April Newsletter

Class Information for 2008-2009

At this time of year, many people are starting to wonder about class sizes and distribution for the upcoming school year.  We are pleased to be able to provide some information at this

time . . .click here.

Congratulations!

We would like to congratulate a number of our students for their achievements over the last several weeks.

more . . .

Scrapbooking Club

We've been cutting up a storm in Mme Neufeld's classroom over the noonhour. It's exciting to see the creative work and interesting memory scrapbooks that the Grade 3 and 4's are producing in this extra-curricular activity. 

We learned how to mount photos, make borders and write captions to keep our special memories alive forever. 

What a great winter activity!

Our New Play Structure

Constructions to begin this spring.

iPods now in the Classroom at VW

Mme Stewart's class has the latest in listening centres – iPods loaded with audio books.  Listening centres have always been a part of a good literacy program.  If the iPods centres work well, more will be purchased for each Early Years classroom.

The VW library is beginning to build a collection of audio books and has a vision of students from K-8 having access the ever expanding collection via iPod.

VW Information Evenings

There are two Parent Information evenings coming up on April 14th and May 1st.  Please come out and enjoy the speakers.

The Parent Council will also be holding the April Parent Council Meeting after the April 14th Information session.  It will take place at 8:00 pm.

more . . .

Breaking Ground

Planting and Installing Your Greening Project

One in a workshop series on designing healthy, natural spaces for discovery, learning and play.

Join us and discover how-to techniques and invaluable tips.

more . . .

Unicef Thanks VW

Van Walleghem School was sent a Certificate of Thanks from Unicef.  We raised a total of $578.93 in support of Schools for Africa.

This money will help in building or repairing 54 schools in Rwanda, Installing clean water sources at 293 schools, provide furniture, books and materials, and training 3,600 teachers.

Fall Classic

Interested in running, but not sure how to get started?  Or maybe you'd like the benefit of group motivation to help you reach your goals?

more . . .

Administration Message

We trust that you and your family enjoyed a wonderful spring break.  

Our first order of business is a big THANK YOU to the Parent Council. The staff was treated royally during staff appreciation and we are ever grateful for your generosity.  Further, the charity of the Van Walleghem Community was overwhelming as we collected over 954 kgs (2103 pounds) of food for Operation Donation as well as 600 litres of school supplies and soccer for the Operation CARE initiative (Canada Afghanistan Reading and Education).  

In academic news we are certainly proud of our Grade 6-8 Math teams who placed in the top 3 or 4 in the province of Manitoba. The competition is voluntary with many public and private schools competing for top placement.

In sports news, our Grade 8 basketball teams both did extremely well.  The boys won their championship game.  The girls went on to provincials and won a tough first game against Charleswood School; the girls finished among the top four teams in the province.  Badminton is well under way for Grades 7 and 8.   Soon our younger students will be lacing up their sneakers for Marathon Club.  Marathon Club starts up in mid-April and we expect to have well over 100 walkers and runners.

We hope to see you at the upcoming Parent Information Evenings!  On April 14, Dr McTavish will be making a presentation in the library about the HPV vaccination.  On May 1, the topic will be Social Networking Sites.  Sessions start at 7:00 pm and are held in the library. 

Last but not least, we would like to take a moment to say “welcome back” to Mme Tytanya Fillion who is returning from maternity leave.  Mme Fillion will be teaching the morning French Immersion Kindergarten class.  Mme Gilchrist will continue as the afternoon French Immersion Kindergarten teacher.

As always, we welcome your comments and questions.

Sincerely,

Brad Burns & Cintra Ragoonanan

Your Admin Team

French Speech & Poetry Recital

The French Immersion students had been practicing speech and poetry in the month of February. The students prepared their own speeches, or wrote their own poems in French and representatives from each class were chosen to present their work at a special assembly.

Each of the students received a book award from Mme Ragoonanan for their hard work.

Counsellor's Corner

It is hard to believe that spring is here already.  I hope that everyone had a wonderful Spring Break.  I heard many students talking about great adventures they would be going on.

Our Roots of Empathy baby, Maya, continues to grow and fill our school with smiles.  We are learning so much as we watch her move through milestones, it is also helping us learn to appreciate the small things and take care of each other. 

Peer Leaders have been on a break and are getting ready to come back full swing this April.  Keep your eyes out for them when you are outside during lunch recess and be sure to join in the games that you see.

I will end this with a short quote from Eda LeShan:

“Becoming responsible adults is no longer a matter of whether children hang up there coats or put dirty towels in the hamper, but whether they care about themselves and others – and whether they see everyday action as related to the kind of person they want to be .”

Library Links

Ace Burpee visits Van Walleghem.

I Love to Read at VW!  Read to Afghanistan was a huge success.  Students reached their reading goal of 10,561 kms. 

Planes were displayed around the school and the achievement was celebrated by all!

more . . .

Do you love to sing? Would you love to sing with others who share your passion for choral music? Pembina Trails Voices, Pembina Trails School Division's honour choirs program for talented choristers in K-12 invite you to consider auditioning for the 2008 – 2009 season. Audition packages will be available from your school office or your school's music specialist April 7. For detailed information about PTV, check the website at: http://www.pembinatrails.ca/program/pembinatrailsvoices