There's a new morning show that you need to know about that doesn't contain a lot of commercials and depressing news or outlandish demonstrations: The South Avenue Morning News. Actually, it does contain outlandish demonstrations, thought up by one man in the basement library of South Avenue Elementary School: the famed Mr. Burke. I'm told by my 7-year-old that The Morning News airs at South Avenue Elementary School every morning (have not fact-checked this yet, but it does seem to broadcast often), and for those of us not inside the school walls every day, we can see some of the best episodes on YouTube. The show is actually not new, as it has been produced out of South Avenue's library and additional locations such as stairwells, the outdoors, and school hallways for a number of years.

UPDATE 5/5/2017: We have confirmed with South Avenue that The Morning News is indeed shown daily to kids on their smart boards in each classroom. That's a LOT of ideas and editing!

Other parents who are super in-the-know already know about this Morning News show, but I only just discovered it when doing research for South Avenue's (hopefully) mega Color-A-Thon fundraiser mini-walk/race coming up on June 10th: South Avenue kids are currently fundraising online for the South Avenue PTA, who is raising money for new playground equipment, library needs, classroom supplies and other things that teachers need but can't always get due to constant budget cuts.

Take a minute right now and binge-watch The Morning News! It's incredible to see what Mr. Burke comes up with down there in the library, as he invents different characters who make recurring appearances in different episodes, which also feature homemade props, editing, and music.

If you have a little one at home, show these Morning News episodes to them. They may be amazed to watch on YouTube and get excited to share their day-to-day with you!

Mr. Burke delivers a PSA about the South Avenue PTA's Color-A-Thon video. He snores through it at first, then sees the videos of kids being blasted with color powder, and tries to recreate with crayons falling on his head (ouch)!

In this Morning News, Mr. Burke reads letters from imaginary students. This one is from "Not Getting The Reference" after Mr. Burke may have made a reference to Chim Chim Chiminey and perhaps a simile. Mr. Burke then turns into a chimney sweep in order to give a refresher as to what a simile is. Don't know what a simile is? You should watch the video. Then you'll remember!

Have you ever tried to make a Homework Machine? My dad and I did one time, and Mr. Burke here has done it! But what happens when he takes it into a Test Taking room?

If you like the Lego Movie theme song, "Everything Is Awesome," then you will love how Mr. Burke covers it, but with idioms. What's an idiom? Mr. Burke explores an Idiom Of The Day here in this edition of Morning News for South Avenue: "Chewing the Fat."

Another idiom mystery for you..."hitting a brick wall."

Mr. Burke  took the kids on a virtual field trip to his kitchen to harvest his first honey from his bees in 2015.

I know you're hooked, and you want more episodes. Subscribe to Mr. Burke's channel here on YouTube for the latest postings. You might even catch outtakes, because believe it or not, Mr. Burke does not seem to get it right on every scene, and does several takes.