Nov 15 Newsletter
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November is a relatively quiet month at school. Students are settled in, and things are moving along. Given that we are in the routine of school, there’s not a unique, urgent topic to discuss. We have an opportunity to instead explore something really, really important – literacy.
A study out of The Ohio State University looked at the average number of words in age-appropriate books (board books and picture books). They calculated the number of words children were exposed to through reading prior to kindergarten. Here’s the results according to Grabmeier in The Importance of Reading to Kids Daily
- Never read to = 4,662 words
- 1-2 times per week = 63,570 words
- 3-5 times per week = 169,520 words
- Daily = 296,660 words
- Five books a day = 1,483,300 words
That’s a huge difference in exposure to language! And the reading advantage doesn’t stop at kindergarten. Reading 10 minutes a day makes a significant difference for children. It exposes students to vocabulary, grammar, and syntax in a different way than conversational language. It builds background knowledge that is critical for learning that happens in school. It provides opportunities for children to encounter emotions, decision-making strategies, and experiences from book characters. It fosters opportunities for children to talk to their parents about difficult issues and learn about the culture and values of their parents.
We encourage all our Ralph McCall families to make a commitment to find 10 minutes per day to sit, read, and talk about what they’ve read with each of their children. It is one of the most impactful things parents can do to support their child’s success as a learner!
Quote for this week:
Tomie dePaola was an American author of over 250 children’s books. He said, ‘Reading is important, because if you can read, you can learn anything about everything and everything about anything.’
Upcoming Dates (Please see the Calendar on the Website for more information)
Nov. 21 – Grade 1 trip to Telus Spark
Dec. 2 - NO school (Professional Learning Day)
Dec. 10 – School Council and Friends of Ralph McCall meeting
Dec. 16 – 20 – School Spirit Week
Dec. 17 – Grade 1 Winter Concert
Dec. 18 – Grade 2 Winter Concert
Dec. 20 – Last day of school before winter break; all Lost and Found items will be donated to charity.
Grade 1 and 2 Winter Concerts -
Given the size of our student population, we are dividing the classes and doing two separate concerts for each grade. The advantage is that this year we can open up the concert to all who would like to come. Feel free to invite grandparents or other family and friends who would like to see your child sing a few songs!
Students are asked to dress for the occasion. They could wear a seasonal outfit including red and green, a Santa hat, reindeer antlers, snowflake, headband, or they can just simply wear something nice. Students should not wear pajamas or onesies for the concert.
Grade 1 – December 17
1D, 1J, and 1N will perform at 5:30. Doors open at 5:15.
1M and 1S will perform at 6:30. Please arrive at 6:15.
Grade 2 – December 18
2A, 2JS, 2P will perform at 5:30. Doors open at 5:15.
2B, 2PB, 2S will perform at 6:30. Please arrive at 6:15. (We ask parents from this group to please consider staying after the performance to assist with putting away the chairs at the end of the concert. Thank you!)
Toys and Sports Equipment at School
All toys, personal sports balls, mini hockey sticks, and so on should stay at home during the school day. We know that these items are often special to children and don’t want them to get lost or damaged. Toys can also become a distraction during instructional time. Thank you for helping us circumvent issues around personal items at school.
Winter Weather is Coming! (repeat from last newsletter)
What happens when the weather turns cold and snowy? How will you know if the bus is running, or school is cancelled? You can find the details at these links:
- If your child’s bus is cancelled in the morning but school is open, you may wish to drive your child to school. However, you will also need to pick up your child at the end of the day. The bus will not do the afternoon run once the morning run is cancelled.
- Busses can be very cold even with the heater running full out, and they do sometimes break down. If you are sending your child on the bus on cold mornings, it is important that they are dressed warmly.
What happens when school is open on cold days?
- As parents, you always have the final decision whether it is appropriate for your child to come to school during inclement weather.
- Children will go outside to play if the temperature is above –20 C. If the temperature is below that, recess breaks will be inside. Having said that, it is imperative that students dress warmly on cold days in case of emergency evacuation from the school. Some areas of the school tend to be warmer than others, so dressing in layers is recommended.
Also related to winter weather, we often receive questions around snow removal and icy areas around the school. On wintery days, our Head Building Operator comes in extra early so that he can clear sidewalks and entrances at both of his schools. The rest of the grounds are cleared by a contractor. Rocky View’s goal is to have all parking lots, bus loops, sidewalks and entrances clear within 24 hours of a snowfall that accumulates 2 inches or more, and all parking areas sanded within 48 hours of a snowfall. Though we try to control ice and snow around the school, there are often sections that become slippery throughout the winter season. We encourage everyone to wear appropriate winter footwear for safety in winter conditions.
PBIS
Our theme of Safety at School continues! As we learn about commuting with caution throughout our school and outdoor play areas, we further develop the concepts of moving in school in a safe and kind manner. This includes follwing directions and being aware of our bodies and how we move, and how our movement impacts others.
Staff are teaching lessons to help students develop their understandings and the expected behaviours that go with them. We have one more week of learning and reinforcing through practice and then students will each be receiving a BINGO card with safety images on it.
To further reinforce the safety concepts, staff will work to acknowledge and recognize students who are demonstrating the expectations. As they are “caught” following expectations, students will get the check on the corresponding image on the BINGO card. Let's work hard with our BINGO cards and you might even get a blackout!
Our work with the PBIS framework guides us as staff in our commitment to respond to student behaviour responsively, through prevention, teaching and responding to student need. Updates will be shared with you as we work together to strengthen our school community with our shared understandings of expectations at Ralph McCall!
School Emergency Response Program
As we have now had our second evacuation drill (fire drill) of the school year, we will be looking to plan for a third before the cold winter weather hits! This next drill may be more of a surprise and students and staff may not be given advanced notice. After seeing the great job they did on the last practice, we are confident that they will all do great!
We are planning to hold a practice lock-down drill within the next week or so as well, but as this will be our first lock-down drill of the year, we will give the teachers a heads-up so that they can prepare the students for the protocol.
Each year, schools are required to complete fire drills, emergency evacuation drills, and lock down drills. These are important drills to help us prepare for any type of emergency that may come our way. Rocky View has provided families with some information about the different types of drills that are covered in our preparedness plans. You can find more information about them here; "Rocky View Schools Emergency Program: A Guide for Parents and Guardians" https://www.rockyview.ab.ca/about-rvs/emergency-response