Dear Winlaw Families,

We give a huge shout out of thanks to the Winlaw PAC for organizing the wonderful Hallowe’en Howler this year! Students and staff had fun participating in indoor activities such as the costume parade, the haunted house, the mummy race, the howler dance, and the escape room puzzles! The fun continued outside with the scavenger hunt and zip line in the forest. We also thank the Gr. 5/6 Student Leadership for helping to organize and run these events.

During the week of November 6-10^th,  the learning focused on the importance of Remembrance Day. On November 8^th each year, we honour the Indigenous peoples who served or who are currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. Ms Jenna Hopper, our Aboriginal Academic Support Teacher, taught the Gr. 5/6 class how an estimated 12,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples served with a long and proud tradition of military service that spanned both World Wars, peace keeping missions, and in recent areas of conflict.

Our Remembrance Day Assembly was held on November 10^th to recognize and remember all of the brave Canadians who served and continue to serve Canada in war, conflict, and in peace keeping missions. Our Grade 1/2 class presented a beautiful poem called Peace, the Gr. 2/3 and Gr. 3/4/5 classes sang a round on peace, and many members of the Grade 5/6 class shared acrostic and haiku poems on peace and Remembrance Day and how war impacts refugees. EA Paul Erven then sang In Flanders Fields while two students from several classes laid a wreath in honour and memory of all who served and continue to serve today.

Learning Highlights

• Winlaw Elementary School is very proud to host Teacher Candidates from UBC’s West Kootenay Teacher Education Program and Rural and Remote Education Program who completed their two-week fall practicums on November 10^th. Ms Alyssa Taburiaux is being mentored by K/1 teacher Ms Natasha Cucek and Ms Shelby Shuster is being mentored by Grade 2/3 teachers Ms Marina Eglis and Ms Peel. Mr. Tom Flood is mentored by Grade 5/6 teacher Mr. Koan Ellis. We look forward to the Teacher Candidates returning after the Winter Holiday for once- a -week observation days then their full 10-week practicums right after Spring Break.

•  The K/1 class enjoyed the Ms Alyssa's highly engaging lessons on estimating in numeracy.

• The grade 1/2 students are learning about the life cycles of bears and the upcoming hibernation.

• Ms Shuster taught an exciting health lesson in grade 2/3 that blended art and mindfulness, in which students learned how to use and make breathing sticks.

• The grade 3/4/5 class is learning about body systems in science; last week they finished learning about the circulatory system and now they are delving into the amazing digestive system!

• In Mr. Flood’s grade 5/6 math class, students reconnected with multiplication strategies in discussion, moved to the rhythm of a multiples rap, and faced off in partners playing “multiplication battleship”.

• The grade 5/6 Student Leadership group met last week and organized the upcoming weekly Popcorn sales which will raise money to help create holiday hampers for two families in need along with a food drive to donate to the Slocan Valley Food Cupboard. On November 30^th they will host the Wild and Crazy Hair school spirit day.

Breakfast Program News!

We give many thanks to the Kootenay Savings Credit Union for donating $500 towards our universal Breakfast Program and to the Vancouver Sun’s Adopt a School Grant! We are the recipient of $6000 to support a universal Breakfast Program Monday-Friday for our Winlaw students. We need a minimum of 4 more volunteers so that we have at least one volunteer per day. The commitment would be 1-2 days per week to help make and serve the breakfast in the gym.  The time commitment is 7:15 - 8:15.  If you can volunteer even for a specified amount of time (ie from now until the winter holidays or between January -March) please email me this week at monica.doyle@sd8.bc.ca. If your child has a grandparent who lives in the community and who would like to volunteer, please let me know.

Winter Activities

Our Winter Activity Days are scheduled for February 6, 13, 20, and 27^th.  Skiing and snowboarding will take place at the Whitewater Ski Hill for grades 2-6 students.  There will be cross country skiing for K/1 students as well as older students who wish to participate at the school and on the Slocan Valley Rail Trail. Please contact Sharon Block at clerical.win@sd8.bc.ca or Principal Monica Doyle at monica.doyle@sd8.bc.ca if your child needs financial support for the program fees.

Upcoming Events

Best regards,

Monica Doyle
Principal, Winlaw Elementary School