Silverwood Heights School
January 18, 2006

Dear Parents of Grade Eight Students:
    I’ve been hearing that Monday night may not be a convenient time to hold a Farewell meeting.  Instead, I think that I will just make a sign-up page available for any parents who want to participate in planning the After-Farewell activity.  (Remember that there already is a tentative booking at Louis’ on campus.).  It would be excellent if one or two parents would volunteer to head up the planning committee.  Essentially, your job would be to confirm the booking, either at Louis’ or an alternate location; to plan food, activities, prizes, and possibly transportation to and from the venue; to plan for adult supervision of the students; and to figure out how to raise the funds required to pay for the celebration.  You also are very welcome to e-mail or telephone me if you are interested in being added to the list, and I will ensure that your name and contact information reaches the committee.
    In a previous note, I floated the idea of looking at an alternative to the existing awards that have been presented at past Farewell ceremonies.  I would appreciate some feedback from you about this.  Do we want to continue to use the awards in the same way that they have been presented in the past, even if this limits the “winners” to only a few students?  We have a very strong Grade Eight class this year, and trying to choose one or two “winners” when there are probably at least a dozen students whose averages will be in the nineties could be tricky for me and disappointing for many deserving people.
    I have shown the students a system used by another school.  The students each would receive a vinyl folder embossed with the school name and logo.  Inside the folder, there is space for a class photo and for a certificate.  The certificate has room for as many embossed stickers as the student “earns” by doing well in academics, arts, sports, and so on.  The sample folder we looked at measures approximately 30 x 37 cm, but we could also look at other sizes.
    Could you please discuss the matter of awards with your young person and then let me know what your choice would be?  If the awards are a solid tradition in the school, I’m fine with continuing them, as long as parents and students all are aware that not everyone can be a “winner” under this system.  If it is time to look at other options, I’m quite prepared to explore them.

Thanks again,
Gilda Pilon (683-7450)

______yes, I’d like to be on the parent planning committee for the After-Farewell party.

______We would prefer to continue with the existing award system.

______We would like to look at other options to the presentation of plaques and trophies.
_______________________________ Parent’s Signature
_________________________________________________ (contact information)
Please use the other side of this page if you have additional comments to make on anything related to the planning of the Farewell. Thanks again for your input.

Silverwood Heights School
January 17, 2007

Dear Parents and Grade Eight Students:

This note is to remind you of the High School Information Meeting that will be held at Silverwood Heights School next Monday, January 22, at 7:00 pm.  Mr. Cole Kirby and Ms. Stacy Hanson from Marion M. Graham Collegiate will be the presenters.  They will talk about programs and information specific to MMGCI, but they will also have information about all of the Saskatoon Public Collegiates.  Each student will receive a copy of the MMGCI course calendar, and a limited number of other calendars will be available for students to share.  If demand is sufficient, I can ask to have other high schools send extra copies over for us.

On Tuesday morning, January 23, Ms. Hanson will be back at Silverwood Heights to talk more with the students.  Often, students are shy about speaking up in the big group meeting, or they come up with questions in their discussions after the initial meeting.  Her visit will allow the students to ask questions and to ensure that everyone understands what to do in order to complete a registration.

One of the things that is truly wonderful about our school system is that the high schools make a tremendous effort to ensure that each student is placed in a program that will allow him/her to be a happy and successful learner.  These students can maintain a relatively high average, 70% and above, and already have strong independent work skills and study habits.  Many of these students already are thinking ahead to university, technical school, or some other post-secondary training.  For these students, the Regular program at an academic high school will do nicely.  Others, however, would be more successful in a different sort of program that encourages different styles of learning.  The Grade Eight year provides wonderful opportunities to think about individual interests and needs, and then to seek out the schools and programs that will best meet them.  Please take advantage of these opportunities, even if you think you know what your final choice will be.

On the back of this letter, you will find a list of times for Public Collegiate Open Houses.  We encourage students to attend at least two Open Houses, and more if possible.  You may notice that there is no Open House evening listed for City Park.  City Park is an alternative collegiate that prepares students for the world of work.  It is a wonderful program for hands-on learners who don’t intend to go to university or technical school right after high school. These people might realize that traditional classes and assignments do not do the best job of allowing them to demonstrate what they really know and understand.  Because the City Park program is so different, they prefer to invite interested students (along with a parent or staff member) to go and spend an entire day at the school.  Students who fit into this category should let me know right away so that I can call over to CPCI and arrange for an invitation if you meet their criteria.

Some students may be thinking about Modified programs.  These would be students who have a difficult time maintaining an average of 65% or above, or who may have gaps in what they have learned during past years.  They may also rely on support from their teachers or from other students, and some of their academic programs may have been adjusted to meet their learning needs.  You need to know that Marion Graham does not offer a true Modified stream.  Often, their designated Modified students are grouped with a Regular class, and may not end up with programs that are significantly different from what the others do.  These students usually have to rely heavily on the Resource Room in order to succeed, and this reduces the number of elective classes they may take.  The staff at MMGCI urges students considering a Modified program, especially if they have strong hands-on skills, to look at attending a specialized Modified program in one of the two Comprehensive Collegiates, Walter Murray or Mount Royal.  These two schools offer a vast choice of technology-based electives and full Modified programs, so they provide an excellent education to many students who might find that a full academic program would not allow them to be both happy and successful at high school. 

Other high schools have realized that not all students can cope with five classes for a full semester.  Nutana, for example, offers a number of quarter-classes.  This means that students will have four terms rather than two semesters of classes.  Each term will have fewer classes, but the focus will be more intense and the time periods will be double the usual length.  This system works really well for students who have a hard time keeping organized, or who hate switching gears every hour.  Nutana also does an excellent job of helping students who might have an especially hard time adjusting to high school.  Their staff provides extra help with organization, completing assignments and preparing for tests, and also helps sort out other difficulties, including regular attendance, that some students may have. 

Although most high schools offer programs for students who need a greater challenge, three of them provide special accommodations for high achievers.  Walter Murray and Bedford Road offer four-year Advanced programs that give a real boost to students who know that they are suited to post-secondary learning.  There are definite criteria attached to these programs, but a few of our students would be eligible to apply if they chose.  Mount Royal offers another program for students for whom learning comes easily.  It is called the MDA program and it runs for two years, Grades 9 and 10.  Students work as a “block” during half of each school day, which means that they have the same classmates and the same teachers at these times.  The classes are arranged so that students complete three classes in the time normally devoted to two (example:  math, Science, technology).  The benefit of this is that students come out of Grade 10 with space in their timetables for two additional elective classes.  This is really important for students who may be heavily focused on maths and sciences, because they seldom have room in their timetables for special interest electives.  Again, if you might be interested in learning more about any of these programs, please let me know. 

We have discovered that many students who belong in the Regular program have considerable anxiety about Math.  One great innovation that the high schools have developed is a class called Essential Math.  In this special Grade Nine class, students complete the Regular program, but they have more class time so that they are able to master the material with more confidence.  Students who successfully complete Essential Math 09 move into Regular Math 10.  This is a terrific program for anyone who has the slightest uncertainty about how well he/she will do in math next year.  Please look at it seriously if you think you could benefit from it.

All of the high schools have Resource Room help available.  Often, Grade Nine students like to sign up for Resource in the first semester, just to ensure that they immediately get organized, solidify their study skills and work habits, and just generally get off to a powerful start.  If you choose a semester of Resource, it will take the place of one elective.  If you choose to sign up for two semesters of Resource, you will give up two electives.  It’s a good idea to sign up for Semester One Resource if you have the smallest feeling that you will need extra help with assignments, homework or studying.  Some students benefit from having certain accommodations when they take tests.  For example, they might prefer a separate classroom, or they may need to take the tests orally.  The Resource Room is responsible for all of the testing and arrangements that need to be made to facilitate this.  In high school, the Resource Room has students from all four grades in each class, and the number of students usually is 10-15.  Students can really count on receiving some extra one-on-one attention if they decide to take Resource.

Another thing to consider when making your high school decision is to look ahead at the higher grade levels and see what classes are offered.  If you already have a good idea of what your future career could be, you will want to choose a class that will enhance this.  For example, MMGCI now has a Certificate program, where qualified students who take six electives in a certain field will receive a document that verifies their expertise.  This can be a wonderful addition to a resume or to an application for a post-secondary institution. 

Finally, although your academic programs are very important, it is probably equally important to get involved at your new school.  Be sure to look at the clubs, teams and extracurricular activities that each school offers.  Then, make sure that you join a couple of things.  Not only will you meet new people, but you will have a lot of fun and discover skills and talents you may not have known you have!  This is also why I recommend that students carry on with classes like French, Choral and Band if they have any timetable room or personal inclination to do so.  These classes can be a lot of fun, and provide an excellent break from a timetable crammed with heavy academic courses.  They also provide many opportunities for travel.  Look carefully at the consequences of the decisions you make going into Grade Nine, and leave as many doors open as possible.

This is such an exciting time for Grade Eight students and their families!  I hope that my long letter gives each of you a bit of extra help in considering the best possible choice for your high school years.

Mrs. G. Pilon
683-7450 or pilong@spsd.sk.ca

Open House Dates
2007

Thursday, February 1        Aden Bowman Collegiate        7:00
Thursday, February 1        Bedford Road Collegiate        7:00
Thursday, February 1        Saskatoon Christian School        7:00

Monday, February 5        Centennial Collegiate            7:00

Tuesday, February 6        Evan Hardy Collegiate        7:00

Wednesday, February 7    Nutana Collegiate            7:00
Wednesday, February 7    Walter Murray Collegiate        7:00

Thursday, February 8        Marion Graham Collegiate        7:00
Thursday, February 8        Mount Royal Collegiate        7:00


**Application forms will be available on Friday, February 9.  Please request forms from any schools you will be considering.  (Ms. Evans or I will ask you about this later.)

**Your completed and SIGNED application forms are due back to me on Monday, February 26.  Notice that there is a portion on each form for me to fill out and sign.  Please give me time to do a good job of this.

**Ms. Hanson from MMGCI will be at school on Wednesday, February 28.  She will meet with each of you for about 15 minutes in order to go over your application form and to make sure that all of the information is correct and complete and that all your questions have been answered.  Please note that she will process forms for other public high schools, as well as for MMGCI.    Parents are invited to make an appointment to meet with Ms. Hanson on Feb. 28 if necessary—please just let Mrs. Pilon know.

**May:  students will receive course confirmation slips.  Be sure that you are signed up for the classes you indicated on your application.

**June:  students will receive preliminary timetables, and invitations to Orientation Day.

**June 28, morning:  Grade 8 Orientation Day at MMGCI or any other public collegiate you plan to attend.  This is an excellent morning of information, and you will get to meet your teachers and visit your classrooms, too—please be sure to attend.

NOTE:  You may arrange school-day visits at any public system collegiate by contacting their office/guidance department to set up an appointment.
NOTE:  City Park has a school-day visitation for interested students and parents.  Please let me know if you would like to receive an invitation.
NOTE:  At this time, there is no information available about Tommy Douglas Collegiate.

Silverwood Heights School
January 15, 2007

Dear Parents and Grade 8 Students:

Home Economics and Industrial Arts classes begin on Wednesday morning, January 31.  Thereafter, the classes will be held on Monday mornings until June 18.  .  Both classes will be held at Queen Elizabeth School.  Buses have been booked, so the students will need to be at Silverwood Heights by 8:40.  They will catch the bus home from Queen Elizabeth at around 11:30, and should be back at Silverwood within a few minutes of  the usual lunch dismissal time.  Classes will run as usual at Silverwood Heights in the afternoon.

For the first day, students should take a three-ring binder (to be used for this class only) pens, pencils, eraser, ruler, about 30 pages of looseleaf , and some dividers.  At your first class, your teacher may request that you bring other supplies. 

Students are required to behave appropriately on the bus.  There will be a seating plan in place in order to help the driver keep track of the students.  Please respect this seating plan and the rules the driver sets out.  Remember—ONE complaint from the bus driver may be all it takes to have anyone who misbehaves banned from the bus and required to find his/her own transportation to and from the remaining classes. 

Students also are required to follow the behavioral expectations of their host school and their Home Ec. or I.A. teacher.  Practical Arts classes often require very exacting standards of behaviour, in order to ensure the students’ safety and to make it possible for the teachers to run their classes effectively. (Imagine:  nine different classes of Grade Eight students, from schools all over the city, converging on the Practical Arts classrooms once per week…No wonder there are strict rules and expectations!)   As always, we expect our students to be excellent ambassadors for Silverwood Heights School, so we will treat behaviour violations very seriously indeed.

One final request is that parents contact both Silverwood  and Queen Elizabeth Schools if their child needs to miss a class.  We are always called if a student does not show up at Queen Elizabeth on time, so it really helps to reduce panic on both ends if we know in advance where each young person is.  QE’s phone number is 683-7420.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Sincerely, 
Mrs. G. Pilon, Ms. N. Evans, and Mr. J. Brunett

December 7, 2006

Dear Parents and Grade Eight Students,
    On the reverse of this note, you will find information about the items we are collecting to put together a care hamper for a deserving family.  Please look over the list and discuss a couple of possible donations that your family would be comfortable contributing.  I will have a master list available at school so that students can sign up.  Please keep in mind that this is completely voluntary.
    Students have been asking if they can do a Secret Buddy exchange this year.  I’d like to get an indication of how many of our students would be interested and committed to providing a little treat or surprise for a classmate each day from Monday, December 18 to Thursday, December 21.  Some students have also suggested that instead of Secret Buddy, we could each donate a small amount of money to support a charity.  (This would tie in nicely with the Citizenship unit in SS.  We are still trying to arrange for some service work in the community before the holidays.) Please fill out the form at the bottom of this note and return it as soon as possible so that we may make a final decision by the end of the week.

We have numerous assignments winding down for the holidays.  I really prefer that students not have homework for the holidays, except for their daily reading.  The following items are assignments that MUST be wound up before the holidays (because I don’t plan to mark them after!!).
-What in the World?  CE booklet and map for November.  Test and hand-ins are due NOT LATER THAN Monday, November 11.
-Spelling to the end of Unit 16.
-Math:  decimals review booklet. 
-POW 15 and 16 (Snow Day and Own Choice).
-Newspaper page.
-Power Booklet #4 and upgrades.
-Maps and Globes work booklet and upgrades.

We have so many events coming up!  Here is a partial list.
1)  On Thursday, December 7, we will be making clay figures with our Grade One Care Partners.  Please dress appropriately.
2)  On Friday, December 15 (am), we will be helping our Care Partners with their Teddy Bears’ Picnic. 
3)  On Tuesday, December 19 (am), we will be making Gingerbread Houses with our Care Partners.  We will provide the graham crackers, the icing and the Styrofoam trays.  We are asking each Grade Eight student to bring a washed, 250-ml milk container, and a selection of items to decorate with (cereal pieces, candies, marshmallows, etc.—NO NUTS, PLEASE!)   If each student could bring materials in ahead of time, in a grocery bag tied and labeled his/her name, that would be most helpful.
4)  Our Feast (based on our recipe POW) and showing of The Outsiders will happen on Thursday morning, December 21.  Students may prepare their recipe (or alternate) to share with the class as we watch the movie.  Please remember that there are some students with life-threatening nut and peanut allergies, and avoid these ingredients.  This would also be the time to do our Secret Buddy windup, if that is something we agree to do.
5)  How many students are interested in making yarn cats and/or birdies?  These require two to three balls of heavy yarn, and some pre-cut winding templates.  I’ll send detailed instructions later, if interest warrants.
6)  I owe the Grade Eights some Phys. Ed. time.  This will happen during the last week of classes, once the gym is no longer needed for rehearsals. 
    Thanks to everyone who supported the cookie dough sales.  Sales exceeded expectations!  Please remember that the orders should be picked up on Monday, December 11 between 2:30 and 5:00 from the Read to Succeed Room.
    Finally, I apologize for so many words in such a small font!  Please call if you have questions.

Please indicate “Yes” or “No” in the blanks below, and return the form to school ASAP.

___________My son/daughter will participate in the Family Hamper project.
___________My son/daughter wishes to make a yarn cat and/or bird, and understands that certain supplies will need to be provided.

___________My son/daughter prefers to participate in Secret Buddies, OR
___________My son/daughter prefers to make a charitable donation.

_______________________ parent’s signature

_______________________student’s signature

Additional information (if applicable):__________________________________

December 2007


Dear Parents,

Our classroom is going to work with our Grade One Care Partners to provide a food hamper for a deserving family from the North Park-Wilson area.   We are asking the Grade Eights to sign up for one or two of the following items (for a total cost of about $5.00). 
     The Grade One students will each donate $5.00 so that we can purchase a ham; any items missing from the list below; and some small gifts for the family. 
     Please bring perishables to school on December 15.  Non-perishable items may be brought in prior to December 15.
    The hampers will be delivered on December 15.

Flour   
Sugar   
Cereals   
Pastas   
Baking powder/baking soda   
Soups   
Canned fruit   
Canned vegetables   
Powdered milk   
Juice boxes   
Granola bars   
Tomato sauce   
Cookies   
Crackers   
Candies   
Oranges   
Potatoes   
Apples   
Bananas   
Pie fillings   
Pudding   
Jell-O   
Bread   
Peanut butter   
Jam   
Cheese whiz   
Pork and beans   
Detergent   
Fabric softener   
Soap (bar)   
Dish soap   
Toothpaste   
Toothbrushes   
Bathroom tissue   
Kleenex   
Shampoo/conditioner   
Paper towel   
Sandwich bags   
Garbage bags   
Tin foil   
Plastic wrap   

Thank you for your help.
Mrs. Pilon, Mrs. Constantinoff, and Mrs. Horsley-Dewar

 
 

Silverwood Heights School
November 20, 2006

Dear Parents and Grade Eight Students:

Today, the first term reporting documents will go home with our students.  I hope that a few general comments about this term will help all of you to get a clearer picture of what our work has been about over the past few months.

You may notice that we have a large number of students on the Honour Roll, with several more who are oh, so close to being there.  This is fairly typical for the first term.  Please keep in mind that part of the work has involved a thorough review of concepts taught in past year.  Also, during the first term, I often mark students based on their organizational skills as well as on the quality of their work.  Therefore, a part of each student’s mark in each subject during term one is based on the mere fact that work was completed and handed in.  Students who have marks in the 80s and above should feel exceptionally proud of their achievement this term.   Not only have they done well on tests and assignments, but they have organized their materials and time effectively.  Students whose marks are below 80 this term are undoubtedly very capable, but perhaps some assignments were handed in late, incomplete, or nameless.  The good news is that most of these deficiencies are easily enough remedied with a bit more attention to staying organized and getting work done.  In a few cases, better use of class time is highly recommended—we will chat more about that face to face at the conferences later this week.

Language Arts is perhaps the most demanding strand of our academic program.  The students have been working on a structured spelling program, partly because it requires them to complete assignments regularly, hand them in, study for tests, and be organized.  We have also used the spelling assignments as one time during the week when students MUST practice handwriting.  Some students could use some extra home practice in handwriting, incidentally.  If you notice that your young person is among these, it would be an excellent idea for you to assign a short handwriting exercise a few times a week as homework—just have him/her transcribe a few paragraphs from a book or magazine or newspaper onto lined paper, using a pen and neat, legible handwriting.  Students are welcome to bring in their home handwriting practice efforts so that I can give them some extra marks, too.

We also have been working through some points of grammar in a fairly systematic way.  Our approach to grammar in the elementary grades is usually quite functional, but the high schools often have a different expectation, so I like to ensure that the students have at least a nodding acquaintance with parts of speech, punctuation, usage, mechanics and the like.  Some of the grammar material is pulled directly from the students’ writing, which would account for our current preoccupation with writing conversation correctly.

We read, a lot.  Students read independently every single day, for as much time as possible.  We also have a read-together novel on the go at all times (so far, we’ve read Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes; Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie Tolan; and we are just getting into The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton.  If you have a great read-aloud to suggest, please let me know.).  Students have completed some Reader Response activities, and this area will be emphasized much more in the coming term.  Please ensure that your young people are reading at home as well.  Though we encourage them to read books that can be counted as part of our Just Read! tallies, home is also a great place for students to explore magazines and newspapers.  Studies have proven that the greatest indicator of success for students entering high school is their reading level.  The best way to improve in reading is to read.  Please encourage your young person to read every single day.  Also, keep in mind that kids are never too old to be read aloud to, or with.

As you know, we also write a lot.  Thanks so much, parents, for your support of the POW homework assignments.  The mystery stories are uniformly amazing, and the poetry has been outstanding.  I hope that you will get an opportunity, soon, to look at your young person’s term one Anthology.  I think that you are going to be so impressed with the quality of work that every single student has produced.  I recently had students complete an assignment asking what brings them joy, and I must say that the one thing that puts a smile on my face more quickly than anything else is the students’ writing!  We will also be doing more writing in class in Term Two as we spend more time on Journals and Freefall. 

We attempt to do some work in Math every day.  So far, we have reviewed numbers and operations with whole numbers; factors and multiples; and some basics of algebra.  We also have done some work with decimals and with problem solving.  We will be starting to work with fractions very soon, followed by integers.  I have a couple of observations:  first of all, every student requires a working calculator.  Second, students in Grade Eight should have almost immediate recall of basic operations facts.  Accuracy is always the most important thing, but speed needs to be considered as well.  Please, parents, quiz your child on the multiplication and division tables periodically to make sure that he/she is fluent with them.  Even though we have access to calculators and manipulatives, it is so much easier to become truly fluent in mathematics if certain basic tools are securely in the toolbox.  The most important of these is to have a solid grasp of the operations tables.

In French, we have been working on small bits of material in a fairly systematic way, doing some oral work along with considerable reading and writing.  Most students have been doing extremely well with the weekly combination of teaching, practice, and quizzing.  We will do more thematic and project-based work later in the year.

In Social Studies, we are just concluding our first unit, Location.  There will be a test on Wednesday, November 22 that will wrap up this unit, and the students also have a work booklet due that day.  I hope that we can spend a few weeks reviewing cultural concepts and resource allocation via the simulation “Marooned!”.  The other component of Social Studies this term has been the “What in the World?” course the school subscribes to each month.  In the New Year, we will start on individual current events presentations and on a major report on a Pacific Rim country.

Our work in Health/Lifestyles has sometimes been a bit haphazard.  Sometimes we still need to stop everything and talk about expectations:  be on time; be prepared; do your work; respect yourself, others and property.  We have learned about Junior Crimestoppers, and will soon have a quick review of the KeepSafe program.  We also have done some work on healthy lifestyles, especially by participating in a video-based anti-smoking program.  In the coming weeks, we will begin a major unit on decision making.

Arts Education has had a strong music/performing focus so far this year.  The vast majority of students have chosen to continue with the band, and they are making excellent progress with the help of Mr. Longstaff and his intern, Mr. Cowan.  We were very involved in the school’s Remembrance Day program, and provided leadership in everything from singing to speaking to dancing, and more.  We are also going to be leaders for the school’s winter concert program, “Paint the Town December”, which is scheduled to be performed on Tuesday, December 14.  Again, students from our class will be doing all of the speaking, most of the technical work, some of the singing and plenty of dancing.  Although I try to build in a visual component to many of the assignments the students do, we have had many interruptions to our “official” art and improvisational drama time.  I expect that we will devote much more time to these two strands in the New Year. 

As a last-week-of-school project, some of the students have expressed interest in making cats and/or birdies out of yarn.  Some advance preparation is required, including the acquisition of two or three balls of fairly thick yarn.  I will send instruction sheets home after the winter concert so that students can get their materials together in time for a project start on Monday, December 18.

Mr. Meier teaches Science, and has just completed a unit on Force and Motion.

Mr. Brunett teaches Phys. Ed. three times a week.  I try to supplement his skills-based teaching by having two games periods a week.  Mr. Brunett has included a short summary of his work to date with the students:

• We have covered volleyball intensively this term.

• We are beginning floor hockey with the emphasis being sending and receiving as well as evading skills.

• Games are cooperative in nature and bolster the opportunity for students to develop their sportsmanship.

As you can see, we have been very busy in Grade Eight this year!  The rest of the year will absolutely gallop past as the students prepare to say farewell to elementary school and move on to the new challenges of high school.  Please remember that your ideas, suggestions and comments are always welcome.  I welcome your calls (683-7450) or e-mails (pilong@spsd.sk.ca) at any time. I have been so pleased to hear that many of you check out my web page frequently.  I’ve had a few technical glitches recently, but they are gradually being resolved and things should be much easier to maintain come December.

I have just a few reminders to pass along. 

• Please keep in mind that the cookie dough fundraiser starts today.  I will enclose a copy of the note sent out a few weeks ago with details of the sale.

• The book fair starts on Monday and runs until Friday at noon. 

• Please consider supporting the Gift of Reading charity by donating gently-used reading materials you no longer are using.

• We will be going to “Grease” at MMGCI on Tuesday, November 21.  There has been a change in start time to 1:00, so we will be leaving the school at 12:30 in order to have time to walk over. 

• Three-way conferences are scheduled for Thursday, November 23 from 4:00 to 8:00, and for Friday, November 24 from 8:00 to noon.  If you haven’t yet made an appointment, please call Mrs. Davison at the front office as soon as possible.  I also can make arrangements to meet on other days if that is more suitable.

    As we conclude the first term, it seems appropriate to give a few reminders of some of our expectations.  Remember—we are not trying to spoil anyone’s fun or “cramp their style”—we are just trying to keep our work environment as inviting and businesslike as possible.  As the Grade Eights are already learning, the school and the community tend to have especially high expectations for them.  As the “big kids” in the school, everything they do or say attracts notice.  Grade Eights need to be especially conscious of the example they set, both at school and in the wider community.  That said, it is also extremely important to remember that our Grade Eights are wonderful people who are almost always kind, thoughtful, reasonable and respectful.  Sometimes it is worth remembering that most of the concerns expressed are only intended to make us even better citizens of the school and the community.

    Some concerns do come to us from members of our community, and it is a measure of our respect for you and your young people that we pass them along to you.  We continue to hear rumblings of the  inevitable “appropriate school clothing” discussion.  Parents, take a few moments to reflect back on the time, not so long ago, when you were about 13 years old.  Once you have finished screaming, you will probably have a really clear understanding about why we make a “big deal” about how students dress.  You also will probably understand why male teachers feel uncomfortable about mentioning their concerns about female students’ clothing, and why I get designated to rush in where others fear to tread.

    At school, we need to create an environment where students are able to concentrate on their jobs.  It’s fine to be stylish and even trendy, so long as all “interesting” body parts are adequately and not-too-tightly covered.  What happens when your young person sits down while wearing the latest fashion?  Does everything stay covered up?  Trust me, it is really distracting for 13-year-old boys to be treated to the sight of a little pink thong and associated butt cleavage peeking out at them, courtesy of the cute girl who sits in front of them in class or at assembly.  Girls can be equally distracted by glimpses of male underwear or bottom cleavage.  Just as no one would wear a tuxedo on a regular school day, no one should ever confuse beachwear or sleepwear with regular school attire (spirit days excepted, perhaps).  Although the new T-shirt that Uncle Jim gave your young person may have special family meaning, keep the joke at home if it involves alcohol, drugs, bad language or other words or images that might offend a superintendent or the grandparents of a preschool child.  All that said, please be assured that if we detect any issues with a student’s clothing, we will be asking him or her to change or cover up immediately.  We’re not trying to cramp anyone’s style or cause embarrassment.  If anything, we are trying to spare the young person the embarrassment and hassle that will result if his/her clothing “offense” comes to the attention of members of the public.  Thanks for your understanding.

    This segues nicely to the final bit of information, a reminder about the system communication protocol.  This is printed in detail after the July page of your family calendar (along with the spelled-out school attire policy).  If you have any questions, suggestions or concerns, it is important to talk first to the classroom or subject teacher.  The second step is to contact the school administration.  After that, if the concern or question has not yet been addressed, it is appropriate to contact the school superintendent, the Deputy Director of Schools, the Director of Education and, finally, the Board of Education.  Speaking as a classroom teacher, I can assure you that if I am made aware of a concern or question, I am only too happy to try to work out a satisfactory solution.  Sometimes I don’t have all of the information that I need to understand a situation completely, so I really appreciate any clarification or explanation you can provide.  It is so much more quick, efficient and effective if we can deal with issues openly at the classroom level first.

    I’m sure that all of you are completely exhausted after slogging through this very long letter.  Will there be anything left to talk about at our three-way conferences next week? 

    I look forward to meeting with all of you very soon.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Gilda Pilon

•  Students should have a chapter book here each day for silent reading.  Please bring a book from home for the first week or two, until the LRC is up and running.

•  Students should have a gym change, including suitable shoes, at school.  Some members of the class have serious allergies, so please avoid body sprays or deodorants that are highly scented.

•  The office and I encourage you to return school forms, bring in school supplies, and pay fees within the next week if you can.  If there are problems with finding any of the supplies or with paying the fees promptly, please talk to me or to Lynn at the office (683-7450).

•  Parents and students, please go right away to your home computer (if you have an internet connection).  First, go to my class website at https://gpilon0.tripod.com/homework.html

•  If the page opens for you, please bookmark it.  If it doesn’t, please let me know.

• Next, please e-mail a quick “hello” to me at pilong@spsd.sk.ca .  (My old address, mrs_pilon@hotmail.com , also still works.)

• Students are welcome to e-mail their assignments to me.  Please don’t assume that I have received them until I have e-mailed back to say that I have!  If you don’t hear from me within a day, it’s quite possible that your message didn’t come through.  Please try again.

    This concludes the first newsletter of this school year.  Please stay tuned for more information within the next week or two.  It’s going to be a great year!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Gilda Pilon
683-7450