Ooof! I just realized that I have not posted the updates online and I apologize. I also need to apologize for not providing an update in the last two weeks. I have had the enormous pleasure of planning and executing a variety of PD sessions for teachers and parents as well as some school events. These opportunities have brought wonderful opportunities, but have also taken time from our regular routines.
As I am sure that you have heard, we have been travelling around the world each day, visiting countries and learning about how they celebrate the holidays. Our travels have taken us from Mexico and Brazil to Russia and just today we landed in Australia. Ask your child about the different foods they have learnt about in each of the different countries or how they decorate! Math Update: We have been studiously learning how to tell time on both a digital and an analogue clock. Students have really taken to this strand in Math and have been challenging each other to tell the time throughout the day. We will be reviewing the days of the week and months of the year this week and into next week so that we have a solid understanding of time. Other Reminders: 1. Scent Free School: Please be very mindful that our school is a scent free school. This includes but is not limited to perfumes, colognes, body sprays, hand sanitizers and lotions as well as body powders. Many students and staff have allergies and medical conditions that are severely affected by these scents. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. 2. Holiday Concert: The annual holiday concert will be held at 9:30 am on Wednesday, December 18th in the school gym. Our class will be performing two songs (one in English and one in French). If you are able to join us for this annual tradition, please ensure you stop by the office to sign in and obtain a visitor badge. 3. Math & Reading Apps/Sites: We use a couple of different learning apps or site on a regular basis in class. All of these apps/sites are accessible at home for deeper practise. We have sent home all of the login information again for Reflex Math (math fact fluency), RAZ Kids (levelled reading), and ABC Mouse (reading, science, social studies etc). Our School Council has graciously funded the online subscriptions for Reflex Math and RAZ Kids, therefore there is no cost to you. I am able to track student progress and challenges in all three of these apps/sites. Please ask your child to show you these apps/sites and use them on a regular/nightly basis as homework practise. 4. Extended Leave: If you know your family will be travelling beyond the school board holidays at the end of this month, please ensure you have let myself or the school office know. The school is closed from December 23-January 3, inclusively. As always, if there are any questions I can answer or address any concerns you have, please do not hesitate to ask. Have a good week! Stephanie :)
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Vimy Ridge Public School Parent Math Night - Manipulatives 101 Come learn about how to use a variety of manipulatives and how they are used in the classroom on a daily basis. Date: Wednesday, November 20 Time: 6:30-8:00 pm Location: School Gym Reserve your spot today! https://forms.gle/XRYBTMu6qhyrU3HF6 RSVP no later than November 17th
Here we are, another week and another update! ;)
This week I will be taking back the full time teaching reigns as we have to say so long (and PLEASE come back!) to Ms. Marklew as she is finished her teaching placement with us on Wednesday. This is will be an adjustment for both the students and I as we no longer have an amazing educator in the room. There is a lot going on in the next couple of weeks, so I will try my best to capture it all. Wednesday we will be going for a nature learning walk in the Findlay Creek Watershed boardwalk area. Students and parent volunteers are asked to dress appropriately for the weather and conditions. Rubber boots and splash pants are a good idea along with regular seasonal outerwear. If you are able to volunteer to come on the walk with us, please let me know ASAP. We will be meeting in the main lobby of the school no later than 12 noon. Math Update: - we have been focusing on place value and understanding what each digit in a number means. - we have worked our way up to three-digit numbers, so Hundreds-Tens-Ones - we have started foundational counting principles through counting collections and understanding a variety of ways to count a set or collection of small objects. - we continue to use a variety of dice and card games to solidify our number sense skills - we launched our use of Reflex Math. See the yellow communication folder for home login information Language Update: - we completed our how-to books and procedural writing pieces - we have explored some seasonal theme words for Halloween - we will be integrating our science curriculum into our Language Arts program through the look of nocturnal & diurnal animals, how animals adapt to season changes and especially Bats. Other Reminders: 1. Library day is tomorrow (Tuesday). Please ensure that your child returns their library book so that they can choose a new one. We will not have any library next week due to the book fair 2. All students MUST have a pair of clean shoes that are strictly for indoor wear. With the weather starting to turn and the yard becoming more regularly muddy, we cannot have students wearing outdoor footwear in the classroom and it is extremely unsafe for wear in the gymnasium. 3. Please ensure that you are checking the yellow communication folder EACH night for communications and notices. Please keep all flyers and notices at home and sign and return only the necessary forms. 4. There are a number of at home online resources that we have shared with you in the past several weeks. Please take the time to login with your child and explore these programs. We will be using these same programs in the classroom, however for real progress to be seen it is essential for students to be practising at home. Dates to Remember: - Oct 23rd: outdoor walk; jersey day - Oct 29-30: school book fair - Oct 31: primary math spooktacular - Nov 4: school spirit wear goes on sale (online orders only) -Nov 7: progress report cards go home - Nov 14: photo retake day - Nov 15: PD Day for students Good evening,
I'm going to keep it short & simple because that's what this week is going to be! Subject Updates: Language - ask your child about our weekly spelling/high frequency sight words - continuing to independently write 'how-to' books using sequencing language such as first, next, then, finally - making lists, specifically list of what we are thankful for Math - place value of two-digit numbers - tens and ones - mental math strategies of making 5 & 10 Visual Arts - tints and shades Other Updates Monday- visit by Up With People; 21-day Mindfulness challenge starts Tuesday- Terry Fox Run, bring a $2 donation & appropriate outdoor active wear Thursday- putting our 'how-to' skills to the test and making applesauce - students are asked to bring 3-4 apples to contribute to the making of the applesauce and a spoon to eat their applesauce with (no extra spoons will be available) - Popcorn day, $2 per bag - Scholastic book orders due - Pedestrian safety presentation - Fresh from the Farm fundraising orders due Friday- PA Day, no school for students Hello again!
Thank you to everyone who made it out to the Meet the Staff event last week. Ms. Marklew and I enjoyed meeting and speaking with everyone that was able to stop by. If you were not able to make the evening event, we sent home the handouts that were made available that evening. The first was a one page profile about myself and the second was a set of pages about how you can support learning in reading, writing, spelling and math at home. If you did not receive these handouts or would like another copy, please let us know via your child's communication book. This week is going to be jam packed with learning all across the subjects. Below is a brief summary of the topics being explored: English Language Arts: - procedural writing - focusing on using words such as first, second, third or first, next, then, finally - proof reading one's own work and the work of a peer and offering suggestions for improvement - applying procedural writing in a real life context Science: - combining liquids and solids - edible experiment (!!!) Math: - strategies for making 5 and 10 - building a 100s chart using a variety of number patterns - place value, tens and ones Reminders: 1. Please remember to return your child's yellow communication folder EACH day. It is an important responsibility that we place on the students and is a primary communication tool for notices from school. 2. With the weather now turning, it is imperative that all students have a pair of indoor RUNNING shoes that they can change into at school. Should your child not have appropriate running shoes for indoor wear, they will not be able to participate in phys ed due to safety issues. 3. We go to the library every Tuesday morning to exchange our books. If your child has not returned their library book, they will not be allowed to borrow another one. Dates to Save: September 30th - Orange Shirt Day in awareness of the residential school system October 4th - School Photo day. Please do not wear green! October 11th - PD Day for students; no school! October 14th - Thanksgiving holiday; no school Good evening families!
I first need to apologize for not sending out a message last week. I had been waiting for the golden coloured parent contact slips to be returned so that I had current and preferred email addresses to communicate with. We are off to a great start in our grade 2 class this year. Students are starting to really settle into our classroom routines and expectations. Just this past week we were able to introduce our daily Language Arts and Math routines and really get into some deep learning. We also successfully launched out first Science unit on matter. It is my goal to post a weekly or bi-weekly update to my personal webpage/blog at www.stephanieranger.weebly.com under the Parent Communication tab on Sunday or Monday night. In these updates I will outline our main focuses in Language Arts and Math as well as either our Science or Social Studies units. I will also include some reminders or "heads up" for upcoming events or dates of importance. If at any time you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am easiest to contact via email. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you this coming Wednesday evening at our Meet the Staff night and BBQ starting at 4:30 pm. The weekly update will be posted online tomorrow. Thank you and have a great week! Stephanie :) Dear parents,
The month of June is filled with exciting and educational activities for our students. Here is an outline of what we have in store as we begin our countdown to the last day of school. June 12 2nd annual Vimy Ridge Bike Rodeo for primary classes: The rodeo will be organized by the Ottawa Safety Council. Students must bring (& wear) their own bike helmet in order to participate. They are also asked to bring their bike or scooter to school. Students that take the bus will have to have a parent drop off and pick up their bike/scooter as they are not permitted on the bus. The Safety Council will have a couple of scooters for students to use if they do not have their own bike or scooter, but they will not have any helmets. Helmets are mandatory to participate. The school is still in need of volunteers. June 12 Humane Society Visit: The Ottawa Humane Society has delivered its successful, in-school program to students for many years. This program brings animal-awareness into Ottawa area classrooms through age-appropriate presentations. The grade 1 and 2 students will take part in the Dog Buddies presentation, which is a popular bite prevention partnership program between the City of Ottawa Public Health Department and the OHS. A companion animal (usually a dog) that is trained will attend. Parents that have concerns are welcome to contact the homeroom teacher by email before June 11th. June 17 Volunteer Tea: We invite all school volunteers to join us for tea before school to thank them for their contribution to our school community and student learning. June 19 School Council BBQ: More details to follow from School Council as the date approaches June 19 Stream of Dreams: Educational workshops for students to develop a better understanding of where our local watershed is, where our water comes from, where it's going and what we can do to prevent water pollution. Students will also be invited to take part in painting their very own wooden fish to display as part of a collaborative and permanent mural on our school’s fence facing Findlay Creek Drive. If you wish to have your child participate in painting a fish with his/her classmates and be a part of the mural display, please send in a Toonie ($2.00) if you have not already done so. June 25 Exploring our Community Downtown: Tour of Ottawa City Hall, Walk to Rideau Hall for picnic lunch, RCMP Musical Ride Stables for guided tour. ($5 fee to cover the cost of transportation) We require 3 parent volunteers for this trip. Due to limited space on the bus, parent volunteers may be asked to provide their own transportation and/or carpool. June 25 Report cards sent home. June 26 End of Year Celebration: Students will walk to our local Splash Pad at Diamond Jubilee Park and enjoy fun in the sun and a picnic lunch. (Weather permitting) We require 3 parent volunteers for this trip. June 27 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Please email me A.S.A.P. if you can join us on one or more of these days. Stephanie :) [email protected] WOW, WOW, WOW...the warm weather is finally here and we aren't going to complain how warm it has gotten! We went from winter to summer in a matter of days it seems.
This week we are continuing to plug along in all subject areas and staying as close to routine as possible. The study of poetry (reading and writing) continues in language this week while we look to wrap up our understanding of simple machines in science. Not much has changed from last week...we continue to plug away each day. Reminders 1. Bike Rodeo- This Wednesday (June 12) our class will be participating in a cycle safety/bike rodeo in the school yard put on my the Ottawa Safety Council. Students MUST have a proper fitting bicycle helmet to participate (it's the LAW!!!) and are asked to bring their bike or scooter to school on Wednesday. Bikes and scooters can be stored in the school day care yard at the north-west side of the school. Students who take the bus will have to have a parent drop off and pick up their bike or scooter at the school on Wednesday as they cannot take them on the bus. Look for the class sign to place your bike in the right area. Scooters and bikes must be picked up at the end of the day as there is no secure storage overnight. 2. Field trip forms- please return the signed blue field trip form along with the $5 ASAP. As I say to the students- no signed form, no trip! If you are able to accompany is on this trip, please let me know ASAP. 3. Splash Pad outing- we are planning on visiting the community splash pad on Wednesday, June 26th in the middle part of the day (11-2ish). If you are able to accompany is on the walk there and back as well as the duration at the park, please send me an email or note in the communication book. We require at least two parent volunteers to be able to go. 4. Library Books- the library will be closing down for the summer on Friday, June 14th. All school library books must be returned by Friday so that they can be organized and re-shelved appropriately for the fall. 5. Stream of Dreams- if you have not paid the $2 participation fee for the Stream of Dreams workshop, please send that money in ASAP. We will be having our workshop on June 19th. 6. Volunteer Tea- as a thank you for your time, the staff at Vimy are hosting a volunteer tea on Monday, June 17th from 8:30-9:30 am in the school Makerspace. All school volunteers are welcome to attend. Please RSVP by June 13th at [email protected] 7. 2019-2020 School Year- if your child is not returning to Vimy Ridge in September 2019 and have not yet notified the office, please do so immediately. We are working on class assignments for next year and this is would help us tremendously. Get out and enjoy the sunshine! Stephanie :) Welcome to June....the longest and fastest month of the year!
Eid Mubarak to all our school families celebrating this week!!! Lots of learning still to happen over the next four weeks. We will be doing everything we can to keep students focused and in their regular routine as much as possible. Language Update: We have embarked on a poetry adventure! We are reading and writing a variety of poetry. This week we will read and write acrostic poems and "I am" poems. These poems will be put together into an anthology (as your child what this word means) to showcase each student's work. Math Update: We are loving working through Splat, a form of math talk activities each day. As your child to show you how Splat works and play together! Working on mental math strategies and being able to orally share one's thinking is something we practice each and every day. These strategies can then be carried over into problem solving questions. Other Reminders: 1. PD Day- just a reminder that Friday, June 7th is a PD day for students. 2. Bike Rodeo- next Wednesday (June 12) our class will be participating in a cycle safety/bike rodeo in the school yard put on my the Ottawa Safety Council. Students MUST have a proper fitting bicycle helmet to participate and are asked to bring their bike or scooter to school on Wednesday. Bikes and scooters can be stored in the school day care yard at the north-west side of the school. Look for the class sign to place your bike in the right area. Scooters and bikes must be picked up at the end of the day as there is no secure storage overnight. 3. Field trip forms- please return the signed blue field trip form along with the $5 ASAP. As I say to the students- no signed form, no trip! If you are able to accompany is on this trip, please let me know ASAP. 4. Splash Pad outing- we are planning on visiting the community splash pad on Wednesday, June 26th in the middle part of the day (11-2ish). If you are able to accompany is on the walk there and back as well as the duration at the park, please send me an email or note in the communication book. We require at least two parent volunteers to be able to go. 5. Library Books- the library will be closing down for the summer on Friday, June 14th. All school library books must be returned by Friday so that they can be organized and re-shelved appropriately for the fall. 6. Stream of Dreams- if you have not paid the $2 participation fee for the Stream of Dreams workshop, please send that money in ASAP. We will be having our workshop on June 19th. 7. Volunteer Tea- as a thank you for your time, the staff at Vimy are hosting a volunteer tea on Monday, June 17th from 8:30-9:30 am in the school Makerspace. All school volunteers are welcome to attend. Please RSVP by June 13th at [email protected] 8. 2019-2020 School Year- if your child is not returning to Vimy Ridge in September 2019 and have not yet notified the office, please do so immediately. We are working on class assignments for next year and this is would help us tremendously. That was a lot of information to take in! If there is anything that I can do, please do not hesitate to reach out. Have a good week! Stephanie :) WOW!! We are at the last week of May already! Lots happening this week...some for us...some for the other students in the school. EQAO continues this week for the grade 3 students, therefore we will be experiencing some scheduling changes. We are all responsible and working together for the students see as much success as possible. Language Update: We are moving into reading and writing poetry this week. Students will try their hand at writing a variety of different types of poems. Students are encouraged to explore the poetry titles available through their Epic (getepic.com) account as well as to be reading nightly on RAZ Kids. Math Update: We continue to explore addition and subtraction strategies for two-digit problems. We have been using base 10 blocks to model our understanding and how regrouping to have enough ones in order to solve the question. In addition to our number sense, we are working through a variety of measurement activities that include non-standard and standard units of measurement. Other Reminders: 1. Stream of Dreams: a letter was sent home this week asking for $2 for each student to participate in the Stream of Dreams workshop. Stream of Dreams is committed to helping students and communities understand about their local watershed, water conservation and water pollution. Each student in the school will be participating in the workshop next month and be painting a personalize wooden fish to be attached to our school yard fence. 2. Library: Library visits will continue weekly until June 14th. Please ensure that you are returning your child's book each week. 3. Field Trips: A new field trip permission form was sent home this week for our downtown walking tour trip coming up on June 25th. A cost of $5 per student is required to cover the cost of the bus transportation. As always, we are in need of parent volunteers to accompany us. If you are available to come with us on the 25th it would be greatly appreciated. **NOTE: The $5.00 cost in addition to the student activity fee that was collected earlier in the year. 4. Outdoor Shoes: Now that we finally have nice weather out, just a reminder that students are required to have appropriate shoes for outside and a separate pair for indoor wear. We cannot be wearing outdoor shoes in the classroom or gym as it tracks in excessive sand and mud. Enjoy the last week of May! Stephanie :) |
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