Quick Announcements

I want to thank parents who took the time to come out to our BBQ. It was great to meet you and lovely to see the students proudly show their classroom to their parents.
As we head into cold-season, we are finding a need for Kleenex boxes in our class. If anyone is able to send some to school with their child, that would be great.
When quizzes, tests or assignments are marked, students will be asked to get the evaluations signed by parents and returned to the classroom the following day.
Attached to this newsletter is a letter that a parent from the Grade 8 class wanted to communicate with our class. Please take a moment to review this note as well.

Review from Last Month

Last month we started the year with a team building activity. This activity helped to foster a sense of community within our classroom and was a great way for myself and the students to get to know one another. This activity was entirely driven by our students, as one of them took the team leader role while I became one of the team members. Overall feedback on this activity was very positive and students are looking forward to our next activity. Below is a picture to give you an idea of what it was we accomplished as a team. [See newsletter sent home for picture]

Thank you very much to those parents who took the time to send back their “parents’ homework” from last month’s newsletter. The information that was sent in your letters was a great way for me to get to know your child from your point of view, and will surely help within our classroom environment. If you have not had a chance to send yours in yet and would still like to submit it, please do not hesitate to send it to school with your child. I will be happy to view it.

Class Website

Our class now has a website that parents can view for an update as to what is happening in our classroom, as well as an overview of homework. Please check us out at aoreilly.educatorpages.com.

Note that I am working with our students on improving their use of the agenda rather than solely relying on the website. Agenda’s are looked at the end of each day to ensure that homework is written down. If my initials are in the agenda, it is because it has been checked.

Honour Role

The intermediate teachers and administration met to discuss what criteria will be used in order to determine who makes the honour role.

Please note the following:

Honour role will be determined twice a year: once each semester
All subjects will be considered when determining who makes the honour role
The average that we will be looking for is a minimum of 80%

Grade 8 Friday Lunches

Please note that the administration is requesting that students present a note from parents on a separate piece of paper rather than a note written in the agenda. This will help ensure that students are able to make a timely exit from school property in order to come back on time.

Students are advised that their lunches (including drinks) are to be finished before they return to school property. Should they return with food or a beverage, they must make their way to the office and finish their lunch there. Food and drinks are not permitted on the school yard or in the classroom.

Late Assignments

Handing in assignments on time has been a bit of an issue for some students. Please note that students will be requested to stay in at recess in order to complete the work if their work is late. If a student is doing their work on a computer and either is unable to finish it by its due date or does not have a working printer, please have them bring their assignment on a USB stick so that they can complete it in class or print it here.

What Are We Doing This Month?

MATH GR7: Ratio and Rate / GR8: Ratio, Rate and Percent

Please note: students will need a scientific calculator. Although calculators in iPods can be used in the classroom, they will not be permitted during quizzes or tests.

FRENCH We are continuing a unit with the theme of immigration, which covers reports, critiques and interviews. Your child also completed a jackdaw assignment that is being evaluated as a diagnostic tool, in order to give me an idea of where each student is at. (Note: Grammar will be throughout all units of the year.)

HISTORY GR7: New France (Nouveaux arrivants; Société en Nouvelle-France) / GR8 : Confederation (Amérique du Nord britannique au milieu de XIXe siècle; Facteurs à l’origine de la Confédération)

RELIGION GR7/8: Theme 1 -Created and Loved by God

ARTS GR7/8: We are embarking a fairly large visual arts project for Halloween. Our class is striving to make one Halloween themed piñata for each classroom in the school. If anyone is able to provide us with flour and/or candy (peanut-free please), that would be a huge help!

If there is anything you would like to discuss with me, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school.

Thank you!

Mme O’Reilly