WHAT’S UP @MCKECHNIE | Issue 09 2019-2020 1

What’s up

@McKechnie

Mar

6th, 2020

It is hard to believe that with Spring Conferences behind us and Spring Break in front of us, that we are more than two thirds of the way through the school year.

I wish everybody a very restful Spring Break. May each of you have an opportunity to get out and about in our community to make some family memories.

Here are a few ideas – by no means endorsed by myself or the school district – just great options to spend time together being active.

1. Take a Hike! – explore Pacific Spirit Regional Park or venture a little further away to North Van’s Quarry Rock or West Van’s Lighthouse Park.

2. Go to a festival – CelticFest Vancouver & Monster Jam

(Monster Truck show) are both on the first weekend of Spring Break March 14/15.

3. Explore the nooks and crannies – visit Granville Island, cycle Stanley Park, walk down Denman or Robson Street

4. Try something new – Water Bike on False Creek, boulder at The Hive, play disc golf at Queen Elizabeth Park, take the Seabus and have lunch at Lonsdale Quay.

5. Check out the waterfalls at Lynn Canyon!

Whatever you decide to do, get outside and recharge. Research tells us that spending time outside is good for all of us – adults and children alike. Enjoy our (hopefully) nice spring weather in Vancouver.

The students and staff of Dr. R. E. McKechnie Elementary School acknowledge that we work, live and learn on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and T’sleil Wathuth Coast Salish peoples.

Pitching in

Please help us keep our school clean by using the garbage, compost and recycling bins. Every little effort helps our school and the environment.

Spring Break – time to take a break

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Several traffic issues at McKechnie have been brought to the attention of the VSB Traffic Working Group, comprised of members from the VSB, the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department.

The issues brought up were:

• Traffic congestion on 60th Avenue, headed eastbound

• Drivers stopping in No Stopping zones

• Parents dropping students off in the middle of the road on Maple Street headed northbound

I am appealing to parents, grandparents, guardians and friends of the family to drive in a CLOCKWISE direction around the school to drop off or pick up your child. This will ease the congestion on 60th Avenue as it will allow for traffic to flow in one direction while there are cars parked on both sides on the narrow street.

Driving in a CLOCKWISE direction also allows parents to drop off their child on the side of the school safely. It is very unsafe to allow your child to exit the vehicle in the middle of the road and cross over to the school.

Please share with everybody who drives your child to school, that the expectation is to drive

in a CLOCKWISE direction to drop off and pick up your child.

There will be a renewed effort to enforce driving in a CLOCKWISE direction after Spring Break. Cars headed in the opposite direction will be redirected at the corner of 60th and Arbutus to drive around the school starting on Monday, March 30th.

Please help everybody get to school in a safe and efficient manner. Driving in a CLOCKWISE direction is a courtesy, not a legal requirement. I understand this, the traffic working group understands this. I ask for everybody’s cooperation to ease the congestion and to make everybody’s morning commute as pleasant as possible. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

With the Spring weather, I encourage all students to walk, bike or roll to school. This is a great way to build in exercise into a child’s day and to encourage independence in getting to and from school.

Traffic Issues Walk, Bike, Roll

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Save the Date Ready Set Learn

Ready Set Learn is scheduled for April 14th and April 28th. Please join us in the school library for a story and activity. All children aged 4 & 5 are welcome to attend with their parent or caregiver.

Tues, April 14 1 – 2 pm

Tues, April 28 1 – 2 pm

Satisfaction Survey The Ministry of Education is conducting their annual Satisfaction Survey. Please note, no logon code is required. Please select School District “39 Vancouver” and choose Dr. R.E. McKechnie Elementary, your language of choice and press “Log On”. Electronic surveying is available until April 3, 2020. The website to access the electronic survey is: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sat_survey/access.htm

An email was sent out last week with the same survey. Please complete the survey only once per person.

Critical & Reflective Thinking encompasses a set of abilities that students use to examine their own thinking and that of others. This involves making judgments based on reasoning, where students consider options, analyze options using specific criteria, and draw conclusions.

People who think critically and reflectively are analytical and investigative, willing to question and challenge their own thoughts, ideas, and assumptions and challenge those of others. They reflect on the information they receive through observation, experience, and other forms of communication to solve problems, design products, understand events, and address issues. A critical thinker uses their ideas, experiences and reflections to set goals, make judgements and refine their thinking.

Self-Assessment for Core Competencies Students at McKechnie will complete a self-assessment at the end of the school year. Some teachers have elected to have students complete self-assessments before the end of the year. Students may choose one or more core competency areas.

Communication Personal and Social Communicating Personal Awareness & Responsibility Collaborating Positive Personal & Cultural Identity Thinking Social Awareness & Ressponsibility Creative Thinking

Critical & Reflective Thinking

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P.A.W.S.itive moments Some P.A.W.S.itive moments witnessed around the school in February:

• “I can’t do it – yet.” while trying a yo-yo trick

• “It’s okay, I can help.” a primary student assisting another with a bandaid

• “Hey, be careful, that’s heavy. Can I help?” a student to the one carrying a full lunch bin

• A student helping a student with diverse needs communicate effectively

• @ the Pink Shirt Day assembly – “while Pink Shirt Day is the day we show others we stand up against bullying, we have to stand up to bullying every day!”

Parent Advisory Committee Next PAC meeting is Tuesday, March 10th in the Library at 7 pm. See you there!

Humanitarian Club Bake Sale benefiting the SPCA A Bake Sale in support of the SPCA will be hosted by the Humanitarian Club on Tuesday, March 10th at recess time. Please send between $1 - $2 with your child if you wish. Respectfully, we ask that no more than that amount be sent with your child as items will range from $0.50 to $1.00 each.

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Early Bird price on Yearbooks! We are excited to open up the orders for this year’s full coloured 2019-2020 Yearbook with an early bird rate discount if ordered by Friday, March 13th. Based on survey results from earlier in the the school year, we will be offering a full coloured, 125+ page memory of your child(s) school year that features each division’s class photo pages along with fun pages sprinkled throughout.

Order by Friday, March 13th and pay only $25.00. Prices increase to $30 afterwards.

Place your orders and payment directly through the McKechnie Munch-A-Lunch website: https://munchalunch.com

Go to the “Fundraising Open” tab, found at the top.

Vancouver Youth Theatre

Kids’ Writes 2020

Call for Stories Vancouver Youth Theatre is looking for exciting new stories for the Kids’ Writes 2020 project, the writing-acting collaboration held at McKechnie Elementary. Two or more stories by McKechnie authors will be selected, to dramatize for the final performance of Kids’ Writes on June 17, 2020. Here is an opportunity to discover how we bring a story from page to stage!

Young authors from McKechnie interested in submitting stories, please have your stories ready for Heather Duff, Artistic Director of Vancouver Youth Theatre to pick up on Friday, March 13th, 2020.

Interested actors, please register for the VYT program at McKechnie!

From the Staff at McKechnie,

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LIGHTS UP MUSICAL THEATRE AFTERSCHOOL

Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools provides singing, dancing and acting classes for children and teens across the lower mainland.

Musical theatre can enrich your child’s life in many ways. Skills built through performing arts include greater confidence, improved literacy and increased creativity. Performing arts also helps with expressing emotions, communicating ideas and working with others.

Now your child can experience the joys and benefits of musical theatre by taking part in our afterschool programs led by our talented and experienced Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools staff. These classes are a unique introduction to our weekend musical theatre programs and provide students with an enriching, rewarding, and most of all, fun afterschool activity in their own school, right at the bell! Students are supervised from school dismissal time by our instructors.

Spring Show Theme: You’re In the Band!

Are you ready to rock?! This term we will explore pop and rock music from Broadway and beyond in our musical about a group of kids who just want to rock! Inspired by Footloose and School of Rock this will be a great chance to have some fun and sing and shout for performers of all ages! Performance for parents on the last day of classes.

After School Thursdays

APRIL 9 – JUNE 11 (9 SESSIONS)

3:15-5:15 PM GRADES: K to 7

Fee: $285* (*plus GST)

http://www.lightsuptheatre.ca/mckechnie

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Kids’ Writes 2020 at McKechnie Elementary

Directed by Heather Duff & Diana Beairsto

Would you like to be an actor in the Kids’ Writes 2020 ensemble? We’ll feature selected stories by McKechnie authors from the Kids’ Writes 2020 project.

There will be an exciting final performance for classmates and families!

Where & When? McKechnie Elementary School, Vancouver

Thursday, April 9 – Thursday, June 11, 2020 Grades 4-7 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm*

*There will be no rehearsal on Wed, May 14 (Sports Day). Dress Rehearsal & Performance will be in school hours (June 17, 2020).

There may be an Extra Rehearsal called, if needed. (TBA).

Program Fee: Actors $175.00

Includes extra rehearsal(s) VYT Family Membership (10$, included– valid for one year)

& Kids’ Writes T-shirt ($15, included). Bursaries are available for actors who demonstrate need. Just Ask. VYT is a Registered Charitable Organization (#119282416 RR0001).

To Register, e-mail VYT at vyt@shawbiz.ca or call Vancouver Youth Theatre at 604-877-0678

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Important Dates

See you all back on Monday, March 30th!

What’s Up @McKechnie

mckechnie.vsb.bc.ca

7455 Maple Street Vancouver, BC V6P 5P8

Principal: Ankie Carswell 604-713-4952

Administrative Assistant: Sharmila Patel

Director of Instruction: Richard Zerbe 604-713-4594

VSB Trustee Liaison: Allan Wong

Safe Arrival @McKechnie 604-713-5159 Ext 54 Please call before 9 am

Vancouver School Board 604-713-5000

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

8 9 Math Club

3:15 – 4:15pm Choir Festival 7 pm

@John Oliver Sec

10 PAC meeting 7pm Library

Hot Lunch 11

Pizza Lunch 12

13

14

15 Spring Break is March 16 – 27 21

22 Enjoy your Spring Break, everybody! 28

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Mar 29 30

31 Hot Lunch 1 April Assembly

Pizza Lunch 2

3 Nurse’s Hours

4

5 6 Primary Dance

Math Club 3:15 in Library

7 Intermediate

Badminton Program

Hot Lunch 8 Intermediate

Badminton Program

Pizza Lunch 9 10 Good Friday

11

12 13 Easter Monday

14 Intermediate

Badminton Program Ready, Set, Learn 1-2pm in Library

Hot Lunch 15 Intermediate

Badminton Program

Pizza Lunch 16 Rainbow Dance

Performance K-7

17 Earth Day Cardboard

Challenge

18

19 20 Primary Dance

21 Hot Lunch 22 Earth Day

Mathematica Centrum Math

Contest 9 am

Pizza Lunch 23 24 25

26 27 Primary Dance Saleema Noon Parent Session

6:30 pm in Library

28 Ready, Set, Learn 1-2pm in Library

Hot Lunch 29 Pizza Lunch 30 May 1 Saleema Noon

sessions for students