Spring has sprung and I’m delighted to be able to connect with you despite the current circumstances.  The last BLOG post I shared, welcomed you to a new decade of possibilities.  Never did I imagine the possibilities we would have to consider during a pandemic.  I am hoping that you are all well and found interesting ways to experience a most unique Spring Break.

As today would have been our first day back at Clinton, you can imagine that I would have asked students to reflect on their Spring Break adventures.  I do believe that this still may be a starting place as we move forward in a direction that I too am learning to navigate through at this time.

So, Division 9 students, please continue to reflect on each day.  Consider our classroom learning journey and where you might place your personal icon.  Are you on an uphill, downhill or wishing you could carpool! Keep a daily diary of your thoughts, experiences and activities.  I encourage you to consider the weather each day as you write your journal entry.  Look outside.  Watch the trees.  Look at the shadows.  Watch the clouds.  Notice the raindrops. Taking time to observe the weather patterns of the season will help you when considering the setting of a story that you read or write about.

Speaking of story and writing, congratulations to Cara, Bosco, Prisha and Evan Sihota.  Their writing pieces were chosen as winners in the Burnaby District WORDS writing contest.  So proud of all my Division 9 student writers.

This week, I’ll be communicating with Clinton staff, gaining some insight and understanding as to how we move forward as Clinton Thunderbird Stars.  Until we next connect, know that I miss you, I am thinking about you and we are all in this together.

Hope you all have a Meaningful, Marvelous Monday!

Mrs. Enchelmaier

The start of 2020 in Room 15 has been filled with so many opportunities already.  

We began with considering all of our curiousities and wonders, adding to our I Wonder Board. What creative imaginations the students have.  Their imaginations will support the possibilities of our ADST (Applied Design Skills and Technology) sessions taking place in the library.  They are getting the chance to work with Keva Planks, Lego Chutes, Little Codr Cards, Pixel Art, Elenco Snap Circuits, Circle Loom Knitting and much more.  Each center will help to develop their exploration, problem-solving and building/making skills but more importantly their self regulation, perseverance and resilience.  

As students continue to understand that everything on Earth is connected and that making a difference in the lives of others is important, they have been part of a writing campaign sending letters to volunteers who are supporting the animals of Australia affected by the bush fires.  Each student has written a letter of kindness and care along with a picture of their favourite Aussie animal to the volunteers of WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue Organisation.    We hope that our messages of hope will continue to support the many who have experienced such challenging circumstances.   https://www.wires.org.au                                             

As we move through January and February, we look forward to PowWow Dance Lessons, Snowshoeing, a Lion Dance Performance for Chinese New Year, a hand drumming workshop, the Burnaby South Science Fair, Literacy Week and our final Soccer Clinic Lesson.

We are certainly beginning our decade with so many possibilities.  

Ho ho ho!  The Division 9, Room 15 hot chocolate/tea stand has been a wonderful experience for staff and volunteers at Clinton School.  The students appreciate having visitors come to the classroom and enjoy a cup of warmth.  

Peter Pan was a memorable time as students enjoyed watching Tinker Bell hang from the walls of the theatre and Peter Pan trick old Captain Hook.  A walk through Granville Island and lunch at the Kids Market Place was a treat.

Soccer lessons have been lively and fun.  Division 9 decorated the gym doors with colourful soccer balls with messages of  gratitude and kindness.  

We look forward to gingerbread cookie decorating, band concert, the Pancake Breakfast and Christmas sing a long next week.

Have a festive December!  Only 2 weeks until Christmas.

Happy New Year from Division 9.  

It is so nice to see the progress the students have been making over the past few months.  They are putting forth a positive work ethic and enjoying the many activities they have been part of. Learning about the temperate and tropical rain forests was highlighted by the ScienceMadeFun Synergy Shannon scientist.  She brought the canopy, understory and forest floor to the classroom. Taking part in the Legacy Walk, wearing purple and proudly displaying the Orange Shirt Day signs made a very powerful statement in the community.  We are so very excited to have our indigenous artist support our reconciliation path to reconciliaction by engaging the students in the planning of a mural that he will create for our school.  The mural launch assembly will take place at the end of the month.  Having opportunities to work with a variety of classes has been rewarding for Division 9.  They work with the Division 5 buddy class regularly, participate in P.E. class with Division 11 once a week and have enjoyed time spent with Division 8 and our camouflage hunts.  Working with the entire school on Rangoli drawings to create awareness and understanding about Diwali made for a memorable afternoon.  And what a crazy day we had on crazy hair and hat day.  The teachers really enjoyed participating as well.  As we look toward December, the class is getting excited about welcoming the staff into our classroom for hot chocolate/tea and a sweet treat.  They have already created the invites.  Appreciating and giving back to the community will hopefully open up their hearts as well.

December will be full of experiences too. We look forward to soccer lessons, an Urban Safari visit, Peter Pan, gingerbread cookie decorating, pajama day, pancake breakfast and the sing-along.

The sun is out and the week is full.  Division 9 has been hard at work creating pieces of art connected to nature and the cedar trees of the Pacific Northwest.  They have also been encouraged by our class mascot, Eyela, to create some Halloween spooky eyes.  The colourful eyeballs are scanning the hallway, seeing many interesting happenings at Clinton School.

The students have also considered ways in which to use the sun to shrink their environmental footprint.  They have thought of many ways to add a bit of walking into their day.  Many of them look forward to walking in their community on Halloween night.

We have been excited to experience a number of buddy activities with Division 5.  This week we will be making chalk Rangoli drawings outside of our classroom in honour of Diwali.  On Thursday, we will have fun with Buddy Bingo.

There have also been many book sharings over the past few weeks.  Students have enjoyed The UnScary Book, Throw Your Tooth On The Roof and The Creepy Countdown.  Please keep the enjoyment of reading going on at home.  Students are encouraged to continue home reading while filling in their reading journal.  Some of the journals should be coming in soon.

Division 9 is thankful for:

Anna – I am thankful for my school   Linnea – I am thankful for my world  Evan Sihota – I am thankful for myself   Evan Lin – I am thankful for my soccer team  Prisha – I am thankful for my family  Malaya – I am thankful for my Grandpa and Grandma  Eric – I am thankful for animals  Bosco – I am thankful for our planet   Dexter – I am thankful for nature  Cara – I am thankful for my soul  Jocelyn – I am thankful for my violin  Zahra – I am thankful for my guitar  Gokul – I am thankful for my healthy food  Ethan – I am thankful for trees  Thomas – I am thankful for my home  Selina – I am thankful for eyes  Clare – I am thankful for the Sun  Ashlyn – we think Ashlyn would be thankful for her friends  Raina – we think Raina would be thankful for community Nils – we think Nils would be thankful for being able to travel  Mrs. Enchelmaier – I am thankful for my amazing students!

The Home Reading Log Booklets went home.  Please read the letter that accompanied the booklets for information about expectations and goals for home reading.  Reading at home is to be pleasurable.  Perhaps, create a comfy cozy corner for reading or encourage your child to read to a sibling, pet or stuffy.  We are soon going to create a reading corner in the classroom so students can take time to enjoy some books of their choice.

The Math Flights have taken flight.  We have bees, birds, butterflies, jets, helicopters and rockets ready for take off.  Please read the letter that went home with the math fact practice sheet.  Students are to practice their math facts but are encouraged to move through the math flights at their own pace.

Division 9 will be presenting at the upcoming Orange Shirt Day assembly on Friday, October 11.  The assembly will be in the morning and you are invited to attend.

We are off to a great start this October with sunny weather and exciting opportunities for learning.

The school year has started off so well with students able to experience some wonderful learning opportunities.  We sent an appreciation letter to Ms. Lowe for organizing the B.C. Dairy Classroom. Students learned so much about the dairy cow and milking.  Excitement filled the gym as the Cops for Cancer riders paraded through the gym on their bicycles led in by a police motorcycle.  Division 9 enjoyed the lights, sirens, cheering and support for children with cancer.  They sent a class thank you letter to Ms. Matharu who invited the team to Clinton. The students have also worked well together exploring math challenges and taking time in nature.  They have demonstrated cooperative skills during these tasks.  Photos will be uploaded soon.  As we fall into Autumn, I can say that the students have fallen comfortably into their Room 15 classroom.