Ms. Dima is Missing You All

Digital Citizenship and Sharing

Dear Parents,

As we continue to dive into our online learning, I would like to take a moment to share some information about digital citizenship. Please remember to be cautious as you go online for your daily learning. Listen to your head and heart as you proceed to access new information online, talk with your classmates and post your own work.

I would like to encourage the children to share some of their personal projects, art, writing and classroom assignments with me so I can post them for all to see. Feel free to take photos and email them to me with your children's creations. Here is an example of Brayden's construction project that he completed during the Spring Break. All I can say about this is WOW!!! I want that bedroom!!! Did you know Brayden planned, designed and created this bed frame!!! I love it!!!

Here is what Brayden wrote about his Spring Break:

We did a science experiment. On a walk I found an icicle and we predicted how fast the icicle would melt. It melted in 3 hours and 45 minutes. We also went sledding in Bragg Creek. We got new toboggans, they were inflatables, one was a polar bear and the other was a snowflake. My dad and my mom helped me make a new bed. We are going to paint it and make a climbing wall. 

P.S.-I love the art pieces personally created by Brayden that have been showcased in his room as well:)

Ongoing Learning

Dear Grade 1/2 Families,

I hope that this communication finds your family well. On Monday, we will embark on learning in a new environment. We will work through this week to establish a connection with your family to facilitate ongoing learning according to Alberta Education guidelines. We are committed to making this process as effective as possible.

What to expect in the coming days:

Monday and Tuesday

• Contact from your child’s classroom teacher. Initial contact will be attempted via a phone call. If your child, where appropriate, is able to be part of the phone call, that would be a great opportunity for personal contact to be initiated. Your teacher will be asking for some information:
• Do you have access to a computer, laptop, iPad/tablet or smart phone and printer?
• Do you have access to the internet?
• Is your only option a paper-based learning package?
• An email from your child’s teacher as a follow-up that will introduce you to a platform through which ongoing communication and instruction will take place. This email will come to the email address(es) contained in PowerSchool

Tuesday, March 31– Friday, April 3

• Ongoing communication from your child’s classroom teacher establishing common understanding of the learning platforms for the roll out of lessons
• Development of a plan for students requiring paper-based learning packages
• Ongoing updates from the CBE and from Capitol Hill via email and web site

Thank you for your ongoing support and patience as we undertake this new approach to learning.

Grade 1/2 Team 😊😁

COVID-19 Virus (Social Story)

Dear Parents,

The short social story below was shared by one our CBE colleagues to help ease the anxieties and present the COVID-19 Virus in a child friendly manner. I thought it might be helpful to post this story along with the author's personal message.

Dear families and educator all over the world, 
I have created this short book to support and reassure our children, under the age of 7, regarding the COVID-19. This book is an invitation for families to discuss the full range of emotions arising from the current situation. It is important to point out that this resource does not seek to be a source of scientific information, but rather a tool based on fantasy. My recommendation is to print this material so children can draw on it. Remember that emotions are processed through repetitive play and stories read multiple times. Share COVIBOOK and help ease kiddo's anxiety all over the world. 

​

With love,

Manuela Molina - the author

If you would like to have your children listening to books online, an excellent CBE recommended website to visit is:

TumbleBooks

I hope you are all enjoying this sunny weather on the first full day of spring🌞🌞

Bye for now,
Ms. Defoe

P.S. - I was able to reach my goal of making one hundred words using the letters in SPRING BREAK. I'm wondering how many each of you made. I'll have to share my list next week 😊😊😊

Spring Break

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a relaxing Spring Break despite the emotional and difficult times we are all currently experiencing. Under normal circumstances, many of you would have been attending Student Led Conferences this evening and celebrating the learning successes of your children. 

The Grade 1/2 teachers created a passport which we were going to use tonight with various learning tasks the children would engage in with you. One of the activities listed on the passport was word work where they were going to have to mix and match the letters in SPRING BREAK to generate words. This is a challenge you could have them engage in at home. Examples include: in, is, an, ran, bran, park, spark, bears, bikes, brain, break and brakes. To motivate your children, you could tell them that I have created eighty-nine words so far and my goal is to see if I can reach one hundred😉😉😉😉

*A website you can visit with your children which promotes the development of Early Literacy skills is:

https://www.starfall.com/h/index.php 

    

Listed below are some math websites that you can explore with your children to practice their math skills! These websites are not necessarily tied to the Alberta curriculum and usually would cost money to access, but for the time being, they are free and would be good for your kiddos to get some extra practice. I hope these help!

Brain Pop Jr. (currently not free)

https://jr.brainpop.com

Math Before Bed (free downloads at the moment)

https://mathbeforebed.com/180-math-prompts

Math Prodigy

https://www.prodigygame.com

Math Card Games

https://mathgeekmama.com/best-math-card-games/

Math Activities

https://www.weareteachers.com/first-grade-math-games/

Please encourage your children to read every day and remember:

Sincerely,

Ms. Defoe 💕💕💕💕💕

P.S. - Did you know the teachers and support staff are missing all of you greatly? Capitol Hill School is just not the same without you!!! 

Update

Good Morning Parents and Guardians,

As you are all aware we are in uncertain times. We are awaiting next steps from our health minister and CBE on how to proceed moving forward. We most likely won’t be hearing information about online lessons until after spring break. We will continue to communicate through our blog as we are updated with new information but for now we would like to stress the importance of continuing with home reading, journaling about their day, and practicing basic facts through games (dice, cards). We hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy and don’t forget to enjoy the spring weather by going on a nature walk. 

Thank you for your patience during this unsettled time. 

We miss you!

Grade 1/2 Team ☘☘☘☘ 

School Closure (March 16)

Parents and Guardians,

Effective Monday, March 16, 2020 all classes across Alberta have been cancelled due to COVID-19. Children are not to attend school.

A schedule will be communicated for families to pick up their child’s personal belongings in the upcoming days, the schedule will be shared via School Messenger and Teachers’ classroom blogs. This schedule will be in place to ensure the health and safety of all our staff, students and their families.

Thank you for your understanding during this time of uncertainty. Parents can view information and any updates on our main webpage at cbe.ab.ca.

Capitol Hill Staff