October 2011 Mini Gryphon

Oc to be r 20 11

Volum e 3 Is s u e 2

IN T HIS ISSUE :

HAPPY DIWALI!

Diwali, k nown as the fes tival of lights, is a holiday that originated in South Asia and is celebrated on a large scale throughout India. Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps f illed with oil to signif y the triumph of good over evil. Did you k now that Diwali can be translated to mean row of lights.

Mrs. Gandesha (pictured below) joined Mrs. Chow-Go’s Grade four ar t class to help them create ar t for Diwali. Pictured above is her son, Tejas, in traditional Indian clothing with a clay Diwali candle holder made in his ar t class.

From the Headmas ter

2

Annual Giving Update

3

Librar y Update

5

People Making a Dif ference

6

Gr yphon Council Update

8

Around Meadowridge

10

PYP Update

12

DP Update

15

News from the Parent Guild

16

Admissions Update

17

W WoW Ref lections

18

M E A D OW R I D G E S CH O O L 1 2 2 24 - 24 0 t h St r e e t M a p l e R i d g e , B C V4 R 1 N 1 w w w.meadow r idge.bc.ca t : 6 0 4 . 4 67 . 4 4 4 4 | f : 6 0 4 . 4 67 . 49 8 9

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

FROM T HE HE A DM A ST ER

Introducing Our Headmas ter’s Ini t iat ives For 2011-201 2

Cons tant inquir y is what we do, and it is through inquir y with others that we bes t learn, especially when guided by a skilled teacher. To facilitate this well-rounded sor t of education, we will be creating the means of applying technology: a wood shop, spaces and tools for gardening, compos ting and recycling, materials for sewing and k nit ting, science materials for f ieldwork, additional meeting spaces and so on. And we will be ensuring that these learning situations are enhanced by good teaching.

Mr. Hugh Burke, Headmas ter

Our Fundrasing Targets this Year Include: Gardening and Recycling Programs (with Greenhouses) $50,000 Garden Room of f of the Librar y $150,000 Wood Shop and Tools for Design and Technology Programme $100,000 24-Seater Bus for Athletic Events and Field Trips $50,000 Recording Studio Equipment $25,000

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Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

A N N U A L G I V I N G U P D AT E Q: Why is Annual Giving so impor tant?

A: We want the bes t for our s tudents. As an independent

Q: Who should contribute?

A: Ever ybody who cares about our school, our s tudents, our

school, Meadowridge relies primarily on tuition fees and proceeds from fundraising to meet expenses. Las t year, only 76% of the actual cos ts of educating our s tudents was covered by tuition. The gap was bridged by grants, the Annual Giving Campaign and other fundraising activities.

mission and our future should make a contribution to our Annual Giving Campaign. The adminis tration, parents, faculty, grandparents, board members, alumni, and special friends of Meadowridge are asked to contribute.

Q: Why not raise tuition?

A: Although Meadowridge School has raised tuition over the last few years, we remain committed to making our school accessible to as many mission appropriate children as possible. Annual Giving helps us to ensure that we have the f inancial ability to provide enhancements that dramatically improve our students’ education in an immediate and tangible way and to keep our tuition manageable for all of the wonder ful families that make up our school.

Q: Why is par ticipation impor tant?

A: Each year, we s trive to achieve 100% par ticipation in the Annual Giving Campaign. Full par ticipation is an impor tant way for us to demons trate the commitment and dedication of our parents, alumni and friends to others in our community and to prospective families. Therefore, all gifts, no mat ter what size, are tremendously impor tant and benef it us all.

Q: How much should we donate?

A: No gift is too large. No gift is too small. We need and value ever y family’s suppor t in ever y way. Your gift, regardless of the amount, will provide additional resources and will also ser ve to encourage others to make a gift. We hope that each donor gives as generously as possible within his or her means.

Q: How do we donate? What are the payment options?

A: Simply complete the donation form inser ted in this newslet ter or select the “Suppor t Meadowridge” option on our website.

You may make a monthly, lump-sum or ongoing gift using your credit card, debit account or cheques.

Thank you for your suppor t, it will make a dif ference to the children.

Ms. Lyn Tyler, Director of Development

Pic tu res of Juni or K inde r gar t e n s t ude nt s pl ay ing w i t h toy s p u rch a s e d t h rou g h t h e An n u al Giv in g p rog ra mme .

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

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A NNUA L GI V ING D ONOR S Thank You For Contr ibut ing!

Mr. & Mrs. Rafael & Lisa Acosta

Mr. & Mrs. War wick & Carolyn Green

Ms. Sherrie Metz

Mr. & Mrs. Ron & Cathy Antalek

Mr. & Mrs. Craig & Natalie Gunning

Mr. Michael Nice & Ms. Danielle Noel

Ms. Rebecca Awram

Mr. & Mrs. Carl & Shirly He

Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Barbara Niwa

Miss Cori Barker & Jake Barker

Mr. and Mrs. Peter & Kelly Fr y

Mr. David Noble

Mr. & Mrs. John & Terr y Becker

Mr. & Mrs. Don & Linda Hincks

Mr. & Mrs. Steve & Margot Olah

Mrs. Kristal Bereza

Ms. Cindy Hops

Dr. Michael Orser & Ms. Christine Bickle

Mr. Michael Biswas & Ms. P. Dawn Shaw-Biswas

Mrs. Carrie Hughes-Grant

Ms. Angela Pallister

Mr. Rhys Clarke & Mrs. Julie Bournival

Mr. & Mrs. Ty & Jadina Ir ving

Mr. & Mrs. Scot t & Lisa Park

Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd

Ms. Lynelle Johns

Mr. & Mrs. Igor & Katerina Pogrebinsk y

Mr. Gang Chen & Ms. Ping Li

Mr. Terr y Jung & Ms. Audrey Lum

Ms. Jennifer Maynes

Mr. Richard Choi & Mrs. Angie Lee

Drs. Mur thy & Anu Korada

Mr. Mike Schutz

Mr. Roy Choi & Mrs. Jeong-Mi Ryu

Mr. Oh Hyon Kwon & Mrs. JiSoo Jeon

Ms. Chantal Schutz

Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Katherine Craw ford

Mr. & Mrs. Al-Karim & Zain Lalji

Mr. & Mrs. Justin & Jennifer Simpson

Mr. & Mrs. Jim & Elizabeth Davies

Drs. Ockie Lampen & Kathy Robson

Mr. & Mrs. Rajindar & Sheila Singh

Mr. Avio Diniz & Ms. Patricia Lapointe

Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Rhonda Laurie

Mr. Scot t Spurgeon

Mr. Terr y Donaldson

Mr. Daniel Le Page

Mr. Kevin Sun & Ms. Feng Li

Dr. & Mrs. Bill & Barbara Durno

Mr. Gye Ju Lee & Mrs. Whal Ran Park

Mr. Preston Tan

Exper t Electric (The Brunetta Family)

Mr. & Mrs. Darrell & Kim Lester

Mr. Dan tenBrink & Ms. Leah Zeballos

Mrs. Hallie Fraser

Dr. Mitra Maharaj & Mrs. Jacqueline Ainswor th

Mr. & Mrs. Julian & Marilyn Turner

Drs. Joe & Diana Germain Mr. Kenneth Go & Mrs. Connie Chow-Go Mr. Mansour Gorji & Mrs. Nastaran Kasravi Dr. Danie Gouws & Mrs. Kimberley Buchanan-Gouws Ms. Maxine Gracey Mr. & Mrs. Alan & Marlene Graveson

Drs. Samir & Sangita Malhotra Mr. & Mrs. Riaz & Fairous Mapara Mr. Gareth Mason & Ms. Carolyn Treger Mrs. Christy Mooney Mr. & Mrs. Vassen & Lovana Moothoo Mr. & Mrs. Philip & Nicola Pitzey Mr. George Read & Ms. Fay Kingwill

Mr. & Mrs. David & Lyn Tyler Ms. Michelle Vally Ms. Tamara Warner Mr. & Mrs. Rick & Susan Waugh Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Tracey Welsh Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Kalie Whitaker Mr. & Mrs. Dean & Samantha Wiens Mr. Kyle Jeans & Ms. Krista Zambolin

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Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

L I B R A R Y U P D AT E

New Resources For The Diploma Programme The Meadowridge Librar y is well on its way to becoming a dynamic and vibrant hear t of the school community! Jus t recently we have made many purchases of books, magazines and DVDs in many subject areas to suppor t our anticipated accreditation in the Diploma Programme. Please drop by the librar y to take a look or sign out these exciting titles. Here are examples of jus t a few:

Studies in Language and Literature • Decoded by Jay-Z

Individuals and Societies • Let it shine: Stories of black women freedom f ighters by Andrea Pick ney • Maple Leaf Forever? : The war ts & all s tor y of Canada's creation by Paul Kerr y

Language and Acquisition • Je voudrais que quelqu'un m'at tende quelque par t : Nouvelles by Anna Gavalda • Magyk by Angie Sage

Experimental Sciences • Light Elements: Essays in science from gravity to levity by Judith Stone • The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking

Mathematics and Computer Science • E=mc² : A biography of the world's mos t famous equation

by David Bodanis

The Ar ts • The Annotated Mona Lisa : A crash course in ar t his tor y from prehis toric to pos t-modern by Carol Strickland • Mask Improvisation for Actor Training & Per formance: The Compelling Image by Sears Eldredge

A big thank you goes out to ever yone on the Golf Tournament commit tee and in the Meadowridge community who made the librar y a priority in giving las t year. It is through your generosity that we have been able to buy these exciting new resources.

Mrs. Heather Nicholson and Mrs. Chris tal Storgaard, Teacher-librarians

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

Page 6 | OCTOBER 2011

PEOPLE M A K ING A DIF FER ENCE Mr s. Connie Chow-Go

many take it for granted. This

but I was in Victoria – right time, right

ar twork formed the basis for

place - and I had to get it for the school.”

my conversation with Connie as I tried to learn a lit tle more about her and why she feels so s trongly about surrounding children with the colour, imager y and the inspiration of others.

Meadow r idge School is for tuna te to ha ve a communi t y of wonder ful individuals w ho help our school to thr ive through their generosi t y and subs tantive wor k. We are gra teful to so many for their ongoing suppor t and contr ibutions. This year we would like to showcase some of your fellow communi t y member s w ho make i t a pr ior i t y to give back and make a dif ference.

Connie Chow-Go is a quietly passionate individual. Her petite frame belies a powerhouse of creativity and enthusiasm for ar t and education. Along with being a Mom to two Meadowridge s tudents, Matheson and Nathan, Connie teaches Grade 4, f inds time to help with the school’s fencing programme and is k nown to travel the halls of Meadowridge late at night in order to surround our children with beautiful things.

She quickly gives credit to others. “The permanent collection of ar twork at Meadowridge has happened because of a unique team – I may have an idea of value but it is because I have adminis trative and advancement suppor t, specif ically Hugh Burke and Lyn Tyler, that we have had

I’ll s tar t by saying that it was

the oppor tunity to develop the project.

not an easy thing to get Connie

If dif ferent people were here, it may not

to talk about herself. Repor ter

have happened or been as successful. The

Michael Harris, in recounting

Burke/Boyd Family believed in the project.

a conversation with renowned

The Marchand Family contributed amazing

Canadian ar tis t Gordon

ar twork like the Joe Average and Ted

Smith, said “He’s cons tantly

Harrison. Ar t has followed me all my life.

derailing conversations that

I am an ar t educator. If I help, I’m happy.

focus on him, turning the talk

My role is to encourage and suppor t.

toward others”. This per fectly

I feel that I have only been successful

describes our talk.

because people are with me. We have

“If you fos ter a child’s appreciation of ar t early,

the same goals, and they appreciate my ideas.”

I think it leads to more

Connie likens children’s ar twork to a

oppor tunities later and

handprint. “It is a vision of a child at a

they will look at the world

par ticular time and, like children growing,

dif ferently.” Mrs. Chow-Go

their ar twork cons tantly evolves, you

believes this whole hear tedly.

see grow th transforming through ar t. If

Not only does she suppor t

you take a child’s piece of ar t at Junior

this idea through words she also lends

Kindergar ten and then look again at

signif icant f inancial suppor t so that

Grade 3 you see their thinking and their

the school may purchase exceptional

ideas captured in 2D/3D forms. It should

works of ar t when they come available.

be treasured and celebrated. That’s why

“Rather than lose the oppor tunity, I will

the ar t galler y is so impor tant. Ar t allows

buy a piece”, she says. This is how the

us to capture jus t a lit tle piece of our

school came to own the Molinari “Blue

children.” Connie goes on to say that she

Quantif ier”. “There is a lot of conceptual

feels s trongly that we need to collect it,

thinking behind that painting and it

and keep it through their dif ferent s tages

can be a vehicle to talk about “minimal

of development in order to document

abs traction”. Funds sometime allow for us

their progression and provide an object

Some of these beautiful things are

to purchase one piece of ar twork but not

for ref lection.

signif icant pieces of ar twork by notable

two.” Because of this generosity we will

Canadian ar tis ts. They adorn our walls

soon see an Emily Carr join these other

and we pass by them on a daily basis;

works. “It is, of course, a reproduction

“My father surprised me with my own framed ar t when I was in the eighth grade. I had done well in a small

Page 7 | OCTOBER 2011

Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

exhibition. It was a watercolour of irises.

Connie believes that you need to

impact on the Canadian ar t world. We

It was ver y special for me that he took

surround children with inspiring things

have ar twork by Gathie Falk, Rober t

the time to frame it and present it to

and she is clearly proud of the collection

Bateman and Michael Snow. Snow’s work

me.”

that she has helped to build. “A grade

is a pun – a photograph of a photograph

two s tudent can say they have seen a

of a photograph. If you have had a

real Ted Harrison or their work has been

chance to see the ins tallation at the Eaton

displayed alongside a Bateman. Some

Centre in Toronto, you will also see a

schools pay tribute through pos ters but

Michael Snow. We have a giclee of the

we have prints. And ever y par t of what

painting “Lake and Mountains” by Lauren

we see is a learning oppor tunity. We

Harris, a member of the iconic “Group of

learn about what it means to say we

Seven”. It is on archival paper, it has been

have a limited edition. How are prints

colour corrected. The ar twork we have

made? What is the process? Our Gordon

collected is a cross section of dif ferent

Smith print was actually signed by him

s tyles.”

“He dragged me through ar t galleries ever y where we went. He planted a seed early. That’s why I take my own children to ar t galleries, I guess.” She thinks about this for a second, “I want to nur ture and expose them to the world of ar t appreciation. As they are involved they will develop an unders tanding of the ar tis t and expand their thinking. They will have a bet ter unders tanding of the world.

They may not like the par ticular ar twork, but if they can speak intelligently about it, then I have succeeded. This is what I tr y to do for our s tudents. They see more, take in more, make more connections and, hopefully, they are not quick to dismiss the speaker.”

The idea of collecting s tudent ar twork for display s tar ted in 1995. “We realized that there was so much good ar t jus t going home. We needed to f ind a way to celebrate it - If nothing more than three pieces per year to hang on to. The ramp in the PYP displays 16 years-wor th of ar twor k. Mr. Hookey and I were in on the weekend hanging those f irs t pieces. We hammered in the nails, hung the ar twork carefully, s tepped back and thought - It’s a s tar t.”

Connie s tar ts to draw parallels to her own childhood. “I was for tunate to have an amazing ar t teacher from grade 7 to 12 who made a las ting impression.

He was a Renaissance man – He had a cultural appreciation for ar t. He said that ar t is not jus t doodling. It is not decorating walls. It is about society’s creativity. There is a time dimension. It speaks to culture. Ar t por trays values, a sense of expression and provides society a glimpse of what is impor tant in another’s beliefs.”

and then he personalized the print by painting over par ts to ref ine areas and add depth. We are so luck y to have the four panel series, “Jardin Noir” by Jack Shadbolt in the front foyer. They make up one of our major purchases.

Shadbolt is renowned in BC, Canada, and internationally for his contributions to modern ar t. He is much respected.”

“A few years ago I s tumbled upon Ar tis ts for Kids. They have been a great source of suppor t and inspiration for our collection. Many of our permanent pieces came from them. The Inuit painting by Kenojuak Ashevak, “Between Friends” is a prize. She is in her 90’s and was the f irs t Inuit ar tis t to get mass at tention. We have a Bill Reid which is displayed in the librar y. He is a worldrenowned sculptor and one of Canada’s f ines t ar tis ts.”

(The grizzly bear image and other examples of Bill Reid’s work are found on Canada’s current $20 bill). She would love to add a piece by Tom Thompson, Rodney Graham and Alex Colville.

“We are after names children should k now from those that have had a huge

Connie says that she would not characterize herself as an ar tis t but that she will always f ind a way to s tay connected to ar t. She is happy to k now that the Grade 12s now consider ar t legacy gifts for the school when they graduate. “They approach it in a ver y thought ful manner and are discriminating about things. They k now it will have a las ting impact.”

Jus t as Connie will.

Ms. Christine Bickle, Director of Advancement

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

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G R Y P H O N CO U N C I L U P D AT E

The las t few weeks at Meadowridge have been ex tremely busy for ever yone!

Classes have s tar ted to get rolling, clubs and teams are under way and many of the Student Council events have also taken of f!

On Friday, September 30 th, the Terr y Fox Run was held. The s tudents ran in the afternoon and luckily the rain held of f.

Through donations from all members of the Meadowridge community, we were able to raise $1480.90! Thank you to the teacher super visors and the RCMP. We wouldn’t have been able to hos t this event without you. A special thank-you goes out to our sponsors, Cooper’s Foods (23981 Dewdney Trunk Road) and Tim Hor ton’s (22985 Dewdney Trunk Road),

who provided our s tudents with delicious refreshments and snacks. Good job ever yone!

World Teachers Day along with Guess the Teacher, Karaoke and Mario Kar t events happened this month, all having fantas tic turnouts! On October 5th, the entire school converged on the gym to thank our teachers with some speeches, songs and a video. We wouldn’t be able to do it without you teachers! The Guess the Teachers event occurred throughout the same week where s tudents would tr y and guess which teacher the baby picture belonged to. Karaoke and Mario Kar t was a lot of fun with all the s tudents, and even some teachers, who were super excited to play!

The house points are currently: Alouet te with 4244, Kanaka with 4086, Fraser with 4035 and Whonnock with 3749.

Congratulations Alouet te! There are plenty of oppor tunities to earn more house points, so anyone can take the lead!

UPCOMING EVENTS Some of the upcoming events throughout the nex t few weeks include: The Can Drive, Kiss the Mons ter, the Cos tume Contes t on Halloween and BYOB3 (Bring Your Own Big Banana and Bowl)! These are fantas tic events with oppor tunities for ever yone to come out, have some fun and win house points!

Tyler Goudal, Media Gr yphon

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Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

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A RO UND ME A D OW R ID GE . . .

Grade 2 s tudents for med the Ear th Sa ver s club all on their ow n! The manda te of this club is to sa ve the Ear th by cleaning up the gar bage on the playgroud dur ing recess.

Grade 9 Business s tudents experienced their f irs t job inter view this month. Each s tudent is par ticipating in a personal f inance simulation where they apply for a specif ic position adver tised online by writing a cover let ter and resume, and then they par ticipate in an inter view with a panel of peer inter viewers.

Once they are successful in gaining employment, they will work out their monthly salar y after mandator y deductions and determine their budget.

Kinesthetic Math: Instead of using pen and paper to review function transformations in Math 12, students used the classroom as a giant Car tesian coordinate system to actually create life size translations, ref lections and stretches.

Some of the students represented points on the given function, while others determined what transformation was being applied and how it would affect the points. The activity helped the students see that for translations all the points do move together, however when they do stretches they have to move fur ther apar t for expansions and closer together for compressions. When doing the ref lections, the students had to be careful not to get tangled up as they f lipped across the appropriate axis.

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Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

Page 1 2 | OCTOBER 2011

people in the book acted. Was someone in the book caring?

Were they caring all of the time or just some of the time?

Some books to consider:

P Y P U P D AT E

IB Learner Prof ile Activities for Parents

• • • •

Why is the IB Learner Prof ile so impor tant?

The beliefs and values of the Primar y Years Programme (PYP) are represented in the form of the IB learner prof ile. This prof ile lists, as at tributes, the learning outcomes of the curriculum and focuses at tention on the fact that student learning is the purpose of schools. The IB learner prof ile also represents a synthesis of the essential elements of the PYP. Throughout the primar y years, the students engage in structured inquir y that synthesizes knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes and action. In doing so, they develop the at tributes described in the learner prof ile. This prof ile provides power ful goals that ser ve learning across all areas of the curriculum. (From Making PYP Happen)

Knowledgeable

Students who are knowledgeable have explored relevant and signif icant concepts and can remember what they have learned. They can draw on this knowledge and apply it in new situations. How can parents help to develop students who are knowledgeable at home?

•

Encourage your child to read books at home that correspond with the topics being covered in school. In par ticular, books in their f irst language will help your child make more meaningful, lasting connections to what is being taught in their classroom in English.

•

Ask your child about what they are learning in school and engage them in conversations about it: • • •

Why do you think that is an impor tant thing to know about?

Can you think of any thing happening in the world today that might be similar to that aspect of histor y?

You’re learning about pulleys and gears at school? This reminds me of your simple machines unit in grade two, have you noticed any similarities? How is what you’re learning different?

•

Foster any area that your child expresses an interest in with books and activities, but also be sure to encourage them to explore other areas.

•

Encourage your child to become familiar with current events and to read the newspaper and watch the news when appropriate.

Learner Prof ile Activities for Home Caring

Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Yer tle the Tur tle by Dr. Seuss The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

Students who are caring want people around them to be happy and are sensitive to their needs. They think about the world and work to take care of their community and the environment. They remember to treat others how they themselves would like to be treated. How can parents help to develop students who are caring at home?

Communicator

•

•

Encourage your child to stay in touch with relatives and friends who live in other countries by writing letters, using the phone or sending email.

•

When working on mathematics homework, encourage your child to explain his/her answer to you orally or by drawing a picture.

•

Ask your child thought provoking questions and encourage them to discuss them with you. For example:

Role model the caring behavior you would like to see in your child all the time. Your child has big eyes and ears and notices ever y thing you do. Use kind words, help people without being asked, be an active listener. All of these things show your child that you care about people. Even a simple thing, like holding a door for someone, shows your child that you are aware of others around you and want to help them.

•

Think about how your family can get involved with community organizations.

•

Reduce, reuse and recycle. Sometimes this can be challenging, but make the effor t to establish these habits in your home.

•

Smile.

•

After reading a book, spend some time considering how the

Students who are communicators are able to think and communicate in more than one language. They can express their ideas by speaking, drawing and writing. They can also communicate using mathematical language and symbols. How can parents help to develop students who are communicators at home?

•

•

What would you do if you were scared of someone at school?

•

Is there any thing you cannot buy with money?

•

Should you get an allowance? Why or why not?

Work with your child to improve his/her listening skills. Being

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Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

a good listener is an impor tant par t of communicating with others.

Ref lective

Students who are ref lective know what they are good at and what they are not. They tr y to think about these things, and they make changes where they can. They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and consider their personal strengths and weaknesses in a constructive manner. How can parents help to develop students who are ref lective at home?

•

Spend some time reviewing your child’s repor t card with them. They should have the oppor tunity to look at this document and consider it as well. Discuss it with them and truly consider their thoughts on their strengths and areas for improvement.

•

Consider the goals that your child could set for the nex t term. Make a list not only of the goals, but of specif ic actions that can be taken to achieve these goals. You might want to list actions that your child will take independently as well as actions you will take to suppor t them. For example, if one of the goals your child sets for herself is to improve her writing, her action might be to keep a journal and write in it for at least 10 minutes each night. As a parent, you might decide that the two of you will par ticipate in shared writing, for 30 minutes each week and produce a book of narratives together.

•

Consider your child’s Student Prof ile Self-Assessment that comes home as par t of the repor t card. Ask your child to clarify this par t of the repor t card for you and explain why she rated her per formance the way she did. Can she give an example of an area in which she is par ticularly strong? How does she know that this is a strong point? Can she set specif ic goals for improvement in other areas?

Inquirer

Students who are inquirers are curious about the world. They can conduct research independently. They love learning and discovering new things and will carr y this love of learning with them throughout life. How can parents help to develop students who are Inquirers at home?

•

Encourage areas of your child’s interest by visiting the librar y to borrow books that explore these topics.

•

Develop an understanding of the Internet. Work with your child when the Internet is being used and tr y to instill the understanding that some Internet sites are not reputable.

•

Model being an inquirer. Admit when you do not know the answer to a problem or a question and seek out answers in front of your child.

Open-Minded

An open-minded student knows that all people are different.

They listen to the point of view of others and consider many possibilities before making a decision. They celebrate the differences that make all people unique. How can parents help to develop this open-minded trait at home?

•

Encourage your child to tr y new things – new foods, new games and new activities.

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

•

Expose your child to different festivals, celebrations and traditions and be sure to present them in a non-judgmental way.

•

Encourage your child to really listen to others when they speak.

•

Introduce literature about many different cultures into your home librar y. Be sure that it is appropriate and ref lects the culture in an appropriate way.

•

Ref lect on their experiences from UN Week. How were they open-minded during the week? What did they learn about other countries or cultures that they didn’t know before?

•

When you obser ve your child being open-minded, reinforce this positive behaviour and use the PYP student prof ile terminology.

Principled

Students who are principled have a sense of fairness and are honest with themselves and with others. They understand that sometimes there are rules and they follow them. They have an understanding of moral reasoning. How can parents help to develop students who are principled at home?

•

Involve your child in deciding on the rules for a game or activity and then ensure that they stick to the ones that have been decided upon.

•

Encourage your child to play games that involve teams.

Discuss with your child the qualities of a team player. What sor t of person would they want on their team?

•

When your child wins a game insist that he or she is a wellmannered winner. They might thank their opponent or shake hands with them if it’s appropriate.

•

When playing a game, don’t change the rules or let your child win. Being a gracious loser is just as impor tant as being a good winner.

Risk-Taker

Students who are risk-takers have the daring to tr y new things.

They tr y to solve problems in a lot of ways. They have the braver y to tell people what they think is right. How can parents help to develop students who are risk-takers at home?

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If your child is feeling uneasy about tr ying something new, encourage them to attempt it and then ref lect on whether they liked the activity and how it felt to tr y something new.

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You child might want to set some shor t-term goals. Consider activities that make him/her ner vous. What are realistic goals for the week? Your child might set a goal to:

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Offer an opinion in class.

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Spend one recess with someone they might not usually play with.

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Order something different from the lunch menu.

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Tr y an activity they haven’t tried before.

Be careful to explain to your child the difference between being a risk-taker by tr ying new things and doing dangerous things.

Mr. Ter r y Donaldson, PYP Direc tor of Academics

Page 14 | OCTOBER 2011

Page 15 | OCTOBER 2011

Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

D I P LO M A P R O G R A M M E ( D P ) U P D AT E CAS : Cre a t i v i t y , Ac t i o n an d S er v ice

In anticipation of our current Grade 10 s tudents being the f irs t Meadowridge class to enter the IB Diploma Programme nex t year, they were given an over view of the ‘Creativity, Action and Ser vice’ (CAS) component during class time this month. Here is the summar y: Creativity, action and ser vice (CAS) is at the hear t of the Diploma Programme. It is one of the three essential elements in ever y s tudent`s Diploma Programme experience. It involves s tudents in a range of activities alongside their academic s tudies throughout the Diploma Programme. The three s trands of the CAS, which are often inter woven with par ticular activities, are characterized as follows.

Creativity:

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Thought ful consideration, such as planning activities and maintaining a CAS por t folio.

Action:

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A variety of approaches for ref lection on outcomes and learning.

Ser vice:

It is essential that CAS activities do not replace other par ts of the s tudent`s Diploma Programme. Concurrency of learning is also impor tant in the Diploma Programme. Therefore, CAS activities should continue on a regular basis for as long as possible throughout the programme.

Ar ts, and other experiences that involve creative

thinking.

Physical exer tion contributing to a healthy lifes tyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Programme.

An unpaid and voluntar y exchange that has a learning benef it for the s tudent. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected.

CAS enables s tudents to enhance their personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning. At the same time, it provides an impor tant counterbalance to the academic pressures of the res t of the Diploma Programme.

Individual CAS experiences should be both challenging and enjoyable, a personal journey of self-discover y. CAS is not an ins tructable course, rather it provides s tudents an avenue to get out of the classroom and meaningfully interact with their community (local to global).

CAS mus t involve: •

Real, purposeful activities, with signif icant outcomes.

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Personal challenge, the task should ex tend the individual and be achievable in scope.

Successful completion of CAS is a requirement for the IB Diploma Programme. Students need to regular y document their CAS experiences in a journal and provide thorough ref lection for each completed activity. Ref lections need not jus t be a typical word processed document, but rather s tudents are encouraged to use a variety of mediums for their ref lections. For example, s tudents may create a blog or website or use the recording s tudio to create a video or photographs to chronicle and organize their experiences and ref lections. The options for ref lection are endless, jus t as long as they are introspective, thorough, meaningful and enriching. Students mus t also provide evidence through a variety of CAS activities that they have achieved eight learning outcomes.

If you have any ques tions please contact Mr. Terr y Jung.

Learning Outcomes: A successful CAS s tudent has...

Increased their awareness of their own s trengths and areas for grow th.

Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities.

Under taken new challenges.

Engaged with issues of global impor tance.

Planned and initiated activites.

Considered the ethical implications of their actions.

Wor ked collaboratively with others.

Developed new skills.

Document adapted from the IB Creativity, Action and Ser vice Guide.

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

Page 16 | OCTOBER 2011

N E W S F R O M T H E PA R E N T G U I L D Fall is cer tainly all around us with the leaves falling and the ghouls and pumpkins put to res t for another year.

We hope ever yone is thoroughly enjoying the Halloween fes tivities.

working together as co-chairs)

We’d like to sincerely thank all of you who came out to the Parent Guild’s AGM on October 12th. As a group, we decided how to spend the Provincial government’s grant that we will be receiving this year, totalling approximately $10,000. The school put for th a wish lis t of items for us to consider. In the end, after plenty of discussion, it was decided to split the funds 50/50 between benches and equipment for the Design and Technology Programme and equipment for the PYP garden centre. By doing this it was felt that the greates t number of s tudents possible would reap the benef its in a ver y tangible way.

The new Volunteer Oppor tunity Handbook for the 2011-2012 year has been sent to ever y family via snail mail.

We have had a number of booklets returned with people choosing to help out in a variety of roles. There are plenty of oppor tunities for ever yone, so if you haven’t f illed out your form please do. If you would like another copy of the form, please contact the school’s front of f ice.

We’d like to bring a few key roles to your at tention which we would like ver y much to have f illed this year as it would make the running of the Parent Guild much easier:

Also, coming out of the AGM is the Parent Guild’s executive for the 2011-2012 year.

We do have a couple of openings that we are hoping you, or someone you k now, will consider f illing. Currently the executive s tands as: • Chair: Currently open (this position could be shared with two individuals

• Vice-Chair: Currently open • Treasurer: Sandhya McLaren • Secretar y: Zeineen Panju

• Guild Communications Coordinator • Guild Fundraising Coordinator • Guild Volunteer Coordinator Please don’t hold back! We’d love to tap you on the shoulder to chat about any of these oppor tunities.

parents, can gather together to have fun.

We hope you have had the oppor tunity to at tend one for your grade; if you didn’t there will be more coming up to be sure.

In fact, if you would like to organize an event for your grade, please do so. Your grade rep will be pleased to of fer you any suppor t you may require.

We have a couple of fundraising oppor tunities coming up between now and the winter break, including the Unwrapped event and cus tomized notepads. Any money raised will be used to fund the Grandparent/Grand-Friend Luncheon as well as other activities hos ted by the Parent Guild. See the bot tom of the nex t page for more details.

We are ver y excited to announce our Family Fun Night will be on Friday, November 25th. For the pas t couple of years we have held a talent show, this year we will be hos ting a Trivia Fun House Challenge. We look for ward to seeing you and your team on the 25th. May the bes t House win!

Ms. Carolyn Treger, Pas t Chair

Many of our grades have organized socials already this year so that we, as

Cur ren t 20 1 1- 20 12 E xe cu t iv e • Chair: Currently open

• Vice-Chair: Currently open

• Treasurer: Sandhya McLaren

• Secretar y: Zeineen Panju

Avail abl e Pa re nt Gu ild R ole s • Guild Chair

• Guild Vice-Chair

• Guild Communications Coordinator

• Guild Fundraising Coordinator

• Guild Volunteer Coordinator

For more volunteer roles around the school please refer to the new Volunteer Oppor tunity Handbook that was mailed out las t month. If you would like another copy, please contact the school front desk.

Page 17 | OCTOBER 2011

Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

E N R O L M E N T a n d A D M I S S I O N S U P D AT E I am proud to announce that another year of our Ambassador programme is under way, with over 40 students between grades 6 and 11 signed up. The over whelming enthusiasm that these students bring to our Open Houses, community events and ever yday school atmosphere is amazing.

Expected to create a welcoming environment for visitors while providing a polite, informative and individualized introduction to our school, Meadowridge Ambassadors are essential to the admissions process. From the moment they greet our guests with a handshake until their thank-you cards arrive in the mail; our Ambassadors embody ever ything we expect of each student in this school.

The insight that they are able to give inquiring families is invaluable and something that our visitors appreciate wholehear tedly.

Thank you to ever yone who has volunteered their time to par ticipate in the programme. We could not accomplish ever ything that we do without you.

Please look for our Ambassadors to be touring guests ever y Friday during Open House and at numerous other events throughout the year. While visiting the school feel free to approach them and ask them any questions you might have; I am sure that they would love to help.

Regards, Mr. Daniel Le Page Director of Admissions and Alumni Relations

PA R E N T G U I L D U P CO M I N G E V E N T S a n d I N F O R M AT I O N Unwrapped 2011 A Charitable Night of Shopping at Coquitlam Centre fundraiser, November 22nd.

Get your tickets now for this fun evening event. Tickets are $10 each with 100% of proceeds going to the Parent Guild. These funds have been earmarked for the Grandparent/Grand-Friend Luncheon.

Please email unwrapped@meadowridge.bc.ca or parentguild@meadowridge.bc.ca to order your tickets.

Cus tomized Notepads Ready in time for Chris tmas! We are once again of fering s tick people notepads, though this year the of fering will be even bet ter with many more cus tomizable characters and a variety of notepad sizes. Contact parentguild@meadowridge.bc.ca if you would like more information.

Family Fun Night | November 25th

Gather your friends and children to come out for a fun-f illed evening of House Spirit.

Contact parentguild@meadowridge.bc.ca if you have any ques tions.

Parent Guild Council Meeting

When: Wednesday November 9th Time: 1:00pm | Place: The House Who: All are welcome to come and check it out

Uniform Consignment Shop The Parent Guild would like to share information regarding the Uniform Consignment Shop where gently worn school uniform items can be purchased at a reduced cos t. The shop is open the f irs t Wednesday of the month 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., in The House (by the PYP entrance). For more information please go to the school’s website w w w.meadowridge. bc.ca/uniforms or contact Jessie Hill by email at gr yphonsemporium@ meadowridge.bc.ca.

Mea d ow r idge Scho ol

Page 18 | OCTOBER 2011

W Wo W R E F L E C T I O N S Grade 6: Camp Summit

By Nicholas Jung Camp Summit was fantas tic. The food was great and the activities were fun. My favourite activity was the high ropes because it was challenging. It was also fun because you have to s trategize how to get to the top. Another activity I liked was archer y because you get to shoot arrows at a target. I didn’t do so well in archer y and Mr. Kennedy beat ever yone!

We took par t in team building activities and I learned to work well with my friends.

I also had more trus t in my friends because in low ropes and high ropes when I fell I k new my friends would catch me. We went mountain biking. The mountain biking course was hard. I saw a lot of people fall. It was really slipper y because of the rain.

The food was amazing! My favourite foods were the potatoes and the pizza. My leas t favourite meal of the day was breakfas t because you didn’t get foods like pancakes, waf f les, bacon, eggs, or hashbrowns.

Usually a lot of people were tired when we got back to our tent. I slept in a tent with no heater. It was kind of cold. It’s a good thing I had a warm sleeping bag! The bed was kind of hard. There were 10 people in our tent and it was hard to sleep because a lot of people were talking.

The rain made it not so fun because it was cold and the water soaked through my rain jacket. The las t day was the bes t because it didn’t rain as much and we got to play sur vival. It is a fun chasing game.

I had a really fun time at Camp Summit and I don’t think I will f ind another camp that is as fun as this camp. I hope that I can go back here again.

Gra de 7 : B am f ie ld

Grade 8: Loon Lake

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When we s tayed at the Tyee Fishing Lodge. It was ver y homey and the food was great.

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Completing all of the activities in the house groups

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The tide walk- there were a lot of interes ting animals, such as the dead octopus and the lit tle f ish in the tide pools.

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Interacting with the older, more mature grade elevens

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The free time on the ferr y- Buy as much candy as you want!

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The fun on the bus ride

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Freezing yourself on the boat, and looking for the sea animals that the dredges had brought up, animals like star f ish, sea cucumbers and hermit crabs.

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Swimming in a lake

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The compos table bathroom at the beach near the tide walk was ver y pleasant.

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The ferr y

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The cabins were clean

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The powerpoint presentation about the marine mammals near Barkley Sound was ver y interes ting and informative.

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The cabins were really big

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Hot shower after a freezing, numbing, wet, soaking, boat ride.

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Canoeing

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Food- enough said.

Page 19 | OCTOBER 2011

Gr ade 9 : Voya g e ur Ad v en t u res •

Completing the challenge

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Friendly leaders

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COOKIES

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No school!

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Sleeping in a tent (if you had a dr y one)

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Canoeing

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Campf ires

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Coco Bean campf ire song

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Eating camp food

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Playing guitar at campf ire

Las t year you helped us IMAGINE. This year, please help us DESIGN t he nex t 25 year s.

Gr a de 11: Loon Lake •

Interacting with the Grade 8s

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Creating bonds of fellowship

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The food was good

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Rappelling was fun

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Some of us enjoyed the morning swims

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The cabins were comfor table

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Other camp leaders were nice

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High ropes was thrilling

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Drinks available throughout the day

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House drama activity

Grade 12: W ildplay & O t h e r Ac t ivi t ies •

Spending time with our Kinderbuddies

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Climbing the trees at Wildplay

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Coming into the school at 9:00

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Mr. Burke’s house par ty

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The Dance par ty in the gym

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Man Cave

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All the fun games!

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011 7:00-10:30PM