Today we were on our day long hike. Our inquiry learning led us to the history of the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area.  Please share the stories you heard today about our First Nation people and the first settlers to the area.  What did you learn today about the adaptations of people?


Important Cross Conservation School Information:
- please arrive to school on time - our bus leaves at 8:50
- remember to dress for the weather - bring layers, comfortable shoes/boots, hat, backpack. We are outside most of the day!
- pack a lunch with extra snacks (we get hungry on the trails!)

Our focus today at Sandy Cross was all about land use. What does conservation mean? What did you learn about urban planning?  Be sure to share with a family member your response to our daily Cross Chalktalk about the importance of Sandy Cross.


Important Cross Conservation School Information:
-please arrive to school on time - our bus leaves at 8:50
-Tomorrow is our day long hike.  Remember to dress for the weather - bring layers, comfortable shoes/boots, hat, backpack.
- pack a lunch with extra snacks (we get hungry on the trails!)

-Forms for Talismen Aquatic Literacy field trip are due on Friday, May 1.

-NO SPORTS Club tomorrow.

Our learning journey continued today at Sandy Cross by focusing on wildlife.  Be sure to explain to a family member what is the purpose of a wildlife corridor and how wildlife adapts to utilize the corridor. Share your journaling technique that you completed at your special spot.  What is the purpose of journaling?  How does this learning tool move our learning forward?


Important Cross Conservation School Information:
- please arrive to school on time - our bus leaves at 8:50
- remember to dress for the weather - bring layers, comfortable shoes/boots, hat, backpack. We are outside most of the day!
- pack a lunch with extra snacks (we get hungry on the trails!)

We are very excited to be at Cross Conservation School everyday this week.  Share with a family member our learning today about plants. What is the difference between native/non - native species?  Which plant are medicinal? What evidence did you notice about adaptations of plants?

Important Cross Conservation School Information:
- please arrive to school on time - our bus leaves at 8:50
- remember to dress for the weather - bring layers, comfortable shoes/boots, hat, backpack. We are outside most of the day!
- pack a lunch with extra snacks (we get hungry on the trails!)

Reminder from your School Council:

-the Fundraiser is due tomorrow, April 28^th

-please send your orders to school tomorrow if you are participating

Excellent work this week preparing for our upcoming week at Cross Conservation School! Thank you parents and School Council for making this wonderful learning experience possible for our classes.

Important Cross Conservation School Information:
- please arrive to school on time - our bus leaves at 8:50
- remember to dress for the weather - bring layers, comfortable shoes/boots, hat, backpack
- pack a lunch with extra snacks (we get hungry on the trails!)

Reminders:
- Tonight is our Family Learning Celebration from 6:30 to 7:30! Please bring your families to celebrate and learn together!
- No Sports Club today
- No school tomorrow for students - it is a Professional Development day for teachers

Today is Earth Day! Share with a family member how our school acknowledged Earth Day. What can you do to minimize your environmental footprint? Why is Earth Day important? Be prepared to share your ideas in class tomorrow.

Reminder:
- Tomorrow is Pizza Lunch for students who ordered it!
- No Sports Club tomorrow because of our Family Learning Celebration Evening!
-No school Friday - Professional Development Day
- 2015-16 Budget notice is being sent home with the youngest student today.

-HELP!  We still need volunteers for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week to join us at Sandy Cross! Please ask your parents, and contact Ms. Makowski or Mrs. Calvert if they are available.

Great job collaborating with a group to prepare for your Social Studies debate! Explain to a family member which debate question you signed up for, and evidence from your research into Ancient Athens and the Iroquois Confederacy. Our debate will begin in class tomorrow!

Reminder:

- Today was the last day for hot soup. Thank you to Meals on Wheels for the delicious soups you provided our school this year! 

We are busy preparing for our week at Cross Conservation School April 27 to May 1! Excellent work today practicing our first Special Spot Journaling task: Amazing Story Hooks. Share with a family member how you can engage your reader by using a creative hook at the beginning of your narrative stories!

Reminder:
- Please return your signed Cross Conservation School consent forms as soon as possible!

- We need volunteers! Please ask your parents if they can join us for any of our field trip days to Cross Conservation School next week, and contact Ms. Makowski or Mrs. Calvert if they are available. We require 2 volunteers each day for this amazing learning opportunity!

- Talisman Centre Aquatic Literacy Consent forms are being sent home today! Please return signed forms as soon as possible!

Believe & Achieve – Celebrating Families Learning Together

Who:      Vista Heights School students and their families.  Please bring at least one adult and remain with your family.

When:   Thursday, April 23 6:30-7:30 pm

Where:  Vista Heights School (see the map of the rooms you will visit when you enter)

What:  Each teacher has prepared engaging thinking tasks that families will complete together.  Families will visit as many rooms and complete as many tasks as they choose.  The thinking tasks include such skills as solving puzzles, speed stacking, building and more.  You will have the opportunity to practice such virtues as perseverance, creativity and courage.   It is not a race.  The prize is spending time together as a family and learning together.  

Why:  A great opportunity to build community in Vista Heights!  We love learning!

Thank you Jaclyn from Little Green Thumbs for working with the grade 5/6 classes this afternoon! Share with a family member the connections you made to this presentation, and new learning. Why is it important for us to have experts come to work with our classes?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Reminder:
- Pizza orders are due on Monday.
- Please return your signed Cross Conservation School consent forms as soon as possible!

The grade 5/6 classes are continuing our literacy study of The Cay! Share with a family member how the characters in the novel have demonstrated the virtues we have been studying this year. What connections can you make to previous read aloud novels? Would you recommend this novel to others? Why or why not?

Reminders:
- Sports Club is today from 3:15 to 3:45! We will be going to the shale baseball diamond beside our school soccer field.  Parents, please contact Ms. Calvert or Ms. Makowski if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your hard work and creativity working on new artwork to display in our school! Share with a family member how you created a wash then splattered paint to create an impressionist art piece. Why is it important for us to display student art in our school? How does this make our school a great place to learn?

Our classes are continuing to study and write newspaper articles! Share with a family member the newspaper article you have been writing in class. Explain how to write an excellent newspaper article, and how you are being assessed for this writing.

Reminder:
- School Council Coco Brooks Fundraiser information is being sent home today!
- Please return your signed Cross Conservation School consent forms to school as soon as possible.

Excellent work beginning our new Social Studies inquiry into Ancient Greece and the Iroquois! Share with a family member the topics you will be researching for this project, and the rubric for how your research will be assessed. Which debate question are you interested in signing up for?

Reminder:
- Lockdown notice and Pizza Lunch notice are being sent home today.
- Our classes our returning to Anne and Sandy Cross Conservation Area! Field trip notices are being sent home. Please have your parents sign the consent and return it to school.
- We need volunteers for ASCCA! Please have your parents let Mrs. Calvert or Ms. Makowski know if they can join us any day from April 27 to May 1.

Thank you for another fabulous week of learning!  Enjoy your weekend.

Amazing work today on your learning assembly!  Be proud of your accomplishments.  Thank you to all the parents who were able to join us.  Please share with a family member which virtues you demonstrated with your role(s) in our assembly.

We have been practicing O Canada in French and English for our assembly.  Please sing to a family member the French and the English version.   What do the words of this anthem mean about our country?

Reminder:
Gr. 5/6 Learning Celebration Assembly tomorrow 11:00
Sports Club tomorrow 3:15-3:45

Welcome back to another rigorous week of learning!  We have our assembly this week on Thursday, April 9 at 11:00.  We will be sharing a snapshot of some of our recent learning.  Please invite your family members to come and celebrate with us.

Reminder:
Read!

Thank you for another rigorous week of learning! You have been working hard writing excellent newspaper articles to inform and engage your reader. Share with a family member your nursery rhyme inspired article and the criteria for an excellent article.

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Reminder:
- No school for students Friday April 3 and Monday April 6. Classes resume on Tuesday April 7.

Our school will be studying a new virtue for the month of April! Make a prediction for which virtue we will be focussing on this month. Reflect on a goal for how you can demonstrate this virtue at school and in the community. Why are studying the virtues important? How does this improve our learning community?

Reminder:

- Sports Club is tomorrow after school!