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SUPPORTING AND CELEBRATING SUCCESS! Education Week 2013
October 2013
AND FROM THIS CORNER... here’s how we celebrate success at se cornerstone Education Week 2013 Education Week at Maryfield School Below: Mrs. Ferguson reads to students during Education Week
Education Week 2013 acknowledges the leadership, creativity and teamwork of education professionals across the province. This is evident as our professionals support students through innovative teaching and learning techniques to satisfy the diverse needs of children across Saskatchewan, and to ensure that all students succeed and celebrate their individual successes. At the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, we value the continuous improvement and positive educational outcomes for our schools and our communities. Schools celebrated the week through activities such as book fairs, family fun nights, student appreciation days, breakfast for students and staff, anti-bullying presentations, motivational speakers and information sessions. Take the time to read some of the highlights from various schools across the division.
This year’s Education Week theme, Supporting and Celebrating Success, provided an opportunity to celebrate student success and recognize the dedication and commitment of education professionals. The theme highlighted the work that leaders, teachers, parents, and caregivers contribute to supporting our students in their effort to become successful. The week was full of activities including several exhibitions, volleyball games and the sr. girls’ tournament. The student council provided free muffins for all students, and students and staff enjoyed an energetic game of volleyball on Friday. The highlight of the week was the Family Reading Night. Nayme Ferguson, the new pre-K/K teacher read to the students. They were engaged in two books Mummy Math and Sir Cumference, which tied in well with our math improvement initiatives.
Above: Provincial Track gold medal winners
Open House Community Gathering at Wawota Parkland Staff, students, parents and community members gathered at the school to celebrate the beginning of an excellent school year! The evening began with introductions of staff members. The Provincial gold medal winning banners were presented to two students Shane K. and Brandon B. Both gentlemen achieved gold medal status at the Provincial Track and Field Meet in 2013. The crowd cheered loudly and gave a standing ovation to show their support and gratitude. This was a proud moment for our school to know these banners will be hung in the gym for decades to follow and how the boys represented their school in a positive manner! The rest of the evening was filled with PowerPoint presentations from administration, the SCC president and Canadian Parents for French Chapter in our community. School clothing was on display for ordering, students were highly engaged in movement activities in the gymnasium, students completed outcome based crafts and free food was provided for community members. The evening was a huge success and was well attended. Submitted
Celebrating Success is what we do at WCS Supporting and Celebrating Success is something the Weyburn Comprehensive School does very well and it was also the theme of this year’s Education Week. Parents were invited to purchase and have lunch with their children in the cafetorium. It was a wonderful ocassion as it may be one of the last opportunities for parents to eat in the old cafetorium before its closure and demolition. Our FIP and Alternate Education classes also prepared a poster display to showcase all the ways our school supports and celebrates success. 3
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Pay It Forward at Arcola School Students and staff eagerly celebrated Education Week through many initiatives, including “Pay It Forward”. Each staff, student and community member is to think and plan ahead a good deed; the recipient then pays the deed forward to someone else. The school found this a perfect way to celebrate and support each other. Additionally, through the school-wide Reading Buddies, high school students are paired with elementary school students and are required to read together and present a pictorial representation of their story. A powerful, annual event indeed!
Students take part in school-wide reading Buddies at Arcola School
supporting student success using sensory rooms Occupatational Therapists Angie Phenix and Jeanette McNalty shared with the Board of Education how they support student success and achievement through the use of sensory rooms across the Division. A sensory room is a space that houses sensory tools used by students in the school, is important for self-regulation and provides an atmosphere for students to be able to do sensory, gross motor or heavy work activities. Depending on the needs of each school, sensory rooms are tailored to ensure the right tools are provided for the students who require them. The sensory rooms are also adjusted depending on the needs of the student with a variety of creative strategies employed to make the students’ experience as beneficial as possible. Why sensory rooms? According to McNalty, sensory rooms have proven to be more beneficial for students in the division who function more effectively outside of the classroom with some external sensory regulation. In order to be regulated and available for learning, students need to have their sensory needs regulated, with some students requiring altering activities, while others need calming activities. Occupational Therapists within the Division assess fine motor skills, coordination, handwriting, visual motor and visual perception skills, sensory processing, classroom environment and individual or classroom referrals. The amount of visits by the student to the sensory room varies based on the level of external sensory regulation that is needed; visits are usually supervised and coordinated based on times which are least disruptive to the students’ schedule or when the student needs it most.
Celebrating in Comfort at Haig School If you have breakfast at home, you probably do it in your pyjamas most times. During “Comfy Clothes Day” at Haig School, parents, students and staff enjoyed a Pancake Breakfast, wearing pyjamas or comfy clothes. In keeping with the “Spirit Day” theme for October, the school hosted Pyjama/Comfy Clothes Day. It was a perfect morning as parents did not have to worry about getting students dressed or feeding them breakfast. It was an enjoyable event. Children’s Author Visit K-5 students enjoyed storytelling and artisitic talents of author Glenda Goertzen to begin Education Week. In anticipation of her visit, teachers had been reading to their students from her three award-nominated novels including “Miracle Dogs” inspired by Telemiracle. She encouraged her young audience to pursue their creative dreams as she herself had begun her career at age four by drawing picture books. Submitted
Assiniboia Raises Funds for Charity during Education Week School We celebrated Education Week at Assiniboia Park on the evening of October 22. This year’s theme was “Supporting and Celebrating Success”. We had a great evening which included a barbeque, math goal presentations and book fair. The school is grateful for the support and congratulates Cale M. (Gr. 3) and Ms. Lillejord for winning the Family Door Prize of $25.00 each in product from the Book Fair. The school library also earned $2053.07 in free books; proceeds from the barbeque and donations went to Jesse’s Journey, a charity that raises funds for Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy. A total of $406.20 was raised for Jesse’s Journey. Submitted
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AND FROM THIS CORNER... highlights-directors school visits 2013/2014 In the September issue of the newsletter, we featured the first two schools in the Director’s School Visits for the 2013/2014 school year.
Below left: Teacher assists student during a practical activity
This month, we travelled a bit closer to the Division office and spent the day with students at Queen Elizabeth School in Weyburn and ‘33’ Central School in Fillmore. Like the last school visit, students were eager to see the team, and exchanged formalities as we visited each classroom. The level of school spirit transcended beyond the academic setting, as students engaged in extra-curricular activities, some eager to show-off their expertise, others seemingly excited about the holistic approach to education and the opportunities presented for growth.
Above Right: Student completes assignment during Math session Below left: Dr. Casavant addresses students during class session
During the visit, the Director once again used the opportunity to view the physical plant and learn about the mathematics action plan. As a primary priority, SECPSD will focus efforts at the division, school and classroom levels to increase student achievement in Mathematics. The Division envisions that students will perform at or significantly above the provincial level in all grade levels at all standards of achievement, as measured by provincial assessment standards by the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Through the realignment of priorities to ensure consistent goals with the priorities of the Ministry, the creation of Math Action Plans, as well as professional development and workshop sessions, the Division is hoping to create common language and understanding among teachers and administrators. As the school year progresses, Dr. Casavant will visit other schools in the western region. Stay tuned for highlights about a school in your area! Below left: Students work on in-class activity
Above Right: The student who first provides the correct answer wins this game Below left: Talk about posture! Kung-Fu medalist greets Dr. Casavant.
Above Right: Students try to figure out the answer to a mathematical based question Below left: Older tech-savvy student shows younger student how to find his way around
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Above Right: Older student helps younger students with Math activity
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using the ‘dates’ approach to action research
what do you expect? Parent Engagement and Educational Expectations
One of the critical pieces in ensuring success and achievement for all students is parent involvement and engagement. Parent engagement affects student achievement and contributes to a higher quality of education and higher performance. The converse is true- a lack of parent engagement can have disastrous implications not only for the student and the school, but for society as a whole. It is said that the home is the first lesson ground and if our students are to be adequately prepared for the world around them, parent involvement and input are tantamount to success and productivity. A few weeks ago, I came across an article which spoke to the importance of educational expectations and I concluded that parent engagement and educational expectations work together for the ultimate success of the student. As a parent, I know we all want what is best for our children. In the Assessment Matters article, the writer alluded to the relationship between the support of the parent and the level of expectation they have for their child/ren. “All parents want what’s best for their children, but the support they provide varies significantly depending on the level of their expectations. If expectations are high, parents may encourage their child to take higher-level courses, provide help for homework and tests, assist in researching colleges and universities, or make sure that the school coursework is in line with the admissions criteria for postsecondary education. This kind of support often plays a key role in getting the children future-ready and determining successful career decisions.”
DATES? If you ask someone to define the word date, they might give you the following responses: -a date on a calendar -a fruit -or two persons assessing each other’s suitability as a partner However, by providing the right context, a plethora of responses can be provided. Words like diagnosis, analysis, synthesis, action, evaluation might come to mind. At the Queen Elizabeth School, the coined acronym ‘DATES’ is used as the framework for the Math Action Plan. The acronym looks at diagnozing a problem, using action planning to consider the alternatives, taking action, evaluating the consequences of that action and specifying learning by identifying general findings. During the first phase, the school Diagnoses, by identifying or defining a problem, and improves math learning by teaching for fluency of facts and problem solving, improving student attitudes toward math, informing parents about the instructional and assessment aspects of math and by developing consistent homework practices. Through Action Planning, the school considers all alternative courses of action and identified parent communication. Through parent communication, they aim to improve parent understanding in the area of basic math facts, measured by increasing the percentage of parents in agreement with the attitude indicators by 5% school wide. That, according to Principal Joanne Thomson, is the goal of the Action Plan. By developing a basic fact continuum and common understanding among staff through PLC work and work with consultants, as well as Parent Information Nights, the school will discuss math attitudes and learning with parents. Teachers will make homework logs for math to assist parents with math homework, with continuous professional development for Math teachers. Taking this kind of Action is an important step in the process. The school’s data wall display is one of the many avenues through which the evaluated data is displayed. Through evaluation, the school will be able to specify learning and identify general findings. The data will be instrumental in the development of strategies and initiatives about improving math and ensuring that home, school and student are integral in the process.
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To read more visit the Director’s Blog at www.cornerstonesd.ca
Director of Education Dr. Marc Casavant shares a mathematical format with students
AND FROM THIS CORNER... board of education reviews school attendance boundaries Dear South East Cornerstone Stakeholder, The Board of Education thanks you for your continued support of public education and our vision of success and achievement for every student in every school. In 2012, at the request of the Board of Education, the Transportation Department conducted research to determine weaknesses in the catchment area and the possible effects on student transportation. The review provided the opportunity to realize efficiencies by transporting students only within their designated attendance boundary, provide clear and efficient routing and offer flexibility for students and families. The Board has completed a comprehensive review of school attendance boundaries and has made alterations to some boundary areas. As we epitomize Student First, the Board believes it is desirable to establish attendance boundaries and maintain the program viability of exisiting schools. These boundary changes will be in effect at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year. The revised boundaries are available on the website at www.cornerstonesd.ca/Board. We have revised Administrative Procedures 305 and 306, which were effective September 3, 2013. These procedures speak to attendance boundaries and attendance outside of the attendance area. In keeping with these revised procedures, we will continue to adhere to the following as it relates to Student Transportation: Grandfathering: Students currently approved within an attendance area will have the option to attend school within the original boundary or will be grandfathered to the new boundary, until the last sibling has finished the K-12 education system within the South East Cornerstone Public School Division. Essentially, students and their siblings currently approved within an attendance area who are impacted by these boundary changes will be grandfathered; that means transportation will still be provided.
The Board also wants to ensure you are involved in the process and will host Information Sessions around the changes to school attendance boundaries; you are invited to attend a convenient location should you wish to do so. Information Sessions will be held from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the following: Wapella School---December 2, 2013 at 610 Qu’Appelle Street, Wapella, SK Carievale School---December 3, 2013 at 146 Antler Street, Carievale, SK Radville Regional High School---December 9, 2013 at 602 Main Street, Radville, SK Should you have any questions or concerns, you may use the following mediums to provide feedback until January 30, 2014: Website--www.cornerstonesd.ca/Board Written submissions to the Board of Education Emails to boundaries@cornerstonesd.ca Once the feedback process is complete, the Board of Education will make any final changes to the attendance boundaries, which will be communicated to all stakeholders. We will do our best to ensure the process is clear and timely. Thank you for your support and we look forward to the collaboration that lies ahead as we ensure success and achievement for every student in every school. Respectfully, Board of Education
Courtesy Rider Program: Students who wish to attend school outside of the attendance area will be afforded the Courtesy Rider Program based on criteria established in AP 306. With the Courtesy Rider Program, students will be expected to meet the bus at an exisiting pick up zone; these exisiting pick up zones are within the new attendance area that the student wishes to attend. New Families: New families will still be required to adhere to Administrative Procedure 306 and will be afforded the Courtesy Rider Program if they wish to attend school outside of their attendance area at an exisiting pick up zone, based on criteria established in AP 306.
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are you the star of the week? MATH ACTION PLAN AT ‘33’ CENTRAL
may peace peace prevail prevail may Remembering Our Heroes
For schools in the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, Remembrance Day was a memorial day to remember the members of the armed forces who lost their lives in the line of duty. Oxbow Prairie Horizons School, for example, completed an art project at the high school level, which was presented during the Remembrance Day ceremony. The project, based on the concept of a “Peace Post”, involved the phrase “May Peace Prevail” which was then translated into all the languages representing the various cultures within that school. Phrases were then painted on to individual signs and are permanently displayed at Oxbow Prairie on a “Peace Post” in front of the school.
Principal of ‘33’ Central School, Kylee Carver, explains to a grade one student how to pair cards to achieve a specific number
What if you could be a Star for a Week? What if there was another opportunity for you to be recognized for your hard work, with an entire audience giving a resounding applause, a pat on the back, or a simple well done? What if all that was required was your dedication to, and transfer of learning to determine how your current studies affect your future? At the ‘33’ Central School, the “Star of the Week” program gives a math related question that provides the opportunity for students to think about their future. As part of the Math Action Plan, the school wants to create opportunities for all students, parents and staff to speak positively about math and view it as achievable, regardless of their experience or ability level. They believe that everyone can be good at math, math is important and math is fun. As part of the action plan, the school also ensures that there are regular staff meetings with Math consultants, as well as staff participation in peer sharing of math classroom practices. A vertical PLC method is also used for high school staff and the learning support teacher to improve co-teaching techniques. Staff also focus on including “real live math” discussions in their classrooms daily, with all teachers to be trained in First Steps in Math; these strategies will be used to improve teaching methods. At the classroom levels more math instructional time is provided. Grades 7 and 8 for example receive double math for one semester, with Grade 9 math taught as a single grade and Grade 10 offered online- thus allowing students to take the entire year to finish the course successfully. Principal Kylee Carver had high praises for the students, parents and school community, who work together to ensure as best as possible the utlimate success of all students. Parent engagement is also important to the school. Parents are asked to participate in surveys, with teachers providing “Family Math” activities each month to engage parents, with increased email communication about homework, upcoming events and late assignments.
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‘33’ Central will continue to strengthen current practices and develop strategies to increase math scores both at the individual report card level, as well as the October 201 division standards.
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AND FROM THIS CORNER... in your neck of the prairies... monthly school highlights Math Night at Wapella School
Library Week at McNaughton High School In celebration of Saskatchewan Library Week, we invited Marie Calder from Estevan to our school to present her novels to our grade 6-8 students. Her novels, The Other Side Series, are tidbits of stories told to the author by her dad, other WWII veterans and people who lived through the devastating war. They are a combination of fact and fiction, riddled with history and mystery. Marie’s presentation focused on the writing process and how one has their personal works published. Further, to encourage readers to CONNECT with books and read for pleasure in our school, the library gave away bookmarks and promotional pencils to those who borrowed books. Chad Hymas Visits McNaughton School McNaughton High School staff and students had the privilege of meeting and listening to Mr. Chad Hyman, a man whose life changed in an instant because he took an unnecessary risk. Chad, a quadriplegic, is one of the top 10 most inspirational speakers in the world, according to The Wall Street Journal. Chad inspired, motivated and moved all of us with his messages of anti-bullying, anti-texting and the importance of not using cell phones while driving. He ended his presentation by encouraging every person to be thankful for their life, not to take unnecessary risks, and to move forward in this world by making a difference in the life of someone else. We greatly acknowledge and thank PCS Rocanville Division for sponsoring this event. McNaughton High School held their fifth annual Talent show. Seventeen performers from grades six to twelve sang, danced, played instruments, and displayed their photography and video editing skills to a packed gym. The crowd enjoyed almost two hours of entertaining performances. The night ended with loud cheers, in appreciation of the finale by some of the staff members who performed a glow stick dance.
Wapella School hosted a Math Night that involved students from Kindergarten to Grade 7. The night replaced the traditional format for open house with an interactive night of math activities. Students and parents were asked to complete several different math activities that involved using manipulatives, computers, and Smartboards. When they completed their activities, their names were entered in a prize draw. The math activities focused on outcomes from the curriculum at each grade level. For example, the Grade 1-2 students worked on creating colour or shape patterns with their parents. Meanwhile, the grade 3-4 students were demonstrating using increasing and decreasing patterns to form a chart with their parents. Another highlight of the evening had the Grade 5-7 students showing their parents how to graph on a coordinate plane using a Smartboard. It was fascinating to see the students work on math activities with their parents, showing the many hands-on ways of learning in math. 79% of the students and parents attended the fun-filled event. Grade 3-7 Learning Outcomes at Wapella School Wapella School has started a three-year plan to ensure that all outcomes are covered during a child’s time at the school. Currently, all ELA, Math, Physical Education, Art and PAA outcomes are being taught at grade level. Due to multi-grade classrooms, Wapella School has chosen to rotate outcomes for Science, Social and Health classrooms. It is also important to note that although the school teaches outcomes at a specific grade level, teachers have been encouraged to modify so that all students are doing assignments at their own ability level. The school will also be developing an insert for report cards, which allows one to see the outcomes taught outside of grade level. Submitted: Wapella School
McNaughton raises over $3000 for Terry Fox Foundation Each year our students and staff participate in a week full of fund raising activities in support of the Terry Fox Foundation. Students collected pledges, filled coin jars located in classrooms, and supported three fundraising lunches. All students and staff also participated in the annual Terry Fox Run/Walk and Challenge. This involved all students and staff running or walking two full laps around the track. Students and staff then gathered into house teams and participated in several challenges; tug of war was the highlight of the day. This year the school donated $3618.09 to the Terry Fox Foundation. October 201
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Submitted: McNaughton High School
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in your neck of the prairies...monthly school highlights
taking a look at cyberbullying More than twenty parents gathered in the gym of Radville Regional High School, with counsellors Caroline Gillies and Becky Tuchscherer of the South East Cornerstone Public School Division on hand to discuss online safety and cyberbullying. Interested parents learned about some of the challenges facing kids now when it comes to the internet. There is a wealth of information available and once something is placed on the internet it is there forever. Parents were encouraged to sit down with their kids and discuss online safety. The main focus of the evening seemed to be to encourage parents to sit down with their children and discuss what sites are appropriate and what apps are necessary to use. Parents were also introduced to some of the dangers of mobile devices. Almost all phones are now equipped with cameras which can be used to take pictures at parties that kids may not want others to see. If friends post these pictures on social networking sites it becomes nearly impossible to erase them. It is also possible to find the exact location of people within photos if the GPS feature is enabled on a phone when the picture is taken. The talk focused on preventing incidents and the discussion led to the topic of cyberbullying. Parents were told what signs to look for if they are worried their children are being bullied online. These signs include a sudden and complete disinterest with electronic devices or a sudden obsession with the devices. It may also be indicated by a lack of interest or desire to participate in activities with friends. The presenters provided parents with a list of contacts in case they needed more advice or had question about cyberbullying and made themselves available after the presentation to answer any questions. Similar presentations were made during the day to children in Grade 4 through to Grade 12. Each presentation was suited to the age group that was receiving it. The presentations were a joint effort involving Sun Country Health Region, Holy Family Roman Catholic Seperate School Division, South East Cornerstone Public School Division, the RCMP and the Estevan and Weyburn Police Service.
Information from the Radville Star
First Nation Elder at Pleasantdale School We had the pleasure and honor of having Mr. Armand McArthur, a First Nation Elder from Nakota tribe in the Souix Nation, come and speak to the grade 4 and 5 students and the grade 7 and 8 students. He talked to us about First Nations government, residential schools, treaties and relationship with land. We learned many things and it was interesting to hear stories first hand from Mr. McArthur including one he had written himself. It added to some of our social studies outcomes that we cover in the curriculum. Time for You This is an activity for grades 6-8 that will take place every Wednesday from 3:10 to 4:10p.m. in the grade 7 classroom. It is set up to give students an opportunity to have a quiet place to work for an hour after school. They can use this time to receive extra help, catch up on assignments, work on projects and get their homework done. Students have the opportunity to set aside an hour once a week to dedicate to keeping up with their school work. Submitted: Pleasantdale School
Homework Hall at Manor School Operated daily during noon break, homework hall provides students who have not completed requisite assignments to attend and complete, with supervision. The school believes that students who stay on top of their assignments and homework will ultimately be successful in completing their courses and grade levels, and encourages parents to discuss the importance of respecting the program. Submitted: Manor School
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Cyberbullying has been in the headlines a lot in recent months. As the internet becomes more and more accessible, online safety is going to become even more important. Technology is advancing at a blinding pace. Though there are many advantages this presents there are also many problems that will continue to arise.
Vice Principal of McNaughton High School, Kimberley Munroe, shares in a game of tug-o-war with students during the Terry Fox Challenge 2013
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AND FROM THIS CORNER... technology engagement using thoughtstream What are some of the key challenges and benefits of technology? What do you see as the role of technology in the daily operations of the school division? How can we use technology to aid in the development of 21st century literacies? These are some of the questions asked by the South East Cornerstone Public School Division in reviewing their Strategic Plan through a process called Thoughtstream. Thoughtstreams allow the Division to create community learning opportunities and shared understanding. Through community learning, stakeholders are engaged in a process that develops independent thought into shared understanding. By using this web-based service, the Division is able to garner additional input about some of the key challenges and benefits of technology in schools, and how those influence the strategic directions of the instuctional technology and information systems departments and ultimately the Division and its end-users. This kind of input also highlights how technology can be used to support the development of the 21st century skills that students will require, as well as challenges and concerns about achieving those and other division goals. The system-wide strategic plan looks at technology through instruction at the classroom level, the use of technology for administrative purposes and the type of equipment or resources required to address the needs of the Division, among other areas. Under the leadership of Peggy Lawson (Coordinator of Instructional Technology) and Brian Belinsky (Manager of Information Systems), the system-wide strategic planning process allows the division to build on the current technology plan, with the input of various stakeholders across the Division. Stakeholder engagement, according to Lawson, is imperative to gain a deeper understanding of the perceptions of those who directly or indirectly use the system and to provide a medium through which individuals can inform the process.
“We’re excited about the thoughtstream process because it allows all stakeholder groups to have a voice in developing our strategic plan. Different people will have different opinions and different concerns and different thoughts…this allows everyone to share in what others deem important and from that we can prioritize as an entire division what we feel is most important and the areas that we need to work on. That will guide our planning in the future.” The two phase process includes all employees of the division, as well as a representational sample of grade 7-12 students across the Division and allows for sharing of ideas and prioritization of perceptions. During phase 1 of the process, participants are asked to complete two open ended questions about technology in the school division; the responses are completely anonymous. There are two thoughtstreams that are sent division-wide. As a parent, an individual receives one thoughtstream to share their views on technology in that specific school; as an employee, individuals receive another thoughtstream to share their views system-wide. Lawson explained that many employees might receive both thoughstreams if they have a child currently enrolled in one of the 39 schools. These employees may then choose to complete both requests, answering based on one particular role, or may choose to enter all thoughts on just one of the thoughtstreams. During phase 2 an invitation will allow stakeholders to review and prioritize groups of thoughts already offered. Through this process, the Division will get a sense of shared valued and priorities. At the end of the process, the Division will analyze the data, with the results to be used for future strategic planning. It is expected that the plan will be in effect for the 2014/2015 school year.
‘better together’ the souris school math approach
-Building something that requires measuring with a ruler -Reading the thermometer inside and outside -Counting the number of steps to the bus or school -Reading how much you weigh on a scale and comparing that to how many things would be required to arrive at the same weight Through a colloborative effort with students, teachers, and the home, the school distributes suggestions for families to engage October 201 in mathematics at home.
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Math is used everyday. At Souris School, teachers, staff and students look at the different places they use Math in their lives. For every idea students do at home, they are allowed to bring a drawing, picture, product sample, etc, earning them a spot on the Better Together Board. Here are a few ideas used by Souris School: -Finding the price of a favourite food in a flyer -Creating a timeline of events from a movie -Finding the numbers on a clock or counting the 5s on the clock -Counting the number of times teeth are brushed on one side
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ENhancing survival skills at wawota parkland school
lampman teen has a passion for entrepreneurship Lampman School Grade 12 student Elusha Baird wants to make people aware of a couple prestigious programs that have helped her select her career path, and cultivate her passion for entrepreneurship. She attended the intensive, one-month Shad Valley program at Carleton University in Ottawa in the summber of 2012. Thanks to her experiences and successes at Shad, her passion for the world of business was ignited, and she applied to attend Shad Plus’ program at the Richard Ivey Business School at the University of Westrn Ontario in London, Ontario. She spent a week at the school last month. Shad challenged her, helped her become a better leader, and made her more determined, she said. It also gave her the motivation to apply to Shad Plus’ program at Western Ontario. Only Shad Valley alumni are eligible to apply for the program at Richard Ivey. Everbody at Richard Ivey was very passionate about business, she said. She was surrounded by some of the brightest young business students in the country, and she was able to meet the respected business professors and others who have enjoyed success in the world of entrepreneurship. Participants also experienced the case study method employed by the school; instructors don‘t just rely on normal teaching techniques, and that made it easier for Baird to comprehend the material. There were also hands-on activities, outdoor sessions, games, leadership-enhancing programs and more. The leadership skills Baird gained through Shad and Richard Ivey were translated in her work at school and the community. She is the president of the SRC, and is involved in a number of other activities. Baird noted she is keen on a business career partly because the business world is always changing. Shad challenged her, helped her become a better leader, and made her more determined, she said. It also gave her the motivation to apply to Shad Plus’ program at Western Ontario. Only Shad Valley alumni are eligible to apply for the program at Richard Ivey. Baird was accepted two months after she applied.
Ever wondered what would happen if you were stranded in the woods, with no immediate source of food, shelter or clothing? Some students in the SECPSD may be able to deal with such situations because of the holistic approach to education that prepares them for their personal and professional pursuits. Grade 10 Outdoor Education students at Wawota Parkland are building on their survival skills; skills with enough versatility for any Canadian weather. The sessions in shelter-building, fire-building, smoke-signals and outdoor cooking techniques provide the needed practice at the Moose Mountain Provincial Park. According to teacher Shelby Adams, the class is taking part in various hands-on experiences based on the Wildlife Management curricula. The class, she noted, is also rounded, with exposure to different subject areas. “We also incorporate some Photography 10, and Food Studies 10 into the program as well. The students learn various survival skills (cooking, shelter-building, fire-building, etc) that they put into practice on our field trips.” added Adams. Exposure to this kind of course also teaches students to be appreciative of the nature and nurture process. “The course also teaches them to appreciate nature and respect the growing concerns our planet is currently facing such as global warming, climate change, deforestation, et al. We try to stick to the ‘no-trace’ principle that states we leave our area in better condition than we found it. The students are actively engaged...and are gaining hands-on skills and are enjoying the benefits of being outdoors.” Grade 10 student Mitchell Porter shared his experience with the Division.
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Some information excerpted from the Estevan Mercury
Outdoor ED class learns survival skills at Wawota Parkland
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AND AND FROM FROM THIS THIS CORNER... CORNER... ENhance your survival skills! “Hi, my name is Mitchell Porter and I am in Grade 10 Outdoor Ed. Class. My teacher Shelby Adams teaches the informative class, she finds lots of fun stuff for our class to do and always tries her best to make it a good time. I like the class because I like to hunt, camp etc. so this class really helps me know how to survive in the wild. We not only do things about survival, we do other things that have to do with our planet like pollution and not long ago we just did posters about animal abuse and how it is bad and what we can do about it. We go on lots of field trips and learn how to build fires and do smoke signals; we were at Kenosee Lake building survival shelters and I found that to be lots of fun, because what is better than being outside learning how to survive in the bush.�
The next time you find yourself in the woods, take a page from the Wawota students and build a fire or a shelter- you never know when those skills might come in handy. At the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, we value the continuous improvement of teaching and learning and the use of innovative practices for personal growth and development for all students.
South East Cornerstone Public School Division No. 209 80A-18th Street NE Weyburn, SK S4H 2W4
Phone: (306)848-4795 Fax: (306) 848-4747 Email: april.bent@cornerstonesd.ca www.cornerstonesd.ca
Want to be added to our mailing list? Send request to april.bent@cornerstonesd.ca
We welcome your stories; send stories to submitastory@cornerstonesd.ca