Wednesday, February 8, 2017

February news continued:

Hello again. Just to clarify, double lunch day was supposed to be today (Wednesday) but because the buses were cancelled it has been postponed to tomorrow (Thursday). Thank you for your support for this February act of kindness.

Ms. Couch/Mme Kelly
Dear Parents,

We would like to share a few items to keep in mind for February.

There is a lot of glare from the sun on the ice and snow. Feel free to send the children with a pair of sunglasses to prevent damage to the eyes from the sun. A warm cozy sweater is always useful at school as it can, from time to time, get chilly during the day in the classroom.

The children in kindergarten are collecting second-hand shoes for an organization called Soles for Souls. The organization collects gently used shoes and re-distributes them to those in need. The kindergarten classes have selected this project of shoe collection as their social justice initiative this year. They have created posters to advertise for the collection and have made announcements in the morning over the intercom system. Please send in any shoes that you no longer need. We will be collecting throughout the month of February. Thank you for your support.

Valentine's Day is almost upon us. The educators would like to keep this celebration focused on the themes of friendship and kindness and stay away from the giving of candy and treats. The children are welcome to bring little cards. If you would like to put "from" with your child's name on each card (we have 27 children in the classroom) but NOT put "to" a given student. This way it is easier for the children to distribute one card to each student in the class without the confusion of everyone trying to read names and deliver cards all at once.

Thank you, have a wonderful month of February.

Ms. Couch and Madame Kelly




Monday, January 9, 2017

January 2017

January 2017

Dear Parents and Students,

Ms Couch and Madame Kelly hope that you have had a restful, safe and merry Christmas with your loved ones. We thank you so much for your kindness and support and for the lovely Christmas wishes, kind words, cards and gifts. We wish you all the best for 2017: Happy New Year.

The nice break from harsh weather seems to be over and just a reminder to dress children very warmly (layers work best to protect from the cold) and neck warmers are easier for children than scarves if they are very elastic neck warmers. Keep these items in mind: hats that cover ears, extra mittens and socks and a warm change of clothing for the children's cubicals should their clothing get soaked from a snow or puddle (long sleeved shirts and change of underwear should be included in their change of clothing ziplock bag). Also the classroom can get chilly at times so each child should have a sweater that fits them at school should they need it. The children are growing and some have grown out of their shoes. Check in with your child to see if they are still comfortable in their school shoes and if not, you may have your child bring home the outgrown shoes and bring in a pair that fit well (keeping in mind that the winter socks are bulkier).

As it is very chilly, keep in mind that the Kindergarten pick-up time is 3:20 at the gate at the back of the school. Picking the children up promptly will not only make them feel more comfortable but will also aid with the congestion as the large numbers of older students and their parents arrive at the gate for pick up.

God Bless you and take good care,

Sincerely,

Ms. Couch and Madame Kelly

Monday, December 5, 2016




December 5, 2016

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The Advent season has arrived and Christmas is just around the corner. Each of the classes at St. Gabriel School will be involved in our Advent project to help those in need. Each class, from Kindergarten through grade six, will contribute to allow us to prepare a “hamper” for 17 families from our sister school.

Each student is being asked to bring in a specific item for the food hamper. If you are able, a donation of $2.00 for the family would also be most appreciated. Monies collected will go towards the purchase of a grocery store gift card for each family, so the family can purchase a turkey and fresh fruit and vegetables. Should you still have any, we are also asking for donations of Canadian Tire money which will be used to purchase gifts for the families.

We encourage the students to complete a chore at home to earn their own money, so that they experience the gift of giving. Your child is invited to bring in 1 package razors. We will be collecting the hamper items and money from Monday, December 5th until Friday, December 16th.

** Please note we also welcome donations of hats and mittens to send to families in need in our school board.  


Thank you for your generosity and support during the Advent Season.

God Bless,

St. Gabriel Catholic School Staff

Monday, November 28, 2016

Monday Nov. 26, 2016

Dear Parents,

Just two items:

1) On Tuesday we will have a dental screening at St. Gabriel. If you do not want your child to participate please indicate this in the communication book. Thanks.

2) We are now entering the season of Advent. Keep an eye out for the Advent note that will come home tomorrow in the communication bag. The children will bring home a wreath (made from a paper plate) which they may bring home and keep taped to a special spot. The children will be making Advent candles and will bring these home and place them in the wreath as we move through the weeks ahead.

Take care and God bless,

Ms. Couch and Madame Murphy

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Animal Day and Bake Sale: Friday November 25th

Just a quick reminder that Friday November 25th is a day that all the children at St. Gabriel's will dress up as their favorite animal. Students may wear an animal hat, mask, costume, or a headband with animal ears. The grade two students are raising funds to protect animals and will hold a bake sale tomorrow to that end. Students are welcome to bring in change so that they may buy a treat at the bake sale to support this cause. Thank you for your support.
Ms. Couch and Mme Kelly

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Hello parents. Here are a few reminders about upcoming social justice initiatives and events/happenings:

1. The "We Scare Hunger" social justice initiative is in full swing at St. Gabriel. As outlined on the school website we are collecting non-perishable items for the Kanata food bank. Each grade level is responsible for a specific type of food and the kindergarten children are asked to bring in dried pasta and packaged cookies. We thank you for your efforts and support.

2. We have been talking about and walking through the lockdown drill. We have emphasized that the reason we do practice this procedure is for safety (no elaboration except to compare and contrast it with a fire drill).

3. We will be sending home the little slips of paper outlining the "Hopes and Dreams" you have for your child this year. We will attach the slip of paper to your child's photo on our "Hopes and Dreams" wall. Some families who attended the open house several weeks ago have already completed this project, therefore we will be sending the little papers home only to the twelve families who have not already completed them.

4. We have been singing Fall songs about leaves and encourage the children to bring in leaves they find on their nature walks or their walk home. We are doing leaf rubbings and other art projects like making leaf animals or scenes out of the leaves at our art table.

5. In September, our special story was the "Caps for Sale" story. We practiced our colours and acted out the story as a play. We created caps and a painted backdrop of a tree for the play. We practiced our colour words in French. .For the last two weeks we have been exploring the story of the giant turnip in French. The children have been participating in the telling of the story during our puppet show. We have been counting the characters in French too. Soon we will explore our next special story about a group of animals who cooperate to reach a goal (The story of the lovely big apple).
We will be making apple crisp while working with this story and ask that the children bring in two extra apples for the activity. Thank you ahead of time!.

6. The kindergarten students and their educators intend to take advantage of the rich learning opportunities that the outdoor environment provides us. With many walking paths and the Beaver Pond nearby, we hope to go a umber of walks this year. A permission form will be sent home in your child's mailbag. We ask that you please sign the permission form below. On these supervised walks (1:5 ratio), we will be looking for volunteers to accompany us along the way. Notice of our walks will be sent home ahead of time. We will often walk rain or shine so please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather.

Thank you kindly,
Ms. Couch and Mme. Kelly