General News
Last week Friday, the LORD took to himself Mr. Hofsink’s father (and Titus, Reuben and Sarina’s grandfather). As a school community, we continue to keep the Hofsink family in our prayers. Mr. Hofsink was able to stay in British Columbia this past week to be with his family and to participate in a Memorial Service for his father. What a blessing to know that Mr. Hofsink sr. was a believer and that the end of his life on earth is not the end of his life with the LORD. That same comfort is also true for Mrs. Tesfaye and her family. They also received news that her grandmother in the Netherlands passed away. In our devotions together on Monday, the staff reflected on the promises of our Heavenly Saviour and the eternal implications that they have.
There are others in our school community who are also mourning or suffering. We continue to pray with Mrs. Feenstra and Mrs. Poort and Miss Breukelman. They each carry with them the burdens of a sick relative, i.e. Mrs. Feenstra’s father, Herman Poort (also Mrs. Poort’s brother-in-law), Mrs. Poort’s mother in the Netherlands and Miss Breukelman’s sister-in-law, Marilyn, who struggles with cancer.
Early on Wednesday morning, the LORD blessed the Gansekoele family with a new baby, Samuel Everett. All is well with mother and baby. Congratulations from the John Calvin School community.
On Friday evening last week, two of our students participated in the provincial level of the Speaking and Poetry Recitation contest held at Bellstone Christian School. Congratulations are in order for Susanna H. and Eli D. Susanna places first with the recitation of her poem, “Attention, Attention,” and Eli place first with his speech entitled, “Why Handkerchiefs should be Banned.”
The basketball teams continue to prepare for a tournament to be held on March 27th. The boys’ team participated in two exhibition games; one at Robert Land Academy and one at CAIRN Christian School. The girls team also played and exhibition game against CAIRN.
If you will be sending your first child to John Calvin School’s Kindergarten or grade one classes, keep the evening of April 2nd open. We will be hosting a welcome/information evening at the school for parents. Stay tuned for more details.
Geography Challenges were held at two different levels in the school. At the grade 7 and 8 level, Susanna H. came in first place after a nine tie breaker questions. Congratulations. She now becomes eligible to write a test to qualify for a place at the provincial Geography Challenge. The finals for the Grades 4-6 Geography Challenge will be held Wednesday March 11 at 1:00. Parents are welcome!
The Public Health registered dental hygienist team is scheduled to visit our school Monday April 27th and Tuesday April 28th to provide dental screening to students in JK, SK, grades 2, 4 and 7 as required under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. During this time the dental hygienists will perform a quick visual inspection of each child’s teeth to determine his/her dental needs. Parents will be contacted if their child requires immediate dental care. The Healthy Smiles Ontario program may financially assist children who do not have access to required dental care. Please contact the Public Health dental program if: You wish to exclude your child from dental screening.
March break begins next Friday March 13th.
We would like to empty the lost and found box again, so if you get a chance, please look through it to make sure your child’s belongings haven’t taken up residence.
Did you know that Day Light Saving Time begins again on this Sunday?! Even now, the morning daylight seems to be coming to us earlier and earlier each day; a sure sign that Spring is on the way. (Please keep packing extra socks in the backpacks, though. Spring and winter tend to be the wettest months on our playground.)
Lastly, a familiar request…… Many classrooms are running low on tissues and noses are still running too. If you can, send another box of tissues to school with your child. AB
Classroom News
Kindergarten
Another week is done in kindergarten. The students learned all about the letter Ww. The hallway is decorated with beautiful watermelons. Next week we will be learning the letter Vv. In Math we continue to learn numbers 11-20. The students were introduced to subtraction this week and have picked up this skill quickly. Well done kindergarten! KA created masterpieces using oil pastels and water colour paints. The final creation of 3D houses are on display in the hallway. Check it out! Have a lovely weekend! JB/NV
Grade 1
We had a great day at the Agape Valley Sugar Bush this week. The sun was shining and the sap was running very quickly; so nice to see. We learned a lot; ask your child all about it. Thanks to Mrs. VanLuik for driving the bus. If you have not yet sent in a loonie for the bus, please do so asap. We will wrap up our Bible unit with a test on Thursday. Notes will be sent home on Wednesday. Since next week is a short week, we will test the Spelling Words, sight words and Memory Work on Thursday. Please continue to practice the Spelling words as well as the sight words on a daily basis. Enjoy the weekend and have a blessed Sunday.
Memory Work for Friday, March – Psalm 87:2;Psalm 8:1
Spelling Words: fun, here, new, off, old
Grade 2
We have started our new Science unit on States of Matter! The students have been very excited to volunteer and help out in the demonstrations! Feel free to ask them what the difference is between a solid and a liquid. We have moved further back in Church History to learn about Polycarp. We hope to have a quiz on this unit before the March Break, please check your child’s agenda for the quiz day. In the last few Art classes we have been focusing on pattern. The students have been very busy creating their own patterns and are excited to take home finished projects soon! Have a blessed weekend. LS/BV
Memory Work: Hymn 32:1
Spelling Words: Review (see agenda list)
Polycarp Quiz
Grade 3
We are busy working on mastering the 2 and 3 muliplication tables mixed. Parents, please help your child by practising the flashcards every day. In Bible we could hear of God’s awesome power as He led His people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. We will finish this unit with a test this coming week. Reading stories, talking about the content, and answering comprehensive questions keeps us busy in Language Arts. We love learning about geometry in Math. Barbara Reid art has begun; so fun! Thank you Miss B., for getting us so excited about this project. Have a blessed weekend.
Memory work: Hymn 33:1,4 Text: Ex. 20 : 1-6
Spelling words: by, buy, didn’t, doesn’t, general, governor, something, sometimes, one, unhappiness, winner, won, your, you’re
PE on Tuesday, Library and Mission $ on Thursday
Grade 4
It’s hard to believe that we have reached the month of March already! Grade 4 continues to be hard at work on various assignments and units. We hope to wrap up our novel study “From Anna” by Jean Little before the March Break. We have enjoyed reading about and discussing Anna’s struggles and joys as she adjusts to her new life in Canada and deals with her poor eyesight. The students are working hard on their province/ territory brochures. Some of them may have to work on these at home in the coming week. In Bible, we are continuing with the second half of the kings of Israel. We have seen that even though God’s people are often unfaithful, God is always faithful to His promises. Here are a few things to note about the coming week:
Tuesday: Grade 4A Math Test/Grade 4B Math Test
Thursday: Canada brochures must be completed and handed in.
Thursday: Song: Hymn 42:2,3/Text: Psalm 121:1-4
Spelling Words: she’s, you’re, wore, someone, we’re, born, won’t, storm, everyone, fort, nothing, forgot, twelve, doesn’t
Upcoming Memory Work: Hymn 35:4/Psalm 121:5-8
Grade 5
Another week has come to a close here in Grade 5! We have completed our unit about Ancient Egypt and are now beginning a Science unit about Space. This is an interesting topic, full of neat experiences and a project to be completed at home. Please check with your child for the information sheet being sent home. This is meant to be a fun, inexpensive project in which your child learns about a planet and makes a presentation to the class about it. We will be checking in on their progress so it is not left until the last minute. We are looking forward to the geography challenge on Wednesday, March 11 at 1:00 to which parents are invited. We hope to see you there! Have a great weekend! RK/KVL
Devotions for 5A: M: Madison, Tu: Morgan L. W: Sydney, Th: Aaron. And for 5B: M: Mattheus, Tu: Carson, W: Olivia, Th: Nate.
Grade 6
The students from grades 4-6 participated in the Geography Challenge in their respective classrooms this week. The top 2 students from each class will compete at the final competition next Wednesday afternoon in the gym. From grade 6, Rebekah, Reuben, Joel, and Theo will be competing. We welcome you to join us. During the next week the students will finish their disease research project. This consists of typing the information in paragraph form and being ready to present their slides showing a summary of their research. Have a blessed weekend. AF/CV
Grade 7A
Next week we’ll learn about the reaction to the Swiss Reformation from both the Roman Catholics and the Anabaptists. Based on the results of our last chapter in Math, the divided class instruction is working very well; next up is equations and inequalities. In Art next week, we’ll use oil pastels to crate portraits and capture mood. Our basketball unit has started in P.E. and we’ll work our way through dribbling, passing and shooting. We’ll wrap up the unit with a series of scrimmage games. The next step in the Independent Study process is the interview; your child will interview an expert/professional about the topic they have chosen. Enjoy your weekend.
Grade 7B
As we enter the final week before March Break, we come to the end of a number of chapters. In History, we have quickly overviewed the War of 1812 and next week we will be introducing the final project. In Church History, we are nearing the end of the Reformation in Switzerland. We will be looking at the Marburg Colloquy and the end of Zwingli’s life and accomplishments. In Independent Study, we are at the end of looking at Journal Articles, and next week we will be introducing our next step which is the interview. Devotions – Mon – KVI, Tues – OB, Weds – TB, Thurs – MDB. Memory Work – Ps. 112:5. Have a great weekend!
Grade 8A
Another March week has come and gone. This week we concluded our work on the impacts of settlements in Geography. In Science we conducted an experiment on buoyancy while in History we discussed the context surrounding the Red River Rebellion. We have a busy week scheduled for next week. Rest well this weekend. Cheers, Mr. J
Grade 8B
Tom Sawyer essays have been written and handed in, as have paragraphs about how the LORD preserved his church in Scotland under the reign of Mary Stuart. We have written our test about the area and perimetres of various geometrical shapes in grade 8. We hope to complete our Church History unit about the reformation in Scotland by the end of next week. A test should be expected on Wednesday or Thursday. Memory work and Mission money will be collected on Thursday. The watercolour workshop that was postponed from last Wednesday will be held on Monday afternoon. Students and teachers are both looking forward to it.
Memory work: Hymn 71:1
© 2015 Canadian Reformed School Society of Smithville and Surrounding District
