Volume 26 No. 10
2015 05 28
Together, Making A Difference…..One Student At A Time
From The Principal’s Desk
September 2015
How quickly this year has gone. I can’t believe that
the year, and my career, are coming to a close. These
two years have been rewarding in many ways. I have
met so many wonderful people and worked with an
amazing staff. I have mentioned many times that the
students here are some of the kindest I have ever met.
After over 30 years in education it is with mixed
emotions that I retire and begin a new chapter.
James McQueen PS provides all the necessary
materials for children’s learning. Even so, some
families like to have a list describing items that would
be useful for children to have at school. For your
convenience, please find these lists below:
I wish nothing but the very best for everyone at James
McQueen Public School. It has been a pleasure
working at the “best school in the world”.
Sincerely,
L. Lacey,
Principal
Jump Rope Thanks!!
Thank you all so very much
for your support of our
Jump Rope for Heart
event! With your help we
raised over $4,200.00!!!!
What a wonderfully,
supportive community we
have! Congratulations and
merci beaucoup!!!
Kindergarten
1 large backpack with name
1 lunch bag
1 paint shirt
1 pair of indoor athletic shoes to stay at school
1 box of facial tissue
Grades 1-3
1 large backpack with name
1 lunch bag
1 pair of indoor athletic shoes to stay at school
1 box of facial tissue
1 pkg. of watercolour markers
1 pkg. of pencil crayons
1 large glue stick
1 pencil case
pencils (standard HB with eraser)
We will also be offering, once again this year, School
Kits, that you can order on-line if you wish. These kits
are grade appropriate and information will be coming
home very soon!!
School Council Corner…
Year-End Class Trips….Thanks to your generosity
and our highly successful Easter Bunny Breakfast,
School Council is able to provide $5.00 per student to
go towards year end class trips! Thank you for
making this school a great one for your children!
Give us your email address….
…and we’ll keep you up to date on everything you
need to know at James McQueen. It’s so easy – go to
http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/jamesmcqueen/ and click on
the “subscribe” button. You will receive notification
every time a newsletter comes out, as well as other
updates. Help us cut our photocopying costs and save
some trees along the way!
Next School Council Meeting – Wednesday,
June 10, 6:30 to 8:00
School Council meetings are open to everyone
– our last meeting of the school year is on
Wednesday, June 10th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
in the school library. Everyone is welcome!!
Need labels? Summer camp season is around the
corner! Get your students’ stuff labelled and help
your school at the same time. Two great fundraisers
to choose from:
Elora Labels…we are thrilled to offer a fundraising
opportunity with a local label company, Elora Labels,
again this year. They have fun designs, offer allergy
labels which are a great idea for kids or adults. A
portion of all purchases is returned to James
McQueen Parent Council. It’s a win-win situation.
You support a local business, get great affordable
labels and help support your school!
https://eloralabel.com/jamesmcquen
Mabel’s Labels…are you a die-hard Mabel’s Labels
supporter? Don’t fret, we still enjoy a fundraising
partnership with them also. Visit
http://jmps.mabelslabels.com for the same great
products you’ve always enjoyed.
Technology
The world we live in is rapidly changing, information
and technology-intensive, globalized world. While this
may seem overwhelming at times (particularly to
those of who entered this world well before this was
true), it is also rich with the potential for redefining
learning in ways that were previously unimaginable.
To best equip today's learners with the 21st century
knowledge and skills they need today and for their
futures we must respond by:
• Engaging students as partners in their own
learning
• Harnessing the capacity of technology to
engage learners and to optimize and amplify
student learning and achievement
• Emphasizing and teaching important higherorder skills such as critical thinking,
communication, collaboration, creativity and
entrepreneurship
• Supporting educators in preparing our
students for a rapidly changing, technologydriven, globalized world
Answers to the questions of: How do I do that? and
What does that look like? are being discovered now
and in real time. Educators, students, schools and
parents are acting as co-learners as they inquire
together about how to effectively and responsibly
navigate learning in modern environments. As we are
discovering, inquiry leads to more questions and
requires a mindset that sees failures as iterations.
In the co-learning contexts, adult stakeholders are
responsible for modelling a growth mindset and being
lifelong learners. Students and children may know
more about how the technology works and what is out
there, but adults asking guiding questions to help
students become critical consumers and responsible
creators in the digital world are the key in navigating
today’s learning in a safe and effective way.
Keywords to search to enhance your own learning:
“21st Century Competencies” “digital citizenship”
“growth mindset”, “SAMR”, “TPACK”
Sources referenced: About 21st Century Learning in
Ontario http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/21stCenturyLearni
ng/index.html
Jen Apgar
Dates to Remember……
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WILL BE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th!!!! HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!!!!!
Monday, June 1
Mme Miller’s & Mme Schieck’s classes visit the Children’s Art Factory and Exhibition Park
in Guelph today!
Mlle Skerritt’s and Mme Bennett’s students visit the Public Library.
Tuesday, June 2
Mrs. Lehman’s and Mme Tovell’s grade one classes visit the Public Library.
Thursday, June 4
Fall Fair Ambassador visits.
Friday, June 5
P.A. Day
Kindergarten Orientation – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Monday, June 8
Mlle Vaughan’s & Mrs. McKerracher’s classes visit the Children’s Art Factory and
Exhibition Park in Guelph today!
Wednesday, June 10
School Council Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome!
Friday, June 12
Volunteer Appreciation Tea – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Gym.
Thursday, June 18
Mme Skerritt’s class visit the Fergus Public Library from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Mr. Campbell’s and Mrs. Wasson’s classes visit Riverside Park and Woodlawn Bowl.
Mme Skerritt’s class visits the Public Library.
Friday, June 19
Mlle Skerritt’s and Mme McKinnon’s classes visit Thatcher Farms today.
Monday, June 22
Report cards go home today!
Wednesday, June 24
Mme Tovell’s , Mme Skerritt’s and Mme Bennett’s classes visit Thatcher Farms today.
Thursday, June 25
Last day of school!! Please join us for our farewell assembly at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, June 26
P.A. Day
LAST MONTH’S NEWSLETTER DRAW WINNERS WERE……Ava & Noan Beveridge!! Congratulations!!!