Happy October!  We have finished a busy month of September with many "firsts" especially for our Junior Kindergarten families.  Thank you again to everyone for helping us have a smooth beginning to the school year.   We had a very warm beginning to the week and the students and staff enjoyed a "cool" popsicle treat from Mr. Currie and Mrs. Norton on Tuesday.  On  Wednesday, Miss Santiago made Thank You cards with the children and we delivered them to the office.  It was a meaningful way for everyone to practise printing their names.
     The children completed Terry Fox activities this week leading up to our walk on Thursday.  Thank you very much to all the parents and grandparents that attended the assembly and then walked around the school yard with us.  We appreciated all your help and we couldn't have done it without you.  The SK students drew a picture with Terry and wrote something special they knew about Terry Fox.  The JK students drew a self-portrait of themselves running with Terry Fox.  On Thursday, the children designed a running shoe they thought Terry Fox would like to wear.  The children also completed their "This is Me in September" pictures.  We will complete this drawing and writing task each month.  Their wonderful work is displayed over the cubbies in our classroom.  Please have a look the next time you visit our classroom.  In Music, the children are singing, "Here We Go a Walking" and are keeping the beat with their arms, legs and hands.  In the computer lab, Miss Santiago is having the students explore "Trace to the Beat!" using numbers and letters in abaya.com.  The children will be completing their October calendars this week and completing Thanksgiving activities.
     We had our first Lockdown drill on Friday.  During a Lockdown drill,  the children sit in their cubbies quietly with books, the lights are turned off, the windows are covered and the doors are locked.  The children did a wonderful job of being calm, quiet and following the expectations for this drill.  We also had our first Pizza Day on Friday.  Due to the rainy weather, the children ate in the classroom instead of the lunch room.  Thank you to our volunteers for helping with supervision on this special day.  The children also participated in their first Sharing Assembly on Friday.  Congratulations to our award winners for the character trait of Respect.  Each child will receive an award during the school year.  Thank you to everyone who attended and waved goodbye to their child for a successful (and tear free) ending to the Assembly.  
     The cooler weather seems to be approaching with some chilly mornings.  Please give your child opportunities to practise putting on his/her coat independently.  We are teaching the students to use the "flip" method in our class.  Have your child lay his/her coat on the ground with the tag/hood at his/her toes.  The child puts his/her arms into the coat and flips it over his/her head.  When he/she can successfully put on his/her coat, then we will begin with zipper practise.  Thanks in advance for your practise at home.
     The October calendar and Scholastic book order forms were sent home on Friday.  I will be submitting the book order during the Thanksgiving weekend, so please send all orders to school on or before Thursday.  I have copied the Library and Computer groups on the back of the calendar.  There were a few changes due to the reorganization.
     Tuesday, October 3 is Picture Day.  All children will be in our class photo and have an individual picture taken.  Our scheduled time will be in the morning, so please be on time for school.  If you are absent, there is a retake day Wednesday, November 1.  Edge Imaging recommends that your child wears bright solid coloured clothing and NO SOLID GREEN CLOTHING.  Please let us know if a sweater or a specific article of clothing has to be left on for the picture.
     A reminder that Friday, October 6 is a PA Day and there is no school for the students.  The teachers will be at school for meetings.  There is no school on Monday, October 9 for Thanksgiving celebrations.  Enjoy this long weekend with your family and friends.
     We are still accepting donations for our Terry Fox Campaign.  Thank you to everyone who has donated.  Donations may be sent directly to the classroom or done on line at www.terryfox.org.  We are currently short of our school donation goal of $21,592.40.  Thanks again for your generosity.  

This Week:
Monday-Music
               20th day of School, Zero the Hero visits
Tuesday-Picture Day
               Library (A), Comptuers (B)
Wednesday-Have you donated to our Terry Fox 
                   Walk?
Thursday-Library (B), Computers (A)
                 Last day for book orders
Friday-PA Day, No School