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Wear pink on Wednesday, February 24th in support of our nation-wide anti-bullying campaign.
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lent... for childrenlent... for adults
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- Welcome back and Happy New Year!
- Jan 4 - First Day back
- Jan 7 - Combined class for Mass at St. Mary's Church honouring our patron saint: Elizabeth Ann Seton - Class will run from 8:45-12:00
- Jan 8 - First Friday Coffee for parents :-)
- Jan 13 - Book Orders due
- Jan 25 - Pajama, Book and Blanket Day! Also, Bucket Filler Assembly
- Jan 28 - January Birthday Celebrations; please remember to bring an ingredient list for baking and/or treats. A.M. Class has peanut, tree nut and egg allergies; P.M. Class should avoid use of red dye
- Jan 28 - Kindergarten Progress Reports go home
- Jan 29 - Professional Development Day for Teachers; No School for students!
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The Kindergarten team would like to welcome a new student to our afternoon Kindergarten program. Liam will joining our p.m. class in December. We now have 18 students in both of our classes. We would also like to welcome Mrs. Kristen Leslie to our school. Mrs. Leslie will be joining our Kindergarten team and working as an Educational Assistant in our afternoon program. Welcome to St. Elizabeth Seton Liam and Mrs. Leslie!
Fri. Dec. 4:
Fri. Dec. 4:
- First Friday Coffee - Tim's coffee for parents (sponsored by School Council)
- Report Cards go home for the rest of the school - NOT FOR KINDERGARTEN
- Embedded PD (early start/dismissal; 8:45-11:15; 11:50-2:20)
- 2nd Week of Advent Celebration - 9:00 in the gym
- Combined Class for school-wide Memorial Centre Advent Concert Dress Rehearsal ***(Please note: Both morning and afternoon classes will be coming to school in the morning on this day. The entire school will be going to the Memorial Center to practice performing on stage. Class time will be from 8:50-12:00 on this day. (No students will come to school in the afternoon on this day.)
- Dress Your Best! - Spirit day
- Advent Concert (Musical) @ the Memorial Centre (6:30-7:45) --> Doors open at 6:00; students should be in Festival Hall by 6:15. More info to follow...
- Christmas Classroom Centers (more parent helpers needed this day to run centers; sign up lists to be posted in December)
- December Class Birthday Celebration
- Combined Class for our final Advent Liturgy - Please note that our Advent liturgy will be held in the gym instead of St. Mary's Church. Both morning and afternoon classes will be coming to school in the morning on this day. Class time will be from 8:50-12:00 on this day. (No students will come to school in the afternoon on this day.)
Welcome back! It was so good to see everyone's safe return after our long anticipated, and well deserved, fall break. The children worked very hard during the first few months of school; demonstrating and building upon their literacy and numeracy skills as well as their social, emotional, spiritual and physical skill set. I was pleased to be able to meet with every family during our Parent Teacher Interviews to share the children's progress thus far. I would like to thank each one of you for your interest and continued support of your child's education both at school and home. Whether coming to help out at school or providing daily review of our Jolly Phonics program at home, your assistance is greatly appreciated and significantly impacts your child's learning. Please note that the next set of Parent Helper Sign Up Calendars will be posted for the months of January, February and March at the beginning of December. If you are not able to help out in the classroom, a day will be assigned to you so that your child can be the "special friend" and teacher helper that day.
Please also note that a second sign up calendar will be posted for a chance to sign out and take home our classroom "Joy Box". During the liturgical season of Advent, I maintain the tradition of creating and sharing a literal box of Advent Joy that Kindergarten students and their families can explore for one night. It normally contains an Advent wreathe, a nativity set, books, prayers and a tin of baking or some kind of special Christmas treat that my family enjoys. Although I will be sending home a separate note explaining the Joy Box contents and process in greater detail, I will also explain the spirit of it here. Each night, a different family takes the Joy Box home to explore its contents. They set up the Advent wreath, light the appropriate candle(s), say a little prayer together, read some Christmas stories, play with the nativity and enjoy a small treat that is provided in the tin. There is also a journal where the children can draw a picture and write or have parents scribe a sentence stating their favourite Joy Box experience. The tin of baking is replenished with a treat for the next family, everything else is boxed up and the kit is returned to school the following day so it can go home with the next family who signed up. I will provide a sample journal from a previous year to serve as a model for our first families. There is no right or wrong way to enjoy the box contents, however I do ask that the children be supervised while exploring it and that all parts of the kit are returned. It is best if the box contents are explored in one room or play space so that it is easier to keep its contents together. Please note, unlike parent helper days, I will not sign children up to take the Joy Box home. Because this requires a certain amount of commitment on behalf of parents, I will leave it up to individual families to decide what day would be best for them to take it. Also note, that in order for everyone to get a turn to sign it out before our Christmas break begins, we have to start sending it home a few days before the actual start of Advent. More info to follow...
Please mark your calendars with these important upcoming events:
Mon. Nov. 16th:
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(Old news below this line)
Tuesday, November 3 -
Wednesday, November 4th -
Friday, November 5th-
Wednesday, November 11--> Friday, November 13 -
Please also note that a second sign up calendar will be posted for a chance to sign out and take home our classroom "Joy Box". During the liturgical season of Advent, I maintain the tradition of creating and sharing a literal box of Advent Joy that Kindergarten students and their families can explore for one night. It normally contains an Advent wreathe, a nativity set, books, prayers and a tin of baking or some kind of special Christmas treat that my family enjoys. Although I will be sending home a separate note explaining the Joy Box contents and process in greater detail, I will also explain the spirit of it here. Each night, a different family takes the Joy Box home to explore its contents. They set up the Advent wreath, light the appropriate candle(s), say a little prayer together, read some Christmas stories, play with the nativity and enjoy a small treat that is provided in the tin. There is also a journal where the children can draw a picture and write or have parents scribe a sentence stating their favourite Joy Box experience. The tin of baking is replenished with a treat for the next family, everything else is boxed up and the kit is returned to school the following day so it can go home with the next family who signed up. I will provide a sample journal from a previous year to serve as a model for our first families. There is no right or wrong way to enjoy the box contents, however I do ask that the children be supervised while exploring it and that all parts of the kit are returned. It is best if the box contents are explored in one room or play space so that it is easier to keep its contents together. Please note, unlike parent helper days, I will not sign children up to take the Joy Box home. Because this requires a certain amount of commitment on behalf of parents, I will leave it up to individual families to decide what day would be best for them to take it. Also note, that in order for everyone to get a turn to sign it out before our Christmas break begins, we have to start sending it home a few days before the actual start of Advent. More info to follow...
Please mark your calendars with these important upcoming events:
Mon. Nov. 16th:
- First day back after fall break
- Embedded PD (early start/dismissal; 8:45-11:15; 11:50-2:20)
- "Knock Your Socks Off" for charity --> bring in new or gently used socks that will be donated to various local charities
- "National Jersey Day" - wear your favourite sports jersey to school (Soccer t-shirts count as jerseys too!)
- St. Elizabeth Seton Staff hosting mass ministries at 7 p.m. mass at St. Mary's Church
- Full Day PD - No school for students
- Classroom Birthday Celebrations for both classes
- Embedded PD (early start/dismissal; 8:45-11:15; 11:50-2:20)
- 1st Week of Advent Celebration - 9:00 in the gym
- Wacky Mustache/Funky Hat Spirit Day
- Bucket Filler Assembly
- First Friday Coffee - Tim's coffee for parents (sponsored by School Council)
- Report Cards go home for the rest of the school - NOT FOR KINDERGARTEN
- Embedded PD (early start/dismissal; 8:45-11:15; 11:50-2:20)
- 2nd Week of Advent Celebration - 9:00 in the gym
- Combined Class for school-wide Memorial Centre Advent Concert Dress Rehearsal ***(Please note: Both morning and afternoon classes will be coming to school in the morning on this day. The entire school will be going to the Memorial Center to practice performing on stage. Class time will be from 8:50-12:00 on this day. (No students will come to school in the afternoon on this day.)
- Dress Your Best! - Spirit day
- 3rd Week of Advent Celebration - 9:00 in the gym
- Advent Concert (Musical) @ the Memorial Centre (6:30-7:45) --> Doors open at 6:00; students should be in Festival Hall by 6:15. More info to follow...
- Christmas Classroom Centers (more parent helpers needed this day to run centers; sign up lists to be posted in December)
- December Class Birthday Celebration
- Combined Class for final Advent Liturgy @ St. Mary's Church - 10:00 a.m. (Please note: Both morning and afternoon classes will be coming to school in the morning on this day. The entire school will be going to St. Mary's church to celebrate our final Advent Liturgy before Christmas. Class time will be from 8:50-12:00 on this day. (No students will come to school in the afternoon on this day.)
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(Old news below this line)
Tuesday, November 3 -
- Kinder Abell (AM Class) interviews 4:00-7:45 pm
- School Council Meeting @ 7:00pm
Wednesday, November 4th -
- Picture retake day
- Kinder Abell (AM Class) interviews 4:00-7:45 pm
Friday, November 5th-
- First Friday Coffee - Come for a fresh cup of Tim's coffee!
- Final Read-a-Thon reveal at 2:30pm in the Gym
Wednesday, November 11--> Friday, November 13 -
- no school (Fall break)
- Our Bucket Filler Celebration will take place Monday, October 26th, in the school gym beginning at 12:45 . Thanks for coming out to support our fantastic students! This Monday is also our school spirit day. Dress up as your favourite book character. (Please note, it is no longer crazy hair day as was stated earlier in the month. Sorry for any confusion!)
- Show and Share for the last week of October continues to be "the most important thing" about an object. Please encourage your child to talk about what their item looks like feels like, as well as what it is used for. Of all these descriptors, which is the most important thing someone needs to know about that item in order to guess what it is. Some children are still trying to trick their classmates by giving ambiguous clues such as colour or features which many objects may possess.
- Although we want our students to READ at home EVERY DAY, I am especially encouraging students to continue "reading to self" or "listening to reading" during the final week of our Read-a-thon. Please continue to support your child's love of reading and enter them into the class draw for free Scholastic book certificates by recording their reading minutes on the sheet provided at the beginning of the campaign. Can't find their sheet... simply track their reading minutes each day in their agenda. Congratulations to all students whose names have already been drawn. Four more winners will be drawn on the last Friday in October. More info will also follow regarding our fundraising wrap up and total funds generated. Please send your child's sponsorship money to school as soon as possible so they can
- This Friday, October 30, we will celebrate Halloween a little early, by either dressing up in black and orange clothing, or coming to school in costume. Please ensure costumes are "child/school appropriate. No scary costumes please. Thank you to parents who have volunteered to to bring in supplies or help with a station during our party. The success of this day depends upon volunteers like you! Thanks in advance!
- AM Parents: Please note that with our short school week, busy crafts and options, the morning Kindergarten class did not get a chance to do their show and share on Wednesday or Thursday, therefore we will ensure that everyone gets to have their turn on Friday morning. Sorry to ask everyone to send their item a second time. We'll be back on track next week! Thanks for understanding!
- From the office... We are participating in a battery drive this year for a chance to win $1,000 towards an Environmental Project at our school! Please collect and drop off all your batteries to your child's teacher and they will put them into our collection bins. Thanks! This battery drive ends in early December. Also, the KA-PM Kindergarten class is still in need of a second Parent Rep for School Council. Please consider volunteering a few hours of your time to this volunteer position. Thanks!
- Please keep sending the same type of Show & Share for the entire month of October. We will have a new theme each month. The kids are doing a great job sharing the "most important thing" about their objects! Thanks for rehearsing this with them at home. Feel free to send their object in any type of bag. I know the paper ones don't hold up well.
- SORRY Folks! We had such a busy day on Friday that I forgot to send home the small lunch bags for show and share!!! Ooops! Mrs. Abell :-0
Welcome to a new month!
The students and I cannot believe that September has already come and gone! We are having so much fun learning and playing together! Much of September was spent familiarizing everyone with classroom rules and routines as well as developing social and self-help skills. Thanks so much for encouraging your children to carry their own backpacks and master self-help skills such as putting on shoes and jackets independently. This will go a long way in helping the children dress themselves in the upcoming winter months. Many students have already mastered beginning and end of the day routines such as changing their shoes, finding their locker, hanging up their jacket, taking out their snack bag and water bottle, placing their agenda and/or library book in the appropriate bins and finding their name plates during table top activities. Students have learned to wash up before and after snack, open many of their own snacks using our "snack scissors" and put away all of their own garbage when they are done eating. Students pick up and deliver their own work to their mailboxes and pack their own bags at the end of the day. Most can zip up their own zippers, exchange their shoes and then fasten them up independently. We couldn't be more proud of them; we hope you are too! Please encourage them to continue doing all of these chores for you at home as well. This is a great time to piggy back onto these skills and have them start to clear their own plate after dinner or pick up and sort their own laundry into colours!
In addition to starting our Jolly Phonics early literacy program, we have been learning how to read, write and of course count objects to 10. We sort and pattern objects daily and are learning to subitize the sides of a die; automatically knowing the value of the die without having to count the individual dots on each face.
In September we practiced a fire drill with the morning class. October is Fire Safety and Prevention month. Most likely we will be having another fire drill soon. Please make sure your child is dressed for the weather each day. Please also practice fire drills at your home to ensure your child knows 2 ways out of your home as well as where your meeting place is. In addition to fire drills, we will be practicing emergency lockdowns and shelter in place. More info to follow next month!
This past Tuesday, the Speech and Language Pathologist assigned to our school, Heather Loov, came and did a lesson on identifying the main ideas of a story, picture or object. After reading the story The Important Book, by Margaret Wise Brown, we placed ordinary objects into a paper bag and told students "the most important thing" they needed to know about it. From this one clue, students tried to guess what was in the bag. Sometimes the most important thing to know was what it looked like. Other times it was most important to describe how it felt. In some instances, the most important thing was what it was used for. Students did a great job being detectives and guessed the contents of our bags quite easily. Examples of ordinary objects used were scissors, a spoon, a glue stick, water, a feather and a book. After going through several examples from the book, individual students started identifying "the most important thing" we had to know about a mystery object in a bag.
As an extension of this fun activity, and as our first "Show and Share" assignment, I am sending home a paper bag with each student this weekend. Please help them find an ordinary, common object (not a toy) that can easily fit in the bag. Please send it to school on your child's assigned Show and Share day. See if your child can independently name the most important thing about that object. If this is difficult for them, please provide the clue for them and try to have them rehearse saying it to you.
This year's Show and Share Schedule will be as follows:
A.M. Class P.M. Class
Monday: Alexa Angelina
Ayla Cameron
Brooke Cassidy
Tuesday: Cameron Emily
Cooper Emma
Declan Ethan C.
Wednesday: Emily Ethan K.
Evan L. James
Evan O. Louis
Gavin
Thursday: Kalena Lundyn
Keaton Mason
Levi Mya
Lucas Nash
Friday: Nate Olivia
Nihaar Serena
Owen Shylo
Sydney Sophia
Here are a few quick reminders about classroom rules and routines:
on Wednesday mornings, as our IT support staff member who works at our school on this morning is
severely allergic to it.
Here are some things to look forward to:
The students and I cannot believe that September has already come and gone! We are having so much fun learning and playing together! Much of September was spent familiarizing everyone with classroom rules and routines as well as developing social and self-help skills. Thanks so much for encouraging your children to carry their own backpacks and master self-help skills such as putting on shoes and jackets independently. This will go a long way in helping the children dress themselves in the upcoming winter months. Many students have already mastered beginning and end of the day routines such as changing their shoes, finding their locker, hanging up their jacket, taking out their snack bag and water bottle, placing their agenda and/or library book in the appropriate bins and finding their name plates during table top activities. Students have learned to wash up before and after snack, open many of their own snacks using our "snack scissors" and put away all of their own garbage when they are done eating. Students pick up and deliver their own work to their mailboxes and pack their own bags at the end of the day. Most can zip up their own zippers, exchange their shoes and then fasten them up independently. We couldn't be more proud of them; we hope you are too! Please encourage them to continue doing all of these chores for you at home as well. This is a great time to piggy back onto these skills and have them start to clear their own plate after dinner or pick up and sort their own laundry into colours!
In addition to starting our Jolly Phonics early literacy program, we have been learning how to read, write and of course count objects to 10. We sort and pattern objects daily and are learning to subitize the sides of a die; automatically knowing the value of the die without having to count the individual dots on each face.
In September we practiced a fire drill with the morning class. October is Fire Safety and Prevention month. Most likely we will be having another fire drill soon. Please make sure your child is dressed for the weather each day. Please also practice fire drills at your home to ensure your child knows 2 ways out of your home as well as where your meeting place is. In addition to fire drills, we will be practicing emergency lockdowns and shelter in place. More info to follow next month!
This past Tuesday, the Speech and Language Pathologist assigned to our school, Heather Loov, came and did a lesson on identifying the main ideas of a story, picture or object. After reading the story The Important Book, by Margaret Wise Brown, we placed ordinary objects into a paper bag and told students "the most important thing" they needed to know about it. From this one clue, students tried to guess what was in the bag. Sometimes the most important thing to know was what it looked like. Other times it was most important to describe how it felt. In some instances, the most important thing was what it was used for. Students did a great job being detectives and guessed the contents of our bags quite easily. Examples of ordinary objects used were scissors, a spoon, a glue stick, water, a feather and a book. After going through several examples from the book, individual students started identifying "the most important thing" we had to know about a mystery object in a bag.
As an extension of this fun activity, and as our first "Show and Share" assignment, I am sending home a paper bag with each student this weekend. Please help them find an ordinary, common object (not a toy) that can easily fit in the bag. Please send it to school on your child's assigned Show and Share day. See if your child can independently name the most important thing about that object. If this is difficult for them, please provide the clue for them and try to have them rehearse saying it to you.
This year's Show and Share Schedule will be as follows:
A.M. Class P.M. Class
Monday: Alexa Angelina
Ayla Cameron
Brooke Cassidy
Tuesday: Cameron Emily
Cooper Emma
Declan Ethan C.
Wednesday: Emily Ethan K.
Evan L. James
Evan O. Louis
Gavin
Thursday: Kalena Lundyn
Keaton Mason
Levi Mya
Lucas Nash
Friday: Nate Olivia
Nihaar Serena
Owen Shylo
Sydney Sophia
Here are a few quick reminders about classroom rules and routines:
- All students should be bringing a small bottle of water to drink throughout the day and with snack. In addition to water, they can bring a 100% fruit juice drink on Tuesdays or a dairy drink on Thursdays. I cannot stress enough the importance of getting our kids to drink small sips of water with their snack as well as throughout the day. Even the most reluctant water drinkers start to request water as their refreshing drink of choice if home and school continue to offer and encourage its consumption. Please support us as we try to instill this healthy habit by sending water with your child each day. Thanks!
- Every Wednesday is library day. Please have your child return their book on or before this day. Please also place their library book in the main pocket of their backpack so it is easier for them to see. The old adage "out of sight, out of mind" really holds true here. It is hard for the children to remember to return their book if they cannot see it in plain sight. Unfortunately, we also do not have time to go searching through every pocket of every backpack. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation in this regard!
- Please read snack labels carefully! This year, our allergens to avoid or keep out of the classroom are peanuts, tree nuts and eggs. (Eggs are o.k. in individual snacks, but must be listed as an ingredient on any snack that is going to be shared.) Snacks containing peanuts and tree nuts will be sent back home for your child to eat after school. It is surprising where you can find these ingredients; please read labels carefully . We will do our best to read labels as a second line of defense and protection for our students, however it is difficult for us to read a class set of them in a short period of time, so I am asking for your cooperation in this regard. Thank you!
on Wednesday mornings, as our IT support staff member who works at our school on this morning is
severely allergic to it.
Here are some things to look forward to:
- Friday, Oct. 2 - First Friday Coffee sponsored by School Council. Come join other parents and staff for a free piping hot cup of Tim Hortons coffee! Hosted in the school's main foyer. 8:30-9:00 a.m.
- Monday, Oct. 5 - Embedded P.D. Day - early start and dismissal; 8:45-11:15; 11:50-2:22
- Tuesday, Oct. 6 - School Council Meeting in the Learning Commons; 7:00-8:00 p.m. Both K-Abell Kindergarten classes are in need of a second Class rep to share duties. Thanks to Donovan M. and Jennifer F. for volunteering to be a rep for each of our classes. Please see Mrs. Abell as soon as possible if you are able to help fill either of these positions. Many hands make for light work! Thanks!
- Thursday, Oct. 8 - Thanksgiving Mass - The morning class will be participating in a school mass in the gym at 10:00 a.m. All families are welcome to attend. Students from the afternoon class are welcome to attend the mass with their families independently. Afternoon students will come at their usual time on this day.
- Thursday, Oct. 8 - Picture Orders Due
- Friday,Oct. 9 - School "Turkey Trot" (more info to follow)
- Monday, Oct. 12 - Thanksgiving long weekend - No School
- Monday, Oct. 19 - Embedded P.D. Day - early start and dismissal; 8:45-11:15; 11:50-2:22
- Monday, Oct. 19 - Federal Election voting station in the gym all day
- Friday, Oct. 23 - No School - Division Professional Development Day
- Monday, Oct. 26 - Embedded P.D. Day - early start and dismissal; 8:45-11:15; 11:50-2:22
- Monday, Oct. 26 - "Crazy Hair" School Spirit Day
- Monday, Oct. 26 - Bucket Filler Assembly (12:45 in the gym)
- Thursday, Oct. 29 - October Class Birthday Celebration (p.m. class only) Happy Birthday wishes go out to Louis and Shylo this month!
- Friday, Oct. 30 - "Black & Orange" School Spirit Day and Halloween Centres (extra parent helpers will be needed on this day. Watch for signup lists which will be posted on the parent bulletin boards outside of the classroom. )
Our August and September "Birthday Celebration" will be held this Wednesday, September 30 for both classes. Happy birthday to Declan, James and Lundyn who celebrated birthdays on these months! Please send a snack to school on this day as per usual. Students will also receive a small birthday treat and drink of juice.
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KINDERGARTEN PAPERWORK that will be coming home. TO BE RETURNED:
- ECS Transportation Agreement
- Global Field Trip Consent
- Student Update Forms
- Transportation Waiver Form (only needed for students taking the bus to/from school)
- Website Permission Form (to post video and/or pictures on teacher/school website)
- Book Orders (if ordering) Due: Wednesday, September 23rd