DCJA Newsletter
February, 2024
At Donald C. Jamieson Academy, our staff and students are certainly having a fun-filled winter season!
Please take some time to view our Monthly Newsletter for February to learn about some important updates and events taking place in the coming weeks.
Please note that the monthly Newsletter serves as the main communication tool between home and school. Families are encouraged to read it each month to ensure they are in the know about the awesome things taking place at our school! We will not always send home additional reminders.
Also, many of the day-to-day activities that take place at DCJA are shared on X. We encourage families to follow us on X in order to stay up to date on the happenings in and around our school! Follow us @dcja_nl.
π Fun & Learning at DCJA! π
From working with MakeyMakey to procedural writing with bubble gum, the primary students are having a blast learning new things. And like always, our Kindergarten students enjoy spending time outdoors and learning from their environment!
The elementary students are spending their days inventing telephones and creating dioramas of the ancient society of Nubia! And they never pass up an opportunity to learn from a special guest, especially online! The elementary halls are alive with excitement as our students learn each day!
π± Bell Let's Talk Day π±
A big thank you to Nick and Ish, both Medical School Residents at Memorial University of Newfoundland, for presenting to our Grade 6 and 7 students on Bell Let's Talk Day.
Our students enjoyed meaningful sharing and open conversations about the important topic of mental health!
πΆββοΈ Wellness Wednesday πΆββοΈ
Each month, students and staff at DCJA participate in a Wellness Wednesday activity. This initiative aims to offer wellness activities to our school community that will help them to focus on staying physically, mentally and emotionally healthy and well.
In January, our Wellness Wednesday activity included an indoor Wellness Parade around the corridors of DCJA! The Grade 7 & Kindergarten classes partnered up to lead all other classes in a march around the hallways and rooms of DCJA! It was a fun way for students to work off some energy while also saying hello to classmates from other classes and grade levels!
π Family Literacy Day π
Throughout the week, many classes visited the LLC to take part in the DCJA Book Nook Cafe. Students enjoyed listening to a book, creating a book mark, and indulging in a yummy snack of cookies and hot chocolate. A special thank you to Ms. Farrell & Ms. Price for organizing this event.
Throughout the week, students were also challenged to participate in a literacy activity at home and submit their photos to their classroom teacher for a chance to win a prize. The following students won a book and a poster as part of the Family Literacy Challenge:
Thea Gover, Lylah Walsh, Leya Ali, Hailey Sheppard, Emilee Lundrigan, Arionna Hennebury, Dean Gover, Parker May, Destiny Jorgensen, Ethan Brushett and Sophia Sheppard.
Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to everyone who participated.
Finally, on Friday, January 26, students participated in a fun filled game of "DCJA's Masked Reader!" Everyone really enjoyed listening intently to each reader and guessing who was behind the mask. Lots of laughs, lots of fun, and lots of reading took place during the event!
ποΈ Important Dates ποΈ
Wednesday, February 21 - Elementary Popcorn Day
Elementary students can purchase popcorn for $1.25. All orders must be placed on RYCOR by noon on Tuesday, February 20!
Wednesday, February 21 - Jamarama Day
Staff and students are encouraged to support the Janeway Jamarama Campaign by wearing their PJ's and making an online donation on Wednesday, February 21! Online donations can be made here. Cash donations will not be accepted.
Please note that when selecting a donation amount, select "other" to enter an amount, or choose from one of the preset amounts.
Wednesday, February 28 - Pink Shirt Day
The Pink Shirt Day campaign recognizes the importance of unity, inclusivity, and diversity of all people. Join us on Wednesday, February 28th in our mission to create a more kind, inclusive world by raising awareness to anti-bullying initiatives. Staff and students are encouraged to wear pink shirts and everyone will participate in a Wellness Wednesday activity that focuses on spreading kindness to all.
Monday, March 4 - No School due to teacher Professional Learning
Teachers will be participating in Professional Learning on Monday, March 4. Therefore, there will no classes for students on this date. When students return to school on Tuesday, March 5, it will be Day 8.
Wednesday, March 6 - Pasta Day
The School Council will be offering a pasta lunch to all students on March 6. Orders will be $3.00 and must be placed on RYCOR by noon on Friday, March 1.
Friday, March 8 - Kinderstart Session
There will be no classes for Kindergarten students on March 8 to accommodate the scheduled Kinderstart session.
Tuesday, March 12 - Term 2 Report Cards will be released
Report cards for Term 2 will be released to families on Tuesday, March 12.
Wednesday, March 13 - Primary Popcorn Day
Primary students can purchase popcorn for $1.25. All orders must be placed on RYCOR by noon on Tuesday, March 12!
Thursday, March 14 - Term 2 Family Teacher Conferences
Term 2 Family-Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, March 14, from 1 PM - 4 PM & 5 PM - 6 PM. Please see all the details here, in this memo.
Also, to accommodate these conferences, please note that students will be dismissed at 11:40 AM.
School Spirit Week
From March 18 to March 22, DCJA will host Spirit Week in conjunction with Education Week. Students will participate in fun activities including indoor and outdoor play, as well as a field trip to the arena! More details will be shared in the coming weeks once dates and details are finalized.
Wednesday, March 20 - Elementary Popcorn Day
Elementary students can purchase popcorn for $1.25. All orders must be placed on RYCOR by noon on Tuesday, March 19!
Thursday, March 28 - Last day of classes before Easter Break
Students will be dismissed for Easter Break on Thursday, March 28, at regular time. Classes will resume after the break on Monday, April 8 at regular time. It will be Day 2 on the schedule.
π Extra Curricular Activities π
The Grade 3 Lego Club will begin on Tuesday, February 20. The group will meet after school each Tuesday.
The DCJA Robotics Club for Grade 6 & 7 students will begin on Monday, February 26. This group will meet after school each Monday.
The Grade 4 Pokemon Club will begin on Wednesday, February 28. This group will meet after school each Wednesday.
Please note that students wishing to participate in any of these groups must fill out the required permission form available on RYCOR.
β RYCOR notes! β
As referenced above, there are some events and permission forms that need to be completed if students wish to purchase items, or participate in certain events.
Please note the following regarding all RYCOR forms:
- All forms will be accessible one week prior to the event, and will usually close at NOON the day before the event.
- Once logged into RYCOR, all forms will be accessible under "Parent Forms" or "New Forms."
- If families are trying to complete forms on a cell phone, they may need to turn their phone sideways so you can see all the form, including the cart to check out.
π Upcoming Events π
π School Development Surveys π
School Development Surveys are conducted annually to gather feedback from students, staff, and parents/guardians to inform the school development process. The survey results will be provided to our school and will be used with other data to identify the schoolβs strengths and challenges. From there, our school will create and implement a plan to build on successes and address areas of challenge.
The Family Survey is now available. We respectfully ask each family to complete the survey by March 15th, 2024 by clicking on the following link: https://www.research.net/r/SDFamily2324EN. If you do not have internet access, please contact the school and let us know.
Please note the the survey is anonymous, which means that we cannot connect your survey responses to you. We encourage everyone to participate so that we have the most accurate representation of family perceptions at our school.
π§ Breakfast Program Updates π§
Thank you to our amazing Kids Eat Smart Breakfast Program Volunteers for their dedication to the DCJA Breakfast Program. A special thanks for providing a yummy pancake & fruit breakfast on Pancake Day, February 13! All of our students certainly enjoyed the extra special treat!
Likewise, thank you to the many organizations who make monetary donations to the DCJA Breakfast Program throughout the year. Through your generous donations we are able to offer a variety of healthy breakfast items to our students on a daily basis. We truly appreciate every dollar that is donated!
An extra special thanks to the Lion's Club for their generous donation this month! Pictured below is Kindergarten student Dakota Isaacs & Jayden Grandy accepting the donation from Lion's Club Member Edna Power.
π Staff Appreciation Week π
From February 12 through February 16, the staff at DCJA were celebrated and recognized for the amazing work they do each and every day.