March Newsletter 2018
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Message from Administration:
Ah, spring! This season brings increasing daylight, warming temperatures, and the rebirth of flora and fauna. It also brings a new energy to the halls of Galbraith with lots of opportunities for student leadership, involvement and great learning!! As you are aware, our whole school has been learning about the “Zones of Regulation” and the students and staff are learning different strategies that can help us stay regulated and ready to learn and teach every single day.
I had an opportunity to attend an after school session about kids, stress and how to build sturdy brains. The program focused on increasing awareness of stress from a child’s point of view, understanding the impact on a child’s coping abilities and how it affects behaviour and it provided concrete strategies to help children reduce and manage stress. Stress makes it more difficult for children to get along with others, interferes with children’s ability to focus, think and ultimately learn and has a profound effect on children’s physical, emotional and mental health. Stress among children is estimated to have increased 45% over the past 30 years. The good news is that building emotional health and resiliency (sturdy brains) can help children concentrate, learn, interact more successfully and deal with other stressors they may face in their lives. Learning to handle stress is an important life skill for everyone. Among the many things I learned, the importance of sleep kept coming up as a common element for helping children deal with stress. According to sleepforkids.org, 3-5 year olds require 11 -13 hours of sleep each night and 5-12 year olds require 10-11. The #1 tip for good sleeping habits in children is to follow a nightly routine and some strategies include:
- Make bedtime the same time every night.
- Make bedtime a positive and relaxing experience without TV or videos. According to one recent study, TV viewing prior to bed can lead to difficulty falling and staying asleep. Save your child’s favorite relaxing, non-stimulating activities until last and have them occur in the child’s bedroom.
- Keep the bedtime environment (e.g. light, temperature) the same all night long.
If you are interested in learning more about Kids Have Stress Too! You can access it through the following links psychologyfoundation.org and and
Working together in education,
Sandy Scheldrup
Student reports cards will be open and ready to read on March 7th.Please access our webpage under the QuickLinks section (seen here) A hard copy of the report card will be sent home on March 9th.
Celebration of Learningis scheduled for this March reporting period. This replaces the traditional parent-teacher interview times for the second reporting period, unless there are special concerns that either the parent(s) or teacher wish to discuss together. We hope that you and your child will find it a valuable experience, as well as an effective way to be informed about your child’s learning.
On Thursday, March 15th for Grades 1-5 between 6 – 8PM, we invite you to visit your child’s home room class with your child. This is a come and go event, plan to spend between 20 – 30 minutes. We believe it is important that your child have your undivided attention for this special event.
Please remember that this is a time to celebrate with your child and that your child’s teacher will not be able to address individual concerns at this time. However, you can set a time with your child’s teacher forFriday, March 16 from 8:30am-11:30am to meet individually to discuss your concerns.
*Kindergarten Celebration of Learning:
Mrs. Mikilak- will take place WednesdayMarch 14th from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm, Thursday March 15th from 1:00pm – 4:10 pm and 5:30pm-7:30 pm.
Mrs. Perreaux- will take place Wednesday March 14 from 8:30 am– 3:30 pm, Thursday March 15 from8:00 am – 3:30 pm and 5:30 – 7:30 pm.
*Early Education Celebration of Learning:
Mrs. Bilinski-will take placeThursday March 15 from8:00 am – 3:30 pm.
*Please sign up for a time with your child’s teacher.
Message from Mrs. Gallup: Spring Book Fair
Galbraith’s Spring Scholastic Book Fair will be held in the lower Learning Commons on Thursday March 15 from 8:30am-3:30pm and 5:30pm-8:00pm during our Celebration of Learning, Friday March 16 from 8:30am-12:00pm and Monday March 19 from 8:30am-3:30pm. Come and support our Learning Commons by buying books from the Scholastic Book Fair. Proceeds from our Scholastic Book Fair goes to purchasing books for the Learning Commons.
The next School Council meeting is Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at 6:30PM.
On Thursday, February 15, Staff and Students in Grades 1 and 2 celebrated the 100th day of school. The children participated in lots of fun activities in the gym that afternoon. Thanks for all the donations of items and time from our volunteers; we could not do this without you. Also thanks to parents that helped dress their children “old”. The day was a great success!
Shout out from Miss Bourassa to Casey Griffin, a local author that came and visited out class and talked to us about the writing process real authors’ use.
Shout out to everyone that helped with healthy food donations for Valentine’s Day parties. We love the generosity.
Swimming helpers! Thanks moms, dads and grandparents that come help with swimming. Without your help we would not be able to go and experience the fun!
Galbraith Hot Lunch for March – Mac & Cheese with chicken fingers
LA Chef’s March
Free Lunch
Lunch date: March 27th, 2018
Due Date: March 13, 2018
Cost: FREE
Meal: Mac & Cheese with chicken fingers
Side: carrots/celery with ranch dressing
Treat: Chocolate Mousse
Please have forms back by March 13th
*Provide a drink for your child please*
GALBRAITH SCHOOL CALENDAR
January 2018 / February 2018 / March 2018S / M / T / W / T / F / S / S / M / T / W / T / F / S / S / M / T / W / T / F / S
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3
7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10
14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17
21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24
28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31
8 School resumes
8-19 Snowshoes
12 Staff Meeting
16 School Council
22 Game 1 Basketball
24 Game 2 Basketball
29 Game 3 Basketball
29 Assembly
30 Hot Lunch & Family Fun Night
31 Game 4 Basketball
BLAST starts Jan 3- PMES / 2 Staff meeting
5 Game 5 Basketball
6 Town Hall Meeting
7 Winter Walk
7 Game 6 Basketball
9 School Based PL
9 Basketball Tournament
15 Grade 1-2 100 Day Celebration
19-21 Family Day Break
22-23 Teachers’ Convention (no school)
27 Hot Lunch/Assembly
28 Pink Shirt Day
BLAST Galbraith Feb 20-23 / 2 Staff Meeting
2 Report Card Marks Due
9 Report Cards Home
13 School Council
14 No Kindergarten PT Interviews
15 No Kindergarten PT Interviews
15 NO EEP PT Interviews
15 Celebration of Learning (Grades 1 – 5) 6:00 – 8:00pm
15-19 Book Fair
16 No School for Students Gr. 1-5 PT interviews
20 WMS Grade 6 intro session 1-2 and 2-2:30-Band intro
27 Hot lunch and family fun night
28 Grade 4 & 5 – WMS Collage of the Arts PM
29 Assembly
30 Good Friday
Easter break March 30 – April 6
BLAST PMES March 16
April 2018 / May 2018 / June 2018
S / M / T / W / T / F / S / S / M / T / W / T / F / S / S / M / T / W / T / F / S
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 1 / 2
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9
8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16
15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23
22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30
29 / 30 / 21 / 21
9 District Professional Learning – No School for Students
10 School resumes for students
10 Gymnastics equipment arrive
10 Kindergarten Photos
10 School Council
13 Wilson registration forms dropped off
13 Staff meeting
19 & 20 Gr 3 Cupcake Sales
24 Hot Lunch &Family Fun Night
25 Assembly
26 Wilson Parent Orientation 7:00 pm @ Wilson
27 Gr. 5‘s to Orientation @ WMS 10-11:30 AM (registration forms due)
BLAST Galbraith April 2-6, 9 / 1-4 Education Week
4 Gymnastic equipment gone
2 Spring Photos
4 Staff meeting
8 School Council
7 School Based PL – No School for Students
11 Project Fair
18 District Powwow 9-11am
21 Victoria Day – No School
23-25 Grade 5 Waterton Camp
29 Hot Lunch/Assembly & Family Fun Night
31 Welcome to Kindergarten
BLAST PMES – May 7 / 1 Staff Meeting
6 Grade 5 to Wilson 1-2pm for team building activity
12 School Council
15 Report Card Marks Due
20 Aboriginal Day
20 Kindergarten Year End Performances (PM)
21 EEP Year End Performances (day)
25 Assembly
26 Hot Lunch
26 DIV I swimming-WMP-1-3pm
27 DIV II swimming-WMP-1-3pm
27 Last Day for Kindergarten/ECS Picnic
28 Grade 5 Farewell
28 Student School Year Ends 11:45 AM
28 Report Cards Home
29 Staff School Year Ends – 12:00pm
Welcome to Grade 1 (6:00 – 7:00pm)
BLAST – Gal 28th – summer break