Bienvenue Mme. Brandabur!

The Informer had a chance to interview the new French teacher, Mrs. Brandabur, about everything from her impressions on her first day of school, to what she likes to do in her free time. Furthermore, she compares her Woodlynde experience with her previous schools. When she isn't in the classroom she has some exciting hobbies that keep her active through the summer!             

What are your first impressions of this school?                                                                        

What a calm and wonderful place to learn!  I also find that the students are so supportive of one-another.  

How does Woodlynde compare with the other schools you have had experiences with?

 I was with the Abington School District before.  The two schools are very different in terms of their size. I love the way the day starts here. I have a wonderful group of students as my Advisory and it's such a nice way to start the day!  At Abington, there isn't a morning assembly, we had Homeroom.  Homeroom is only 22 minutes, and it's very hectic.  The students create a daily news show and it was about 15 minutes long.  Between handing out notices, the Pledge of Allegiance and taking attendance, it was hard to actually check in with my students to see how things were going. 

What are some of the more unique aspects of Woodlynde you have noticed?

 The small class size means that I have time to check everyone's work as they complete it.  I can make sure everyone is on-track as we progress.  

Were you nervous the first day of school?

 No, just excited.  I was, however, a mess at Back to School Night!  

How many classes are you teaching?

 I am teaching 5 sections of French, 2 of which are independent study.  Soon I hope to have a group of students enrolled in an 'eco-craft' class, where we can create lap-top bags and shoulder bags made with packaging materials.   

How do you like them? 

I love every class but one.  (Just kidding, I really do love them all.)

Why did you choose to be a French teacher? 

I was a substitute at Abington and really enjoyed it.  One day I had a student that was very sad, and he cried after class.  I sat and talked with him for a long time, but I couldn't follow up with him because a substitute doesn't have that right.  I didn't want to be in that position again.  

What college did you go to? 

I have a degree in French and Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, MN.  I also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris for a year.  I am currently attending Chestnut Hill College to complete my Master's in Education and I will finish in May, 2014.  

What are your Hobbies?

  I love to bake and cook, I love to sew and I love to hike and bike.

How did you spend your summer?

  Each summer, I host a week of 'mom-camp' where I teach a group of 8 girls to sew and cook.   We usually travel a fair amount, but this year we just spent a week in Canada.

What are your favorite t.v shows?

 Madmen and Downton Abbey.  I only watch these two shows because I can't find time to get caught up in any other series!  It amounts to about 12 hours of TV a year.

What type of music do you like?

  Anything that's on the radio.

The 2013/14 Informer Editorial Staff

Say Hello to this year's senior editorial staff.  Cassia Enright, Luke Alonso, Ryan Harvie, and Emily Bank are all excited to bring you all the news you can use as a Woodlynde fan, friend, faculty member... or student.

Follow the Informer blog by clicking join this site in the top right corner.  Ryan Harvie, sports and opinion editor, states "We really hope to maximize our online presence this year.  We need everyone's help." So, help us out: join/bookmark/tag/comment/and all the rest that makes the internet great. 

The editorial staff is looking forward to making this an informative year at Woodlynde! 

Enjoy your meatball subs,
The Informer
 

Liz Carney: Nightmare Poem

Liz Carney is a freshman at the Woodlynde School.

NIGHTMARE

Hiding in the dark,

Stalking your every move,

Waiting,

Red eyes filled with hunger,

Sharp teeth stained with blood,

Ready to strike,

To sink its fangs into your flesh,

To crush your bones,

To rip your limbs,

An invented image come to life,

You can't run,

You can't hide,

It will find you,

Its name so deadly,

So terrifying,

Its name?

Nightmare

Alec Kravitt: My Top 5 Family Guy Episodes

Alec Kravitt is a sophomore at the Woodlynde School.

If there is one thing that everybody should know about me, it’s that my favorite TV show is Family Guy. If you are unaware, Family guy is a cartoon sitcom about a dysfunctional family and the adventures of the father (Peter), the kids (Chris and Meg), the hopeful mother (Lois), the highly opinionated dog (Brian) and the evil toddler (Stewie). So, without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite Family Guy episodes.

#5: “Peter’s Two Dads”

In a nutshell, the episode is about how Peter finds out that the person who he thought was his father really isn’t his father. He then has to search for his real biological father (who btw is in Ireland). The highlight of this episode is the musical number at the end. Basically, Peter sings about how proud he is of his drunk father.

#4 “Viewer Mail #2”

Viewer Mail 2 is a compilation of mini episodes based around audience suggestions. If there is one short in this episode I would like to talk about the most, it would have to be “Fatman & Robin”. In this short, Peter is given the power to turn everybody (and everything) into Robin Williams. Of course, everything starts out fine, but then he loses control of which things turn into Robin Williams and which don’t. One of my favorite gags (that I can actually describe) is a part when Peter opens a door, the door turns into Robin Williams, then Robin says, “Ladies and Gentlemen, The Doors!”. If you didn’t get it, Robin was referencing a band called The Doors.

#3 “Hell Comes To Quahog”.

At first it is a typical episode of Family Guy, but then comes the MOST EPIC ENDING TO A FAMILY GUY EVER! The entire episode is about a super store and how it is hogging all the town’s electricity. At the end of the episode, Stewie and Brian use a tank to completely demolish the super store. Now, this isn’t just a 5 second bit, but instead lasts quite awhile. The ending was so epic, this bit could be the episode itself.

#2 “Road to the Multiverse”

“Road to the Multiverse” revolves around Stewie and Brian going to parallel dimensions. These dimensions differ: from a universe where everybody is Jewish, to a place where dogs and humans switch roles in society. Believe it or not, my favorite universe in this episode is one where everything is drawn by Disney. My other favorite universe is one with misleading backgrounds.

#1 “Valentine’s Day in Quahog”.

My favorite scene from this episode is when Stewie goes back to the summer of love, kisses a girl his age, realizes that he just kissed Lois, pukes, goes back to present day, and scolds Brian. After Stewie scolds Brian, Brian asks, “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” This bit was so funny. I am laughing as I am typing it.

Sadly, though, instead of me explaining how epic the rest of this episode is, I want you to watch it for yourselves. In fact, you should watch ALL of these episodes for yourself. Don’t just take my word for it. Now, just a warning, this series IS for teens and up, so don’t show this to anybody who is 13 or younger.

Liz Carney: Silence Poem

Liz Carney is a freshman at the Woodlynde School.

Silence,

the noise of endless emptiness.

An echo of one's feelings,

their pain.

Imprisoned inside,

wanting to break free, to fly away.

But they are trapped,

in a cage created of their worries and fears if they are let loose.

Forever held,

never shared.

Most don't realize this is happening.

They see an ordinary person,

pretending to be ok.

But inside,

they are beaten and scarred from this cage filled with hurt.

Alone forever.

Silence,

the noise of endless emptiness.

Caroline Kothari: Can't Wait for Spring Break!

Caroline Kothari is a freshman at the Woodlynde School.

It is almost Spring Break. I am so excited.

I am going to the beach in Florida for a whole week. My family and I will be spending a lot of time at the beach and the pool. We will also be paragliding and jet skiing, which will be extremely fun.

I cannot wait to spend a week in Florida relaxing with my family. My aunt and cousin are going to be joining my family in Florida. I will be going to St. Pete's beach, which is supposed to be a party beach, haha! My mom says if the beach we go to ends up being the spot of all parties, she will be mad. 

I am glad we have a week off, because I am ready to get some relaxation at the beach with my family.  A part of me wants to stay home, so I can hang out with my friends, but oh, well; I will be in sunny Florida.

I think Spring Break is at the perfect time right now for me, so I can refresh and get ready for two and half more months of school.

Liz Carney: Poems about Life and Colors

Liz is a freshman at the Woodlynde School.

Life is like a rose. When taken care of, it blossoms into a beautiful, vibrant sight, scattered with the dark obstacles of life. But when abused and forgotten, it wilts with a sickening color and dies, destroyed.

Red, the color of rage, spreading in you like a wild fire

Blue, the color of sorrow, chilling your bones like ice

Black, the color of hatred, coursing through your veins like a snake

Green, the color of tranquility, sweeping over you like wind in a field

Pink, the color of humiliation, bubbling in your stomach like a witch's pot