The A.L. Horton Wayfinder - Update
October 16th, 2023
Fundraising Facts & Volunteer Opportunities
Little Caesar's Pizza & Bear Tracks Ice Melt Info
The new date for Little Caesar's pizza orders and Bear Tracks pick up is Wednesday, October 25. This overlaps with Learning Conferences/Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews on October 25 which is helpful.
Please visit this link to sign up for a half hour shift ensuring pizzas and ice melt pails find their owners!
Thank you to the leader of these fundraisers, Nancy Keel (also the Society's Treasurer), and to all parents/caregivers who are signing up to help with the work of delivery. New Kindergarten to Grade Two playground, here we come!
Pick ups will take place on the east side of the school, south of the gym entrance, from 1 to 5 PM.
Family winners of the most pizzas sold will be announced soon. These families receive a pizza kit meal for Halloween!
Reminder - Bear Tracks Ice Melt orders are due online by October 23. Email your order form with each purchaser's name and number of pails to friendsofalhortonschool@gmail.com . Please e-transfer funds collected to that same email address and note your family's name (appearing on the emailed order form) so we can match payments to orders. Thank you.
Learning Conferences - afternoon/evening of October 25 & 26
Celebrations & Next Steps for your child - sign up online for an interview/discussion
Bookings to sign up for interviews WILL OPEN on Tuesday, October 17 at 9 AM. Please sign up at https://schoolinterviews.ca/code/s4an4 .
Discussion ideas for parent/teacher/child learning conferences:
- Literacy skills
- What is my child doing well as a reader, writer, and speaker?
- How can I encourage and support my child at home with reading, writing, and speaking?
- Numeracy skills
- What strengths does my child have with numbers, operations, and other math skills and strategies?
- How can I help and encourage my child with number facts and math concepts at home?
- Participation & Engagement
- Ask your child what subjects or activities he/she/they find most engaging.
- Find out from the teacher where your child "lights up" in school. Foster that interest and passion with activities outside of school.
- Critical thinking, problem solving, and social skills
- What do you notice about your child at home as a problem solver?
- What has the teacher noticed about your child's creative thinking when problem solving?
- How does your child use empathy, words, and actions to build and maintain friendships?
Celebrations, Learning, and Fun Around the School & Community
Grade 1 & LINKS-2 classes visited the local Corn Maze
Thank you to the Ag Society for the free admission and to the school Hot Lunch program for free bussing for this local field trip!
EIPS Superintendent Stoddard Visit - October 13
Ms. Giebelhaus' Kindergarten students were practicing colouring, cutting, and laying out fire truck parts for Fire Safety Week!
School Council & Friends of A.L. Horton School Fundraising Society - 3 positions
We need you!
Two School Council positions remain open and are to be filled at the October 24 meeting at 6:30 PM:
- Chair
- Vice-Chair
The Fundraising Society needs two more director positions filled on October 24:
- President
- Secretary
Thank you to the following parents/caregivers who have filled positions for 2023-24:
School Council: Secretary Hannah D., Kindergarten Parent at Large Erin R., Parent at Large Hannah D.
Reach them at alhortonschoolcouncil@gmail.com .
Friends Fundraising Society: Vice-President Erin R., Treasurer Nancy K., Directors at Large Kelly D. & Tennille B.
Reach them at friendsofalhortonschool@gmail.com .
We will meet in person in the school library learning commons on October 24. Parents/caregivers can also join us online using the Google Meet code: https://meet.google.com/adp-xviw-bus
Read all our agendas and minutes of meetings on the school website Parents' Page.
Next meeting dates (second last Tuesday of the month): October 24, November 21, January 23, February 20, March 19, April 23, and May 21.
Grade 4 classes visit the local fire hall
Fire hats & fire safety and prevention tips for everyone!
Welcome to new MHCB Coach Kristine Folk
Mental Health Capacity Building Coach Mrs. Folk joins us on Tuesday this week. She will be presenting self-regulation, problem solving, and friendship skills in all classes this year. Visit the MHCB website.
Halloween Parade - October 31 at 10:30-10:50 AM in the Gym
Parents and caregivers are welcome to join us for this year's costume parade. Front doors open at 10:15 AM and please head to the gym for a bench or standing seat along the gym walls. Be entertained by this year's ghouls, beasties, and colourful characters! Children can wear their costumes and make-up to school. No weapons, please.
Is it bullying...?
Helping children to talk about and understand bullying, intentional teasing, and friendly teasing
It's important that children and teens be able to ask for help when they feel sad, lonely, confused, angry, and/or frustrated about uncomfortable interactions with others.
At our school, the adults ask questions to find out what happened, what occurred before, who was involved, and what needs to happen next. We also help students to understand some important differences between bullying and teasing. Here are some definitions we've found helpful with kids.
Bullying - when someone aggressively uses their power to target another individual with repeated, unwanted words or actions, hurting them physically and/or emotionally. REQUIRES INTERVENTION; involves contact with parents/caregivers by teachers and school administration
Intentional teasing - when someone purposefully uses words or actions to hurt or exclude someone once, even after the individual has asked the person to stop or has shown that he/she is hurt. REQUIRES COACHING & INTERVENTION/REMINDERS; is common among peers and friends when envy and jealousy are in play
Friendly teasing - when individuals of equal power use words or actions to be playful, funny, and create or strengthen bonds of friendship. Must be funny to both/all those involved. WILL REQUIRE COACHING & REMINDERS; the line between friendly teasing and uncomfortable teasing is different for everyone and children need to develop empathy to tease in kind ways. The ability to tease with kindness is contextual to time, place, and existing relationships.
Hot Lunch Program - orders open for November soon
Please watch for the November hot lunch information to be coming home soon. Hot lunches will be on November 17 and 24. We note that these are both Kinder A days and will ensure the December lunches include Kinder B students.
Reminder to all parents/caregivers that Wednesday hot dog orders are due each Sunday night by 11 PM.
Thank you for supporting fundraising efforts at the school. Hot lunch funds help us buy Chromebooks for students and support special treats for all students throughout the year.