Principal’s Message
Spring has sprung early this year! After an amazingly short- and wet- February, we enter into our spring break in need of some rejuvenation and rest. This was a short, but very busy term at Maple Grove. We are looking forward to a frenetic and productive dash to the end of the year. Fasten your seatbelts- it will go by in the blink of an eye!
If you weren’t able to join us Thursday afternoon, please enjoy these Science Fair pics! Maple Grove has some budding young scientists who certainly have captured the essence of the scientific process. Students spent many hours over the past couple of weeks
examining the scientific process, designing experiments, and testing hypotheses. Putting it all together into a presentation board was the culminating activity for many. Thank you to all the parents, students and staff for making the event so successful. Enjoy these quick pics:
Quick pics from Mr. Evans
Organization & Planning
Planning is already under way for September. If any families are planning to move schools, please let us know ASAP so that we can help you with the transition to your new school. We like transitions to be seamless and smooth for both the student and the family. If you know of any new families in the neighbourhood, please encourage them to come and register. Deadlines have come and gone. We are essentially full for next year and have wait lists in almost every grade.
PLANNING FOR SEPTEMBER
Now is the time when schools start to submit their projections for September enrolment to the VSB. In May the VSB will allocate staff to the school, based on our projections, and then we will begin the process of building a school organization for September. About June, the actual organization and class casting begins in an effort to accommodate a smooth September start-up. You can anticipate receiving more information from me on these matters later in the spring.
Report Cards
Report card day is Monday, March 7th
Conferences are Wednesday and Thursday March 9 + 10
Early dismissal at 2:00 pm. Please make arrangements pick up your child. There is only limited supervision available.
A little bit of info re: report cards… Each year, parents receive three formal written reports (roughly December, March and June) which follow the requirements set out in provincial legislation. There will also be at least two informal reports through meetings, conferences or telephone calls (these take the form of our goal-setting conferences in October and student-led or parent/teacher conferences in March- this year March 9+10). Please remember that students are dismissed at 2:00 pm on both days, and there is limited supervision available. Please make arrangements to pick up your child as close to 2:00 pm as possible.
Written reports include a description of the student’s academic progress and a description of the student’s behaviour, including information on attitudes, work habits, effort and social responsibility. According to the expected learning outcomes of each curriculum, reports must clearly describe: (a) what the student is able to do, (b) the areas in which the student requires further attention or development, and (c) ways of supporting the student in his/her learning. Parents occasionally request additional letters or certificates about their child’s schooling but in British Columbia report cards are the official record. Report cards are not issued according to our annual calendar, if students are absent when report cards are issued the reports will be available when the child returns to school. Students who are absent for prolonged periods of time often receive a report card that addresses the matter. The Ministry of Education and the Vancouver School Board set the frequency of reporting for different subjects. Not all subjects are reported each term.
English Second Language Learners, Special Needs students and other students who receive additional learning support services, who meet the prescribed curriculum learning outcomes, will receive regular letter grades. When it is determined that a student is not capable of achieving the learning outcomes or when substantial curriculum modification is necessary the use of letter grades and percentages for reporting is not appropriate. Individual and Group Education Plans as well as VSB ESL Reports will be used to describe the program and progress for these students.
Lost and Found is Overflowing!
Next week is early dismissal on Wednesday and Thursday for Parent Conferences. We have moved the Lost and Found to outside the office. Please have a look when you are in the school.
Recognize anything?
Another exciting fundraiser!
Our school is looking for some nutritional balance and so to counter our amazing chocolate sale, we are now selling these excellent Veggie Baskets for only $20!…. They are great value and are filled with locally grown produce. The baskets will be distributed the first few weeks of May.
Please check out the flyer and order form that are attached and encourage your student to sell these baskets to their friends, neighbours and family!!! Great items and value!
Payment can be made with cash or cheque (MG PAC) to the office! Please have payment to the office by Wednesday, March 9th.
Thanks again for all the support you show to all of our fundraising endeavours!
Questions or comments…. estelle_dufresne@telus.net
Veggie Baskets Fresh to You Poster (002)
Curriculum Implementation Day
Please be reminded that there will be NO SCHOOL Friday, March 4th. The Province has allotted two implementation days for teachers to become better acquainted with the new curriculum that is expected to be taught in September. Students first day back at school will be Monday, March 7th.
Gifted/Challenge Summer Program July 6th – July 26th 2016.
This summer the Vancouver Board of Education will again be offering the Gifted/Challenge Summer Program at Mackenzie Elementary School (960 East 39th Avenue). Families will be able to apply to participate in both morning and afternoon sessions each with courses approximately 3 hours in duration. Classes are available for students who have completed Kindergarten through Grade 7.
Courses based on BC curriculum are free for all students currently enrolled BC schools. Students are limited to one free course but are able to register for an additional fee-based class to enjoy more of the program and to remain at Mackenzie for a full day.
The courses are not only designed for students who have been designated as gifted but also for those who have strengths in particular subject areas such as Math, Science, Writing or the Arts. This also includes students who, for example, may have difficulty with written output but excel in hands-on or creative activities such as aviation experiments, LEGO robotics, computer programming, movie production, or art. Because of this, the program offers a wide variety of subject areas and styles of courses to meet these varying needs.
Application Forms
The application process is a completed online in two parts. The first part requires the completion of an online registration form (the link to which can found at the Gifted Learner website below). The second part involves scanning the student’s most recent report card in PDF format and submitting it by email.
For further information and the link to the online registration form please visit the Gifted Learner website at Gifted Learning. If you have any questions or concerns please email gifted@vsb.bc.ca.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We live, work and learn on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples – sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations. We wish to acknowledge the history of our neighborhood and community as we have all benefited from the richness of their teachings.
Upcoming Events
March 4 – New Curriculum Implementation – No school for students
March 9 -Early Dismissal – 2pm – Parent Conferences
March 10 – Early Dismissal – 2pm – Parent Conferences
March 14th to March 24 – Spring Break
March 25 – Good Friday Holiday
March 28 – Easter Monday Holiday
March 29 -School Re-Opens
Maple Grove Elementary School 
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