le 3 mai 2021, Jour 8

Two things popped up today that I wish to address, as I feel these things might be a stressor for many of you:

• Unfinished work. On Fridays, I will email the students a summary of the work they have left to complete. I put deadlines on everything so that they will be marked as "Missing" on your child's Google Classroom, making it easier to find them. Please note: anything "Missing" from before April DOES NOT NEED TO BE COMPLETED. Things that they did online in January were reported on for Term 1, so there is no need to worry about them.

• Resubmitting work. Typically when we are at school, I continously provide feedback to kids about their work as they are doing it. They will tell me they are done, I will glance over it, provide some feedback, things they missed/needed more help with etc. and then they continue working. Because we are working remotely, I cannot do that. The only way for me to provide feedback for them is for it to be submitted, returned and submitted again. There is no shame in resubmitting a task after having feedback, once, twice, three times... it doesn't matter to me. What is most important is that the kids understand what they are doing and are able to make the appropriate modifications to be successful.

Enjoy your Monday evening!

le 30 avril 2021, Jour 7

Happy weekend 5C families! I hope everyone enjoys some non-tech time over the weekend. I look forward to seeing all the smiling faces again on Monday. The next time I see them...

It's gonna be May.

le 29 avril 2021, Jour 6

Just a note about technology - it is great when it works and it is 10/10 frustrating when it doesn't. I try my best to support tech-wise when we are in class, however I don't know the ins and outs of every device, so you may find that your child comes to you from time to time asking for help with tech. I appreciate all you are able to do to help them. Thank you.

le 28 avril 2021, Jour 5

A big thank you to those of you ensuring your kids are getting online each day and working through their tasks. One of the nice things about the digital format is that I can provide feedback in a more timely fashion. At school I have to leave work for three days before I mark it. It has been nice to return stuff to the kids in real time to help them improve a bit faster.

We continue tomorrow. A demain!

le 27 avril, 2021, Jour 4

Today we spent quite a bit of time during math working on decimals and how to round from the hundredths column to the tenths column. This concept has been a bit tricky this year as it was one of the "online" units for most of the Grade 4s last year and has taken a little extra nudging to bump them up.

Just a reminder that the kids will

le 26 avril, 2021, Jour 3

As promised, I will be posting here regularly again, so please check for announcements.

I realize there are a wealth of possible issues that arise with learning online. I've told the kids some of these things to keep in mind when they have problems:

• If they cannot hear during a Meet, leave the Meet and rejoin. That seems to work most of the time.

• If they are cut off or kicked out of the Meet, no problem. join again when possible.

• Internet works slowly sometimes - I know it happens to me. Encourage patience as much as possible. We are all trying to do our best.

le 1 avril, 2021, Jour 3

Today we learned that we WILL see you on Tuesday! The students were anxiously awaiting the big "announcement." We are all happy that we will be back and that April break will proceed as planned.

Happy weekend!

le 31 mars, 2021, Jour 2

Reminder to check the weather tomorrow and send the students to school dressed appropriately. I have already warned them that they will spend the regular amount of the day outside, so be prepared with winter items as necessary.

le 30 mars, 2021, Jour 1

There are no new announcements today. Enjoy the weather while it lasts!

le 29 mars, 2021, Jour 10

Welcome back to another week at school. I am so grateful to be able to BE with my class every day. I keep my fingers crossed that it stays this way!!

Just a quick reminder that this week and next week are both four day weeks. This week we will have no school on Friday, and next week Monday will also be off.

le 26 mars, 2021, Jour 9

Recently, we started a Decimals unit as well as the third Science strand of Forces and Structures. To open the unit, we reviewed the information the students would have learned in Grade 3 regarding how to build a strong structure. The kids reviewed that triangles make the strongest structures, and were given the task of building a "chair" strong enough and large enough to support the weight of my cell phone. At the end of the period today, we conducted tests to see if each student's chair was strong enough. Some of the students have opted to bring their marshmallow chairs home to show you. Everything is compostable, so when you have finished enjoying their work, please consider popping it in the compost.

Have a great weekend!

le 25 mars, 2021, Jour 8

My sincerest apologies - I realized today that I have neglected this page for the last few days. I think it has to do with the fact that we have no announcements! It is hard to believe that next week will be April. Last year we were all in limbo about what would happen or whether we would be going back to school. What a year it has been!

le 22 mars, 2021, Jour 5

What a beautiful start to the week! I can only hope the rest of the weather this week is similarly beautiful.

There are no announcements for today. Happy Monday!

le 18 mars, 2021, Jour 3

I'm really enjoying the creativity this Spirit Week has brought to the school. Tomorrow is the final day, with us celebrating BEACH DAY!

le 17 mars, 2021, Jour 2

Everyone did a fantastic job of wearing their sports gear today. I am excited to see the crazy mixes and matches of patterns and colours during Mismatch Day tomorrow!

le 16 mars, 2021, Jour 1

Our classroom certainly had a splash of colour today, with everyone wearing their favourite colours! I look forward to seeing the Jerseys and Activewear tomorrow!

Today we took a portion of our English Literacy time to discuss conflict resolution. We worked through three problems as a class, one personal, one large group, and one interpersonal. We maintained 3 rules: one person speaks at a time, may only use "I" statements, ask questions in response. The inital trial seemed to go well, with most of the issues discussed remaining resolved at the break.

le 15 mars, 2021, Jour 10

It was great to see everyone sporting their PJs today. I chose to rock my "morning mane" all day.

Tomorrow is Favourite Colour Day. I look forward to seeing all the different choices!

le 12 mars 2021, Jour 9

Happy weekend! Reminder that Monday is PJ Day. I told the kids I would rock my "morning mane" in celebration of the day.

I told my class how much appreciation I have for them today. They really are a great bunch and I am thankful that the year has brought us together.

le 11 mars, 2021, Jour 8

Apologies for my posting this week. The spirit days next week are as follows:

Monday, March 15: PJ Day

Tuesday, March 16: Favourite Colour Day

Wednesday, March 17: Jersey and Activewear Day

Thursday, March 18: Mismatch Day

Friday, March 19: Beach Day

As the past two weeks, tomorrow is again a spirit wear day!

le 5 mars, 2021, Jour 4

In order to bring something special to the non-March Break, our student council will be hosting spirit days each day between March 15-19. I will share the list of "special days" early next week so you have the chance to

Happy weekend 5C! Hopefully the weekend weather allows you to get outside with your families!

le 4 mars, 2021, Jour 3

Tomorrow (and most every Friday) will be Royals Day! Please send your child to school wearing their Royals clothing. If they do not have any spirit wear, the children are encouraged to wear the Royals colours of red, blue, yellow and black! Allons-y les Royals!

le 3 mars, 2021, Jour 2

There are no special announcements for today. Please take some time to enjoy the gorgeous day!

le 2 mars, 2021, Jour 1

Just a quick announcement regarding the spring weather. To reiterate an announcement I made last week, as the days start to get warmer, the snow melts and we have more rain, the kids are more likely to become muddy. Phys ed will still be held outside as frequently as possible, so I recommend students keep a change of clothes in their backpacks to change into should they become wet and muddy. Students should also plan to change their shoes as they have done all winter to prevent the extra mud in the school. Merci!

le 1 mars, 2021, Jour 10

Spring is just around the corner! While I tend to not like March much due to it's blustery, grey and unpredictable nature, at the very least there is the promise of spring. Here's hoping this March is a little more on the normal side than last March!

We will again be having a spirit wear day on Friday this week. Students are encouraged to wear their Royals gear, or anything else in the school colours of black, red, yellow or blue.

le 26 février, 2021, Jour 9

No big announcements for today. Today we did an experiment in science, and the kids had a fabulous time! Who knew melting freezies could be so much fun!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

le 25 février, 2021, Jour 8

Two announcements today:

• Tomorrow we are having a Jeanne Sauvé Spiritwear day! Students are invited to wear their Jeanne Sauvé gear to school. We will celebrate our school each Friday!

• We recieved word today that the gymnasium will be used moving forward for phys ed classes when the weather and/or conditions outside make outdoor phys ed difficult or impossible. Students will not share equipment, equipment will be sanitized after each use, and students will need to remain masked inside the gym. Both sides of the gym will be used, and students using the section furthest from the doors will travel through the storage room. Changerooms will not be in use.

le 24 février, 2021, Jour 7

Today was Pink Shirt Day! It was lovely to see the kids in support of the day with their clothing choices. We had a good discussion regarding bullying and what we can do to take steps to end bullying.

A quick note: the outside has gone from a winter wonderland to a soupy muck hole. Potentially consider sending spare pair of socks and pants to stay in your child's backpack. I am not particularly restrictive in what they are able to do when they are outside in terms of the mud and muck, so please talk with your child about what YOUR expectations are. I fully realize that I am not the one doing laundry for them!

le 23 février, 2021, Jour 6

MY MISTAKE. Pink Shirt Day is TOMORROW! I am so very sorry. I have no idea where I got it into my mind that it was Thursday, but I am grateful for those of you - both parents and students - who helped me see my error.

So.... Pink Shirt Day is tomorrow! We will be having the Youth Councillor in tomorrow in the first of a series of sessions to work with the students regarding the difficult social navigations kids start to experience in the Junior Grades.

Pink Shirt Day is tomorrow!

le 22 février, 2021, Jour 5

I just realized two things today: first, that I completely forgot to post on Friday, and that that I wrote the incorrect year all last week! I guess I don't quite have my "teaching legs" back quite yet.

The main announcement for today is that Thursday this week is Pink Shirt Day to draw attention to bullying in schools. Anything close to pink (i.e. red, orangey pink, salmon) will suffice.

le 18 février, 2020, Jour 3

Just a reminder that report cards come home today! You do not need to return any part of the reports. If you have any questions or concerns, you are welcome to email me and/or set up a time to chat.

le 17 février, 2020, Jour 2

It is hard to believe it has been two full months since I posted to this website. I am happy to be back and looking forward to the rest of the year!

le 18 décembre 2020, Jour 2

I wish you and your families a safe and happy holidays. I appreciate very much the gifts that I have recieved. I plan to open them on Christmas Day, after they have had a sufficient quarantine period. It is usually my custom to open them with the kids at school, but in order for them to pass the "safe" amount of time, I needed to wait. Since we cannot visit with family this year, I thought it might be fun to open my gifts from my school family at that time.

Thank you all for a wonderful year thus far. I look forward to seeing you in January! I wish you all a safe and happy break. Positive thoughts for January please!

le 17 décembre, 2020, Jour 1

Two announcements today, one short and one long.

• Tomorrow is Cozy Day! Students are invited to wear cozy warm clothes to school. Please keep any stuffies, blankets, or slippers at home.

• Tomorrow, students will be coming home with all of their personal items from school. This includes indoor shoes, pencil cases and head phones. Please take an inventory of your child's belongings to ensure they have everything they need, if anything needs to be replaced or if there is anything they feel they could benefit from having in the classroom. Depsite the announcement made yesterday about a potential school closure after the break, we have not received ANY communication that this is going to happen. Students will not be bringing home all their school materials.

le 14 décembre 2020 Jour 8

We are down to the final week of school! A quick reminder that Friday is Cozy Day. Students are allowed to dress in their coziest clothes. Unfortunatley, they may not bring slippers, blankets or stuffies. Looking forward to a toasty day!

le 11 décembre 2020, Jour 7

It is bonkers to think that next week is the last week before the holidays.

No announcements for today, though I do wish to share the art project we have been working on this week! We have been exploring form by making tin foil sculptures. I have shared a few photos of the finished project for you to see! We will also explore shadows next week by adding shadows to the bases.

Have a great weekend!

le 10 décembre 2020, Jour 6

I do not have any further announcements today. M Wolf was pleased again with the class yesterday, though it sounds like they were a bit chatty. I allowed them some flexibility to sit near a friend at the beginning of the month, with the expectation that they are able to follow expectations as necessary. Please remind your children that their first priority at school is learning, and so placement around the class should allow your child to learn their very best.

le 8 décembre 2020, Jour 4

As mentioned previously, I will be away again tomorrow to take time to help with my family. M. Wolf will be in again tomorrow as my supply. I hope to recieve another glowing report about their day.

My other announcement today is a reminder to send students wearing appropriate clothes for the weather. Phys Ed will continue to occur outside, as well as other subjects such as Drama and Dance where I need the students to move about a space. In the classroom, they must remain in their desk space, allowing for very little movement or expression. We have more flexibility when in our outdoor classroom space.

le 7 décembre 2020, Jour 3

Today was a lovely day - while still cold, I always appreciate the days when we can see the sun. My only reminder for today is that I ask you to ensure you send your child to school prepared to spend time outside. I will still plan on holding class outside for as long as possible occasionally, so please ensure your child is dressed appropriately daily. "There is no poor weather, just poor clothing choices."

le 4 décembre 2020, Jour 2

Announcements

• As the weather is muddier and because the students have lockers, please send a set of indoor shoes to school with your child. There has been quite a bit of mud in the classroom the last few days, and it really gets everywhere!

• There seems to have been some confusion around the school about WHEN cozy day is happening, as many students came to school today in their PJs! This spirit day will be the final day before the winter break - the 18th of December.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

le 3 décembre, 2020, Jour 1

Announcements

• Spirit Day update: We will be having a Cozy Day on the 18th of December. Students are welcome to wear their coziest clothes/pyjamas. Unfortunately, they will not be able to bring in any stuffies on this day.

I received a glowing report from my supply teacher yesterday. The students enjoyed having him as well. It is a good thing he will be my supply for the remaining days I have off before the holidays!

le 1 decembre, 2020, Jour 9

What a winter wonderland for the first day of December. While I tend to prefer the warmer weather, I do find December to be an appropriate month for snow, so I am ok with it.

Announcements for today:

• Students received lockers today. They may ONLY keep their winter clothes in them. There are no locks, no personalizations, and backpacks are still coming into the classroom. They approach the lockers in colour coordinated waves as to remain appropriately distanced. It is going to be quite the spectacular feat of choreography once it is all settled!

• The Movember initiative raised about $400 towards men's health. Thank you to those of you who made donations.

• As the snow has returned, please review with your child what is appropriate in terms of playing in and with the snow at school. It always seems to be a surprise during the first snowfall that we cannot throw snow at school.

le 30 novembre, 2020, Jour 8

What a dreary Monday. The kids have been cooped up and masked all day. Two announcements for today:

• Today is the last day to donate to our Movember team. Donations can be made through school cash online. Tomorrow we will see how much we raised, and whether or not we reached the goal of $500 towards men's health.

• In order to provide the best care for my family and for myself, I will be away from school each Wednesday for the remaining weeks leading up until the holidays. I will have the same supply for each day, and have already prepped the students for how these days will go. They will be assigned a project to complete that covers several subject areas, with the idea being that it will take the majority of the day to complete.

le 27 novembre, 2020, Jour 7

Happy weekend! Just two quick announcements for today:

• Please take a look at our Movember donation page on School Cash Online. Our male staff are raising money for men's health and growing some pretty impressive 'staches. There is a prize for the class with the greatest participation and the most money raised!

• Monday will be a moustache spirit day. Students are invited to wear their moustache gear, but are reminded that they still need to wear their masks!

le 26 novembre, 2020, Jour 6

Looking at my calendar today, I cannot believe that it is nearly December. It feels as though the school year is flying by! We are definitely feeling more like one class rather than three distinct parts now that we are on the same page with expectations and what we are working on. I am grateful to the Grade 5s for their patience, understanding and resiliency during this transition.

Announcements:

• Our male staff are raising money for Movember. The school goal is to raise $500 for men's health. Donations can be made through School Cash Online

• I have been noticing more and more toys coming to and from school. Just a quick reminder that we are minimizing the number of things that are brought between school and home. Therefore, please remind your child that books from home only make the trip to school on Monday and home on Friday, and any fidgets that they use must stay in their desks and not travel back and forth. Thank you for your diligence in this matter.

• I was absent yesterday in order to assist with some family matters. I have promised my class that if anything happens to my mum, I will be sure to tell them so they don't need to worry.

le 23 novembre, 2020, Jour 3

Now that I have settled into more of a routine with the Grade 5s, I will be able to post a quick note every day. Please ensure you are checking this website regularly for any important information.

I invited all of the students to Google classroom now. I will start using the computers more frequently this week. Please ensure your child has working headphones.

As the temperatures begin to drop, please ensure your child comes to school dressed to spend time outside. While phys ed classes will eventually transition to inside, I still prefer to do various activities and classes outside in order to provide the children a break from wearing their masks. It is better to be prepared for the weather than be unprepared and unable to join the class in an activity.

Wishing everyone a good week!

le 19 novembre, 2020, Jour 1

Bienvenue 5e année!

Welcome to all the Grade 5 families who are new to my class. This is where I will post all announcements and important information. Please check the website regularly as I try my best to post every day.

Today's announcements

• Progress reports went home today. If you are interested in an interview, you will need to book a time with the teacher who completed your child's progress report. The links to the Google form can be found on the school website.

• Phys Ed for this class are Days 2, 4, 6, and 8. I post the day of the cycle on this website each day.

I look forward to getting to know everyone!

le 12 novembre, 2020, Jour 6

By now, you have all recieved a phone call from the school with regards to the class reorganization that begins next week. As of Tuesday next week, I will no longer be 4/5C - but rather 5C. The grade fours will be moving into a separate straight Grade 4 class with Mlle Marchese. My class will be gaining Grade 5s, with a total of 18 students in total.

It breaks my heart to have to say goodbye to students with whom I have developed such a good rapport. It breaks my heart to say goodbye to the families as well who have been so supportive of me during the past few difficult weeks. I look forward to continuing with the fives and getting to know more of the JSV family.

Please know, Grade 4s, that I am always here for you to say hello. I will miss you terribly. You will be in good hands with Mlle Marchese.

le 11 novembre, 2020 Jour 6

Today we took time to remember those who have fought to keep us safe. The class had very good questions about the different wars in which Canadians have served. During Social Studies today, M Kitcher shared his own first hand experiences with the class about his time in Bosnia.

Announcements for today:

• Because M Kitcher chose to share his experiences with the class today during what would have been Phys Ed, he will have them outside for Phys Ed tomorrow. Please ensure your children are dressed appropriately

• The book fair is live! Please check out all the amazing things for sale!

• Donations for Movember continue on School Cash Online. Our goal is to raise $500 for mens health.

le 10 novembre, 2020, Jour 5

A few announcements for today:

• The book fair link will be active beginning tomorrow. The virtual book fair runs from November 11-20

• Tomorrow is Remembrance Day. While we cannot have a school get together, we will do a small ceremony as a class.

• Our male staff are participating in the yearly Movember fundraising effort. Donations can be made on School Cash Online. The goal is to raise $500 as a school for mens health.

• As I mentioned yesterday, homework is suspended for a bit. Right now my capacity to handle extra things is extremely diminished, and that includes marking weekly homework. I felt that since it wasn't fair to the kids if I couldn't mark their homework, I shouldn't assign it.

le 9 novembre, 2020, Jour 4

We have arrived at a fresh week. I'm reminded of a quote from Anne of Green Gables "It's nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it." Thank you again to those of you who have reached out. If I haven't responded yet, I will get there. I am so grateful for all of your kindness and well wishes. Basically, the doctors have a few ideas about what might be going on, but any procedure to diagnose for sure would be too invasive, and any treatment would involve surgery which Mum would not recover from quickly. They are mostly jusmt trying to keep her comfortable. Coming to school every day to see the kids is wonderful.

That being said, my mind is very full at the moment It is for this reason that I am going to suspend the homework program for a week or two. I did not make this decision before the end of the day, so the class doesn't know yet. I will post an announcement on Google Classroom. At this time I just cannot commit to marking and posting homework. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact me directly.

That is my only announcement for today. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

le 5 novembre, 2020, Jour 2

Good afternoon everyone. Thank you to those of you who reached out with well wishes and kind thoughts for my mum and me. The kids were so happy to see me today that they jumped up and down. They were all concerned about how she is doing. I was honest with them - she isn't doing well and that I feel sad. But at least the bleeding has stopped, even if they aren't sure what caused the bleed in the first place.

They were also very well behaved for the supply teachers while I was gone and I am so proud of them.

Just a quick reminder about two things:

• No toys or balls are currently allowed at school. Please remind your kids to keep these items at home.

• The virtual book fair will run from November 11-20. You can access the book fair at ttp://scholastic.ca/bookfairs/featuredbooks . Scroll all the way to the bottom for Junior/Intermediate books.

le 2 novembre, 2020, Jour 9

Happy November! Well, at least as happy as November can be. I tend to be a positive person in general, but if I had to pick, November is the worst month. Everything is dead, it's cold and grey and muddy. March is the second worst month, becuase it has all the characteristics of November except that it has the hope of spring.

This year we will not be able to host a Book Fair in the library. However, you will be able to attend a virtual book fair from November 11-20. Visit http://scholastic.ca/bookfairs/featuredbooks and scroll to the bottom for Junior/Intermediate books. Shipping is free to your home for orders over $35.

Just a quick personal announcement that I mentioned to the class before the end of the day: My mum has been admitted back into the hospital after having lost quite a bit of blood overnight while she was sleeping. I will be away tomorrow to visit her in the hospital during one of the day visitation periods. I know it throws kids off when their teacher is absent, so when I can I like to let them know in advance.

le 30 octobre, 2020 Jour 8

Next time I write you, it will be November, and the weather today was certainly November-esque! While we couldn't have a day like we have in the past to recognize Halloween, we tried at least to do the things we could.

My only announcement for today is that the Grade 4 homework for this week will not be required for Sunday night due to technical issues. I am going to continue to try to troubleshoot this weekend, but I know it is unfair to ask them to do it in such little time. Grade 5s still have their work though!

Have a safe and fun weekend, however you choose to spend it. See you Monday!

le 29 octobre, 2020, Jour 7

We have moved! We are now in a slightly larger space, with windows, and more control over the interior lights. Definitely for the best! The space is a bit odd in that it is quite long, but we are going to figure it out over the next couple of days.

One thing that will be changing is our break time. Due to supervision concerns, our breaks will be as follows

• First Break: 10:55-11:35am

• Second Break: 12:55-1:35pm

This means that we will be outside at the same time as the rest of the Grade 5 students. Good news for our Grade 5 friends; sad news for the Grade 4s.

Finally, please remember to send a photo of your child in their Halloween costume if they would like to share it tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it!

le 27 octobre, 2020, Jour 5

Just a few reminders today:

• Please send a photo of your child dressed in their Halloween costume to be shared on Friday. So far, I have recieved one photo.

• Friday is an orange and black spirit day.

• Students are asked not to wear their hats/hoods in the school. Please remind your child of this expectation.

• I will be away tomorrow, but will post any important information here.

le 23 octobre 2020, Jour 3

I wish everyone a wonderful weekend! There are no announcements to share. Hope you enjoy the beautiful weather today!

le 22 octobre, 2020, Jour 2

As I predicted, it is clear the kids are disappointed they won't be able to wear their costumes to school this Halloween. A few of them expressed a desire to wear "regular" clothes that were really a costume. I cannot control what the kids wear to school next Friday, but I continued to repeat that it was an orange and black spirit day. As that is the messaging to the rest of the school, I intend to reinforce that message with my class.

Please send me a photo of your child wearing their proper costume, and I will put together a slideshow to share next Friday.

le 21 octobre, 2020, Jour 1

Upon checking my email today after school, I have some news: we finally have a decision regarding Halloween activities. We will NOT be doing costumes at school, but rather a orange and black spirit day. This seems to make the most sense, as in this way we can ensure that no one will need to change their clothes throughout the day or require assistance from an adult. I know the kids will be disappointed they won't be able to share their costumes with the class.

As such, I WILL put together a slideshow, similar to the one I did earlier this year where students shared something important to them. If your child would like to share their costume with the class, please dress them up in their costume at home sometime before next Thursday. Take a photo and send it to me and I will ensure they share their costume with the class sometime on Oct 30.

I will also have some activities that can be completed safely at school for throughout the day of the 30th, so we will at the very least do something special.

le 20 octobre, 2020, Jour 10

Thank you to everyone who has already encouraged their children to complete their homework. I will continue to respond to questions from students after school for about an hour and a half each evening, and answer any later questions the next day. Since the homework will remain the same from week to week, the class will begin to understand the expectations more clearly with each assignment. I will also give them reminders each week about what I expect from them as I begin to notice patterns emerging in student work.

Just a reminder - if students are having a hard time signing in, check that they have added @students.dsbn.org to their username, and that they have spelled all of it correctly. There are quite a few typos with kids this age!

In math, both the Grade 4s and 5s are learning about mass and capacity. It is clear there are some gaps in this from the shut down period last year, so many of the activities have been conducted together thus far. The Grade 5s will begin to differentiate into their grade level tasks later this week.

le 19 octobre, 2020, Jour 9

Today is the day! We are beginning a weekly homework routine, beginning today. Each Monday, I will post a homework assignment for students to complete throughout the week in our Google Classroom. Students will be expected to submit their work before the following Sunday night at 11:59pm. I will mark and return their work digitally on Monday so they may review their work prior to beginning the next homework assignment.

I gave both the Grade 4s and 5s a brief tutorial on what I expect from them with regards to their tasks. I also told them that I expect there to be bumps along the way and that not everything is going to work the way I plan for it to. They will need your assistance for the first couple of weeks I imagine, learning the intricacies of the device they have available at home. Please remember - when students are logging in to our Google Classroom or their school email (Gmail) account, they will need to use their username (last name/first initial (or two letters in some cases) followed by the suffix @students.dsbn.org. If they have issues with their passwords signing in, encourage them to ask you for some help with the typing. Many times the password errors are due to spelling mistakes.

I will provide them with feedback each week to help them grow their French vocabulary, and expect to see their work improve over time.

Have a great day!

le 16 octobre, 2020, Jour 8

My apologies, I completely forgot to post yesterday. Two announcements moving into the weekend.

• Homework starts Monday after school. I will assign the homework in Google Classroom each week for them to complete.

• Halloween. I have already had some inquires regarding Halloween this year. The short answer is "I don't know" when it comes to costumes. I will have to let you know as I hear more from M Zeoli and Mme Peck. As I told the class today, I only know the things we CANNOT do, but have no list of things we CAN do.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

le 14 octobre, 2020, Jour 6

The big announcement today towards the end of the day is that our first fire drill will be tomorrow. I have prepared the kids that due to our COVID protocols, the whole school will not be doing the drill at the same time. Instead, the alarm will sound once first thing in the morning for everyone to hear. After that, at designated times, each class will sound a fire alarm on a device in their room and proceed with the fire drill procedure.

My second announcement today is with regards to our use of Google Classroom. Today I showed the students many of the features of Google Classroom, including how to view and submit assignments, as well as how to join a Google Meet meeting. In order to aid their learning and understanding of Google Classroom, we will be starting up with weekly homework using Google Classroom each week. Here is how the homework will work:

• Homework will be assigned on Monday at 4pm. Students will have the whole week to complete the assignment. Homework will be due each Sunday PM by 11:59pm.

• Grade 4s and 5s will not have the same activities for homework.

• Students will be expected to complete their homework entirely online. If they have questions, I expect them to use the "Private Comments" section of the assignment to ask me for assistance.

• Students will need to know their username and password for the school computer, and use these credentials to log into Google on a device at home.

• ALL USERNAMES MUST BE FOLLOWED BY: @students.dsbn.org

More information to follow regarding homework. Hope you all enjoy the lovely weather today!

le 13 octobre, 2020, Jour 5

Welcome to another week of Grade 4/5! I continue to enjoy learning about the students and watching them grow. One of our daily activities is to reflect on the day and the students are encouraged to keep a list of the things they learn each day. Learning how to reflect on what they learned has been quite a process for some of them. I encourage them to be specific - for example, they didn't learn "music" - what specifically in music did we talk about today?

I have no critical announcements for today. Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend!

le 9 octobre, 2020, Jour 4

As a small Thanksgiving activity, students made "Citrouilles de la Gratitude." Each student had separate materials at their desks to work safely. Ask your child what they are grateful for when they get home tonight! Some may wish to finish their word on their pumpkin as they may not have had time to do so at school. Please see below for some examples of our creations!

Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful weekend as a family. See you Tuesday!

le 8 octobre, 2020, Jour 3

Today was quite a topsy turvy day. Due to a shortage in supply teachers last week, I missed a few preparation periods which were paid back to me today. This meant that the students had a supply teacher for two surprise periods, as well as Media Literacy with M Kitcher. I appreciated the way they went with the flow well and adjusted to the changes in their routines.

Just a reminder that we do have school tomorrow, but Monday is a holiday.

Have a great day!

le 7 octobre, 2020, Jour 2

We continue to be super lucky with the weather. Other than having to do our rainy day entry procedure today, the kids were able to get outside for their breaks. Mother Nature has truly been on our side!

Announcements:

• If you are interested in purchasing Spirit Wear, please see the Big Bear Spiritwear website to order. You can order at any time, and orders will be dropped off periodically throughout the year.

• We HAVE school on Friday.

Have a great day!

le 6 octobre, 2020, Jour 1

Important announcements for today:

• As mentioned yesterday, there IS school on Friday, it is NOT a PD day as in previous years.

• Please continue to talk with your children at home about the importance of wearing masks inside. We don't want to have to go online if we don't have to.

Today I received a really awesome report from one of our EAs, Mme Carruthers about the students behaviour at recess. She told me they were all playing the same game as a big group at break, and even included her. She talked about how much fun it was! It has really been quite a pleasure to see the fours and fives become friends. I often see them doing the same activities before school and at break. I am so very proud of them!

le 5 octobre, 2020, Jour 10

Another week at school, and I am so happy we are still here! Please keep reminding your children the importance of following school protocols - it is what keeps us here!

Please be aware: This is a full week of school. Previous years, we have had PD day on the Friday before the Thanksgiving weekend, but we do not this year. Monday will be a holiday, and therefore no school.

Coming Soon to 4/5 C... Homework! In an effort to continue to build and develop time management, organization and responsibility in our students, I am currently working on the Homework program for this school year. It will all be digital, and I will be using the Google Classroom platform. I have introduced this platform to the students at school, and will continue to use it in the classroom on a semi-regular basis. HOWEVER - please be aware that the device they use at school and the device they use at home may not be the same, so they will likely need your assistance the first few times they complete their work. This will allow for a smoother transition should we find ourselves online at any point this school year.

Finally, I'd like to take a moment and wish you all a very Happy World Teacher's Day, in recognition of your hard work and patience last spring. We recognize all the effort you put in with your kids during the shut down period to help them continue their learning and stay safe and healthy. Bravo!

le 1 octobre, 2020, jour 8

"I'm so glad I live in a world with Octobers" - Anne of Green Gables

Welcome to October! I tend to prefer the warmth of summer overall, but I do quite love the colours of October! Watching the leaves change colours has to be one of the most beautiful aspects of life in Canada. Our Terry Fox run/walk today was during the most lovely part of the day with the sun shining and a light breeze.

Reminders:

• Tomorrow is Rowan's Law Day. Students are invited to wear purple in support of concussion awareness.

• Toonies for Terry is still on school cash online. Please consider making a donation in support of the Terry Fox Foundation.

• Attention Grade 4s: We will begin to use computers more frequently during class. Please ensure your child has headphones in their backpacks.

le 30 septembre, 2020, Jour 7

It was great to see all the students with their orange today! We spent much of the morning listening to stories from FNMI individuals regarding the residential schools. As the last residential school closed in 1996, the kids were surprised when I told them I would have been THEIR AGE (nine) at the time. It was a mind opener for all of us. I am excited to see their participation in tomorrow and Friday's special days!

Quick reminders:

• Tomorrow we will celebrate Terry Fox Day as a class. Toonies for Terry is available on School Cash Online. Please do not send toonies to school with your child.

• Friday is Rowan's Law Day. Students are encouraged to wear purple to draw awareness to concussion protocols.

• Attention Grade 4s: We are going to start to use computers on a more regular basis at school. Please ensure your child has headphones in his/her backpack.

le 29 septembre, 2020, Jour 6

Just a reminder of the following "special" days this week:

• Tomorrow: Orange Shirt Day. To educate and support awareness of Canada's residential schools, students are encouraged to wear orange. We will have some special Orange Shirt Day activities to help the students develop a deeper meaning of this day.

• Thursday, October 1: Terry Fox Day. Our class will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run on this day. Unfortunately a school wide event is not possible this year, but we will conduct our own physically distanced walk and learn more about Terry as a national hero. If your child has a Terry Fox t-shirt they would like to wear, they are welcome to!

• Friday, October 2: Rowan's Law Day. Students are asked to wear purple to help raise awareness for concussion safety. As with the previous special days this week, our literacy activities will follow the theme of concussion awareness.

le 28 septembre, 2020, Jour 5

What a week we have in store! Please see the announcements below regarding all of our special days this week.

• Wednesday, September 30: Orange Shirt Day. To educate and support awareness of Canada's residential schools, students are encouraged to wear orange. We will have some special Orange Shirt Day activities to help the students develop a deeper meaning of this day.

• Thursday, October 1: Terry Fox Day. Our class will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run on this day. Unfortunately a school wide event is not possible this year, but we will conduct our own physically distanced walk and learn more about Terry as a national hero.

• Friday, October 2: Rowan's Law Day. Students are asked to wear purple to help raise awareness for concussion safety. As with the previous special days this week, our literacy activities will follow the theme of concussion awareness.

le 24 septembre, 2020, Jour 3

We have been so lucky this fall with beautiful weather. It allows us to spend extra time outside each day. I try to give them a mask break in the afternoon during the long stretch of four periods on days when they don't have phys ed.

Our presentations today were wonderful! It was so nice to learn about each of the students and the people and things that are important to them. The class listened attentively and asked thoughtful questions of their peers. I was very impressed!

I have a favour to ask of you. Over the last few days, I have had noticed the students are not as diligent about wearing their masks as they were at the beginning of the year. Where I used to be reminding the students to cover their noses, I'm now reminding them that they have to be on their face. I spoke with the class today about the importance of this. I have shared with the class that my mother recieved a double lung transplant 3 years ago, making her incredibly susceptible to illness. Everytime she becomes sick, it turns to pneumonia. She was admitted to the hospital on the weekend for difficulty breathing, weakness and confusion. It isn't Covid, but it is pneumonia. It is super important to me and my family that we take precautions to protect each other. Additionally, keeping masked keeps us in school. Please talk with your child tonight about why we wear masks at school and why it is important that we are diligent about it.

le 23 septembre, 2020, Jour 2

It is so nice to be back in more or less of a routine at school. I am really enjoying the start to the year!

Reminders

• Photos should have been submitted to me by now regarding something important to your child and their identity. We will be presenting them tomorrow morning.

• Grade 5s need head phones for Friday. I will alert the Grade 4s as to when they will need them in the next couple of weeks.

• If you are interested in joining the first Parent Council meeting of the year, please chekc your email for information from the school.

Le 21 septembre, 2020, Jour 10

It's hard to believe we are already three weeks into the school year. Our days are so busy!

Homework

**Please note: I forgot to tell my class about the below homework today at the end of the day. I will tell them about it tomorrow in class, but I want to give enough advance notice of the assignment**

For the students homework, I am asking them to find something in their home that is an important part of who they are (their identity). As much as I would love for them to be able to bring this item to school to share, sadly we cannot at this time. I ask that you please take a photo of this item and send it to me at victoria.culp@dsbn.org by Wednesday, September 23 at 4pm. I will compile the photos in a slideshow and students will present their item on Thursday morning to the class.

Other announcements:

• Grade 5 students will be beginning to use computers this week. Please ensure they have headphones in their backpacks.

• You will have recieved a school messanger notice regarding completing the forms on School Cash Online. If you have not yet filled these in, please do so ASAP.

• We now have all the Verification forms in. Now we just wait and see if we won!

Le 18 septembre, 2020, Jour 9

Happy weekend 4/5C!

Thank you all for a great week! Just two quick announcements today:

• Please ensure students masks and waterbottles are being washed regularly. As I told my class today, water bottles can grow some really yucky stuff after a while.

• September 30 is Orange Shirt Day. I will provide another reminder on the 29th.

Thank you all for reading my daily posts. I am grateful for your ongoing support.

Enjoy the weekend!

Le 17 septembre 2020, Jour 8

Today I gave my class the challenge of building a catapult with 6 popsicle sticks, three rubber bands, and a spoon. Each child had their own materials and we worked outside to allow them to sit physically distanced in groups to solve the problem. It was interesting to see how they approached the problem. For most of them, their first instinct was, "I don't know how to do this!" Slowly but surely they learned that they didn't need to KNOW how, they needed to experiment, try things out - and fail - before they were able to move on with the problem.

Important announcements:

• I am missing a few verification forms. If you did not return the form today, please do so tomorrow.

• Today is the last day to purchase Orange Shirt Day t-shirts. You may order these through School Cash Online

Have a great day!

Le 16 septembre 2020, Jour 7

We are slowly starting to get into a more normal routine. Our procedures are taking a little less time each day to complete, meaning we are more able to tackle school work. We are also ramping up the French speaking and listening - we were all a little rusty coming back after such a long break!

Today, your child brought home the Student Verification Form. You should have also received a Synervoice with the following message:

• Today, all students are coming home with their Student Verification Form. Information on this form is an integral part of our Safe Arrival and Safe Schools protocols. Please cross out any incorrect information on the left-hand side of the form. Please make any changes on the right-hand side of the form.

• We would like all completed forms returned to our school on or before Friday, September 18.

As I have told my class, my first name comes from the word "Victory." This is appropriate as I really like to win. There is a prize for the class that returns all their forms first. We can do this! Go team.

Le 15 septembre, 2020, Jour 6

The class is starting to fall into a nice routine. When I arrived to bring them in after second break today, I found them all lined up, physically distanced, around the perimeter of our square. I was so proud of them for doing it without a reminder!

Today's announcements:

• Orange Shirt Day is September 30. If you would like to purchase a DSBN Every Child Matters t-shirt for your child, you may do so on School Cash Online until 11:59 on September 17.

Thank you to those parents who have emailed me with regards to alternate arrangements for pick up and bussing. Your kids have also been well aware of the plans. It is so nice when everyone is on the same page!

Have a great night!

Le 14 septembre, 2020, Jour 5

Happy week two! The first thing you will notice is the addition to the date. I recieved a couple of emails today regarding the day of the cycle. In my last post, I let everyone know that phys ed will be on days 2, 4, 6, and 8... without realizing that you no longer have that information in the agendas to help you! I will post the day of the cycle each day to help. You can also use the School Board Calendar on the DSBN website to help you. This also lists PD days and holidays. Today's announcements:

• If you have not already done so, please complete the forms for your child on School Cash Online by Friday. Also, if your child has a medical condition, please fill out the forms on our website too. Any inhalers or epipens must be brought to school if your child needs them.

• Pick ups: You will need to tell the teacher at the gate your child's name as well as what class they are in (4/5C). The teacher will relay this information via walkie talkie to the teacher on duty who will then find the student. The student will then come to you at the gate.

So far we are adapting well to the new routines and implementing the procedures consistently. Thank you all for your continued reinforcement with your kids.

Le 11 septembre, 2020

It is surreal for me to consider how crazy the start of this year has been for students. As I typed the date for today's post, I thought about the OTHER craziest September in my memory - September 11, 2001. I was in high school and remember thinking how scary and weird it was that no airplanes were in the air. It felt like the world shut down. I can empathize with how my students must be feeling at this time of uncertainty.

Notes from today:

• Library books: We are not exchanging books at this time. However, if you have any books from last year, please have your child return them to me ASAP.

• Phys Ed: Students will have phys ed on Days 2, 4, 6 & 8. At this time there is no access to the change rooms, so students do not have the opportunity to change their clothes. Just be aware that they should come to school wearing something that they will be comfortable in while participating.

• Appropriate outdoor wear: Please ensure your child comes to school wearing appropriate outdoor attire. In order to provide them with mask breaks and conduct our entry procedure correctly, we need to spend more time outside. As the weather changes, it will be increasingly important for the children to wear weather appropriate attire.

Bon weekend! Enjoy the time together! See you Monday!

Le 10 septembre, 2020

We made it! The first day of school is over and we made it! The rockiest part of the day was right at the start, where between my excitement to see my class and to use our brand new attendence system I very diligently marked everyone absent! If nothing else my first lesson to the class was that it is OK to make mistakes, because that is how we learn.

A few notes regarding some things that came up today:

• Indoor shoes: if your child brings shoes for indoors, they will have to bring them home each evening. Until the weather changes, I recommend keeping indoor shoes home.

• Books: Please have your child choose a book from home to bring to school to read at school. This book can be left through the week and taken home each weekend.

• Masks: I love that each child came to school with a mask today and all know how to wear them properly. They will wear their masks to school each morning and home each night. However, we are asked that they leave their masks in the classroom for outdoor breaks and Phys Ed, even if they are on a lanyard. I have taught them all how to remove their mask and safely put it on a paper towel. They are also invited to bring a container to keep their mask in while they are here.

• Binders: Right now we are attempting to limit use of paper in the classroom. Please keep binders home for the time being until we fall into a more regular routine.

• Early pick up: If for whatever reason you need to pick your child up early, please be advised that you will not be able to come into the school. Please buzz the office at the door, state your name and who you are picking up, and remain outside. If you alert me that you will be picking up your child and the time, I can do a better job to ensure they are ready to go when you arrive.

Thank you for preparing your kids for this first day. I am so looking forward to the rest of the year with them!