Hello Families, 

Happy spring! We are now fully into May and everyone is happy to know that the better weather is here. There are so many great things happening outdoors these days. I can’t believe we are heading into our last two months of school. There are already so many fun things on the go.

See below for this week’s update. 

Have a great week!

Last week’s highlights include:

• Math Mania- This was a great open house in which each classroom highlighted their learning in math and numeracy skills and challenged their parents to logic puzzles! You can see a full blog post here: https://southnelson.sd8.bc.ca/blog/math-mania-hits-south-nelson
• Gr. 4/5 Art Starts Stop Motion project: Our Gr. 4/5 classes continued their learning in partnership with Art Starts artist, Brian Lye. They are learning the basics of storytelling, stop motion and animation. We look forward to their final projects about the motions of the earth and moon in the next few weeks!
• Gr. 2/3’s Puppet shows – The Gr. 2/3 students have been learning about space. To demonstrate their learning, they have been working on writing puppet shows! Some students are doing shadow puppets, others are making puppets out of various materials. Their shows are very informative and fun! 
• Writing workshops – Our primary classes have been working through writing workshops. They have been using class materials and objects to create an imaginative scene. Then, they are learning how to turn their scenes into an interesting story! There is a lot that goes into a story line, development of character and setting. So many ideas abound!
• Outdoor explorations – 
  
  • The Columbia Basin Environmental Educators Network (CBEEN) did an exploration with our Gr. 2/3s out at Cottonwood Lake. An outdoor specialist, educator and storyteller came out with them to learn about environmental awareness. They took a forest walk, learned how to find the age and health of a tree, and made recycled paper with marigold seeds. 
  • Our Gr. 4/5s also did a forest excursion with Wildsight BC in the local forest around the school. They spent time in the forest practicing mindfulness, had the opportunity to barefoot hike, watercolour paint by the creek, create nature art out of found objects, and journal. Students had time to slow down and be inspired by the environment around them 
• Other environmental learning – Many classes continue their explorations around the neighbourhood and exploring our natural environment. In addition, there is much learning in the classrooms about environmental issues and sustainability. 
  
  • The Gr. 2/3’s are learning about water conservation and had a walk to the local water reservoir. They learned about how this supports our community.  
  • The primary classes are hatching butterflies. Their first butterfly emerged from it’s chrysalis this week! 
  • You can see Ms. Lehnert’s Outdoor blog post here: https://southnelson.sd8.bc.ca/blog/mrs-lehnerts-class-learning-and-nature
• Canadian artist inquiry projects – Our Gr. 4/5s have been working on learning how to replicate the style of Canadian artists. They are learning about design, style and purpose. They researched an artist of their choice, identified elements of their style, and created their own piece of artwork following their style. Come by to have a look at their wonderful art installation - there are some really beautiful pieces of art!
• Student teachers – Our student teachers are now well established in their classrooms and doing their full time teaching. Big thanks to our mentor teachers for supporting them in their professional growth!

A few pieces of information/reminders for you:

1. Just a reminder when you are dropping off/picking up your child(ren), please pull up in front of the yellow pilons outside of the school. The yellow pilons are there to make room for the busses we have coming through. Thanks for your assistance!
2. Talent show this week! We look forward to seeing you there. There are two showings – one at 1:30, the other at 5:30. There will be baked goods available for sale at the evening show. All proceeds will go towards the West Kootenay Eco Society 

Some upcoming dates (you can also find these posted on our calendar: https://southnelson.sd8.bc.ca/events/calendar)

1. May 7 – PAC meeting (6:30pm in the library)
2. May 8 – Welcome to K (9-11am)
3. May 9 – Bake sale (during the day and at the Talent Show)

Talent show (two showings: 1:15pm and 5:30pm)

4. May 10 – Indigenous Field Games
5. May 15 – Arche Brasil Music Performance (9am)

-Come Read with Me (K families) 12:30-2:30

6. May 17 – District Pow Wow
7. May 20 – Victoria Day (No School)
8. May 27 – ProD Day (No School)
9. May 30 – Carboard Box Arcade
10. May 31 – Gr. 4/5 Track and Field

***Mark your calendar for June 6 Family Fun Night! 

Family learning resources: 

Did you know that May 6-12 is Mental Health week in Canada? Telus Health is a great provider of Mental Health awareness. Here is some info:

May 6-12 is Mental Health Week in Canada. Accordingly, in this month’s newsletter, we are putting a spotlight on mental health and focusing on children. 

As parents and caregivers, we strive to ensure our children have the nourishment they need to grow to be healthy adults. While well-balanced nutrition and physical activity are important, mental health is equally essential. Learn how TELUS Health can help you support your child’s mental wellbeing.

Here is a link to their article on “Advocating for your child’s mental health”

https://go.telushealth.com/en-ca/heartbeat-hub/advocating-for-your-childs-mental-health?utm_source=heartbeat&utm_medium=email&utm_content=may_ca-en

Here is a link to their article on “Childhood Depression”

https://go.telushealth.com/en-ca/heartbeat-hub/childhood-depression?utm_source=heartbeat&utm_medium=email&utm_content=may_ca-en

Finally, discover helpful information on various topics related to mental health at their microsite — Promoting mental wellness to family and friends

Have a great week!

Mrs. Snell