Blankets + Books = READING FORTS! – Week 13 at GCS

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! For those of you looking forward to a white holiday, you may have just gotten your wish! For those of you who aren’t ready to scrape ice, my sincere apologies. 😛

Studying Math Facts for Grade Three

This is a friendly reminder to parents of grade three students that it is important to keep studying math facts until they are mastered. I will be having more oral math facts quizzes and the students will not have much time to answer the questions. Also, as the math becomes heavier, it is important that they students know the facts to be able to complete their pages quickly and accurately. Please practice nightly. Thanks for your support in this.

Reading Forts

Oh, the excitement! For our class prize, the grade 3 and 4 students have chosen a pajama day with a time to construct forts out of blankets and curl up and read. We’ll be doing this tomorrow afternoon. Students may bring a blanket, a stuffy, and some of their favorite books.

New Bible Memory Verse

This next verse will be due on December 17^th:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Upcoming Events

• December 11 – Christmas Program (1:30 & 7:00)
• December 18 – Christmas parties (half day)
• December 21 – January 1 – Christmas break

Upcoming Tests and Quizzes

Grade 3

• Tuesday – Math Test 9
• Wednesday – Language Test 5
• Thursday – Penmanship Test 4
• Friday – Spelling Test 11

Grade 4

• Wednesday – Math Quiz 6
• Thursday – Penmanship Test 3
• Friday – Spelling Test 11

Steady as She Goes – Week 12 at GCS

Hello parents:

For all you Christmas fanatics out there, be excited to know that it is one month until Christmas Eve! For all the others who think it comes too fast, my apologies. 😛

In any case, we are getting into the Christmas spirit in grade 3 and 4 with play practices, the beginning of our Christmas Around the World Social Studies Unit, and the completion of Operation Christmas Child. The school was able to send 176 shoeboxes to children in need. Thank you for your participation in this worthy cause!

Weather & School Cancellation

Due to the dropping temperatures and the snow that will soon be in the air, please review the following information regarding potential school closures or delays.

In the case of a “one hour delay”, school will begin at 10:00am while a “school closure” results in no school at all for the day.

When announcements are made for a delay or closure, GCS follows the English Language School Board.  Alternatively, sometimes only certain schools will be delayed or closed and will be announced by “family of schools”; GCS follows the Bluefield Family, Colonel Gray Family, and Charlottetown Rural Family of schools.  If any of these are delayed or canceled, GCS will be also.

There are a number of ways to know if there is a school delay or closure; they are as follows:

1. We will post on the GCS Facebook (Grace Christian School – Prince Edward Island), Twitter (@gcs_pei), and Instagram (gcspei) accounts
2. Each PEI radio station regularly announces delays/closures (as English Language School Board)
3. The CBC Stormcentre website (http://www.cbc.ca/stormcentre/pei/) (as English Language School Board)
4. The PEI radio station websites also post delays/closures on their sites (as English Language School Board)
5. Families can opt in to a GCS text message notification.  If school is delayed or canceled, a text message can be sent from GCS to one cell phone in the family to notify of the delay/closure.  This is an OPT-IN ONLY program.  If you would like to use this option, please email Jordan Ellis (jellis@gcspei.ca) with the cell phone number that you want to have the text message notification be sent to.  If you opted in last year and still have the same cell phone number, it is already still in the system.

Jamaica Missions Update

We would like to extend a heart-felt thank you for your support during our 11th Annual Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction.  Students served 350 guests and raised $6000.

Introducing… Mandarin!

We are thrilled to have high school ESL students come to teach all classes in the elementary some Mandarin during second quarter! We are looking forward to these engaging classes on Wednesday afternoons.

Upcoming Events

• December 11 – Christmas Program (1:30 & 7:00)
• December 18 – Christmas parties (half day)
• December 21 – January 1 – Christmas break

Upcoming Tests and Quizzes

Grade 3

• Tuesday – Math Test 8
• Thursday – Bible Memory Verse Quiz
• Friday – Spelling Test 10

Grade 4

• Tuesday – Language Quiz 7
• Thursday – Math Test 5, Bible Memory Verse Quiz
• Friday – Spelling Test 10, Language Test 3

Whoa! A Full Five Days! – Week 11 at GCS

Hello parents,

Thank you all for coming out to parent-teacher interviews! It was great to see how invested you all are in the success of your children.

Well-Done Book Reports

I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the grade four students as they read their book reports to the class and displayed their hard work. Well done to all my students! This week we will be wrapping up Song of the Brook by making some lemonade to share around the school, telling others that, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!”

GCS Online Clothing Store

The new school clothing shop is now open! Go to gracecs.entripyshops.com and start building your new GCS-branded wardrobe! What a fantastic Christmas gift for your children!

Christmas Concert – So It Begins

Practices for our annual Christmas concert will begin this week. Our play, entitled “Christmas at Bethlehem Gulch” is a western-style musical filled with eccentric characters and lively music! The concert is scheduled for December 11^th with a matinee performance at 1:30 and an evening performance at 7:00. For this year, we ask that students dress in cowboy and cowgirl attire such as plaid shirts and jeans, but no hats as they tend to block the view of students standing behind. Yehaw!

Friendly Reminders

Operation Christmas Child boxes are due THIS WEDNESDAY. I hope you and your family are enjoying picking gifts for those less fortunate!

Also, the Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction is coming up THIS SATURDAY. Come on out for a feed of fluffy pancakes and sausages!

Upcoming Events

• November 18 – Operation Christmas Child Box Due Date
• November 19 – Picture Order Due Date
• November 21 – GCS Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction
• December 11 – Christmas Program (1:30 & 7:00)
• December 18 – Christmas parties (half day)
• December 21 – January 1 – Christmas break

Upcoming Tests and Quizzes

Grade 3

• Tuesday – Math Test 7
• Wednesday – Language Test 4
• Friday – Spelling Test 8

Grade 4

• Wednesday – Math Quiz 5
• Thursday – Language Quiz 7
• Friday – Spelling Test 9

“Lest We Forget” – Week 10 at GCS

Hello parents!

Well, we have one more short week this week and then it’s full throttle from now until Christmas. (It feels weird writing that!)

Remembrance Day Ceremony

Tuesday, November 10, 2015, is the date for Grace Christian School’s annual Remembrance Day service. It will begin at 1:45pm and last for approximately one hour. Following the ceremony, family may accompany students to their classrooms to visit and see examples of their work, etc.

As in the past, we are asking for your help in inviting veterans, or currently serving members of the military, to the service so that we can honour their contribution to securing our freedom. If you know that a veteran or service person will be in attendance as a result of your invitation, please contact Mrs. Thompson atpthompson@gcspei.ca and give her the individual’s name, rank, and field of service. This will enable us to give him/her appropriate recognition during the ceremony.

Also, Mr. Ellis is again preparing a Power Point to be played during the service; therefore, we are soliciting photographs of family members who served during the World Wars, the Korean War, the Afghanistan conflict, or in peace-keeping, to personalize our presentation. Any photos received will be scanned and returned in a timely manner. We understand that they are family treasures. Photos can also be scanned at home and e-mailed to the school at jellis@gcspei.ca.  Please indicate the name, rank, field of service, arena and time served (e.g. Corporal Joe Smith, army, France, 1939-1945) of the individual pictured, as well as the relationship to your student (e.g. great-uncle of Katie Jones, grade three).  Please note that photos shared in previous years are on file and do not need to be re-submitted, but, if adjustments are required, please send that information.  New photos and/or adjustments must be received by Mr. Ellis no later than 3pm, Friday, November 6th.

Thank you for partnering with us to make this year’s ceremony the best it can be.

Operation Christmas Child

A small shoebox can have a big impact. What goes into the box is fun, but what comes out of it is eternal. Be a part of changing children’s lives all over the world in Jesus’ name through the power of a simple gift with Operation Christmas Child.

Last year GCS collected over 200 shoeboxes. In Canada alone, there were over 70,000 shoeboxes.  Make sure you check out: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child and help us reach children who need to hear about the love of Jesus.

Collection day is November 18^th. I’m excited to pack my shoe box! What will your child put in his or hers?

Pictures Orders

For anyone wishing to purchase school pictures, the orders are due by November 19^th.

New Bible Memory Verse

The students did a great job with their last verse! They now have another one due on December 1^st. It’s Philippians 3:12-14:

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Thank you for diligently reviewing the memory verses with your children.

Upcoming Events (A Recap of All the Stuff Mentioned Above and in Previous Posts)

• November 9 – Remembrance Day Learning Stations
• November 10 – Remembrance Day Assembly
• November 11 – Remembrance Day (no school)
• November 12 – Report Cards; Parent-teacher Interviews from 6:00-9:00; Usborne Book Sale
• November 13 – Parent Teacher interviews from 10:00-12:00 (no school); Usborne Book Sale
• November 18 – Operation Christmas Child Box Due Date
• November 19 – Picture Order Due Date
• November 21 – GCS Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction

Upcoming Tests and Quizzes

Grade 3

• Thursday – Spelling Test 8

Grade 4

• Monday – Book Reports Due
• Tuesday – Math Test 4
• Thursday – Spelling Test 8

Pictures

November Cometh – Week 9 at GCS

Hello parents!

Isn’t it hard to believe that first quarter is drawing to a close already? I look forward to meeting with you all at the upcoming parent-teacher interviews and discussing your child’s progress so far this year.

Christmas Craft Club

We are pleased to announce that GCS will be having an after school Christmas Craft Club for elementary students from Grades 1-6!

Students will create a beautiful rustic nativity scene out of wood blocks and other materials.

When: Thursdays from November 26th to December 17^th

Time: 3:00-4:30

Cost: $15.00

Who: Students in Grades 1-6; maximum of 15 students

Be on the lookout for a registration slip to be sent home on Monday.

Scholastic Book Order

A Scholastic book order form was sent home with your child this past week.  There is NO expectation that you place an order from it, however, if you do wish to order a book for your child there are new options this year.  Parents can pay online with a credit card or via cheque.  Please refer to the last page of each order form for more details or go to:

http://www.scholastic.ca/clubs/images/parentpay/ParentPayIntro_PL.pdf

Please have any orders placed by Wednesday, November 4th.

Fall Party

Calling all cowboys and cowgirls! On Wednesday, we will be heading to the Lairds’ farm for our annual Fall Party! Permission slips for the rescheduled date went home last week so be sure to check in your child’s agenda pocket if you haven’t signed it yet. Please let me know if you can help out with driving or supplying simple desserts.

Combined Social Studies and Spelling Test

This is just a reminder that students should be studying the placement of the continents and oceans so that they are ready for this Thursday’s test.

Visit to the Mount

Next Thursday, November 5^th, we will be travelling to The Mount Continuing Care Community to minister to the seniors there and to “adopt a Grandparent” for a short time. Permission slips will be sent home this week. Again, we will need drives for this event so please let me know if you can help.

Book Reports for Grade 4

Last week, I sent home the outline for the Grade 4 book report on Song of the Brook. This week students will draft their rough copies and edit them in class. However, the creative portion of the project and the good copy must be completed at home. Students will likely need parental support to gather supplies and put things together. Please also be aware that they will need to practice their oral report and be ready to present on Monday, November 9^th.

Remembrance Day Activities

On Monday, November 9^th, students will participate in learning centers hosted by high school students from Mr. Allain’s history classes. We look forward to learning more about the history of war, the sacrifices made for freedom, and why we should never forget the past.

Then on Tuesday, November 10^th, everyone is invited to come to our annual Remembrance Day service here at GCS from 1:45-3:00. Please note the change in time from other years. Of course, there are no classes on Remembrance Day on the 11^th.

Parent-Teacher Interviews

Parent-teacher interviews are scheduled for next week on Thursday, November 12, from 6:00-9:00 PM and on Friday, November 13, from 10:00-12:00 AM. Sign-up sheets will soon be located in the front entrance of the school.

Usborne Book Sale

Once again this year, Mrs. Biech will be hosting an Usborne book sale during parent-teacher interviews. This is a fantastic opportunity to begin some early Christmas shopping! For those unable to attend, you can always email Mrs. Biech with any orders at mbiech.ubooks@gmail.com.  The online catalog can be found at http://www.usbornebooksathome.ca/usborne_books/browse.asp.

GCS Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction

The GCS Committee and Jamaica Missions Team is busily preparing for our 11th Annual Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction, to be held on Saturday, November 21st, 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

This is one of our largest fundraisers for GCS and its success depends largely on your participation. The proceeds generated from this fundraiser will go toward the 2016 Grade 11/12 Mission trip to Jamaica.  We are asking for ALL FAMILIES in the school to contribute to the auction by donating goods or services to this event. Popular items include gift cards, baked goods, gift baskets, preserves, books, concert tickets… we welcome you to use your imagination to come up with something to donate! Services are also welcome, i.e. professional services, computer help, lessons (voice, Pilates, music), dog sitting, handyman services, spring cleaning, coaching, etc. Please take some time to think about what you and your family can contribute to this very important event.

Some Homemade preserves, craft and food items will be available for immediate sale rather than auction.

As we get closer to the date, there will be tickets coming home for you and your children to sell for the breakfast. Tickets are $5 per person, or $20 per family and in include traditional or gluten-free pancakes, sausage, tea, coffee, and juice.

Items for the silent auction can be taken to the school any time between now and November 19th. Baked goods should be delivered on November 20.

If you have any questions, please contact Principal Biech (principal@gcspei.ca), Florrie MacLean (902 566-2680), or Alumnae Brenna Boudreau (Bboudreau@gcspei.ca) or Taylor O’Connor (taylordawnphoto@gmail.com).

Upcoming Events (A Recap of All the Stuff Mentioned Above)

• November 4 – Fall Party
• November 5 – Trip to the Mount
• November 6 – Professional Development Day (no school)
• November 9 – Remembrance Day Learning Stations
• November 10 – Remembrance Day Assembly
• November 11 – Remembrance Day (no school)
• November 12 – Report Cards; Parent-teacher Interviews from 6:00-9:00
• November 13 – Parent Teacher interviews from 10:00-12:00 (no school)
• November 21 – GCS Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction

Upcoming Tests and Quizzes

Grade 3

• Wednesday – Penmanship Test 3
• Thursday – Math Test 6
• Thursday – Combined Social Studies and Spelling Test
• Thursday – Bible Quiz on Matthew 5:14-16

Grade 4

• Wednesday – Penmanship Test 2
• Thursday – Combined Social Studies and Spelling Test
• Thursday – Bible Quiz on Matthew 5:14-16
• Next Monday – Book Report Due Date

Whew!