Dear McKenzie Lake Families,
This week, our Grade 4 classes hosted a wonderful assembly for both the school and parents. It was our largest turnout yet for an afternoon assembly, and the students were thrilled to perform in front of their family members. The assembly focused on the anchor text that has been central to our learning this year, Be a Good Ancestor. Students made meaningful connections between this text and their Science topic on Waste & Our World, as well as their Physical Education & Wellness lessons.
For example, students shared poetry about how we can care for the environment through waste management and recycling, and how we care for ourselves by focusing on self-care, such as eating healthy and maintaining positive thoughts. I'm sure it’s been a while since most parents wrote their last Haiku, Acrostic, or Diamante poem, but perhaps the Grade 4 assembly inspired some of you to give it a try again!
On Friday, during our Professional Development (PD) day, the staff participated in a variety of learning sessions related to our School Development Plan (SDP) and our Call to Action. In grade-level teams, teachers designed intentional connections between the Be a Good Ancestor text and their specific curriculum, which will be incorporated into student learning from March through June. We also reflected on our progress in developing our understanding of guided reading and literacy stations to best support all learners in our classrooms, which is our SDP focus.
Additionally, we revisited strategies for improving student self-regulation through the use of FOCUS sequence bins in the classroom. Mid-morning, we took part in a wellness break where staff had the opportunity to participate in a candle-making workshop. It was a busy but incredibly productive PD day!
In light of the ongoing CUPE Local 40 strike, the Family Dance originally scheduled for March 13 has been officially cancelled. We are hopeful that we can find an alternate date for a family event before the end of the school year.
You may have noticed that the ‘McKenzie Lake’ has officially crossed the street and now extends into our west playground area. The water is quite extensive in some places, and in certain areas, it's deeper than the students' rubber boots. If you believe your child is likely to be enticed to push the limits when playing in the water outside, we recommend sending them with an extra set of clothing in their backpacks.
Lastly, Thursday, March 6 students are invited to dress up like a McKenzie Lake School staff member. We look forward to trying to identify who students try to dress up as!
Sincerely,
Dayna McComish