Classroom Jobs

Dear parents,
I had a great first week with your kids! They have been very helpful to each other and me as we establish routines and get up to speed with Google Classroom. Many of the kids have way more experience with this than I do!

Thank you for all the mail. I've enjoyed reading your letters and I have just about all the forms we need. I hope to start posting pictures on this blog soon! Thanks also for your patience with the unfortunate changes of information that have been outside my control. I've sent the kids home with detailed messages for you, and since I'm not getting a bunch of confused emails, I believe they are doing a great job of communicating everything to you.

I have been watching excitedly as the kids quickly started joining Google Classroom and began adding to their reading log and Me Voici slide. When I've given them math questions to ponder in their groups or with a partner, they are on-task and engaged in figuring out strategies. On Friday when we visited the library for silent reading, it was quiet and everyone was focused on something they were interested in. It seems like our class is enthusiastic and eager to learn. I could wish for nothing more!

On the first day, we defined our class and school rules together. Each group worked to outline and present one rule (we only have 4), and we signed a contract signifying that we will do our best to abide by these agreements. They were mentioned in my first day letter, so feel free to review that and ask how we might show through words or action that we are respecting each rule.

On the first day, we also assigned our first round of classroom jobs. Some jobs need to be done every day, others are done as needed, others might be done only once a week, or when time allows. Some students don't have a job yet, but will get their turn. Please ask your student what they are helping with right now. One job is to be our journalist. This student gets to use any spare time they have to write a little blurb for this blog, so that I'm not the only one you hear from. Impressively (since it's the weekend) I've just received a message from our first class journalist, who has written a recap of our first week. I'm very pleased to share that with you now. Merci Finn!!

Last note: If you haven't yet checked out this blog from a computer screen (as opposed to your phone), please consider doing so. You can input your email address in a field at the top right of the screen and sign-up for emails each time there's a new post. This is super handy! As I've told the kids, this blog is primarily information for YOU - to keep you involved and updated, and Google Classrooms is primarily for them - although they are welcome to read this, and I will invite you to check out GC as well.

FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL A SUCCESS!

Hello 317 parents. I’m a student in Mlle Mitchell’s class

and I will be writing about the first week of school. The

class journalist will continue to write about the school week

until the end of the year. I hope you will be able to see what

your child will put on the blog this year. 

On Tuesday, the school had set up a new system for finding your

teacher on the first day of school. Each teacher had a bright pink

balloon with the room number on it, and if you needed help you

could just walk up to a teacher with a help balloon. However,

since the balloons had helium, one of them escaped and floated

away, never to be seen again. We went inside, hung our stuff up

and chose our spots for the year. Then Mlle Mitchell told us the

rules and gave us a tour of the class while telling us the

routines. Then after we were done she gave us jobs such as the

doorman, secretary, assistant and of course the class journalist.

The general feeling in the class was probably happiness that

Mlle Mitchell was the teacher.

On Wednesday, we received our writing cahiers which we will keep

in our binders. In the afternoon, Mlle Mitchell had an appointment

and we had a nice supply teacher who ranked each table on a scale

of 1-4 for quietness. Mlle Mitchell left us with two different

pieces of work to do with the supply teacher and one of the was

making a postcard with one fun scene from summer break and the

other was writing letters to Mlle Mitchell about our interests,

what we did during summer break and our favourite subjects.

On Thursday, Mlle Mitchell handed out our math cahiers and we

worked on a math problem in our groups. Then inflation hit the

class and the price of the TUSC field trip to High Park increased

by almost 100%. At gym and in class we practised two fire drills

and a lock down and I believe that we did well in the three practice

drills.

On Friday, we had an assembly for school rules and almost got to

go out for lunch. Just one more week!  

All in all, I think the class is getting along well. Thanks

for reading.  

Finn

Agenda Issues...

Dear students and parents,
Thankfully things are going well in class because we're experiencing some disappointments in other areas. First our field trip cost, and now agendas.
At our staff meeting this evening, it was made clear that there has been an issue with the TDSB's agenda provider and there is a 2 month delay in getting agendas for this year. It doesn't make any sense to wait that long, so our school has opted out and each teacher has to find an alternative solution.
I feel it's very important that I teach my students how to manage their assignments and important dates using a planner. I know that I am a more organized person for having used one, and I still rely on my calendar for absolutely everything.

I will explain to our students that, since we are not receiving school agendas, they have the choice of whether to provide their own, or ask me to get them one. You can get decent agendas from most dollar stores or school supply stores, maybe for less than the $5 you would have spent for a school agenda. Please look for an agenda that has a large enough space for each weekday to write down our homework and other reminders. A monthly calendar won't work as there isn't enough space in each day's square, but on the other hand, a blank notebook won't allow us to put notes on future dates. I will pick up agendas for students who choose not to select their own, using our classroom budget. I will, of course, return the $5 to those who already paid for a school agenda. It would be great if we could have our agendas at school for Monday so that we can write in the upcoming important dates.

Thanks for your understanding with all these last minute changes.
Tamara

CHANGE of information

Dear Salle 317 parents,
We are off to a great start, and I'm loving everything I see happening already on Google Classroom. I will be sending you your invites soon, using the emails you're giving me on your pink letters (which I also love reading).

Unfortunately there has been a change to the cost of our upcoming field trip. I hate to do this after sending the information home (I thought I was so organized getting it out there on the first day). This afternoon I received an email from TUSC, informing us that due to provincial budget cuts, the fee structure for TUSC trips has changed. Without the subsidy, we now have to pay the full amount of $11/student. This still isn't bad, considering it's a full day trip, and we are lucky that we got in at all. Many classes who applied still haven't heard back. Fortunately, our OA, Kathryn, hadn't posted the trip on Cash Online yet, so she has updated the cost and it should be available to you online now or shortly. For the couple families that sent in cash today, I will send back your cash tomorrow so that you can complete it and send it back.
Again, deepest apologies for having to up the price after communicating the previous information. Should the cost of school trips ever pose a hardship for your family, please email me directly.

See you soon, Tamara