Monday 24 March 2014

Welcome back!

For our morning prayer service, we are now praying one decade of the Rosary until Easter. I reminded the students to pray for their prayer buddy, our Gr 5/6 buddies and for those who need our prayers. I am also teaching them the refrains to the Lenten songs that they'll hear at our Friday school Masses. If you have time, please search 'The Wonderful Cross' by Michael W. Smith (with lyrics) on YouTube and let your child sing the refrain.

Thanks to Mrs. Johnson for making our prayer pretzels today - we discussed how the pretzel has 3 different parts (similar to a shamrock) and how it reminds us of the Trinity: Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Also, the shape of the pretzel looks like the position of our arms when they go up for a blessing. You may find it in their lunchbox as I told them to teach the pretzel story to those at home.

I introduced the Stations of the Cross to the class and we will be learning one station each day until Holy Week. Today, students learned about how Jesus was treated badly and how he was condemned  to death by King Pilate (Station #1). Tomorrow, we will visit the Church to see the Stations of the Cross and pray Lenten meditation.

Tomorrow is library and show and tell 'Mystery Bag'. Please return report card covers & envelopes.

Wednesday reminders: PE, hot lunch

*I'm still looking for 2 parents to bring in veggies and fruits - pls contact me if you can help

Parenting Workshop:
Building Resilience our Children
With Dr. Deborah MacNamara

7pm on Tuesday, April 1st in the Parish Center

Humans are some of the most adaptive creatures on the planet with the capacity to overcome adversity and find creative solutions to our problems. While it is within everyone’s capacity to be resilient and resourceful, this potential is not always realized for everyone. Raising resourceful and resilient children has never been more important and the role of tears in this process never more misunderstood. Adults play a key role in cultivating the roots of resilience that have lasting effects on their capacity to endure adversity.


*Babysitting will be provided but space is limited.
Please RSVP to the School or PREP office by Friday, March 28th.



Sunday 16 March 2014

Happy Spring Break

 

Thank you to all the parents and grandparents who were able to help out at our skating session last Monday.  The students showed a lot of perseverance in skating - I was impressed by all of the first time skaters and experienced ones!

The Speech Arts festival, on Tuesday, was a great experience for us as we performed our choral poem 'Alligator Pie' in front of the two judges, Mrs. Saharchuk and Mrs. Antonio. Congratulations to everyone for their hard work! 

On Wednesday afternoon, Ms. DaCruz' Grade 1 class led us in our first Lenten assembly in the gym. It was a great reminder of the things we can do during Lent. Here is the link to the Lent cartoon they showed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5bfxGNMY9c 
Also, Sister Mary Bethany explained how important it is to pray as a school community, especially during Lent, so she matched up each student of our school with another student (perhaps they've never met before!). I put the Lenten prayer buddy card, with a simple prayer inside, in your child's folder this week so please keep it in a spot where your child will remember to pray for their buddy.

On Thursday morning, we had the opportunity to watch the CCS Spelling Bee competition for intermediate students. Our students were fascinated by the big words that the students had to spell (like 'acre' or 'chicken') and many of them expressed interest in joining the Spelling Bee group when they are in Grade 4. 


On Friday afternoon, the students watched a video about St. Patrick and learned that he used a shamrock to teach others about the Trinity. We also completed our shamrock craft that will be hanging in our classroom as a reminder that God is made up of 3 persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Term 2 Report Cards were sent home on Friday - please review it and if you have any questions or would like to discuss your child's progress, please contact me to set up a time. Also, please return the report card covers on Monday the 24th.

Other reminders
*Sight Word Home Program - for an added challenge, ask your child to spell each of those sight words that they know
*Scholastic Orders due April 22nd
*Back to school: March 24th

Science Unit - Healthy Eating & Healthy Bodies
I will be asking for 8 parents to sign up to bring to in vegetables and  fruits as we continue into this unit. I would like to give each student an opportunity to try vegetables and fruits that they may have never tried before or refuse to eat (when at home) - it's amazing how influential peers can be when trying new foods! I will present 1 vegetable and 1 fruit per week for 4 weeks so if you are able, please sign up by sending me an email. You only need to sign up for one of the items - not both. I would like the vegetable & fruit (washed & cut into pieces) to be brought to the classroom on Tuesdays and I will offer it to the students at both snack and lunch time for the rest of the week.

Tues, March 25 - carrots & strawberries 
Tues, April 1- cucumber & oranges
Tues, April 8 - sugar snap peas & apples
Tues, April 15 - celery & bananas



Year End Project
I'm looking for a parent who is able to help me create a slideshow (using Powerpoint, Animoto, etc) of the many pictures that I have taken throughout Kindergarten. Contact me if you are interested...

Enjoy your Spring Break....see you all next week!

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Alligator Pie

My apologies to all the parents who came around 10am to watch our choral speech but there was a last minute change and we performed our poem at 915am!  Many parents have been requesting to hear our poem so I'm going to offer two more times that for guests to come in and hear it. Please make sure you sign into the office before heading to our classroom

1) Today (Tuesday) at 245pm                               
2) Friday at 245pm


 

Saturday 8 March 2014

Last Week of School before Spring Break!

Reminders for this week

Monday - Ice Skating at 1245 - 115pm  (Sorry, there was a miscommunication last time but we are only skating for 30 minutes). Please send your child's skating clothes (snow pants, gloves, toque, skates & helmet) in a labelled bag. If you are able to walk with us, please come to the classroom by 12 noon.

Is anyone able to drive our equipment over? It reduces the walking time if we don't have anything in our hands (also, no umbrellas for the students please!). Please email me if you are able - I would need that person to come at 11:45 am.

Extra food in lunch today: when we return back from skating, I will allow students to have another snack so please send in extra food and an extra drink

Tuesday - Primary Speech Arts Festival (Columbus Room, Parish Centre): We are scheduled to perform our choral poem at approx between 945 - 1030am after the Bible readers. Individual poem readings will happen at 10:45 am for Kayla and Kristian but I was informed that our class will not be able to stay and listen to their performance (due to lack of space). Parents/grandparents are still welcome!

-Show and Tell 'Mystery Bag' theme

-Primary Sports Club members: I received a notice that the Primary Sports Club will be having a pizza lunch for all members at lunch and they will be setting up in the hallway outside our classroom. Students who participated in the Sports Club will receive a slice of pizza, chips and juice.

Wednesday - Grade 1 Lent Assembly 1:30 pm 

Friday - Term 2 Report Cards
-Last day of school before Spring Break (back to school March 24th)

Other information:
-Each student has created a Lenten garden and they need rocks and twigs to complete it. For Monday, please bring in a (sandwich) ziplock bag of rocks (6 - 8 small rocks) and one larger rock (smaller than a child's hand). Also, if they can bring 4 -5 twigs to create the cross of Jesus. 

 

-Parent help over Spring Break: if you are able to help prepare materials (mainly cutting) for our class, please let me know and I'll send the supplies home on Friday with your child.

Also, I am looking for 2 -3 parents who are able to make play dough of various colours (black, purple, red, blue, green, pink)



      

Tuesday 4 March 2014

Bun Lunch Tomorrow for Ash Wednesday

Yesterday, Mr. Borkowski sent a letter home to the oldest in each family regarding Ash Wednesday Mass, Lenten (mite boxes) and our annual 'Plain Lunch.' Please ensure that your child has a hearty breakfast and a snack for recess time as they will be having a plain bun and water for lunch only.

Tomorrow, I'll be sending home the lyrics to our Lent Song as well as a Lenten journey to track the 40 days of this church season. Simply get your child to colour 1 block (a day) on the path toward Easter.

Ice Skating on Thursday
Parents/grandparent volunteers-please meet in our classroom at 9:55 am as we are leaving promptly at 10:00 am. Make sure your child's jacket has a hood as we are walking to the arena rain or shine. Thanks in advance for your time and help with this!

Please ensure that your child has the necessary clothing (gloves, warm jacket, toque) and items for skating: ice skates, helmet (if they have them already). Please clearly label your child's bag of clothing. Girls can wear pants under their tunic.

***I will need one parent volunteer who is able to drive our equipment over to the arena for us - please let me know if you can help*** 

***Shoe sizes: please email your child's shoe size asap if they are renting ice skates! This will expedite the rental process****

Here is my list of volunteers (last name): Minhas, Liem, Baptista, Johnson (grandparent), Torszok, Tamis, Hicks, Pregil and Devine.

Sunday 2 March 2014

March 3 - 7

Speech Arts In Class Presentation
Thank you for all the parents and grandparents who came and watched the individual poems and class poem on Friday afternoon. Ms Kools was so impressed by our students class poem 'Alligator Pie' as well as those students who memorized a poem and presented it with confidence. I would like to congratulate Kayla and Kristian who will continue onto the Local Primary Speech Arts on Tuesday, March 11th for their individual poems!

Anti-bully Day
Last Wednesday, students participated in Anti-Bully Stations with the other primary classes. They made their own Anti-bully t-shirts,  listened to a story on how to be a great friend, ate a treat called Ants on a Log, watched The Ant Bully Movie and even learned a fun Anti-Bully Day dance. In our class, we discussed what being a good friend means and strategies to help a situation when we disagree with our friends.


 

This week we will be learning about the important season of Lent and why we celebrate it before Easter. On Shrove Tuesday, our students will enjoy pancakes made by the Knights of Columbus. Before we go to Mass on Ash Wednesday, students will learn about the symbol of the ashes and how it shows our willingness to change and be born to new life.Each day throughout Lent, we will ask each student to choose a promise from our Lenten Promise jar which will ask them to do something special or give something up for the day.

For Parents 
A Lenten Video Reflection can be found here http://www.loyolapress.com/lent-faq.htm
*Why do we have the season of Lent?
*Why is Lent 40 days?
*Why do start Lent by wearing ashes?
*Why do we practice prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent?
*Why do we give up things during Lent?
*Why is purple the colour of Lent?
*Why do we pray the Stations of the Cross during Lent? 

Healthy Bodies & Healthy Eating Unit
We will be learning about the four Food Groups as well as learning about different ways to keep our bodies healthy. Please send in any grocery flyers you may have at home - we need them by the end of the week.

Other reminders this week:
Monday -  gym with Mrs. Olaybal (Mr. Klaponski is away ice skating with other grades)
              - letter of the week Uu

Tuesday- Show and Tell for all students
March Theme 'Guess what's in the mystery bag?' (Your child brings in a mystery item in a paper bag. Ask. him/her to make up 2 or 3 clues for the item and we will try to guess what it is. Please write down the clues for me to read in case your child forgets what to say.

Wednesday- Ash Wednesday 

Thursday - Ice Skatin
If your child has their own helmet & skates, please make sure they are clearly labelled. We are leaving the school promptly at 10 am so parent/grandparents volunteers please meet in our classroom at 9:55am. We will be walking with the other Kindergarten class and their Grade 5 buddies as well as our own buddies from Grade 5/6.

Friday - Food Bank Mass
             
Parents, please make sure your child has a warm coat, boots, toque and or gloves - whatever they need to keep warm outside. As with all articles of clothing, please make sure each item is clearly labelled with their name.