École J.H.Sissons School

The Educator’s Quote: Thank you teachers for preparing your report cards… our new second term report cards. I like these reports as they address the specific areas of learning and help me, as a parent, understand where the weaknesses are and how I can help at home. The following quote is from a current and great educator, Grant Wiggins. He’s a published author and often a presenter at conferences that some of us have been fortunate enough to attend: “There is an inescapable moral dimension to learning (even abstract academic learning) and to our assessment of its success. An education is not merely a training; skill can be used for good or for ill, thoughtfully or thoughtlessly. A thoughtful assessment system does not seek correct answers only, therefore. It seeks evidence of worthy habits of mind; it seeks to expose and root out thoughtlessness – moral as well as intellectual thoughtlessness.” … Grant P. Wiggins, Co-Founder, Center on Learning, Assessment and School Structure

Lundi le 1e mars (jour 1)
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 9

Mardi le 2 mars (jour 2)
• la pratique de la comédie musicale à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• Intramurals: Cancelled until after the March Break
• le club de devoirs : salle 9
• les bulletins aux enfants et les parents aujourd’hui

• Mercredi le 3 mars (jour 3)
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• l’heure du conte
• le club de devoirs : salle 9
• c’est la fête à Andrea et à Jenna

Jeudi le 4 mars (jour 4)
• la foire d’heritage au gymnase
• le projet d’amour
• la pratique de la comédie musicale à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• Intramurals: Cancelled until after the March Break

Vendredi le 5 mars
• Parent-Teacher Interviews!
• c’est la fête à Noah

On Friday, February 26, biathlon athlete Brendan Green, the NWT’s only representative at the Vancouver Olympics, will be competing. It is “Green Day” across the entire NWT and we encourage your children to wear something green that day. It will also give you a chance to explain the sport to your child and increase the awareness of this demanding event,

Thanks!
Paul Bennett

The Educator’s Quote: After completing our second session with Kathy Borden regarding our study of genre writing and using the pedagogy of Regie Routman’s “Writing Essentials”, I see that we, as a staff, are taking further steps into this philosophy of real writing and reading. Something is making us ready for this journey and that is the practice of these ideas, between PD sessions, in our own classrooms. This quote is for you that are on this journey!: “I suggest that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have gone ourselves.” … E.M. Forester

lundi, le 22 fév., jour 2
• la pratique de la comédie musicale à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 9
• c’est la fête à Tamara
• les bulletins au bureau au’jourd’hui !

mardi, le 23 fév., jour 3
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• Intramurals: Cancelled until after the March Break
• le club de devoirs : salle 9
• Staff Meeting at 3:40 pm
• c’est la fête à McKinley

mercredi, le 24 fév., jour 4
• la pratique de la comédie musicale à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 9
• c’est la fête : à Ella, à Oberon, à Shelby

jeudi, le 25 fév., jour 5
• Please welcome the WMS Grade 8 Band! Their presentation will be in the gym at 10:40am
• le club d’échecs à 12 h 15 (Chess Club)
• le club de devoirs : salle 9
• Intramurals: Cancelled until after the March Break

vendredi, le 26 fév., jour 6
• Wolf Howl Assembly at 2:20 pm
• c’est la fête à Chloe le 27 février !
• c’est la fête à Jenna le 27 février !
• c’est la fête à Jasmine le 28 février !

The Educator’s Quote: “”Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in that action.” — Mother Teresa. … (thanks Lynn Taylor for providing this quote that is both appropriate for St. Valentine’s Day and for educators. We teach the child, not the curriculum.)

SIP Afternoon, Apr. 24:
• tied into SIP goals … more on this as the time approaches and to make sure it ties in with our PLCs

lundi, le 15 fév., jour 3
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 3

mardi, le 16 fév., jour 4
• la pratique de théâtre musical à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• Paul est au bureau de la commission scholiare dans l’après-midi
• Intramurals: Grade 4 & 5 Afterschool – Monique
• le club de devoirs : salle 9

mercredi, le 17 fév., jour 5
• le club d’échecs à 12 h 15 (Chess Club)
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 9

jeudi, le 18 fév., jour 6
• gym will be in use by Grade 3/4S and 3C for ACE Games (have children go outside for PE today)
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 9
• Intramurals: Grade 4 & 5 Afterschool – Monique and Stéphane

vendredi, le 19 fév., jour 1
• 100 Kindergarten Celebrations: our KIndergarten students will join the District Kindergarten students in celebration centres at RLNS’s gym (morning)
• Butthead presentations to Gr. 3 & 4 classes
• Part II of our Writers’ Workshop PLC (please have readings completed)
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique

Click on “Newsletter” button to the left of your screen to direct you to our Feb. – Mar. Newsletter.

The Educator’s Quote: We need to encourage each of us to write, as adults, and therefore model that writing process for our children. So, that being said, this is a DRAFT of a little story I have for you:

“The pen is the tongue of the mind.” – Miguel de Cervantes.

Yes, this quote is in celebration and anticipation of Yves Nadon’s visit with us this coming week! However, I do have a true story to tell you that graphically depicts what this quote is about. In fact, it really would have been a great anecdotal note in de Cervantes 13th century novel, “Don Quiote”! : Joseph Kitekudlak Junior, who is now a man, was a student of ours while we were teaching in the High Arctic. One day, when he was in Grade 1, he came into school quite tired. The students were learning how to correctly form letters while writing their names with their pencils. Young Joseph only got as far as writing, “Joesph Kiti….” before putting his head down on his desk while still gripping his pencil. His teacher came by and soothingly said, “Joseph! Where is the rest of your name?” Junior sleepily replied, while focusing on the point of his pencil (his head still resting on his desk), “It’s still in my pencil.”

Lundi le 8 février (jour 4)
• Please welcome Dr. Ewan Affleck to our Olympic Assembly at 11:30 am
• Pratique de la pièce de théâtre à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• Club de devoirs dans la salle 9

Mardi le 9 février (jour 5)
• Bienvenu à Yves Nadon et aux enseignants de l’École St. Joseph
• Club d’échecs à 12 h 15 (Chess Club)
• Intramurals: Grade 4 & 5 Afterschool – Monique and Stéphane
• Club de devoirs : salle 9

Mercredi le 10 février (jour 6)
• Bienvenu à Yves Nadon et aux enseignants de l’École St. Joseph et l’École William McDonald
• Human Chess with Lloyd Theissen à 12 h 15 (dans le gymnase)
• Club de devoirs dans la salle 9
• C’est la fête à Tegan Riordan !

Jeudi le11 février (jour 1)
• La pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• L’heure du conte à 12h45
• Le club de devoirs : salle 9
• Intramurals: Grade 4 & 5 Afterschool – Monique and Stéphane
• C’est la fête à Kane Marin et à Brody McGuire !

Vendredi le 12 février (jour 2)
• Pratique de la pièce de théâtre à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• C’est la fête à Anika Dies et à Zachry Sheck !
• C’est la fête à Laura Ing le 14 février !

The Educator’s Quote: “Now this is the law of the jungle – as old and true as the sky; and the wolf that keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die. The strength of the pack is the wolf and the stength of the wolf is the pack.” – Rudyard Kipling

It may not sound like this quote relates to educators, but after working in our learning communities, sharing our struggles and challenges with new material and concepts we are trying work with, the quote underlines the value of working in community. It also strongly relates to why we give Wolf Howls to staff and students.
… Paul

lundi, le 1 fév., jour 5
• le club d’échecs à 12 h 15 (Chess Club)
• Welcome children and parents to our Pre-Kindergarten French Immersion Camps! The camps will take place in Room 2.
• le club de devoirs : salle 3
• la réunion de quelques enseignants à 15 h 40 : le camp de neige

mardi, le 2 fév., jour 6
• Intramurals: Grade 4 & 5 Afterschool Badminton – Monique and Stéphanee
• le club de devoirs : salle 3

mercredi, le 3 fév., jour 1
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 3

jeudi, le 4 fév., jour 2
• la pratique de théâtre musical à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• Intramurals: Grade 4 & 5 Afterschool Badminton – Monique and Stéphane
• c’est la fête à Leo !

vendredi, le 5 fév., jour 3
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• c’est la fête à Dylan le 6 février !
• c’est la fête à Stuart et Hannah le 7 février !

We embark upon our staff study of authentic writing with our students this coming Wednesday, Grade 2-5 teachers. This complements our YK1 K-1 Writing Pilot Project. Our initial topic will be studying genre writing. As we learn more about offering more choice for our students in reading grade appropriate materials and more choice in writing what is authentic to each child, we reach our goal of “student-based learning”. Gordon Cawelti, Education Research Service, lets us know, “We have to make classes more lively, interesting, challenging for students. Helping teachers find ways to get kids interested in the subject is the big topic.” This profressional learning community (PLC), along with the SMART Board community that many staff members are involved in, ensure that we are on the road of life long learning. … Paul

lundi, le 25 jan., jour 6
• Congratulations students! You raised $1,103.32 for the Canadian Organization `Doctors Without Borders`. Did you know that your Canadian Government is going to double that? How much will the total donation then be?
• le club de devoirs : salle 3

mardi, le 26 jan., jour 1
• Intramurals cancelled for today due to Staff Meeting
• la réunion d’enseignants à 15 h 40
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 3
• c’est la fête à Brahm Dies et Lana Sanders !

mercredi, le 27 jan., jour 2
• Welcome Kathy Borden who will be facillitating our Writers’ Workshop Professional Learning Community, Gr. 2-5 teachers
• Family Literacy Day… welcome all parent readers!
• la pratique de théâtre musical à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• le club de devoirs : salle 3
• c’est la fête à Tyson Lafond !

jeudi, le 28 jan., jour 3
• les sports après l`école pour les élèves dans la 4e et 5e année avec Monique and Stéphane
• la pratique de chorale est à 12 h 20  dans la salle de musique

vendredi, le 29 jan., jour 4
• la pratique de théâtre musical à 12 h 20 dans la salle de musique
• c’est la fête à Ben Schubert le 30 janvier !

20-Jan-10-Haiti Fundrasing

If you are contemplating placing your child into our French Immersion Kindergarten, but would like to hear a bit of the philosophy of what it is all about as well as see children in action in the Kindergarten classroom, please check out the 5 minute video.