First Week of School - SUPERB START-UP!

Dear Families,

I would like to begin this post by sharing that my thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and entire community in Uvalde, Texas affected by the senseless shooting at Robb Elementary School earlier this week :(

It brings me immense sadness to think about the unfathomable pain that the parents of the children whose lives were lost are enduring right now. It's truly a parents' nightmare.    

If you or anyone else you may know requires it, there are resources available to support students and families impacted by this traumatic incident and are available on the SCDSB website: https://bit.ly/3sVTDlF

I am grateful to be part of a school board that consistently thinks about the feelings of others.   #SCDSBproud  

Language:

This week, I introduced the kids to another amazing activist - Malala Yousafzai.  Who is she?  Ask your child if he or she can share a little bit about her before I share more below :)  She is one of my personal heroes and I look up to her :)  

To help the kids learn more about the life and legacy of this extraordinary activist and human, I shared her award winning book called Malala's Magic Pencil.  I have posted an online version below for you as well to enjoy.

It is an inspirational picture book about Malala's early life and how she became an activist who believed she could help change the world for the better!

This book is a great way for younger readers to learn about her and the hardships she overcame as a child.  They can see what it was like in Pakistan for a young girl and the true resilience that she displayed to help her overcome the many challenges she faced against The Taliban. 

Please note, this book has just enough specific details so that it remains appropriate for younger ones, and is still intriguing for older readers who will surely want explore more about what happened to Malala after reading it. 

I'm really in awe of how well written the book is and I hope this story leaves you feeling the same afterwards.

Malala continues to do everything she can to break down barriers for girls to have access to education!

For more information about Malala visit her website: www.malala.org

After listening to the story, I presented a writing activity where students were asked to think like an activist and write about a cause that they're passionate about that can help change the world.

Their responses are heart soaring as many of the topics relate to the discussions we've had this school year involving Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Homelessness, Climate Change, etc ...  

In class, students had the opportunity to share their writing to help inspire each other and to ensure all our voices were heard. Check us out below in our collaborative efforts :-)

I truly believe each and every student in my class has the ability to help change the world and it all starts with the willingness to TRY.  

These completed sheets will soon come home in the agenda next week, stay tuned!   

Math:

Over the next while, your child will be learning about probability.  Understanding probability is essential in many areas of mathematics.  A math note was sent home earlier this week in the agenda.  I do hope you have an opportunity to read through the expectations.

In this unit, your child will be learning to use simple probability language such as impossible, certain, unlikely, likely, and equally as likely.  

We will investigate possible outcomes of simple events, such as spinning a spinner, and making predictions about what will happen in simple probability situations.  Playing games that involve chance is one way to explore probability.

Throughout this time to help reinforce this unit, you and your child can do some activities such as:

• your child can make a list of events that might or might not happen at home one evening, and then describe the probability of each event using impossible, certain, likely, or unlikely, and explain his or her choice of probability words

• your child can look through your family's board games for any that use a spinner, and then play the game(s)

• your child can look through your family's board games for any that use a spinner, and then predict the probability of spinning each section of each spinner in 40 spins.  Your child can spin the spinner to check his or her predictions

• your child might make a spinner for doing chores around the house, use the spinner to decide which chore is to be done next, and keep a tally chart of the results for a week

Thank you as always for your ongoing support in your child's math learning!  It is really appreciated and is making a difference for many :-)

Nottawa's Wishing Well:

As part of our school's ongoing initiative to help others in need, Mrs. Coleman's grade 6/7 class has chosen a local organization for our school to learn about and support.  How amazing :-)  #livingisgiving

The Living Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization in OUR community that is devoted to helping terminally ill patients, by making their last wishes come true!  

Our Plan To Help - We want to show our support to The Living Wish Foundation, and what better way to do this than to make our own wish to help others have their wishes come true!

Thank you to the Lloyd family (Tessa and Parker's parents) who made our very own Nottawa School Wishing Well which will soon be placed in the rotunda where students can donate and make their “wish for wishes” by tossing coins/bills into the well. Amazing :-)

Donations - Classes will be called down throughout the week of May 30th and students and teachers can make their donations into the Wishing Well. We will also be having a ‘Donation Drive By’ night on June 1st from 4:00-6:00 p.m. when parents, students and other community members will be able to contribute to the Living Wish Foundation. 

This is a great opportunity to bring people together to help others who are part of our community. 

Together, we can make wishes come true! #Nighthawksrock #Nottawacares

Bake Sale Fundraiser:

Hey Nighthawks! Do you like baked goods? The grade 6/7's will be having a bake sale in their classroom on Wed June 1st.

They will be selling baked goods and all the proceeds will go to the Y.M.C.A of Simcoe Muskoka!

The YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka has programs to help people in the community access:

•  Health/Fitness Programs

• Jobs for people seeking employment

• Child Care Services/Day camp programs

• Immigrant Services (Helping newcomers to adjust to life in Canada).

• Literacy Programs to help others read and write

 

Everything they do has one important goal: to help people with their mental/physical health and overall well being.

Your child's contributions will help make a difference in the lives of those who need it the most :)

Jardine:

Thank you to Jardine and family for the beautiful and aromatic lilacs for our classroom!  The scent is very soothing and we're all enjoying its presence.  Your kindness is appreciated :-)

Mindfulness:

Below is one of Johnny Reid's hit songs entitled "Today I'm Gonna Change the World." Please enjoy this songwriter's heart warming message. It's one of my favourites :-)

Its main message focuses on ... if we all just reached out to one person today and helped them, the world would be a better place. Absolutely!! We all have it in us to GIVE ...

Growth Mindset:

"If you don't put in your personal best, you cannot achieve great things." - Cooper

Meegwich,

Ms. Gill