Weekly Update Feb. 8th - Feb. 15th

Last week turned out to be a busy week despite the fact that it was a short week.  Here are some of the highlights from the week.

Monthly Assembly ~

This month at our assembly we had two special guests.  

Our first guest was our Black Gold School Trustee, Mrs. Eilander, who attended the assembly so as to present some of our talented students with Bus Safety Poster Awards. The winners of this year's bus safety poster contest were:  Megan G, Kylie T, Eryn R, and Erika O

Congratulations!!

Our second guest was Sarah Russell from the Leduc County FCSS.  Mrs. Russell came out to speak to the students about Family Day Unplugged which is happening Monday, February 15th.  All students were given a form where they can draw a picture showing what they did to Unplug on Family Day.  They can then submit their form at the school office to be entered in a draw. 

Student of the Month Winners ~

Fairness was the character trait that we were focusing on in the month of January.  Students learned that "fair" is not about everyone getting the same, but about everyone getting what they need in order to succeed.

Congratulations to the following students for demonstrating fairness:

Spencer D - Kindergarten                    Madison M - Gr. 3

Emily P - Kindergarten                        Aron M - Gr. 4

Abigail C - Gr. 1                                 Cody I - Gr. 5

Eryn R - Gr. 2                                     Erika O - Gr. 6

Eva M - Gr. 3                                      Leah B - Gr. 6

Golden Garbage Can Award ~

Congratulations to the Gr. 3/4 class for being the recipients of the Golden Garbage Can Award.  Your tidyness finally paid off.  Keep up the great job!

Family Literacy Day ~

Thank you to all the families that participated in Family Literacy Day on Jan. 27th.
Showing your child the importance of reading is the key to their success.
Think of all the obstacles we would struggle with if we couldn't read. Keep family reading in your daily activities,  just 15 minutes a day can improve a 

child’s literacy skills dramatically. Family Day Unplugged is a good opportunity to sit down and READ!!

A Busy Week Ahead ~

Swimming Lessons ~

Swimming lessons for all students begin this week.   The Gr. 3 - 6 students will be swimming on Tuesdays and the K - Gr. 2 will be swimming on Thursdays.  Please remember to send swimsuits and towels.  Parents if you are going to the pool to watch your child's lesson, you may want to take a pair of flip flops with you as outdoor footwear is not allowed in the pool.

Family Skate Day Cancelled ~

It appears that Mother Nature does not want to cooperate with us this week.  Due to the above average warm weather the skating rink is looking more like swimming pool.  By the afternoon the ice is not in good skating condition.  Therefore we will be cancelling our Family Skate Afternoon that was to be held on Friday, February 12 at 2:00 p.m.  We are sorry for any inconvenience.

Family Day Holiday ~                

There is no school Monday, February 15th as it is Family Day.  All families are encouraged to Unplug for the day or at least part of the day. If you are looking for something to do this day, there are many free activities in and around Edmonton on Family Day.  Also you do not require a fishing license to go fishing on family day.

Weekly Update ~ Feb. 1st - Feb. 5th

Welcome February ~

This year we have an extra day in February as it is a leap year.  Even with the extra day, February seems like such a short month.  It always seems like there are a lot of days away from the school.  

Random Acts of Kindness ~

This month at school we are focusing on Acts of Kindness.  Each day on announcements the students are challenged to do a specific act of kindness.  Students are encouraged to complete as many of the daily challenges as possible.  Students have also been filling other student's buckets with compliments during Leadership class.  Throughout the month of February, students are encouraged to continue to fill other people's buckets.  Each day some of the bucket fillers will be read on the announcements.  

Beach Day ~

Last Tuesday, January 26th, the school spirit day was beach day. The nice weather outside almost made it seem like beach weather.  Here are some pictures of the students and staff in their beach attire.

Week at a Glance ~

Wednesday, Feb. 3rd ~

Assembly ~ Our whole school assembly will be at 1:20.  The students will be presented with the Student of the Month Certificates, a class will be presented with the Golden Garbage Can Award, Sara Russell from the FCSS will be here to talk about the Family Day Unplugged and Mrs. Eilander will be here to make a presentation to the bus safety poster contest winners. Students will also have a short presentation on the February character trait - Persistence. This character trait ties in closely with the Leader In Me habit # 3 - Put Firsts Things First.  

Early Dismissal ~  Students will be dismissed at 2:30.

Movie NIght ~ The Parent Association is hosting a free Movie Night.  The feature         movie is 'Muppets Most Wanted'.  The doors open at 6:00 and the movie begins at         6:30.  There will be a concession with popcorn and candy bags.  Please remember         that all children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.  Movie Theatre       etiquette applies.

Thursday, Feb. 4th & Friday, Feb. 5th ~ 

Teachers' Convention - There is no school for students as the teachers will be attending ATA sponsored Teachers' Convention in Edmonton.   The teachers have an  opportunity to learn new skills and ideas to use in their classrooms.

  

Addition to Weekly Update

Upcoming Anxiety Workshops ~

I wanted to comment that in addition to the upcoming anxiety workshop for parents, Mrs.Sekora has a fabulous book in the library call Drop The Worry Ball by Alex Russell and Tim Falconer.  I had the opportunity to hear Dr.Russell speak at our last teacher's convention.  His message was very down to earth and full of valuable insight.  His book sums up the message that I heard at convention.

An article in the Toronto Star says "first, drop your worry ball, as the title of his new book suggests.  If you put it down, then the kids can pick it up.  And that means they can take over worrying about the stuff in their lives that is truly their own responsibility."

You are probably asking yourself how having students take responsibility relates to anxiety.  As Dr. Russell explains, if we do everything for our children, then when they do have to move away or take on their own responsibility they can become overly anxious. Therefore in our attempt to help our children we are actually creating other issues for them.

If you would like to borrow the book, please stop by the library when Mrs. Sekora is at our school and she will gladly sign it out for you.  Mrs. Sekora's hours are:  Wednesday afternoons and all day Thursdays and Fridays.

Weekly Update ~ Jan. 25th - Jan. 29th

Girls' Basketball Tournament ~

The Girls' Basketball Team played in their final tournament this past weekend.  The girls started out the tournament by playing the other teams in their pool.  They won their first game against Willow Park and lost their second game to Calmar.  The girls then played Saturday morning against Caledonia Park School.  Despite their best efforts, they ended up losing that game and being eliminated from the tournament.  The girls need to be proud of their efforts and hard work.  They have really grown as a team this year.  Well done ladies!

Also, a special thank you to Mrs. LaGrandeur for volunteering her time to coach the team again this year.  It is truly appreciated!

Family Literacy Day ~

Wednesday, January 27th is Family Literacy Day.  Try to carve out at least 15 minutes to read a book or engage in other literacy related activities.  Check out the following link for some ideas of activities to do with your child that incorporate literacy. 

 http://abclifeliteracy.ca/fld/15-minutes-of-fun 

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world.  

Love of books is best of all."

~ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Accountability Pillar Survey ~

Every year Alberta Education send out surveys to all of the parents of Grade Four students so as to give the parents a voice on issues impacting education at a school, district, and provincial level.  This year Alberta Education has made some changes for small school less than 150 students.  This year the survey will be mailed out to all parents of students in gr. 4-6.  

Please take the time to fill out the survey and return it to Alberta Education.  At the school level we use that information to drive our school goals and programs.  Our #1 priority at the school is to provide the best learning environment for your child.

All students from Gr. 4-6 and teaching staff will be completing the surveys as well.  These are done on-line at school.

Staff Planning and Development Day ~

This Friday, Jan. 29th the teachers will be participating in a staff planning and development day.  Our focus will be on Literacy with a particular focus on strategies to use when conferencing with students about their reading.  One of the District's Learning Coaches, Jolene Vandermeulen, will be presenting some of these strategies.  In the afternoon the teachers will  collaborate to analyse which strategies would be most relevant for their students.  

Weekly Update Jan. 18th ~ 23rd

My apologies for being a bit late with the update.  I wanted to wait until I had some pictures from the Boys' Basketball tournament this past weekend.  

2015-2016 Boys' Basketball Team ~

The boys had a wonderful weekend and they did very well in the tournament.  On Friday they won two games and lost one.  They came in second place in their pool.  Then on Saturday they tied one game and lost one game.  They ended up finishing 5th out of twelve teams.  It was great to see how much the team had grown since the beginning of the season. All of the boys played wonderfully.  They have a great deal to be proud of.

Thanks to all the parents that drove players to the games throughout the season and to all of the parents that were such dedicated fans.  I know it means a lot to the boys to have you in the stands cheering them on.

Also, thanks to Mr. Porter for coaching the team this year.  It is a big commitment and Mr. Porter did a great job!

                                    

The Skating Rink ~

The students have been making good use of the skating rink.  They are excited for lunch recess so that they can lace up their skates and go out on the ice.  Some of the classes have also been using it during their Phys. Ed. class.  We are very fortunate to have the rink right on the school property.

Thanks again to all the parents and grandparents that have donated their time to maintain the rink.  The staff and students at the school really appreciate your efforts!

The Girls' Basketball Team's Final Tournament ~

The girls' basketball team will be playing their final tournament in Calmar this weekend.  They have also shown a great deal of growth and improvement this season.  The girls will be playing on Friday and Saturday.  All games will be played at Calmar Elementary School.

Friday, January 22nd

2:00 p.m against Willow Park

3:10 p.m. against Calmar Elem.

Saturday, January 23rd

The times for the games on Saturday will depend on how they place on Friday.  The first game could be as early as 8:30 if they come in first place in their pool or as late as 10:50 if they come in third place in their pool.

We wish the girls the best of luck in the tournament!

Parent Workshops ~

Thorsby Elementary school is hosting a workshop on Children & Adolescents with Anxiety on February 16th from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. at their school.  For more information on this workshop and how to register please go to the homepage of our website @ nhcs.blackgold.ca. There is also information regarding other workshops put on by Alberta Health Services on our website.  All workshops are free!

Weekly Review Jan. 11th - 15th

Most everyone survived the first week back after Christmas vacation.  It was great to hear all of the student's stories about time spent with family and friends.

Student of the Month ~

This month's focus is Fairness - 

     "Fair isn't everyone getting the same thing.  
Fair is everyone getting what they need in order to be successful."

This theme ties in nicely with habit # 5 ~ Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.  By trying to understand other people's perspectives or where they are coming from can help you to understand why things may not always be equal.  

Congratulations to our Student of the Month Winners for Self-discipline:

                   ECS ~ Grayson H.                           Gr. 4 ~ Kianna L. & Walker H.

                   Gr. 1 ~ Jarret A.                            Gr. 5 ~ Brayden L.

                   Gr. 2 ~ Madison P.                         Gr. 6 ~ Walker W.

                   Gr. 3 ~ Nikolas D.

Golden Garbage Can Award ~

Congratulations to the kindergarten class.  They were the neat and tidy recipients for December.  Great Job!!!

Boys' Basketball Tournament ~

Mr. Porter has received the schedule for the Boys' Basketball Tournament taking place on Friday, Jan. 15th and Saturday, Jan. 16th.  The tournament will take place at Ecole Dansereau Meadows School in Beaumont.  

The Friday's schedule is as follows:

                4:10 p.m. against Willow Park School

                4:50 p.m. against Warburg School

                6:10 p.m. against Linsford Park School

Saturday games for the boys could begin at 11:40.  The Saturday game schedule will depend on how they place on Friday.  

Skating Equipment ~

We are in search of any CSA helmets.  If you know of anyone that may have helmets that are no longer of use to their family and they would be willing to donate them to the school, we will gladly accept them.  It would be great to have a few extra helmets at the school.

Inclement Weather ~

Being that it is January, the snow has started to fly and the temperatures have dropped, I just wanted to remind families that any bus cancellations will posted on the Black Gold website.  An alert will also be sent out to you prior to 7:00 a.m. by both voice mail and text message.  The school would remain open.  

  

Weekly Update - Jan. 4th - 8th

Happy New Year and Welcome Back! 

I hope that everyone had a wonderful break with plenty of opportunities to get together with family and friends. I know that I sure had a very restful and relaxing holiday.  With the exception of basketball happening this month, 

January should be a relatively quiet month. Therefore with New Year's resolutions on everyone's minds, it is a great time to make school work a focus.  Teachers can set the tone for the students by increasing their expectations and using this valuable, uninterrupted time to provide opportunities for meaningful, engaging learning.  Parents can help out by setting aside some quiet time for their child to read and/or review concepts that are being taught in class.

Food Bank Donations ~

Thank you to everyone for your donations to the Food Bank at the Christmas Concert.  We collected 81 pounds of food and $25.00 dollars.  Your generosity is greatly appreciated.  

Library News ~

Thank you for supporting our 2015 Book Fair!

This year, Mrs. Sekora decided to give the Book Fair proceeds back to the students.  She drew 24 extra winners for the gift draw.  All the student winners picked a prize from the book fair.  

Congratulations goes to:

Gift Draw

Maddy M. x2                                   Ryder                                         Megan G.

Colten x2                                       Kobe                                          Jamieson x2

Lucas                                             Garrett                                      Sydney

Brett                                              Dylan F.                                    Cassadi x2

Madison P.                                      Abigayle M.                               Abigail C. x2

Brianna x2                                      Jakob                                        Joseph

Chelsea       

Count How Many Contest = 142                      

Closest guess was Jessielyn with 150

Family Name Draw

Colby B.

Skating Rink ~

Thank you so much to Darren Glubish and Travis Larson who flooded the rink over the Christmas Break.  The rink is now ready to be used.  Students are welcome to skate at lunch recess providing that they can get their skates on by themselves or have arranged for a buddy to help them.  They also need to have a CSA approved hockey helmet. Bicycle helmets would not fit into this category.

School Council - PTA Meeting ~

Don't forget that tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 5th, there will be a School Council and PTA meeting. The meeting will start at 6:00 pm.  We hope to see you there!

Basketball ~

Basketball will be wrapping up this month.  Both the girls' and boys' teams have two more games before their tournaments.  Both teams play against Willow Park School on Tuesday, Jan. 5th at Willow Park School in Leduc and then against Warburg School on Tuesday, Jan. 12th in Warburg.  

The boys' final tournament is on Jan. 15th and 16th at Ecole Dansereau Meadows School in Beaumont.  Mr. Porter will let the boys know the game times once he receives them.

The girls' final tournament in on Jan. 22nd and 23rd at Calmar Elementary in Calmar.  Mrs. LaGrandeur will let the girls know the times they are scheduled to play once she receives that information.

Good luck to both teams as they wrap up their season!