March 2012 – Volume 52 – Issue 06
A Monthly Newsletter for the Parents / caregivers of our students
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PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
I would like to start by thanking everyone for the very warm welcome I received since arriving at Our Lady of Wisdom on February 1st. I have been most impressed by this very vibrant school community which is active from 7:30 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. I visit classes regularly during the school day and I consistently find engaged and happy students diligently absorbed in their studies or classroom activities. The quality of teaching and the commitment to the students at OLW is outstanding.
I try to spend some time before school and during recess or lunch in the school yard getting to know students and meet parents. I have found the students to be quite polite and for the most part they treat each other quite well and respond to staff members in a respectful manner.
In my second week at OLW, I attended the Catholic School Advisory Council meeting and found a very active, supportive and creative group of parents. I feel genuinely lucky to work with this group of talented parent volunteers. They add much to our school community. As I become more familiar with the school and the OLW community, I am learning about some of the issues which cause concern: condition of school building, future facilities, air quality in the portables, security and safety, student uniform, projected enrollment, size of student body, Students Activity Council, teacher assignments and schedules,
supervision schedules, location and facilities for ACE and size of student body. I am only at OLW until the end of the school year and will need to prioritize if I am going to be effective.
Cross Country
The Cross Country Season started this week at OLW. Runners from grades one through grade eight ran from 10:00 to 10:30 am every morning. This program fulfills the Daily Physical Activity component of the curriculum for the next few weeks. Some teachers will be running with the students and the remaining staff members will be stationed at points throughout the route. The route starts at the east entry door, runs east through the playground to the southeast gate, north along the sidewalk beside the playground then return to the school yard through the north east gate and continue through the school yard to the west side of the school.
The runners will then continue south to the front of the school and run along the south side walk back into the school yard. The runners will be encouraged to run this circuit for half an hour.
Science Fair
On Friday March 2nd, the News fell! We had 5 projects moving on to the Toronto SCI-TECH™ FAIR 2012 at UofT. We would like to thank each and every one of you for your effort in making this science fair at OLW possible. First of all, every student in both grade 7 & 8. You have all made a very positive impact in your effort to create a project for the fair. To all, a big thank you! Secondly, our critics: Mrs. Foster, Miss Evans, Mrs Shirley, Mme Bangala, Mrs Nardozi, Mme Guirguis, and myself! It was not an easy task. We would like to wish the following 5 projects’ participants continued success: Victoria, Emma and Moire for Identifying DNA, Theo and Ronin, for How a Touch Screen Works, Victoria for Six Layers of Density, Bahar for Can We Make Electricity Out of Lemons and Ninoshka for Stroop Effects. To all, good luck at the All-Toronto Science Fair on March 31st, 2012. Thank you again to you who have made this Science Fair a great and honest success.
Bravo! M.Bruno
ECO Program at OLW
The eco -school has been a dynamic addition to OLW. We have over 40 active students from grades 6, 7 & 8 who participate regularly with a great deal of enthusiasm. We have begun raising environmental awareness throughout the school and have received a lot of support from students, parents and staff in decorating the eco-school tree in the school hallway. We would like to thank the generous contributions of those who purchased a ribbon. We look forward to involving the school community in upcoming environmental awareness initiatives!
Shrove Tuesday
Again Shrove Tuesday was a big success at OLW. A special thank you to our parent volunteers:
Mr and Mrs. Adams,
Mrs. Kishimoto, Mrs. Anthanaselos,
Mr. Spooner and Mitchell who gave up part of his reading week to help cook and serve pancakes and hot chocolate to the students and staff. This is a wonderful tradition at OLW.
Mrs. Shirley
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SCHOOL LEARNING IMPROVEMENT PLAN
The slip committee met on Monday, March 5, 2012 to prepare for our mid-point meeting with the superintendent Lori Di Marco on March 22, 2012. Our focus was to collect data and compare assessments administered in September/October and the ones administered recently in order to monitor improvement. Our goal is to meet the 6% increase target set by the board for 2014.
Through our data and teacher observation, implemented strategies and modifications have improved our results from September.
We have also focused on gender. In parallel with ministry and board initiatives, we have targeted boys’ literacy. We have selected appropriate novels and a variety of graphic texts, sports theme literature, and mainstream media to intrigue boys’ interests.
For the intermediate division, the use of technology proves to be very successful. Students are engaged, challenged and excited to learn using a variety of programs such: Career Cruising, Math Help Homework, Nelson Math Site, Power Point, Photo Story, Window Maker, Tell ME More, and various internet sites (including suggested Math, Science and mainstream media sites).
For the junior division, students are making connections and inferring. Students are using BitStrips, Power Point and Nelson Math site etc. In addition, students are exposed to a variety of non-fictional texts. They are encouraged to use technology at home.
For the primary division, thefocus in on improving reading skills, as witnessed in looking at Running Records, as well as classroom activities. The goal emphasizes the importance of having students reading at their grade level by the end of grades 1 to 3. We also focus on the following readingstrategies by grade:
- Grade 1 - Focus on French sounds (ou, er, e, an, en)
- Grade 2 - Reading comprehension using images and short texts
- Grade 3 - Use of reading strategies Making Connections)
Teachers are working together to achieve greater results and they all have a common goal, the success of our students. Furthermore, teachers are preparing a TLCP Teaching Learning Critical Pathway. This is an 8-week assessment divided into three stages focuses on stage 1: Pre-assessment stage 2: Learning block, share evidence of student learning (PLC Check-ins) and have students completed an agreed up culminating task stage 3: Outcomes of TLCP – conduct teacher moderation and engagement in reflection
Special Education teachers have been and are available in assisting those students who require extra help in and out-of-class.
Virtue of the Month
Forgiveness
“To Err is Human, to Forgive is Divine.”
Alexander Pope
Let your actions be guided by the idea that Jesus said, “Let He Who is Without Sin, Cast the First Stone
The First Step to Forgiveness is to Take Responsibility for Your Actions
If You Want to be Forgiven, You Need To Make Sure You Forgive Other People.
Live Your Life In A Way That Makes Others Know You Are A Follower Of Christ.
PARENT COUNCIL NEWS
Our next CSAC meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 21st , in the Library, at 6:30 pm.
CARNAVAL FESTIVITIES 2012
On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, the students from Grade 1 to Grade 5 enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon of Carnaval activities.
The day was a tremendous success and though we did not a drop of snow on the ground, all had fun playing some slightly modified activities such as “put the eggs in the bucket” instead of “put some snow in the bucket”, and chair relay and skipping rope fun instead of our traditional toboggan and snow shoe races.
The Carnaval Committee would like to thank Mrs. Shirley and her wonderful crew of parent helpers who prepared the yummy hot chocolate and cookies for students to enjoy at one of the stations.
Bonhomme had fun visiting the JK and SK classes in the pm – and students from those classes also enjoyed the delicious hot chocolate and cookie treats as well.
The day ran smoothly thanks to the wonderful leadership of the Grade 5 students who acted as group leaders and manned the various stations. Kudos to you!! You all did a wonderful job! J
The Grade 5 students also pulled together for the TUG of WAR competition between the teachers and themselves - naturally they won as their enthusiasm and great spirit of cooperation could not be stopped by anyone.
Thank you to all who participated and who helped in any way to make this day and week a memorable one! From our scarf and mitt day, to our red and white day and then our fun hat day – followed by the school wide BINGO which the Grade 7 class won – all students participated enthusiastically and whole heartedly in all these events.
Thank you to all!
The Carnaval Committee
(Mme Thokoly, Mlle Conley, Mrs. Robertson,
Mme Yeung, Mme Attridge and Mlle Katherine)
If you would like to receive information and updates from ACE make sure your email address is in our database send an email to .
Leslieann McLean-Bruno
Acting Executive Director
BASKETBALL
Congratulations to the boys & girls intermediate basketball teams. The boys placed 2ndin their divisional final, defeated by a team they hadpreviously beaten in the round robin. Both teams displayed tremendous courage and perseveranceduring their tournaments.
Team members:
Girls Team: Natalie A., Sydney, Michaela, Genet, Cherie,
Boys Team: Joshua C., Joshua T., Cameron, Albert, Daniel, Jahnoah, Jacob, Charlie, Dante P. & Julian Tennessee, Mary, Kayley, Ana & Alexa
Change for Children in White Dog
The grade eight social justice committee would like extend to the students of Our Lady of Wisdom. “The Change for Children in White Dog” campaign was a great success. Thank you for digging deep into your pockets and bringing your spare change to school. One hundred and sixty-sixdollars was collected. This money will be used to purchase books for our friends in White Dog.
C. Nardozi
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