Welcome

We are almost a week into our new school year so I thought it would be a great time for an update. First of all, I want to welcome all of the new students and families. I hope that the start of the year is going well at home. In the classroom, I have been easing the students back into the routine of a schedule but also building in lots of break times as they build up their stamina. The beautiful weather has certainly helped!

Meet the Staff will be held on Wednesday, September 19 beginning at 6:30 pm. This year we will begin the event in the gym. Following that, we will make our way to the classrooms where students can show you around the room. I will have a chance to meet you and give a brief synopsis of our grade 4 classroom.

This week we have begun our independent reading time (called D.E.A.R.). Students will be working on choosing 'just-right' books to read on their own. These are books that are of interest to them, which they choose (with teacher monitoring), and books which they can read most of the words and understand what the book is about. This is a place where I will be helping students to try new genres and series. It is also perfectly acceptable for students to read some of their favourites (which may be easier, but of interest to them). If you were to peek into our room after recess, you would probably see some students in the coatroom, some under tables, some in their seats, some on cushions at the carpet, and even a few on the 'deck' (AKA the fire escape, at least until the weather changes). We are working on staying in our quiet spots and remaining focused on our reading for at least 15 minutes. By the end of the year, we will increase this time to 30 minutes.

Another routine that we have started is OTARS (off to a running start). We will be heading out each Tuesday and Thursday at the 9:00 a.m. bell to run, jog, or walk 2 laps around the school. This not only counts towards our daily physical activity requirements, but also helps students to focus on their learning.

I am looking forward to an exciting year of learning.