Movember "Looking for a Cure for Men's Cancers"

Ever wonder what your young man will look like when he's all "growed" up?

Today all the students in our school wore moustaches to recognize the need to find a cure for cancers of all kinds.

They also found out how scratchy and itchy a moustache can be!

Even the girls got into the act!

All About Interviews! (actually Student Led Conferences in our class)

Today your child brought home an Evidence of Learning binder, which contains a number of assignments that your child has worked on during this first term.  It is one of the ways that teachers share your child's progress and learning with you.

Please remember that your child is on a learning journey, finding some areas of study to be easy and other areas prove to be more challenging.  Some areas are of great interest while others do not motivate them.  Sometimes the lessons are more about 'how to learn' rather than 'what to learn.'

Please feel free to take sheets out of the plastic sleeves and go over them with your child.  Return them into the sleeves and bring the entire binder back with you when you and your child come for Student Led Conferences next week.  There will be 4 students booked into a ONE HOUR slot.  All the students come with their parents and stay for the length of time it takes to get a chance for the child to demonstrate some new learning, take a shiny leading role and sit with the teacher to discuss learning to date and set some goals, behavioural or academic, for next term.  Sitting with me, is just like a regualr interview and will take about 15 minutes per family. For some families this process will take the entire hour, and for others it may take a little less time.  Please remember that four families will be in the classroom at the same time.

A yellow sheet in the front pocket of the Evidence of Learning binder gives details on how to book your time electronically.  This is the way that times are set at this school.  It will be a first come-first served booking situation.

Congratulations to this sweet little angel who took the big step of receiving Jesus through the sacrament of Communion this past Sunday.  Although I was not there, I heard that at least two of our young men received the sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday.  May your faith journey be filled with opportunities to grow in your love of Our Saviour!

Clay Hut

Thanks to one of our quick thinking moms who came to help the students as they flattened,

rolled, pinched, formed and slipped......

I can share some wonderful photos of the students

deeply engrossed in their clay creations.  Somehow, I managed to forget to bring my camera along!

Working with our hands is a traditional art form,

one well worth pursuing!

Following Up on The Fiftieth Day of School

The students thought that all that bowling and dancing and hula hooping and bubble blowing was just for fun (and it was!!) but the best way to write about anything, is to experience it first.  The students had the chance to work on "how to" or "instructional" writing, using their first hand experiences of the 50th day of school.  They wrote step by step directions on How to Blow a Bubble.....

                                      ...and How to Make a Root Beer Float

By the way, when they graphed about whether they liked root beer floats, it was unanimous....20 to 0 in favour!

They also got a chance to write comparison statements, using their new knowledge about now and then.   This gal said "The people in the 1950's wore poodle skirts and rolled up jeans but now people wear anything they want to like dresses and sweat pants."

This young fellow wrote "People in the 1950's drived (drove) old fashioned cars.  Today we do have a few old fashioned cars and some of the 1950s cars cost more money than new cars."  

I think I have created a new car collector with that information!!

 The students have learned so much in their swimming lessons every Thursday afternoon, floating on both their fronts and their backs (known as the dead man float and starfish float)  ...

and front strokes with proper breathing techniques....

and jumping into the deep end!

There are smiles from ear to ear!

This little gal asked if the photos would be on the blog.  She told me that she goes onto the computer everyday after school to see what I have written about.  What a doll!  I hope that all the parents are doing the same, as this blog is my main communication tool!

Happy 50th Day of School

What better way to celebrate 50 school days than with a whole day dedicated to the fabulous 1950's?!?!

The morning was spent with the students exploring the number 50, comparing life in the 1950's with life today, and creating a cute 1950's boy and girl image that will go with a writing activity.  The afternoon was full of music and fun!  Thanks to our tech-savvy principal, we were able to try our hands (and our feet!) at a few dances that were popular six decades ago, like "The Stroll"

...the twist 

...the hand jive

and the jive with a few fancy moves!

One group tried hula hooping, while....

                                                       the other group bowled.

We all took a turn in the pink cadillac, looking cool in our 1950's inspired outfits.

What a great excuse to have a bubblegum blowing contest,

before we ended the day with a root beer float!

Bet this will be a day to remember!

(Stay tuned for examples of the work that went along with all this fun!)

I really was there!

The two sisters, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser started off their whirlwind two day conference saying that every member of their family wanted to come along and 'help' this time because the venue was in Las Vegas!  Sounds like going to Vegas means you won't work but....

listening to these two gals made the days just fly by!  There were over 600 teachers from almost every state and at least 100 teachers from Canada, most from Alberta!  That was really appreciated as the girls' father had been a farmer near Killam before moving into Washington.  The location, The Tropicana, was lovely, and the company friendly and the learning, sooooooo good!

Yes, this is the Las Vegas version of a Christmas tree...glitzy like everything else!

Remembrance Day...Snow Day....50th Day

Please feel free to join the staff and students as we gather together tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. to observe Remembrance Day, which is on Sunday.  We will have a guest, who welcomes the children's questions, lay wreathes and wear poppies to show our support to those who have served and continue to serve our country and allow us the freedom that so many others do not have.

Traditionally, the students are asked to bring a monetary donation for the poppy that they will receive and proudly wear tomorrow and Friday before taking them home for the weekend.

I pray that each and everyone of you are safe in your homes tonight, with your families, as we experience the wonder and power of God, who has blessed us with the snow! Here's the scene out my front window....

and out the back door.  I had a clean and dry driveway this morning!

On Tuesday, November 20th, we will have been in school for 50 days!

Sounds like a great reason to celebrate.

All of our work will relate to the number 50 in one way or another.  As well, we hope to experience the 1950's 'kid style'!  We will be having a bubblegum blowing contest, seeing how many times we can hula hoop, try our hand at bowling, learn how to make a root beer float and then have a sock hop!

It would add to the fun if you allow your child to dress up 50's style!  Boys might wear a white t-shirt, rolled up jeans and slick back their hair.  Girls could try bobby socks, ponytails with a scarf ties around, and maybe even a poodle skirt.  Not sure how to sew?  I found this easy step by step set of directions.

Just click on the link below and it will take you to Victoria's blog....

http://www.obseussed.com/2011/05/make-no-sew-poodle-skirt.html