Monthly+Newsletter

= April Newsletter =

As stated last month, our focus while writing in English has been on News reports, but will shift to essay writing soon. The OSSLT (grade 10 Literacy test) has included both of these writing styles for years, and both have a cumulative worth of __half__ the test. With your child’s high school graduation depending on them passing this test, it only makes sense for them to start practicing these writing styles now. April will be a busy month for Math, as we will be finishing up our Geometry unit early. Soon after, we will be beginning a short unit about the 3d measurements of Volume and surface area. This is no time to slack off of homework. While the nights just before and after March Break/the Easter weekend have been easy, expect the workload to pick up. With a three-day field trip ahead of us, we will be cramming as much material as we can into the days ahead!

=March= Welcome to third term! If you haven’t already done so, please get your child’s enrolment form into the high school they’re attending next year. It needs to be filled out, and signed by Mr. Todino, before being sent off. Getting it in early will help the high schools plan their schedules for next year. In the third term, our writing will focus on two areas that are likely to be on the Grade 10 OSSLT test: news reports and opinion essays. We will be looking at some past tests, so that the Grade 10 test (which they must pass to graduate from high school) will at least be familiar when they get up to it. Math class will be similar, where we will be looking at the Grade 9 Math test. Science fairs are due! After working independently for about a month, our Science fair is drawing to a close. The poster and written components are due on the 4th. Expect to see a date in the near future for when the Intermediate Science fairs will be on display in the gym. Skiing has been rescheduled for the 11th. Due to the failure of a ski lift, our first trip was cancelled. If you can now, or can no longer, chaperone, please let the school know as soon as possible. Graduation photos have been scheduled for the 8th. Please send in your child with a white shirt (with a collar, for the boys).

February stands to be a month of many expectations. Second Term will be ending not long after the month ends, so students can expect to see many tests and projects wrap up this month. Tests will be happening in Math, Geography, and History; stories will be written for Writing; Science Fair projects will be completed for Science. On top of that, the students will be writing and acting in a re-enactment of Louis Riel’s involvement in the Red River and Northwest Rebellions. Parents can expect all cookie dough orders to arrive on the 25th. Please arrange to pick up your order on the afternoon of the 25th, as the dough will need to frozen overnight. The votes are in: the ski trip is a go! We will be travelling by bus to London on the 23rd. We need **eight** chaperones for this trip to be finalized; without enough adults, we can’t go. If you want to come out, but not ski, there’s no charge. Parents wanting to come out and ski are asked to pay the $50 fee. Speaking of field trips, I am happy to say that our Grade 8s displayed incredible courtesy and sportsmanship while at the curling rink. The instructors at the Granite Club in Chatham were overwhelmed by the manners and behaviour of our students. They have certainly set the bar high for any groups in the future.
 * February Newsletter**

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=January Newsletter= Welcome back! By now, you should have received a letter outlining this year’s major field trips. With curling (school paid), skiing ($50) and Ottawa ($350) coming up, it is critical that ALL students participate in fundraising. For January, we will be selling frozen cookie dough in seven flavours. Please ensure that cheques are made out to St. Joseph Catholic School. Students are asked to have __all orders in by JANUARY 27th__. Delivery will take 2-3 weeks after the order has been placed. We will be welcoming Lisa Morris back into our room, where she will be leading us in a series of dance classes. Lisa is a real pro, and we look forward to learning a lot from her. Everyone is invited out to the Kingdom Project: Medieval Feast. The Kingdom Project is a non-profit project where Grade 8 students are given a small amount of seed money, which they use to raise even more money for charity. This year’s feast looks like a great one! Come out, enjoy a chicken strip or quarter chicken dinner, and be entertained by our talented students. All Grade 8 students will be travelling to UCC (the Pines) on the 28th for a guided tour of the high school. All Grade 8s, even those who are planning on attending TDHS next year, should come out and see what the Pines has to offer. Please bring a pair of indoor shoes along. = = = December Newsletter = First Term is over; time to crank up the expectations. Second Term is starting with a special project. In Religion the students are working independently on a Social Justice Project. They have been called to make a difference, locally or beyond, in an area that is important to them. Ideas range from food drives to websites to reading to the sick to fundraisers… the breadth of ideas is incredible. Math will focus on circles and geometry before Christmas Break. Expect a test or two before you go. Literacy will have us reading a book about the Nazi occupation of France, and turning it into a writing piece about reparations. The results of this reading and writing piece will be brought to a conference of several schools where they will be analyzed and graded. Future dates to watch for: = = =November 2009= October was a busy month. As we head into Report Card Season, the students are finishing up a few major projects (the dam builder and History video) and starting a couple major Writing assignments. If your child has any concerns about their grades, __now is the time__ to see me about any make-up work. It is not too late to boost your grades!
 * January 22: curling trip to Chatham
 * February 23: skiing in London

On November 4th we will be travelling to the Pines for a half-day career planning seminar. The staff of UCC will be speaking with our Grade 8s, and the Grade 8s of several other schools, about what options are available after highschool.

In Math, we will be working with Data management and Algebra. Students are expected to be able to collect, graph and interpret data, and identify, expand and evaluate patterns. Anyone needing help can meet with to discuss extra help after school.. In English we will be wrapping up our Report Writing unit. The students will work on the final assignment in this unit in the first week of November before moving into a unit on Story writing. History will involve the students examining the events that took place during the Confederation of Canada. In Science we will are strating a Unit based on the Form and Function of machines. Students will have an opportunity to build and create machines in this unit.