9.26.2013


Terry Fox Rocks!

Thanks to the cooperative efforts of teachers, students, and parents, today’s first annual Terry Fox Run was a great success!  The rain held off so we could honour Terry’s legacy and run with hope in our hearts.  Your children were amazing, participating in their run and cheering others onward with enthusiasm.  Teachers and parents worked together to ensure the safety and high spirits of all children.

I want to send out special thanks to Mr. Griffiths for planning the logistics of the Terry Fox runs.  We are very grateful for the help of Sheri White and Jennifer Corcoran and our Parents Guild who donated enough snacks and water for our entire elementary school.  Thank you!

If you have collected pledges for the Terry Fox Foundation, please bring the form and funds in by the end of the day tomorrow.  Thank you for being a part of Terry’s Marathon of Hope.

Primes
We had our first Primes ceremonies last Friday.  Primes is an award-giving assembly held on Friday afternoons. We have Upper Primes for grades 4 to 6 and Lower Primes for grades 1 to 3; the primary children join our Lower Primes in January.  Primes is a long-standing Sacred Heart tradition based on the belief that positive reinforcement builds healthy self-esteem. Children are rewarded for effort and achievement in all areas of school life. Children are recognized and awarded medals and certificates. Students must be in full uniform and tidy to accept an award at Primes. The child wears the special medal all week. Medals awarded on Friday must be returned to the Principal by the following Thursday.

Field Trips
Our school is located right in the core of Halifax, and this makes it easy for us to enjoy fun, educational, excursions throughout the year.  Already this year, our preschoolers have ventured over to the Public Gardens and our grade threes have been to the Main Branch Public Library and to an exhibit at the Dalhousie Art Gallery.  Sometimes we venture further from home by bus.  Our primary classes traveled all the way to Noggins Farm in the Annapolis Valleyon Monday for apple picking and autumn adventures.  They made apples sauce with the apples they brought back, and it was delicious!

Battle of the Books
One of our most popular co-curricular activities got launched for another year this week.  Mrs. Ferguson, Mrs. Jakeman, Mrs. Fraser, and Sr. Beverley lead the four teams (read, yellow, green, and blue) in this yearlong reading challenge.  Battle of the Books teams meet everyTuesday during morning recess.  It’s an exciting cross-grade literacy initiative that culminates in a city-wide competition in the spring.  Let the games begin!

ASC (After School Care)
After School Care is a great place for students to hang out with friends and try some new activities until parents have finished their workday. 
Mlle Sealy offers a homework club on Monday and Thursday afternoons, and we have space available! 
Basketball Club begins on Monday afternoons for kids in Grades 3 - 6 for 5 weeks. A sign-up sheet is on the Elementary bulletin board. High school students from Fountain Academy are keen to run this very popular activity again. Students will gather in ASC for a snack and then go to the FA gym for 3:45 p.m. Pick up is from the FA gym at 4:45 p.m.

It is not our abilities that show what we truly are,
It is our choices.
-Albus Dumbledore