Page 1 | January 2014
Volume 5 Issue 6
March 2014
IN THIS ISSUE: From the Headmaster
2
Drive Fore the Future
3
Grade 9 Create Candy DNA
4
Grade 5 Visits Sonic Radio
5
Annual Fund Donors
6
Student Achievements
8
Pi Day at Meadowridge
9
Service Recognition Board
9
Deputy Headmaster Blog
10
The SPCA Visits Junior Kindergarten
12
Library Update
14
The Sparrow
16
Parent Guild Update
17
DP Visual Arts Grad Show
18
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL 12224-240th Street Maple Ridge, BC V4R 1N1 www.meadowridge.bc.ca t: 604.467.4444 | f: 604.467.4989
WELCOME BACK! We hope everyone had a wonderful Spring Break! We hope everyone’s break was restful and enjoyable. A special welcome back to our students returning home from their Extended Field Trips; this year, students travelled to France, Japan and Spain! We can’t wait to hear about all of the exciting adventures, sight-seeing and learning students managed to pack into their visits abroad.
The Meadowridge Mini Gryphon is printed in-house to reduce costs. Meadowridge School is proud to be an accredited International Baccalaureate Continuum World School.
Page 2 | March 2014
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
HEADMASTER OCCASIONAL LETTER The Meadowridge International Baccalaureate Programme Why not just offer a programme? Why the Continuum matters; In my first letter, I explained that all of our grade twelve students are IB learners, Diploma or Graduation. In this second occasional letter, I want to explain why all of our kids are IB learners. A few parents took the time, during a parent reception at our home, to ask about the reasons for our approach to IB: Why is it that we only offer IB approved courses, and all of our students are IB students. They asked why we did not simply sort the kids into different groups by achievement, and then offer authorized IB courses only to a few children who qualify. A number of school districts, for example, offer the IB authorized courses only for highly motivated and talented students, and insist on school-based “pre-IB” courses ahead of time that help to sort out which students get into the real IB courses. To some… in fact, to many school districts… this makes good financial sense: When the courses are not authorized by IBO, the need for smaller classes and specially trained teachers is far lower. Some schools can offer an IB programme, then, for a couple of grades, to a select group of students, while streaming most into a regular programme. But the IB is not just about marks, (although our grade twelve students have just earned the highest projected marks in our school history). We have, instead, built from a PYP to a MYP programme, and only then offered an IB Graduation, including Diploma. But we think that there are good reasons for this approach, and it is not simply that the Continuum produces the best grades. Rather we think that the Continuum is based on inclusion, respect, and a belief that the IB is for every student. Our school is one of five in the province to offer all three IB programmes: PYP, MYP, and DP. It means that all of our students go through the full set of rigorous courses which lead to graduation, with either a full Diploma or a Meadowridge Graduation. All of our kids are IB students, in every grade.
Our students are not segregated into “the IB students” and the “NonIB students”. We prefer to build inclusion. All of our courses are IB courses, leading to Graduation or Diploma. The IB learner profile is applied to everyone. Our kids all do the IB projects and the essays and the inquiry and the reflection at each level up to grade eleven, which gets them ready for the next one – and all are approved courses from the International Baccalaureate Organization. In our school, there are no special groupings. The reason that the only approved programme for grades six to ten is the MYP is because it builds the competences and dispositions, knowledge and ability to be the best student possible. It is not comprised of regular British Columbia courses with more work and somewhat higher expectations: The MYP is different learning. We believe that every student benefits from this type of learning, learning that is integrated, based on inquiry, both individual and collaborative, and reflective. We believe that every child deserves this, not just the highly motivated and talented. It is a matter of respect, of respect for all of the abilities that children bring to their learning, not just test-taking. Centrally, we believe that the IB programmes, working together, offer the best learning possible for the success and happiness of our children in their future. It builds the ability to think, to wonder, to solve problems, to work with others, to know things, to embrace change, to work hard, and to think for oneself. It is not simply a programme for the talented and motivated, but it is the programme for every child to become well-rounded. It prepares students for success, not just in university, but more importantly, in their life. We do not just offer an IB programme: We are an IB school, and all of our students are IB learners. - Mr. Hugh Burke, Headmaster
The IB Continuum of Education IB Mission Statement
IB Learner Profile
Programme Standards & Practices
PYP
MYP
DP
DRIVE FORE THE FUTURE 13TH ANNUAL MEADOWRIDGE GOLF TOURNAMENT
This year, we are dedicating the funds raised to have digital signage installed at the front gates of the school! Look forward to hearing more information on sponsorship opportunities, player registration and more very soon.
How You Can Get Involved • Would you like to sponsor any part of the event? • Do you have some time to volunteer to be on our committee or to help out on the day of the tournament? • Do you have any item(s) to donate – which may be for our live auction or other prizes? If so, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Mr. Daniel Le Page at daniel.lepage@meadowridge.bc.ca or 604.467.4444.
SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, June 7, 2014
Swan-E-Set Bay Resort & Country Club
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
Page 4 | March 2014
GRADE 9 CONSTRUCT DNA
Candy DNA This month, Grade 9 Science students started their Biology unit and are learning about DNA. Students demonstrated their understanding of the structure of DNA by making candy versions, using red licorice as the Phosphate-Sugar Backbone and coloured marshmallows to represent the four bases. - Ms. Deepti Rajeev, MYP Teacher
Page 5 | March 2014
GRADE 5 VISITS SONIC RADIO
Grade 5 had a chance to visit Sonic Radio Station to learn about how “the different types of media influence our thinking”. We learned about the working of a radio station and how people work together to get the news, fun events, and entertainment out to the world using the radio. There are different jobs for a radio station such as Production Manager, Radio Jockeys, News Reporters, Script Writers and Researchers who complete different jobs such as adding special effects, producing voice overs, editing and more. Did you know that whatever you hear on the radio can be edited before it gets aired? Did you also know that advertisements are the main source of income for a radio station? The two stations (Sonic and Jack FM) are both fun to listen to on the radio, and this time, Grade 5 had the opportunity to wish our Olympic team good luck by saying “Go, Canada, Go” on the radio! This awesome field trip has taught us a lot more about how to work at a radio station. It was full of knowledge, learning, and fun. I hope that we get a chance to go back and learn more. Thank you to Sonic Nation! - Tina Q., Emily B. and Natalie C.
Page 6 | March 2014
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
Mr. & Mrs. Darrell & Kim Lester Mr. & Mrs. Sean & Kara Lisik Dr. Jun Liu & Mrs. Xiao Wei Zhan Mr. & Mrs. Yang & Xiaoping Liu Mr. Daofeng Liu & Ms. Quming Chen Mr. Hai Qing Liu & Mrs. Lie Jing Gu Anonymous
Mr. Kenneth Go & Mrs. Connie Chow-Go
Anonymous
Mr. Steve Guo & Mrs. Yun Wei
Mr. Ke Bai & Mrs. Ye Hu
Dr. Daniel Gouws & Mrs. Kimberley Buchanan Gouws
Mr. Tim Coleman & Miss Tessa Bainbridge
Mr. & Mrs. Alan & Marlene Graveson
The Barber Family
Mr. & Mrs. Warwick & Carolyn Green
Mr. & Mrs. Randy & Leslie Bargen
Mr. & Mrs. Craig & Natalie Gunning
Mr. & Mrs. Chris & Jodi Barrass
Mr. Xiu Kang & Mrs. Baowei Yue
Mrs. Kristal Bereza
Halpern’s Limited
Dr. Michael Orser & Ms. Christine Bickle
Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Tammy Haywood
Prof. Nicholas Blomley & Ms. Jessie Hill
Mr. & Mrs. William & Leona Healy
Mr. Rhys Clarke & Mrs. Julie Bournival
Mr. & Mrs. Don & Linda Hincks
The Brookshaw Family
Mr. Patrick Ho & Ms. Dawn Feng
Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd
Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Christine Holtved
Mr. Antonio de Oliveira Jr. & Mrs. Amanda Casanova
Ms. Cindy Hops
Mr. Federico Lopez & Ms. Claudia Martinez Ms. Xiao Hong Zhou Mr. Wenping Luo & Mrs. Juana Zhu Mr. Jack Ma & Mrs. Helen Shao Drs. Samir & Sangita Malhotra Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Shirley Brunetta Mr. Jamie Marriott Mr. Gareth Mason & Ms. Carolyn Treger Mr. John McLaughlin & Ms. Cheryl David Ms. Sherrie Metz Ms. Christy Mooney Ampersand Advisory Group Mr. & Mrs. Skigh & Vanessa Murray Ms. Danielle Noël Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Barbara Niwa
Mr. Wayne Huang & Mrs. May Yan
Mr. David Noble Ms. Toni Perretta
Mr. Jun Chen & Mrs. Zhe Zhou
Mr. Mark Grant & Mrs. Carrie HughesGrant
Ms. Angela Pallister
Mr. Gang Chen & Ms. Linda Li
Mr. Richard Hui & Ms. Stephanie Lee
Mr. Jason Parker & Mrs. Nancy Vertel
Mr. Richard Choi & Mrs. Angie Lee
Dr. Geoffrey Hutchinson & Dr. Sarah Charney
Mr. & Mrs. Terrance & Moira Passley
Mr. & Mrs. Cherokee & Joyce Chamorro
Mr. Roy Choi & Mrs. Jeong-Mi Ryu Mr. Mark Conaghan Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Katherine Crawford Dr. Malcolm Crozier & Mrs. Alicia Osorio Bustos
Mr. John Hwang & Mrs. Catherine Kim Mr. & Mrs. Ty & Jadina Irving Drs. Sriram & Mahalaxmi Iyer Mr. Zhihu Jia & Mrs. Xiaosheng Wang
Mr. Avio Diniz & Ms. Patricia Lapointe
Mr. Jingquan Lin & Ms. Lu Li Lee
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Wendy Dockerty
Mr. Jingsong Niu & Mrs. Jing Wen
Mr. Terry Donaldson
Ms. Lynelle Johns
Dr. & Mrs. Arash & Sanaz Soufi
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Judy Johnston
Dr. & Mrs. Bill & Barbara Durno
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin & Tracey Kennedy
Mr. Bradley Senner & Ms. Tanya Cloete
Dr. Seoung Joon Kim & Mrs. Inhwa Sung
Jay Fraser
Drs. Murthy & Anu Korada
Mrs. Hallie Fraser
Mr. & Mrs. Al-Karim & Zain Lalji
Mr. & Mrs. Sam & Yamini Gandesha
Drs. Ockie Lampen & Kathy Robson
Drs. Joe & Diana Germain
Mr. & Mrs. Manuel & Virna Lau
Drs. Deepu & Reena George
Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Rhonda Laurie
Mr. Bob Gill & Mrs. Diana Carwithen
Mr. Daniel Le Page
Dr. Kavyan Ashnaei & Mrs. Maryam Heydariarabloo
Mr. Lance Leger & Ms. Sarah Ward
Mr. & Mrs. Philip & Nicola Pitzey Mr. & Mrs. Igor & Katerina Pogrebinsky Mr. Han Qian & Ms. Sha Tao Mr. Raymond Qu & Mrs. Hui Huang Mr. & Mrs. Sheetal & Seema Rawal Mr. George Read & Ms. Fay Kingwill Mr. Quan Ren & Mrs. Lin Wu Dr. John Reynolds & Dr. Isabelle Côté Mr. & Mrs. Shawn & Jada Sawatzky Mr. Karsten Scharf & Mrs. Oksana Novakovska Mr. & Mrs. Aaron & Pamela SchultzLessing Mr. & Mrs. Michael & Chantal Schutz Ms. Jennifer Maynes Dr. & Mrs. Allen & Rosie Shen Mr. & Mrs. Gurjit & Parneet Sidhu Mr. & Mrs. Justin & Jennifer Simpson Dr. & Mrs. Matthew & Masumi Smith
The above donors are recognized for their gifts to the Annual Fund as of March 15, 2014.
Page 7 | March 2014
Mr. Troy Sobotka & Ms. Andrea Frisby
Mr. Patrick Xue & Ms. Lucy Qiu
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis & Norma-Jean Spika Mr. Zitao Ye & Mrs. Jenny Lu Mr. & Mrs. Scott & Yoshimi Spurgeon
Mr. Bing Yin Tam & Mrs. Rui Lan Wu
Mr. Kevin Sun & Ms. Feng Li
Mrs. Hwa Youn Cho
Mr. Kefei Tan & Mrs. May Guo
Mr. Xiaoping Yuan & Ms. Hongli Gong
Mr. & Ms. Peter & Alison Thompson
Mrs. You Ying Zeng
Dr. Amrik Tung
Mr. James Zhang & Mrs. Yvonne Wei
Mr. & Mrs. Julian & Marilyn Turner
Mr. Yong Zhang & Mrs. Wenqing Chen
Mr. & Mrs. David & Lyn Tyler Dr. & Mrs. Hanif & Sophie Ukani Mr. Steven Jang & Mrs. Nikki Lee Ms. Michelle Vally
Mr. Shanhai Zhao & Mrs. Li Wan Ms. Gilda Zivec Mr. Li Zuo & Mrs. Ann Yi He
Mr. Xuesong Wang & Mrs. Mingxia Zhang Ms. Tamara Warner Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Jennifer Watt Mr. & Mrs. Rick & Susan Waugh Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Tracey Welsh Mr. & Mrs. William & Kimberley Weselowski Ms. Samantha Coates Mr. William Wong & Ms. Tina Lee Mr. Yongmin Wu & Mrs. Lily Huang Mr. Zhao Bo Xin & Mrs. Wen Wen Wang Mr. Feng Xu & Mrs. Shuo Chen
annualfund@meadowridge.bc.ca The Gandesha family recently donated furniture to the Kindergarten class for their very own reading nook! Students have taken to calling it their “fancy furniture” and are enjoying having a bright and relaxing place to read by the window.
Thank you!
The above donors are recognized for their gifts to the Annual Fund as of March 15, 2014.
Page 8 | March 2014
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
Pandora’s Collective Poetry Contest
Three of our students entered the Pandora’s Collective Poetry Contest and the results were wonderful! Alexa T. (Grade 10) was awarded with first place for her poem titled ‘The Place’ and Eleanor M. (Grade 10) and Poppy W. (Grade 10) were awarded with honourable mentions for their poems ‘Upside-down World’ and ‘Eyes’. Great work everyone! - Ms. Marie Payne, MYP Teacher
First Place
Honourable Mention
Honourable Mention
“This poem employs the use of colours as its unifying image. The work also is built on a structure, turns at its midpoint, before it moves on to the conclusion.”
“Structure is employed effectively, with final last line of each stanza repeated for effect, altered just enough to make the conclusion resonate. More than many other poems, this one felt fresh and original.”
“The side by side format, where ideas mirror/ converse with each other enhances the effectiveness of the poem's message.”
THE PLACE
UPSIDE-DOWN WORLD
EYES
Alexa T.
Eleanor M.
Poppy W.
Streaks of red, orange and pink
Sky underfoot, world overhead
Your eyes are looking at me,
Sat as if painted in the sky.
Here we stay because our old world is dead
Clouds floated across
Danger around so watch where you tread
Mimicking the vivid lid.
Deep in the slums of the upside-down world
The ocean sat below,
They are dark and dull Your eyes are looking at me, With disgust and hatred Your eyes are looking at me, As if you are better
A deep, rich dark blue.
Foul air and foul heat.
Flakes of black hardened the sea.
Foul taste and naught to eat.
With my eyes I can see,
A streak of white,
Lots of holes so watch your feet
What you’re thinking
The life line of the sun
Deep in the slums of the upside-down world
With my eyes I can see, How you feel
Linked the star to the shore. The perfect picture just disturbed, A boat swimming through, Ripples broke the blue in its wake. There goes the sun. It sinks under the sea. The sky dimmed. The colors remained, Though not as vivid as before. That streak of white, The life line of the sun Snapped from the shore. It followed the sun below. Down below into the now black sea.
The hum of machines left and right The sound never stops, day or night Don’t come here if you’re scared of heights Deep in the slums of the upside-down world
With my eyes I can see, The truth about you Your eyes are looking at me, And they see different Your eyes are looking at me,
A child alone, hot and starved This is not the best place, not by far But she gets comfort from watching the stars Deep in the slums of the upside-down world
And they see worse Your eyes are looking at me, And tell you, you’re better With my eyes I can see, Myself in the Mirror
But if you give this hell a chance
With my eyes I can see,
Spare the holes in the ground a more than a glance
That I’m good enough
You’ll see stars upon stars that flicker and dance
With my eyes I can see,
Here in the slums of the upside-down world.
That we are all equal
Page 9 | March 2014
PI DAY
3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375253421170679...
Students in Grade 5 were lucky enough to celebrate Pi Day with (what else) pie! Thanks to the generosity of the Healy Family, students were awarded with a piece of homemade pie if they could list the first ten digits of Pi. Special mention goes out to Adesh K. (Grade 5) who listed 97 numbers and went on to list 103 in the MYP competition!
RECOGNIZING SERVICE AT MEADOWRIDGE “Action is taking what you have learned and bringing it into action, doing, reality, and being”
The Leadership and Service Committee would like to recognize students who are going above and beyond in the community and we need your help! If you, or your child, is involved with service projects outside of school we would love to hear from you. Email Mrs. Carrie Hughes-Grant at carrie.hughes-grant@meadowridge.bc.ca. Because we are a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 School, and because we want to recognize all of our students, we’ve put together a brief description of what minimum service looks like across the continuum.
Service Across the Continuum Junior Kindergarten to Grade 1 Making world connections to learning. Examples of this include taking a photo or drawing a
picture of what they see outside of the classroom that ties into their classroom learning.
Grades 2 to 4 How can we effect change? Students may make plans to make something better, greener, safer, friendlier, etc.
either at home or in the greater community.
Grades 5 to 7 Doing something and becoming physically involved with an event or organization. Grades 8 to 10 Taking a project on: planning, running, organizing an event. Grades 11 to 12 Exemplary service and creating a legacy, going above and beyond the requirements of CAS.
- The Leadership and Service Committee
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
Page 10 | March 2014
DEPUTY HEADMASTER BLOG Bullying! – Sharing Our Efforts to Foster a Community of Care
It is a fact, that the effects of verbal harassment, threats, purposeful mistreatment and physical violence can be devastating. It is a serious matter, not to be ignored. I do believe that we need to support and advocate for students as they make their way in the world. When victimization occurs, caring communities come alongside others, protect them from harm and ensure their safety. We also help them to develop the social skills required to live harmoniously with others. At Meadowridge, we define bullying as a “pattern of wilful and deliberate acts of physical or relational aggression that are intended to hurt, demean or harass”. Bullying is many times a repetitive act and “often involves a real or perceived power imbalance”. So, what do we do about bullying? Surely there are measures the school takes to care for the well-being of students, foster a community of care and teach others to live well together. Meadowridge takes part in Pink Shirt Day. This is not an insubstantial public demonstration of our desire to create a community that values diversity and is committed to kindness for all. I would not consider, however, wearing a pink shirt once a year a complete anti-bullying programme. I often ponder that how students are treated in schools when they don’t wear pink on Pink Shirt Day is a better barometer for how much diversity is actually valued. Meadowridge School is also affiliated with www.erasebullying.ca. In fact, we were one of the first independent schools in the province to do so. This online tool provides students with information on bullying and tools for reporting to others. School Directors are at various stages of completing Erase Bullying Training. Friday, March 7th, we hosted a Student-Led Anti-bullying Forum designed to bring awareness to the topic and provide others with supports to deal with harassment and conflict when they occur. Mr. Niwa has also been pivotal in leading other ISABC schools in defining bullying and reviewing supports for students who fall victim to it. These anti-bullying initiatives, while worthwhile, are not our only efforts to help students “live well, with others, and for others, in a just community”. Systemic supports help create an environment where students are inherently safe, have the freedom to be different and are well supported by the adults in their lives.
To that end, enrolment at our school is moderated to ensure a “family-like” environment prevails. Students are meant to be known. Meadowridge takes pride in learning everyone’s name, nobody should be anonymous. Low student to teacher ratios not only improve the learning experience for students, but also provide a network of support that helps us to spot conflict as it arises, monitor the welfare of our students and intervene where appropriate. Parent/teacher communication is greater than in other schools and this helps us spot distress earlier and take quicker action to intervene. Our Homeroom Programme from Grades 6 to 12, not only ensures students are connected to caring adults, but specifically addresses a variety of wellness issues, including bullying. All of this is designed in relation to the 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents whereby the quantity of caring adults in the life of a teen and caring school climate are building blocks of healthy development.
Page 11 | March 2014
DEPUTY HEADMASTER BLOG (Continued)
At Meadowridge we are working to build awareness and educate students in regards to the ethical use of the Internet. Each year, students review and commit to our “Responsible Use Policy”. It is our attempt to teach youth how to care for themselves and others while online. Cyberbullying is an entirely new realm for our children. I often reflect how difficult it must be to have a social presence in “real life” and then another online. The seemingly anonymous nature of exchanges online lend themselves to irresponsible behaviour. Our Code of Conduct makes explicit that “any online behaviour which affects the school culture is deemed to have occurred at school”. This means students are expected to be kind to peers all the time and, again, no one is anonymous. You will note other educational efforts afoot designed to create an environment where the emotional and physical safety of students is paramount. Students in Grade 1 in the PYP are purposefully taught a series of skills to get along with others through the S.O.A.R. conflict resolution model. Other models that have been used in PYP include W.I.T.S. Mr. Donaldson is working on a model(s) that will be used across all grades in our elementary school in the coming years. A small contingent of seven teachers has investigated the use of the R.U.L.E.R. Approach in the PYP. This programme provides tools for developing students’ emotional intelligence. Where a power differential does not exist, restorative justice principals are employed in MYP/DP to help students identify the roots of conflict, damage caused and roads to resolving the causes of hurt. We are coordinating with parents and our community to address important issues like addiction and mental health. Next year, we look forward to an educational series for parents, staff and students by Dr. Ross Laird on this topic. In the end, the biggest antidote to bullying is a community that both cares for and is aware of the welfare of its members. Adults who model kindness towards each other implicitly teach children how to treat each other. Caring teachers and parents who communicate regularly with youngsters are able to guide them as they exercise appropriate independence and seek to work out conflict on their own. At the same time, they intervene when it becomes evident situations have surpassed what is developmentally manageable. Said, much simpler – talk to your kids every day and talk to your school when they need help.
S.O.A.R Conflict Resolution Just like Gryph we are strong enough and smart enough to solve small problems on our own. Still not working? Seek Help!
Follow Mr. Parker’s blog on the Meadowridge Website! Visit www.meadowridge.bc.ca/deputyheadblog
Page 12 | March 2014
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
LEARNING TO SHARE THE PLANET SPCA visits Junior Kindergarten The Junior Kindergarten class welcomed some special visitors from the SPCA to learn about dog safety. With the help of Mrs. K and her poodle Max, students learned how to act safely around unfamiliar dogs, a very important element of their current Unit of Inquiry, Sharing the Planet. Students enjoyed meeting Max while learning the correct way to approach dogs. After the visit, the Junior Kindergarten class had a much better understanding of how to share the planet with our four-legged friends! - Mrs. Louise Kozol, PYP Teacher
Our fifth annual benefit concert for Free the Children is taking place Friday, April 4th. This year our Global Citizenship Club, along with Grade 4 students, has decided to embark on Free the Children’s “Year of Education”. Through this campaign, our goal is to raise $10,000 in order to build a school in Haiti. Every $20 raised provides one brick. This brick is the cornerstone of a new school that will open the doors for an innumerable amount of children and become the start to developing and expanding their horizons. This will be a night full of a variety of student performances! If you have a talent you would like to showcase or simply just want to volunteer, please let us know. Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 each. We encourage everyone to come out and bring their friends and family! Change starts with one: one classroom, one dream, and it reaches a full generation.
“It’s not a school, it’s a chance!” Free the Children Benefit Concert
FRIDAY, APRIL 4 MEADOWRIDGE THEATRE
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
Page 14 | March 2014
LIBRARY UPDATE Book Swap The PYP Book Swap was a great success - over 100 students didn’t miss the chance to trade in their old books for new ones! Altogether, 700 books were swapped in less than two hours! The participating students were well stocked up on books for Spring Break. Happy reading!
Frances Tieulie Visits the Library The Library was honoured to welcome local author, Frances Tieulie to read her book ‘Bumbles…finds her way home.’ The Grade 2 and 3 students were engaged in the adventure story about Bumbles, a bee who travels all over the world with the help of some friends. The authors were inspired to write the book after visiting Africa. A portion from the sales goes to supporting families in Africa by providing them with a bee hive. There are countless ways students at Meadowridge support efforts around the world and it is suiting to be inspired by a local author who has found a simple way to make a difference in the lives of others.
The Reading Link The Reading Link Mission: To encourage reading as a fun and recreational activity that allows Grade 4 and 5 students of all reading abilities to engage in the sport of reading. For the last three months, the teams have been reading these six novels: •
The Contest by Gordon Korman
•
The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
•
The Paper House by Lois Peterson
•
Poppy by Avi
•
The Sky is Falling by Kit Pearson
•
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects and Other Man-made Catastrophes by Lenore Look
Page 15 | March 2014
LIBRARY UPDATE
(Continued)
The Grade 4 and 5 Reading Link teams were excited to compete in the School Challenge. The winning team, “The Page Flippers” with Grade 5 members Keissa T, Kayla M, Ena K., Tina Q., Sasha P. and Alessia V., advanced to the second level of challenge at the Maple Ridge Public Library. Congratulations to the team for placing third overall!
Did you know...? • • • •
The Library has a growing collection of e-books The Library has six new touch screen computers You can follow the Meadowridge Library on Twitter @MeadowridgeLib The Library has 11 dedicated MYP Library Club members ranging from Grades 6 to 10
With Thanks for the Kind Donation of New Books! Gryphon joined Liam B. (Grade 1) and his family on vacation and they brought this book back for the Library!
Liam B. Narnia: Prince Caspian, Lucy’s Journey
Page 16 | March 2014
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
LIBRARY UPDATE
(Continued)
Readathon The PYP students wrapped up the second term comfortably in Pyjamas while celebrating reading! The Library welcomed classes to come for buddy reading and hot chocolate in the morning. In the afternoon, we featured two movies that were created from classic stories: Alice in Wonderland and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. During the MYP and DP lunch hour students enjoyed popcorn, hot chocolate and the movie The Hunger Games.
MEADOWRIDGE PRESENTS: THE SPARROW The Sparrow comes alive in the Meadowridge Theatre for a run of performances from Wednesday, April 9th to Saturday, April 12th. Ticket sales for The Sparrow will begin Monday, March 31st at the Front Desk. To help serve our guests and audience, we have also set up an email to facilitate ticket requests; tickets can be reserved by email at sparrow@meadowridge.bc.ca. If tickets are reserved by email, payments can be sent in with your son or daughter and the tickets will be issued upon payment.
TICKET SALES Students/Seniors $8 Adults $10
Email for Ticket Reservations sparrow@meadowridge.bc.ca
You’re invited to attend one of our performances to see our students tell the story of how Emily Book, the lone survivor of a horrible school bus accident ten years earlier, who is sent away from the tiny town of Spring Farm. Now, in her senior year, Emily must return in order to graduate from high school. When she arrives, shy and guarded, Emily is unwillingly thrust into the whirlwind of Spring Farm High. Guided by her Biology teacher, Mr. Christopher, and befriended by head cheerleader, Jenny McGrath, Emily must learn to fit in with her classmates while yearning to stay out of the spotlight. But when Jenny's life is threatened in a dangerous stunt at the homecoming basketball game, Emily reveals her true powers as she saves Jenny's life in a stunning display of telekinetic heroism. Thus, Spring Farm's own superhero, "The Sparrow," is born. Can this strange girl with even stranger powers be the hero that her town is longing for, or will her dark secret destroy them all? The Sparrow taps into the fundamental aching of adolescence—fearing that we're somehow different while hoping that we're somehow special. (adapted from the publishing company). A play by Chris Mathews, Jake Minton and Nathan Allen. Content Advisory: The Sparrow presents mature themes that may be controversial to some viewers. Given that, our suggested audience is Grade 8 to 12 and beyond. Students in elementary school are not recommended to attend, unless accompanied by their parent. Full details on the screenplay can be found at http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/p3627/The-Sparrow/product_info.html.
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL PRESENTS
THE SPARROW April 9th - 12th, 2014
Page 17 | March 2014
PARENT GUILD UPDATE
Health and Safety Courses
FoodSafe Level 1 Training | Available for 11 to 15 year olds For anyone interested in volunteering in food-related school activities, such as the fall pie baking or the Welcome Back Fair, the Parent Guild is pleased to offer FoodSafe Level 1 training. This training can also be helpful in various clubs and associations outside of school – or even in finding summer jobs in the food industry! FoodSafe Level 1 is a food handling, sanitation and work safety course designed for front line food service workers such as cooks, servers, bussers, dishwashers and deli workers. The course covers important food safety and worker safety information including foodborne illness, receiving and storing food, preparing food, serving food, cleaning and sanitizing. The BC Health Act: Food Premises Regulation states that every operator of a food service establishment, and at least one employee on every shift, must hold a FoodSafe Level 1 certificate, or certificate from a course recognized as equivalent to FoodSafe.
Babysitting Course | Available for ages 12 and up Basic first aid and care giving skills for youth 11–15 years old. Participants learn how to provide care to younger children in a variety of age groups, and how to prevent and respond to emergencies. Course also offers youth the training to promote themselves as a babysitter to prospective parents. The course will cover: •
Important child care skills
•
Safety tips for children of all ages
•
How to cope with common problems, like tantrums and crying
•
What to do if anything makes the babysitter uncomfortable
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Some great games and other ideas for having fun with the kids while babysitting
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How to make the children's environment safe and enjoyable
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The rights and responsibilities of the babysitter and the family hiring them.
The Babysitting Course teaches youth how to handle emergencies with confidence by providing the basic first aid skills for such common problems as: •
Choking
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Sprains and Strains
•
Bleeding
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Poisoning
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Burns
•
Fire emergency
Sign up Today! Course
Date
Cost
Sign Up Link
Babysitting Course
Satuday, April 5th
$65
http://www.signupgenius.com/ go/10C0E49A9A92EA7F85-redcross2
FoodSafe Level 1
Saturday, April 26th
$95
http://www.signupgenius.com/ go/10C0E49A9A92EA7F85-food
If you have any questions or require more information, please contact the Parent Guild by e-mail at parentguild@meadowridge.bc.ca
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
GRAD ART SHOW: CRE-8
Pictures of Student Artwork
Page 18 | March 2014
Page 19 | March 2014
Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l
Our Vision
People are drawn to our school from around the world. In the spirit of active collaboration with teachers, peers, and our community, we learn how to care for ourselves and for others. Knowing that change is the only certainty, we engage with challenging and complex questions effectively and creatively. Through outstanding teaching, programmes and facilities, meadowridge develops in us the confidence not only to meet the future, but also to create it.
Our Mission
Learning to live well, with others and for others, in a just community.