PLAY DAY

Many of our primary classrooms participated in a free play afternoon. How wonderful to see what they did. They chose so many different activities and there were many positive learning activities going on. In these pictures we can see writing, building and sand and water play. They are also learning to cooperate and plan what they are going to do. This was an exciting and very rich learning time. The children loved it because: “It’s fun”, “we can do what we want” and “I can be creative.”

 

 Zero Hero Assembly

The school enjoyed a great performance about the importance of creating zero waste.

Global Citizenship Club

The Global Citizenship Club and Maple Grove have received recognition for our efforts in helping those in need. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society would like to thank all of the students, families and staff who contributed to the Halloween for Hunger campaign. Maple Grove was featured in an online post by the GVFB for our hard work and generosity. Great job, Maple Grove! 

Student Composition

(Nolan G., Grade 3, wrote this poem in the car on the way to school on Thursday morning.)

The Rain

It’s raining,

I’m sad.

I don’t know why, but I am.

It helps plants grow and makes cool noises when it hits the trunk of the car like “splunk, plonk and plop”.

I’m still sad.

This is a charming poem. It is the way many of us feel on those wintry rainy days when it might be nice to stay inside and read a book. It is wonderful that some of our students are writing poetry at different times and not always for a school assignment. Children love to learn and be creative.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TURN OFF THE SCREEN WEEK CERTIFICATE WINNERS.

We had over two hundred students participate in our Turn Off the Screen Week. Here are the lucky winners of gift certificates for books.

Bake Sale

On Wednesday, February 11, Maple Grove’s Student Council will be having a bake sale. It will be in the lunch room (intermediates) and the basement (primaries). All items will cost $1.00. If you would like to donate items for the bake sale, they can be dropped off in Ms Wong’s room (#207) or Ms Hales’s room (#203) on Wednesday morning. The Student Council is raising money to purchase sports equipment to be lent out to students at lunch time. The students are excited about their upcoming initiative.

Draft School Calendars for 2015-16 & 2016-17

The Vancouver School Board has released DRAFT school calendars for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years.   DRAFT calendars can be viewed on the Vancouver School Board website at http://www.vsb.bc.ca/district-news/vsb-releases-draft-school-calendars-2015-16-and-2016-17

Public feedback and/or comment regarding 2015-16 and 2016-17 DRAFT calendars is welcome and can be sent to calendar@vsb.bc.ca.

Please submit feedback and comments by March 2, 2015.

Parents, please mark your calendar for the next PAC Meeting on Tuesday, February 17th at 7pm in the Library!  Agenda to be announced next week. We look forward to seeing you there! Your PAC Co-Chairs, Monica Tang & Allison Arato

Montessori Parent Committee Announcement:

If you plan for your children to attend Magee in Grade 8, and your child is a cross boundary student, please note that the VSB is moving to enforce a current policy that out-of-catchment students be selected by lottery, if there is insufficient space to accommodate all cross boundary applicants.  For more information please check the Montessori blog.

Thank you!

Monica Tang, Chair, Montessori Parent Committee

Destination Imagination

For Destination Imagination, students in teams develop solutions to problems. They learn to be both critical thinkers and creative thinkers. They are also developing the important skill of being able to collaborate. In these pictures one team of students is presenting for an audience of students in the gym.

 

Do You have Nandina in your yard?

If you do, did you know that the beautiful red berries are toxic to birds?

The problem is the cyanide and other alkaloids contained in the berries that produce highly toxic hydrogen cyanide, which is extremely poisonous to all animals. Sudden death may be the only sign of cyanide poisoning and death usually comes within minutes to an hour of exposure.

Worse still, nandina is a non-domestic, noxious and highly invasive weed that displaces the non-toxic, native plants on which local birds would thrive. Nandina has been imported from China and Japan and has invaded many natural areas. Homeowners and commercial landscapers are still planting this toxic species, unaware of the risk.

The easiest way to  prevent the birds from eating the tempting red berries is to cut them off the shrubs.  Dispose of them in your yard waste where the birds can’t get at them.  Our birds need all the help they can get!

Upcoming Events:

February 9th – Family Day Holiday

February 11th – Student Council Bake Sale

February 17th – PAC Meeting 7pm in the Library

February 19th – Professional Development Day – no school for students

February 20th – Chinese New Year Craft activities. Wear Red/Gold or traditional costume day.

February 24th – Ready Set Learn

February 25th – Pink Day

February 26 – Massed Band Concert 7:00 pm