Mustang Memo - October 20, 2023

It was another incredible week at Davidson Creek! This week, our school had the opportunity to use the Giant Turtle Island floor map. This is just as it sounds - a GIANT map that is spread out over half of our gym that shows a variety of things such as where different First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples settled, where different natural resources are located and where different treaties were signed. Our teachers have a variety of lesson plans that they can use with their students to walk along the map and see the story behind this land that we all share as our home. 

We are so grateful to have such rich opportunities to learn about Canadian history and the histories of the different people who have walked this land over time. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Helene Hewitt & Jay Robertson

Principal & Assistant Principal

A place where you belong!

Table of Contents

Week At a Glance

Action

• Sign Up for the Demonstration of Learning!
• Back up Casino Volunteers Needed!

Opportunity 

• Counsellor's Corner
• Scholastic Book Fair is Back!

Information

• Halloween Parade
• October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
• Parents Make the Difference

WEEK AT A GLANCE

ACTION

It's Not Too Late: Sign up for the Demonstration of Learning

Would you like to see your child show off all they can do? Do you want to get a better understanding of what your child is learning and what the outcomes of the report card look like in action?

Sign up for a spot in our upcoming Demonstration of Learning and/or Kindergarten Interviews by clicking here!

You will have a chance to visit the classroom, listen to your child as they show you what they are learning and speak with the teacher.

You can also stop by the cash only parent concession for a snack and pick out a book or two from the bookfair in the library!

See you there!

Back Up Casino Volunteers Needed

Did you know that our Davidson Creek Fundraising Society is having a casino on November 3 and 4? Proceeds from a casino are used by our parent group to help pay for great opportunities for students at our school such as buying new Chromebooks, supporting our incredible noon hour clubs and helping us to pay for great cultural and community events at the school.

We are fortunate that we have just enough volunteers signed up to work the casino. We do need a few back-up people who can jump in just in case one of our volunteers is unable to attend due to unexpected life circumstances. If you can sign up as a back-up person, please let our DCFS president, Robyn, know by emailing: fpresidentdce@gmail.com

OPPORTUNITY

Counsellor's Corner

Many parents have questions about how to keep their children safe online. This can feel like an overwhelming topic for many parents, as issues and risks seem to be constantly evolving. Luckily, there are some great resources intended to spread awareness about cybersafety and help keep you up to date on emerging issues:

1. Protect Kids Online- Information By Age and Interests
2. Ask a Specific Question About Online Safety for Kids
3. Emerging Issues-Sign up to receive alerts that will keep you up to date on the latest youth related online technology issues
4. Parents Ultimate Guide to Tiktok

Working with you,

Mrs. Bashaw & Ms. Mitchell

DCE School Counsellors

The Scholastic Book Fair is Back!

Dear families,

Mark your calendars! The fun and excitement of a Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! Not only does the book fair raise money for our school, it also encourages reading by providing books that kids want to read.

Our Scholastic Book Fair will take place from October 24 – 27, 2023. The book fair will be open during:

• the Demo of Learning evenings on October 25 and 26 and
• lunch recesses (for grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 only). Since the library cannot accommodate every grade on the same day, please take NOTE of the following schedule for recess shopping:
  • 24th: Grade 6
  • 25th: Grade 5
  • 26th: Grade 4
  • 27th: Grade 3

Parents, if you are able to volunteer at the book fair for a lunch recess or an evening, please email Janeen Eng at janeen.eng@eips.ca. Thank you!

We hope to see you at the Davidson Creek Book Fair.

Happy Reading!

Ms. Eng

DCE Library Technician

INFORMATION

Halloween Parade

It's almost time for our little ghouls and goblins to walk the halls in their spooky Halloween costumes! Please help us keep things safe and fun for all students when preparing your costumes. Here are our guidelines:

• masks will only be worn during the parade but will stay in the locker for regular class time
• please ensure masks are not too scary/grotesque for our youngest students
• please leave weapons at home
• if you choose to wear an inflatable costume, we will ask you to leave it uninflated when using the stairs. That means that you might be deflated during the parade for safety reasons!

Parents are welcome to come and watch the parade which begins at 12:30 p.m. Come into the school and find a spot in the foyer or upper mezzanine to enjoy the fun!

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that makes learning to read a challenge. Did you know that dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities? Here are 10 facts to know about dyslexia (from Decoding Dyslexia.org:

1. Dyslexia is a very common learning difficulty that makes it hard-but not impossible - to read, write and spell. It is estimated that 6 to 17% of the world's population are dyslexic!
2. Dyslexia is a neurobiological condition that is often inherited.
3. Dyslexia is typically diagnosed or described as a type of learning disability or specific learning disorder and is the most common learning disability: 80% of all children identified with a learning disability are dyslexic.
4. Many children with dyslexia have more than one exceptionality such as dysgraphia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, giftedness, ADHD or central auditory processing disorder.
5. There is no cure for it nor do children outgrow it. Early identification is key to providing interventions that can limit the long-term negative impacts of dyslexia.
6. All kids can learn to read - including children with dyslexia!
7. Structured literacy is essential for struggling readers and benefit all students!
8. In Canada, 40% of students with learning disabilities including dyslexia experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
9. Adults with dyslexia are more than 5 times as likely to have suffered physical abuse.
10. With support, children with dyslexia can learn and achieve their full potential!

You can learn more about dyslexia including definitions, signs of dyslexia and how to help struggling readers at these websites:

Reading Rockets: Dyslexia Basics

Reading Rockets: Helping All Readers

Parents Make the Difference

Here is this week's article with helpful tips for families:

Six ways chores can help your child become more responsible

It’s a fact: Responsible children do better in school. And they grow up to become productive, responsible adults. One way to help children practice responsibility is through family chores.

Chores help your child:

1. Build school skills. Learning how to follow directions and complete chores correctly gives your child practice for following directions when taking tests.
2. Feel needed. Let’s face it—this is something everyone needs. So be sure to recognize your child’s contribution. “Elena unloaded the dishwasher this afternoon, so cleaning up after dinner tonight will be much faster!”
3. Develop planning and time management skills. Figuring out how to complete chores on time helps your child learn how to prioritize tasks and plan time appropriately.
4. Feel a sense of investment. A child who has swept the floor is less likely to track in mud from outdoors.
5. Take pride in effort. This feeling of satisfaction can carry over to times when your child is facing a daunting task for school, like finishing a long-term project or writing a research paper.
6. Learn basic life skills. Before leaving home, your child should know things like how to prepare simple meals, care for clothing, manage money and keep things clean. The sooner children learn these lessons, the more prepared they will be for the future.

Reprinted with permission from the October 2023 issue of Parents make the difference!^®  (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2023 The Parent Institute^®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.