Storm Day Update

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone has stayed safe and warm the last two days in the storm.  We should be back in the swing of things tomorrow.

I just wanted to let you know a few things that have changed because of the storm days we have had.  First of all, the high school had to reschedule their exams, and will be writing on Friday.  This means that there WILL BE regular elementary classes on Friday, January 30th.  The PD day that was suppose to happen Friday will now take place on Monday February 2nd.  There will be NO Classes on Monday February 2nd.  

Also, because we missed two days this week we will not have our spelling test tomorrow.  Instead we will work on the list for next week.   We will have our test next Thursday February 5th.  Grade one is working on list # 12 and grade two is working on list # 15.

 

Also keep in mind that report cards will go out on Thursday February 5th.  Parent teacher interviews will take place Thursday Feb. 5th from 6-9 and Friday Feb. 6th from 10am -12pm.  That means there will be No classes on Feb. 6th.  I would love to meet with all of you to discuss you child’s progress this quarter.  Please sign up for an appointment.  Sign up sheets will be in set up in the front entrance next week.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Mrs. Barton.

January 26th – 30th

Hello Parents,

Well, it’s about that time of year again. You know, the time when you check the Environment Canada website on a daily basis? It certainly looks like it’s trying to storm on Tuesday, so keep in mind that in the event we do have a storm day this week, we will proceed with a typical school day on Friday to accommodate the high school students writing exams.  Keep your eyes on the blog, Twitter, and Facebook throughout the week for up to date information!

How will I know if school is delayed or cancelled?

• Check the GCS Facebook & Twitter Feed
• Turn in to any PEI radio station or browse their websites
• Visit the CBC Stormcentre website (http://www.cbc.ca/stormcentre/pei/)
• NEW THIS YEAR – families can opt in to a GCS text message notification. If school is delayed or canceled, a text message can be sent from GCS to one cell phone in the family to notify of the delay/closure.  This is an OPT-IN ONLY program.  If you would like to use this option, please email Jordan Ellis (jordanellis@gracechristianschool.ca) with the cell phone number that you want to have the text message notification be sent to.

When announcements are made for a delay or closure, GCS follows the English Language School Board.  Alternatively, sometimes only certain schools will be delayed or closed and will be announced by “family of schools”.  In this event, GCS follows the Bluefield Family, Colonel Gray Family, and Charlottetown Rural Family of schools.  If any of these are delayed or canceled, GCS will be also.

Winter Weather Procedures:

Consistent with previous years, elementary students will be outdoors for recess unless the conditions exceed -15 ⁰ C.   Students are asked to come prepared for outdoor recess EVERYDAY, in the event that temperatures rise and the conditions improve.  This means hats, mittens, snow pants, and proper winter footwear.

This week’s Tests: 

Spelling tests this week will be on Thursday.  Grade one is doing list # 11.  Grade two will be doing list # 15.

Phonics test — Thursdays Jan. 29th

International Potluck:  As our school continues to be blessed with so many families from China, we are going to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Mark your calendars and dig out your recipe book, because on Tuesday, February 17 at 5:00 pm, GCS will host another international Potluck Dinner. All are welcomed for another great night of food and entertainment from around the world.

 

Important Dates to Remember:

January 30th — PD Day (No Classes)
February 5th — Report Cards
February 5th — Parent Teacher Interviews 6pm – 9pm
February 6th — Parent Teacher Interviews 10am – 12 am   (No Classes)

 

On Thursday grade one and two were able to use the salt dough that grade 5/6 made for us in their science class. Students began their work on their maps of Canada.   Here are a couple pictures of students working. We will be finishing the map during this Thursday’s class.  The next step will be to paint them which will take place the following week.

 

 

Dublin chose to trade in his stickers to do a special show and tell.  Here he is showing us his toy.

 

 

 

 

 

January 19th – 23rd

Hello Parents,

Grade one and two have been learning about Canada in their Social Studies class.  We have recently learned about the beaver as a symbol of Canada.  This week students will be creating their own maps of Canada by using play dough. I would like to ask that each child brings in a sturdy piece of cardboard large enough to fit an 11 x 17 piece of paper.  We will be using the cardboard as base for the maps.  We will be doing them on Thursday so please bring in the cardboard before Thursday.

This week’s tests

Wednesday Jan. 21st — Math test

Thursday Jan. 22nd — Phonics test

Friday Jan. 23rd — Spelling test (List # 11 for Grade one, List # 13 for Grade two)

Sledding:

Students have  lots of fun on the sledding hill last week.  We have purchased sleds for each class.  Please be remember that students are no long permitted to bring in their own sleds from home.

Skating Dates

The following are the dates that the Elementary classes will be going skating at Simmons Arena.  Skating takes place from 1:45-pm – 2:45 pm.  Helmets and mittens are required for  all students skating. We will need drivers for these dates.  Please let us know if you available to drive.  Parents are to pick up their children at the rink before 3:00 pm, unless other arrangements have been made for after school care.

Wednesday, February 11
Thursday, February 26
Wednesday, March 4
Friday, March 13 (Kindergarten – Grade 2)

 

Important Dates to Remember:

January 30th — PD Day (No Classes)

February 5th — Report Cards

February 5th — Parent Teacher Interviews 6pm – 9pm

February 6th — Parent Teacher Interviews 10am – 12 am   (No Classes)

 

On Monday Riley brought in his uni-cycle to show off his amazing riding abilities. He traded in his stickers the Friday before to do a Talent show.  Here is Riley showing the class his uni-cycle and answering the many questions the students had for him.

 

He took it for a ride down the hallway where he had many spectators from the other classes.

 

 

Have a Great Week!

Mrs. Barton

 

 

January 12th – 16th

Hello parents,

We had a great week last week.  Students are enjoying the new system of behaviour.  On Friday students were able to trade in their stickers for the first time.  Students choose and were able to take home their coupon to show parents what they received.   These coupons were put in your child’s agenda.  Please return these coupons to school so they can be reused.    Students who chose to wear pyjamas  or to take a fluff friend to school may do so on Monday.

 

This week’s test: 

Tuesday — Phonics test

Wednesday  — Math test

Friday — Spelling test   (List # 10 for grade one — List # 12 for grade two)

Reminder of the Microwave Schedule.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Hannah	Belle	Daniel	Cody	Eva
Julian	Davis	Riley	Micah	Dublin
Frankie	Jude	Ava S.	Cheng	Brianna
Sarah	Jayden	Brielle	Gabe	Chris
Avah  B.		Youmi	Darian

New Sledding procedures: 

With winter in full swing, and a little bit of snow on the ground, students are very anxious to hit the fantastic sledding hill at GCS.  In previous years, students have been invited to take their sleds from home to use during recess.  For various reasons, including safety concerns, students are no longer permitted to take their sleds from home.  GCS has purchased a significant amount of sleds for students to use during recess, and has plans in place to ensure greater safety for the students on the hill.

We appreciate your cooperation on this matter, and look forward to some fun on the sledding hill this winter.

Skating Dates

The following are the dates that the Elementary classes will be going skating at Simmons Arena.  Skating takes place from 1:45-pm – 2:45 pm.  Helmets and mittens are required for  all students skating. We will need drivers for these dates.  Please let us know if you available to drive.  Parents are to pick up their children at the rink before 3:00 pm, unless other arrangements have been made for after school care.

Wednesday, February 11
Thursday, February 26
Wednesday, March 4
Friday, March 13 (Kindergarten – Grade 2)

 

Important Dates to Remember: 

January 30th — PD day (No classes)

Feb 5 – Report cards / Parent Teacher Interviews (pm)

Feb 6 – Parent teacher Interviews (am)
Feb 16 – Islander Day (No Classes)

 

Here are pictures from last week’s chapel.  Pastor Stephen Bray spoke to the students for the last time.  Pastor Bray and his family are moving back to Newfoundland to pastor at a church in Saint John.   Students heard a great message reminding students that God is Powerful, He can do anything, it’s always best to obey God and God protects those who follow him.  Students gave Pastor Steve a group hug to say good bye.

January 5th – 9th

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful break with family and friends.  I know I had a great break full of travelling around to see family and having family and friends into our home.   It’s hard to believe that we are into the new year already.  I am looking forward to all the 2015 has in store.

Spelling:

This week’s spelling test will take place on Friday.  Grade one will be studying list # 9 and grade two is list # 11.  As we go into this new year I just wanted to remind you of the spelling homework procedures.  Each night you child is to write out their spelling list in their spelling notebook.  Please date the top of the page so I know that it is being done each night.  Students are to turn in their notebooks at the beginning of each day.

New behaviour system: 

Tomorrow grade one and two will be introduced to a new behaviour system.  Each student will have a small memo pad which will be kept on their desk throughout the day.  Students can earn stickers in the memo pad when they are following classroom rules and expectations.  Our Classroom rules are: 1) Follow directions quickly 2) Raise your hand for permission to speak 3) Raise your hand for permission to leave you seat 4) Make smart choices.  Stickers may also be awarded when students go above and beyond expectations.   On Fridays students will be able to trade in their stickers for reward coupons.  They may trade as little as 5 stickers for a small prize in the prize box or they may choose to save up their stickers for such rewards as sitting with a friend or sitting in the teacher’s chair for the day.

In the class we also have a clip chart where every students starts on “Ready to Learn” each day.  The goal will be to stay on  green for the entire day.   Students can move down to ” Think about it”  if they are displaying inappropriate behaviour.   If inappropriate  behaviour continues students will be moved to “Parent contact.”  In this case students will be asked to fill out a “Think Sheet”  which asks them to  think about their behaviour and come up with a plan to change the behaviour.  This sheet will be sent home for parents to sign and is to be returned to school the next day.  If students receive more than one think sheet in a week it will result in a phone call home.

We will continue to use smilies and saddies for whole class behaviour management.  When the whole class is following directions and procedures they will get a smiley.  If the class is struggling to follow directions they will get a saddie. At the end the day students will get  letter in the prize they are working toward.  For example, our first reward students will be working for a “PJ and Movie”  day.   If they get more smilies than saddies tomorrow, students will earn the letter “P”.  When the whole word is spelled they will get to wear the PJ’s to school for the day.

Microwave schedule:

Before Christmas I mentioned that the microwave in our classroom was becoming a problem because there were too many students using the microwave, leaving very little time for some students to finish eating.  I do not wish to take the microwave out of the classroom because I understand that it offers more variety when you are planning lunches.  However, I can only offer each student one day where they will be able to bring a lunch that requires heating.   Below is the schedule I have created for each day.  The schedule will stay the same every week.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Hannah	Belle	Daniel	Cody	Eva
Julian	Davis	Riley	Micah	Dublin
Frankie	Jude	Ava S.	Cheng	Brianna
Sarah	Jayden	Brielle	Gabe	Chris
Avah  B.		Youmi	Darian

 

In the case of winter weather:

Winter is here as we have seen today.  Please be reminded that we follow the English Language School Board for cancellations and delays.

• We will post on the GCS Facebook (Grace Christian School – Prince Edward Island) or Twitter (@gcs_pei) feed
• Each PEI radio station regularly announces delays/closures
• The CBC Stormcentre website (http://www.cbc.ca/stormcentre/pei/)
• The PEI radio station websites also post delays/closures on their sites
• NEW THIS YEAR – families can opt in to a GCS text message notification. If school is delayed or canceled, a text message can be sent from GCS to one cell phone in the family to notify of the delay/closure. This is an OPT-IN ONLY program. If you would like to use this option, please email Jordan Ellis (jordanellis@gracechristianschool.ca) with the cell phone number that you want to have the text message notification be sent to.

 

Enjoy your week!

 

Mrs.  Barton