Hoppy Easter ;)

Dear Families,

Here we are at the end of our first day of April!  They say, "April showers bring May flowers!"  Let's hope!  But, can you believe it snowed earlier today!?  Was it a prank from Mother Earth?!  Sure seemed like it ;)  

Some students shared with me that their parents played a little trick on them by saying, "It's a snow day!"  HAHA, good one parents!  It is April Fools Day after all ;)

Thank you Dougie for bringing in a little something to share with the class about this tradition.  It is important that we always remember that when we are getting into the spirit of a friendly prank that it is NOT harmful to someone's thoughts, feelings, and emotions.  Thank you for always thinking about others, Dougie!!    

Ryker shared with us that her parents played a little trick on her by pouring salt in her oatmeal for breakfast, haha!  I loved hearing about the various pranks parents did to their child(ren).  It definitely put a smile to my face as you're always looking for ways to make traditions special for your kids :-)  

Zoom in to check out Lilia's awesome mask today!!  You certainly are a 'GOOD EGG!' 
Keep being wonderful you!

I would like to wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe Easter long weekend with your family!  As many are aware, it is Good Friday tomorrow (no school) and Easter Monday (no school), so students will be back to school on Tuesday!    

Province Wide Emergency Brake Shutdown:

Today, the Ontario government announced that the province of Ontario will move into an emergency brake shutdown, effective April 3, 2021. 

At this time, all SCDSB schools will REMAIN OPEN for student learning and students enrolled in the Learn@Home program will continue to attend class virtually. 

SCDSB schools will reopen on Tuesday, April 6, following the long weekend. 

For ongoing updates, visit the COVID-19 page on the SCDSB website, or follow them on social media (Twitter: @SCDSB_Schools or Facebook: www.facebook.com/SCDSB).

As your child's teacher, I am relieved and happy to hear this!  You will have noticed that I did prepare for distance learning by sending home school supplies and work, so please ensure your child brings these items to school on Tuesday as we'll need them for in class learning.

Spirit Day:

Thank you to all the staff and students who got into our Western/Plaid spirit day earlier this week.  It was a boot scootin' boogin' time!  Everyone looked so terrific and adorable in their howdy partner attire!  Check us out below :-)

Next Spirit Day:

Our next spirit day is on Wed. (Apr. 7th).  I encourage all my students to please dress up in his or her BEST BEACH attire!  With the safety measures currently in place from our government, we may not be able to travel this April break, but we can surely FEEL like we're on vacation in a tropical place and dress for the occasion!  

Here is an example from two years ago when I taught grade 3 to Sonja, Connor, and Coleton :)  Aren't they adorable?  Let's show our school pride and get into the spirit! 

A Message from Mr. Perry:

"While not mandated, we continue to thank our parents/guardians for wearing a mask when on school property. The current COVID-19 protocol (as directed by the SMDHU) is that at school we are to be wearing a mask.  We would also ask that you not congregate in groups during drop-off or pick-up on school property."

This is a reminder that each day, families are asked to ensure that their child(ren) complete the COVID-19 student screening tool prior to coming to school. The COVID-19 student-screening tool is available here: https://scdsb.on.ca/covid-19

Character Trait:

This month's character trait is "Optimism" - We believe we can DO IT!  

Being in a state of optimism is remarkable!  Check out the video below to see for yourself.

So, come one, COME ALL, join US in the POWER OF OPTIMISM!  It can change your life for the better ... FOR GOOD!!

Mindful Walks:

As some of you know, I am an avid hiker and love being outside in nature.  I spend a lot of time on my weekends trekking the amazing trails and hills in our area!  It truly brings peace to my mind, body, and spirit.  

Now, I'm sharing my passion for the outdoors with my students too!  We've been on a few mindful walks which give us an opportunity to offer our gratitude to our beautiful surroundings and socialize with our peers in a loving manner.  Nottawa is such a lovely community (as you know).  Our class discovered a little 'loop' (trail) which we've been enjoying!

World Autism Awareness Day:
This week, we acknowledged and learned about Autism.  Similarly to last week's discussion about Down Syndrome, I reinforced with my students the importance of showing compassion and understanding to those who think and learn differently than us.  

We had a meaningful discussion and below are some of the teachings I did based on the children's book "My Friend Has Autism".

What is autism?  "It is a brain-based disorder.  Doctors don't know what causes autism, and there is no cure.  Kids with autism have difficulty making sense of the world around them.  They don't make connections with words and feelings like most people do.  Kids with autism have trouble talking with others, which makes it hard to make friends.  They often spend their time alone and seem to be "in their own world."  Therapy can help kids with autism communicate with others and live better lives."  - Amanda Doering Tourville

In addition, I came across this video (see below) which gave us the opportunity to step inside the brain of an autistic child. 

DID YOU KNOW?
"Autism is a brain-based disorder which means parts of the brain don't grow the way they should.  No one knows why some kids have autism.  There is no cure ...YET!"

DID YOU KNOW?
"Kids with autism have trouble communicating.  They may not talk much at all.  They may talk only about their interests, even when other people don't share those interests."

DID YOU KNOW?
"Many kids with autism are able to focus very tightly on an interest.  Many kids with autism may  hear sounds or smell odors that other people don't notice.  Kids with autism often spend a lot of time arranging toys or objects.  It can upset them when someone moves their things."

DID YOU KNOW?
"Many kids with autism can seem impolite.  They don't understand that it's rude to walk away from someone who is talking to them."

A Message from the School Board:

April 2, 2021 is World Autism Awareness Day.  With tomorrow being a school holiday, SCDSB schools will be choosing to celebrate this day on Tuesday April 6, 2021.

This is a friendly reminder to wear something BLUE on April 6th to demonstrate the importance of understanding and acceptance for people with autism.

#AutismAwareness

Math:

Below, you will find a math task that we began this week!  We've been working on our coding skills and solving equations.  We're enjoying the process of this!  

Please talk with your child about this word problem and see if he or she can share with you their UNDESTANDING (What I know?  What needs to be solved?) and PLANNING (What strategies will you use to solve this?). 

Students will receive this question next week to solve using pictures, numbers, and words!  

Check out Kaylee, Lilia, Payton, and Brooklyn working as a T.E.A.M. ("together everybody achieves more!") to figure out how to use scratch.org (coding program) to help them begin their problem solving.

Seeing my students collaborate and cooperate is one of the BEST HIGHLIGHTS to my teaching days!! 

Ryker:

Thank you Ryker for making me this uplifting growth mindset poster!!  I love it :)  Your message of "When a bully puts you down, tell them you're going to use that bad power and use it like a good power to get back up!"  Yes, I agree!  

In life, we are all going to face challenges, but how we manage ourselves can make all the difference in the world. Choosing to turn a negative situation into a positive one, can help change things for the better.  

Thank you Ryker for always doing your best to see the LIGHT (the positive) even when things may get difficult.  Your peers and I admire YOU!

Jamie:

Thank you Jamie for brightening our classroom with this plant!!  It is very appreciated :)  Your kindness is like a seed, it continues to grow and grow, and GROW.  

Thank you for being such a caring and compassionate daughter, sister, student, peer, and friend!

Mindfulness:

I am very drawn to this video (see below) because of all its powerful quotes!!  Give it a listen to learn about all the ways to help develop an optimistic mindset :-)

  

In order to continue developing an optimistic mindset ... remember, it takes the 4 P's: 

• PLANNING (a goal without a plan is only a wish)
• PRACTICE (which makes progress)
• PATIENCE (lots of it)
• PERSEVERANCE (never give up)

In no time, you'll realize that by being optimistic, you'll live a HAPPIER and HEALTHIER life ...

physically, emotionally, and mentally :)

Growth Mindset:
Lately, students have been eagerly and enthusiastically writing down their own and found growth mindsets to share!  It makes my heart soar with JOY!  

Currently there are lots of sticky notes on my chalkboard awaiting to be used for our weekly growth mindsets.  I can't wait to share them ALL WITH YOU in the coming weeks.      

"Don't let anything or anyone stop you from being who you are!" - Lilia

Ubuntu,

Miss P. Gill