General News

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Greetings parents, grandparents, and other members of the supporting community on this beautiful morning of the fourth day of autumn.  Not too much evidence of the new season as yet, although here and there we see leaves beginning to change colour and earlier this week, we did experience some chillier temperatures.  We thank the Lord for His blessing and guidance during the first three weeks of September as we carried out our daily work of learning and teaching.  Thankfully, the number of student absences declined significantly during the course of this week (today, only 1.8% of the student population was absent because of being sick).  A few staff members were also hit with the cold bug but today all are back, save for one.    

 We are thankful that the positive covid test reported last week turned out to be a false positive. A few others in the school (students and staff) have been tested but all have come back negative. One further note: Earlier this week, a rumour was being spread that a student in the school tested positive for the virus.  This was not the case. Please refrain from spreading such rumours. This is unfair to the individual about whom it is spread and it causes undue stress and anxiety for others in the school and in the school community. When there is a positive case, the family and the school will be the first to know because Public Health will contact both immediately. Thanks for your consideration and cooperation in this sensitive matter. 

We congratulate Jason and JoAnn VanIperen with the birth of their daughter, Emily Margaret.  She is a sister to Kendra (Grade 8B), Reuben (Grade 6A), and Edwin (Grade KA).  All is well with mom and baby and the rest of the family too. (Our children all are gifts of God—each one a blessing from the LORD, as heritage on us bestowed.  Psalm 127:3, BoP). May the Lord provide the VanIperens with all that they need as they raise their children in the fear of His Name.

A few items for your attention:

*The annual food drive for the West Lincoln Community Care Food bank continues until Friday, October 9, at which time, the goods will be delivered to, or picked up by Community.  Baskets have been set up in different locations in the school and are starting to fill up.  That is great to see. Thank you very much everyone for your consideration and participation in this act of service for the broader community.

*Thank you everyone for your cooperation with respect to pick-ups and drop-offs.  It is much appreciated by students and staff.

*Special Lunch:  The JCS Ladies Auxiliary is planning a Hot Dog Day for students and staff next week Friday, October 2.  Students in Grades K-3 will be provided with 2 hot dogs each, and students in Grades 4-8 with 3 hot dogs each.  Students and staff need to bring their own drinks. Thank you very much for this initiative Ladies Auxiliary. It will be much appreciated by parents, students and staff alike. Thank you for your consideration in organizing this early special event.  Proper protocols will be followed for preparing and serving the food.

*N.B.  School Calendar change:  We received word from ASC (Assisting the Special Child) that the EA/TA conference originally scheduled for December 4 has been changed to Friday, February 12. 

Reminders:

*From the Library: Please send back overdue books from last school year with your child/children as soon as possible. The librarians will appreciate it.   

*Parents are reminded that yearly eye tests are free until age 19.  It is recommended that children get tested yearly.

*Once again, we are participating in the Scholastic Reading Club.  This year, because of COVID-19, orders will be done differently.  Everything is to be done online, including payment, and the books that you order will be delivered to your home The school Teacher Class Code is RC242039.  If parents do not wish for the flyer(s) to be sent home, please let the school know and we will take you name off the list.

*We would like to remind parents that if they have any questions or concerns about the procedures and routines of the school to please contact the school either by telephone or by email as opposed to discussing questions and concerns via other means of communication, e.g. social media.  In this way, we can keep each other better informed about what is happening in and around the school.

*Picture day happened on Tuesday; however, only individual photos were taken.  The photographers are hoping to take class photos in the spring.

 Enjoy your weekend everyone and may the Lord grant you a blessed Sunday.  We hope to communicate with you again next week, D.V.                                  G. Hofsink

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Classroom News

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Kindergarten

A full week of kindergarten is complete.  The students did an excellent job with the fire drill this week. They were quiet leaving the building and didn’t even run in the hallway.  They have worked very hard on learning how to line up in fire drill order.  This week the students learned how to write the letter Aa and are able to spell the word the.  If you have a chance, ask your child to look in the books that they are reading to point out the word the, and the letters Aa/Ss.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are the favourite days here in kindergarten because the students are able to play on the playground!  A reminder that the food drive is happening this week, so please remember to send in non-perishable items for the food drive.  

Have a great weekend.  JB/NV

Grade 1

We are so happy to see all of the children make more regular appearances at school.  We have almost finished our first Math chapter and will have a test in the early part of next week.  The first Social Studies unit is also almost finished and Grade 1A will have a test on Wednesday or Thursday.  Bible notes will go home on Thursday.  Please read them over with your child (perhaps review a story they have missed due to an absence).  We will have a test on Friday.  Keep practising the sight words and spelling words each night.

Memory Work:  Psalm  79:5

Word Wall Words:  are, for, he, on was

Sight words:  for, or, has, have, you

Grade 2

We have finished another week of school already! We are thankful to have most of the students back in the classroom! The numbers are looking better with only a few absent each day! This week we wrote another Bible quiz and will begin the next unit on Jesus’ early ministry. We have added to our math fact collection with the plus 1 facts! Please continue to practice at home. Science continues to be the favourite subject! This week we learned how important it is to have strong bones! Have a great weekend! LS/BV

Memory Work: Psalm 86:4

Text: Names of the Apostles

Spelling Words: rain, school, house, does, people

Grade 3

Comment t’appelles tu? et, Comment “ça va? The children are able to begin a conversation in French! Très bien!! In Church History, we are listening to the story about how John Eliot, a weak and sinful man, was able to bring the gospel to “the Red Man”. The children are enjoying the novel Sarah, Plain and Tall. In Social Studies, we looked at the inside of a sod house and log cabin and learned about how to make tallow. Just an early heads up, we hope to have a Pioneer Dress Up day at the end of October. Stay tuned! Joan Miró is an artist who loves to use shape and line. We are enjoying using his art to make our own art. We will have our first spelling review. Do your best studying, boys and girls. Remember to bring a filled water bottle to school every day. Have a wonderful weekend and blessed Sunday. MP/JB

Memory work: Ps. 50:1; Books of the OT

Spelling words review: again, because, could, favourite, have, into, off, people, said, they, until, very, want, who

Library on Thursday, Mission $ on Friday

Grade 4

We are so happy that almost everyone is back in the classroom. We are zooming right along in math and science. Count on a test in both this week! We will begin our studies of Saul and later David as King in Bible. Please continue to review math facts for our drill work. Students should be reading minimum 20 minutes daily from chapter books at home. Please encourage this habit, as it helps with comprehension, writing and reading fluency. 

Spelling Unit 4: tea, cars, need, ocean, whale, net, clear, watch, deep, feel, hear, chest, sea, free

Wed: Math Test Place Value 4A/B

Fri: Science Test Light 4B/ Sound 4A, Spelling Unit 4

Memory Work: Hymn 25:1, Bible Mem. Psalm 32:1-2, next week Hymn 13:1-2

Grade 5

We have had a very productive week here in grade 5 with very few absences! We are thankful that God has granted good health this week and pray that He will allow this to continue. We are learning about Jesus’ time on earth in His early years in our Bible lessons. Our first unit of math about place value is about to wrap up and we hope to have a test early next week.  In our World of Literature classes, we are reading short stories about what it means to do a good job.  We hope you have a restful weekend with family and friends and a blessed Sunday! RK/KVL

Grade 6

As the week went on we gained more students and in 6A we rejoiced that we had our entire class on Thursday. May the LORD continue to bless us as we strive to use our talents and gifts to praise Him. Ask your child about the variety of creatures that we watched and learned about this week. We were amazed at how God created them in such a special way to have the ability to ‘fly’. In Church History we continue to learn about how God preserved His church during the years 400 and 500 AD. The students should be able to tell you about what happened during that time in history. Have a blessed weekend. SO/CV

Grade 7A

The students in Grade Seven “A” continue to adapt to new routines and expectations. They have adjusted well to the plethora of quizzes and small evaluation/assessment forms that they receive. These quizzes review material that was just taught and are often low order thinking in nature. Please ask your child how they are doing and if requested please email me, theodore.witten@johncalvinschool.com, for a report of their marks. Thank you for helping your child find a book related to their Independent Study topic. Your child will read this book and report on it. In History we will learn about fur traders and missionaries in New France. In Science we will work with forces and failures and a stable table. Bible History will show us how the LORD gave Israel exactly what they wanted through King Saul, a king like the other nations. If your child has a ukulele at home, ask them to play and maybe even sing, “You Are My Sunshine”. Enjoy your weekend.  

Grade 7B

In Bible History, we saw this week how Israel asks for a king. Next week, we will see that the LORD gives them what they ask for and how that works out for them. In Language Arts, we continue with our short stories, focusing on defining character. In History, we move from the founding of Canada to the beginning of the fur trade and the first missionaries in Canada. We have moved on to finding a book in Independent Study. Students are expected to have a book by Tuesday, either from their local library or from any other resources. Have a good weekend!

Grade 8

As we close our third week of school, it was a joy to finally have a day with full student attendance! In this past week we concluded our brief unit on the Intertestamental Period with a unit test on Friday. A few quizzes were also assigned this week in both Science and L.A. In P.E. we began our soccer unit in earnest and will continue that for the foreseeable future as the weather allows. In other news we were able to begin our Supplementary Math program this week and students have settled into their new Math routines. In Science students worked with microscopes all week while in History we watched as the Fathers of Confederation moved the country from responsible government to confederation. Don’t forget to sell those soup greens! Have a blessed weekend! Cheers, Mr. J & Miss. P