WARMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Where Everyone Succeeds
403 4th Street West, Warman, SK. S0K 4S0
School Phone (306) 933-2066 Fax: (306) 933-4714
School Website: http://blogs.spiritsd.ca/wes/
Email: [email protected]
April 2015 NEWSLETTER
From Your Administrative Team…
Well it looks like Spring is here and hopefully it will stay here. The rubber boots are out and we are
pumping all of the water off of our playground. These are all of the typical signs of Spring.
We started this last week of March and first week of April with our student-led activity conferences and I
know that there were many students excited to share with their parents what they have been learning
at school over this past term. This is a newer process for us so we do value the feedback that you
provided for us. We also were busy over the noon hours this past week with our Zoo at Midnight
activities in the gym.
Next week is the Easter Break and we hope that everyone has a great break and takes advantage of the
Story Walk that is posted around the City of Warman. Many thanks to the various businesses that
posted one of the pages of the story in their front window. We encourage everyone to go out for a walk,
read the story, answer the questions on the entry form and submit them after the Easter Break to
hopefully be drawn for some great prizes. We are hoping that this is a good reminder of the importance
of reading with your children at home on a daily basis. Reading at home with a loved one is when a child
experiences huge gains in their reading ability and develops a lifelong love for reading.
We want to thank our SCC and the many parents who contributed to the staff appreciation lunch this
past week. It was a delicious lunch as usual and was greatly appreciated by the entire staff. We feel so
fortunate to work in such a supportive community.
During the last week of April on Wednesday, April 29th we will be hosting our annual Fine Arts Night
where our many talented students who work hard throughout the year taking lessons in all of the fine
arts are able to showcase their talents for their families, friends and peers. Information was sent home
about this event earlier with any interested students.
Have a great April and a Happy Easter.
Your Administrative Team,
Scott Dyck
Orlando Pauls
Dates to Remember
Thursday, April 2
Friday, April 3
Monday, April 6 to Friday, April 10
Monday, April 13
7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 24
Wednesday, April 29
7:00 p.m.
Monday, May 4
7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 5
7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 12
Monday, May 18
Friday, May 22
Wednesday, May 27
6:00 p.m.
No School at Warman Elementary
Good Friday. NO SCHOOL
Easter Break. NO SCHOOL
Warman Elementary S.C.C. Meeting
Wacky Hair & Clothes Day!
Fine Arts Night at Warman Elementary
S.C.C. Elections & Annual Meeting
Grade 3 Parent Info Night at W.C.M.S.
Bike Rodeo at the Firehall for Grades 1 to 3
Victoria Day Holiday. NO SCHOOL
Twin Day. Dress up as twins!
2014/15 Pre-K Information Night
Parking at School
We just want to remind parents that when you are at the school to drop off or pick up your child, we
would appreciate it if you could use the parking across the street from the school or
along the west side of the playground just outside the trees if you are going to be
parking and getting out of the vehicle. We would like to reserve the west drop off zone
for those vehicles that are just stopping long enough to let their child out of the
vehicle or get their child into the vehicle without the parent having to park to come
into the school.
Thanks for helping us out with this!
2014/15 WARMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARBOOKS
There is still time to order the W.E.S. 2014/15 Yearbook for fall delivery.
Yearbooks can be ordered for $26.00 online at ybpay.lifetouch.com
using the yearbook CODE 12359115. Orders are due by May 15, 2015.
Fine Arts Extravaganza
Please join us Wednesday, April 29th at 7:00 p.m. to enjoy the performances of Warman Elementary
School’s talented students as they sing, dance, and play various instruments at our Fine Arts
Extravaganza! Also on display will be visual art produced by students in our
school. We ask that all students be accompanied by an adult and that the
students please sit with a parent until it is their turn to perform. Light
refreshments will be available after the program. Please come and support the
artistic endeavours of our young people!
NEWS from Grade 3Becker
We have had a great year in 3JB. The students have been learning about internet safety and blogging.
Mrs. Woodward has been helping us create our own blogs. In science we have been learning about
structures and materials. To wrap up the unit we have built straw towers that needed to be 1 meter tall,
strong and stable. In language arts we have been learning about what good writers do to make their
writing interesting for the reader. We have created many interesting pieces but I think the student’s
favorite was when they got to write about an imaginary creature! In math we have just started our unit
on multiplication and division. The students are eager to learn their multiplication facts and strategies to
solve multiplication problems. The students did a great job on their Inuit projects and they were displayed
in the library at the end of February. It has been great learning with them so far this year and we are
looking forward to the exciting months to come!
WARMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WEBSITE
Our school has a website that is updated each school day morning, and during the day if required.
Everyone is encouraged to bookmark and check out the Warman Elementary School Website regularly. All
the information you will need is available there, such as basic school information, daily WES activities, school
hours, policies, milk program, the link to Prairie Spirit School Division Urban and Rural Busing, newsletters,
information about S.C.C. activities as well as links to classroom blogs.
The school website is not to be confused with the WES School Community Council Facebook page.
Visit their page for the latest School Community Council news at WES S.C.C Facebook page. Their Facebook
page has information on S.C.C. activities, and they occasionally post notifications taken directly from our
school website.
NEWS FROM Grade 1Guenther
Spring has arrived! April is a month of continuous growth and learning for the students (and
teacher) of 1G. We have learned about many interesting topics thus far, and the next few
months are filled with even more invigorating topics of study. Currently, we are exploring the
characteristics of living and non-living things. After the break we will be working with Mrs.
Woodward, our teacher librarian, to learn about the features of non-fiction texts, and how to
use non-fiction texts to research an animal of interest. In Math, we will be wrapping up our
Numbers to 100 Unit and beginning our Addition and Subtraction to 20 Unit. In Reader’s
Workshop, we’ll being learning about the comprehension strategy of Asking Questions, and in
Writer’s Workshop we’ll be learning how to write our own fairy tales.
If you are interested in knowing more about what we are up to in 1G, please visit our blog at
http://blogs.spiritsd.ca/ml169/.
Thank you to the awesome students of 1G. They are such an imaginative and kind group of boys
and girls.
NEWS from Kindergarten Streeton
Both KSA and KSB Kindergarten classes have been very busy playing, exploring
and learning together! There are so many projects happening in our classes!
Here are a few highlights:
Members of our KSA class have been very interested in learning about animal
habitats. A group of students, with their teacher’s guidance, has been
researching animal habitats in books and on the classroom IPad. After
researching the habitat, the Kindergarten kids have built it in our classroom,
complete with vegetation and animal life! After a few days of playing and adding
to our habitats, we use our classroom globe to map where the habitats are in the
world! So far, we have learned about the rainforest and the arctic. Our arctic
habitat even included the northern lights! I cannot wait to see what they choose
to research next!
Members of our KSB class have shown a major interest in hockey! Each day, we
work together to set up teams, decide on a “score keeper,” and equip the
interested players with their hockey numbers and safety equipment! The game
has really grown over the past several weeks, to the point where we had a mini
tournament! It is so wonderful to see children using numbers in real ways, and
demonstrating their turn taking and cooperative skills!
Lego Club
Warman Elementary School is excited to continue our Lego Club for students in
Grade 1 to Grade 3 this year. Students have the opportunity to attend Lego Club
once a week at lunch recess for 6 weeks. This provides an opportunity for all
interested students to take part.
We will gratefully accept donations of new or used Lego and Mega Blocks to grow
our club. These can be loose pieces, sets, or odds and ends, including Bionicle,
Hero Factory and Lego related books.
Helping Children Manage Anger
Everyone gets angry from time to time – and for most of us, we have had times in which we
have been stuck – not knowing what to do or say with angry feelings. Angry feelings are okay
as long as they are expressed in appropriate ways. When we are made to feel that anger is
wrong or bad it can lead to unhealthy ways of managing such as holding or anger inside until it
comes out in explosive ways such as yelling, hitting, or damaging property.
Here are a few strategies for parents to try with their children to deal with anger in a positive
way.
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Role modeling – children may learn aggressive behaviors from friends, books, TV and
video games, but a primary influence is the family – modeling how to express anger in
positive ways in the family unit is a good starting point for your children
Anger Invitations – is a term for anything that happens that typically makes you angry –
everyday holds many “anger invitations” – the trick is to be able to say “no thanks – I do
not accept the invitation” by using some of these strategies instead of becoming angry:
 Coach children about “big deal versus little deal” – there does not need
to be a reaction to all the things that would be in the “little deal” pile
 Life is busy and routine can be important to manage all the activities of a
day – but sometimes we need to just “go with the flow” rather than
trying to control the flow and increase our frustration levels – this is the
same for adults and children
 Discuss with children that we are in control of our own choices – other
people may make us angry – but we control what we do with our anger
Time Out – encourage children to take a time out using the “four R’s” Recognize when
you are becoming angry; Retreat for a break; Relax until you are feeling calm; Return to
solve the problem – not just Runaway!
Communicate – try to discover the reason behind the anger – this is a process best
undertaken outside of angry moments – once you know why your children are
becoming angry you can start the conversation on how to solve these problems
Write or Draw Your Feelings – not all children like to verbalize how they are feeling –
some prefer writing or drawing to sitting down and talking – encourage your children to
write, draw, or talk their feelings out
Talk to Somebody – everyone needs someone that they can trust to talk to – encourage
your children to talk to parents, grandparents, friends, teachers, school counselor, etc.,
about their angry feelings
(Heegaard, 2003; Potter-Efron & Potter-Efron, 2011; Verdick & Lisovskis, 2003)
Home&School
®
CONNECTION
Working Together for School Success
April 2015
SHORT
NOTES
Sponsored by your School Community Council
Stretch your
memory
Develop strong
communication skills
Try this on-the-go game to sharpen
your child’s memory. Pick something
you see out the car window, and
describe it using one adjective. (“Red
barn.”) Your youngster repeats your
words and adds another object with
a different adjective. (“Red barn, big
bulldozer.”) Keep going until someone
can’t remember the list.
Whether your child is participating
in a class discussion, chatting with
a friend or relative, or answering a
teacher’s question, she’ll need to be
a good communicator. Here are
strategies to try.
Pretend play
Get started
Imaginary play boosts creativity and
lets children practice adult roles.
Offer props that inspire your child
to pretend, such as old clothes and
shoes for dressing up or a chalkboard
and chalk to play school. You could
suggest ideas that will spark her
imagination, too. (“How would you
teach your favorite subject?”)
Good communicators know
how to start a discussion and
keep it going. Let your youngster
ask you a yes-or-no question. (“Do
you have a pet?”) Then, tell her to
pose an open-ended question—one that
can’t be answered with yes or no. (“Why
do you think most people have dogs or
cats rather than other pets?”) She’ll see
how open-ended questions can lead to
more interesting discussions.
?
DID
YOU
KNOW
Asthma leads to more
school absences than
any other chronic condition — and spring allergies can trigger attacks. If your child has asthma,
talk to his doctor about ways he can
stay healthy. You might help him
keep a diary of attacks, with the date,
time, and weather, and what he was
doing beforehand. Together, look for
patterns to identify triggers.
Worth quoting
“You cannot use up creativity. The
more you use, the more you have.”
Maya Angelou
JUST FOR FUN
Q: How did the dragon
burn his hand?
A: When he sneezed,
he covered his mouth.
© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Jump in
Your child can join a classroom discussion or everyday conversation by “piggybacking.” First, she should listen closely
to what someone says. Then, she can
build on it, adding her own ideas. For
example, after a classmate speaks, she
could say, “That’s true. I was thinking…”
Or your child might restate in her own
words what the person said and then
share her idea or ask a follow-up question.
Explain reasoning
When your youngster expresses her
thoughts, encourage her to back them up
with facts or opinions. As she answers a
teacher’s question, she can refer to something she learned in class or read in a
textbook to support her statement. If
she’s responding to a classmate during a
discussion, she could say whether she
agrees or disagrees and tell why.♥
Spring volunteering
It’s not too late to be a parent volunteer! As the
school year comes to a close, your youngster’s teacher
will appreciate a hand. Ask if she needs help with
any of these tasks.
● Organizing or assisting with a class party.
You could email other parents, bring healthy snacks, plan games, or
take photos.
● Packing up the classroom. The teacher may want someone to put books
and supplies in boxes or to take down bulletin boards and other decorations.
● Wrapping up projects. There might be things you can do from home, such
as binding student books or framing children’s artwork.♥
Home & School CONNECTION
April 2015 • Page 2
®
Siblings who get along
Consider these two ideas for building bonds
between your children. They’ll gain friends for a
lifetime—and life will be more pleasant for everyone now.
1. Be a team
Show your youngsters how much fun it can
be to team up. Play board games in teams —kids
vs. parents. Or consider getting a cooperative
board game like Race to the Treasure or Castle
Panic. You could also suggest that they collaborate on a project, such as building a birdhouse or
creating a website.
ACTIVITY
CORNER
2. Find common
ground
Having shared
hobbies gives
siblings something
to talk about and to
do together. Notice
activities that your
children both like,
and encourage
them to enjoy them
with each other. For
instance, you might
sign them up for
cooking lessons, get
them new packages of trading cards to share, or send them out
to play catch. Tip: Even though you might want to join in the
fun, try to give them time alone to share their passions and
build their relationship.♥
Explore nature
Observing the busy animals and
blooming plant life during spring can
help your youngster learn about and
appreciate nature. Try these activities.
Classify animals.
Q Chores: Good for everyone
&
A
Q: I know it’s a good idea to give children chores. But by the
time I listen to my daughter complain and show her what to
do, it seems easier just to do the work myself. Any advice?
Which creatures live in
your area? When you
spot one, have your child
name it and say the
category it belongs
in. You may see
frogs (amphibians),
lizards (reptiles),
robins (birds),
deer (mammals), and butterflies
(insects). Suggest that she draw and
label pictures of the animals.
A: Chores are important because they teach responsibility
and encourage your child to be a contributing member of the household. Initially, it may take extra time
to have your daughter do chores, but once she gets into
the habit, her help will save you time.
Start by giving her jobs that she can feel confident about, such as clearing the
table after meals or watering plants.
Once the chores become part of her daily routine, assign more challenging ones
like vacuuming the car or mopping the kitchen floor. You’ll have fewer tasks on your
list, and she’ll become more responsible.♥
Watch for blooms. Encourage your
A reading challenge
youngster to look for trees or flowers with
closed buds, buds that are beginning to
open, and blossoms. Talk about why
some bloom before others. For example,
they may get more or less sunlight, or
they may have different rates of growth.
Let her check back in a few days to see
how the plants have changed.♥
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ideas
that promote school success, parent involvement,
and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • [email protected]
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621
© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
By reading more complex books, your
child can learn new words, facts, and
ideas. He’ll also be exposed to more
complicated plots and will grow as a
reader. Share these suggestions:
● Provide context. Knowing some-
thing about the topic or setting
will make a tougher book easier
to comprehend. If your youngster is reading a novel set in
China, he could talk to
someone who has been
there or look up the country
online (try a children’s site like
kids.nationalgeographic.com).
● Encourage your child to look at a
simpler book on the same subject. A
picture-book biography about Harriet
Tubman may help your youngster better
understand a textbook chapter on the
civil rights movement, for instance.
● Suggest that your child
read complicated material with pencil and
paper in hand. He
can jot down questions, words to
look up, or facts
he wants to learn
more about.♥