The month of September has flown by with students settling into their new classes, making new friendships and renewing ones from last year.   We are very pleased to share that we have added a new Grade 2/3 classroom. 

Open House, Family BBQ, and Music Jam

We would like to thank families for attending our Winlaw Elementary Open House, Family BBQ and Music Jam on Thursday, September 22nd.  It was great to see students introducing their families to their new teachers and sharing some of the learning they have be doing.  Our staff would like to give a huge shout of thanks to families and PAC for their financial support and all the volunteers who helped organize the BBQ from ordering the hot dogs, to setting up, making beautiful salads, BBQing and clean up.   We also thank our Gr. 6 tech team for setting up the sound system and to EA Paul Erven for leading us in some resounding, heart-felt singing!   We couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful way for families and the school to connect for a great year ahead!

School Planning Day Goals

On September 23, our Staff collaboratively worked on our school goals that were developed at the May School Planning Day.  Teachers and Educational Assistants met in their respective primary and intermediate teams discussing and developing strategies to work on each goal. Our goals for this year are:

1. To empower, inspire, and engage all students to develop confidence in their ability to read and write independently.
2. To increase student confidence in their computational skills and mathematical concepts and use flexible thinking and reasoning in order to be successful in numeracy.
3. To increase family and community engagement within the school and on the school grounds.

PAC Vice Chair Laura House and teacher Linda Out also gave a presentation on our new School Garden project that will be happening from February to May this year.  We congratulate Laura and Linda in their success in obtaining three grants to create a new garden space beside the outdoor classroom and new K/1 classroom. Also, teacher Ms Natasha gave a presentation on the WITS and LEADS social/emotional programs that we are implementing this year.  

Terry Fox Run

On Wednesday, September 28th we held our annual Terry Fox Run running around our beautiful school grounds to the music of an inspiring Terry Fox playlist! Students, staff, and some families with toddlers and preschoolers ran and walked.  After the run, the Winlaw Student Leadership Team hosted a lemonade stand fundraiser which was enjoyed by all.  Donations and funds raised from the lemonade stand totaled $200 to donate towards cancer research!

Orange Shirt Day Assembly

This past week students have been learning about Truth and Reconciliation in their classes as well as at our Orange Shirt Day Assembly held on September 29th.  Students designed and created orange feathers to remember and honour all the Indigenous children and survivors who had their culture, freedom and self-esteem taken away over the generations.  During our assembly, we listened to O’Canada sang in the Cree First Nation language and then Aboriginal Academic Success teacher, Ms Jenna Hopper shared the Orange Shirt Story by Phyllis Webstad who is a residential school survivor. Ms Jenna and Grade 5/6 class led the entire school in a drum circle of the Heart Song.  Classes then took their feathers and tied them to a tree.  “I believe that when folks who have been impacted by the Residential School Programs either through being a student or a descendent of a student, see people wearing orange that they may hold their hearts a little gentler knowing that we as individuals are doing our best to acknowledge their truth”- Ms Jenna Hopper. 

SD8 Communication, Codes of Conduct, and School District Calendar

School District 8 Communication Protocols

School 8 Code of Conduct

SD8 Student/Parent Appeals Bylaw

SD8 2022-23 School Calendar

Winlaw Elementary School Code of Conduct 

Breakfast and Hot Lunch Programs

We are very pleased to announce that our Breakfast program started this week with parent Amber Mayes as our new volunteer Breakfast Program Coordinator.  We thank Nina Sheldon for being our amazing volunteer Breakfast Coordinator and Hot Lunch volunteer last year and working this month to help Amber as she takes on this new role.  Our volunteer Hot Lunch Coordinator is Stephanie Larsen, our Winlaw chef extraordinaire! Hot Lunch pre-order forms went out last week and our first day will be next Wednesday, October 5th.  Please return your forms on Monday if you haven’t already done so.  Both the Breakfast and Hot Lunch programs need additional volunteers to help with serving and clean up.  If you have a some time either on a weekly or monthly basis, please contact me at monica.doyle@sd8.bc.ca. Volunteering in these programs is a great way to support our school.

Sports

We started our Cross Country Running practices this week.  All students Gr. 1-6 are welcome to join. Next week we will practice at lunch on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday.  The following week will be Tuesday and Wednesday.  We will travel by bus to Nelson on October 14th to participate in the District Cross Country Running Meet 11:30-12:45. I will send home permission forms with all interested students this week.

Volleyball will start up for Gr.4-6 students in mid-October.

Upcoming Dates:

October 10- Thanksgiving Holiday

October 11- PAC AGM 4:00 at the school

October 13- Fire Drill

October 14- District Cross Country Running Meet 11:30-12:45 Lakeside Fields in Nelson

October 20- Earthquake Drill

October 21- Provincial Specialist Association Pro D Day (no school)

With warm regards,

Monica Doyle, Principal