Learning More in Grade 3/4!
Ms. Barrington's Weekly Newsletter
Week of February 12th, 2024
The Week Ahead
Monday (Day 4):
- Take Me Outside (Dress for the Weather)
- Leader in Me
- Music
- Grs. 4-6 Guitar Club
- Grs. 4-6 Robotics Club
Tuesday (Day 5):
- Hot Lunch: Milano's
- Smencils on Sale in Atrium ($2.50 each)
- Cash's Birthday
- Art
- Gr. 3 Tech Time
- Gr. 4 Options
Wednesday (Day 1):
- Pink & Red Spirit Day
- Classroom Valentine's Celebration (Bring a Book)
- Pink & Red Taste Test (Sign Up Below)
- Inclusive Phys. Ed.
- Music
- Library Leaders
Thursday (Day 2):
- Hot Lunch: Subway
- Library (Bring Book Bags and Library Books)
- Inclusion Advisory Committee Meeting
- Phys. Ed.
- Drop-In Science Fair Q&A
Friday (No School):
- Staff PLF #9
Monday (No School):
- Family Day
Upcoming Events
- February 14th - Pink & Red Spirit Day
- February 14th - Classroom Celebration (Bring a Book)
- February 16th - No School (Staff PLF #9)
- February 19th - No School (Family Day)
- February 20th - Student-Led Conferences (5:00-8:00 pm)
- February 20th - March Hot Lunch Orders Due
- February 20th - Minor Baseball Visits
- February 21st - Habit #4 Assembly
- February 21st - FMPSD Pink Shirt Day
- February 22nd - Minor Baseball Visits
- February 22nd - Student-Led Conferences (4:00-7:00 pm)
- February 26th-March 1st - No School (Teacher Convention Break)
- March 1st - April Hot Lunch Orders Open
- March 4th - Classroom Science Fair Show & Share
- March 5th - Classroom Science Fair Show & Share
- March 6th - Christina Gordon School Science Fair
- March 6th - Popcorn Orders Due
- March 7th - Grade 3 Vista Ridge Field Trip
- March 7-8th - ECDP Open House
- March 7-8th - IPP Meetings
- March 8th - Popcorn Day
- March 10th - Ramadan Begins
- March 15th - No School (Staff PLF #10)
- March 15-16th - Wood Buffalo Regional Science Fair
- March 27th - Bee Canada Pollinator Presentation
Notes From the Office
CGSF Popcorn Days: We are gearing up for another successful fundraising year with Popcorn Fri-yays. Popcorn is $2.00, and we aim to have popcorn delivered to classrooms before 10:30 am on Friday. Last year popcorn days provided approximately $7 000 to our Fundraising Association. As our student population continues to grow, we know the support is needed more now than ever. We are working with our Hot Lunch ordering platform to hopefully have popcorn orders streamlined through that, for families who wish to do so. If you have any questions: please email Barb (cgsfundraising@gmail.com).
Hot Lunches: Ordering will be open from the 1st to the 20th of each month to order for the following month. Please note that there is no hot lunch ordering for ECDP or Kindergarten students. To open your 2023/24 hot lunch account (the system does not retain information from the previous year), follow the detailed instructions provided in the attached graphic (Digital Take Home Folder). When you log in, you may notice a new button to volunteer for hot lunch. Please consider volunteering to help sort and organize hot lunches from 11:30 am-12:30 pm. If you have any questions you can contact our hot lunch team at: cgshotlunch@outlook.com.
CG Gear: Our online store is back up and running for the year. Check out: https://christinagordon.entripyshops.com/ to order school clothing. There is a wide variety of styles, logos, and colours to choose from!
Smencils Fundraiser: The Inclusion Advisory Committee has sold 513 out of 1000 Smencils. As such, they will also be selling the surplus Smencils during lunch (12:30-1:15 pm) on Tuesday and Wednesday in the atrium for anyone who missed out or would like some more!
Classroom Valentine's Celebration: Our classroom will be having a small celebration on Wednesday, February 14th to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Students are invited, but not required, to wear red or pink for February’s Spirit Day, Red/Pink Shirt Spirit Day. Together, we will be learning and playing a game called Caribou Skipping which is an adaptation of an Inuit game. We will also be having a Red/Pink Taste Test. Students and families who wish to contribute a red/pink item can sign up on the provided Google Doc (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oZEJP7sJVbx328ajHWf5Bwv0_hBKHFmT8YZPQgY0VvI/edit?usp=sharing) or send me a message/email about which red/pink fruit or vegetable you will be providing. We appreciate items being pre cut or sliced when possible.
Finally, students in Grade 3/4 B have been learning about biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste and have explored ways that students can manage and reduce waste through activities such as our previous classroom Swap & Shop. As we approach Valentine’s Day, we are continuing to look for ways as a class and as a school that we can minimise our environmental footprint while still finding ways to celebrate and promote the values of kindness and friendship that Valentine’s Day represents. Every year, millions of valentines are exchanged and the unfortunate reality is that most of them end up in the trash. This is also true of goodie bags that contain small trinkets such as: stickers, erasers, etc. To continue our classroom learning surrounding finding ways that we can minimise and reduce waste, our classroom will be providing an alternative to a traditional Valentine’s Day Valentine Exchange. Instead of students purchasing or creating paper valentines to exchange, we will be having a classroom Book Signing. Students are encouraged to bring a favourite book from home - a book that is meaningful to them and that they plan to keep and read throughout the years. Students will be given the opportunity to sign and write Valentine’s Day messages inside the front and back covers of each other’s books. The end result being that students will have a keepsake from their Grade 3/4 B classmates that they can keep, read, and enjoy for years to come. I will have extra books available for students who are unable to provide a book of their own so that all students are able to participate.
While we are encouraging families to refrain from exchanging valentines in the traditional manner, because this is the first year that our classrooms and school will be celebrating in this way, this year we will continue to allow students to exchange valentines with their friends as they have in the past; if this is something that students and families strongly feel the need to do. However, it should be noted that our goal as a school is to move away from this practice altogether in the future, using Valentine’s Day as a way that we can teach students to not only love, respect, and be kind to one another but to love, respect, and be kind to our environment while still finding ways to celebrate and find joy throughout our day. Thank you for your understanding!
Tricky Treats Fundraiser: The CG Fundraising Association has a new fundraiser! Tricky Treats Bake at Home Pet Treats! Order forms and price list will be coming home with your student. All forms and money are due to your student's teacher February 15th. We are excited to support this locally owned small business (also a member of our CGS family) and are grateful to have 30% of all proceeds support our school. Please contact cgsfundraising@outlook.com if you have any questions.
Student-Led Conferences: It is the preference at Christina Gordon Public School that students accompany parents to conferences, making them a Three Way Conference or Student Led Conference. We believe that there are benefits to both the parents and students sitting down to discuss a student's learning and progress together, which is why we have conferences involving all parents, students, and teachers, instead of a more traditional Parent-Teacher Interview. Please plan for your student to attend their scheduled conference. Our classroom will be conducting Student Led Conferences. Conferences are scheduled to occur in-person on February 20th and February 22nd. To book a Student Led Conference appointment, please go to the Christina Gordon Public School website or use the following (https://christinagordon.fmpsdschools.ca/bookings). As our classroom will be utilizing a Student Led Conference model, students are encouraged to come into the classroom before or to remain in the classroom after their scheduled appointment with the teacher. During this time, students will be sharing their learning with you by leading you through a variety of centres/stations. These centres/stations will allow families to gain first-hand knowledge of some of our classroom routines and activities. It allows your student to take ownership of their work and to share their classroom experiences with you. I understand that families may have other appointments they need to attend throughout the night (ie. siblings, etc.). Families are welcome to leave and return to the classroom as needed. You will visit the Meet the Teacher station at your appointed time. Please be mindful that these appointments are only 10 minutes in length. There is no grace period between appointments. As such, these appointments are meant to be brief, quick conversation to update you on your student's progress. You will gain more insight into your student's progress from your student, by completing the centres/stations with them. After our Student Led Conference, if you still feel that you require a longer meeting with me, a reminder that families are always able to schedule to meet with me at any time throughout the year and that I would be happy to find time to do so. Families do not need to wait for future Student Led Conferences or Report Cards to address any questions or concerns you may have.
Grade 3 Vista Ridge Tubing Field Trip: As an extension of our Physical Education program, students in Grade 3 will be participating in a tubing day at Vista Ridge Ski Hill on March 7th, 2024. Vista Ridge staff will be onsite and will conduct a safety talk for all participants prior to using the hill. Students will leave the school at approximately 9:30 am and will return by 2:00 pm. Students will need snow gear (eg. hat, mittens, jacket, snow pants, etc.) as well as a packed lunch. Students will not have access to the canteen in the main chalet. There are no student microwaves available at Vista Ridge. Please note that the school is not responsible for any lost or damaged items. If tubing is cancelled due to weather, all attempts will be made to reschedule. The total cost of tubing plus bus transportation is $27 per student. All payments are to be made using Parent Portal by February 22nd, 2024. Cash or cheques will not be accepted as payment. Should you have any issues using Parent Portal, please contact the main office of the school. Refunds will only be provided if a student is unable to participate due to medical reasons. All students are welcomed and encouraged to attend this field trip. Should the cost create any hardship for any family, please contact your student's teacher or the office and alternative arrangements will be made in confidence. No student would be left out due to financial hardship.