No More Spelling!

Our final marked spelling dictation is coming home today. There will be no more language packets coming home on Fridays. For the month of June, we will be focusing on cursive writing in-class instead.

Dave and Buster's with Mr. Ashford (and other Fun Fair Auction items!)

The online Fun Fair Auction is now live! This year, I'm once again offering an evening at Dave and Buster's, including snacks and games provided by me. This experience is for two students and if you'd like to place a bid, you can do so anytime before the auction closes this Saturday!

Math Test 6 Coming Home
Students who wrote the math test this morning are bringing their marked tests home.

• The Grade 3 average was a Level 3 (the provincial standard).

• The Grade 4 average was a Level 3+ (slightly above the provincial standard).

Students who were away today will write the math test upon their return.

Volunteer Appreciation Tea

We are so fortunate to have an incredible community of parents who volunteer their time and energy at JRR. To say thank you, we are hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Tea on Wednesday, June 3rd from 8:15 AM to 8:45 AM. All who have volunteered in any capacity (NPA, field trips, etc.) are welcome.

No Spelling Dictation this Week

No spelling homework went home on Friday as I had an unexpected absence. Lesson 23, our final spelling homework of the school year, will come home this Friday, May 22nd.

Vegetable Garden Project Begins Tuesday, May 12th

We will be planting a vegetable garden in the three raised beds on the eastern side of the school! Over the next few weeks, we'll be planning and caring for these gardens. While we have a classroom sink with plenty of soap, some students may prefer to bring in a pair of gardening gloves. These can be kept in a Ziploc bag, inside students' backpacks.

Math Test 6
Our fifth math test will take place during Periods 1 and 2 on Wednesday, May 20th. A practice test with answers can be found here.

Paper Towel Donations

Our classroom sink has run out of paper towels. Any donations to help us get through these last two months of school would be much appreciated!

Weekend Spelling Work

We had an unusually high number of spelling packets left behind today. Here is this weekend's list of words to study:

1. voices

2. sprain

3. noises

4. disloyal

5. employ

6. waist

7. destroyed

8. fray

9. broiling

10. swaying

11. displays

12. praised

13. disappoint

14. railroad

15. royalty

16. appointed

17. crayon

18. boiling

19. soybean

20. spoiled

EQAO May 25-27

Grade 3 students will be writing EQAO between May 25th and 27th. Students are encouraged to bring in hardwired, auxiliary headphones to use for this online assessment. Grade 4 students will be working on an alternative learning activity with Ms. Bebbington.

Spelling List Repeat
This week’s spelling list proved to be quite a challenge! With a class average of 8/15, we’ve decided to spend an additional week mastering these tricky "ei" and "ie" words before moving on to List 21.

We will retake the dictation next Wednesday. I will record the highest score of the two attempts, meaning those who already performed well are not at risk of seeing their grade decline. A huge congratulations to the two students who achieved perfect scores! They will be provided with an alternative activity during next week’s test.

Here is the word list, just in case:

1. died

2. fields

3. brief

4. relief

5. shriek

6. weigh

7. believe

8. sleigh

9. receive

10. eighteen

11. seize

12. neighbours

13. receipt

14. amplifies

15. chiefly

16. freighter

17. deceive

18. perceive

19. pies

20. diet

Egg Drop Capsule Supplies
Our class will be taking on an egg drop project to demonstrate our understanding of strong structures (Grade 3) and forces (Grade 4). While a variety of supplies are already available to students in our classroom, such as paper, tape, glue, soft planting pots, and basic crafting materials, students are also welcome to bring in any materials from home to complete this project.

Materials must be smaller than (or able to be cut down to) 16cm or less to fit through our small window openings.

Construction will take place this Friday during the school day. Please do not assemble/build in advance!

Math Test 5 Coming Home
Students who wrote the math test this morning are bringing their marked tests home.

• The Grade 3 average was a Level 3+ (slightly above the provincial standard).

• The Grade 4 average was a Level 3 (the provincial standard).

Students who were away today will write the math test upon their return.

Have a Wonderful Long Weekend!
As students are already preparing for our math test on Tuesday, there will be no langauge homework coming home today (and therefore no Wednesday spelling dictation). Have a great long weekend!

Math Test 5
Our fifth math test will take place during Periods 1 and 2 on Tuesday, April 7th. A practice test with answers can be found here.

Spelling Dictation and Geography Quiz April 1st

Happy March Break!
There will be no homework over the break. Spelling dictations will resume Wednesday, April 1st.

Spelling Dictation and Geography Quiz March 11th

Missing Helmet
After our final skating trip this morning, one of our students realized they are missing their helmet. We also have an unclaimed set of skating equipment that was left behind at school today.

Please double-check the gear your child brought home to ensure it belongs to them. If you have the wrong gear, or realize you are missing some, please let me know so we can get everything back to the right owners. Thank you for your help!

Clay Creations

Recorders Required for Music Class
Ms. Doherty has requested that all students bring their recorders to school tomorrow, Thursday, February 26th. If you purchased a recorder for your child through SchoolCashOnline, they will be distributed tomorrow during music class.

Skating Reminder
A quick reminder that due to the Lunar New Year assembly today, we are skating tomorrow, Thursday, February 26th.

Math Test 4 Coming Home
Students who wrote the math test this morning are bringing their marked tests home.

• The Grade 3 average was a Level 3+ (slightly above the provincial standard).

• The Grade 4 average was a Level 3+ (slightly above the provincial standard).

Students who were away today will write the math test upon their return.

HOMEWORK: Book Talk Project
Both Grade 3 and 4 students will be preparing a Book Talk to share with the class. The handout provided to students is also available here.

Math Test 4
Our fourth math test will take place during Periods 1 and 2 on Monday, February 23rd. A practice test with answers can be found here.

Spelling Dictation Postponed
Thank you to all the families who contributed treats and activities for our Valentine's Day celebration! We had so many fun activities that we ran out of time to complete our Wednesday spelling dictation. The dictation will now take place tomorrow, Thursday, February 12th.

We're Published!
Grade 3 students each received one copy of their published storybooks to bring home.

Unfortunately, the Grade 4 shipment contained another customer's order instead of our magazines. I've emailed the publisher and we should have this fixed shortly. Sorry for the delay!

Report Cards Coming Home
Students are bringing home report cards today, Tuesday, February 10th.

Parent-Teacher Meetings
As shared by email, Parent-Teacher Meetings are available by request this term (no Google Form this time around!). If you would like to schedule a meeting, please contact Mr. Ashford via email.

Exploring Animal Adaptations

Valentine's Day Party
We will be celebrating Valentine's Day extra early on Wednesday, February 11th. For more information and the opportunity to contribute to our celebration, please see the most recent email from our Class Parents.

Community Skate Day
The JRR Community Skate Day takes place this Sunday, February 1st from 2:00-4:00 PM at Otter Creek.

Family Math Night
Family Math Night is Thursday, January 29th at 6:30 PM in the gym. All students and their families are welcome to come play math games and try out different challenges. See you there!

A Fun Day at Little Canada
We had a successful field trip to Little Canada today. We had the chance to see miniature municipalities from across Ontario as well as scaled down versions of Canadian capitals and landmarks. A huge thank you to our parent volunteers, Marcie, Stella, and Hannah for helping make this trip possible!

Little Canada is Tomorrow!
Our field trip to Little Canada is tomorrow, Thursday, January 22nd. Please ensure students arrive to school on time as we will depart immediately after taking attendance. Students are required to bring a packed lunch as there is no food for sale on site.

Further Skating Time Change
Due to crowding at the ice rink, all of our future skating outings will now take place at the start of the school day. All dates remain the same. Please see the email sent to families for additional details.

Math Test 3 Coming Home
Students who wrote the math test this morning are bringing their marked tests home.

• The Grade 3 average was a Level 3+ (slightly above the provincial standard).

• The Grade 4 average was a Level 3 (the provincial standard).

Students who were away today will write the math test upon their return.

Math Test Date Change Due to Snow Day
Due to the Snow Day on Thursday, January 15th, we did not have an opportunity to complete our usual unit review and test preparation together yet. Our third math test will now take place on Tuesday, January 20th.

Mock Trial Monday Morning
As part of our persuasive writing unit, students will be presenting arguments during mock trials on Monday, January 19th. Students may choose to wear clothing or bring accessories appropriate for their characters. Please note that this is completely optional and we will also be skating Monday afternoon. Please do not wear any costumes that cannot be removed or would hinder students on the ice!

A Message from Ms. Monson
Hi Grade 3s! Here is the link to sign up for Silver Birch Express.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6C6xKz6SPjRBYENCXIPziTL8H5dLn6bQxSPlhOWENf_fZnA/viewform

Math Test 3
Our third math test will take place during Periods 1 and 2 on Monday, January 19th Tuesday, January 20th. A practice test with answers can be found here.

A Message from Ms. Monson
Hi Grade 4s! Here is the link to the Silver Birch slide deck. Please complete the Google Form on slide 22 by Friday if you'd like to participate.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18Jg_fbnTx_sK9mbFBIk3RyZrLCEU922LLltHN9woh2A/edit?usp=sharing 

Skating Starts this Friday
Happy New Year and welcome back! A reminder that our weekly skating outings will begin this Friday. We will be skating on:

• Friday, January 9th

• Monday, January 19th

• Monday, January 26th

• Monday, February 2nd

• Monday, February 9th

• Wednesday, February 18th

• Wednesday, February 25th

• Wednesday, March 4th

Please note that the TIME of our skating has been pushed back to 2:20 PM. All dates remain the same.

Annual Sing-Along and Pyjama Day Tomorrow
We will have our annual sing-along tomorrow, Friday December 19th, at 9:30 AM in the gym. Parents are welcome to attend! Students are invited to wear pyjamas if they choose (this will not count towards the school spirit day points).

Gingerbread Photo
Students pointed out to me this morning that not every gingerbread house could be seen in the photo shared yesterday. Please enjoy this photo with all six houses!

Class Party
Thank you to our class parents, Kala and Marcie for organizing a wonderful winter party for our students. The class had a great time watching a holiday film, playing board games, and building gingerbread houses together. Thank you to all the families who donated treats and supplies to make today possible. Happy Holidays!

HOMEWORK: Publication Projects
Grade 3: Students in Grade 3 will be bringing home updated storybook drafts on Friday, December 12th. Some students have finished their illustrations and some still have a few more to create. This is the final opportunity to make any changes before we send our books to the publisher. Illustrations can be completed on plain white paper and brought to school anytime before the winter break or on January 5th. Alternatively, scanned images can also be sent by email. Extra paper is available and can be brought home if required.

Grade 4: Students in Grade 4 have until the end of the Winter Break to have their three magazine articles completed. Several students have completed and submitted their articles already and may not have work to finish at home. Please see the "Grade 4 Magazine Project" page of this website for details.

No Spelling Dictation Next Week
As many students are leaving early for the Winter Break and we have our class party next Wednesday, there will be no spelling package coming home this weekend.

Winter Concert
Our class is performing in the Winter Concert this Thursday, December 11th. Students are asked to arrive at the school by 6:15 PM. As I take a course on Thursday evenings, Ms. Schumacher has kindly offered to supervise students from our class in Room 207.

Crazy Sock Day
After a successful showing during Pyjama Day, our class is in a nine-way tie for first place in our school's spirit competition. The next spirit day will be Crazy Sock Day this Friday, December 12th.

Math Test 2 Coming Home
Students who wrote the math test this morning are bringing their marked tests home.

• The Grade 3 average was a Level 4- (above the provincial standard).

• The Grade 4 average was a Level 3+ (slightly above the provincial standard).

Students who were away today will write the math test upon their return.

Winter Concert Attire
Room 210 will be performing "Seize the Day" from the musical "Newsies" for the Winter Concert on December 11th at 6:30 p.m. Please have your child wear brown, grey, navy, dark green or black for the concert. They can add suspenders, a vest or a cap to their costumes, if you already have something like that at home.

Choir members will wear black pants and a white top. They will have time to change into their clothes for "Seize the Day" after the choir performance.

Grade 3 Storybook Drafts
Grade 3 students are bringing home final text drafts of their stories for any additional editing. Changes can be marked on this hard copy, and Mr. Ashford will make the adjustments on Monday, December 1st.

Whether or not changes are made, please bring these drafts back to school. We will need them to create our illustrations next week. Please do not start illustrating early as there are requirements for the images that we will go over in class together. 

Pyjama Day this Friday
Friday, November 28th is Pyjama Day at John Ross Robertson. Students are welcome to wear pyjamas and bring a stuffed animal to school that day.

Math Test 2
Our second math test will take place during Periods 1 and 2 on Monday, December 1st. A practice test with answers can be found here.

We're Going to the Scholastic Book Fair!
Our class will be visiting the Scholastic Book Fair being hosted in our school library. We will be browsing on Tuesday, December 2nd and heading back to shop on Wednesday, December 3rd.

CCAT Scores Coming Home
All Grade 3 students are taking home CCAT results today. Students scoring in the 95th composite percentile (or higher) will also receive a separate follow-up communication at a later date.

Spelling Dictation 5 Moved to Thursday
Mr. Ashford will be away on Wednesday to coach at the Boys' Volleyball tournament. The spelling dictation will be move to Thursday, November 20th.

Skating Permission Form Now Available
Permission forms for skating are now available on the TDSB EMA website. All skating dates will take place in the New Year. 

Scholastic Orders
Students brought home Scholastic flyers last week. If you plan on placing an order, please use class code RC111304 for free shipping to our classroom.

X-Movement Postponed
X-Movement will now be taking place the morning of Wednesday, November 12th. Students should dress for several hours spent outdoors.

Edz Dance Performance
Grade 3 students will be participating in a performance the morning of November 6th. Ms. Doherty has asked that students in Grade 3 dress in black pants with a colourful top.

Parent-Teacher Meetings Schedule
Please find our Parent-Teacher Meeting schedule below. Meetings are listed by STUDENT first and last initials (for example, the meeting for Rebecca Maloney's parent(s) would be listed as R M). If you need to change or cancel your meeting, please let me know as soon as possible. I'm looking forward to seeing you next week!

November Parent-Teacher Meetings
If you would like to sign up for a Parent-Teacher meeting, please complete this form. Meetings will take place at JRR in Room 210. Once this form has closed, a meeting time will be sent to the email address provided. I look forward to seeing you!

Spelling Practice
With all the Halloween excitement, more students than usual left behind their weekly spelling practice. The words for our Wednesday Spelling Dictation on November 5th are:

1. these

2. deny

3. rules

4. safely

5. locate

6. crime

7. stove

8. scale

9. costume

10. arrive

11. opened

12. musical

13. equal

14. idea

15. tight

16. clover

17. rodent

18. tuba

19. cubes

20. pride

Happy Halloween from Room 210!

Photo Proofs
Students are taking home photo proof cards with details on how to access digital versions online. The due date for placing orders with free shipping is November 10th, 2025.

Math Test 1 Coming Home
Students who wrote our first math test this morning are bringing their marked tests home.

• The Grade 3 average was a Level 3+ (slightly above the provincial standard).

• The Grade 4 average was a Level 3 (the provincial standard).

Students who were away today will write the math test upon their return.

Halloween Parade
The annual John Ross Robertson Halloween Parade will take place at 1:15 on Friday, October 31st. We look forward to seeing any interested parents and guardians on the schoolyard then!

Reminder: Math Test on Monday, October 27th
Our first math test will take place during Periods 1 and 2 on Monday, October 27th. A practice test with answers can be found here.

Spelling Dictation #1 Coming Home Today
We had our first spelling dictation today! Marked dictations are coming home. A reminder that practice language work comes home at the end of each week and does not need to be returned to school. List words for our Wednesday spelling dictations can be found on the second page of these weekly packets.

Photo Day
Photo day is on Thursday, October 23rd.

Class Parents
A huge thank you to Kala (kalapat@gmail.com) and Marcie (marciacdunn@hotmail.com) for volunteering to be our Class Parents! Because this is a volunteer role, they do not have access to the official parent contact details on file with the school office.

To make sure you get updates and messages from Kala and Marcie, please take one of the following actions:

• If you have already opted in to our Family Directory: You should have already received their introductory email. No further action is required.

• If you have not opted in to the Family Directory: Please reach out to Kala and Marcie directly at the email addresses above with your preferred contact email. This will ensure you don't miss any important class information!

Head Lice
A case of Head Lice (Pediculosis) has been found to exist in our classroom.  The head louse is an insect that lives and breeds on your head.  This is a common occurrence in school aged children.  It is spread directly by head to head contact and indirectly by contact with his/her personal belongings.  These include clothing, hair accessories and head gear.

Please take the following precautions:

1. Inspect your child’s hair and scalp frequently for the next 10 days.  The louse may be brown or grayish, with a flat, wingless body 1-2 mm in length with six legs.  The eggs may be yellow, brown, or white teardrop-shaped, are glued to the hair near the scalp and are called “nits”.  It is usually the eggs which are first noticed.

2. If your child complains of an itchy scalp, you should check for lice and/or nits.  Some children do not experience an itchy scalp. 

3. If you discover your child has lice or nits, please notify the school right away and a Public Health Head Lice (Pediculosis) Fact Sheet will be sent home.

4. Please note that if a child is found to have head lice (pediculosis), the parent or guardian will be required to keep the child at home until the child is free of all head lice and nits.

Goodbye, Ms. Di Prospero!
Today was Ms. Di Prospero's final day in our classroom. We are grateful for all of her hard work and enthusiasm during her time with us! We wish her all the best as she finishes her teacher education program and hope to see her back at J.R.R. soon!

Math Test 1
Our first math test will take place during Periods 1 and 2 on Monday, October 27th. A practice test with answers can be found here.

Black Creek Field Trip
A final reminder that our Black Creek field trip is Thursday, October 16th. Please remember to bring a packed lunch and dress for the weather! Any parents joining us are asked to pay their own admission at the gate and also bring a packed lunch as there is no food available for purchase onsite.

Unofficial Purple Day this Friday
To celebrate Ms. Di Prospero's last day in our classroom, some students have requested that we wear purple (in honour of her purple "pet" axolotl, Grapey). Anyone is welcome to participate in this optional, student-led initiative.

Havergal Fun Run
On Friday, October 17th, Grade 3 students who participated in Cross Country will be attending the Havergal Fun Run after lunch. Grade 4 students and non-participating Grade 3 students will remain in class. Please dress appropriately for the weather!

Black Creek Payments
Some students' Black Creek payments are still outstanding. If you have not done so already, please visit the SchoolCash Online website at your earliest convenience to make a payment.

Weekly Language Practice and Spelling Dictations
Our first weekly language packets will be coming home on Friday, October 17th. These packages do not need to be returned to school, and having your child complete the work is a personal parental choice. Inside each packet is a word list that will be used for our in-class spelling dictations on Wednesdays. Our first spelling dictation will be on Wednesday, October 22nd.

CCAT October 21-24
Grade 3 students will be writing the CCAT between October 21st and 24th. Students are encouraged to bring in hardwired, auxiliary headphones to use for this online assessment. Grade 4 students will be working on an alternative assignment with Ms. Yee's Grade 4 class. 

Save the Date: Little Canada Field Trip on January 22nd
We'll be headed to Little Canada on Thursday, January 22nd! Permission forms will be available on EMA when we return from the winter break. As this field trip requires travel on the subway, we are looking for an increased number of parent volunteers to help complete this trip safely. Parent volunteers will have their admission covered, but are asked to pay their own subway fare. If you can join us, please let me know by email (tyler.ashford@tdsb.on.ca).

Black Creek Permission Form Available on EMA
Please visit the TDSB EMA website to complete the permission form for our upcoming trip to Black Creek Pioneer Village. Any parent volunteers are welcome to attend the trip with us, but are asked to pay their own admission at the gate. We're looking forward to a great trip on Thursday, October 16th.

Upcoming Event: Curriculum Night on October 8th
Curriculum Night is Wednesday, October 8th! The event will begin with an assembly in the gym at 6:00 PM. Teacher sessions in our classroom (Room 210) will begin at 6:15 and 6:45. I hope to see you there!

Cross Country Meet Tomorrow
Most students in our class are participating in the cross country meet tomorrow, October 1st. We will take attendance in the classroom at our usual time before heading down to the bus. Students not participating will spend the morning in Room 201 with Ms. Pen-Pappas.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day)
The TDSB acknowledges the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, which takes place annually on September 30th. We will attend a school-wide assembly and students are invited to wear orange.

Grade 3 CCAT
Students in Grade 3 will take the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test between October 21st and October 24th. If you do not want your child to participate, please inform our Principal, Ms. Jalon (dafna.jalon@tdsb.on.ca), by email no later than Friday, October 10th. 

No Home Journals This Week
Due to preparing for class reorganizations, no home journals were completed this week.

Postponed: Terry Fox Run, Walk, or Roll
Due to the rainy weather, the Terry Fox event will now take place on Friday, October 3rd.

Terry Fox Run, Walk, or Roll Donations
If you are interested in contributing to our school's Terry Fox Fundraiser, donations can be made online at https://schools.terryfox.ca/105373. A reminder that the event will take place on Thursday, September 25th.

Library Book Exchange
We made our first class visit to the library today! Library Book Exchanges will take place on Day 1s (Day 1 of the TDSB 5-day cycle, not necessarily the first day of the week). Students may have up to three books checked out at a time. While students may return books on any day of the week, this will be our only regular opportunity to borrow books.

Upcoming Event:  Black Creek Field Trip on October 16th
We'll be headed to The Village at Black Creek on Thursday, October 16th! Permission forms are not yet available on EMA, however, please avoid scheduling appointments or other commitments on this date if possible.

Upcoming Event: Terry Fox Assembly and Run, Walk, or Roll on September 25th
This year's Terry Fox event will take place on Thursday, September 25th in the afternoon. Please make sure your child has appropriate clothing and footwear to partake in this outdoor activity.

Home Journals
On Friday, September 5th, we will be writing in our Home Journals for the first time this year. The Home Journal is used to share weekly classroom reflections with you. Initially, we will be writing the entries collaboratively. Over time, your child will begin writing independently, using the writing and reflective skills we practice in class.

You are invited to discuss the entries with your child, or even respond in writing should you wish. Through engaging with the Home Journal, you will help strengthen your child’s literacy development and establish a strong home-school connection.

This journal will be completed on the final school day of each week and come home in your child’s backpack that day. Please help ensure the journal is returned to school the following week.

Many students choose to bring in a “special” journal to use for this year-long initiative. Students who do not bring in a journal to use for this project will be provided a school notebook.

Math Unit 1: Patterning and Place Value
Today we kicked off our first math unit with a race around the world! Students used their knowledge of ordinal numbers to complete puzzles and race to the finish line.

A Message from Our Student Teacher