General News

---

Hello again everyone as we bring to an end another week and month of learning and teaching at John Calvin School.  At the same time, we pray for the Lord’s blessing on a new month of instruction at our school.  Our Heavenly Father has richly blessed us in that we could, once again, educate His covenant children in freedom in our Reformed, Christian school to learn more about Him, His Word, and His world; freedom that we are so thankful for and can reflect upon at this time of year.  

Mr. K. Sikkema (former teacher at JCS) was our special guest at yesterday’s Reformation Day assembly.  He dramatized a part of the story of Martin Luther, I Don’t Want to be a Monk Anymore.  He took us through Luther’s early life, the thunderstorm that influenced him to become a monk, and how God opened his eyes (when he was a professor at Wittenberg) with a passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans.  In that passage, Luther learned that we are not right with God because of our good deeds, our self-inflicted punishments, and saying many prayers, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  That was difficult for him.  It was so different from what he always believed.  He thought he had to pay for his sins himself—but instead Scripture showed him that God punished His Son for his sin. 

The Lord Jesus Christ continues to gather defend and preserve His Church by His Word and Spirit.  Now that’s a good thing to remember:  not saints, not elves, not ghosts, not goblins, not spirits, not mermaids, not mermen, not us, but the Lord Jesus Christ builds His Church.  He bought us, and so we may be living members of that church by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are not in trouble with God because He loves us for Jesus’ sake.  How good that is!  Mr. Sikkema, aka Martin Luther, concluded his presentation by asking a student to help him remove his robe and shave off his tonsure.  He no longer wanted to be a monk.

The staff enjoyed a really good convention at Timothy Christian School last week Thursday and Friday.  Pastor Darren Feenstra encouraged the teachers with his devotional based on I Corinthians 10:31b, “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  On Friday, Dr. David Zietsma gave an excellent and inspirational keynote address.  His topic was entitled, A Whole New World:  Why Christian Education Matters Today.  During the day, teachers could interact with their colleagues from 18 different schools, and there were a lot of workshops that the teachers could participate in as well.  They were great days!  The JCS staff will have opportunity to engage in follow-up work for the workshops they attended on the November 22nd PD Day.

                Progress reports will be going home with the students next week Friday, November 8.  Parent-Teacher conferences will follow on Tuesday, November 12 and Thursday, November 14.  Since Miss Broersma will be meeting with parents from both KA and KB, Kindergarten conferences will take place in the following manner: Kindergarten parents who have children in other grades will be scheduled on the 12th or 14th.  Miss Broersma will meet with parents whose oldest is in Kindergarten on Monday evening, November 18.  We look forward to getting together to discuss the progress of your child/children to this point in the school year.   

A few items for your attention:

*All the money has been returned from the chocolate sales.  The final profit for the school was $6209.36.  Thanks again to all those who participated in this worthwhile fundraiser for school trips.

*Apple Week:  It was a wonderful week which concluded with the Community Appreciation Barbecue hosted by the staff and board.   This event was very well received by all who attended.  It was great to see a good mix of seniors, middle-aged folk, and younger parents.  The staff and board had a good time hosting the event.

*The Soup Green Fundraiser was a huge success!  The Grade 8 classes wish to thank everyone for their support in this fundraiser.  We also wish to thank Niagara Christian Gleaners for the use of their facility as it made the cutting and chopping process go much more smoothly and quickly.  A final total of just over $7000.00 was raised for the Grade 8 year end trip.  Wow!

*The annual ANCHOR WORK DAY is an event of the past.  Thank you to all the students in Grades 7&8 who participated in this act of service.  The students are encouraged to bring in the money as soon as possible if they haven’t already done so.  Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

*Earlier this week we could welcome three student teachers from Covenant Canadian Reformed Teachers College.  Miss Tyneesha Petter will be teaching with Miss Buist and Mrs. DeBoer in Grade 8B, Miss Maria Ravensbergen with Mrs. Gansekoele and Mrs. Feenstra in Grade 2A, and Miss Hailey Jongbloed with Miss VanderZwaag in Special Education.  We hope the young ladies had a good first week and wish them all the best and the Lord’s blessing for the duration of their practicum at John Calvin School. 

*Volleyball practices continue after school every Monday and Thursday for the next four weeks leading up to the Guido De Bres Invitational Volleyball Tournament scheduled for November 29.

*With Remembrance Day not being too far off, the students needed to submit their entries for the Royal Canadian Legion Poster, Poem, and Essay contest today, Friday, November 1.  There will be a Remembrance Day assembly for Grades K-4 on Monday, November 11 beginning at 10:45 in the school gym.   Grades 5-8 are planning to visit the Smithville cenotaph and participate in the Remembrance Day service there.  For a small donation to the Royal Canadian Legion poppy fund, students will be able to receive a poppy on Monday, November 11 to help in remembering why we pay attention to this important event.

*The first skating session at the new Smithville arena is scheduled for Wednesday, November 6.  Grade 4 will skate from 12:15-1:15, and Grades 6 will skate from 1:15-2:15.  In the interest of safety and concussion prevention, students in Grades K-4 must wear helmets when on the ice.  They can be either hockey helmets or bicycle helmets.  Students in Grades 5-8 are encouraged to wear them.  Those playing hockey must wear them.

Reminders:

*Time changes this weekend.  Enjoy the extra hour of sleep.

*Picture retakes are scheduled for November 6.

*A presentation by Tim Barnett (arranged through Lincoln Home Mission) is planned for Wednesday, November 13 from 1:00-1:45.  The topic is The Heavens Declare the Glory of God and is geared to students in Grades 5-8.  Parents are also invited to attend the presentation.  Here is a brief summary of this presentation:  Is design in nature just an illusion?  Is there anything special about Earth and the Universe?  Mr. Barnett will walk the audience through one of the greatest discoveries of modern physics and astronomy—the fine-tuning of the universe.  Using the heroic, true story of the Apollo 13 space mission, Mr. Barnett draws parallels between the “just right” conditions that are necessary for the astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 space shuttle to emphasize that our existence, too, is balanced on a razor’s edge.  Combining spectacular visuals and thorough knowledge of physics, this presentation is sure to have the audience echoing the words of the Psalmist, “The heavens declare the glory of God.”

     Mr. Barnett is also giving a presentation on a different topic, Tactics in Defending your Faith, at Guido de Bres Christian high school that morning and in the Lincoln church building (4628 John Street, Beamsville) that same evening beginning at 8:00.  Here is a brief summary of that presentation:  Have you ever been caught flat-footed in conversations about spiritual beings?  Have you ever wished that you spoke up but didn’t because you didn’t know how to start?  This talk is for you!  Instead of giving you a truck-load of information to download, this presentation does something a little different.  Mr. Barnett wants to give you a game plan you can use to defend your faith to friend and foe alike.  In his presentation, Mr. Barnett is going to equip you with a handful of effective manoeuvres, which he calls ‘Tactics’.  Whether you are shy or outgoing, have a high school diploma or PHD, this presentation will help you get into the game and make an impact for Christ. 

*Winterfest is on Saturday, November 16.  We are looking forward to a fun and festive day.  We thank the organizing committee and the large contingent of volunteers for the enormous amount of work that they have put into making this event happen.

*The Fall Membership Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 27.

                Enjoy your weekend and have a blessed Lord’s Day.  We hope to touch base again next week Friday.     G. Hofsink

---

Classroom News

---

Kindergarten

Another week has passed in the kindergarten classroom!  In Bible this week we have completed the stories about Jacob and through these stories, we learned that whatever we are feeling, we can always go to God because He is always with us.  Next week we will be learning about the life of Joseph and how the Lord takes care of him even when he is sold and in prison.  In math the students are working very hard on recognizing numbers 0-10 and how to correctly make these numbers. Keep up the good work kindergarten. In Language Arts next week, the students will be learning about the letters Cc and Kk.  Parents are encouraged to continue to practice these letters at home using flash cards.  The more repetition and exposure given to the students, the better it will be!  Have a blessed weekend!  JB, NV

Grade 1

It’s hard to believe that we are already in the month of November.  We have learned a lot in the last two months.  We will have finished our Bible unit on Tuesday, with a test to follow on Wednesday.  Notes will be sent home so you will be to review the material with your child.   We will also finish our Math unit with a review on Friday, and a test to follow on Monday.  In Social Studies we have started our unit on Transportation.  On Thursday, we met  a man named Martin Luther (Mr. Sikkema) at our Reformation Day assembly.  We enjoyed listening to his story and learned a lot about what life was like at the time of the Reformation.  A good time to review the Five Solas.  Thank you, Mr. Sikkema! Our planned trip to the Safety Village did not happen this week.  We were not notified that the trip had been rescheduled for Friday, November 8.  Now we have something exciting to look forward to this week.  This is a trip that we don’t take extra volunteers along as it is quite costly to do so and we feel that we have enough staff on hand to supervise.  Please continue to check and sign the agendas on a daily basis and keep reviewing the Spelling and agenda words with your child.  You will see the results of your hard work on their tests.  Please remember to send P.E clothes to school on Monday and Wednesday.   Have a blessed Sunday.   Until next week.

Memory Work – November 8 :  Psalm 93:1;  Exodus 20:: 2, 3

Spelling Words:  can, said, we, when, your

Grade 2

This week we’ve experienced a typical Canadian fall week. We’ve started with beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures, moved to cool and rainy days, and finished with high winds. Since the weather can be so unpredictable, we’d like to remind you that extra socks in the backpack would be very helpful. In our math classes this week, we’ve changed our focus from number sense to geometry. The students are enjoying this unit very much. Next week we will learn about measurement and will measure items in inches, centimeters, feet, and decimeters. In our Science classes, we continue to learn about eating a balanced diet and staying active. Grade 2A welcomed Miss Maria Ravensbergen to the classroom this week. We look forward to learning under her guidance in the following weeks. Have a great weekend! BV/RG

Memory work: Psalm 92:1

Spelling: more, every, where, jump, too

Bible test: Friday

Grade 3

What a great Pioneer Day we had. Thank you to Mrs. Dam, Mrs. Dinga and our bus driver Mrs. Vanluik for helping us that day. The link to see the pictures of that day is as follows: https:// drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BogptMtOudLKus_ADPPaOWPeM2xFfg5d?usp=sharing. Thank you Mrs. Dam for taking such beautiful pictures! The students have had a good rest and have taken up their work again with renewed energy. Tests are ongoing, with the Pioneer test behind us. We will send study material one to two days before a test home. Take the time to go over the notes with your child. This study practice is also a good habit to have when learning a new song, text or spelling words. Thank you for your ongoing support! In Bible we are nearing the end of our unit on Abraham; with a test coming up. In Science we hope to begin talking about the circulatory and respiratory systems. God made us fearfully and wonderfully. In Reading we are looking forward to learning about penguins before getting into the novel Mr. Popper’s Penguins. The winners of the apple colouring contest in Grade 3 are Callie Linde in 3rd place, Izzy Smouter in 2nd place and Ryley Apperloo in first place! Congratulations! Wishing you a blessed weekend.

Memory Work: Ps. 34:3 Text: Gen. 15:5,6 (2 weeks)

Spelling words: beautiful, before, discover, enough

Gym clothes on Tuesday and Friday, Library on Thursday, Mission $ on Friday

Grade 4

Monday we have a Bone Zone presentation in connection to our upcoming novel study on Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat. Wednesday we are scheduled for some skating time at the local arena. Spelling for this week is lesson 8 (cry, close, surprise, off, spy, too, nineteen, closer, smile, bigger, lying, write, stranger, trying — 4B extra words — discussion, advance)

Wed: Skating (please bring skates, helmets and hockey equipment if desired)

Thurs: Bible Test 4B

Fri: Spelling Test Lesson 8, Psalm 21: 1 & 2

Fri: Science Test (Light) 4A

Next Week Bible Memory Isaiah 9: 6-7, Psalm 56:1

Grade 5

It has been another busy week here in Grade 5!  We have written a Bible test and we will continue to learn about the ministry of Jesus during His time on earth.  We have also learned about multiples and factors in Math.  By the end of the day we hope to have all our Social Studies presentations done where we share with both classes what we have learned about Roman architecture.  We are nearly done reading Call it Courage and hope to start a variety of group projects about it soon! Next week we plan to make a linograph in art!  For this we need a few more Styrofoam trays so if you have any smooth, clean Styrofoam trays, please send them to school.  Devotions for 5A: M. Olivia, T. Angelina, W. Silas, Th. Logan, F. Brooke.  And for 5B: M. Ella, T. Torey, W. Alyvia, Th. Mattheus, F. Carson.  Have a blessed weekend! RK/KVL 

Grade 6

We are back into routine after two shorter weeks. Next week the students will be skating on Wednesday from 1:15-2:15. If they are playing hockey please bring what is needed as well as a helmet. Feel free to join us especially to play hockey along with the students. A new unit has been started in Social Studies on trade. The students were busy finding items in the classroom and at home that came from a variety of countries. The names of these items were placed on the country on the world map. We enjoyed the assembly reflecting on the life of Martin Luther and the five solas. We are thankful that the LORD used men in the past to bring the truth to those living in darkness. Have a blessed weekend. AF/CV

Grade 7A

It was another eventful week in Grade 7A. In Art we applied our knowledge of formal balance as made masks out of dough; next week we hope to paint them showing symmetry also in color. After learning about forces and efficiency in Science, students are designing and constructing tables made out of corrugated cardboard. Next week we’ll see whose table is the most stable. Fittingly, we’re learning about the Reformation in Germany. Next week we’ll get to know Johann Tetzel, Frederick the Wise and Pope Leo. We’ll wrap up our Math unit on fractions and decimals. This past week a request for volunteers to join Gr. 7/8 on our trip to the R.O.M. and A.G.O was sent home. Please read and respond if interested; the date in Thurs. Nov. 21. Enjoy your weekend.

Grade 7B

In Church History, we begin next week by looking at Luther nailing the 95 Thesis to the castle church door in Wittenberg and how that began the Protestant Reformation. In Math, we are coming to the end of our decimals/fractions unit and will be moving into geometry in the next chapter. Next week in History, we will begin our project on Everyday life in New France. Independent Study continues to go well, with the next stage of our process being the author profile. There will be a form coming home asking for permission to contact the author of our books! Devotions – Damon R. Memory Work – Hymn 28:1 and 1 Chronicles 16:8-13. Have a great weekend!

Grade 8A

It has been an especially busy week in 8A. It seemed every day the agenda was full of assessments, assignments, tests or quizzes. Although there were more than enough ‘heads’ up, it still is tiring and I commend the students on their perseverance. Rest up! Enjoy a lovely weekend and day of rest. Next week promises to bring History presentations, continued work on our music project and the like. Students also were given the opportunity to choose the museum they preferred to attend as part of our annual ROM/AGO field trip near the end of the month. Have a blessed weekend! Cheers, Mr. J

Grade 8B

We welcomed Miss Petter into our classroom this week. During the next two weeks, she will be taking responsibility for an increasingly larger portion of the teaching in grade 8B.  We have come to the end of a number of units and will have a number of tests this week. Reviews will take place in class, but students should take their work home to review and study as well.  We enjoyed the ‘visit’ by Martin Luther to our assembly on Thursday.  Students are currently working hard on finishing a History project and are beginning work on a music project. We will soon begin working on learning songs for the Christmas concert.  Many students have handed in their Anchor work day money.  Thank-you.  Hopefully the rest comes in soon.

Tests:  T….Bible,  W… Math, Th….Science, F…Geography

Devotions:  Carter, Abbey, Jordan, Jazmin, Leah