Outdoor Kindergarten

 

 

 

• Monday, June 25: Crescent Beach
  • Drop off and Pick up at the end of Beecher St. near the Red Baron Ice Cream shop. Students should dress for the weather and beach play, have walking shoes as well as water play shoes, a towel and extra clothes. Of course, pack a lunch and water. Parents and siblings are welcome to join us.
• Tuesday, June 26: Fort Langley Community Park picnic. A sign-up sheet is on the classroom door. Please drop off your item Tuesday morning at the classroom. Thanks to Mrs. Unger for bringing a portable BBQ for hotdogs! Parents are welcome to join us for food and games from 11:30-1:00, then back at school we’ll end with an Outdoor Ed year-end slide show at 2:00.
• Wednesday, June 27: At Fort Langley Elem. Clean-Up day! Send an extra bag for bringing home school work, supplies and shoes.
• Thursday, June 28: Final day for students. Farewell Assembly at 9:30 – parents welcome. Early dismissal at 11:38 AM.

It has been a tremendous privilege to be your children’s kindergarten teacher. I appreciate the trust families have placed in this new approach to education, and in me. I wish everyone the best summer yet!

Mrs. St. Pierre

Today we enjoyed the rewards of caring for a garden. The potatoes were delicious and the toppings made them extra special. It turns out 252 potatoes are barely enough to feed 33 hungry K-2 students! Thank you to everyone who helped bring something. Students also enjoyed shaking rattles and drumming along with the Kwantlen Welcome Song before our feast.

Funny story to share – Helicopters often fly over us during our days in the parks. Once, early in fall, one student asked, ‘Is that Mr. Jackson coming to check on us?’ I said (fingers crossed behind my back) ‘Of course it is! He’s making sure you’re being safe and respectful.’ Ever since that day, we always wave and say ‘Hi, Mr. Jackson!’ whenever a helicopter flies by. So as a farewell gift, each student drew Mr. Jackson in his helicopter and imagined what he may have been saying to us as he flew over. I put them all together into a little book for him and today a few students presented it to Mr. Jackson. He loved it! I feel very fortunate to have been teaching in this new program with the support of such a fantastic principal.

• We’re at the park Mon, Tues and Wed. It should be warm so send water shoes, a change of clothes and a towel in case we cool down in the creek.
• Tuesday, we will be doing a Bioblitz, which is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. We’ll be joined by staff from Langley Environmental Partners and Mr. Avelar – many thanks for your help!
• Thursday, we will have a chance to use the giant WILD Migration Map, a free resource that travels to schools. It’s a huge map of North America that rolls out on the gym floor, with lessons about endangered species migration routes. I’m sure students will love running around pretending to be migrating butterflies, birds and caribou!
• Friday, there will be a substitute. I will be taking the day off to attend my daughter’s high school graduation events. It seems like just a few minutes ago she was graduating from Kindergarten!

Enjoy the Father’s Day weekend!

Looking ahead to the final week:

• Monday, June 25: Crescent Beach
• Tuesday, June 26: Fort Langley Community Park picnic. A sign-up sheet will be ready soon. Please drop off your item Tuesday morning at the classroom. If anyone would like to offer to set up a portable BBQ and cook hotdogs, that would be fabulous! Otherwise, we’ll enjoy a cold picnic of veggies, fruit, sandwiches, chips and goodies. Parents are welcome to join us for food and games from 11:30-1:00, then back at school we’ll end with an Outdoor Ed year-end slide show at 2:00.
• Wednesday, June 27: At Fort Langley Elem. Clean-Up day! Send an extra bag for bringing home school work, supplies and shoes.
• Thursday, June 28: Final day for students. Farewell Assembly at 9:30 – parents welcome. Early dismissal at 11:36.

• Monday and Tuesday were wonderful days at the park. We visited our favourite places one last time for the school year, and found many slugs, caterpillars, frogs, bugs, flowers, berries and even snakes. It’s amazing to hear the kids talk about their favourite trees and trails as if they were old friends.
• Wednesday through Friday we are at the school. This extra day gives us a chance to get through some final assessments and lessons.
• It’s also time to harvest our potatoes!! We’ll dig them out and count them on Wednesday, clean them Thursday and cook and eat them Friday. If you signed up to bring something for our Potato Feast, please send it Friday morning and send enough to share with 40 people. There will be a few items left to sign up for on the classroom door Wednesday morning. Thank you for helping make our feast delicious!
• Early dismissal at 12:25 (Lunch bell) on Thursday for Outdoor K only. This is due to the Welcome to Outdoor K event in the library for the new kindergarten group. It seems like a blur since I met you all at that same event last year!
• Send any library books back that you still have at home. Our librarians are working hard on inventory and you can help by returning books or paying lost book fees. Home reading will continue until next week.

 

Last week we had 3 terrific days at Aldergrove – measuring, writing stories, pressing flowers, eating salmonberries, catching bugs and hiking. We returned to school and began raising Painted Lady caterpillars. So far, they just eat, eat, eat! They have already doubled in size! Our strawberries are ripening and our sunflowers have almost reached the top of our measuring strip.

 

 

 

 

Students practiced underhand throws and sportsmanship with Athletes in Action. Friday’s learning included making a button blanket after listening to the Aboriginal legend of Frog Girl. Then we got to see all kinds of exotic creatures with a surprise visit from Urban Safari.

Here is this week’s schedule:

• Monday, Tuesday – At the park.
• Wednesday – At the park, with a visit to the Langley Field Naturalists ‘Nature Barn’ exhibits.
• Thursday – Gym, music
• Friday – Sports Day! Wear your team colours, make or decorate a hat in your colour to be in the Hat Parade at 9:10. Game stations go all day except for a break in between recess and lunch for Kindergartens. No library book exchange.

 

 

We’re heading into the last month of kindergarten this week. The spring has gone by so fast! This week we’re in Aldergrove. It’s always exciting to explore a new park. Weather looks mild and a possibly a bit damp Tuesday/Wednesday. We’ll be focusing on movement of objects, measurement and story structure this week.

• Monday & Tuesday –  Park. Meet at the Picnic area (entrance on 8th Ave.).
• Wednesday – Park. Meet at the Bowl area (entrance on Lefeuvre Rd).
• Thursday – Outdoor games with Action Schools, music
• Friday – Library (please return all books, no new books will be taken out). Activities with our Aboriginal Support Teacher.

Upcoming parent/guardian participation opportunities: mark your calendars!

• June 8 – Sports Day – just come out to watch and cheer!
• June 19 – Bioblitz at Williams Park – we’d love a couple of helpers who can bring binoculars and field guides as we try to find and identify as many living things as possible. More details later.
• June 25 – Crescent beach – Join us for the day at the beach. Siblings welcome. We’ll be organizing parent drivers for carpooling.
• June 26 – Picnic and year-end celebration at Fort Langley Community Park – Join us from 12:00 to 1:30 for a shared picnic/bbq lunch at the park.
• June 28 – Meet at the classroom for a slide show of our year before early dismissal.

Last week we learned what makes the forest at Trinity Western a special home for salmon.

Later last week, the learning inspired by fairies was delightful and varied – writing questions to fairies, designing and making fairy houses, reading fairy poems and stories, counting fairy treasures and more. I hope your child was enchanted by the fairy magic.

Tuesday, May 22 – Field trip to the Pencil Patch Learning Garden. The school bus arrives at 9:00 AM. so please be on time for the first bell (8:51 AM). Please pack a snack and water bottle, hat and sunscreen and closed-toe shoes for the field trip. Lunch will be back at the school and afternoon activities will be outside on school grounds.

Wednesday, May 23 – At the school, with outdoor activities on school grounds.

Thursday, May 24 – At the school – gym and music, Talent Show assembly.

Friday, May 25 – At the school – library, aboriginal beading workshop, and math games day 2:00. Last one of the year! All parents/guardians welcome.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the terrific Moms out there!

Monday, May 14 – K class only will be attending Salmon in the Valley, an all-day program at Trinity Western University. Please drop off and pick up your child just inside the front gate, near the pond. We will wait for those who might be late due to Gr. 1/2 siblings at the school. Please send extra water, hat and sunscreen since it will be a scorcher tomorrow.

Tuesday and Wednesday – At the park for Fairy theme activities.

Thursday and Friday – At the school. Talent show forms due Thursday if your child wants to participate. Please return Pencil Patch permission forms and pay online fee. Thanks!

Next week: There is no school on Monday, May 21. Enjoy your long weekend! Tuesday, May 22 we take the school bus to the Pencil Patch Learning Garden. Please be on time. Parents who volunteered are welcome to join on the bus or meet us there by car. All students will ride the bus.

Outdoor K is NOT joining the other K’s for early dismissal on May 25th. We will have early dismissal on June 14 so new families can come for a Welcome to Outdoor K session.

Community Events:

• Glen Valley Watershed Society spring bird count:  Saturday, May 19, meeting at 6:30am at Poplar Bar (River Rd at Lafeuvre Rd).  Bird count is followed up with a potluck at noon back at the park, birders of all skills and abilities are welcome!

•  Festival of the Bees:  Saturday, May 26 from 10-2pm at the Derek Doubleday Arbouretum

Celebrate the official Opening Day of the Langley Demonstration Garden and explore the wild world of bees and pollination at Langley’s first ever Festival of the Bees!

Meet a variety of bee-wise folks who will educate and inspire, including Campbells Gold and the Honeybee Centre.

This free, kid-friendly event will include honey tasting, beeswax candle making, seed bomb creating, mason bee house making, a plant sale, face painting, a seed swap, live music and more!

Wear a costume! Bees, butterflies, flowers and other springtime costumes are encouraged.

Join us for fun family event celebrating our amazing pollinators! Refreshments available by donation.

Event will take place rain or shine, with plenty of covered space. No registration required.

 

*Please send a small yogurt, pudding or fruit cup to use in a planting project on Monday.

**Please return signed permission forms for our Pencil Patch Field Trip and pay using school cash online. Indicate on the form if you are available to come along as a parent helper. Paper copies are also available at the classroom if you didn’t receive one on Friday in your child’s mailbag. Thanks!

• Low Risk Permission form
• Pencil Patch letter

Monday – At FLE, due to the Fire Safety House tours for the Grade 1/2 class only. K’s will do some gardening outside.

Tuesday & Wednesday – Be sure to send enough drinking water, this park has non-potable water only. At the park this week, our theme is plants – we’ll be focusing on their parts and how it helps the plant survive. We’ll also begin our measurement unit in math.

LEPS educators will present Botany Basics at the park on Wednesday morning.

Thursday – Music, Gym, Early Dismissal at 1:30 for Collaboration.

Friday – Owl Lady Wildlife Presentation, Library

Monday, May 14 – Looking ahead a bit, next Monday, the K class only will be attending Salmon in the Valley, an all-day program at Trinity Western University. Please drop off and pick up your child just inside the front gate, near the pond. We will wait for those who might be late due to Gr. 1/2 siblings at the other park. We would welcome a parent helper or two to assist with supervision since we will be without our buddy class. Let me know if you can stay for part of the day! Thanks!

I can hardly believe that May is here! April went by so fast. This week we will be looking at a local animal in more detail: beavers. These animals have a lot in common with our K students – hard working, energetic, family-oriented and cute!

This is also a short week for students, with a professional day on Friday, May 4th. Our school staff will gather to work on our school math goal and meaningful ways to use technology for learning.

Monday, April 30 – At the park. Send rain gear just in case since we are no longer able to use the campground shelter.

Tuesday, May 1 – Walk to beaver lodge viewing tower from the park. Pick up is at the end of the trail on Billy Brown Rd. at 2:45 (at the star).

Wednesday, May 2 – At the park.

Thursday, May 3 – FLE. Assembly at 11:00 AM. Music and Gym.

Friday, May 4 – No school for students.

Here’s a lovely little message and video from Jane Goodall from Google’s Doodle which I think will resonate with many of our families on Earth Day.  Cheers for all you do to keep our planet beautiful for your children’s future!

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: At the park.

Thursday: Gym, Music, Hot lunch (Panago)

Friday: Crazy Hair Day (School Spirit), Math Games Day 2:00 (Parents/Guardians/Grandparents welcome)

Read below a message from Ms Harder and I about warm weather gear:

Dear Families,

We are in the home stretch now until the end of the school year. Hopefully the weather begins to get nicer and we see some warmer, sunnier days. I know we are all looking forward to that. With the warmer weather brings different gear necessities. I have included some other things to think about packing.

• Gear: Towel: Again it is always good to have two hand towels in the student bags. A damp one, for quick wiping off of hands and one dry one. The dry one is help for not only drying off hands but also warming up if it is a chilly day.
• Long sleeves and pants: Though it is very tempting to be in shorts and t-shirts, when we are in the forests there are bugs and branches. It is helpful if the students come in lightweight pants and long sleeve shirts. This helps prevent bug bites and cuts and scrapes.
• Water: Water is always a good idea but even more so in the warmer days.
• Sunscreen: It is good to layer before coming to school and adding into the backpack so that students can re-apply during the day. A cream type sunscreen is best as it is easy for kids to put on themselves.
• Water shoes: Parks like Williams Park allows for exploration in the low river during the Spring/Summer months. Water shoes are an option for the days we visit the park.
• Insect spray: This has a time and a place but must be used safely: link: health-canada/insect-repellents
• Students are always encouraged to wear the gear they come to school with. Individual preferences and weather allow for some flexibility but the gear helps students stay comfortable and safe at school. (i.e. please have a discussion with your child about whether you want to allow them to remove their splash pants or not)