themes as well as themes related to Latin culture and Hispanic heritage.

For those students entering 4^th through 8^th grade this year, I have a lot of fun projects and activities planned to support our core curriculum and textbook work. We will be writing skits, designing Spanish board games, making cultural crafts, and doing karaoke.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns. My email address is nick11475@aol.com. My office is located in the staff house and you can find me there M-F 3:30 to 4:00pm. Or if you would like to observe a class, I’d be more than happy to have you visit.

August, 2007

Hello Parents,

I would like to take this time to introduce myself as the new art teacher for TK-8^th grade here at JRA. Many of you know me from my work at the school designing the costumes for the musicals, coaching soccer, or through my children, Nigel 6^th grade and Ava 1^st grade. I have been blessed to spend a lot of time getting to know many of your children for the last 6 years and look forward to getting to know the other members of the JRA family.

I am very passionate about the arts and find the beauty of art all around me every day. This can come through working on personal art pieces through acrylic paints, metal sculpture, designing apparel or costumes (to name a few) or as simple as color choices in a salad I am making for dinner, arranging flowers in my lawn, or appreciating the beauty in the way the shadows from the palm trees have created an abstract work of art on the "canvas" of the street in front of my home. I hope to inspire your children to find the beauty and value of art also.

Since graduating from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln with a bachelor’s degree in apparel design/art, I have been a working artist for the last 15 years. This has been in the form of an apparel designer; costume designer, visual merchandiser and artist working with paints and various mediums to enhance residential and commercial interiors. I have also worked with many materials and mediums through the years on my personal exploration of the arts and am excited to pass these skills and experiences along to your children.

One objective I hope to achieve this year is to teach the value of art and show that there are many important artists locally…especially here at the school. I am reserving space in my classroom to showcase art from local artists, parents and especially your children. What a wonderful gallery to inspire children to create even outside of class!!!! Please come talk to me if you would like to display your masterpieces in our JRA Gallery.

This also relates to another objective I have for this year. I would like to address occupations in the art field. I feel it is never too young to inspire. Just as some children are inspired to be engineers, authors, and scientists, I want to validate choices of photographer, illustrator, architect, interior designer, painter, and jewelry designer. If you, or you know of anyone who is working in the art field that would like to help inspire by speaking to students, please come talk to me.

I will still be designing the costumes and sets this year for Bye Bye Birdie so start gearing up for the late 50’s, early 60’s. Start thinking Doris Day and shirtwaist dresses, boys think Beach Boys and Leave it to Beaver. I know students have shown an interest in helping with the costumes so this year I will be putting together a theatre club after school if they are interested in costuming and set design/painting. I will appreciate any help from parents who would like to be involved as well.

I will also be designing the yearbook and in charge of the yearbook staff. I know scrap booking has become quite the phenomenon so I know you parents are out there. I would love to be able to go on every field trip possible, but that is just not feasible with my teaching schedule so I need to rely on all of you wonderful photographers out there. If you chaperone on a field trip and take photos, I would love to have some copies for the yearbook. I will have a basket in the art room so you can donate pictures. I would like to get feedback from people who would like to help and try to set something up twice a month at the beginning of the school year to get those pages done sooner than later. There are so many pages that have to be done last minute that it will be much smarter to get those done now.

You can find me in the art room or in my office in the staff house from 3:30-4 M-F. You can also reach me at mnaclinton@aol.com. I am looking forward to inspiring our future Picassos.

Michelle Clinton

Dear Parents,

Hello! My name is Ms. Kathleen Jarosh. This is my second year here and I will be the 4^th-8^th grade language arts tutorial here at Julie Rohr Academy. I will be aiding students in the area of reading, vocabulary and writing in their classroom. I will also be giving extra learning support to some students in the afternoons. I am very excited about this opportunity since I am a tutor outside of teaching at Julie Rohr. I have been tutoring students from the elementary to high school levels for many years. As a tutor I am able to work with a small group of students, to be able to target key areas that the student needs to improve upon through different teaching techniques. Last year I was the third grade teacher at JRA and I am thrilled that I will be working with my students from last year again.

I am originally from a suburb of Detroit, Michigan where I lived for twenty-five years. There I earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Oakland University and am endorsed in the areas of middle school science and social studies. While I attended college, I was a preschool teacher for six years, a tutor for a third grader, a permanent substitute teacher, a teacher assistant for various grade levels and completed a year of student teaching. As a teacher assistant I was able to work with many grade levels and within different content areas in both urban and suburban areas. As a student teacher, I taught sixth grade social studies and was offered a permanent substituting position for the classroom. Though my family and friends were in Michigan I decided to venture to Florida a year ago.

When I arrived I obtained my Florida Educator’s Certificate in Elementary Education and middle grades science and social studies and I moved down here to Florida for a fifth grade, one year, teaching position within Manatee County Schools. There, I taught a multicultural group of fifth grade students and gathered Florida teaching experience.

I wanted to become a teacher because I wanted to be a positive part of the upbringing of our future leaders of this world. I understand that not every child learns the same way or comes from the same background, but every child still deserves the same great educational opportunity to prosper. Students should come to school to learn and to expand their minds, with the help of positive reinforcement, daily procedures that are constantly being regulated by the teacher and great communication between the teacher, parent and student. I am looking forward to this year with the third graders at Julie Rohr Academy. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to email me at kljarosh@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

Ms. Kathleen Jarosh