Garibaldi Annex Home Learners Program

As many of you know,  I am a big fan of Maurice Sendak.  In addition to his books, he is the genius behind the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker, which my daughter and I have now seen 19 times!  I came across this article about Maurice Sendak that is well worth the read:  Maurice Sendak: Call of the Wild.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Following the success of our Remebrance Day performance, we have been asked to sing at the ANAVets on Sunday, December 20th, 2009, at 3:00p.m.

To this end, Ms. Uzelac (K/1) and I are starting Choir on Thursday, November 26th and we will hold a 1/2 hour choir session every Tuesday and Thursday morning through December 17th.   Students are welcome to join the choir even if they cannot make the December 2oth performance.  The children will also perform two or three of the songs for the Garibaldi Winter concert on December 15th.

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A  holiday event notice  from Mary-Ann:HolidayEventInvite

Amazing Arctic Animals Consent

Tennis BC has changed their schedule due to illness.  They will now be at the school Nov. 26th,  December 3rd,  December 8 and 10th.

Our field trip to the Maritime Museum for Amazing Arctic Animals is next week; Thursday November 26th from 12:00 – 2:45.  If you are able to provide carpooling, please let me know how many you can provide a ride for and I will do my best to ensure everyone has a ride there and back.   We always need drivers! 

If you haven’t signed the field trip form, please do so and bring it in.  I will post the field trip form on the blog presently.

PAC Meeting November 24

Starting Thursday, November 19th, Home Learners will be making felted mittens for the homeless during knitting time.

Donations of used 100% woolen products (sweaters, scarves, etc.) will be greatly appreciated for this project.  If you don’t have any around the house, they can be purchased at thrift shops (I will be sleuthing these out at the Sally Ann this week.)   The condition of the items doesn’t matter. 

Please wash the items in hot water and dry in a hot dryer before bringing them to the classroom.

Thank you!

Tennis BC is coming in for four sessions, Nov. 17, 19, 24 and 26th.  Home Learners are booked from 10:30 – 11:15 those days.  The program will take place in the gym.

The Amazing Arctic Animals! field trip will be on November 26th at the Maritime Museum at Vanier Park.  Field trip forms are on the parent table.  The cost is $6 each per child and $6 each per adult.  We will car pool and/or bus from the school at 12:00, and be back at the school at around 2:45.  The Museum asks us to be there by 12:45 for a 1:00 start.

Through pictures, science and artifacts, the children  will discover how Arctic animals and the Inuit adapt to life in Canada’s most extreme ecosystems.  They will have the opportunity to see and touch authentic animal artifacts to help demonstrate the physical adaptations that animals in the Arctic have developed.  Children will also learn about the impacts of climate change in the Arctic and learn how they can be part of the solution to climate change.

We will be doing some pre field trip activities during class time.  In addition, the Museum has provided the following website for children to explore:

http://www.americazoo.com/kids/arctic.htm

If you would like to order Scholastic so that it comes in prior to the holidays, please see the current November catalogues on the Parents Table and/or below.  Feel free to order via email.  Orders due November 23rd.

Holiday Gift Books

Elf November

Elf December

See:  November SeeSaw               

SeeSaw December

Lucky November

Lucky December

Arrow November

Were the words expressed by 80+ year-old Veteran Roy, who came to thank the children after their presentation.  Last night, Maddy, Hazel, Sophia, Keanna and Margot went to the ANAVets Unit #26, on Fraser Street to present for Unit members and guests.  It is a big unit and there were was a big crowd there!

After being introduced and welcomed with warm applause, the group recited In Flanders Fields to an absolutely silent, rapt audience.  This received enormous applause!  The story of how the poppy became the universal symbol for Remembrance Day was then read to the students and the audience.  Finally, the group sang the song Do You Know Where I Find Peace? Again, the audience responded enthusiastically, with many giving the group a standing ovation!

They were then thanked by the Commodore (I’m not sure I have that title right) and Mr. Scott (who’s title I don’t have at all!) and each student was presented with a pin to thank them.

As we readied to leave, many of the members came to personally thank the students and to tell them what a great job they had done.  As I left, I noted the remarks of people, and the reactions they had had to the children and I know that they touched many hearts last night.

From Tuesday, November 10th to Tuesday, December 15th, we will be offering two optional activities in the afternoon:

From 1:30 to 2:00 Shannon will be taking interested students to the school library for Storytime and book exchange.  All the children have their own library cards and may take out books of their choice.

From 2:00 to 2:30 Juliana will be taking interested students to room 117 for Math Games, fun and engaging games that also teach math skills!

Students not interested in these programs will continue to participate in Centres.  Parents can sign children up for one or both of these afternoon activities. 

Please email Shannon if you wish to sign up for one or both of the activities, or sign-up when you are next in.

Our school engineer, Mr. Scott, is a member of the ANAVets.  His club is on South Fraser.  As a special event for the members of his club, men and women who are veterans, and for our students, he has invited me to bring interested students to attend  the club on Friday, November 6th at 6:00 p.m. 

I suggest that interested students work with me to prepare a song and to recite (with me, from a flip chart) In Flanders Field.  Just a nice, upbeat visit.  Mr. Scott will have treats for the students.  The entire event should last about half an hour, but will give the students something tangible to relate to for Remembrance Day – people and a place, and some very friendly, adults and older folks they can actually meet – real veterans!   

Mr. Scott has also asked if his club might borrow our poppy artwork for the weekend, which the students could present to the club. I think it is such a great thing to connect the children and the club and make what can be an esoteric event for children into something concrete and meaningful.

A small group of veterans from this group visit our school every year for our Remembrance Day assembly and visit all the classes to talk about being a Vet and answering the many questions they receive from the students.

If you would like your child to join us, please come and see me.   I will be working with the children Tuesday and Thursday to learn a song together, and to talk about and read through In Flanders Field.  If there is time, I may read a story to the children while at the Veterans Club – The Story of the Poppy, for the enjoyment of the children and the adults.

Garibaldi PAC is holding a Silent Auction/Kids Movie Night on November 10th:  SilentAuction

the PAC is hosting a hot lunch on Thursday, October 29th. 

Hot Lunch Order Form:  Please print and bring in for your order, or pick up a form from the Parents’ table.

Individual photo re-takes are being held on Monday, October 26th at 9:00a.m. in the Gym.  If you would like your photo re-taken, please bring your original package back to give to the photographer.

Photo orders are now over-due.  If you still have an order you would like to bring in, please bring it by Tuesday, Oct. 27th.  The photographer is picking everything up on Monday, but oh-well. He will just have to wait for the HL order!

The 30 piece Brock House Seniors Orchestra is coming to Garibaldi to perform on Wednesday, October 28th from 10:45 to noon. Everyone is welcome!    They will have a question and answer time for the children following the performance.  They are a wonderful group of people and I encourage everyone to come.  I will be hosting a tea for them after the performance that HL’s may want to join to meet and chat with these lovely people.

Finally – we still need 4 litre milk jugs for the next stage in our mask making for Art.  If you have any you can donate, it would be greatly appreciated.

For those interested in participating the in once-a-month Science World Home Learners’ Program, I have set up a system to pay them directly for your participation.

The program runs the last Thursday of every month at 3:00 p.m.  The next session is Thursday, October 29th.

Participants need to register in advance as space is limited.  Simply register with Science World and they will bill me direct.

• Tomorrow is the field trip to the pumpkin patch.  There are two options available to home learners to get to the field trip:

1.  Be at the school by 8:45.  I will be walking to Frog Hollow with the children, along with the K/1 regular class and teachers.

2.  Be at Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House at 9:30.  Let them know you are with the Garibaldi Home Learners and you can wait for the rest of us to arrive, if we haven’t already.

I will be walking back with everyone so feel free to take either option for your child in the morning, knowing I will walk everyone back.

The weather forcast calls for rain again tomorrow, so if your child will be walking, I suggest bringing a change of clothes, or at least a change of socks for when we return to the school.

If your child is not participating in the field trip, Mrs. C will still be here for Music and Ms. Mad will be here for knitting.

Please let me know if you decide to meet us at the pumpkin patch, so we aren’t waiting here unnecessarily.

After eating lunch and French, we will be having our Hallowe’en Party!  Everyone is welcome!

• JUMP Math, Workbook 1, Part 1 (Grade 1) has finally arrived!  Please come see me for your copy.

A busy week is ahead!

Tomorrow and next Tuesday for Science, we will be doing experiments with a distinct “Hallowe’en” theme!  For tomorrow’s experiment, if you have any type of plain white bar soap, please bring it for your child.

Both the Scholastic orders and the photograph orders are due back by this Friday, October 23rd.  If you haven’t been by to pick up the catalogues, I have them online for you.

October Elf

October SeeSaw

October Lucky

October Arrow

October Click

Wild Math and Science

Also:  If your child is going to the Pumpkin Patch on Thursday morning, please ensure I have the signed permission slip.  If you/your child is walking with our group, please be here by 8:45a.m.  If you will be meeting us there, plan on being at Frog Hollow at 9:30a.m.

parentmeeting[2]:  Agenda for the Home Learner Parents meeting on October 20, 2009.

 L D Association Parent Training:  next meeting notice.