General News

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The purpose of John Calvin School is to assist and support parents in the education of their covenant children to the glory of God.  In accomplishing this mission, the vision of John Calvin School is to provide excellent Christ-centered education in service to God and our neighbour.

Greetings parents, grandparents, and other members of the supporting community on this cloudy, cool third day of fall; a day or so after some pretty significant rainfall in the area.  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. 

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those in our community who need the Lord in a special way, whether they are grieving the recent death of a loved one, coping with serious illness or are dealing with difficult or challenging family circumstances; in particular we think of Melvin and Ashley DeBoer (Ryeanne- 7A, Kayden- 6B, Macen- 4B, Levi- 2B, Addisyn- KA).  Their father and grandfather DeVries passed away last weekend.  May the Lord comfort the family with his love and grace.

Mr. Hofsink is planning to attend the National Principals’ Conference scheduled for September 29 – October 1 at the Muskoka Bible Center, which is located about fifteen minutes south of Huntsville on Mary Lake.  In his absence, the vice-principals (Miss Buist and Mr. Joosse), and the office administrators (Mrs. Elgersma and Mrs. D’Addazio) will look after administrative matters.

A few items for your attention:

*As mentioned in the previous Chronicle, here’s another installment of one of the service tasks for the JCS Service Teams.  This week it is the turn for the Mission Money Team (Grade 2).  The Mission Money Team is responsible for collecting money every week on Fridays to provide support for the children or organization that JCS sponsors.  This year the Grade 2 class is collecting money for children that the school sponsors through Word and Deed and CRWRF.  What a blessing it is that we have the means and opportunity to help those in need in other places of the world.  May the Lord continue to bless the efforts of the school and the Mission Money Team in this act of service and support.  It is great that the younger students can be involved in these service opportunities in and around the school.

While on the topic of service leadership teams, here is the announcement one more time from the School Spirit Team so you can write it on your home calendars:  John Calvin School is hoping to reschedule 80’s dress-up day for October 28th.  Pull out your old neon shirts, bandana hair ties, tease the hair (i.e. Big Hair), and join in our fun!  We’ll include another reminder as the event comes closer.

*The government’s return-to-school policy allows for the resumption of field trips.  The JCS policy includes the same.  Several grades are planning field trips to various locations.  One of the stipulations at many field trip destinations is that students and adults need to wear a face mask.  Even though many students are exempt from wearing a mask at school, they will have to wear one at the field trip venue (if it is required).  If they are exempt for a medical reason, then a note explaining the reason needs to accompany the student to the field trip venue.  Thank you for your attention to this matter.    

*The annual food drive for the West Lincoln Community Care Food bank continues until Friday, October 8.  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.

*A good chunk of the chocolate money is in; however, there is still more that needs to be returned.  Let’s strive to get that in by the end of next week so that we can wrap-up the fundraiser by the end of the month.  Again, thank you to all the children in Grades 4-8 who sold chocolate for their hard work in this fundraising venture for their field/class trips.  

*Thank you everyone for you cooperation with respect to pick-ups and drop-offs.  It is much appreciated by students and staff.  Perhaps you have noticed that the pylons have been rearranged on the driveway between the church and school.  This rearrangement still allows for the safe passage of students into and out of the school, but also gives vehicles access to the church and the parking lot.

*In lieu of the cancelled soccer tournament, a mini-tourney has been organized with three other schools (ACRES, Bellstone and Hope).  On October 4, the boys’ teams from the four schools will be playing on the two fields at JCS, and the girls’ teams will be playing on the two fields at ACRES.  It is great that we were able to pull something together for the students in the intermediated grades.  For the games at JCS, the teams will be playing from 8:00 – 10:00, 10:30 – 12:00, with the final game at 1:10.  The participating schools have decided that no spectators will be permitted at the games; other than parent drivers.

*Horse Week:  We are planning our first theme week from October 13-15.  We are looking forward to a fun-filled week learning more about this popular animal.  Here are some of our preliminary plans for the three days:  

• Presentation by Mr. J.W. Jonker, a horse farmer and a brother to Mrs. Gansekoele, on the Friday.

• Doing a Bible search for passages about horses.

• Dress-up as a cowboy, cowgirl, rancher, or a horse on the Friday.

• Learning more about the history of horses, care for horses, etc.

• If anyone has any horse paraphernalia that we can borrow for the week, please drop it off at the school anytime between now and October 13.

• Read a good horse book during the week, e.g. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry, The Black Stallion by Walter Farley

Reminders:

*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. We are considering having class pictures taken in-house. Once we determine what that will look like, we will let you know.

*Due to inclement weather on Wednesday, the first Fire Drill took place this morning.

*You are invited to join us for the Thanksgiving Assembly on Thursday, October 7 (please note the change in date) beginning at 1:45 p.m. in the school gym. Mrs. deVisser will be leading the assembly.

*The annual Guido De Bres invitational cross-country meet for LCRSS elementary schools is tentatively scheduled for Friday, October 8.  Grades 5&6 are also training for the Golden Horseshoe Invitational Cross Country meet scheduled for Thursday, October 14.  The plan is for students from Grades 7&8 to participate in this meet as well.  The cross-country teams have a practice at Southward Park on Tuesday, September 28 during the lunch hour. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone and may the Lord grant you a blessed Sunday.  I hope to touch base with you again in a fortnight, D.V..  Next week, one of the vice-principals will look after the general news insert for the Chronicle.  G. Hofsink

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Classroom News

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Kindergarten

Another week is complete in the kindergarten classroom and it was a week of many firsts for the students. The first picture day, the first library day and the first fire drill! The students did all amazing with all of the new changes!  Well done kindergarten!  The school is participating in a food drive and the students are encouraged to send in non-perishable items for the food drive.  Next week we will be starting to learn about the life of Abraham in our Bible stories and how the Lord established His covenant with Abraham. We also will be starting a new math unit on patterns. On Wednesday, we will have our first colour day: RED! The students are encouraged to wear clothes that are red and to eat snacks that are red. The students are also welcome to bring in one red item for show and tell! Have a great weekend everyone!  JB/SV

Grade 1

Students have written their first test this week and they did quite well with the procedure.  Next week we hope to have a Bible Test (probably on Tuesday).  Students will come home with a package of Bible notes on Monday.  It is very helpful if you read them over with the children to help prepare for the test.  With all of the wet weather we have had this week, many students have used their extra pair of socks (and some have used our extras too).  Please remember to repack the extras (and return ours) after laundry day. We would like to take this opportunity to make two more reminders:  First, please do not send your child to school with any nut products (that includes Nutella).  We have children and adults who will have anaphylactic reactions when they come into contact with nuts.  Please also stick to the schedule for warm up lunch days.  There isn’t time to warm up more than 4- 5 lunches per day and still have time to eat it before it is time to go outside.

Memory Work:  Psalm 79:5   Genesis 1: 1, 31a

Grade 2

This week in Grade 2, the students completed another Bible quiz. We review daily in class, and the students are always well prepared for the quiz. This has also been seen in the results! In Science this week, we learned about taking care of our bones since they are part of God’s design for our body. The students marveled at how God made bones so that they can heal themselves. We also began learning about our joints, and how they help our bodies to move. In our math next week, we hope to begin the second unit which focuses on addition, and various strategies to add numbers together. Practising math facts at home will help your child to learn these concepts with greater ease. Please check that your child’s backpack has extra socks in it still after the rain we’ve had this week! Have a wonderful weekend! BV/RG

Grade 3

We have switched from Bible to Church History and are thoroughly enjoying the stories about John Eliot in New England, some 400 years ago. God uses weak and sinful people to bring about His plan. Sarah Plain and Tall keeps us busy learning about what it was like to live like pioneers and about character traits each person has. We have begun a new unit in P.E. with soccer skills in mind. In Art, we are enjoying creating semi-abstract people using the talents of Joan Miro the artist. Enjoy reading the library books, boys and girls! Keep library books safe! When you return them, please place them in a plastic bag. Wishing you a blessed weekend.

Memory work: Ps. 50:1   Text: Gen. 12:1-3 (two weeks)

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

Thursday: Library, Friday: Mission $

Grade 4

Bible Trivia: What language did the Israelites of the Bible times speak? Let your teacher know if you know the answer 🙂 We continue our work with the various subject areas in Grade 4. A few things to note for the coming week:

Monday: Grade 4B Math Quiz

Thursday: Grade 4A Sound Science quiz/Grade 4B Light Science Quiz

Friday: Hymn 25:1/T: Psalm 32:1-2/Lesson 4 Spelling Test: tea, cars, need, ocean, whale, net, clear, watch, deep, feel, hear, chest, sea, free

Upcoming Memory Work: Hymn 13:1&2

Grade 5

We could enjoy another week in good health at school and for that we are thankful! We continue to learn about Jesus’ early years on Earth and how the people were being prepared for His coming. The students have made many connections to our Roman Social Studies unit!  We are still working through our first chapter of the math textbook but Grade 5A can expect a test later in the week.

The devotions schedule for Grade 5B is as follows: M. Evelyn, Tu. Reece, W. Tara, Th. Lilly, F. Victoria.  Have a lovely weekend!  RK/KVL

Grade 6

The students are learning a number of new words. They should be able to explain transubstantiation, perspective, and streamlined to name a few. We were amazed again at our amazing creator as we had the inside of a bat’s wings explained to us. Ask the students what makes this creature’s wings so unique. They should also be able to explain how a dragonfly’s wings work. As they participated in the leaf and seed activity, they were able to explain what helped the items to ‘fly’ . Have an enjoyable weekend and a blessed Sunday. IDV/CVA

Grade 7A

This past week in Science we have learned about structural efficiency and about forces. God’s creation had much to teach about structural efficiency, especially the rhinoceros beetle. The LORD has listened to His people’s request for a king just like all the other nations and will use the kingship of Saul a s a teaching moment. Our Soccer unit in P.E. will end with scrimmage games; please ask your child if they are participating in the cross country run and representing JCS on Oct. 8. Students are encouraged to locate a book for their Independent Study; this process is not meant to be arduous for students and parents alike; consider the inter library lending program as well as purchasing used books on line. All the best in the hunt for that book. Enjoy your weekend. 

Grade 7B

As we officially entered Fall this past week, the weather too began to reflect the season. This week in Gr. 7 we searched for books for our Independent Study. Deciding on a book is the easy part. Reading it through is a whole other matter! In Geography we concluded the week with a discussion on landform patterns throughout creation while in History we saw the different European nations begin to divide up the new world amongst themselves. Have a blessed weekend! Cheers, Mrs. Ludwig & Mr. J

Grade 8

It’s hard to believe that we are already into week 4 at school. We are looking at doing Unit 2 in Bible and in Math. Students do have multiple teachers this year due to rotary scheduling, we encourage you to remind your child that any missed work is his or her responsibility. 

Tues: Bible Test, Resubmit Art folder

Wed: French Quiz Family Vocabulary

Fri: Science Test

Memory work: Psalm 14:2, John 1: 8 – 14 (for next week