Happy Holly-days!

Happy Retirement, Mr. Altomare!

The winter break is here! The excitement has been building and today was full of energy and good cheer. We were able to gather as a school to sing Christmas carols in the morning. We wished Mr.
Altomare well as he begins his retirement. The kids have two weeks off and they are looking forward to it.

Here are our thoughts:
I can't wait to open my presents because I like to open my presents. - Braydon
I can't wait to open stockings because I like tricking my dog Scarlet. She only gets poop bags and a bone. -Michael
I am excited because everyday is going to be a weekend. -Silas
I like Christmas because I like to open presents. -Ryder
I am looking forward to opening presents with my mom on Christmas morning because she is going to love her gift. -Madison

Getting ready to sing some carols.

I am excited to see my brother on the holidays because he is going to sleep over. -Nathan
I am excited when I don't have any more school because I get to play video games. -Liam B.
I am excited for Santa to give me presents because I really like them. -Jarrett
I'm excited for Christmas because I want to have presents. -Jaxson
I'm excited for Santa to come because I'll get presents. -Carter D
I will build snowmen at my house. I will use a carrot nose, a hat and sticks just like in our poems. -Carter M.
I'm super excited for Christmas because I get lots of presents. -Bryce
I am excited for Christmas because I really want to go to my grandma's and see all my family. -Kennedy
I love going to my grandma's and grandpa's because I can open presents with my whole entire family. -Colton
I am looking forward to Christmas because it's fun opening presents. -Autumn
I am opening presents. I like to open presents because I like to get Paw Patrols from the toy store. -Will
I am looking forward to going to my grandma and grandpa's house on Christmas Eve because I get to see my cousins that I don't usually see. -Emily

We wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Enjoy making special memories with family and friends. Merry Christmas! We look forward to seeing everyone back in the new year.

-Mrs. T & Ms. M.

Merry Christmas!

Winter Carnival

Awesome bulletin board compliments of Ms. Wasney

Yesterday we had our first Winter Carnival at BHS. We sure lucked out with great weather and a fabulous turnout. There was carolling and curling in the gym, crafts, hot chocolate and cider, treats, a photobooth, a sleigh ride and snowshoeing. It was great to see former students from Robert Andrews Band come to play some catchy Christmas tunes. The indoor and outdoor activities kept everyone busy. There were so many smiling faces and rosy cheeks!

Here are our thoughts:
I loved the horse ride because my whole family liked it too. -Kennedy
I would have had a sugar cookie and bought an ornament. -Jaxson
I enjoyed the fire trucks because my cousin was here too and we went in the fire trucks. -Nathan
The horse ride was fun because it was fast. -Michael
I liked the horse ride because it's super fast and it is not for us to jump off of. -Colton
I liked the snowshoeing because it made me walk like a penguin a little bit and it was my first time. I learned something new about them.  -Charlie
I loved the hot chocolate because it was so hot and warm and I went outside after that to go see the fire trucks. -Madison
I liked when I was at the horse ride because the horses went so fast I almost fell off. -Braydon
I would have had hot chocolate and gone on the horse ride. -Autumn
I went to all the food then I had a blueberry muffin and it tasted so good. -Liam B.
I liked the horse ride because it went a little fast at the start and I loved the cookies. -Silas

Carolling in the gym.

I really liked the cookies because they were really yummy. Jarrett
I was at the horse ride and I had a ride and it was good. -Bryce
I liked the cookies that had sprinkles and icing because they were good. -Carter D.
I would have gone snowshoeing because I have not done it before. -Carter M.
I liked the fire trucks because the ladder was cool. -Will
I liked horse ride because I got to sit at the back. -Ryder

S.P.I.N. Club selling handmade ornaments.

What a wonderful evening. Thanks for joining us! We were glad we could be together and celebrate our BHS community.
-Mrs. T & Ms. M.

Curling in the gym.

RA students sharing their band skills.

A beautiful bulletin board compliments of Mrs. Dent Scarcello

Firetrucks to check out.

Look at that fully extended ladder!

Snowshoeing! 

Waiting patiently for the sleigh ride.

Giddy-up!

Craft time in the music room.

Hot chocolate and apple cider.

Thank you Gessel family!

Handmade Ornaments

S.P.I.N. Club members came to before and after school sessions to make ornaments. These will be sold at our Winter Carnival on Wednesday, December 12th for $2 each. The money raised will be going to their global initiative which is Education in Nicaragua. We hope you are able to support this cause.

Student Led Conferences

We were able to celebrate our learning with families on Thursday and Friday for student led conferences. It was great to have guests visit our classroom and to see what we have been up to. The students were the stars of the show as they shared their accomplishments and work with others.

Here are our thoughts:
I liked showing my mom my math. We played the two dice game. -Braydon
I showed my mom my work. She liked my journal. -Michael
I showed my mom, dad and my step-mom the fish. They were happy to be here. -Charlie
I told my mom and dad about the table group numbers. They said I was doing a great job. -Silas
I liked that my mommy said that I did so good in school. -Gabriella
I loved when I showed my parents my habitat because they thought is was really cool. -Madison
My mom liked my work. She said I did so good. -Nathan
I was excited to show my mom my bee habitat. She said she liked it. -Colton
My mom said my work was a great job. I feel good. -Bryce
I was excited when my mom and dad bought me a book because they love me. -Jaxson
I was excited to show my mom and dad my garter snake made out of clay. -Liam B.
I liked when I showed my mom my classroom because it's my favourite part. -Autumn
I showed my mom my work. -Will
I showed my dad my art. -Carter M.
I showed my mom and dad the fish because I thought it'd be cool. -Carter D.
I showed my beaver habitat. They liked it. -Kennedy
My mom and dad liked my work because I tried my best. -Ryder
I really liked my conference because my mom really liked my snake project - Jarrett
My mom and dad said I did a really good job on my bee habitat. -Emily

Thank you to our Room 2 families for making time to celebrate with us. The kids could not wait to have you join us in our classroom. We are very fortunate to work with amazing kids each day and to get to spend time with their families. Together we are better. We appreciate all the work you are doing at home to support your child's learning.
-Mrs. T. & Ms. M.

Family Groups

We had an assembly to introduce Family Groups at BHS. The groups have students from kindergarten to grade 5. We met as a whole school in the gym and found our family colour group names. Then we went to classrooms to create a family crest. It was so nice to hear kids say hi to each other when we went outside for recess. This is a wonderful way to build community among the staff and students.

Here are our thoughts:
I have friends in my family group. -Ryder
I added details and I drew a picture. -Bryce
Family groups are fun. We coloured the letters in different colours. -Autumn
My big buddy is in my family group. -Emily
My family group is purple. We made a crest. -Kennedy
I liked my group because I was in my friend's class. -Jarrett
We coloured a picture of what we liked and our names. -Madison
We made a crest for our family group. -Michael
We played a board game in family groups. -Braydon
I liked cutting out my shape. -Charlie
I coloured me doing gymnastics and I cut it out. I liked writing the words. -Gabriella
I wrote my name in handwriting on my crest. -Silas
My family group is red. - Carter M.
I drew my cat. His name is Puss. -Will
I liked when we put the paper on the shield. -Liam B.
At family groups I liked to be in the different room. -Jaxson
I liked that I got to make a picture of my favourite things, hockey and video games. -Carter D.

We look forward to getting together with our Family Groups on early dismissal days. It is a great way for students to get to know some of the kids in our school that they may not get a chance to be with on a regular basis. We can all look out for each other and take care of each other.
Have a wonderful weekend.
-Mrs. T & Ms. M.

Kindness Counts

It was World Kindness Day on Tuesday, November 13th. We read books and talked a lot about what it means to be kind. Today we read the book, Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed. We were given the challenge to do something kind to at least 5 people today. Some of us did 5 or more kind acts before lunch time. It was wonderful to see the effect our kind gestures had on so many of us.

Here are our thoughts:
I said I liked my friend's pjs at class meeting. -Braydon
I hung up my friend's ski pants when they were on the floor. -Colton
I played a game with my friend. -Carter M.
I was playing tag at school. I tagged my friend. -Bryce
I liked to read books with my Big Buddy. I was pointing to the words and being kind. -Autumn
I listened to my buddy read to me. -Carter D.
I said I like your pjs to Mrs. Tresoor. -Liam B.
I listened to my partner read to me. -Michael
I smiled at some friends. -Will
I said I liked my friends pjs. -Kennedy
My friend helped me when I was hurt -Jarrett
I played Mantracker with my friends at recesses. -Madison
Someone told me they liked my jammies. -Emily
Someone played tag with me at recess. -Gabriella
I played tag with my friends. I remembered not to hit them. -Nathan
I shared blocks with my friends. -Bryce
I hung up a jacket and gave 4 compliments. -Silas

It is great to see the kids working together, sharing materials and having positive interactions throughout the day.

Let's keep spreading kindness everyone! We hope someone makes your day a little brighter with an act of kindness.
Mrs. T & Ms. M.

In November We Remember

We have been talking a lot about Remembrance Day as we prepared for our assembly today. Our poppies were made for our classroom wreath which is now being displayed in the front showcase. We are glad many of you visited Artsonia to see the poppy prints we made. Ms. Wasney collected some artwork from different classes and put the beautiful work on the bulletin board by the gym. Some of our poppies are displayed by the gym and some are outside our classroom.

The assembly was hosted by the grade 2s and 3s in Ms. Jeffery's and Mrs. Gale's classes. It was so nice to see friends and family join us in the gym. During this asssembly, students showed great respect for the presenters and each other.

Peace has been a topic of many of our conversations. We are aiming to be peaceful throughout many parts of our day. Here are our thoughts:

PEACE IS . . .
playing tag with a friend. -Ryder
quiet reading. - Madison
love from my mom and dad. -Emily
playing with someone. - Gabriella
really delicious food. -Michael
sitting on a bench alone. -Carter D.
quiet building with my blocks. - Bryce
taking a nap when I'm sleepy. -Braydon
the smell of yummy cookies in the oven. -Silas
quietly running outside. -Nathan
playing police tag with my friends. -Jaxson
going to the friendship room. -Autumn
quiet reading in bed. -Jarrett
colouring with markers. -Kennedy
happiness with my dog. -Liam B.
having a rest in my bed. -Charlie
love. -Carter M.
playing with all my dogs. -Colton
being with my mom at home. -Will


Have a peaceful weekend. We hope you take time to remember all those who sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Although the snow seems to be here a bit too early this year, the gently falling flakes sure are peaceful.
-Mrs. T. & Ms. M.

A Full Day of Halloween Fun!

It was an exciting day at BHS on Wednesday as we celebrated Halloween. During the morning we rotated through Halloween Stations with the grade 1s and 2s in Ms. Code's and Mrs. Scarff's class. After lunch, we had a Halloween parade in the gym to share all of our costumes. We spent some more time with our friends in room 3 to end our day.

Here are our thoughts about the stations:
I liked playing with the blocks because we made a race track behind the haunted house. -Colton
The snack station was fun because we got to put chocolate chips in a banana and eat it. We ate an orange too. -Madison
I liked building the haunted house out of blocks because it was big. -Carter M.
I liked the spinning ghost because we made them spin in the air. -Charlie
I liked the spinning ghost because I liked how it spins. -Jaxson
I liked the way the spinning ghost spins in the air when you put one arm forward and one arm backwards. -Michael
I liked putting my hands in the beans and finding the gems and rocks to make a pumpkin face. -Autumn
I liked the snack station because I liked making the bananas with chocolate chips into a ghost. -Ryder
I liked tic-tac-toe because I won six times in a row. -Gabriella
I loved snack because we got to make ghosts. -Nathan
My favourite station was the tic-tac-toe because I kept winning. -Silas
Monster race was my favourite station because my mom was there. -Jarrett
I liked the monster race because I won. -Liam B.
I liked the snack station because I was so hungry. -Carter D.
I liked tic-tac-toe because I like playing it. -Kennedy
The snack station was my favourite because we got to make ghosts with chocolate chips and bananas. -Emily
I liked building with blocks. I made stairs. -Will

Thanks to the volunteers who provided supplies for our stations and to those who were able to spend the morning with us. We could not have done it without you.

Enjoy some treats and remember to brush your teeth well!
Mrs. T & Ms. M.

You Hold Me Up

We read the story, You Hold Me Up as part of the Global Read Aloud. We made a list about how we can bring each other down with our words and actions. We put a big "X" over the words and showed the "stop" sign with our hands to remind us that these are things we should never do to others. We ripped up the paper so we would not be reminded of these unkind acts. Then we talked about how we can show respect and kindness by holding people up. This book is a good reminder that we have kindness all around us and we can show that same respect and kindness to others with even the simplest of gestures. We are lucky to have friends and family that hold us up each day.

Here are our thoughts:
You hold me up when . . .
you share with me. -Michael
you play with me. -Bryce
you give me a hug. -Will
you love me. -Liam B.
you play soccer with me. -Jarrett
you hug me. -Carter D.
you play with me on the play structure. -Kennedy
you share with me. -Gabriella
you read with me. -Autumn
you play on the monkey bars with me. -Braydon
you let me go where I please. -Charlie
you play with me at home. -Jaxson
you play tag with me. -Madison
you let me play my Wii game. -Nathan
you you play outside with me. -Ryder
you play video games with me. -Silas
you play a game with me. -Carter M.
you help me get dressed. -Bryce
you play Lego with me. -Colton

We are working on writing some folding books that tell how others hold us up and how we can do our part by making someone's day with our thoughtfulness.

Enjoy the weekend. Be kind to one another.
-Mrs. T & Ms. M.

Poems and Chants

We have been reading and singing some poems and chants every morning. The blue duotang goes home on Fridays and is returned on Mondays. The kids are really enjoying them. Thanks for helping share in the fun!

Here are our thoughts:
I practice the poems at home so I can do them really good at school. -Charlie
I like the poems because my mom and dad help me read them. -Jaxson
I like doing the ghost poem because I like when we sing it. -Braydon
I like the ghost poem because we get to clap, clap and snap. -Ryder
I like the goblin song because I like saying, "Boo" at the end. -Nathan
I like the goblin song because it's like the Farmer in the Dell. -Gabriella
I like doing the actions with the songs. -Madison
I like the days of the week because I can remember the days of the week. -Jarrett
I like when we do the one with the ghost and we say, "Boo, Boo, Boo." - Liam B.
I like every single poem because I love doing the actions and singing. -Colton
My favourite poem is The Turkey because it's a funny song. -Silas
My favourite is the months of the year because I like saying the months. -Bryce
I sing them with my mom and dad. I read all the words. -Kennedy
I like the months of the year because I get to sing them. -Carter D.
My favourite is This Old Ghost because I like the ghost. -Carter M.
The Goblins in the Sky is my favourite because I get to do it with Madison. -Emily
My mom reads the poems with me. I like Five Little Pumpkins. -Will
My favourite poem is I Like because it repeats. -Autumn

We appreciate the comments you are adding in the "autograph" section of our duotang. So glad to hear the kids are showing you the actions. Great job grade 1s and families!

There is no school tomorrow! Have a wonderful weekend.
-Mrs. T. & Ms. M.

Global Read Aloud 2018

The Global Read Aloud was launched in 2010, by Pernille Ripp, a teacher, speaker, author, blogger, and advocate for education. It is "a global literacy initiative that began with a simple goal in mind: one book to connect the world. From its humble beginnings, the GRA has grown to connect more than 4,000,000 students in more than 80 different countries." The selected books range from picture books to young adult novels.

This year the picture book author/illustrator choice is Monique Gray Smith and Julie Flett. We just read, My Heart Fills With Happiness. This book allowed for meaningful discussion about what fills our hearts with happiness.

Here are our thoughts:
My heart fills with happiness when I . . . 
go to school. - Madison
play with my mom. - Autumn
play with Lego. -Colton
get a good night kiss from my mom. -Emily
play soccer with my brother. -Jarrett
play with my pets. -Ryder

get to play on my Wii. - Nathan
see my whole family. -Gabriella
put leaves in bags to make a spider. -Jaxson
get to go to Folklorama to see how people dance in different parts of the world. -Silas
get a hug from my mom. -Carter D.
go out on the quad. -Liam S.
carve pumpkins. -Kennedy
get kisses from my mom. -Braydon
play outside. -Will
wake up and my mom kisses me on my cheek. -Liam B.
play a game with my family. -Carter M.
have fun playing with my friends. -Charlie
get help from my mom to get dressed. -Bryce

We will be connecting with a grade 1-3 class in Winnipeg to share our thinking as we read the Global Read Aloud books. Please let your child know what fills your heart with happiness.
-Mrs. T. & Ms. M.

We are Thankful!

The arrival of snow on Wednesday was a bit of a surprise. The first snowfall always gets the excitement level up. Thanks for sending hats and mitts to help us enjoy the fresh air outside and changing temperatures. With Thanksgiving just around the corner we have been talking about all that we have to be thankful for.

Here are our thoughts:

I am thankful for . . .

We made a family gift.

my friends because I am always nice to them. -Colton

my school because I am happy. -Bryce
snow because I get to play in it. -Carter D.

my mom because she is nice. -Carter M.

my grandma because she got me new mitts today. -Braydon

video games because I like playing them. -Silas

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner.

my brother because he plays with me. -Jarrett

video games because I know what to do. -Liam B.
my family because they are fun. - Kennedy
when I get my PS4 because I like playing on those kinds of things. -Ryder

my daddy's house because I have a nice break time there. -Charlie

my mom because I really like how my mom lets me go to our cousin's house. -Jaxson
my mom because she keeps me safe. -Emily
snow because it's fun to play in it. - Madison
my mom because she whips me up supper. -Nathan
my dog because I always wanted one when I didn't have one. -Gabriella
my brother because we play wrestle. -Will
my whole family because I love them.. -Autumn

It will be an extra long weekend because we do not have school on Friday or on Thanksgiving Monday. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We hope you enjoy time spent with family and friends. Let's be thankful every day!
 - Mrs. T. & Ms. M.

A Busy September

It sure has been a busy month. Can you believe September is already wrapping up? In kindergarten the kids came to school full days alternate days, but in grade 1 it's full days EVERY DAY so that is a bit of an adjustment. We are building our stamina and working hard each day.

Go Noodle

Here are our thoughts:
I like when we went to gym to play tag because I like having fun in the gym. -Braydon
I like doing Go Noodle because it's fun and it helps give us exercise. -Charlie
I like singing in music because my favourite thing is singing. -Autumn
I like building with stacking chips because I love the colours. -Carter M.
I liked playing cards with my big buddy because I liked playing war. -Gabriella
I liked reading with my big buddy. We read lots of books. -Nathan
I liked playing cards with my big buddy because it's fun and she is my best friend. -Madison
I liked playing with my friends at indoor recess. We played cards. -Ryder
Yesterday I counted all the connect words. There were 53 connect words. I can count really high. -Silas
I like when I read the spider book because it is funny and I like the pictures. Every page has a fly. -Liam B.

Big Buddies

I like read to self because I like reading Elephant and Piggie books. -Jarrett
I like to put the tracks together in a long line. -Will
I like the wonder window because we look out and draw what we see. -Colton
I like making new friends because I can play with friends more. -Carter D.
Big buddies are fun because I get to do things with my grade 4 buddy. -Kennedy
I loved everything about the week because I like school. Big buddies are fun. -Emily
I like filling the jewel bucket because then we get to do a special activity. -Jaxson
I like gym because I get to run around. -Bryce

Wonder Window

As we say good-bye to summer and hello to autumn we've been noticing many changes outside our wonder window. The cooler weather means it's time for warmer clothing. Thank you for labeling your child's belongings to help us keep track of our things.

We hope you take time to appreciate all that this beautiful season has to offer.
-Mrs. T. & Ms. M.

Hopes for the Year

Thank you to the families that were able to join us at our Open House and BBQ on Tuesday. It was so wonderful to see the excitement in the children as they proudly showed off their classroom and shared some of the things we have been doing so far. We asked parents to write the hopes they have for their child's grade 1 year on a rock. This basket of hopes will be kept in a special place to remind your child of your good wishes throughout the year. The kids of Room 2 also have hopes of their own . . .

Here are our thoughts:
I hope to make new friends because I only know a couple people. -Jaxson
I hope to keep my hands and feet to self to be nice. Carter M.
I hope my friend is nice to me so we can play together and have fun. -Braydon
I hope that I will learn to read a lot of words so I can become a better reader. -Charlie
I hope I can read harder books in grade 1 because I can be a stronger reader. -Madison
I hope the bucket of jewels will be full because when it's full we can do a special activity. -Silas
I hope I can get better at reading because I like reading. -Ryder
I hope to learn reading so I can read lots of books. -Jarrett
I hope to make new friends so I can have more friends. -Carter D.
I hope to share with my friends because that makes me happy. -Bryce
I hope to learn to read so I can read on my own. -Liam B.
I hope to get better at reading so I can read my own books. -Kennedy
I  hope to make new friends because I love friends. -Autumn
I hope I get better at reading so I can read my dad's books. -Emily
I hope for my friends to always be nice to me because they are the bestest friends in the world. -Colton
I hope to make new friends to play with. -Will
I hope to be good in school because I like helping others. -Gabriella
I hope to read by myself so I can become a better reader. Nathan

We hope the year is full of kindness, learning, and fun. We can't wait to see what we all accomplish this year. Thank you for supporting us on our learning journey.

Have a wonderful weekend. Remember it is picture day on Monday! :)
-Mrs. T. & Ms. M.