The first week of 2012-13 has been a great success. We are excited to be back and have many exciting plans for the coming year.
Each week, we will try to post 10 Things to Talk About from the week. We were inspired by a post on The Wejr Board and think it’s a great way of communicating with families and for giving some prompts for things you can ask your son or daughter about school.
1. This week students brought home a permission form for Bowling at The Zone. We are going on Tuesday September 18th in the afternoon. It will be a team building activity for the Yellow Team. We are still looking for drivers, so if you are able to get your drivers abstract and forms submitted it would make this trip a lot easier. If we don’t have enough drivers, some students will be traveling by public transit. You can find the link for the forms here.
2. This year Ms. Abbot and Ms. Moody are doing an experiment with the physical set up of our classrooms. We have been looking at self-regulation research and talking with other educators who have been experimenting with alternatives to desks. This year, students will be working at tables and will either have a drawer or a bin at the side of the room to store some of their supplies. We have noticed already that there is much more room in the classroom without desks. We will post more information as the year progresses about how it works and more about why the research says it might be beneficial.
3. Students have had a short orientation to the class website, this blog and Edmodo. Students have been encouraged to show their parents the class website and this blog. We will give them more information and log-in’s for Edmodo once we have more of the waiver forms returned.
4. On Friday, we had our first assembly. Miss Tambellini reviewed some of the school expectations. Some of the highlights: if students arrive at school before 8:20am and would like to wait in the building they must wait in the art room; the first bell rings at 8:20am and students are expected in class by 8:35am; when the weather is not wet, student will be encouraged (and often) expected to be outside during nutrition break and lunch break.
5. At the assembly, students also heard about several opportunities to be involved in the school community. Fall athletics will include Swim Club (with Mrs. McMillian), a Triathlon (hosted by Scott Creek – see Ms. Trieu for registration), Cross Country (with Mr. Betts), and Volleyball. Clubs being offered will include: Environmental – Earth Club which is being started by MACC students from their sustainability projects last year; Model UN Club (coming in term 2); Me to We Club (with Ms. Ngo); Yearbook Club (with Ms Chan & Mrs. McMillian); Odyssey of the Mind (Ms. Abbot is coordinating); and the possibility of a Robotics Club. Information about sign ups and meeting times will be on the daily announcements.
6. Band and Choir will begin this week. Beginning Band Rental Night is on Wednesday evening and there will be an important meeting at nutrition break on Monday for all Beginning Band students. Advanced Band, Girls Choir and Boys Choir will also start this week. Advanced Band meets Mondays & Wednesdays 7:45-8:30am. Boys Choir meets Tuesdays 7:45-8:30am. Girls Choir meets Thursdays 7:45-8:30am.
7.Miss Tambellini and Mr. Gilligan are holding auditions for morning announcement readers. Students will need to meet during nutrition break on Monday.
8. This week students have had PE everyday with all the students in Yellow Team. The students are getting to know the other students on the team through four-square, soccer, shooting hoops, playing Manhunt and hanging out on the playground. During the coming week, students will be starting Math, French, Health and Career Ed (HCE) and PE. Students will be required to have their PE strip at school.
9. Please double check with your son or daughter to make sure that they have given you copies of all the current forms. There was: a student information verification form; an emergency release information form; pg. 13 from the planner; a permission from for photos and walks in Mundy Park; Student Activity Fees $35; MACC Information Form can be filled out online here; Edmodo & MACC Expectation Form.
10. During Team Time on Friday, we participated in an activity called “Nobody Nose”. The challenge was to build a “nose” off a students nose using only newspaper and tape. The nose could only be supported by the body. The goal was to see which group could make the longest nose (measured from the nose to the place where it touched the ground).
