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In Focus, September, 2011 4 Letter from In Focus My first day of grade 1 is a date that has gone down in history with my family. We had recently moved to a new house and I had to take the bus for the very first time. Because we live in a semi-rural area, the elementary and middle school kids were put together on the same bus and my mom, the responsible lady that she is, recruited a middle school­aged neighbour to keep an eye out for me. That was the plan, at least. Somewhere in the chaos of the first day of school, the older kids didn't get on the bus at the end of the day. As the bus wound its way through the hills of our fair town, the driver asked who was getting off at what stop. Since I was new to the neighbourhood and also painfully shy, I didn't say anything and, unfortunately for me, no one else from my stop was on the bus that afternoon. My mom, who was pregnant at the time, had taken the day off of work and was waiting for me at the bus stop with my younger brother and sister. Much to her horror, the bus didn't stop and ­ to this day ­ she still clearly remembers seeing my little face peering out the window as the bus flew by. So my mom did what any mother would do: she grabbed my sister with one hand and my brother's stroller with the other and hauled her pregnant body down the road after the bus. I don't remember what happened after that, but I was eventually brought home and my mom made very sure I ­ and later my siblings ­ knew the bus stop intersection near our house. To all the parents and students getting ready to head back to class, I hope your first day of school is less eventful than my grade 1 adventure. But before you head back, be sure to check out this edition of In Focus where you will find photos from the last of the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Happy September! 0ARKER S September 2011 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 9 IN FOCUS is published 12 times per year by the The Independent & Free Press A Division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 29 Georgetown, Ontario, L7G 4B1 Telephone: 905-873-0301 Fax: 905-873-0398 www.theifp.ca .EW $O <<< Before Parker gets ready to say goodbye to his long locks. Publisher Ken Nugent Special Features Co-ordinator Andrea Lefebvre 905-873-0301, ext. 236 ALefebvre@theifp.ca Advertising Sales Representatives Cindi Campbell Felicia Fasulo Jennifer Spencer Amy Sykes Natasha Vuksic >>> During Parker holds up the hair he will be donating. Design/Production Dolores Black, Mary Lou Foreman, Shelli Harrison, Kevin Powell Andrea Lefebvre ALefebvre@theifp.ca The contents are protected by copyright and may be used only for personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commercial use is prohibited. To make any use of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright. For further information contact the Independent & Free Press at 905-873-0301. The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertising beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by that portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred , whether such error is due to the negligence of its servants or otherwise, and beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. GENERAL NOTICE: Copyright in letters and other material submitted to the Publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the Publisher and its licenses may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other for ms of publications. After Parker shows off his new hairstyle, created just for him by Athena Chandra. When nine-year-old Parker Paulitzki goes back to school this September, he might have to re-introduce himself to some of his friends who may not recognize him with his new, shorter `do. Last month, the St. Catherine of Alexandria student cut off 10 inches of his hair and donated it to an organization that makes wigs for people with cancer. Parker grew out his hair for two years so it would be long enough to donate and is now rocking a stylish new `do courtesy of hair stylist Athena Chandra. Work it, Parker! Photos by Andrea Lefebvre IN FOCUS IS A PRODUCT OF