Finding stories together!
Dear Families,
Welcome to our classroom hub! I’m hoping to create a space here where families and students can connect with each other and share in the learning journey of Division 26 this year. I invite you to visit here regularly to read and reread the blog posts with your family. It is my goal that the posts will inspire conversations at home to help our students extend their learning beyond the classroom. It is also a space where you can share your observations, wonders and ideas as our year unfolds.
Things to Know about Division 26!
I am looking forward to getting to know you as we begin this year of learning together. My name is Darlene Allanson and the students call me Ms Allanson or Ms A. If you would like to learn a little bit more about my teaching philosophy, I invite you to read my introduction blog post which can be found by clicking on the link below:
You will soon see that I love to use exclamation marks in much of my communications with you because I am genuinely excited to share all that the students are doing at school! I believe that the heart of our little learning community is the connection between home and school. Families play a vital role in the education of each student, after all, you are their first and most important teacher! Throughout the year, my goal is to uncover new ways to invite you into your child’s learning journey! Let’s get started!
A few notes…
Daily Health Checks: Please ensure you complete a daily health check at home with your child. Please do not send your child if they are showing any signs of illness. If your child is going to be away from school, please call the school office and feel free to send me an email. I check emails in the morning and after school. I am unable to check emails during the school day.
Late Arrivals: Arriving at school on time each day plays an important part in our student’s overall success at school. Our morning classroom routines are vital in supporting the students to settle into a new day of learning together. If you do happen to arrive late to school, please visit the office with your child first to sign them in, before bringing them to the classroom. This ensures that the school has an accurate record of attendance, which is important in the event of an emergency.
Class Blog: This year I am excited to be able to share more of what goes on in our classroom through our class blog. You may access the blog through the school website under “staff”. Click on the website link next to Division 26. I will send out emails to let you know when a new post is available.
Parent-teacher communication is vital to ensure the successful building of a strong, supportive, and caring learning community for our young students. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, the easiest way to connect with me is through email. The most reliable email address to reach me at is: Darlene.Allanson@burnabyschools.ca Please make sure that I have at least one updated email address for your student on file, as I will regularly use email to send class updates and information. If you are not receiving emails, please let me know as soon as possible.
Taking our learning outside! We will be spending time learning outside every day, rain or shine, as well as, the students will be outside for recess and lunch. Sending your child dressed for the weather is really important each day. Please send two to three complete changes of clothes, labeled with your child’s name to leave in your child’s cubby at school. Rain boots are a good idea to have at school for your child, as we will be regularly exploring Beecher Creek, as well as, the many puddles that turn up around our schoolyard! In my experience, students tend to go through socks the most at school, so three pairs of socks at school will be very helpful, particularly during the rainy weather.
Inside shoes are helpful to have, especially during the long rainy (and possibly snowy!) fall and winter months. Having an extra pair of slip-on runners left at school makes it more comfortable for your child if they happen to come inside from recess or lunch with wet or muddy shoes.
Lunchtime is learning time! Eating with others is an opportunity to socialize while practicing respectful table manners, as well as, learning to care for our classroom environment by cleaning up after ourselves. The students will be encouraged to bring a healthy, balanced lunch to eat alongside their friends. If you have any concerns about your child’s eating, please speak with me. Please do not send in anything containing nuts, as we have community members who are allergic to these foods.
Birthdays are a highly anticipated time for each of our young learners. Our community will celebrate each student’s birthday with a song and a treat from the “Birthday Box”. Families are welcome to send in a small special snack to share if they would like. Please speak with me a few days prior so I can save time in our busy day for the special snack.
Volunteer Opportunities: In the coming weeks I will be sending out an email with some opportunities for families to volunteer in our classroom community. If you have any special skill sets or unique interests that you would like to share with the students, send me an email!
Class List and Schedule:
Click on the link below for a list of names of our class members and for an overview of our weekly schedule. I will update this page with any schedule changes as the year unfolds.
Tennis Lessons: Our class will begin tennis lessons next week, as part of our school-wide tennis lesson program. We will be having 4 tennis lessons throughout the months of September and October. More information will be sent home in the coming days.
Student Teacher: This year we are excited to welcome a student teacher from SFU. Ms. Zamprogno will be completing her final teaching practicum from September to December.
I will continue to send you information about our classroom community as we settle into our new routines. If you have any questions, please send me an email, I check it regularly!
Sincerely,
Ms. Allanson
I have read the content carefully! The great content makes me understand it very thoroughly!
Thank you for reading! We look forward to welcoming you to our class community!