March is here and just when we think that winter is coming to an end, we get another cold dust-ing of snow! Hopefully, by the time that we return from our break, the flowers will be pop-ping up and our field and play-ground will be ice free. As we bring this term to a close, we are once again seeing some great improvements in reading in our primary reading groups.

The extra focus is really paying off! Please remember to set some dedi-cated time aside to make reading a part of your vacation plans during Spring Break. Have your kids read, read to them, and then talk to them about whatever it is that they are reading. Remember, parents play an important role in modeling read-ing, so make sure that they see you reading a book, magazine or news-paper, too. Whether you are sticking close to

home for Spring Break or traveling

away to a sunny destination, I wish

you all a very safe and relaxing time

away. See you all, and the daffo-

dils, when we start school up again

on March 31st.

Sincerely,

Scott Parker

Principal’s Message:

Helen Gorman

Elementary

School 2013/14

Inside This Issue

The Value of Reading/Johnson Bentley Pool

2

March is Nutrition Month 3

Babysitting Course/Champ Draw/Choir/PAC/Jersey Day Picture

4

Kindergarten Registration/Things to Do during March Break

5

Poster Contest 6

Chess Club 7

Author Visit, Shane Peacock Gr 5/6 8

Head Lice Information 9

Playground and Parking Lot Safety 10

SD23 Leadership Conference/Figura Theatre

11

250.870.5116……………..Absentee Call In Line

250.768.7250……………..Telephone

School Messages email… HelenGormanElementary.School@sd23.bc.ca

250.870.5031…………….. Fax

Web Site…………………….http://www.hge.sd23.bc.ca

School Calendar……………refer to our Web Site

Address……………………3230 Salmon Road, West Kelowna, BC V4T 1A7

PAC email…………………hge.pac@sd23.bc.ca

Hot Lunch Program..……..Bobbi Wilkins @bobbi_lin@hotmail.com

Special Points of Interest

Sat. Mar 1st at MBSS 9-2:00pm

Junior Chess Tournament

Mon. Mar 3

8:35-10:10am Sou/Mon Skating @ JLArena 11:00am Girls Basketball Practice

11:00am Chess Club in Library

Tues. Mar 4

8:45-11:45am Wiegers @ Rotary Centre 11:00am Violin Practise 11:00am Boys Basketball Practice

Wed. Mar 5

9:15-11:40am Dav/Web to Club Penguin 11:00am Girls Basketball Practice 2:30pm Basketball Games Girls @ PLE Boys @ Home

Thurs. Mar 6

7:45-8:15am Choir Practise 11:00-11:30am Gr 6 Boys Basket ball Practice

Fri. Mar 7

Last day of School Pre-Registration Spagetti Bridge Contest with Mrs. Kirkey @ OC 7:45-8:15am Choir Practise

11:00-11:30am Gr 6 Basketball Scrimmage 12:00-1:00pm Assembly GMS Band Presentation

Sat. Mar 8 12:00 Midnight

Daylight Savings Time Spring your clocks ahead 1 hr!

March 10-14 Education Week

Mon. Mar 10

11:00am Chess Club in Library

Tues. Mar 11

11:00am Violin Practise 11:50-2:00pm Author Visit Shane Peacock Gr 5/6 to Kel Com Theatre

Wed. Mar 12

Spirit Day, Crazy Hair Day! 10:50-2:30pm Girls Basketball Jamboree @ MBSS

Thurs. Mar 13

7:45-8:15am Choir Practise 10:50-2:30pm Boys Basketball Jamboree @ MBSS 2:30pm Report Cards go home

Spring Vacation Period

NO SCHOOL

Mon. Mar 17 to Mon. Mar 28

School Reopens—Mon. Mar 31

Mon. Mar 17

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Thurs. Mar 20

First Day of Spring

Mon. Mar 31

11:00am Chess Club in Library

Tues. Apr 1

11:00am Violin Practise

Thur. Apr 3

7:45-8:15am Choir Practise 12:00-1:00pm Battle of the Books Competition

Wed. Apr 9 Author Visit in HGE

Library K-1 Dianna Bonder

Spring Vacation Period School will be closed: Monday, March 17 to

Friday, March 28 School Reopens: Monday, March 31

Page 2 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

Show your child the value of reading and writing. Of course you should read to your child every day, but you can further motivate him/her to read and write by connecting these skills to activities he/she enjoys. Read a recipe together to make his/her favourite cake. Have him/her write a list for the su-permarket; once you get there, have him/her cross off each item from the list as you put it in the cart. Ask him/her to find the exit you need on the highway or look for a street sign. • Balance homework with fun. Starting in the first grade, read-ing will be part of your child's homework. Find a time to do it when there's no pressure. Pick a comfortable spot in the house. Encourage your child to read, but don't push her/him to the point where she/he shuts down and refuses to try. • Read collaboratively. Let your child choose the book he'll/she’ll read to you. As soon as he/she starts to struggle, provide the word. Yes, ideally you want him/her to put in the time and effort to sound out the letters. But if he's/she’s easily frustrated, providing the word right away will allow you to by-pass a potential tantrum or shutdown and you can continue

with your reading time. • Label items around the house. Index cards work well in identifying things in your home such as refrigerator, stove, door, chair, to help your child make the connection between objects and the written words that represent them. Once you child has learned how to read these words, have her/him put them in a spe-cial box and start a collection of words she/he can read. Add to the collection by making more index cards of words that are of particular interest to your child. Make a set of cards for an up-coming trip, and have your child match the cards with the things you will see along the way and during the event. • Have reasonable expecta-tions. Before you jump to con-clusions – that your child's diffi-culty with reading or writing is related to his/her communication problem, talk with the teacher. There is a wide range of abilities in these areas, especially in the earlier grade levels. Your child's teacher will be able to put your concerns in perspective by ex-plaining grade-level expectations and discussing possible support services at school. • Don't be afraid to consult a reading specialist or psycholo-gist. If you still have concerns about your child's reading or writ-ing abilities, remember, as with speech and language, early inter-vention is always best. A reading specialist or psychologist can test your child for learning disability and, in the absence of one, make recommendations on how you can best support your child. • Bring out your child's inner bookworm

If your kid would rather play Game Boy than read the Hardy Boys, try these tips from ABC Canada Literacy Foundation, a charity that promotes literacy, for getting kids hooked on books.

1. Do simple crosswords together and play board games -- most en-courage kids to read instructions. 2. Provide a space for kids to store books, even a bin. 3. Discuss magazine, Internet and newspaper articles with your kids. 4. Read together; even 15 minutes a day can improve her skills. 5. Give your kids library cards. Help them choose books related to their interests and activities. Canadianliving.com

250-768-4442

SPRING BREAK DAY CAMP (6 -11yrs)

Daily Swimming, Sports, Games, Crafts, Theme Days, Outdoor Activi-

ties, Science Experiments, Meet New Friends!

Mar 17 – 28 Camp Themes M Mar 17 Wild Animal Safari Tu Mar 18 Mystery Madness

W Mar 19 It’s Your Party Th Mar 20 Talent Galore F Mar 21 Anything Goes M Mar 24 Dinosaur Daze

Tu Mar 25 Wacky Competitions W Mar 26 Pirates of the Okanagan

Th Mar 27 Around the World F Mar 28 Outer Space

8:00am – 5:30pm $32/per child/day

Page 3 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

March is Nutrition Month When buying packaged foods, choose nutrient-rich ones that have more vitamins, minerals and fibre, and less sodium, fat and sugar.

Milk, yogurt and cheese.

With up to 16 essential nu-trients, milk products make a super snack or a smart addition to cooking and baking. Choose lower-fat milk products.

Fresh vegetables and fruit.

They’re filled with fibre, vita-mins and minerals for good health. Keep colourful cut veggies and fruit ready for grab-and-go snacks.

Eggs. A very versatile

source of protein! Cook up a quick frittata, burrito or omelet for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Hummus or bean dips, such

as black bean or white bean. Legumes are loaded with protein and fibre, and they make tasty dips for veggies.

Natural nut butters. For a

superb nutty taste, choose natural nut butters, such as peanut or almond, with no added sugar or salt.

Bonus

items!

A big, juicy squeeze of

lemon or lime, or a small splash of lower-sodium varieties of condiments such as salsa, pes-to or soy sauce, can make healthy meals pop with flavour.

Find lots of nutrient-rich choic-

es in the cooler aisle.

Milk. Skim, 1% or 2% milk

makes a refreshing drink, and it’s filled with bone-boosting nutrients such as calcium, vita-min D and protein. If you don’t drink milk, choose a fortified soy beverage. Chocolate milk has all of the same great nutri-ents as white milk. Chocolate milk has more sugar, though, so sip it occasionally as a treat.

Yogurt. Look for lower-fat yo-

gurt with less sugar. Try Greek-style yogurt for a protein-packed dessert, or yogurt drinks for a quick snack on the go.

Cheese. Choose blocks or

shredded cheese for a little more protein, more calcium and less sodium than pro-cessed cheese.

Eggs. Filled with health-promoting nutrients such as lutein, an antioxidant important for eye health, eggs can help you make a tasty meal in minutes. Brown eggs and white eggs have the exact same nutrients.

Egg whites. Cartons of pas-

teurized egg whites are great for making quick omelets or adding a little protein to your fruit smoothies.

Make healthy eating easy. Or-

ganize your fridge so healthy

foods are the first ones you see.

When you open your fridge door, the first foods you should see are

healthy ones. Studies show that people are more likely to choose healthy foods, such as vegetables and fruit, if they’re easily available. Try these simple tips to organize a healthy fridge:

Keep fresh snacks, such as

hard-boiled eggs, cut veggies and fruit, bean dips and yogurt in plain sight.

If you have snacks that are

higher in fat and/or sugar, such as cakes and pudding, put them into containers you can’t see through – that way, you won’t be tempted. Do this with foods in your pantry too!

Keep milk, sparkling water and

pitchers of plain water front and center. Add lemon, lime or orange slices or mint leaves to water for a refreshing drink.

Keep your fridge free of clutter so you can see the healthy foods you have. http://www.dietitians.ca Kid Friendly Snack Recipes for Heart Health http://www.heartandstroke.com

Page 4 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

Canada Safety Council

Babysitting Training & Home Alone Courses

www.babysittingkelowna.com babysitting-

homealone@gmail.com One Day Course

Saturdays Babysitting Course 8:30 am – 2:30 pm Course Fee $60.00

Home Alone Course 8:30 am to noon

Course Fee $45.00 2014 Mar 8, Apr 12,

May 17, June 14, July 12, Aug 9, Sept 13, Oct 11, Nov 15, Dec 13

COURSE LOCATION BETHEL CHURCH (Downstairs hall)

2663 Curts Street, Kelowna, B.C. REGISTER: Margaret Boake 250 317 2868

Cheryl Stone 250 575 5301 babysittinghomealone@gmail.com

Each course graduate is presented with a Canada Safety Council Reference Book

and Certificate

The HGE Parent Advisory Council (PAC) will have their monthly meeting every 3rd Tuesday at 7:00pm in the Multi-Purpose Room. Babysitting is provided. Next meeting: Tuesday, March 17th $1000.00+ was raised at the The Scholastic Book Fair

Mrs. Donahue’s Choir will be each Thurs/Fri until their Music Monday Assembly on Monday, May 5th at 10:00am. They will also perform during Education Week and at the Norman Foote Performance, on April 15th, at the Kelowna Community Theatre.

Champ Draw All of our children help out in many ways at our school every day. We would like to thank the following students for put-ting an extra effort into helping out this month: Kesla T, Meghan I, Kaitlin W, Braedy H, Faith F, Valerie K, Kristin P, Valerie A, Page F and Loull D. Opening a door, taking a Found Item into the Office, saying Thank You...asking Someone if They Need Any Help… It can help in many ways!

Spirit Day-Jersey Day Eva D, Natalie L, Mitchel C, Bryan G, Joseph , PJ R, Cole J

The Next Spirit Day will be Wednesday, March 12th...CRAZY HAIR DAY...What will be your hair style?

Page 5 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

Registration for 2014/15 will be February 3rd, through to March 7th, 2014. For a student to qualify for entry to Kindergarten in Septem-ber 2014, a child must be five years of age by December 31, 2014.

Opens on Monday, Febru-ary 3, 2014 at 8:00 a.m.

Closes on Friday, March 7, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.

HOW TO APPLY

In your web browser, type: https://enrollment.sd23.bc.ca or, go the School

District website at http://www.sd23.bc.ca

No internet access? Go directly to a school on February 3 or later to complete the on-line ap-plication there. Assistance will be provided. The application process is on-line only, no pa-per registration is availa-ble. (You are required to have a valid email account.) NOTE:

Applications are received on a first-come, first-served basis starting on February 3, 2014. To maintain your priority order, complete the on-line application as early as possible, and provide the required documents below directly to the school either in person or by email, by 4:00 p.m. on March 7, 2014. 1. Birth certificate (or other government issued proof of age and citizenship) 2. Proof of parental B.C. residency (copy of one parent/guardian BC driver's license and BC CARE card, consult with the school for al-ternative acceptable documentation) 3. Proof of address (The required documents for new kindergarten students applying at Mar Jok Elementary can be delivered to Constable Neil Bruce Middle School.)

...during the March Break

“I'm bored. There's nothing to do." Those words are enough to make a parent's heart sink like a stone. Spring Break, or March Break, is just around the corner and a week of unstructured time could be a kid's recipe for boredom. Howev-er, a little planning around your personal time and budget, and you can craft a unique and interesting March Break plan for your family. Check out the ideas below to get you started. 1. Involve your children in the planning-Kids are more likely to actively engage in the activity if they have had some say in it. Have everyone write down their interests and then pull together lists of activities to do based around those interests. 2. Check out what's available in your community for day camps-Working parents often scramble to work out childcare arrange-ments over March Break. Check out community leisure centres, the library, day camps that meet your child's interests. Commu-nity centres will often put together special March Break pro-grams, as well. Hockey, dance, cooking, writing and art camps give parents and children a wide scope of activities to choose from. Again, this is an opportunity for kids to take some ownership of their time and interests. Older kids can do Internet research for themselves to find programs that appeal to them. 3. Put together an activity jar-Injecting a little fun and excite-ment doesn't need to be time consuming or expensive. Draw up a list of activities that your child enjoys (a trip to the park, paint-by-numbers, Cranium, Monopoly, Chess, an afternoon story, a trip to the movies) and put them in a jar. Then have your child pick an activity each day. It doesn't really matter if they are activities you might do anyway -- it's fun to pick out of the jar and be surprised! 4. Involve your extended family-Is March Break a good time for your child to spend with Grandpa and Grandma? Think back to when you were a child. Did you bake with Grandma or build a birdhouse with Grandpa? Chances are, both your parents and your child will enjoy a little quality time together. You might even choose to front the money for tickets to the movies. 5. Be a tourist for a day-Many people have never been to the city sights in their hometown. Take a look at your surroundings with fresh eyes. What sights and venues bring tourists into your city? Do some research; plug into the Internet to search your local tourism link for ideas for things to do locally. 6. Band together with other parents to fight spring break bore-dom. Divvy up the Boredom Busters with other parents. Wheth-er it's a trip to the zoo, a morning craft time, an afternoon at the playground, or an evening at the movies, joining forces with other parents in the same boat can make a week of planned activities more manageable for all involved. 7. Have a backup plan-The weather is always variable this time of year, so have a backup plan for outdoor activities. The only thing worse than a bored kid is a wet, cold one!

Page 6 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

Page 7 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

The game of chess is considered to be a powerful tool to beef up the mind of a child as well as adult. It is quite easy to learn how to play chess. A child aged between six or seven years can follow the basic rules of the game quite easily. Younger people than this, such as someone who is four or five years of age can also play the game. If a child can be made to play the game of chess from an early age then he or she would become an expert in it. Learning chess from an early age should be similar to learning music or just a language. There are some human qualities that can be developed as kids learn to play chess. Children can develop a better concentration power, tolerance and determination as they learn to play chess. A game of chess has the power to build in a good memory, intuition and creativity in a child. Solving difficult problems, learning to take tricky decision becomes lot more easy, as a child learns to play chess. Chess being a mind game has the power to help a child to develop the capability of analyzing and deducing some general principles in life and solve complicated problems with agility. Benefits of learning chess for kids

The IQ level of a child is developed by chess

Necessary challenges are offered by a game of chess which is quite a good thing for those gifted children

Developmental thinking could be cultivated in a child through a game of chess

Those children who are mostly underachievers are most likely to be helped by chess

Playing will teach a child about reading, writing, responsibility and arithmetic very easily

The communication power of the child is improved through playing chess

The concentration level of a child is enhanced by it

The power of evaluation and analysis is developed by the child

It incorporates discipline in a child

A child learn the game to strategize

Playing a game of chess helps to build in the memory skills of a child

Critical thinking skills of a child can be developed

The spirit of sportsmanship is learnt by the child

Kids can learn to solve problems very easily

It helps the young brain to gain confidence

Different patterns could be learnt to be recognized by a child. And thus accord- ing

to it necessary tactics could be learnt to be developed by the child.

Student Directed Chess Club Student: Isabel C

Teacher Sponsor: Mrs. Lafrance Every Monday at lunchtime in the Library

Page 8 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

Shane was born in a place that doesn’t exist … the city of Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada (find it on a map, if you can). It was a fitting, fictional begin-ning. One of four brothers, he grew up in Kapuskasing, On-tario, then earned a Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in English and History from Trent Univer-sity, and a Master’s degree in Literature from the University of Toronto, where one of his teachers was the inimitable Robertson Davies. Shane also worked as a la-bourer for Spruce Falls Power and Paper Company, a wilder-ness bush sprayer for Ontario Hydro, and a box mover for a university bookstore. But ever since childhood, his mind was on other things: on extraordinary people and events, on personalities who made legends of their lives, on what motivated them, and what made others accept sup-porting roles. He set out to write about such individuals, some real, some invented, and others so eccentric that they seemed to be a combina-tion of both. High-wire walkers, sumo wrestlers, fanatical hymn writers, the world’s most dangerous man, and litera-ture’s most famous detective, made appearances in his work, placed in theatrical backgrounds: at circuses, mur-der investigations, behind ene-my lines, and in unusual his-torical moments. The Great Farini, Dylan Maples, William Fairbairn, Jay Cochrane, and “The Boy Sherlock Holmes” have performed in Shane’s

novels, plays, articles, and docu-mentaries. He has often said that, in a sense, all of his work is biograph-ical. Because he writes about unusual subjects, his research methods have, at times, been out of the ordi-nary too. He has learned the arts of tight-rope walking, silent killing, tra-peze flying, and sumo eating, all in the service of his art. Shane and his wife, journalist Sophie Kneisel, live with their three children on a small farm near Cobourg, On-tario, where he continues to search for and imagine larger-than life char-acters. In his spare time he enjoys playing hockey, reading, and walking the wire, pretending that he is the hero in each story. In 1999, Shane wrote his first book for kids, a young-adult novel called “The Mys-tery of Ireland’s Eye.” It was based on an ocean-kayaking trip he took to a ghost-town island off the coast of Newfoundland. The story tells of 12-year-old Dylan Maples, who learns some colourful Canadian history dur-ing the course of a dramatic adven-ture. Critical acclaim for the book convinced Peacock to create a se-ries – The Dylan Maples Adventures. Each of the four books takes Dylan to a different Canadian province, where he gets involved in mysteries or strange events in spooky places with intriguing histories. In 2002, Penguin Books released Shane’s book for young adults, about Canada’s Prime Ministers and Fathers of Confederation. It was called “Unusual Heroes” and pre-sented Canada’s leaders, past and present, in a dramatic, entertaining way. In the fall of 2007 Tundra Books published Peacock's YA novel “Eye of the Crow.” Subtitled “The Boy Sherlock Holmes: His First Case,” it is the world’s first account of the childhood exploits of the most fa-mous detective of all time. It tells the tale of a gruesome murder commit-

ted in the spooky, dimly gas-lit East End of London, observed by no one … ex-cept two crows. From this scrap of evi-dence, the brilliant boy solves the crime. Dark events surrounding the investiga-tion push him into a life of combating evil. “Death in the Air,” the second book in The Boy Sherlock Holmes series, about a man who falls to his apparent death from a flying trapeze at the Crystal Palace in London (and lands at Sher-lock’s feet), followed in the spring of 2008. "Vanishing Girl", the 3rd case, appeared in 2009, exploring the bur-geoning young detective’s involvement in the twisting tale of the mysterious kid-napping of a prominent Conservative politician’s daughter. "The Secret Fiend" was published in 2010, a Robert Louis Stevenson influenced novel in which The Boy Sherlock attempts to capture the terrifying Spring Heeled Jack, once thought to be strictly fictional. There will be two more novels in the series.

The series is being published simultane-ously in Canada and the U.S. (and is appearing in other countries and lan-guages, including China, France, Indo-nesia, and Spain.) Every installment has won Junior Library Guild of America Premier Selection Awards. "Eye of the Crow" has gained many other awards, including the Violet Downey Award for Best Children’s Book in Canada, the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Crime Fiction in Canada, a spot on the American Library Association’s Top Ten Youth Mysteries list, the Canadian Li-brary Association’s Honour Book for both Children’s and Young Adult Litera-ture, and the Moonbeam Gold Medal in the U.S. "Death in the Air" garnered many awards too and "Vanishing Girl" won three national awards in Canada in one week in May 2010.

Author Visit Shane Peacock Tuesday, March 11th Grade 5/6’s to Kelowna

Page 9 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

What are lice? Lice are tiny in-sects that live on humans and feed on blood. When a large number of lice live and multi-ply on a person, it is called an infestation. Head lice are usually found in hair, most often on the back of the neck and behind the ears. Head lice are common in pre-school and elementary school-age children. Adults can get them too, especially adults who live with children.

What causes a lice infesta-tion? Lice spread easily from one person to another through close contact or through shared clothing or personal items (such as hats or hair-brushes). A louse cannot jump or fly. What are the symptoms? The most common symptom of lice is itching. There are dif-ferent symptoms, depending on which type of lice you have. Head lice may not cause any symptoms at first. Itching on the scalp may start weeks or even months after lice have started to spread. Scratching can make the skin raw. The raw skin may ooze clear fluid or crust over, and it may get infected. Body lice cause very bad itch-ing, especially at night. Itchy sores appear in the armpits and on the waist, torso, and other areas where the seams of clothes press against the skin. The lice and eggs may be found in the seams of the person's clothing but are typi-cally not seen on the skin.

Frequent scratching can cause a skin infection. In the most se-vere cases of head lice, hair

may fall out, and the skin may get darker in the areas infested with lice. How is a lice infestation diag-nosed? A doctor can usually tell if you have lice by looking closely for live lice or eggs in your hair. The doc-tor may also comb through your hair with a fine-toothed comb to help detect lice. He or she may look at the lice or eggs under a microscope. Your doctor can also find pubic lice and body lice by looking closely at your body or your cloth-ing. For more information please view the web site: http://www.healthlinkbc.ca

Ugh, headlice, the dreaded nits, a parasitic creature that inevitably will visit most households at some point or other. They do not have a preference to any hair...clean or otherwise! They love everyone!

So, how do you treat headlice?(without resorting to poisons and pesticides):

1. Condition and Comb: Coat the

hair in a thick hair conditioner, this stuns the lice, comb through it with a very fine tooth

comb – work quickly, the con-ditioner only works for about 10 minutes. Pick out and kill the brown lice, and remove the eggs.

2. Rinse the hair.

3. Mix of 2 cups of water and 5

drops each of Lavender, Tea Tree, and Clove oil in a spray bot-tle and give the hair a good spray-ing over. For preventive meas-ure, put 4-5 drops of Tea Tree oil into your shampoo bottle and shake!

4. Clean all hats, bedding and cloth-ing with a mix of lavender, tea tree and clove oil. Pillows can be put into a plastic bag and put into the freezer for a day! Also use a hot dryer for clothing etc.

5. Repeat until ALL eggs and signs

of lice are gone. If your child has long hair, braid it, and spray with the essential oil mix above, as a preventative measure. If your child has short hair, you can make a pomade with pure cocoa but-ter, and the essential oil mix, and use it to style their hair.

For more information please view the web site: http://www.naturalparentingtips.com

This book is available in our Helen Gorman Library.

Unwelcome bugs in this story are so funny you will be laugh-ing aloud!

Head Lice information http://www.healthlinkbc.ca

http://www.naturalparentingtips.com

Page 10 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

Playground and Parking

Lot Safety

Thank you to the students and parents who help to keep our play-ground safe by

reporting broken glass, loose or missing bolts on the play-ground and other potentially hazardous situations. Your concern is appreciated!

Our parking and traffic areas are always a concern for morning drop-off and after-noon pick-up. Please re-member it is in the best inter-est and safety of our stu-dents that parents of all stu-dents from K–6, abide by the following guideline:

The loop in the front of the school is a DROP OFF ZONE ONLY. It is used by parents who are simply drop-ping off their children without leaving the vehicle. If you want to walk your child to the door, please use the lower or off-site parking areas. Please do not use the staff parking lot at any time.

Parking…

Staff mem-bers have a designated parking area and may need to come and go during the day, depending on their job assignments. Parents need to respect that this area has been set aside for Staff use only.

Please park in the lower lot, or in the many parking spots along the front of the school on the street - there are clear walking areas available from that location to be able to walk your children up to the School building.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Ms. Otter and her Violin Club have been practicing since September and will be performing for our school in the very near future.

(Left to right) Isabel C, Emily R, Ally W, Kirsten H, Matthew B, Ms. Otter, Rhian M and Gracey L.

Mrs. Henry’s Harmony Day Helpers (back row, left to right) Ryli W, Addison H, Mercy T, Jordyn T, Adriana V, Carmelisa S, Simon D, Caitlyn K (front row, left to right) Matthew M, Carter R, Dakota B, Adan Q, and Meghan I.

Page 11 Helen Gorman Elementary School 2013/14

Canadian Student Leadership Conference 2014 The future leaders of our community, our province and our nation will be gathering in the Central Okanagan next September to attend the Canadian Student Leadership Conference (CSLC 2014). This is an amazing opportunity for Canada's youth and we are asking for your support. The Central Okanagan School District is honored and excited to be co-hosting CSLC 2014, in partnership with the Canadian Student Leadership Association (CSLA). A district committee of more than 80 teachers, students and administrators has been busy organizing what promises to be one of the best National confer-ence to date. This will be the first ever CSLC hosted in the Central Okanagan, and will attract approximately 750 Grade 9, 10, 11, and 12 students from across the country, along with approximately 200 students from the Central Okanagan School District. CSLC 2014 will feature a five-day program that includes an amazing group of keynote speakers and work-shop opportunities inspiring leadership development that the delegates will take back to their schools and communities, making a positive difference in the lives of others. Our conference organizing committee be-lieves that local organizations and businesses could benefit greatly from the exposure that our conference can bring. If you are interested please check out our website at www.cslc2014.ca . or contact Nina Ferguson at nina.ferguson@sd23.bc.ca for further sponsorship information. Your support of the Canadian Student Leadership Conference would be most appreciated, recognized, and highlighted at our event. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Figura Theatre Cultural Performance(left to right): Hayden M, Caitlyn C, Mr. Weber, Kade S and Allison G.