Fall, 2024

Welcome back Wolves! I hope you all had a great and relaxing summer.

A Brief Introduction

My name is Brad Spitzer and I am looking forward to teaching your student this year!  I’m very excited to be here at Wilfrid Jury, teaching grade 8. This will be my 4th  year teaching here and my 25th year teaching– time flies!  We’ve got big plans for this group and we believe that we are going to have an outstanding Grade 8 class this year. I am looking forward to the next ten months, as we work together to prepare for high school. Grade 8 is a time to work diligently in all academic areas, as well as developing learning skills, to make sure that each student feels well prepared for the school years to come. Please get in touch with me if you have any questions or concerns either at 519-452-8690 or b.spitzer@tvdsb.ca. It is going to be a different but great year!

 “The Big 3" - Simple Rules

There are three simple rules that I ask our room to follow.  Please ask your child about these rules and have them explain the things we discussed.

1.  Respect yourself.

2.  Respect others.

3.  Take responsibility.

They are simple but they incorporate a lot!  They will also ensure that we have the awesome year that Grade 8 students should have!

 Planners /Website Google Classroom

This year, schools planners will not be given to students. Although I will not force your child to use the one, it is highly encouraged that all students use some form of planner, either electronic or physical. This is an excellent skill to develop for success in life. Students should use his/her planner to plan ahead, to keep track of assignments, to inform you of important events and to record homework. Please talk to your child about the importance of developing this skill. 

To help in this organization, I will be using my class website. On it you will find information about upcoming events and a list of homework and assignments. I will also be using Google Classroom to provide detailed information about assignments. 

Students will have time at the end of the day to write down any relevant information from the board. Parents, please check the website each night to assist your child in managing his or her work.

Electronic Devices

Please note: This policy is a school and  board wide expectation.

Personal electronic devices can be a powerful learning tool, they can also be a distraction during instruction and can compromise the integrity of assessments. While we understand parental concerns relating to student safety, students occasionally do not use proper discretion when choosing "where" and "when" to use their phones. Parents are asked NOT to text or phone students during the school day. Students will be asked to keep phones “Off and Away”. For emergency purposes, parents may contact the school. Please note that the security of personal devices is the responsibility of the students and is not the responsibility of the school. Any questions should be addressed to the school. 

Taking pictures or capturing video/audio is only permitted for educational purposes when a teacher has directed and is aware of the use.  Permission must be received in advance by the subject and once they have been used for instructional purposes, they must be deleted by the student. Devices are not to be used during recess and lunch breaks, as the use of devices on the yard is not safe. Outside is for physical activity and social time. It is a safety hazard to be looking downward or tuned out with ear buds. Our message is UNPLUG AND RECONNECT. Devices are not to be used in washrooms, hallways or on the yard, and should be stored as directed by the teacher when not in use.

GAFE:  Students will once again be using GAFE technology - Google Apps for Education.  They were introduced to their gotvdsb accounts over the past several years and we will be using them this year. The passwords from last year will still work but parents will need to fill out the online permission form (found in Parent Portal) to reactivate the account.

Classroom Donations:  Please feel free to donate boxes of Kleenex, hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes. Covid, cold and flu season is no-one’s friend!

 Forms, Forms, and more Forms!

At the beginning of the school year, a lot of forms are sent home to collect information. Please register for the Parent Portal to do many of these electronically this year. If applicable: Additionally, if field trips go ahead this year, the board and school would like all field trips to be paid for electronically. This can also be done through the school website. 

I’m looking forward to an awesome year with this amazing grade 8 class!

Thank-you in advance for your support,

Brad Spitzer

b.spitzer@tvdsb.ca

519-452-8690