HAAAAAAPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Hello!

I just wanted to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas holiday!  I can’t believe it’s finally here!!  We had a ton of fun today with carolling in the morning, our Reindeer Food scavenger hunt, as well as our party with all the delicious treats :)

A HUGE THANK YOU to those who brought in treats/ gifts to share.  Grade 2E had a blast this morning, especially when our letters from Santa FINALLY arrived!!  You could tell the spirit of Christmas was in the air.

I hope you enjoy the next two weeks you get to spend with your families. I know many of you are travelling so please travel safely.  I am on my way to Ontario to spend Christmas with my family (in approximately 4 hours!!) but will be checking my email if you need to get a hold of me.

I also wanted to say thank you for all the cards and gifts!!  It seems as if though the students know me and my love for coffee, tea, chocolate and STARBUCKS very well! J I also appreciate all the unique homemade gifts!!  And I promise to share all the treats with friends and family.  I feel SO spoiled to have such a great group of kids and families.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

See you on January 4^th!

-Anna

~"LeT iT SnOw, LeT iT SnOw, LeT iT SnOw "~

I just wanted to share a picture of our gym class on Thursday, as we got to enjoy a beautiful walk in snowshoes! For many of the students, it was the first time they had used snowshoes and they did FANTASTIC!!  Let’s hope that the snow keeps coming down so we can get out there once more before the holidays. 

In computers, we have been enjoying a number of websites that are Christmas related.  I have put up a link on the side if you wish to visit these sites at home!  Some include Gingerbread men decorating,  and a reindeer orchestra! 

Another personal favourite of mine can be used to practise kids’ spelling words.  Spellingcity.com is a fantastic website where they can enter in their spelling words for the week, and play games using the words.  Check them out on the side of this page!

We have enough drivers for our skating party on Thursday December 16^th! Thank you to those who were able to volunteer!  Drivers, if you could please arrive at the school at 1:45 that would be great!  We will leave the rink at approx.  3:15 in time to be back for dismissal at 3:30.  Please have your students bring the equipment to school that day, along with any extra equipment that you have signed up to share.  Remember adults, if you are skating you also need a hockey helmet as well. 

Every day this week in the morning there will be Christmas Carolling in the gym.  If you have time in the morning, please join us from 8:30 – 8:50am.  On Monday morning our junior choir will be performing and I can’t wait to hear their beautiful voices!

There is something exciting going on everyday this week so please be aware by checking the blog for dates and times, as well as your child’s agenda. 

15 more days ‘til Christmas!!!

Reminder Dates for December:

December 13^th – 17th-Christmas carolling every morning in the gym from 8:30- 8:50.  Come join!

Monday December 13^th Piper comes to visit!!  Thank you SO much for all of your donations.  The kids are SO pumped!

Tuesday December 14^thAssembly at 8:30am/ Dress like Christmas Day
School wide Christmas movie showing from 1:00- 2:15 The Polar Express
Wednesday December 15^thGingerbread Decorating Party from 1:00- 2:15

Thursday December 16^thGrade 2 Skating at Nicholas Sheran from 2:15-3:15 (leave school at 1:50pm)

Friday December 17^thChristmas Party from 10:15- 11:45.  Last Day of Classes

Tuesday January 4^thBack to School for 2011!!

Snack Volunteers for Christmas Party (December 17):

Fruit Plate - Emma

Veggies and Dip - Carter

Cheese, Meat, and Crackers- Jaydon

Cookies, Cupcakes, or Muffins- Hunter

Juice boxes (~ 21) - Camryn

Plates and Napkins- Ava

*~December - Omahkatoyiiki’sommiaato’s nan (Big Holy Moon month) in Blackfoot!~*

Hello!

I just wanted to start by saying thank you for making the first round of parent teacher interviews a success!  I can’t believe the first reporting period is over.  Our Grade 2E class has come along way since the second week of September and it has been really fantastic watching their development these past 3 months.  They’ve really come together as a group and it’s really something to watch the friendships being made. 

There are officially 10 more days left of school for 2010 which is just absolutely insane!!  The last week of school will be exceptionally busy, and we have TONS going on!  If you have not submitted your tobogganing form, please do so ASAP! Remember, parents must print and sign, the student must print and sign, and a witness who is NOT related to the student must also sign (3 times).  Thank you for your patience with this form!  I know it seems like a lot to ask, especially for just tobogganing across the street, but it’s a district regulation and it’s something that we need to strictly follow.  More to come when we actually pick a day to go- it will most likely be for a little bit at the end of a day. 

Also, if you haven’t already, please return the blue sheet regarding our Gingerbread decorating party.  Remember, the house must come PRE-ASSEMBLED which will save us a ton of time in the classroom!  Let’s see how well our Grade 2ers do with restraining themselves from EATING the houses...

Lots of our school work will be coming home in the next few days as we prepare to clean out the classroom for the holidays.  Please take some time to go through your child’s work with them!  Some things to look out for are: our Tipi Books and Early Lethbridge books, our Math Data Analysis unit, our Liquids unit in Science, and other work. 

Mike Mountain Horse will be involved in a One School, One Book project this year.  OSOB started as a pilot project two years ago, and the idea is that the entire school from K to 5, for 1 entire month, reads the same book with their families and then participates in school wide projects during that month.  Originally, the OSOB for 2011 was set for a January start date, but it has been recently decided that the start date will now be January 27^th.  During the OSOB project, Home Reading will not be sent home as students are expected to participate in the OSOB project.  Until then, for the remaining 2 weeks and the first 3 weeks in January, we will continue with our Home Reading program from the classroom.  Please continue with initialling students’ Home Reading Log books, as this greatly assists the parents who come in to do the exchange.  Thank you thank you thank you!!

We are still in need of at least 3 more drivers for our Skating Party on December 16^th to bring us there and back.  This is from 2:00- 3:30. Students will need to have skates and a proper helmet to be on the ice.  If your child does not have skates, perhaps they could borrow from a similar sized buddy for the day or check out second hand sporting good stores.  Bike helmets are not allowed on the ice.  We have a blast out there! Please come and join us! 

Reminder Dates for December:

December 6^th – 13^th-Annual Sock it To ‘Em program!  Bring in a new pair of socks for those in need! Thanks to those who have already donated. 

 December 13^th – 17th-Christmas Carolling every morning in the gym from 8:30- 8:50.  Come join!

Monday December 13^th Piper comes to visit!!  Thank you SO much for all of your donations.  The kids are SO pumped!

Tuesday December 14^thAssembly at 8:30am/ Dress like Christmas Day
School wide Christmas movie showing from 1:00- 2:15 The Polar Express

Wednesday December 15^thGingerbread Decorating Party from 1:00- 2:15

Thursday December 16^thGrade 2 Skating at Nicholas Sheran from 2:15-3:15

Friday December 17^thChristmas Party from 10:15- 11:45.  Last Day of Classes

Tuesday January 4^thBack to School for 2011!!
Spirit Assembly at 8:30am

And last but not least, thank you to those people who have signed up to bring snacks for our Christmas party:

Snack Volunteers for Christmas Party (December 17):

Fruit Plate - Emma

Veggies and Dip - Carter

Cheese, Meat, and Crackers- Jaydon

Cookies, Cupcakes, or Muffins- Hunter

Juice boxes (~ 21) - Camryn

Plates and Napkins- Ava

Side Note for parents with Little Ones: 

Tuesday January 4, 2011 will be the first day of registration for the Kindergarten and Preschool programs for the school year starting in the fall of 2011. See the office for more details!

I have to say, this time of year it feels as though we ask a lot from you.  Whether it’s for Piper, Sock it To Em, Christmas Crafts, volunteering, etc.  I just wanted to say thank you once more- It truly makes the world of a difference!  Thank you for being such an amazing group of parents! 

That’s all for now!  21 more days ‘til Christmas!!

-Anna Tsentouros