Week #21: Feb. 3rd - 7th

Dear Families,

As a class family, we continue to work hard and have such meaningful experiences with one another.  It's truly a joy to be with your child at school to teach, learn and grow with each and every day!

We have continued our discussions about the importance of Black History and the children are really intrigued and interested in this subject matter.  They all have shown a great deal of empathy as I've shared about some of the challenges that many Black people have faced.  

Thinking about the feelings of others is so natural for many in this group of children and it makes me oh so proud to be surrounded by them each and every day!  

"I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there is mercy and generosity.  No one is born hating another person because of the colour of their skin, background, or religion.  People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to LOVE, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." - Nelson Mandela

Oh my goodness, I love Mr. Mandela's thoughts and words.  How very true!  We must join hands to form togetherness.  Let us all LISTEN, ACT, and UNITE as a HUMAN RACE.  Show care, compassion, and cooperation :)

Your child is the future planet protector and I have every confidence he or she can and will become a change maker to help our world become even brighter, better, and more beautiful.

LANGUAGE & SOCIAL STUDIES:

Over the past while, our focus in language and social studies continues to be on listening, reading and writing about Black History in Canada.

In class, I have been sharing stories, videos, and activities to help my students gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the significant contributions that Black Canadian and Black American men and women made in helping bring about positive change such as EQUAL AND FAIR TREATMENT no matter your race, religion, gender, orientation, size, or ability.  

I believe it is such an important subject matter to teach kids because it gives them perspective about the past and how it's helped shape our current lives.  

I've also shared with my class that we must extend our gratitude to the amazing civil rights activists not solely during the month of February, but throughout the year!

BLACK HISTORY NOTETAKING:

I am incredibly proud of my hardworking students who are taking diligent notes during our Black History lessons. 

Their thoughtful engagement not only shows how much they care about learning, but also reflects a spirit of reconciliation and respect. 

It’s so valuable for them to actively participate in understanding the history, stories, and contributions that have shaped our world today. 

These lessons are about more than just facts, they’re about honouring the past and working toward a brighter, more inclusive future 🥰 

I also want to send a friendly reminder to all parents - our Black History Assembly is coming up on Friday, February 21st at 9:30am! 🎉 

Trust me, you won’t want to miss this very special, one-of-a-kind assembly.  

The students have been working hard and will continue to over the next while, and it’s going to be a powerful celebration of culture, history, and achievement.  We can't wait to share it with you!

🌟 Looking forward to seeing you there! 🌟

MEDITATION MONDAYS:

Last week, I held our very first Meditation Monday, and it was nothing short of amazing! 

With approximately 20 lil' meditators joining in, the energy in the room shifted from restless to relaxed as students took time to calm their busy brains and bodies.

Through focused breathing and mindfulness, students learned how to settle their minds, enhance their focus, and transition smoothly from the weekend into school mode. 

It was incredible to feel the difference in their presence and attentiveness after just one session!

Even more special is how much this meditation club is truly resonating with the children 🤩

I’ve recently received the most heartwarming feedback, cards, and messages from some young meditators, and I cannot express how much that means to me 🥰

Thank you, boys and girls, you’ve made my heart soar with joy! 💙

We’re excited to continue this journey with our next Meditation Monday sessions on Feb. 10th, Feb. 24th, and Mar. 3rd. 

I highly encourage your child to participate if they desire to of course, as the benefits of mindfulness are truly immeasurable and noticeable in their ability to stay engaged and centered throughout the school day 🙏🏾

Let’s keep the calm and focus going! 🧘‍♂️

See you at the next session! 🧘‍♀️

CHARACTER EDUCATION ASSEMBLY:

I am proud to honour Finley V., Isla, and Charlotte S. for truly exemplifying HONESTY in their thoughts, words, and actions. 

These three incredible students consistently show that honesty is not just about telling the truth, but about being true to themselves and others every single day.

It’s not always easy to speak or act with honesty, but Finley, Isla, and Charlotte do so with such integrity and kindness.  

Keep shining, you three, you are making a positive impact and setting an example for others to follow. I am so proud of you! 💙✨

HARLOW COLQUHOUN:

Speaking of displaying character, I am so proud of my former student, Harlow C. (Grade 5), who represented our school with excellence at The Collingwood Legion Speech Competition last Sunday.  

I was absolutely thrilled to be there, cheering her on every step of the way!

What stood out to me the most was Harlow’s incredible demeanour, she embodied so many of the 23 SCDSB Character Attributes, most notably courage, optimism, sharing, love, and bravery. Her confidence and composure were truly inspiring!

I felt like any parent would, tearfully overjoyed knowing that her hard work, dedication, and resilience paid off.  

She put in so much effort, and yes, she may have had that little bit of “F.E.A.R.” going into the competition, but she FACED EVERYTHING AND ROSE!

Harlow secured 1st place, standing out as one of the youngest competitors in the junior division (Grades 4-6).

Now, she’s off to the next level of competition in Penetang on February 22nd!

🔥 Way to go, Harlow! You are a true CHANGE MAKER! 🚀

REMEMBRANCE DAY POSTER CONTEST: 

I am thrilled to announce that Leyah received two awards for her outstanding Remembrance Day Poster Contest entries! 

Her hard work, creativity, and thoughtful consideration of our Veterans’ feelings truly made an impact.

Leyah’s humility and kindness shone brightly as she graciously accepted her certificates at our assembly earlier this week. 

Congratulations, Leyah! Keep shining and inspiring us all with your incredible talent and compassion 🩵

🎶🕺 DECADES DAY - A BLAST FROM THE PAST 💿🎸

Wow, what an incredible Decades Day!  The participation from staff and students was terrific, everyone was decked out in their best 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s attire, bringing so much energy, colour, and nostalgia to our gym and hallways! 💃🕶️🎧

The spirit of our school is truly something special, events like this bring us together, build community, and most importantly, remind us how FUN school can be! 

A huge thank you to all the amazing parents and families who stepped in to support their child’s participation in this event.  

Your time, energy, and creativity in helping put together these fantastic outfits did not go unnoticed, it is cherished and so appreciated! 💙

And let me tell you, stepping into my spirit wear felt like I had traveled back in time, right back to my public school days at Connaught!  

It was a total throwback, and I loved every second of it! Can you tell?! 😆

Can't wait for the next spirit-filled event! 🎉✨ #ThrowbackVibes #SchoolSpirit #DecadesDayFun

📚 MULTIPLICATION & DIVISION! ✏️➗✖️

This week, my students have been sharpening their math skills by learning how to use a multiplication chart to solve division equations!  

They’ve been making important connections by writing related multiplication and division equations and even tackling the challenge of mentally dividing by 10, 100, and 1,000, such an important skill for building number sense!

Encourage your child to show off their learning by solving a question like this:

💡 420 x 10 = ?

💡 420 x 100 = ?

💡 420 x 1,000 = ?

Can they explain their thinking? Try asking them how multiplication helps with division!

Check out our mathematicians in action below! ✨👇

PRACTICE YOUR MATH FACTS:

Our focus in math is on multiplication and division.  As a youngster, my grandfather used to drill multiplication facts into my brother and I during our summer holidays.  

Truthfully, I didn't "love" it at the time, but I soon realized the value in it as it sure came in handy as I entered the older grades when I needed to readily know my 'math facts.'

Of course math is much more than 'memorizing facts,' children need to understand what the equations that they're presented with mean.  I do explicitly teach this in class and we're getting the grasp of it.

At home, I do encourage that you please have your child practice their multiplication facts 0x - 12x so these become more 'automatic or known by heart' just like if I asked, 'What's 1+1, 2+2, 5+5.' 

Becoming more comfortable and confident in this area of math will surely come in handy as the kids move forward in their educational journeys.  

Have your child try out some of these (click below) friendly math games over the weekend.  It will help develop and boost his or her math facts for multiplication and division!  

Practice Makes PROGRESS!

MULTIPLICATION GAMES

DIVISION GAMES

LEARNING BUDDIES:

Earlier this week, my students had the opportunity to be leaders as they guided the Kindies through their first experience with Knowledgehook! 

With care, compassion, and patience, they helped the little ones sign in, create passwords, and navigate the platform.  The highlight of our session? A GAMESHOW all about ordinal numbers! 🎉🔢

Of course, as we all know, technology can be a little glitchy at times, but that didn’t stop us! We persevered, problem-solved, and most importantly, had fun learning together. 

It was a meaningful mathematical experience that showed the power of teamwork, kindness, and a love for learning.

Check us out below!  So proud of my students for stepping up as mentors! 💙👏 #LearningTogether #KindnessInAction 

WELLNESS WALKS:

This year, we’re prioritizing our mental and physical well-being by making wellness walks a part of our routine.

Our latest walk was magical, the sun shined down on us, and we took in its warmth and beauty! It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, stay active, be present, keep learning, and giving our energy to each other in nature. 😊

Check us out below!

I’m constantly in awe of our breathtaking “backyard,” isn’t it just magical? Throughout the remainder of the year, we’ll continue to cherish and make the most of our lovely loop! 🌿✨

DANCE-A-THON:

Hey Nighthawks! Get ready to dance and make a difference! 

We’re hosting an exciting Dance-A-Thon to raise funds for a new roof for our outdoor pergola and to install new bike racks on freshly paved pads. Let’s combine fun and fitness to support our outdoor projects!

On Friday, February 14th, all students will join the Dance-A-Thon in our gym. Students can gather pledges through donations for their participation.

Please remember not to go door-to-door or out into the community. Instead, with your family’s permission and help, reach out to friends, family, and neighbours to explain our fundraising dance event.

Families will collect the pledged funds and submit the total amount through School Cash Online.

Please return the completed form (which students will bring home in their agenda) to me on February 14th before the Dance-A-Thon begins.

Thank you for your continued support!

MRS. CLARKSON:

We have some exciting news, Mrs. Clarkson is back!  Many of you may remember her as Ms. McNichol, but since she was last with us, she has married, started her beautiful family, and now has two darling children Henry and Charlie!

Mrs. Clarkson (left) & Mme Wylie (right)

Mrs. Clarkson has always had the sweetest way of making every child feel special, loved, and encouraged. 🎉💕

Her kindness, patience, and warm heart make her such a gift to our school community.  

If you see her the next time you're at school, please join me in giving her a warm welcome back, our school just got a little brighter with her return.

MINDFULNESS - A LESSON ON DISCRIMINATION:

I really appreciate students and parents actively discussing and taking part in Black History Month at home too.

Here is a great example of it. My former student Evelyn's Mom shared with me the video below.

In it, Jane Elliott a third grade teacher first gave this lesson on April 5, 1968, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.  

It’s called the “Blue Eyes - Brown Eyes” exercise, and it teaches a powerful lesson on discrimination.

From this video, we can learn that our words come with severe consequences, both good and bad.  But, we can use OUR words to empower and reconcile with our Black & Indigenous communities today.  

We must remember the importance of instilling inclusivity and respect for all people no matter their race, culture, or religious background; only then, can EQUALITY REIGN, REIGN, REIGN!  

GROWTH MINDSET:

Thank you to Avery for this week's mindset message ...

"Don't just go through life, GROOOOOW through it."

What does this mean?  Here's one way to look at it - that life isn’t just about moving from one day to the next.  It’s about learning new things, trying your best, and becoming a better person along the way!

Imagine you're a little seed.  If you just sit there, nothing happens, but if you soak up the sunshine, drink water, and stretch your roots, you grow into a big, strong tree! 🌱🌳

So, don’t just go through your days without learning - be curious, ask questions, and keep growing! 😊✨

Thank you,

Ms. Gill