September  19-22nd

I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful start to Autumn and the gifts that this season brings to us. I would like to thank those families who were able to drop by our open house, it was so good to meet and connect with many of you and let your child shine and share their learning environment along with some of the projects we have been working on. If you were unable to attend on Friday and would like an opportunity to come in to the school or touch base with me, please email me. 

This past week was another great one where we were packed with new experiences, building on our own sense of our identity as individuals and a group, as well as enjoyment. 

Here is a glimpse into some of the components of this past week:

I can decide to be active. I can understand the basic rules of games and fair play. I can show cooperation within small and large groups. 

We were very fortunate to have had our soccer residency this past week. Students learned basic soccer skills along with the rules of the game and fair play. We all really enjoyed our opportunities during this residency and came away with new skills and an appreciation of the game and our teammates. 

I Can Use What I Know About Letters to Sound Out Words

Students in both grades have been using their phonic knowledge to sound out words in decodable passages.  Decodable passages are simple sentences and/or stories that can be sounded by students based on their phonics knowledge.  As their knowledge of letter-sound correspondence grows, so will the difficulty level of the decodable passages they are working on.

It as important for beginning readers to be given immediate feedback on the accuracy of the letters they are sounding out to ensure they don't develop a habit of guessing when trying to read.  Student attention should be focused on the letters and not on the pictures when they are trying to decode a word.

I can tell about the changes in the seasons. I can use my senses to tell, draw or write about the world around me. I can be mindful of my surroundings and my place on the land. 

Last week, we joined Ms Paradis' class to tour and experience the upper fields and community gardens. We also participated in a whole group sharing circle where we discussed the end of season changes that we had been noticing and experiencing. 

This week we my class participated in a virtual experience -  Autumn Equinox with Red Plume (Shane Cunningham)as he took us on a walk through the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. He shared with us teachings about how Indigenous people use the Equinox as an indicator of a time of change and preparation for winter. Students also learned that the word fall in Blackfoot is O'ko. We then joined Ms Paradis' class on the upper community garden area to learn about sit spots and the importance of being mindful of ourselves and our connection to the land. Students practiced experiencing the land with their mind, body, spirit and heart which incorporates being in touch with your senses. Students then documented this experience on the first day of Autumn/Fall. Here are a few of our students reflections: 

Reminders/Upcoming Events - 

*Monday, September 26th - Whole school Terry Fox Run - 11:10 - 11:40 upper fields, families welcome to join. Please wear red or white and bring toonies/loonies to donate if possible.

*Wednesday, September 28th - Library/Learning Commons - please return books in order to sign out a new book. 

*Thursday, September 29 – Orange Shirt Day - please wear orange if possible. 

*Friday, September 30 – National Day of Truth and Reconciliation – No School