Newsletter for October

Le mercredi 29 septembre, 2015

 

Newsletter update and what is ahead for October

Chers parents,

Thank you to our parent volunteers for your help with our visit to the PowWow at Oskayak High School. We had fantastic weather for a walk outside! We truly enjoyed the bright colourful outfits—regalia--of the dancers as well as the songs from the drummers. We all got to participate in the intertribal dances as well when all are invited to join the dancing! We also went inside the Tipi at the PowWow as a group and got to learn from one of the young dancers some learnings about the Tipi.

We have a new student in our class and the class has been helpful in showing him the classroom and school routines. We also met our care partners this week from Mme Lloyd’s Grade 2/3 class and did a craft with them with fall leaves.

 

On Thursday of this week, the school will be participating a run to honour Terry Fox and raise money for cancer research, so we will be talking about Terry’s journey with the students in class on Wednesday. In October we will be doing colour days: les jours de couleurs.  On colour days I ask that students dress in the chosen colour.  They can also bring something that is the chosen colour to share and make into a collage. (Please do not buy new things or clothing for these colour days).  On your child’s special day this month, we ask that your child bring their favourite book so we can share it with the class. We will be walking to Pooh Corner at Frances Morrison Library next Wednesday, October 7^th.  If your child does not have a library card please fill out the form we are sending home. Please send your child’s library card in his or her dossier on the 7^th.  If you can join us as a parent volunteer, please let us know.

 

Please keep the calendar where you can easily refer to these dates.

Colour days and days to note:

le jeudi 1 octobre: rouge (red)

le vendredi 2 octobre: orange (orange)

le mardi 6 octobre: jaune (yellow)

le mercredi 7 octobre: vert (green) POOH CORNER

le jeudi 8 octobre: LES PHOTOS (picture day)

le vendredi 9 octobre: pas d'école (no school PD day)

le lundi 12 octobre: L'action de grâce (Thanksgiving no school)

le mardi 13 octobre: bleu (blue)

le mercredi 14 octobre: violet ou gris (purple or grey)

le vendredi 16 octobre: rose (pink or peach)

le lundi 19 octobre: brun (brown)

le mardi 20 octobre: noir et blanc (black and/or white)

le vendredi 21octobre: l'arc-en-ciel (rainbow)

 

Mme Wettlaufer et Mme Wallace

Newsletter summing up the week and what is ahead

 

 

Chers parents,

On Thursday of this week, we learned about families and how we are all different but special and unique. We talked about various family members as part of our “All About Me” unit. The students are doing so well with our classroom routines and learning projects. In preparation for our trip to the Oskayak PowWow next week and as part of our unit, we explained the importance of the circle to our First Nations families and held a “Circle Talk” with the students. For this activity, everyone sits in a circle and an artifact is passed around (in this case it was a “talking stick”). When the artifact is passed to you, you may share with the group, but the only one allowed to speak at all during the circle time is the person who has the stick. We asked the students to share something that they enjoyed doing with their families. All of students followed the rules perfectly and no one spoke out of turn. Mme Wallace and I were so pleased! We are so proud of our students!  We are looking forward to experiencing the wonderful traditions at the PowWow on our field trip on September 25^th!

 

Thank you to our parents volunteers for the walk.  We will be leaving the school around 9:30 am to be ready for the grand entrance at 10am.  We will have snack before we go.

 

Please remember that Monday is our library book exchange day.  Please return your child’s school library book in the plastic bag in his or her backpack.  We will be walking to Frances Morrison Oct.7^th to attend a program in Pooh Corner.  If you are able to attend as a volunteer please let me know.  Next week we will have two presentations on Pow Wows as well.  A traditional knowledge keeper will be coming on Wednesday September 23^rd to do activities around Pow Wows in the gym.  We will have a guest teacher that day as Mme Wettlaufer and Mme Wallace will be at an inservice.

 

We are so impressed with this class and all the learning we are doing together.  Bravo!

 

Mme Wettlaufer et Mme Wallace

I forgot to send out a little advertisement about Word on the Street this Sunday, September 20th downtown.  It is a wonderful event that promotes literacy and fun.  Check it out.

Bucket Filling with Pompoms and Crazy Hat Day

Chers parents,

We are filling our class bucket and we are using pompoms to fill it.  Unfortunately I did not have enough pompoms in our craft cupboard and some are too small and it will take much too long to fill.  I started making pompoms and made some with some students during center time as well.  If you have some time, some yarn and want to contribute to our class...we would love more pompoms.  You can teach your kids but it will take time and patience.

You will need:

Yarn (enough to wrap a fork about 25 times or just under 4 meters)
A fork
Sharp scissors

Here is a video on how to make pompoms:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALuexo_mUKc

 MERCI pour nous aider à remplir notre seau!

THANK YOU for helping us fill our bucket!

Please note: Friday September 18^th is Crazy Hat Day.  Kids and staff will sporting fun hats as part of our first spirit day.

 

Newsletter for September 13th

Chers parents,

We are so proud of our maternelle!  What a great class.  The students know so well how to line up, listen and our classroom expectations.  They are also learning how to respond in French and how to introduce themselves.  We are also filling buckets.  We read a book As tu rempli un seau au jourd’hui? About how we all carry invisible buckets.  We can be bucket fillers by being kind.  Our class bucket is already filling up!  We are learning so well about C’est Moi!  Today we had a fire drill and they did an excellent job.  We also went to the library today and learned about taking out books.  Each child is bringing home a French book in a plastic bag.  Please ensure that the book comes back in the bag next Monday.  Monday will be our borrowing days.  If you have not returned your consent forms please send them as soon as possible.  We will be walking to Oskayak on September 25^th for a Pow Wow.  Thank you to Dawn and Jeanne for volunteering for this!  Thank you also for ensuring your child’s dossier comes to and from school every day.

This Wednesday evening 6:30pm we will have Meet the Staff here at the school.  We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Mme Wettlaufer and Mme Wallace

 

Bienvenue à la maternelle!

September 2-4th 2015

Chers parents,

Bonjour et bienvenue à la maternelle! Welcome to kindergarten! This is an exciting time for kindergarten students and their families. We look forward to getting to know you and your children better. Let us introduce ourselves.

My name is Jennifer Wallace. I first came to École Victoria at the beginning of January 2009; I previously taught French Immersion Kindergarten, arts education, and grades 7/8 at École Rivers Heights School from 2000-2007. I am very pleased to be working in this community and I have two children who are also attending here.  We have wonderful staff and students at École Victoria and I am glad that I am a part of this school.   I am excited about starting this year.

My name is Barb Wettlaufer and will be working with Jennifer as an intern until December. I am in my 4^th year of Education, looking forward to graduating as a teacher in April 2016. I am so excited to be spending my internship at École Victoria as I work on strengthening my French language skills. I look very forward to meeting you and your children.

I hope you will find the following information about classroom procedures helpful:

BELONGINGS: Please label all your child's belongings that come to school including sweaters, hats, mitts, jackets, knapsacks and especially runners and boots.  Please send shoes that have velcro rather than lace-ups.  This makes getting in and out for recess much easier.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: If you are dropping off or picking up your child, please use the front entrance. If you arrive early for the start of class the expectation is for students to wait outside on the supervised playground until the bell has gone. I cannot supervise your child before school hours as I have to prepare for the day.

If your child takes the bus, please remember to contact your child's bus driver if he or she does not need transportation on a certain day. We will be sure that all bus students are safely on the bus at the end of the kindergarten day. Please let me know in a note as well if there are changes.

ABSENCES: If your child will not be attending school or if there is any change in the normal routine, please call the school to let us know.

BIRTHDAYS: If your child is having a birthday and you wish to send a snack for the class, please let me know in advance. Children with summer birthdays may wish to celebrate their "half birthday" (i.e. July 16th= January 16th). Please send a note in advance so that time can be set aside on that day. *It is very important to let me know if your child has allergies so that others parents and teachers can be made aware of this. Please do not send snacks or treats containing nuts or nut products.*

SNACKS: Your child should bring a small nutritious snack to school. Some suggestions include apple slices (half is usually plenty) or other fruit, a piece of cheese, crackers, carrot sticks, raisins, an oatmeal cookie, granola bar or a small muffin. For drinks, please send water bottles.  If you wish to send juice, please use a reusable Rubbermaid drink box or other similar spill-proof drink box.

 

COMMUNICATION: Your child’s two-pocket folder or “dossier” which will be used as the primary method of communication between home and school. Please check your child's dossier each day and remove everything from the pocket. For example, a t-shirt letter will be sent home with this letter to indicate your child's upcoming special day. If you wish to return forms or send a note/letter for our attention, please place them in the pocket. Please return the dossier to your child's backpack each day. I can also be contacted by e-mail: wallacej@spsd.sk.ca  I also have a classroom blog: http://lamagiedelamaternelle2.blogspot.ca

At the beginning of each month your child will receive a class calendar and newsletter. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the school (306-683-7470). If I am not available at the time of your call, I will return your call as soon as possible or you can email me at the address above. Good communication from home and school is an essential part of any successful classroom!

PARENT VOLUNTEERS: I always welcome parent involvement. Volunteers are especially needed on out of school excursions.   Please complete a police record check; forms are available at the front office.  I will inform parents as soon as possible of outings.  If you have a project, cultural experience, a special talent or a story, please feel free to come and share that with our kindergarten class.  I am also looking for a parent to act as room parent for our Home and School Association. Please let me know if you are interested in this position.

LITERACY FOR LIFE: We have received extensive training for our Literacy for Life initiative. This includes a program called PWIM (Picture Word Inductive Model) or MIMI (Méthode Inductive de Mots Illustrés). MIMI and phonics strategies are integrated into our program in learning the alphabet and learning to read. In addition to MIMI, I encourage students to read at home, (or be read to) on a daily basis. In kindergarten, a child reads a book in his or her own way (by memory, inventive storytelling, along with pictures.) I encourage parents to try reading with your child for 20 minutes at home each day.

 MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT:  Wednesday September 16^th *is our —Welcome Back—Meet the Staff Evening.  I am truly looking forward to greeting you on this evening.  Please have your son or daughter introduce you if they haven’t already done so! 

 

THIS MONTH the two themes we will focus on are: C’est moi! (All About Me) and Les couleurs (Colours).  On the calendar is your child’s special day—on which he or she can bring a baby photo.  For the colour days children can wear the designated colour on that day.  We are hoping to go on a walking field trip to Pooh Corner at Frances Morrison Library soon.  If you would like to join us as a parent volunteer please let me know.  Thank you and I look forward to the days ahead! We are looking forward to seeing all our kindergarten students again on September the 8^th.  Bonne Rentrée!

Sincèrement,

Vos enseignantes de la maternelle,    Mme Jennifer Wallace et Mme Barb Wettlaufer