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Principal's Message

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 Learning Highlights

Our Intermediate classes have had a great three weeks since the start of our Artstarts film project.  The time with Filmmaker Brian Lye has been focused on building filmmaking skills.  So far students have made short films about the importance of local food as well as the life cycle of trees in the Winlaw Elementary School forest.  The project goal is for students to learn about and create short films about local farms and food sustainability.  Students will interview local farmers and reflect on traditional knowledge of food harvesting.  Last week, both classes along with Brian and their teachers visited Elder Marilyn James in the Sinixt Pithouse learning about harvesting food in the Sinixt way and how to take care of the land.  

In addition, Brian Lye and parent helpers Laura House and Sarah Beatty are working with a multi-age group of Gr. 2-5 students each Thursday afterschool to help students create stop-motion-animation films using found objects, self-made art, and iPads. The final projects and films will be showcased in the spring alongside documentaries made by the grade 4/5/6's.

Ms. Nielson and Ms. Marina's primary classes have been collaborating to learn about community. They have mapped out Winlaw on a GIANT map and walked around the town in their imaginations. Last Friday the classes walked around our Winlaw school neighbourhood thinking about what they imagined well, and what was missing. The highlight of their walk was visiting EA Paul Erven’s house, where he showed the students his magnificent goats. Students are seeing how strong communities are the result of our connections, and they will soon be exploring the many different roles and skills a community needs to flourish.

On Friday, January 27th, CBAL (Columbia Basin Alliance Literacy) Program Coordinator for the Slocan Valley Laura House facilitated the third Story Walk in our Winlaw Elementary forest.  She read Winlaw’s very own Marina Eglis’ new story How Wolf Got Her Howl to the K/1 class, the Grade 1/2 class and the Strongstart children and families.

 

Music at Winlaw Elementary

Three music programs are coming to our school starting this week.  Music educator Elizabeth Trimboli with the Footlights Academy at the Capitol Theatre in Nelson will teach a music lesson in each class on February 3rd and 10th this month. The Footlights Academy offers arts education to youth in the community. It is their third year running this program. In the first year, they offered dance, the second theatre and now music at no cost to participating schools.

I am very excited to share that we were successful in our application to ArtStarts for funding to produce a spring musical!  Theatre instructor and playwright, Mary Folinsbee will write the script and teach the drama classes to each class.  Composer and musician, Jeremy Snyder will compose the music and teach the songs to the classes.  We will start the process after Spring Break with a matinee performance on Wednesday, May 24th and an evening performance on Thursday, May 25th.  We will need help with creating costumes and building the set so stay tuned for more information in early April.

Winlaw Elementary was selected to be a pilot school for a new Artists in Residency Program offered through ArtStarts.  This pilot program brings in artists into schools to work with classes twice a week for 8 weeks or once a week for 16 weeks.  Music Educator Talon Nansel will work with our classes on Thursdays and Fridays during April and May.  Talon is a K-12 Music Educator in BC who brings a wealth of experience in teaching students how to play different instruments, how to read music, how to create music together, and sing in choral groups.  

 

Sports

Although our Winter Activity programs at Whitewater are on hold while the chairlift is being repaired, we have intramural sports happening each day. Primary Floor Hockey started this week on Mondays and Thursdays with Student Leaders organizing and coaching the teams with Ms Peel and Mrs. Doyle.  Mr. Ellis and Ms Griffiths are coaching our Gr. 5/6 Basketball team on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Intermediate Floor Hockey for Gr. 4/5/6 students takes place on Fridays.  Our Gr. 3/4 class has cross country skied on the Rail Trail several times when snow conditions have been good.  Hopefully we will have some fresh snow soon so that we can head out on the trails again this winter.

PAC

 50/50 Fundraiser -There are only two weeks until the draw on Feb 14th!  If you want tickets or want to sell tickets, contact Nikko (250-354-3168 snyder.sauer@gmail.com) or tickets can be purchased from Sharon at the school office.  Our next PAC meeting is set for February 7th at 4:00 at the school.  Childcare is provided by PAC.

 

Upcoming Events

February 2-   Oopsie Theatre Performance 9:30

February 3-   Music classes by Elizabeth Trimboli

February 3-   Report Cards sent home

February 7-   PAC Meeting 4:00

February 10- Music classes by Elizabeth Trimboli

February 14- Valentine’s Day activities

February 17- Professional Development Day (no school for students)

February 20- BC Family Day holiday

February 22- Pink Shirt Day Assembly (time TBD)

February 28- Le Bonhomme Carnival 12: 35-1:50)

 

Take care everyone,

Monica Doyle

Principal, Winlaw Elementary