Week #26: Mar. 17th - 21st
What a joy it was to see all my precious students this week, I truly missed them so much over the break!
I hope you had a fun-filled, memory-making March Break together as a family 🌟🛷🌴. I loved hearing about all the neat adventures and cozy moments they shared with you!
Now that we're back in action, we've jumped right into our routines and rhythms 📚💪 and I’m guessing a few of you parents are celebrating that too! 😄👏
As you'll see below, it's been another exciting, productive week full of learning, laughter, and growth 🚀✨. Let's keep the momentum going!
In our class, we’ve been focusing on the powerful character trait of Integrity this March 💫
💭 Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is watching 👀✨ It’s about standing by what’s fair and kind, keeping your promises, and treating others with respect and honesty 💛🤝
Being true to yourself and showing others they can count on you, that’s the heart of integrity.
🎶 Check out the video below where Mr. Saad sings all about what integrity means and why it’s truly the key to becoming the best version of ourselves 🎤🔑
Personally, I believe integrity is one of the most valuable traits a person can have. It shows that “We can always be trusted even when no one is watching.” This is a message we reinforce daily in our classroom, and it's making a real difference 💬📈
I’m incredibly proud of the children who demonstrate integrity day in and day out 💖🌟
It’s an outstanding quality that absolutely does not go unnoticed, way to go, boys and girls!! 👏🙌
🎉 As always, families are warmly invited to attend the assembly to help us honour all of our Nighthawk character award recipients.
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| Click the link below :-) Connaught student returns rent money to senior on pension - Collingwood News |
Integrity is about making choices that reflect honesty and strong moral principles, and Mickaela’s example shows just how impactful one small act can be.
What an inspiring display of honesty, compassion, and the true spirit of the Connaught community.
Way to go, Mickaela! 🌟
1 in every 800 children in Ontario are born with Down Syndrome equating to approximately 70 students in the SCDSB.
This year’s theme is “Improve Our Support Systems”—a powerful reminder of the importance of supporting individuals with Down syndrome and their families 🤝💙
Many are raising their voices to encourage governmental improvements in support systems to ensure full community inclusion for everyone 🌍✨
💬 People with Down syndrome need support to live, thrive, and be fully included in their communities—just like everyone else.
💬 Families also need support, as they play a key role in caring for and championing their loved ones with Down syndrome ❤️👨👩👧
💬 Support is a fundamental human right, making other rights possible.
The kind of support needed is unique to each individual—every person with Down syndrome (and all people!) deserve support that provides choice, control, and dignity 🧠💛👣
This year’s theme is a step forward in embracing a human rights-based approach to disability. It moves us away from older models that viewed individuals with disabilities as objects of charity or pity, and instead highlights their right to fair treatment, respect, and full opportunity 🙌🌈
At school, we have ongoing conversations around equity, diversity, and inclusion, and we’re proud to celebrate and honour the incredible contributions that people with Down syndrome bring to our communities 🌟💬
Let’s continue to build a world that uplifts every voice and supports every need 💙🧦
#WDSD2025 #InclusionMatters #SupportIsARight
Each one of us has been given the beautiful gift of life 🌟and it's our differences that make us truly special. Let’s continue to celebrate and embrace what makes us unique because that’s what makes you… YOU 💛🙌
A big THANK YOU to the amazing students who ROCKED THEIR SOCKS 🧦🎉 to show support for people with Down Syndrome!
We are all unique.
We are all wonderful.
And we are all perfect JUST THE WAY WE ARE 💙💛🌈
💬 How Can We Be Kind and Inclusive? 💙💛
👋 Treat a person with Down syndrome just like you would treat anyone else, be friendly, respectful, and kind.
🙅♀️ Please don’t stare at kids with Down syndrome. That’s not polite and can make someone feel uncomfortable.
✅ Kids with Down syndrome should be expected to follow the rules just like everyone else.
🎮🤝 Play with and be friends with kids who have Down syndrome, just like you would with any other friend.
🌍 No two people in the world are the same and that’s what makes life beautiful! Everyone has different likes, dislikes, and personalities. That’s true for people with Down syndrome too!
😊 When you meet someone with Down syndrome, say hi and ask what their name is, you just might make a new friend 💫
Let’s always choose kindness, celebrate our differences, and make sure everyone feels included 🧦💙🌈
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| Meet Kai Ocean and his Mom Tasha, they're family friends of mine :) |
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Kai surfing with his daddy Jon. No wonder his middle name's ocean, look at him go! To further our learning, I shared a book called My Friend Has Down Syndrome. It helped deepen our understanding and think about ways that we can help empower these children too! We learned that people with Down syndrome may have an extra 'gene', but they're just like US! Yes, they may look, act, or learn a little differently than others, but they are HUMAN with amazing thoughts, skills, and abilities. We can learn and grow from them too just like in the story. 🌸✨ MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH✨🌸 This month, we celebrated the amazing contributions of women throughout history! To honour this, I introduced the children to one of my heroes - the inspiring young activist, Malala Yousafzai who believes in the power of education and standing up for what’s right!  We read her beautiful book, "Malala’s Magic Pencil," and talked about how one person’s voice can make a big difference. Give the story a listen :) After our discussion, I asked the students: ✏️ If YOU had a magic pencil, how would you use it to make the world a better place? Student's responses were thoughtful, creative, and full of kindness! 💕 These special writing pieces will be coming home soon. I hope you enjoy reading your child’s words and admiring their ideas for making the world a better place. 🌎💫       Let’s continue to celebrate strong, brave, and inspiring girls and women this month and always! 💜 #WomensHistoryMonth #KindnessMatters #OurFutureActivists 🌍💡 SWITCH OFF & GIVE AN HOUR FOR OUR EARTH! 💡🌍 This Saturday, March 22nd at 8:30 PM, join millions around the world as we power down for Earth Hour 2025! 🕣✨ Let’s come together to create the #BiggestHourForEarth yet! 🔗 Click here for more info → Earth Hour Last year, supporters in over 190 countries and territories gave more than 410,000 hours to our planet 🌱🌎, how amazing is that?! 🙌 This year, let’s make it even bigger by spending 60 minutes doing something good for the Earth while doing something you love! 🎨🚴♀️🧘♂️🌳 💡 While turning off your lights is a great first step, think about other ways to help our beautiful planet. 📸 If you'd like, email me photos or videos of your family's Earth Hour in action, and I’ll share them with the class next week, I’d love to see what you get up to! 🥰🎥 ▶️ Be sure to check out the video below for this year’s inspiring Earth Hour message! Let’s do our part. Let’s shine a light on climate action by turning ours off. 💚 #EarthHour2025 #BiggestHourForEarth #TogetherForOurPlanet #SwitchOffAndShine 💧🌍 WORLD WATER DAY – MARCH 22ND 🌍💧 Did you know that World Water Day has been celebrated every year on March 22nd since 1993? That’s over 30 years of raising awareness about one of Earth’s most precious resources - water! 💦✨ This year’s World Water Day 2025 theme is: 🌨️❄️ “Glacier Preservation” ❄️🌨️
What Does This Mean? This warming is caused by climate change when pollution from things like cars, factories, and burning fuel traps heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Why Is This Important? If we don’t act, we could lose these amazing ice rivers forever! 😢 This year’s theme reminds us that we all have a role to play! Let’s: Together, we can help protect glaciers and ensure a healthier planet for future generations 🌎❄️💙 #WorldWaterDay2025 #GlacierPreservation #ProtectOurPlanet #ClimateAction #WaterIsLife This World Water Day, we are reminded that water connects us all. It’s time for the world to unite around water and use it as a way to create peace, stability, and a better future for everyone 🕊️💙 🌊 World Water Day is one of the most important global days in March, as it shines a spotlight on a growing crisis: the shortage of clean, freshwater around the world. 💦 Millions of people still don’t have access to safe drinking water, and that’s something we can and must change. By raising awareness, protecting water sources, and working together, we can help build a more sustainable and fair world 🌎🤝 Let’s use water not just as a resource, but as a force for good ... because every drop counts 💧💧💧 🌟 NEW MATH UNIT: CODING! 💻🚀 We’re so excited to kick off our latest math adventure - coding! This unit invites students to think like problem solvers, build step-by-step solutions, and experience how math comes to life through code 🚀🔢 Here’s what we’re focusing on: 🔹Writing and running code to solve problems. 🔹Reading and modifying existing code. 📌 Activity 1 – Sequential Coding is now posted in Google Classroom! 🔜 Next week, we’ll dive into Activity 2 – Concurrent Events, building on what we’ve learned so far. Coding is such a powerful (and fun!) way to explore math and your support at home helps make it even more meaningful ❤️ Let’s see what our brilliant young programmers will build next!
🖥️👾 Let’s get coding! KEENAN & TEAGAN ROCKING THEIR NOTETAKING SKILLS: Keenan and Teagan have been working incredibly hard on strengthening their notetaking skills during our math consolidation periods 📚✏️. It’s truly tremendous to see how far they’ve come, their dedication, focus, and the pride they take in their progress is inspiring 💪✨.   This is such an important skill that will support them not only in math but across all areas of their learning as they continue to grow. Keep it up, Keenan and Teagan! 🚀👏 🌿 MINDFUL MOMENTS WITH OUR LEARNING BUDDIES:🌿 This week, we had another wonderful time with our Learning Buddies as we stepped outside for a mindful walk! 🚶♂️✨     From the moment we set foot outside, we took in the fresh air, the sounds of nature, and the simple joy of being present with our buddies. We walked, we chatted, we noticed the little things around us, the crunch of ground, the warmth of the sun, and the laughter shared along the way. ☀️🍃      Taking time to connect with our buddies in such a peaceful and meaningful way made this experience tremendous. It was a reminder that sometimes, the best moments in learning come from simply slowing down and enjoying the journey together. 💛 Can’t wait for our next adventure with our buddies! Stay tuned! 🚀😊 🌟 TEAGAN, CHARLOTTE C., RAIDEN, JUNE & AISLYNN 🌟 Wow! 🤩 Your generosity and dedication to our Tabs for Kids ♿💙 wheelchair initiative have been nothing short of inspiring! Thanks to your incredible efforts, we are so close to filling our second 5-gallon water jug this school year! 🏆💧  That’s an amazing achievement, and it’s all because of your kindness and willingness to help others. 💖 Every tab you collect is a small act of compassion that adds up to a BIG difference for kids in need. Your actions prove that even the smallest efforts can create a huge impact when we come together for a great cause! 💪🌎      As Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ✨ You are truly changing lives one tab at a time! ♻️💙 Keep up the amazing work, I appreciate each one of YOU! 🙌👏🎉 💖 A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER: 💖 Wow, it brings tears to my eyes as I write this section of the blog. 😭 When I say I am surrounded by the MOST caring and compassionate group of children, I MEAN IT! 💕✨       Today was an experience I will fondly remember forever. 🎉💫 I don’t usually share my birthday because I never want anyone to feel like they have to give me a gift. As I’ve said before, the greatest gift I could ever receive is simply being with my students to teach, learn, and grow with them every single day. 📚💡🌱 And when I say that, I truly mean it. 🥰 A huge THANK YOU to June, Aislynn, and Avery for your incredibly thoughtful birthday cards! 🎂💌 Reading your kind and heartfelt messages brought happy tears to my eyes. 😭💖 Knowing that each of you sees me as a safe place to land—on both the good days and the challenging ones fills my heart with immense purpose and joy. 🫶✨ Our connection is something I deeply cherish, and I will always be here for you, just as you have been there for me with your kindness and love. 💕 I promise to seize and savour every special moment we share. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for making my birthday feel even more special. You are each a gift in my life. 🎁💖💫 MINDFULNESS: Jay Shetty is a British podcaster, bestselling author, and life coach and someone I personally look up to and find incredibly inspiring 🙏📚💫 He speaks often about the power of gratitude, empathy, and compassion, and believes they are some of the most important qualities we can nurture in ourselves and others. These are values we’ve explored throughout the school year, and something I will always reinforce with my students 💛✨ One of my favourite quotes from Jay Shetty is: “For when we are in a state of gratitude, we don't have time to be in any other state - sadness, anger, frustration.” Of course, it’s completely okay to feel big emotions, they’re part of being human 💬🌧️. But learning how to release those emotions constructively is what helps us grow. That’s why we’re working together to train our brains to hold onto an attitude of gratitude because when we do, our lives become filled with more joy, connection, and peace 🌈🧠💖 The kids know this saying very well (along with a few others I’ve shared over the year 😄). Go ahead ask them to recite it! You might be surprised how much these messages have stuck 😉 How Gratitude Can Change Your Life Many of us are already embracing this practice (which is AMAZING, I’ve heard so many wonderful things from students! 🙌), but for those who might need a gentle reminder or nudge, here it is... 💛 Let’s all make it an intention to start and end each day by sharing just one thing we’re grateful for 🌅🌙. #Blessed #GratitudeMindset Let’s keep filling our mind, body, and soul with appreciation—for all that we have and all that we have to offer to the world 💫💬💚 Because remember: Living is giving. GROWTH MINDSET: Thank you to Rowan from Mrs. Wallace's for sharing this week's mindset message ... “Integrity - Don’t change who you are the moment someone stops watching you.” - Rowan What does this mean? This means doing the right thing all the time, not just when a teacher, parent, or friend is looking. Integrity is about being honest, kind, and responsible, even when no one is there to see it. For example: Integrity is like having an invisible superhero cape 🦸♂️🦸♀️ that reminds you to always do what’s right! Keep shining and making good choices, no matter what! 💫✨ With my utmost love & respect, Ms. Gill |
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