Dommerich Community Mosaic

Dommerich Community Mosaic

Welcome to you all and thank you for the opportunity to tell you about our mosaic project.

My name is Jane McCann and I am a fourth grade teacher here at Dommerich. I want to tell you a little bit about the concept behind our mosaic but first…I want to thank Mrs. Matthes for giving all of us the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful project. We estimate that it has included a total of almost 1,000 people from students to teachers to parents to those in our community and beyond.

Thank you Mrs. Matthes!

I also want to thank the Darden Foundation & the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools for awarding this grant-

Welcome: Mara Frazier from Darden Restaurants & Twana Scoggins & Heath Wells from the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools. Thank you.

I want to recognize our mosaic team leaders:

Where ever you are would the Green Team please stand up?

These are our student project leaders. Thank you.

And next…our thanks go to the mosaic committee. Would you please stand as I call your name…Diane Williams is our digital story teller & Dommerich mom. Anne Barrette was invaluable as our parent liaison & art assistant & Dommerich mom. Mark Barrette engineered the installation of our finished mosaic & Dommerich dad.
Mr LeFebvre- 2nd grade teacher and Green team Founder & Director.

Ms Reynolds - Our fabulous art teacher

And finally, Lead artist, project designer, & Dommerich mom…Lynn Tomlinson.

Well done -Thank you all.

Well, today is the day when we will officially unveil our mosaic. Now I would like to tell you about the concept….I wrote a Darden grant based on our Reading program, Making Meaning and our Writing program, Being a Writer, - Both have a social/ethical component infused throughout curriculum. So -As an extended activity -I wanted to find a service learning project that would support the curriculum’s social & ethical components. I wanted the students to have this opportunity so that they could practice some of the skills they learn everyday in our classrooms through our reading and our writing curriculum.

As Students worked together on this project -

They practiced the skills of listening to each other, and then sharing their ideas & then responding in a caring way to each other- just like they practice doing every day in our Dommerich classrooms.

We developed this project for the students because we want them to develop into the kind of responsible citizens that we need in this world.

We not only want the students to learn to read & write…that’s not enough…

As Sue Wilder says, “We want children to LOVE reading and writing AND to care about one another AND the world we live in”.

My favorite part about this project was hearing all the conversations between students, parents, teachers, and various community members that blossomed from working side by side. As you entered the room, no matter the task, you could see those working together, lean into each other after a few moments & begin little conversations. You could hear the hum of friendships beginning. This was a project that would bridge the old Dommerich and the new Dommerich by building new relationships and enriching old ones.

Look at the people around you…when we think about a project like this…it really isn’t so much about the project or the task ...as it is about the people involved. Life is a series of seasons and we are in a brand new season. It’s a new day and a new season…for Dommerich Elementary. The mosaic depicts the Dommerich Community at sunrise embarking on a brand new day.

I am reminded of the familiar quote-“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And Today? Today is a gift…that’s why it’s called the present.”…The people around you now ...THEY are the gift.

When you look at this mosaic mural I hope you think about how every day is a new day with brand new opportunities only when we work together…cohesively…will we reach our full potential. Only then, will we ever reach true academic proficiency and excellence in our lives.

In the mosaic, on the trunk of the old magnolia tree one of the dedication tiles reads: “When we all work together we can make something beautiful” It is a new season and a brand new day…let’s greet it with excited anticipation of what the present brings!

Welcome!
It is my pleasure to introduce our mosaic committee leaders.

But first, again, thank you Mrs. Matthes for this wonderful opportunity that has involved so many people within our community.

Would you please take your place as I call your name…..

Diane Williams is our digital story teller-
• Dommerich mom
• Took some 800 pictures
• Providing us with a digital record of the entire process
• Thank you Diane

Anne Barrette
• Dommerich mom
• She was invaluable as our parent liaison & art assistant
• She worked so hard to make sure every detail of this project was in place
• Really, anything that anyone needed..she made she it was done
• Thank you, Anne 

Mark Barrette
• Dommerich Dad and married to Anne
• Engineered the installation of our finished mosaic.
• Cut tiles
• Answered our questions and figured out our problems
• Thank you, Mark

Mr LeFebvre.
• 2nd grade teacher
• Dommerich Elementary Green team Founder and Director
• Mr LeFebvre-Thank you

Ms Reynolds
• Our fabulous art teacher
• Made helped teach us how to use the kiln
• She collaborated with other neighboring Orange County school Art Teachers about the process.
• She helped us all make tiles, glaze tiles, and fire tiles

And our lead artist and project designer…Lynn Tomlinson

• Dommerich mom
• Community Artist
• Clay animation artist
• She has made short films for Sesame Street, PBS, and MTV
• She is a Cornell Professor and…
• An Amazing Mosaic Artist
• Thank you, Lynn

In just a minute, Lynn Tomlinson is going to share with you about the process, but first I would like to tell you a little bit about the significance of a few of the details found in the mosaic…….

You will see a beautiful

*Sun Rise- representing a brand new day/new opportunities

*Magnolia tree- it is old and well established -this represents the old Dommerich.

*There is a Path that comes out from behind the magnolia tree-

On maybe a Wednesday with the children walking rolling to school to help the environment.

*Because Dommerich is a neighborhood school –you can see the neighborhood along the horizon.

*Butterfly garden –new beginnings new life-new opportunities

*And one of my favorite things right in the middle…..a little Bird’s nest –with “Robin” eggs.

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