Last year we designated Fridays for Teachers here at Best Tools for Schools.  Why?  Well because after a long week with our children they deserve a break by Friday. We’ve tried to keep things amusing and offer useful information for those on the front lines but we’re not experts in the education field.  So we went out and found one!

Diane Duff is a secondary English and French teacher and former principal of a school for students in academic crisis.  She now works with her team at Aldridge-Duff, supporting children with special needs in Ottawa and Toronto.  Diane especially enjoys her work as a teacher trainer and literacy consultant.  Just to make sure she’s never bored, Diane is also writing her Master’s thesis: Montessori Teacher Education and the Science of Early Reading.

Why do we love her?  Because she’s a wealth of information – especially about learning disabilities and emergent reading/writing.  She keeps abreast of education news from around the globe – and she happens to be an incredibly kind person to boot.

So we’re going to step aside on Fridays to start bringing our teachers information with real value.  We hope you’ll love Diane’s posts.  We encourage you to leave her comments and to check out her website.

Diane starts posting here October 2, 2009.

Starting a business is hard work and it helps to seek out people who’ve been in the start-up trenches.  We have been lucky enough to get to get to know Ion Aimers.  Ion is a business savvy, affable man with a big voice and a big heart to match.  Ion owns a very successful chain of restaurants called The Works.  If you haven’t eaten there before, let’s just say you are missing out on THE best burger of your life.

We’d like to thank Ion for donating 30 school supply kits to kids in need through our Supplies for Smaller Scholars program.  Ion believes as much as we do that a business should give back and be involved in their community.

You can check out Ion’s website here www.worksburger.com If you’ve had a great experience with Ion or The Works leave a comment below.  We’re sure Ion will see it.

Best Tools for Schools is excited to launch a new program specifically designed for preschool children. We’re happy to announce our Tools for Tots program!

How can our Tools for Tots help your school or childcare facility? We provide educational and creative supply kits for Toddlers and Preschoolers that parents can purchase online, and five dollars from each kit goes back to the school as a fundraiser. All of the brand name supplies, like Crayola, Elmer’s and Hilroy, come in a 100% recycled cardboard keepsake box. All ‘tool kits’ are competitively priced and delivered to the school on a date agreed upon by the program co-ordinator, along with your fundraising cheque. Our kits provide hours of fun and creativity, and the money raised will help achieve fundraising goals.

Our Tools for Tots Toddler Kit includes items such as Crayola Washable Triangular Crayons, Crayola Washable Triangular Markers, Crayola Blunt Tip Scissors (L/R handed), Sandylion Stickers, Elmers Washable Glue Stick, Crayola Doodle Pad Crayola, Crayola Scribble Pad, Crayola Construction Paper Pad and Crayola Washable Fingerpaints.  Our Preschool kit includes items similar to the Toddler kit, but with great additions like Crayola Modelling Clay and a Crayola Watercolour Paint Set.  We include broad line markers and a box of Crayola crayons for preschool-sized hands just starting to develop those fine motor skills.  Both kits are priced at $40, which includes taxes, delivery and $5 to your school - providing value and convenience for parents, and helping raise much needed funds.

We look forward to the opportunity to partner our program with your school. For more information about our company and our services, please explore our website www.toolsforschools.ca or give us a call at 613-229-3945 (Laurie), or 613-322-1327(Candace).

We’ll be at United Way Ottawa’s Campaign Launch on Wednesday, September 23rd.  More information here Campaign Launch.  Look for us, we’d love to meet you.

Ahhh, summer’s over.  Back to routine.  You may have noticed we took a break from blogging.  We were busy packing almost 1500 kits this August.   We are pleased to have been able to help so many parents squeeze a little bit more out of their summer.  We have lots of exciting news to share with all of you in the coming months.  But for now, what are you making for lunches?  Leave your ideas below in the comment section and maybe we can help ease each other’s burden this year.