General News

Greetings readership as we wrap-up the first week of learning and teaching in December.  We thank the Lord for His blessing and guidance during this past week and we pray that He will continue to provide for the needs of the students and teachers during the next couple of weeks before we break for the Christmas holidays.

May the Lord continue to be near to those in our community and the broader community who need Him in a special way.  We think especially of our colleague, Mrs. Inge deVisser, who is scheduled for a single mastectomy on Monday, December 17.  An opening came up in the surgery schedule at Juravinski hospital and so she was able to have the operation before Christmas, which is what she was hoping and praying for.  May the Lord continue to be near to her and her family in the weeks ahead.  We are thankful that Mrs. Simone Oosterhoff is willing to teach Grade 6B during Mrs. deVisser’s leave of absence.  We thank the Lord for providing JCS with a teacher for Mrs. Lemstra’s maternity leave in January.  Mrs. Rachel Tesfaye, a member of the Smithville Canadian Reformed Church, has been hired to teach Grade 4B.  She joins the John Calvin School staff with many years of teaching experience, both in the United States and in Canada.  Welcome Mrs. Tesfaye!

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those who are mourning the recent death of a loved one; in particular we think of the Pierotti family.  Last weekend, Mrs. Pierotti’s brother passed away after a short battle with cancer at the age of 31.  Also, her father is not faring so well.  May God’s words of comfort as found in 2 Corinthians 1:3ff and Psalm 121 provide the Pierotti family with what they need during this very difficult time.

We congratulate Mike and Melissa Smouter with the birth of their son, Colton Arie Hendrik.  He is a brother to Logan in Grade KA  All is well with mom and baby, and the rest of the family too.  (“Our children all are gifts of God, our sons and daughters his reward—each one a blessing from the LORD, as heritage on us bestowed.”  Psalm 127:3, BoP)  May the Lord provide Mike and Melissa with all they need as they raise their children in the fear of His Name.

Parents, grandparents, and other supporters of John Calvin School are invited to join us for the Christmas assembly planned for Friday morning, December 21 beginning at 11:00.

Ontario Education Survey:  The Ministry of Education of Ontario is consulting the public regarding education in Ontario.  There is an online submission form found at www.fortheparents.ca to fill in and submit.  There is information on this website for telephone submissions as well.  Please participate.  You have until December 15 to fill in the form or survey and make a change in the education system in Ontario.  Further to this request, I have attached a form letter from the League of Canadian Reformed Schools and a document for submission suggestions from Edvance Christian Schools to assist in completing the survey as well as any additional communication you may wish to pursue with the Ministry of Education.   Contributions from 20,000 Christian parents and individuals are needed to make an impact! Thanks for your participation.

A few items for your attention:

*Apparently Sinterklaas paid a visit to the school this past Wednesday much to the delight of a number of students.

*We are down to the last five boxes of chocolate bar money that needs to come in.  Those who still owe, please get the money next week so we can close the books on the fundraiser before year’s end.

*The three JCS Triple Ball teams put in a very good effort at the annual tournament last week Friday.  The girls’ team and the boys’ team lost out in the semi-finals while the co-ed team was defeated in the quarter-finals.  All in all it was a great day of fun, fellowship, and competition.  We thank the parents who came out and cheered on the teams, and the coaches (Mrs. Nikki vanBrederode, Mr. Breukelman and Mr. Hofsink) for their time and effort in preparing the teams for the tournament.

*The fifth and final skating session at the Smithville arena is scheduled for Wednesday, December 12.  Grade 8 will skate from 1:15-2:15.  In the interest of safety and concussion prevention, students in Grades K-3 must wear helmets when on the ice.  They can be either hockey helmets or bicycle helmets.  Students in Grades 4-8 are recommended to wear them.  Those playing hockey must wear them.

*Attention School Community:  Post-Confession/John Calvin School Lecture on December 12, 2018. Bringing up our children to love and serve the Lord is a serious calling of Reformed parents.  The curriculum taught in our schools is increasingly challenged also by those in authority over us.   Mr. Andre Schutten, lawyer with ARPA, will address this concern speaking on the topic: “Train up a child in the way he should go:  increasing pressures on teaching Reformed curriculum in our Christian schools.  How do we react and how can we withstand this development?”  We hope to see many parents and teachers attend in order to discuss this important issue.  We plan to start at 8:00 pm in the Smithville Canadian Reformed Church.

*The Ladies Auxiliary is planning a Pizza Lunch (which will include a drink, fruit, and a snack) for Thursday, December 13.  For those children with allergies, the Ladies Auxiliary will look after heating up/preparing the food that they bring for lunch that day.  Thank you very much Ladies Auxiliary!

*Lost and Found:  Our lost and found box is filling up.  If you are at the school at some point and time during the next three weeks, please check through the bin to see if any of your child(ren)’s missing paraphernalia is in it.  Whatever is left in the box on December 21 will be taken to the GBF or Bibles for Mission.

Reminders:

*Please continue to collect tabs for cans for Jude VanVeen so he and his family can get a wheelchair for his sister Anna.

*News and Views materials are due on Monday, December 10.

*Friday, December 21 is a 2/3 day of school.  Students will be dismissed at 12:00 and the buses will be leaving at 12:10.  The Christmas Break is scheduled for December 24 to January 4.  The first day back in January in Monday, January 7.

Enjoy your weekend and may the Lord grant you a restful Sunday.  We’ll touch base again in a week’s time, D.V..

1. Hofsink

Classroom News

Kindergarten

This past week we had the privilege of celebrating Miss. Broersma’s birthday. The students enjoyed cupcakes and a movie afternoon on Wednesday and Thursday! During Bible class we started to learn about Zechariah and John the Baptist, next week we will be focusing on the birth of Jesus. In Math we are wrapping up our Unit on the numbers 0-5, and next week we will begin looking at 6-10. In Language we have been working on our letter and sight word recognition. You will notice the sight word books sent home with your child, please take the time to read through them with your children! Have a lovely week! NR

Letter of the week: Dd

Words of the week: my, green, four, five

Memory Word: Matthew 1:21 & Hymn 21:1,6

Grade 1

We have had an exciting week in Grade One.  Sinterklaas visited both classes and left a treat and a note on the board.  Lots of fun!  We are working with coins and their values.  Some students have mastered counting the coins to make different values of money.  Please ask your child to share their knowledge of the coins.  We will be finished our Bible unit on Tuesday and a test will follow on Wednesday.  In our new unit we will learn about Joshua leading the Israelites into the promised land. Please send extra mittens/socks and make sure all items are labeled. Thanks. Have a wonderful weekend.

Memory Work for Friday, Dec. 14:  Ps. 100:2;  John 3:16

Spelling words:  do, how, if, she, their

Grade 2

This week we started several new units. In Social Studies we began a unit on an Arctic Community. We began by looking at our community, our province, and our country. The students are enjoying the mapping exercises that we’ve done. In Bible, we began a Church History lesson on the Worship Service. Your child will be bringing home a blue paper for them to take to church on Sunday. Please help them complete the paper as the instructions read and send back on Monday. We will be reviewing our spelling words for one more week. Please check last week’s agenda for the list of words.  Grade 2A has run out of Kleenex and plastic grocery bags. If you are able to send more to school, we would really appreciate it! Have a wonderful weekend!

Memory work: Hymn 58:1,2; Text: Prov.3:5,6

Grade 3

Penguins, penguins, penguins!  Where do they live? What do they eat?  What do they look like? Are there different types of penguins? Ask Grade 3!  We are the experts on this topic! In our Bible classes we are hearing the stories of The Patriarchs. Ask us who they are. We also know a song about them. Perhaps your child will teach you this song too! We went skating on Wednesday and had a ‘skatastic’ time! Thanks to the parent  and grandparent  volunteers who came and joined us in the fun…and tying skates… and helping us on the ice. J.B./M.P.

Words:  everything, hidden, our, are, right, write

Psalm 72:1; Genesis 49:10

Gym clothes on Monday and Thursday.

Library books in a BAG on Tuesday.

Mission $$$ on Friday.

Grade 4

In Bible, we are learning about the life of Solomon. Grade 4A (Miss. Hoeksema): Math Test Wednesday, December 12. Grade 4B (Mrs. Lemstra): Bible Test on Solomon Friday, December 14

Science Test on Tuesday December 18, Math Test on Wednesday, December 19

Spelling: chased, moving, scored, laughing, dressed, taking, laughed, coming, used, racing, missed, making, pushed, until, determined, dilemma, random, obvious

Memory Work: Psalm 52:1 (December 14) Psalm 35:1 (December 21) John 3:16-18 (December 14)

Grade 5

We’re wrapping up some more units in Grade 5, meaning we’ll be starting on some new ones over the course of next week. In Math, we will be starting division. Multiplication facts are still very necessary for division, so (continued) practice at home will be beneficial. In Science, 5B had their nutrition test today, and 5A will be having their test on Tuesday, Dec. 11. We will then be having a look at cells for the next number of weeks. In Bible, we continue to walk through Jesus’ ministry on Earth. Have a wonderful weekend and a blessed Sunday. RK/KV

Memory Work – Ps. 73:1; Text (for Dec. 21) – Matthew 5:7-12

Devotions – 5A: M. Micah, Tu. Jude, W. Jacob, Th. Leanne, F. Vanessa

5B – M. Trinity, Tu. Parker, W. Amanda, Th. Declan, F. Kaden

Grade 6

The beautiful snow is changing our whole world again! Every year we use the new fresh snow that covers everything around us, even the dirtiest places (!) as an example of how the blood of our dear Lord and Saviour covers our sins, even the ugliest ones. We are telling the stories of God’s people that are written in Genesis. Jacob was really not somebody who’s behaviour was beautiful to watch. Still, he was loved by the sovereign Lord. What an encouragement for all of us! Advent is also a great time to learn more about God’s love. Would we have left heaven, as the Lord Jesus did, for people like us? It is so good to see the responses of the students. We are not worthy of His love, and yet He forgives and is willing to start all over with us, every day of our life! That is amazing and surety makes us sing! We had a couple of prayers as memory work over the past weeks. In the coming two weeks we will sing and memorize Christmas songs and hymns and try to play them on the recorder. Good tidings! You must have heard about our experiment with the grapes. Without the skin they change rapidly. Yes, how wonderful is our skin and how special is our human existence. The Lord put many healing powers in our immune systems! We all are enjoying the research for our bird projects and our special disease research. Could you please support your sons and daughters when they ask about special illnesses in your family?  This will help us all to understand more of life! Great times together in class! Have a blessed weekend. CvA/ IdeV

Grade 7A

Our Math chapter has switched from fractions to decimals; we’ll see the relationship between the two as we add, subtract, divide and multiply. We’ll be introduced to Wikipedia and Google Scholar as we stand on the shoulders of giants and learn about referencing journal articles as they pertain to our Independent Study topics. In History we’ll learn what a Loyalist is, why they left the 13 Colonies and where they settled. As we studied the rule of King David in Bible History, we learned that saints may fall into serious sins, the effects of such sins, and that God will not permit His elect to be lost. Enjoy your weekend.

Grade 7B

In Bible History, we have started our Unit on David and how he was established as a King after the LORD’s heart. In Math, we have come to the end of our unit on fractions and decimals and will be moving on to expressions and equations next week. We have also come to the end of our documentary stage in Independent Study, and we will be moving on to looking at Journal Articles from Google Scholar and Wikipedia. Devotions – Avery S. Have a great weekend!

Grade 8A

As we inch closer to the Christmas Break, there has been a lot of warning about the busyness of the next week and a half. While the History project may finally be in our rear-view mirror, Bible and Geography Quizzes; as well as L.A. comprehension quizzes and other language work are all on the docket for next week. The following Tuesday (Dec. 18) also looks to be a Math test. Regardless, students have a lot of heads up and most are diligently preparing and managing their time. Next week we look forward to skating on Wednesday afternoon. Have a blessed weekend. Cheers, Mr. J

Music Project is due Dec. 12^th

Grade 8B

We spent the better part of this week learning about how Phillip II of Spain reluctantly prepared to attack the English under the rule of Elizabeth I. Ask your children what ultimately motivated him to send his armada. Students have produced some beautiful work in both Geography and History in these last few weeks. If you get a chance, ask to see their ‘W’ books.  We hope to have a grade 8B Christmas breakfast on the last day before the break.  We will make a list to help co-ordinate who brings what.  (I’ll provide the ingredients for making waffles.)

Memory work:  Hymn 3:3  (Romans 8:37-39 for December 14)

Lunch Devotions:  Denver, Natasha, Aidan, Lucas, Clarissa