Sarah Thompson School Newsletter – May

June is right around the corner and so many things are happening at Sarah Thompson School. On May 31st at 1pm, we will be welcoming our volunteers to a “flippin for all you do” tea and waffle event. This is our opportunity to thank our incredible parent and community volunteers for everything they’ve done to help our students learn and be successful. Student engagement is enhanced when they are given authentic learning experiences. In other words, “it takes a village to raise a child”. Our volunteers have ensured that our students are provided with “real world” experiences.
As in previous years, we ask for parental input during our class configuration time. The deadline is June 15th, 2016. When staff and school administration create class lists, we look at many different factors. Some of these include; male to female ratio, academic level and social emotional factors. We value parent input, and ask that should you have a specific educational request, you submit it in writing to me before the above due date. We cannot guarantee your requested placement, however we take everything into consideration.
The grade configuration we anticipate for the coming year is;
Two kindergarten classes
Two grade one classes
Three grade two classes
Three grade three classes
Two grade four classes
Two grade five classes
We are very excited to be offering a team teaching configuration in the grade three program. Some of the benefits of this configuration include; having two minds facilitate a classroom community which allows students to connect with different personalities. Co-teaching allows more opportunities for small groups and one-to-one learning, and stronger modeling during lessons. The co-planning process encourages two teachers to bounce ideas off each other in order to deliver the strongest, most creative lessons.
Finally, as we begin to close out the school year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the incredible year it has been. Our students continue to amaze me in their commitment, and dedication to their learning. They are creative, innovative and entrepreneurial. I marvel at how quickly the members of this school rose up to meet the challenge of supporting our Fort McMurray neighbors. These selfless acts of kindness are an inspiration to us all.
Best wishes for a warm and wonderful summer vacation.