Although hurricanes are rare in our area, storm systems affect everyone, and protecting our homes from water damage is always on our minds.

Todd fifth graders in Cindy Yaeger’s class recently had the chance to design and build structures that prevent water damage to homes. Students used engineering skills in this project, which was done in Mindy Conciatori’s STEAM room.

Anyone can be a “Superhero of Inclusion,” just ask Brady McCarthy.

Mr. McCarthy is a 22-year-old author, entrepreneur, artist, advocate for Downs Syndrome awareness and inclusion, as well as a model and an actor. He also has Down Syndrome.

He recently visited Todd Elementary School with his mother to spread his message that all people deserve to be included and that we have more in common than we have differences.

Andre Breton, the father of surrealism, created the theory of automatism, which is about creating art without conscious thought, accessing material from the unconscious mind. Spanish painter Salvador Dali subscribed to this theory and used a stream-of-consciousness process in creating his art.

Todd art teacher Paul Villanueva wanted his fifth-grade students to experience something similar in creating art in a special project dedicated to Salvador Dali.

It is not always easy being an artist and having a parent who is a successful author and illustrator of children’s books. Imagine having two such parents.

That fact is one of the main reasons best-selling author and illustrator Nina Crews shied away from working on children’s picture books early in her career as an artist.

She recently shared this, along with many other interesting facts about her life as a children’s book author and illustrator, during a visit to Todd Elementary School.

World Read Aloud Day was celebrated Wednesday at Todd Elementary School, with community members and dignitaries reading to students across all grades. Many students also enjoyed virtual visits by published authors.

A Day in Clay – a program where students create clay ceramic pottery art – has been a long-standing tradition at Todd Elementary School. This year, the program expanded to include a vase-making demonstration on a potter’s wheel.

The program, which is run by artist and potter Cliff Mendelson, typically includes a lesson on creating various clay artifacts such as African masks or Native American pots.

The additional lesson of the potter’s wheel demonstration provided students with first-hand experience with a craftsman’s work and was also open to fourth graders.