Volume 9 , Issue 4

ME S S A G E FRO M THE PR I N C I PA L

R O C K I E S R U M B L I N G S

RUNDLE ACADEMY 4330 16 Street SW

Calgary, AB T2T 4H9 Ph: 250-2965 / Fax: 250-2914 www.rundleacademy.ab.ca

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Message from the Principal 1

Society News Alberta Education Survey

2

Counsellor’s Notes 3

Academic Fair Academic Fair Invitation

4

Academy Speaker Series CanLearn Centre

5

A Night of Shakespeare 6

Music Notes 7

Calgary Zoo 8

Telus World of Science 9

Junior Boys Basketball Moves Mountains Awards

10

Citizenship Awards Extra Curricular Awards

11

Examinations Schedule 12

Activities for January 13

School Nurse 14

Academy Playground 15

January 13 , 2012

“WE MOVE MOUNTAINS”

Our best wishes for a prosperous New Year. Hopefully your Christmas Break was restful and allowed for some quality family time.

January is a busy, hectic and anxious month in all schools. The end of Semes-ter 1 is fast approaching as are Midterms, Final and Diploma examinations. All Teacher Advisors are busy working with their groups reviewing study time organi-zation, study skills and test-taking strate-gies. Students are in the process of pre-paring for their examinations. The last day of classes for Senior High students will be Wednesday, January 18th, with Semester 2 beginning January 31st. All Grade 6 and Junior High students will write their examinations in the morning (January 23-27) and have scheduled ac-tivity and review sessions in the after-noon. Check the attached schedule for specific dates and times.

Grade 6 Midterms This is the fifth year all Grade Six stu-dents will write scheduled midterm ex-aminations. Before panic sets in, let us explain. At the end of the year all Grade 6 students write Provincial Achievement Examinations worth 15% of their final mark. Experience has shown that our students do not fare as well as they should because these examinations are such a novel and anxious experience. We want to give our students every op-portunity to succeed. With that in mind, our students will experience the study, review and test writing process at least once before the Provincial Examinations. The setting will be the same as in June with students writing midterm tests and utilizing all the accommodations available to them. The midterm test will not be weighted heavily, but will contribute to their 2nd term mark.

High School Final Mark Statements and Elementary/Junior High Mid-Term Mark Statements

High School Final Mark Statements (FMS) and Grade 6 / Junior High Mid-Term Mark Statements (MMS) will be sent home on Friday, February 3rd. The High School FMS will report the semester one final marks as well as the school-based Diploma marks. The Grade 6 and Junior High MMS will report student mid-term examination marks. These are not report cards and, therefore, there will not be Parent/Teacher Interviews. However, parents are encouraged to contact Homeroom Teachers/Teacher Advisors if they have questions or concerns.

Professional Development Day

Professional Development Day is sched-uled for Monday, January 30th. There will be no classes that day.

Accountability Pillar Survey

Once again, Alberta Education will be sending surveys to solicit parent, teacher and student input on the learning goals of schools, school authorities and the pro-vincial government. More details are included in this newsletter.

AL B E RTA ED U C A T I O N SU RV E Y

Alberta Education Accountability Survey

Alberta Education invites you to play an important role in your child’s education. In February, Alberta Education will be conducting the annual Accountability Pillar Survey. Parents of students in grades 4 to 12 will receive a survey from Alberta Education. These surveys are mailed from Alberta Education and returned directly to them. Students in grades 4 to 12 and all teachers will be completing their surveys online at school. All surveys are anonymous and ask questions about experiences with this school. In ad-dition to English and French, the parent survey is avail-able in Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Arabic, Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish and Tagalog. By completing the survey, you are giving your school au-thority and your provincial government important informa-tion to gauge the quality of education your child is receiv-ing and make improvements where needed. Both PATs and Diploma Exams contribute to the Accountability Pillar, a tool used by Alberta Education to evaluate how well the education system is meeting the expectations of parents and the public. All parents want to know that their chil-dren are receiving a quality education. Grades are impor-tant, but there is more to it than that. A quality education helps all children make the most of their talents and abili-ties.

The Accountability Pillar uses a set of 16 indicators con-sisting of surveys of students, parents and teachers on various aspects of quality; student outcomes, such as dropout and high school completion rates; and provincial assessments of student learning. As an annual check-up on the education system, the Accountability Pillar pro-vides an opportunity for Alberta Education and school authorities to ensure that we are equipping students for success. Your participation in the survey helps, so we encourage you to return your survey promptly. Survey results will be available to school authorities in May and will be reported publicly by school authorities as part of their 3-year Education Plans and Annual Educa-tion Results Reports. School authorities receive a results report that is colour-coded and easy to read. At a glance, it points out successes and areas of concern from both a local and provincial perspective. The results report shows which measures have improved, which have remained consistent, and which have de-clined. It allows everyone - parents, teachers, school au-thorities, students and the province - to celebrate suc-cesses and respond to challenges together.

Details about the Accountability Pillar and how to obtain results are available online. http://www.education.alberta.ca/accountability

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 2

SO C I E T Y NE W S

Uniform Store Hours All Year

Monday to Thursday - 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Friday - 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

The store is closed daily during the noon

hour from 12:00 P.M. to 1:00 P.M.

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 3

CO U N S E L L O R’S NOT E S Helping Children and Teens Overcome Test Anxiety

Test anxiety is very common. In fact, most students experience test anxiety at some point in their years of study. This type of anxiety can have significant symptoms for some, including upset stomach, headache, loss of focus, fear, irrita-bility, anger, and even depression. Researchers recommend providing students with tools and strategies that focus on both emotional skills and healthy physical habits. This may help students improve their ability to prepare for and perform on tests. It is important to help students identify their emotions and give them tools that will help them cope with feelings such as anxiety, self-doubt, anger or frustration. Also, healthy physical habits enable students to have enough energy for their brain to do its job of thinking for a sustained period of time. Here are a few tips from the Institute of HeartMath. Share these with your child ahead of time to better prepare them emotionally and physically for test taking.

Practice the neutral tool: When you have uncomfort-able feelings about whether you will do well on the test, practice the neutral tool. It is important to catch negative mind loops that reinforce self-doubt or uncomfortable feel-ings. Every time you catch a negative thought repeating itself, stop the loop and practice going to neutral. Start by focusing on the area around your heart. This helps to take the focus off the mind loop. Then breathe deeply. Breathe as if your breath is flowing in and out through the center of your chest. Breathe quietly and naturally, four-five seconds on the in-breath, and four-five seconds on the out-breath. While you are breathing, try and find an attitude of calmness about the situation. Do this in the days leading up to the test, right before and during the test. Address the what-if questions: A lot of times before we have to do something like take a test, much of the anxiety we feel is a build-up from negative “what-if’” thoughts. What if I fail, what if I can’t remember anything, or what if I run out of time. Try writing a what-if question that is posi-tive and can help you take the big deal out of the situation and begin to see things in a different way. Examples of these kinds of questions are, “What if I can remember more than I think I can?” “What if I can feel calmer than I think I can?” Think good thoughts: Science is showing that good feelings like appreciation can actually help your brain work better. When you feel nervous or anxious, try this. You can do it as many times as you need to or want to.

Remember something that makes you feel good. Maybe it is your pet or how you felt when you got a big hug from your mom, or how you felt after a super fun day at the amusement park with your friends. After you remember how you felt, hold that feeling. Let yourself feel that feel-ing for 10-20 seconds or more. It is important to let your-self really feel that good feeling all over again. Practice this tool right before the big test. Get enough sleep: Big tests require a lot of energy and stamina to be able to focus for several hours. Make sure you get at least 8-10 hours of sleep the night before the test. Have fun: Do something fun the night before to take your mind off the test, like see a movie, play a board game with your family or participate in a sports activity. That way your mind and emotions are more relaxed in the time leading up to the test. Eat a hearty breakfast: The brain needs a lot of energy to maintain focus on a big test for several hours. Eat a hearty and healthy breakfast, including complex carbohy-drates and protein to make your energy last as long as possible. Foods such as eggs, cereal and whole-wheat toast help energize your brain to think more clearly and much longer compared with the fast-disappearing bolt of energy from drinking a soda pop or eating a cookie for breakfast. For a snack food, bring simple foods such as peanut butter and crackers, cheese and crackers or a burrito to sustain energy until lunch.

Practicing these tools in advance of and during a test can help students limit test anxiety and perform even better on their school work. Please feel free to contact me if you would like some further information on helping your child with test anxiety.

Ms. Jana-Lynn Caines caines@rundle.ab.ca

403-250-2965 (ext. 103)

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 4

AC A D E M I C FA I R

Rundle Academy proudly presents our 2012

ACADEMIC FAIR

Friday, February 24, 2012

9:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. - Viewing Student Projects (Judging) Main Gymnasium

12:15 P.M. – Awards Ceremony

Elementary Gymnasium

We would like to invite you to join us in observing and celebrating the elementary and junior high students’ projects.

Academic Fair projects will be set up on Friday morning

in the main gymnasium.

Please remember that your child cannot bring their projects on the school bus.

January 2012 Attention all Parents of Elementary and Junior High Students: Rundle Academy will be having an Academic Fair on Friday, February 24th. The intent of our Academic Fair is to help the students enjoy the process of academic discovery. When students do projects, they are working independently or with a partner, developing and refining their process skills. While working on projects they are increasing their knowl-edge and their ability to think critically. The project is to be completed outside of regular class time. We encourage you to support your child’s efforts at every step. Although it is the student’s effort, there is no substitute for a parent’s support. Areas in which a parent’s assistance is welcome include:

Suggesting project ideas. The project for Academic Fair can be on any topic which the student would like to explore. The internet and library are an excellent resource for ideas.

Transportation to libraries, businesses, museums, nature centers, universities or any source of project information.

Technical support such as construction and photography. Helping with project expenses. Being attentive to safety issues. Being an interested listener.

Students MUST have their chosen topic to their homeroom teacher by Friday, January 27th. It is important for students to know what they are doing in order to make the learning experience a rewarding and enjoyable one. From, The Academic Fair Committee kopp@rundle.ab.ca williams@rundle.ab.ca

AC A D E M I C FA I R IN V I TA T I O N

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 5

AC A D E M Y SP E A K E R SE R I E S

Information Evenings For Parents and Students

CA NLE A RN CTR/CA L G A RY LE A R N I N G CT R

Making the Transition to Post-Secondary Education for Students with Disabilities

Saturday, February 4, 2012

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Formal Presentation 12.00 p.m. – 1.00 p.m. | Informal Meet and Greet

St. Mary’s University College

McGivney Hall 14500 Bannister Road SE (free parking available)

The formal presentation includes topics such as resources and strategies, academic accommodations, assistive tech-nology, funding options and a student panel discussion. For access needs (e.g., sign language interpreter) please contact Carolyn Krahn at 403-254-3735 or email by January 20, 2012.

ACAD (Alberta College of Art + Design) | SAIT Polytechnic | Bow Valley College | Mount Royal University Chinook Learning Services | St Mary’s University College | University of Calgary | CanLearn Centre

Government of Alberta | Athabasca University For more information, please contact Dr. Anne Price, Director of Clinical Services, CanLearn Centre | Calgary Learning Centre at 403-686-9300, Ext. 110 or email.

January 12, 2012 - CANCELLED

It’s Test Time! Making these as successful with as little stress as possible…. * Ms. Jana-Lynn Caines

February 28, 2012

Junior High School Orientation and High School Orientation * All Grade 6 and Grade 9 Parents and Students * Jana-Lynn Caines, John Wolf, Jamie Burla, Terry Hoganson

March 20, 2012

Discussions on ADHD and Learning Disabilities - Implications for School and Home * Speakers TBA

April 19, 2012

What to expect at Post Secondary Institutions - Transition Planning *Dr. Brent Macdonald, St. Mary’s University College, Alumni Student Panel

Congratulations to the cast and crew of “A Night of Shakespeare ....... with a Twist”. The production was a great success and the Drama Club would like to thank all staff, students, friends and family for attending the production. Congratulations to Madison Hillstead and Drewe Salahor for winning the Rising and Shining Star Awards for their performances. Details of the Spring production will be announced in February.

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 6

A NI G H T O F SH A K E S P E A R E….. W I T H A TW I S T

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 7

MU S I C NOT E S North Pole Star On December 15th, the Elementary students performed a Christmas musical called North Pole Star in front of a packed audience. The students worked very hard to prepare for this event and gave an excellent performance! Our Music Club and Senior High music class joined in to play some songs before the show. Thanks to the Junior High students who were involved, and also to the teachers for all their help and support.

Elementary Music On January 19th, the Elementary students will be going to the University of Calgary to partake in a Cantos Music Foun-dation workshop called Pipe! Pipe! Hooray! We will also be starting our recorder unit in February.

Senior High Music The Senior High music class and Music Club took a trip to Rundle College Pri-mary on December 20th. They played a variety of Christmas songs and got eve-ryone in the holiday spirit!

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 8

CA L G A RY ZO O On Monday, December 5th, the grade four and five classes went on a field trip to the zoo. The morning was spent in-doors experimenting with solar and wind technology. The students tested circuits, magnets, and mini versions of photovoltaics and wind turbines to determine the best weather for maximum voltage! They discovered how whale fins and butterfly wings are inspiring future innovations in energy conservation. Students observed alternative tech-nologies first-hand, and learned ways to conserve energy in their own homes. The afternoon was spent exploring ani-mals in their habitats before returning to the school.

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 9

TE L U S WO R L D O F SC I E N C E - AI R LA B

At the end of November, the grade 6’s were fortunate enough to go to the new Calgary Science Centre. While there, the students were involved with a program entitled “The Air Lab;” this provided an introduction to our unit on Air and Aerodynamics. After the program, the students were allowed to roam around the new building and participate in a number of hands on activities. During this time, students could be seen doing anything from engineering a pipeline for ping-pong balls to creating a natural dam to stop erosion. Overall a great day was had and it is definitely a place everyone wants to visit again.

Jared Hamilton Grade 5

MOV E S MO U N TA I N S AWA R D S Awarded to students who overcome challenges academically or personally while display-ing appropriate and positive behaviour.

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 10

JU N I O R BOY S BA S K E T BA L L

Nos. Name Position Grade 2 Rajan Bhullar Forward 9 3 Cal Tecklenburg Guard 8 4 Cameron Olson Guard 9 5 Quintin Millions Forward 7 7 Jackson Howe Guard 7 9 Joey Gardner Guard 9 10 Curtis Holloway Guard 9 12 Sean Clarke Forward 9 14 Max Smith Guard 8 20 Payton Budd Forward 8 21 Max de Paiva Forward 8 22 Aden Garcia-Ahmadi Forward 8

The Rundle Academy 8/9 Boys Basketball season is well underway and so far the boys have hosted a tournament and played in another one at Clear Water Academy. The team played very well, but lost in the finals of both tourna-ments to larger 2J schools. At this point, the Rockies are undefeated and in first place in league play sporting a 3-0 record. Their overall record is 7 wins and 2 losses. The upcoming week will put the team to the test as they have two league games and play in the very competitive Cobra Cup at Rundle College this coming weekend.

The boys have set high goals this year as they hope to improve on last year’s success, which included a second place finish in league play and a 3rd place finish in the South-Central Zones. The team is made up of five Grade 9s, five Grade 8s and two Grade 7s and will need strong play from last year’s returning team members: Curtis Hol-loway, Sean Clarke, Rajan Bhullar, Cal Tecklenburg and Max de Paiva if they hope to win the League and Zone Championships.

Curtis Holloway Sean Clarke Max de Paiva Cal Tecklenburg Rajan Bhullar

Awarded to students who display an aptitude in leadership, contribute to positive school climate and have a genuine concern for the well-being of others.

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 11

CI T I Z E N S H I P AWAR D S

Connor MacLean Grade 10

Luke Empey Grade 11

Curtis Holloway Grade 9

Sean Clarke Grade 9

Charlotte Jones Grade 10

Nick Larmour Grade 7

Dylan Graham Grade 8

Adam Hadford Grade 6

Rajan Bhullar Grade 9

Brock duBerger Grade 11

Georgia Kaluznick Grade 9

Will Midkiff Grade 11

EX T R A CU R R I C U L A R AWAR D S Awarded to students who exemplify the values of sportsmanship, participation, cooperation and team work.

Evan Barter Grade 5

Ramy Abdel-Keriem Grade 9

Virginia Gold Grade 12

Anthoney Stan Grade 8

Emily Smith Grade 7

Hugh Alvarez Grade 12

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 12

Rundle Academy Diploma, Final and Mid-Term Examinations

January 11 – January 27, 2012

Wednesday, January 11 9:00-3:00 English Language Arts 30-1 Diploma – Part A

Thursday, January 12 9:00-3:00 9:00-3:00

Social Studies 30-1 Diploma – Part A Social Studies 30-2 Diploma – Part A

Wednesday, January 18

Thursday, January 19 9:00-3:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00

English Language Arts 30-1 Diploma – Part B Math 31 Final English Language Arts 20-1 Final – Part A English Language Arts 10-1 Final – Part A English Language Arts 10-2 Final – Part A

Friday, January 20 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00

Social Studies 30-1 Diploma – Part B Social Studies 30-2 Diploma – Part B Social Studies 20-1 Final – Part A Social Studies 20-2 Final – Part A

Monday, January 23 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-2:00

Chemistry 20 English Language Arts 20-1 Final – Part B Grade 9 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part A Grade 8 Science Mid-Term Grade 7 Mathematics Mid-Term Grade 6 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part A

Tuesday, January 24 9:00-2:00 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-2:00 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:00

Biology 30 Diploma Mathematics 20-2 Science 10 Final Grade 9 Social Studies Mid-Term Grade 8 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part A Grade 7 Science Mid-Term Grade 6 Social Studies Mid-Term

Wednesday, January 25 9:00-2:00 9:00-2:00 9:00-12:30 9:00-2:00 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-2:00 9:00-12:00

Mathematics 30 Applied Diploma Mathematics 30 Pure Diploma Mathematics 10 Common Final Math 20-1 Final Grade 9 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part B Grade 8 Mathematics Mid-Term Grade 7 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part A Grade 6 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part B

Thursday, January 26 9:00-2:00 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:00 9:00-12:00

Chemistry 30 Diploma Biology 20 Final English Language Arts 10-1 Final – Part B English Language Arts 10-2 Final – Part B Grade 9 Science Mid-Term Grade 8 Social Studies Mid-Term Grade 7 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part B Grade 6 Mathematics

Friday, January 27 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:30 9:00-12:00

Physics 20 Final Social Studies 20-1 Final – Part B Social Studies 20-2 Final – Part B Grade 9 Mathematics Mid-Term Grade 8 English Language Arts Mid-Term – Part B Grade 7 Social Studies Mid-Term Grade 6 Science

Monday, January 30 Professional Day – No Classes

Tuesday, January 31 Semester Two Begins

Last Day of Senior High Classes

Volume 9 , Issue 4 Page 13

AC T I V I T I E S F O R JA N UARY

January 11 ELA 30-1/2 Diploma – Part A

January 12 Social Studies 30-1/2 Diploma – Part A

January 13 Dress Down Day / Rally

January 16 PAC Meeting (7:00 P.M.)

January 18 Last Day of High School Classes

January 19-27 High School Exams

January 23-27 Grade 6 and Junior High Mid-Term Exams

January 30 Professional Development Day - (No Classes)

January 31 Semester 2 Begins

February 3 High School Final Mark Statements Home

February 3 Grade.6 and Junior High Mid-Term Mark Statement Home

February 6 PAC Meeting (7:00 P.M.)

February 16/17 Teacher’s Convention (No Classes)

February 20 Family Day (No Classes)

REMINDER TO ALL PARENTS

Look for morning announcements posted on our Moodle link. Our Classroom Moodle Pages and our Division Portals sites are accessible from our home-page (www.rundleacademy.ab.ca).

www.albertahealthservices.ca

Kids’ Health

January 2012

By watching advertise-ments with your child, and engaging in mean-ingful discussion, you can help your child to recog-nize important strategies that will teach them to be media wise.

Use these discussion starters as an opportunity to reinforce your family values and show children how to think critically about what they see, hear and read.

Remind them that, in the end, they have the ability to make their own choices.

Following the viewing of an ad that shows beauti-ful people having fun, ask: What did you like best about that ad? What did you notice about all of the people? Do you think that is the way most people look? Do you think that the ad is really showing you

what it would be like to use their product? Why or why not? Why do you think ad-vertisers use beautiful people in their ads? For more infor-mation about this topic, visit

Breakfast is an important meal of the day.

Eating first thing in the morning helps your child to be more alert during the school day.

In fact, kids who eat break-fast are more likely to do well in school and have healthier weights.

Here are some easy and quick breakfast ideas:

Whole wheat toast with pea-nut butter and a banana. Oatmeal topped with wal-nuts and strawberries. Mixed cereal – mix several high fibre cereals and add some fruit.

Poached egg(s) and cheese with a slice of whole wheat toast. Smoothie made with fruit, yogurt and milk. Whole grain English muffin with an apple and glass of milk.

If you run out of time in the

morning encourage your chil-dren to take breakfast on the go. Try to find a breakfast that works best for your fam-ily and start everyone’s day off right.

For more information and breakfast ideas please visit www.albertahealthservices.ca

Start your morning right!

This month’s featured recipe...

Watch, discuss, reinforce

Teaching your children how to be media wise helps them understand the plethora of messages they receive from advertisers and other programming on television.

Teaching your children to be ‘media wise’

Basic French Toast 4 eggs, lightly beaten 2/3 (125 mL) cup low fat milk 8 slices firm whole wheat bread 4-5 tsp (20-25 mL) margarine Directions: 1. Combine eggs and milk in a pie plate; beat with a fork until

well blended. 2. Dip bread slices into the mix to coat each side. 3. Melt 1 tsp (5 mL) butter or margarine in a frying pan over me-

dium heat. Brown each side of bread until it is cooked through. Serve immediately or freeze for later use.

To reheat frozen French toast slices: Put in the toaster or

Sealants help to prevent cavities on the chewing surfaces of your child’s back teeth. They are made of a clear or tooth-coloured plastic material.

They don’t require any drilling or freezing and cost much less than a filling. Ask your dentist or hygienist about sealants.

Seal out tooth decay!

Rundle Academy Playground SAVE THE DATE – May 3-6, 2012 We are happy to announce that the Rundle Academy playground project has been fully funded by the Society, the Academy PAC and the Alberta Culture and Community Spirit grant. With installation scheduled for the weekend of May 3-6, 2012, we will be seeking many volunteers to assist with all aspects of installation and food and beverage support. Our students and families, faculty, friends and alumni will be called upon to lend a hand building our playground.

Please mark your calendars for the weekend of May 3-6, 2012 and watch for further volunteer details in the coming months.