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Blanca, Shiloh, Lola and Flower
Adoption Fee $25 Or $50 With Cage (EACH)
Florida Parrot Rescue had 4 very young Cockatiels (about 4 months old at the time) relinquished to us over the summer of 2010 and so we decided, along with a local teacher in Hillsborough County, to try a new idea and to let that teacher, who was already an approved foster, take these birds to school with her (along with the schools permission of course) for socialization and to help that teacher work with some of the less fortunate children in her classroom. The project has turned out very well and the students just love their new classmates! This project has helped the children involved learn to care for an animal with affection and tenderness and to respect creatures great and small! These birds will stay in their classrooms until the end of the school year, but at this time, we can begin to accept applications on the birds, but the birds can not be moved until after the last day of school on June 10, 2011. These birds are each in separate cages and can be adopted to separate homes. They are all precious little girls and came to us not ever being handled, so they have each made varying degrees of progress. We are hoping that we will have the chance to again try this technique for next school year! As always, if there are any teachers out there who would like to adopt a small bird for their classroom, please e-mail us for more information!!
Shiloh (STILL AVAILABLE) is currently with a 5th Grade classroom. Of all the tiels, she is the quietest so she is ideal for the classroom. She does not like to be handled, but likes to come out of her cage and hang out on top. The kids are trying to teach her to whistle, so far she is interested, but hasn’t made an attempt to mimic, although she is still young and will probably begin to mimic if she is continued to be worked with.
Blanca (short for Blanca Nevea aka Snow White) is the most vocal of the tiels and loves to join in on the day’s lessons. She is also in a 5th Grade classroom and by eveyone’s vote, one of the most popular students in the class! She is hand shy, but we are working to change that. Based on the teacher’s reaction to her, I have no doubt who the “teacher’s pet” is in that classroom, lol!!
Lola is a Grey white-faced Cockatiel, she is still at home with me most of the time, but she is going to spend time with a 2nd Grade class through the end of the year to see if she can become an honorary member of the 2nd grade. She is somewhat vocal, so we are going to try it and see what happens. She is the tamest of the girls and also the neatest, so she is truly an easy pet. She enjoys spending time in her “playground.”
Flower (STILL AVAILABLE) is currently in a 2nd Grade classroom and has fit in just fine. She is a little skittish still, but I believe will tame with a little bit of work. Due to the young age of her classmates, she is not handled by the kids, but she joins in vocally anyway!
West Shore is Going to the Birds
By Ms. Dascola, Mrs. Dermer and Ms. Sturges
Respect, Responsibility, and Caring…three things that every West Shore Wildcat knows very well! Two fifth grade teachers, Mrs. Laura Dermer and Ms. Elizabeth Sturges, and one second grade teacher, Ms. Amy Dascola, have recently incorporated these three character traits into their daily science instruction. Being a Positive Behavior (PBS) school, these three are traits that are important to all of us here at West Shore. These three teachers are using science and the care of animals to help instill these in their students.
It all started with the writing of a grant. Each teacher submitted a grant through Pet Care Trust to help with the care and cost of having a classroom pet. They worked as a team to get the grants written and now all three classrooms have an extra $100 to help care for the rescued cockatiels. The students are now assisting with the upkeep of having a class pet and Blanca Nieve, Lola, Shiloh, and Flower have become temporary classmates for the students. Through a partnership with Florida Parrot Rescue, a not-for-profit avian rescue dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of companion birds, the students are learning to be responsible by helping clean the animals’ cages, they are demonstrating care by giving the birds food each day and keeping their water dishes full, and showing respect by not teasing or mishandling the birds. It is a positive situation for all involved. The teachers know they are helping their students become better people, the students are receiving hands on experiences as part of life science, and the birds are enjoying a happy time in their lives before they find their permanent homes.
The last step in this process will also include the students showing respect, responsibility, and caring for the birds. Our students are foster “parents” for the birds and hope that homes can be found for their feathered friends once the school year comes to a close in June. Once a home is found, they will have to be responsible and respectful enough to be willing to let the birds go and care enough for the birds to know that a permanent home with a loving family is what is best for Blanca, Shiloh, Lola and Flower. The family or individual that adopts these little birdies will be wonderfully rewarded. They will be receiving a new family member that has been lovingly cared for and tended to for many weeks.
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