Bighouse letter to Grade 4 Parents

There is a small correction to the letter.  The correct days of the trip to the Bighouse are Wednesday October 23rd to Thursday the 24th, not Monday to Tuesday as stated on the paper copy.

An electronic copy is included below.

 BROOKSBANK ELEMENTARY Ph: 604-903-3280 Fax:604-903-3281 Brooksbank@nvsd44.bc.ca 

 11-Feb-2009 3300-99-21 Page 1 of 1 

 This is an important notice. Please have it translated. 

North Vancouver Outdoor School 

SKW’une-was Cultural History Program 

September 12, 2013 

Dear Parents/Guardians: 

The Grade 4 Social Studies curriculum introduces the cultures of the Coastal Salish Peoples. To enhance our students’ understanding of, and respect for these cultures, the North Vancouver School District created a supplemental immersion program to take place in a re-creation of a Squamish Bighouse, situated at our Outdoor School in Brackendale, B.C. By simulating as closely as possible the lifestyle and daily activities of Coast Salish Bighouse culture of pre-contact times, it is our expectation that the children will realize the rich and complex nature of this earlier society. 

The building of the Bighouse and the development of its curriculum has been possible because of a strong spirit of co-operation between the Squamish Nation and the School District. The immersion program is called Skw’une-was, the Squamish word for partnership, to acknowledge this. Since 1985, this program has continued to be a cooperative venture as Squamish people help us teach our students the importance of sharing, co-operation and respect for others and nature by inviting us to become a part of the Bighouse family and teaching us the traditional methods of gathering and cooking, weaving and fishing, and uses of cedar. 

We will need 6 parents to volunteer to be involved in this program. Please complete the form below and return it to Ms. Reichert or Mr. Clarke. Parents who volunteer must attend the Big House training session on Sept 21 or 22. They must also obtain a criminal record check from the RCMP (the school board will send you the forms, once it is confirmed that you are attending). 

There will be an important parent information meeting to review details of the trip on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 6:30 pm in Ms. Reichert’s class #104 Please plan to attend. If you are unable to attend, please direct any questions to Mrs. Reichert or Mr. Clarke. 

The children will travel to and from the Bighouse by bus. They will leave the school at 8:00 am on Wednesday, Oct. 23 and they will return to school on the following afternoon, Thursday, Oct. 24 at approximately 3:00 pm. 

In order to help with your planning, the cost per pupil will be $105.00. Permission and medical forms will be sent home at a later date. It is not necessary to send a cheque in until that time. 

We hope you are as excited by this opportunity to enrich our children’s experience as we are. 

Yours truly, 

L. Reichert 

P. Clarke 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Please return form to Ms. Reichert or Mr. Clarke by Monday, September 16, 2013 

□ I am interested in volunteering at the Big House on Oct. 23 - 24, 2013 and I am able to attend the Big House training on: 

□ Sat. Sep. 21 or □ Sun Sep 22 (Please check one) 

□ I am unable to volunteer at the Big House on Oct. 23 and 24, 2013 

□ I will be attending the parent information meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 6:30 

in Ms. Reichert’s classroom # 104 

__________________ ___________________ _______________________ 

Name of child                  Phone #                       Name of Parent Volunteering 

PLEASE PRINT 

Letter to Ms. Reichert

Hopefully you have seen the letter your child has written to me.  I have asked the children to edit their letters and type them by Friday.  Please help your child find and correct mistakes.  Encourage your child to expand his writing if you know he is capable of more.  Grade 4 students should type at least one paragraph and grade 5 students should type 2 or more.  Praise them for a good effort!

If for some reason you can't print the letter, you can send it on a memory stick, email it to a friend, or email it to me lreichert@sd44.ca

Thank you for your support. I'm looking forward to reading the letters.

Welcome to the New School Year!

It's only been a few days, but already I'm impressed with how the children are settling in.  A few parents have had a chance to drop by and introduce themselves.  Thank you.  Hopefully I'll meet everyone next Thursday at the Meet the Teacher evening.

Please read the following letter.

Letter to Parents

Dear Parents of Division 5 Students:

We’re off to a great start!  The energy and enthusiasm of the children is evident!  I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to a new school year and to provide you with some information I hope will be helpful to you.  

Our schedule looks like this.  We have gym time on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  On Mondays and Fridays we have Daily Physical Activity (DPA).  I do not expect the children to change if they are already wearing clothing that is appropriate for exercise, but they may if they choose to do so. Running shoes, a light shirt, and shorts or loose fitting or stretchy pants that do not drag on the floor are required.  Our library time is on Tuesdays, and the library is open for book exchange other days as well.  Music is on Mondays and Thursdays, Computer time is on Mondays, and Ipad time is on Fridays.

I feel that your child’s success can best be achieved by effective communication between parents and myself.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me as soon as possible via a note in the planner, (it is very important that your child then shows me the note), by telephone or by e-mail (lreichert@sd44.ca). We can then discuss the problem and solutions or arrange a time when we can meet to do this.  I am also happy to talk with you after school but please keep in mind that I am often busy with students for at least the first 10 minutes following dismissal and sometimes there are meetings scheduled after school.     

If you have information that will help me understand your child, such as health concerns, difficulties in the family, past problems at school (social and/or academic) that may affect your child’s ability to learn, please share this with me.  It enables me to understand and help your child.  All information will be kept confidential.

When possible, I would also like to know in advance of upcoming plans for family vacations etc. 

Assignments, due dates, and general reminders are written on the whiteboard.   Students are given class time to carefully copy the information from this board into their planners.  Parents are encouraged to look at the board as well.  Planners are checked from time to time, more regularly for students needing assistance with this.  I recommend parents check the planner regularly.  Students are expected to catch up as soon as possible after absences. If your child is absent, I encourage a parent or sibling to come to the classroom following dismissal and I will try to have missed work ready to go home.  After extended absences, I will help students come up with a plan to catch up.  

Homework will be assigned daily with class time usually given to complete at least some of it.   All students will benefit from reviewing previously completed work and all should read at least 15 minutes daily.  Occasionally, projects will be assigned that are to be completed over a period of time.  Students will be given an outline of how this can best be accomplished.  From time to time your child may not be able to complete homework (because he/she is not feeling well, he/she is having trouble understanding a question, there is no time for homework due to a special family event etc.) When this happens, please write a short note in the planner to let me know.  If homework is not completed and no note of explanation is provided, a homework notice may be sent home to be signed by a parent.  If homework is regularly not completed I will contact the parents, and together with the student we can set up a plan to solve the problem. 

Duo tangs are expected to be kept neat, complete, and organized.  Scribbling on the covers is not acceptable.  However, students have been told they may decorate their “Doodles and Stuff” duo tang covers with appropriate drawings, stickers etc.  All students’ possessions should be clearly labelled.  Any valuables should be left at home.

Finally I would like to remind you that your child’s attitude is the most important determinant of his/her success.  You can help foster a positive attitude by showing that you feel positively about school.  This can be done by discussing your child’s day, showing an interest in his/her work and pride in the effort, checking the planner and the assigned homework as needed, discussing your child’s weekly goals, (often written in their planners) stopping by to look at art work etc., coming to me with concerns, volunteering to accompany the class on field trips, and so on.

 If  you are able and willing to volunteer in the classroom or drive for field trips, please complete the forms ASAP.  This will make the planning process much easier for the office staff and me and ensure special events can take place.  Thank you!

Our classroom has a website.  From time to time I will post photos etc.  Quizzes and tests, special assignments, and reminders will also be posted.  The website can be reached via the school website or directly:

lreichertbrooksbank.blogspot.ca

I hope this information answers at least some of your questions.  Please feel free to ask any additional questions as they arise. 

Let’s work together to  make this a great

year! 

Sincerely, 

L. Reichert