KINDERGARTEN/GRADE 1

            There are definite signs that spring is getting closer. Temperatures are warmer and the schoolyard is melting.  We are all looking forward to the warm spring days ahead.  Please send extra clothing, just in case one does get wet. 

            Congratulations on a job well done in the Kindersley Music Festival K/1 class.  We are proud of Kylan Wagner for a job well done on his solos for choral speech.  Thanks to Joy Assmus for coming to our class to assist us with choral speaking.  We are off to Leader Music Festival on Monday, April 11^th.  The performance will be at 10:30 a.m. at the Leader Community Hall.  Parents and friends are welcome to meet us there and watch. Students will take a bus and need to bring lunches in case we are late getting back to school.  

            The K/1 class is presently working on Guided Reading. The class has also been on the move with their transportation unit.  In Arts-ed. the students made a chain of bunnies, and will be creating Easter baskets.

            Kindergartens have started a new batch of work jobs.  The Kindergarten class is reviewing the letters of the alphabet.  They are learning the sounds of each letter and practicing the correct formation of the letter.  They are using puppets and stories to help remember each letter.  They are also reviewing the color words, reviewing numbers to 20, and counting to 100.  There were many stories told about St. Patrick’s Day.

            Grade Ones are finishing long vowel sounds in Phonics.  The Grade One class has started Lesson 11 in Sight Words.  They are working on Lesson 11 in Spelling.  The Grade One class has been learning about place value and word problems in Math.  They will now be learning about measurement.   It would be helpful to review counting by fives to 100, and counting by two’s to 20.  In Science we are learning about Plants.  In Social Studies we are learning about Japan. 

            In Phys-ed. we are exploring all sorts of ways to move our bodies in gymnastics.  We will be working with jump ropes too. 

            We hope everyone has a very “Hoppy Easter”.

- Mrs. Shelley Follensbee   p

GRADE 2/3

Well March came in like a lion….. but I’m not so sure it is leaving like a lamb!

We had a very busy month.  Students prepared their poems for music festival and did a great job!  We also went to the care home and performed our group poem and individual poems for the residents.

We were finishing off all assessments in all subjects in preparation for the report cards which came out March 18^th.  We also updated our showcase portfolios and assessment binders which we shared with our parents at the interviews on March 22, or 23.  These binders and portfolios were sent home for parents to peruse and they should be returned by next week.

In ELA we were off in Outer Space! Students did research reports on one of the planets.  They then did a space travel project which included a poster, a brochure, and a radio ad encouraging travel to their planet.  These ads were videotaped and played for parents at interviews.  Each student also created new constellations, and read an interview of Ian Shelton an astronomer who discovered a supernova.  We have also read many stories about space, and factual information about stars.

We have completed Unit 27 in Spelling. In Phonics the Grade Three students are learning about prefixes and suffixes and the Grade Three students are learning about the rules for adding suffixes.

In Math both grades have completed the unit on measurement. The Grade Three students are currently working on addition and subtraction to 100. The Grade Three students are finishing the unit on fractions and will be starting the geometry unit soon.

In Science we have completed the unit on resources of the earth and will now be focusing on Space concepts.  In Social we are comparing communities across Canada.

In Arts–ed. we created three dimensional faces.  In Phys-ed. we are continuing to do gymnastics skills.

We plan to once again plant Space Tomatoes and send in our results to the Tomatosphere project.  Our class is already making plans for the flower bed at the front of the school!  We can’t wait to see the tulips!

In anticipation of melting snow – please consider splash pants, and rubber boots for your children.  We will try to keep them out of the mud – but it would not hurt to send a pair of extra socks and pants – just in case!

-  Mrs. Marla Frison   p

GRADE 4/5

            March was definitely a surprise with the extended winter we had.  We are eagerly looking forward to April and hope that spring comes with it.   We took advantage of the little taste of spring that we had in early March and headed down to the rink a couple of days to skate before the rink closed for the season.  We had lots of fun skating and playing games.  Congratulations to those students in our class who participated in choral speaking, voice or piano at the Kindersley Music Festival.  Power Hour has started up again and lots of students look forward to getting active and having fun.  In March, students took home their report cards for the 2^nd term and we held parent/student/teacher conferences on the 22^nd and 23^rd.   What a great turnout!  We hope the parents enjoyed flipping through our individual portfolios which showcase our learning and progress. 

            Lots of news worthy things have been happening in the 4/5 classroom.  In ELA our class completed a study of “Owls in the Family” by Farley Mowat.   The general consensus was a “thumbs up” for this book which told the story of pet owls who cause some crazy and funny problems.  Some students decided it would be cool to have owls for pets; others weren’t sure if they would be worth the trouble.  We ended our unit with a “Book Club Critique” which we shared with the others in our class.  In our next unit, we will be reading and learning about “Fur, Feathers, Scales, and Skin”.  We are really focusing on generating ideas in writing and ensuring that we add lots of description.  We have completed 21 units in Spelling and 71 pages in Phonics.  Grade 4s are mastering multiplication and division in Math and the Grade 5s have been tackling Patterns and Equations.  Next month, the Grade 5s will move on to fractions and decimals.  Students are working very hard to complete projects on Saskatchewan Explorers.  Some are creating displays while others are putting together slide show presentations.  Our new unit in Science is about the Human Body Systems.  There is lots of new, interesting, and sometimes gross information to learn.   In Health class, we have had a guest speaker, Mrs. Shelley Eckstein.  She is presenting information to make us aware of the effects and consequences of drugs.  Besides skating in Phys-ed., students have had fun playing badminton.  We set up a tournament and were excited to challenge other teams.  We continue to focus on cardiovascular and endurance workouts that promote healthy, active living.  The Grade 4s have not only learned how to play the recorders, but they are also learning how to play ukuleles.  The Grade Five Band is learning to play “Regal March” and “Montego Bay” on their flutes, clarinets, trumpets and saxophones.  Arts-ed. classes are fun as we create some spring and Easter crafts.  We are also beginning a drama unit. 

            With only three weeks of school in April, Easter holidays will be here before we can say “Easter Bunny”.   Hope you all have a “Hoppy Easter” and enjoy the signs of spring that will be popping up everywhere. 

-  Mrs. Lisa King   p

SRC REPORT

            March came in “like a lion” and went out the same way!

            The Senior Girls’ Basketball season has ended.  They won second at Conferences which sent them to Regionals at Middle Lake.  They played hard and came out in second place.

            Badminton has started and is going hard for both Juniors and Seniors.  There are a lot of participants who are having fun and trying hard.

            The SRC sponsored a St. Patrick’s Day Bake Sale that went very well. 

            The Drama Club is having on going practices.  The school performance will be on April 13^th at 1:00 p.m.  There will be a silver collection.

            The Sun West School Division is sponsoring a leadership conference in Kindersley on April 15^th and 16^th.  Students involved with SRC will be partaking in this activity.

            We look forward to warmer weather, better roads and sunshine.

            Jenny Nunweiler & Dakota Price,   

                       SRC Reporters  p

DRAMA CLUB UPDATE

            We are in

our final stages of preparation for Regional Drama competition in Maple Creek on April 15^th and 16^th.  Students have gathered props and costumes. Lines are memorized (or almost).  Students are excited about attending all events including the dance and banquet.  We are still short some drivers.  We need a set of drivers for Friday and for Saturday as we will be returning to Eatonia Friday evening and then heading out early on Saturday morning.  Our school and community performance will be April 13^th at 1:00 p.m. in the gym.  Everyone is welcome!  We will be having a silver collection.  Our performance at Regionals will be Saturday April 16^th at 1:00 p.m. in Maple Creek.  Everyone is welcome to attend that performance as well. Come out and support our students.

-  Mrs. Marla Frison  p

            During the week of March 20^th to 25^th, students from Eaton School participated in the Kindersley District Music Festival. The week was off to a busy start with choral speech held in Eatonia, followed by piano, vocal and instrumental held in Kindersley.  All of the students who chose to participate did a wonderful job performing. There were many awards and congratulations given.  Dr. Glen Gillis, the instrument adjudicator for the festival and Saskatoon University Professor, commends the students on their performances and commented that he “was impressed at the quality and breadth of involvement.”  Congratulations again to all of the students involved!  We look forwarding to hearing more from you at the Sand Hills Music Festival on April 11^th and 12^th in Leader.

-  Ms. Karen Luptak   p

            On Tuesday, March 21, the Speech Arts section of the Music Festival was once again held in Eatonia.  The K/1 and the Grade 2/3 class entered group poems.  Each class did excellent performances.  We had 11 students take part in individual poems. Many of the students chose to enter 2 classes and were eligible for scholarships.  It was great to see all the children get up in front of the audience and say their poems.  I would like to thank Bonnie Adams and Shelley Eckstein who volunteered to assist on festival day.  I would like to also thank Joy Assmus for her countless hours spent assisting both classes and the individual students prepare their poems.

            The following students were awarded scholarships:

*  The K/1 Class – Kindersley and District Music

    Festival Shield

*  John Stevens – Kindersley Knights of Columbus

    - $25.00

*  Eva Rudolph – Kindersley and District Coop –

    $25.00

*  Max Eckstein - Beta Sigma Phi $25.00 and  

    Kindersley and District Arts Council - $25.00

*  Amber Adams – Alsask Lion’s Club - $50

*  Richie Adams was also awarded a medallion

Several of our students will also be competing in the Sand Hills Music Festival in Leader April 11, 12^th and we wish them luck with these performances as well.

Speech Arts Session Coordinator 

Mrs. Marla Frison   p

            Another year of basketball is in the books at Eaton School and what a year it has been!  With basketball being absent from the school for a few years, we weren’t sure exactly what the year would have in store.  We finished the year being very proud of all of our efforts and how we represented Eaton School … as well as having some fun along the way!

            On March 4-5, we travelled to Luseland for a tournament.  We won two great games against Wilkie and Unity, and lost in a hard fought game against Luseland. 

            We began our playoff run at conferences in Elrose, March 11-12.  We beat the host team handily, to advance to the final against Loreburn.  Unfortunately, we came up short, despite a great effort and a difference of only 4 baskets!

            With this top 2 finish at conferences, we earned an 11^th placed ranking in the Province and a birth at the Regional finals in Middle Lake.  We played a good first game against #6 ranked Luseland, but failed to advance to the Regional Final.  We lost a heart-breaker in overtime by a basket, to Canwood in the consolation game. 

            All in all, our season was a tremendous success and the girls showed incredible determination and resiliency in pioneering the rebuilding of our basketball program at Eaton School.  It was a huge responsibility for these young girls to build enthusiasm and excitement around a program that had been struggling for several years, and they should be commended for their success in creating a buzz in the basketball ranks and the town once more.  It was great to hear people getting excited about basketball again! 

            The success of our program relies on the support of many volunteer s and supporters.  We would like to take this time to thank:

-       John Frison, for enthusiastically taking the time out of his day to help us at practice, and to share his expertise.

-       Darryl Lothammer, for opening and preparing the gym for practices.

-       Lisa King for taking the team pictures for Regionals. 

-       Craig Vanthuyne for supervising the girls early morning shooting practices, being our primary school contact, and providing the support necessary for the girls to attend tournaments, etc. 

-       Megan Hayes for helping run practices, taking over coaching duties at conferences, and organizing all of our refs, tournaments and games. 

-       Our parents, for your continued support with driving, packing meals for tournaments, waking up early to get our girls to shooting practice in the morning, and taking time away from your families and jobs to attend tournaments and practices.  Especially, for taking charge to ensure that the coach didn’t have to worry about much! 

-       A special personal thanks from me to my players, for allowing me to be a part of a basketball team again!  Oh, how I missed it!  Thank-you for keeping me off the couch a few nights a week, giving me an excuse to exercise my vocal muscles, making me laugh with your witty comments, and for all the” life lessons” that you have taught me along the way this season!  It was truly a fun and rewarding experience.

-  Ms. Kim Somerville   p

CAMP TAMARACK

INFORMATION ABOUT CAMP AND CAMPERS

The Tamarack tree, unlike most trees with needle like leaves, loses its foliage in the fall, and through the winter stands apart from the rest of the trees because of its apparent lifelessness.  Given the right environment, however, it will blossom forth to become one of the most majestic trees in the forest.

Like the Tamarack tree in winter, children with learning disabilities may also stand apart, marked by the differences between themselves and other children.  Camp Tamarack exists to change that by providing a nourishing environment so that children with learning disabilities may grow in self-esteem and learning skills.

Camp Tamarack is a summer program for children and teens with learning disabilities.  It is located 25 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert, Sask.  The camp was established in 1977 to serve the children of this province.  It is the only one of its kind in Western Canada.

Camp Mission:

1. To prevent academic regression which may occur with students over the summer months.
2. To further develop social and recreational skills so that the students may experience more success in their home communities and schools
3. To improve the student’s self-esteem through positive academic and social experiences.
4. Foster independence and responsibility through meaningful opportunities.

Program:

The children attend a camp for three weeks.  They receive three hours of academic instruction five days a week, from qualified teachers.  Other activities during the day are designed to reinforce skills taught.  Such activities include:  canoeing and swimming which offer chances to improve gross motor skills, arts and crafts promote fine motor skill development and nature watching provides opportunity for the children to practice observation and memory skills.

Two camp programs are offered each summer:  Junior Camp (ages 7 – 11), and Senior Camp (ages 12-15).

The children we take to camp are recommended by teachers and the parents.  These children are all average to above average intellectually; however they show discrepancies between potential and achievement and often display deficits in language abilities, such as reading and writing, and often mathematics as well. Children with learning disabilities can learn and succeed in life, with the proper supports and opportunities.

            Camp Tamarack

            P.O. Box 9677

            Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 7G5

            Phone:  9750855 or 780-9218

            e-mail:  camptamarack@shaw.ca

            website: members.shaw.ca/camptamarack/