SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

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VICE PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE - Mr. J. Levesque

 April has been another busy and exciting month at RWBB! After two years of fundraising by our Parent Advisory Council (PAC), our covered sandbox has been constructed and is ready to be enjoyed by all of our students (That is of course when they can move me out of the way as I have rediscovered my inner child and can often be found pushing my favourite Tonka truck through the sand!). I would like to thank all of the people who have contributed to this project in one way or another. It is great to see what can be accomplished when the school community comes together with a common vision! I would also like to recognize the efforts of our PAC in organizing a fantastic Family Dance that was held on Saturday, April 14th. By all accounts a great time was had by all and the money raised will support some of the exciting activities that we are able to offer our students (Why just them?) that exceed the regular curriculum.

 April also brought us the Rockwood Festival of the Arts, and once again our students put forth a tremendous effort with fantastic performances, earning top marks in their respective categories. We have also been working on our Hiking and/or Biking ambitious goal of going from Stonewall to London England, home of the next summer’s Olympic Games. At last count we were deep in the heart of Ontario and continuing our journey towards the coast where we may have to add ‘swimming’ to our mode of transportation! It is great to see so many of our staff and students walking or biking to school and keeping fit while reducing their carbon footprint!

DAY OF PINK - Mrs. H. Sanche, Guidance Counsellor

On April 11th, R. W. Bobby Bend School joined together with one hundred and thirty (130) other schools across Manitoba in raising awareness about the impact of bullying by wearing pink. This initiative started in 2007 when two high school students in Nova Scotia took a stand against bullying. The students asked all of their peers to wear pink to school after they heard a male classmate had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt. During the month of April, our students have been receiving education about bullying through books, videos, and discussions.

 KIMOCHIS - Mrs. H. Sanche, Guidance Counsellor

This month a new character education and social-emotional learning program called, “Kimochis”, (meaning “feeling” in Japanese) is being implemented in the Grade 2A and 2B classrooms. Kimochis encourages children to express themselves as they learn to identify and express feelings, work through conflicts, and build the foundations for social and emotional intelligence. The program will run for a total of eight (8) weeks and is being facilitated by our divisional social worker, Ms. Vicky Brzuskiewicz.

COPPER COLLECTION - Mrs. H. Sanche, Guidance Counsellor

You most likely have heard that the penny will soon be no longer in circulation. If you are wondering what to do with all your pennies, we would love to help you out. We will be collecting pennies and sending them on to Winnipeg Harvest. Winnipeg Harvest will turn every dollar collected into twenty dollars of food to go towards reducing hunger in the province of Manitoba. Your donation of pennies will make a huge difference. Thank You!

FROM THE MUSIC ROOM - Mrs. P. Matheson, Music Teacher

The students of R. W. Bobby Bend School were well represented at the 57th Annual Rockwood Festival of the Arts. In addition to the many solo entrants, our school was well represented in the following classes.

• Grade 3 Recorder Ensemble received a mark of 91%

• Grade 4 Recorder Ensemble received a mark of 89%

• Grade 4 Vocal Choir received marks of 88% and 90%

• Grade 1 Vocal Choir received marks of 88% and 90%

• Grade 3 Vocal Choir received marks of 89% and 89%

• Grade 2 Vocal Choir received marks of 90% and 90%

• Grade 1A Speech Choir achieved a mark of 86%

• Grade 4B Speech Choir achieved a mark of 90%

• Grade 1C Dance achieved a mark of 88%

The very high marks received are an indication of the hard work put forth by both students and school staff in preparation for this event. Congratulations to all!!

Grade 4 students are currently practising their “pirate talk” as they prepare for ‘Pirates - The Musical’ which they will perform on Thursday, May 10th/2012 beginning at 7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)

The Grade 3 classes are likewise currently practising for their spring musical, ‘The Drum’. The Drum is based on an East Indian folktale and will delight audiences young and old on Thursday, May 24th/2012 also beginning at 7:00 p.m. (Doors also open at 6:30 p.m.)

LOW COST BICYCLE HELMET INITIATIVE UPDATE

We received a letter late last week to inform us that helmets purchased through the Low Cost Bicycle Helmet Initiative will be delivered to the school during the week of May 21st-25th/2012, instead of the previously communicated date of mid-April. This is due to a delay in the shipping of the helmets. Every effort is being made to expedite this process so that families receive helmets as soon as possible.

NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY - Mrs. V. Debeuckelaere, Library Technician

Book Fair has just wrapped up, the paper work is complete, and the prizes have been handed out. The Spring Book Fair was very successful with total sales of $4,361.75 from Scholastic Books and $45.50 from used books. This is our most profitable Book Fair since starting to keep records in April of 2008. We have only ever exceeded $4000.00 in sales once before, and that was in September of 2011.

Our profits were spent as follows: we purchased $502.10 in books from the Fair for the library, we took a credit with Scholastic for future purchases of $746.56, and we took $800.00 in cash for our account to purchase books from other venues. The $25.00 in books to a student and $25.00 in books to a teacher were won by Josh S. and Ms. Palmer from 4B.

Poster winners were: KA: Carly KB: Benny KFIA: Brady, Hunter, Andrew

1A: Caralyn 1B: Reghan 1C: Austin

2B: Reid, Autumn 3A: Britanny 3B: Emma, Graeme

 4B: Dylan

Thank you to all staff who volunteered their time for our Family Night Book Fair. To the parents and students who purchased books from the Book Fair, thank you for your support. Without your help and support the book fair would not be the success it is.

KINDERGARTEN

In April the kindergarten students learned about Fairy Tales. The students were surprised to find out that there are many versions of their favourite tales! We have also started learning the poems and songs for our concert on May 17th. In May we will be going out for activity breaks so please dress your child for the weather.

GRADE 1

April was a busy month for the Grade 1 classes. They worked hard at practising for the Festival. Their hard work paid off. Class 1C received 1st place for their Monkey Dance and Class 1A received 1st place for their poems - ‘Wind Song’ and ‘I Do Not Wish To Go To School’. The Grade 1 Vocal Choir did an excellent job singing ‘Spider Hunter’ and ‘Happiness’ and also received a 1st place mark. The Grade 1 students learned about the Spring season, Earth Day, and the Four Food Groups. They enjoyed sharing their recycled art projects at school. The Grade 1’s had fun showing their portfolios to their parents on Portfolio Night. Thank you for attending the Portfolio Night. It really “mint” a lot to the students. We look forward to another exciting and busy month for May.

 GRADE 2

 Throughout the month of April the Grade Two students excitedly awaited the arrival of their ‘Flat Selves’. Although some are still patiently waiting, it has been SO fascinating to learn more about our beautiful province, Manitoba, our country, Canada, and also about other countries with the return of our flat people. We also participated in “The Rockwood Festival of the Arts” and very proudly scored a 90%, which gave us a first place finish. A huge Thank You and Merci is sent to Mrs. Matheson for all her hard work in preparing the students. Portfolio Night was also a great success and it was wonderful to see so many parents engaged and learning from their children, as they shared their work. We hope that you have planted your trees and that you always think of your child’s growth as you watch the tree grow to maturity.

 GRADE 3

The Grade 3 students are ‘checking in’ to let you know that our Chess Club is now down to the playoffs between the three (3) classes for the final winner! A big THANKS to our parent volunteers who helped out over the ten (10) weeks. We couldn’t have run it without your interest and help!

Many activities have been keeping us busy in preparation for Portfolio Night (Thursday, April 26th/2012). We are putting the final touches on our Portfolios and can’t wait to proudly share them with our parents! On April 27th, we will be ‘flying’ to India and learning about the culture there. To tie our studies of India in with Portfolio Night, we plan to share some refreshments which are popular in India (Chai Tea and Parle G biscuits). With the help of money from our PAC for special activities, we each glazed a clay mug, had it fired, and are anxious to fill it with chai tea so we can sip and dip our Parle G Biscuit on Portfolio Night! Artifacts from around the world were brought in, presented, and are on display in our classrooms. DIORAMA DAY was on Tuesday, April 24th/2012 where we brought in boxes and supplies in order to create a scene based on a chapter book we read at home. Parents will be delighted to see our creative efforts! Preparations for our Spring Concert later in May will be underway soon. Our mini-musical this year is entitled “The Drum” and is based on a folktale from India.

GRADE 4

The Grade Four classes have enjoyed the beautiful weather along with everyone else this April. This weather has allowed us an early start to our Marathon Club. We run every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:30 p.m. This training benefits all students as everyone is either walking or running for at least 15 minutes. Some of the runners will hopefully participate in the Super Run at the Manitoba Marathon.

 The Grade Four classes also went to the Odd Fellows Hall to view the environmental displays. The students were pleased with the fact they were able to take home things such as key chains and reusable bags. Some may even have taken a tree seedling home to plant.

 The final activity the Grade Four classes have started is their preparation for the production on May 10th of, “Pirates” - The Musical. There has been work started on the background by Mr. Holmes and Mrs. Feeleus. The students have been auditioning and then practicing their parts. They sound and look great and Arrr very excited to perform for their family and friends on May 10th.

 RWBB PAC NEWS - Mrs. M. Resch

April has been a very exciting month for the RWBB Parent Advisory Committee. On Saturday, April 14th/2012, we held our Annual Family Dance which again was a HUGE success. Thanks to everyone for their generous donations and support. Without our wonderful dedicated volunteers and silent auction prizes it would not have been possible. Summer Bounce Entertainment provided the music - everyone had a great time “hitting the dance floor”. Thanks to everyone for the positive feedback. We are also pleased to tell you that the magnificent sandbox has been built and looks great! I have been told the children are super excited to play in it. We will be having a “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony” soon to celebrate this amazing achievement. Some parents have been asking about the Balanced School Day Lunch Kits which can be purchased at Scholar’s Choice. Lastly, if you are interested in reading the minutes of the latest RWBB PAC meeting, you can find them posted on the PAC Bulletin Board located by the Office. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, May 8th/2012 at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. We hope to see you there.

HEALTHY LIVING COMMITTEE of RWBB PAC NEWS - Mrs. R. Harold

The Healthy Living Committee of the RWBB PAC would like to say “Way to go!!” to all the students and staff who have participated in the “Take a Hike or Bike Tuesdays”. Despite less than fantastic weather, the response has been 100% positive! The students have been very excited to participate each week and the bike racks have seen a lot more use! The adult crossing guards, Principal Mr. Ross, and staff on bus duty have commented on the increased foot/bike traffic and decreased vehicle traffic. This helps to make our students safer.

“Take a Hike or Bike Tuesdays” continues for the remainder of the school year. Each week, prize draws are made and at the end of June, a draw will be made for a brand new bicycle! Please ensure your child returns his/her weekly ballot, as the more ballots, the greater the chance of winning! The Golden Sneaker Trophy is awarded weekly to the classroom with the most participation in “Take a Hike or Bike”. So far, the weekly winning classrooms have been:

• Week 1 - 4C (Mr. Krisko)

• Week 2 - 4C (Mr. Krisko)

• Week 3 - 3FI (Mme McInnis)

• Week 4 - 2FI (Mme Millar), 4B (Ms. Palmer), 4C (Mr. Krisko) - a three way tie!!!

• Week 5 - 1C (Mrs. Karpinsky)

Students and staff are well on their way to reaching their goal of walking and biking the distance to London, England in time for the summer Olympics. Students had the opportunity to view their progress during Assembly and saw that we still have a long way to go until we reach our goal. This means, the more students we have walking and biking, the sooner we will reach London. Let’s keep up the good work! Remember: “It’s Cool to Walk to School!”

ALLERGY AWARE COMMITTEE NEWS - Mrs. R. Harold

It’s time to ‘Take Action Against Reactions’!

In affiliation with the Allergy Asthma Information Association (AAIA), Manitoba Allergy Information Network (MAIN) is hosting its second annual fundraising walk on Saturday, May 12th/2012 at Assiniboine Park. This family oriented walk is 2.5 km and begins at 1:00 p.m. The route is stroller/wagon friendly and there will be entertainment and activities for the entire family. They are excited to have Hot 103 participating and a Zumba (Did you hear that Mr. Levesque!) warm up will help get things started!

To help educate Canadians about anaphylaxis and raise important funds for research, AAIA, with the support of the distributors of EpiPen® epinephrine auto-injectors have organized the EpiPen® Take Action Event during May 2012, which is Allergy Awareness Month. Winnipeg is just one of the many cities across Canada holding this event. MAIN is looking for your support. This May, join in this walk with thousands across Canada to Take Action Against Reactions! For more information please visit www.aaia.ca  or email allergyaware@hotmail.com.

ISD PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS

A Tuck Shop Program is being offered at R. W. Bobby Bend School to all preschoolers 2-5 years of age and their caregivers. This is a five (5) week program that has a lot to offer! If you would like ideas for travelling in the car, in a restaurant, doctor’s office, or any other place you may travel to, this program is filled with fun and great ideas for the whole family! You will meet Bee Bo through songs, stories, crazy craft, snack, and check-out items each week! The times and dates for this program are 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 26th, Wednesday, May 2nd, Thursday, May 10th, Wednesday, May 16th, and Thursday, May 24th.

MAG0 THE MAGICIAN

Inviting all preschoolers……The Interlake School Division is proud to present “Mago the Magician” for preschoolers - infant to five (5) years of age - and their caregivers at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 8th/2012 in the R. W. Bobby Bend School gymnasium. There is no charge to attend, however, seating is limited to fifty children and is available on a first come first served basis. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Please contact Sandy at 794-5837 or Cynthia at 299-1616 for further information.

DECORATION DAY

On Sunday, June 3rd/2012, The Stonewall Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will be holding their annual Decoration Day Parade and Service. The parade will fall in at the Legion at 1:30 p.m. and will march off at 1:40 p.m. down Main Street to the Veteran’s Memorial Park, where the service will commence at 2:00 p.m. Following the service, lunch will be served at the Legion.

FYI - EXTERNAL INFORMATION/PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED AT THE SCHOOL

Information from the following groups and/or organizations has been received at the school and is available for your review:

 • Royal Canadian Legion Athletic Camp

• The St. James Rods Football Club

• YMCA – YWCA Camp Y

• University of Winnipeg Sport Camps

Should you be interested in acquiring additional information regarding any of the above please drop by the school to peruse the material we have received.