Now that winter is fully upon us, students are enjoying sliding and building creations in the snow!  I thank Gr. 4/5 Teacher Linda Out and Gr. 5/6 Teacher Koan Ellis for their learning highlight this month.

Learning Highlight

Our intermediate students have taken on the challenge of composting used materials that otherwise go to the landfill.  This project is supported by a grant from the Slocan Valley Co-op. The students brainstormed what and how materials could be recycled to make soil for the school garden. The Grade 5/6 class has acquired a food cycler that bakes food scraps overnight to create dry soil.  The primary classes will be provided with worm bins to compost shredded paper.  Used paper towels will be broken down by mushroom mycelium and used to grow oyster mushrooms in the Grade 4/5 classroom.  In the spring, all the soil will be used in new garden beds to grow vegetables.  In February, the intermediate classes will work with filmmaker Brian Lye to interview local farmers to create a documentary about local food production. This project is supported by an ArtStarts grant.

Winter Concert

Our Winter Concert will take place on Thursday, December 15th from 1:00-1:45. Families are very welcome to attend. and encouraged to arrive between 12:40-12:55. The concert will be a medley of winter songs and poetry.

Health

Students in schools around our district including Winlaw Elementary are experiencing many illnesses at this time.  I encourage you to use the Report an Absence feature on our website as it is very quick.  We appreciate you reporting an absence as early as possible on each day.

Communicating Student Learning

During our Early Dismissal Days, November 16th and 17th and the following week, families and teachers met to discuss student progress.  It was wonderful to have these meetings back on site this year. Teachers will send your child/children’s Point of Progress report between December 1st-December 9th.  These reports focus on Literacy, Numeracy, and Social/Emotional Development.  At the end of January, teachers will report on all subject areas.

Remembrance Day Assembly

Students, staff, and some parents gathered in our gym on November 10th for our Remembrance Day Assembly.  Students learned about Remembrance Day in lessons leading up to our assembly.  As part of the Aboriginal Territory Acknowledgement, ten students from the Gr. 5/6 class and Aboriginal Academic Success Teacher Ms Jenna Hopper led the school in singing and drumming the Travelling Song.  The K/1 class sang a beautiful song Peace is the World Smiling, each student in the Grade 1/2 class presented a picture and told us what peace meant to them, the Gr.2/3 and Gr. 4/5 classes sang the song Peace, Peace, Peace.  The Gr. 4/5 class then sang Turning of the World with images of what peace means to them projected on the screen.  Students from the Gr. 5/6 class wrote poems about peace and presented them at the assembly.  Paul Evren, Educational Assistant and wonderful musician sang a moving rendition of the poem In Flanders Fields. 

Winter Activities

Our Gr. 2-6 Skiing and Snowboarding programs will take place at Whitewater this year on January 10, 17, 24, and 31st.  All the paperwork is due back by Wednesday, November 30th.  If you have any questions or need of assistance, please call our clerical Sharon Block at 250 226-7217 or email her at clerical.winlaw@sd8.bc.ca or me at monica.doyle@sd8.bc.ca.  Please also ensure that you register your child on the Whitewater site included on the information package sent home. We need parent chaperones so please call or email Sharon if you can assist on some or all the days.  We are also looking for a parent with a truck to drive the equipment to Whitewater.

Our K/1 students will participate in Cross Country Ski sessions on site for an hour and on the Rail Trail (if conditions permit).  Teacher Linda Out will lead these sessions. We have all the equipment needed here at the school.  There will be other activities organized as well throughout the day with Ms Linda and Mrs. Doyle. The paperwork for Cross Country Skiing will be sent home next week.

 Intramural Sports

Intermediate Floor Hockey for Gr. 4-6 students started two weeks ago and is coached by Mr. Ellis. This takes place every Thursday at lunch recess. Intermediate Indoor Soccer also started last week and takes place on Mondays at lunch with Mrs. Doyle.   We introduced Primary Floor Hockey last week which takes place on Fridays at lunch recess.   We give a huge shout out of thanks to our Gr. 6 Students Leaders who are volunteering to help coach our primary students!  

Student and Family Affordability Fund

This year the Ministry of Education and Child Care has provided each school with a sum of money to help families with the burden of raised grocery and supply costs.  Winlaw Elementary School would like to use this fund to help families who need support for any of the following:

Food/hot lunch/breakfast for learning.
School supplies fees covered for families who need financial support
January 2023 Winter Activities
May Swim Program Transportation Cost- this will cover the cost for the whole school

If you feel it would be helpful to your family to access support, please let Sharon know at clerical.winlaw@sd8.bc.ca or me at monica.doyle@sd8.bc.ca.

Student Leadership

Our Gr. 5/6 Student Leadership Group started their Tuesday popcorn sales to raise money to bring a hamper of food to a family in need during the winter holidays. We thank the parent volunteers who help the students make the popcorn each week. The Student Leadership group will also do a Winter Holiday Food Donation drive starting next week.  All food donated will be delivered to the Slocan Valley Food Bank on December 16th.   Please send food donations along with your child to their classroom during the next two weeks.

Story Walk in the Winlaw Forest

Winlaw School's Primary Classes and Slocan Valley Strong Start are pleased to collaborate with The Columbian Basin of Literacy (CBAL) to provide monthly StoryWalks®. StoryWalks® are an innovative and delightful new way to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. In November, we animated the school forest with the book We're Different We're the Same and look forward to our next stroll on December 14, 2022.

Upcoming Dates

December 1-9th Point of progress reports sent home by classroom teachers

December 15-  Winter Concert 1:00 PM

December 16-  Last day before Winter Holiday

January 2-        First day back to school after the Winter Holiday

January 10-      First day of Winter Activities

January 17-      Second day of Winter Activities

January 24-      Third day of Winter Activities

January 31-      Final day of Winter Activities

Take care everyone,

Monica Doyle