November 2016 Newsletter

Principal’s Message Dear Families,

Dates to Remember Nov. 2nd School Council Meeting 7pm Nov. 4th—HOT LUNCH—PATIO CAFÉ Nov. 10th—HOT LUNCH—MIKES MEATS NOVE 10TH—REMEMBRANCE DAY ASSEMBLY 11 AM NOV 11—REMEMBRANCE DAY— NO SCHOOL Nov. 14-17—Scholastic Book Fair – Learning Commons NOV. 14—REPORT CARDS GO HOME NOV. 16— STUDENT LED CONFERENCES 3:30—6:30 PM NOV. 17 — STUDENT LED CONFERENCES 6:00– 8:00 PM NOV. 18— P.D. DAY—NO CLASSES FOR STUDENTS NOV. 25— HOT LUNCH—SUBWAY NOV. 26— ELEMENTARY ATHLETICS, GRADE 6 VOLLEYBALL

Upcoming Events Dec. 6th—Second Round— Immunizations for Gr. 5 & Gr. 9 Dec. 7th—School Council Meeting Dec. 14—Winter Wonderland Family Celebration

There is a lot happening! Please be sure to subscribe to our online newsletter as we are sending out weekly updates and other forms of communication on a fairly regular basis. Our goal is to communicate, even over-communicate many of the things happening in our school and school district. Check out our school Facebook page and our Twitter feed to see some of the other things we are doing as well. Our website(s) are currently under redevelopment, so as we get closer to a launch date, we will be updating much of our information. We particularly want to update some of the more static information and use the website platform to direct traffic to our dynamic information. We will keep you posted! Thanks to all of the families that responded to the Thought Exchange Survey. The second stage of this has begun, whereby participants are asked to “assign stars”. Please be sure to complete that step (I think this may only be open to those that initially responded?) Also wanted to thank the parents that attended the Curriculum Development meeting at CHHS in October. Turnout, overall, was low, but WLC was well represented. We will continue to keep you informed of future opportunities to provide input on the Provincial direction for curriculum and learning. We hope to set aside some time at our Nov. 2nd School Council meeting to give an update and provide some input opportunities. Report Cards will go home on November 14th and we will once again include a “cheat sheet” for families to use to help understand our approach to assessment. We will also post a copy of this on our website. Our district is embarking on a multi-year project that will sees schools across our system adopt an outcome based and/or outcome informed approach to assessment. This will mean slight changes to our reporting and also opportunities for families to give input on changes. Student-Led Conferences will be held on Nov 16th (3:30-6:30 pm) and Nov 17th (6:00 – 8:00 pm). We have a couple of staff members that have had to tweak their dates due to professional commitments, and a note will be going home to you regarding this. Finally, a big thank you to all of the staff involved in supporting our many extracurricular activities. Our participation rates in clubs and teams is very strong and is supported by staff going the extra mile! Sincerely, Mr. Sadlemyer

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Thank you for using the absence line…. if your child is away for any reason. WLC Main Line 403-528-6573 Dial 1 Save the date……. Celebrating the Season!!

WINTER WONDERLAND Wed. December 14th @ 6p.m. A FUN FAMILY EVENT Our WLC Community Loves Books!! Scholastic Book Fair during Student Led Conferences Scholastic book fair is coming to our Learning Commons

November 14th-17th. It will be open every day at lunch and during the evenings of Student Led Conferences (November 16th and 17th). Watch for more details on posters around the school. Every book you purchase for yourself helps earn our school points for free books to enhance our library collection. Stock up on a wide variety of books to fill your child’s bookshelf or think about books as great gifts for upcoming occasions. Stop by the book fair and share in the excitement of books!

LOST AND FOUND Our lost and found trunks are filling to the brim….. if your child has lost any clothing please have them check the 2 trunks… the first located outside the Gym on the main level … the second located in the common area on the second level. Monday, November 14

Kinplex 2

Tuesday, November 15

Kinplex 1

10:00-10:45 – grade 5 (all classes)

10:00-10:45 – grade 2 (all classes)

Kinplex 1

Kinplex 2

Monday, December 12

Kinplex 1

Wednesday, December 14

Thursday, December 15

10:45-11:30 – grade 9 (all classes) 9:15-10:00 – grade 8 (all classes) 10:00-10:45 – Kindergarten (KA, KB)

Thursday, November 17

Tuesday, December 13

10:45-11:30 – all grade 1’s and grade 1/2 Mrs. Ngo 9:15-10:00 – grade 7 (all classes)

10:45-11:30 – grade 6 (all classes) 10:00-10:45 – grade 3’s and grade 2/3 Mr. Heidinger 10:45-11:30 – Kindergarten (KC, KD) 9:15-10:00 – grade 4 (all classes) 10:00-10:45 – grade 5 (all classes)

Kinplex 1

10:45-11:30 – grade 1 (Speltz, Henderson) 9:15-10:00 – grade 7 (all classes) 10:00-10:45 – gr. 2 Shupe, Groom, Koch

Kinplex 1

10:45-11:30 – grade 9 (all classes) 9:15-10:00 – grade 8 (all classes) 10:00-10:45 – grade 1 (Moore, Fuerst)

Kinplex 2

10:45-11:30 – grade 6 (all classes) 10:00-10:45 – grade 3 (all classes) 10:45-11:30 – gr.2 Bardal, gr. 1/2 Ngo, gr. 2/3 Heidinger

WLC Skating Times

Wednesday, November 16

9:15-10:00 – grade 4 (all classes)

The grade 2’s got to learn about Robert Munsch this month and decided to write him some letters. To their surprise, he wrote back and sent along a poster, too! Students also received an unpublished book called Crazy Loopers, by Robert Munsch, with their names in it! Together, they created the pictures to go along with the story.

Deconstruction Junction Mrs. Ngo & Mr. Heidinger’s classes deconstructed old electronics in search of magnets and rocks and minerals. They then sorted parts and created electronics art. Everyone had a blast!

Friends having fun!!

The grade two’s went on a field trip as an exploration of the past in downtown Medicine Hat.

CUPE Local 829 Bring a Child a Smile Committee would like to invite you to join in our 4th Annual New Pajama Campaign! CUPE Local 829, is made up of over 350 school support staff in Medicine Hat and our CUPE Brings a Child a Smile program is committed to giving back to the families and children we are privileged to work with each day. Our annual pajama campaign, in support of the Phoenix Safe house, is just one of the many ways we are giving back to our community. On Saturday November 5th, 2016 from 11:00am -3:00pm CHAT 94.5 FM and My96 will be on location with CUPE Local 829 at The Medicine Hat Mall collecting new pajamas to help re-stock the shelves at the Phoenix Safe House. We are asking you to help us make this campaign a huge success by dropping off a pair of brand new pajamas in any size ranging from infant to ladies adult but we are also in need of larger boys and teens sizes. If you cannot join us on November 5th, we will have collection bins placed in all SD#76 schools until December 16th, 2016 for you to drop off pajamas. CUPE Local 829 will then be dropping off all the pajamas to the Phoenix Safe House during the Christmas Break. Please help us support the families in transition at The Phoenix Safe House this holiday season because nothing makes you feel loved like a cozy new pair of pajamas!

Grade 2 Comminity Classroom

Medalta Potteries Uncovering Medicine Hat’s Rich History in Grade 2 Our Grade Two’s jumped right into action this fall with a one day field trip to tour downtown Medicine Hat and a three day community classroom experience at Medalta Potteries. Throughout these experiences, our grade two classes were immersed in Medicine Hat’s rich history where they discovered the importance of the clay industry to our local community and gained an understanding that our community has changed over time. During our community classroom experience, the students were given the opportunity to step into the past by roleplaying what it would have been like to have been hired as new factory workers at Medalta. The workers started their first day “on the job” at Plainsman Clay where they were given the task of digging and collecting a variety of samples of raw clay rocks to haul back to the factory for processing. Following their clay dig, the workers were given a “Workplace Orientation” at Medalta where they were given a tour of the factory. This tour helped the workers develop a better understanding of their new workplace, their job duties and a bit of the history of Medalta. To ensure the new Medalta workers were ready for their jobs at the factory, they participated in a variety of special workplace training sessions to ensure they understood the clay process. These sessions included: A discovery of how the clay was mined from the cliffs and brought to the factory for processing. Clay science experiments (where they discovered that clay begins as a solid, is turned into a liquid and returned back to a solid state). An archeological dig (where the students developed an understanding of how Medalta was uncovered and preserved). A math exploration trail (where students put their math skills to the test to count, graph, tally, sort, pattern and measure a variety of materials around the factory and hunt for a variety of 2D shapes). A discovery of the process of slip casting (which turns liquid clay back into a solid form) where the workers were also able to create an egg cup. Training on how to properly handle and manipulate clay to create a variety of pieces (each worker created a clay fish, an Inuksuk and a teepee to connect with their learning. Each of these clay projects were selected as a representation of the three communities we study in grade 2 – a Prairie, Arctic and Maritime community). The education gained from a community classroom is not only rich real-world learning, but the residual knowledge gained and brought back by the children is unending. We are very fortunate to have been able to give our students this opportunity. Thank you so much to all the volunteers that made this week possible!

Medalta Potteries

Choir Performances Choir performances coming up:  Remembrance Day assembly, Nov.10 at 11:00 a.m.  Wilson Winter Wonderland Family Night, Dec.14th 6 p.m. If anyone would like to follow what is happening in Mrs. Peters' music classes they can check out her blog. The link can be found on her Teacher Page on Wilson's webpage. The first week of November is STOMPFEEST …..at noon ...students will be performing bucket drumming routines that they have created in the multipurpose room (small room)

Schedule: Wednesday - Grade 4, Thursday - Grade 5, & Friday - Grade 6.

Mrs. Peters

Brianna, Madison, Charlize and Taytem supporting the Blue Jays Maybe next year Girls!!

The Grade 4 students went to learn about medicine wheels with Kokum, Mrs. Deborah Lloyd, the First Nations Metis and Inuit Education Specialist at Crescent Heights High School. The students learned about First Nations culture, medicine wheels, and drumming. Each student created their own medicine wheels

Twenty-one WLC WE Club members, along with Mrs. Robinson and Miss Hallick, recently attending WE Day Alberta on October 26, at the Calgary Sadledome. Members had to get up super early to catch the bus and travel to Calgary. While at WE Day, WE Club members were inspired by many powerful speakers and musical acts such as Chris Hadfield and Paula Abdul. We look forward to channeling our enthusiasm towards meeting our goal of supporting a local and global charitable cause this year. WLC WE Club would like to thank all students and staff for attending our

2016 WE Scare Hunger Glow Dance. So many nonperishable food items were generously donated to the Medicine Hat Food Bank. Thanks again for purchasing a glow stick and having a great time during our dance! See you next year!

EARLY CHILDHOOD SPEAKER:

HEATHER SHUMAKER NOVEMBER 19, 2016 ABOUT HEATHER Heather Shumaker is a national speaker on parenting and early childhood topics, and is the author of two renegade parenting books: It’s OK Not to Share and It’s OK to Go Up the Slide. An advocate for free, unstructured play in homes and schools, she lives in northern Michigan with her family.

NOVEMBER 19 SCHEDULE · 8:00-9:00 Registration · 9:00-10:30 Keynote/Introduction · 10:30-10:45 Morning Break · 11:00-12:30 Morning Session · 12:30-1:30 Lunch Provided · 1:30-2:30 Boys Part I Session · 2:30-3:00 Afternoon Break · 3:00-4:00 Boys Part II Session

Registration Form Name Organization Mailing Address City, Postal Code Telephone Email

MEDICINE HAT COLLEGE 299 COLLEGE DRIVE SE

MORNING KEYNOTE/ INTRODUCTORY SESSION

“Standing up for Children’s Rights to Play.” Focuses on counterintuitive ideas for sharing, saying sorry, children’s rights to play and other topics.

MORNING WORKSHOP ON RISK “Welcoming what scares us.” Looks at ways we limit healthy risk (emotional, social, creative and physical), and takes a look at emotions, social rejection and aggressive behavior.

AFTERNOON WORKSHOP ON BOYS AND HIGH-ENERGY PLAY

“Boys, boys and tomboys.” Includes power play, rough-and-tumble play and weapon play.

Mail or drop off registration form and cheque/cash to:

MHDCCA Bay 3-749 14th St SW Medicine Hat, AB T1A 4V8

MHDCCA Member $25 Non-Member $50 Registration deadline is November 4, 2016. For multiple registrations, please attach list of attendees. For more information, please contact Jennifer Usher, Coordinator Phone: 403-977-8120 Email: [email protected]

Hello! I would like to introduce myself…my name is Lindsay Poloni and I am a Community Resource Worker with the City of Medicine Hat. As a Community Resource Worker, I work with students, teachers, families, and community members to build and sustain a vibrant, healthy, safe, and responsive community. I provide referrals, support and guidance to individuals and/or families to appropriate agencies/organizations to meet their needs. I am also fortunate to work with other schools in the community and especially in the Southeast Hill community. If you or anyone you know is in need of support and guidance to find out what resources and services are available in the community, please do not hesitate to connect with me. As a Community Resource Worker, one of my responsibilities is to be connected and updated on all agencies and organizations in the community to assist with appropriate referrals. My hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:00AM – 4:00PM. Please feel free to stop by my office located on the north side of Medicine Hat High School, upstairs in Room 609. You can call me at 403-527-3371 ext.7609, or you can email me at [email protected] If you have any questions or would like to make a referral please contact me by phone or email. I look forward to meeting and working with you!

Lindsay Poloni, BSW, RSW Community Resource Worker Social Development & Senior Services City of Medicine Hat