Hi team KA, 

We had another great week of learning together. The highlight of the week of course being the field trip to Orwell Corner. Students were fully engaged the entire day and enjoyed the hands-on learning experiences offered. When they were sharing their favorite parts of the day, feeding and grooming the animals and visiting the blacksmith shop were mentioned the most often. We also participated in some highland games, visited the general store and the old school house and visited the dressmaker shop. They were a great crew to take on a field trip! 

In Fundations we have been learning about scooping, which is a strategy to make reading sound more fluent. Students have been practicing their trick words and tapping and are usually able to read our Question of the Day and the Morning Message either independently or with minimal assistance from me. I’m really proud of how well they’ve been doing! 

We also continued our literacy centers and our learning centers to practice skills that have already been taught. Students are able to do these centers with increasing independence. 

I will be offering final Parent-Teacher Interviews the last week of May for those who would like to discuss or get more information on their child’s learning. Please reach out and let me know if you would like to schedule a third interview. 

On Friday, May 29, current Kindergarten students will not have class. This is the day that next year’s Kindergarten students will come to West Kent for their orientation in preparation for school entry in September. Your child will stay home for the day, and will return the following Monday. 

Grade 6’s will be doing another freezie sale next week on Friday, May 22^nd at lunch. Please send in your child’s order and money to the school on Thursday, May 21^st ( freezies are $1 each with a max of 2 per student). Freezies will then be delivered on Friday to students who ordered.

Next week in KA:

Monday, May 18: Victoria Day (NO CLASSES)

Tuesday, May 19, Day 2: Mrs. Mac, Phys. Ed & Library

Wednesday, May 20, Day 3: Music

Thursday, May 21, Day 4: Mrs. Mac & Phys. Ed

Friday, May 22, Day 5: Music

Wishing you all a great long weekend, 

Lisa 😊

Tomorrow is our Orwell Corner field trip. It will be cool in the morning, and most of the day is spent outside. Please send warm layers and footwear that you don’t mind being in and out of barns and dirt/mud paths. A reminder that we will not have access to lunch or milk orders, so all food and drink will need to be sent from home.

We’re excited for the fun day of learning!

Lisa 🙂

Hello KA families, 

We returned to Victoria Park on Wednesday and saw more changes in the landscape this week. There were more buds on the trees and they were more vibrant and full. We saw lots of frog eggs in the pond, and we hope to see some tadpoles when we return in two weeks. We won’t be going next week since we’ll be going to Orwell. 

We had another session of our Introspection program with Ms. Sandra on Tuesday. This time, we learned about our eyes, ears and mouth and different sensations they may feel. 

On Thursday, we got to watch the second annual Wessy’s Got Talent. We were all impressed by the talent showcased by West Kent students and those from KA were discussing which talents they would like to share with the school next year. Auditions usually open up in late March/early April, so keep an eye out next year for the call! We finished our sunflower experiment and students took a sunflower home with them to gift to someone they love.

It’s hard to believe, but we are quickly approaching the end of the year. We have begun year-end assessments in preparation for the final report cards. This does not mean that teaching and learning have stopped, but it is time to begin to take stock of what has been learned so far this year. I will be offering final Parent-Teacher Interviews the final week of May for those who would like to discuss or get more information on their child’s learning. This is not a mandatory meeting, only if desired. Please reach out and let me know if you would like to schedule a third interview. 

On Wednesday we will be going to Orwell Corner for the day, rain or shine! This is a full day field trip and we will not have access to any lunch orders (no milk or school food program). We will be touring barns, going on a wagon ride and participating in a variety of activities. Please make sure your child is dressed in layers with footwear suitable for walking around a farm. They will need a water bottle, a packed lunch and snacks for the day. Thank you to everyone for returning their permission forms and bus money so quickly. 

On Friday, May 29, current Kindergarten students will not have class. This is the day that next year’s Kindergarten students will come to West Kent for their orientation in preparation for school entry in September. Your child will stay home for the day, and will return the following Monday. 

Our grade 6 students will be hosting a freezie sale on Tuesday, May 12^th. The cost is $1.00 each and students can buy up to two freezies each ($2.00).

To every mother that is part of our KA class community including (but not limited to) biological moms, step moms, foster moms, adoptive moms, grand mothers and special aunties, Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for all you do to support and guide your child(ren). I hope you get spoiled this weekend! 

Next week in KA:

Monday, May 11, Day 3: Music

Tuesday, May 12, Day 4: Mrs. Mac &  Phys. Ed and Freezie sale

Wednesday, May 13, Day 5: Orwell Corner Field Trip

Thursday, May 14, Day 6: Mrs. Mac &  Phys. Ed

Friday, May 9, Day 1: Music

Enjoy the weekend, 

Lisa 😊

Hi Team KA,

Today a permission form went home in your child’s homework bag for Orwell Corner. We will be going to Orwell next Wednesday, May 13. We are also asking for $5 from each student to cover the expense for the busses. Please have the form and the money returned to the school by Friday.

Also, this week we will be taking our weekly trip to Victoria Park on Wednesday. This looks like it will be a hotter day then we’ve had yet, so please make sure to pack a water-bottle, a hat that will provide shade and sunscreen that your child can apply independently.

Thanks,

Lisa 🙂

Hello KA parents, 

This week kicked off with the Easter Seals Assembly. The gym was full of WK yellow and blue to welcome Rowan and his team to the school. West Kent was able to raise over $2 000! Thank you to everyone who supported this cause. 

On Tuesday we supported the Gr 6 classes by buying sweets at their bake sale. We also read It’s Spring by Baraba Reid. We paid close attention to the type of illustrations in the book that were made by layered paper cut outs, and made our own Spring scenes using layered modelling clay. This was a workout for everyone’s hands and creative muscles. 

On Thursday we wrote our first procedural writing piece about the steps it took to create the modelling clay art. First we talked about the four main steps, and then students wrote those steps and drew a picture of their modelling clay art. 

On Wednesday we held our Wessy Wonder Assembly, recognizing those who paid extra attention to safety. We have only one Wessy Assembly left in June, and we will be looking for the overall ‘BEST’ in each student. 

On Thursday we took our second trip to Victoria Park. We noticed more buds on the trees and more activity in the pond than last week. We were also treated to a bald eagle sighting when it swooped down low over us as the crows chased it. 

Our learning centers this cycle focus on subitizing, book making, digraphs and 10s frames. This is important practice to help solidify the learning that we have been doing. 

Next week in KA:

Monday, May 4, Day 4: Mrs. Mac &  Phys. Ed

Tuesday, May 5, Day 5: Music 

Wednesday, May 6, Day 6: Mrs. Mac &  Phys. Ed 

Thursday, May 7, Day 1: Music

Friday, May 8, Day 2:  Mrs. Mac,  Phys. Ed & Library

Have a great weekend, 

Lisa 😊

This week’s Victoria Park trip will take place on Thursday, April 30.

Lisa 🙂

Hi again,

KA had the honor this week of being named Class of the Week! Our picture and a write up is posted in the main lobby announcing this status to the school. We’re very proud of how hard KA has been working and how kind and helpful they are to everyone every day. 

We had a full week of learning and some of our learning opportunities changed our regular routines a bit. On Monday, our OT, Sandra, came in for our first Introspection session. Students learned about the 5 outside senses (vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste) and 3 inside senses (proprioception, vestibular, and introspection). They practiced scrunching their toes and rubbing their hands together and then describing how that felt and then linking those feelings to what they might mean. 

We also celebrated Earth Day on Wednesday. We talked all week about how and why to help the planet. We read The Lorax and made a Lorax craft as a reminder that unless someone like us cares a whole awful lot, nothing will get better. We also took a trip to Victoria Park on Wednesday to spend some time in nature and get to know the wooded area around the park. In the weeks to come, we will pay attention to the leaves budding and the flowers blooming. 

Also on Wednesday, we were invited to participate in a theatre activity to explore different forms of expression with Ms. Avery. The students had a blast in this session and really got to practice their acting skills. It was such a joy to watch them learn in this way. 

On Thursday we attended a presentation in the library to learn about Sun Safety from the Canadian Cancer Society. This is important information for this time of year to keep safe outdoors. 

It was a big week in FunDations: we learned digraphs. Students caught onto this concept quickly and have been applying this lesson all week. Our joke of the week was “What is a librarian’s favorite digraph?” Ask your child and see what they say! 

We have been practicing subitizing in math. This is a concept where objects are organized in familiar patterns so that students can quickly and easily recognize how many there are. Examples are patterns on dice or holding up fingers. This is a skill that can be easily encouraged and practiced at home. 

On Monday, Rowan MacDonald will be visiting West Kent on the Easter Seals ambassador tour. All West Kent students are invited to wear yellow and blue to show our school spirit at the assembly. 

Next Tuesday the Grade 6 classes are hosting a Bake Sale in support of their year end activities. All WK students are invited to purchase one or two items from the bake sale and each item costs $1. 

Next week in KA:

Monday, April 27, Day 6: Mrs. Mac,  Phys. Ed & Easter Seals Assembly (wear yellow and blue)

Tuesday, April 28, Day 1:  Music & Bake Sale

Wednesday, April 29, Day 2: Mrs. Mac,  Phys. Ed & Library

Thursday, April 30, Day 3: Music

Friday, May 1: PD Day (NO CLASSES)

Enjoy the weekend, 

Lisa 😊

Happy Tuesday KA families,

The forecast for tomorrow is looking great and we have all the permission forms back, so we are all set for our first walk to Victoria Park tomorrow. Although it should be a sunny day, it will be on the cooler side, so please dress your child in layers and with footwear suitable for the walk to and around the park.

Have a great day,

Lisa 🙂

Hello KA families,

It was great to have a five day week in class! On Wednesday, we harvested our crops from our mini garden in class. We had a variety of reactions to the taste test, but regardless of the flavour preferences, students were proud of their harvest. On Thursday, we started sunflower seeds and we will monitor their growth over the next few weeks. 

This week we read What To Do With A Problem and brainstormed ideas on problem solving skills. We wrote about our own problems and the problem solving skills and I got to see some of these strategies in action. We will continue to encourage independent problem solving skills and using art and literature to do so is a powerful way for young children to feel in control.

 We also read Ahoy, Mate, Ahoy! Miss Molly Molloy by local PEI author (and teacher) Lisa Carmody Doiron and illustrated by fellow Islander Patrick Guindon. Lisa kindly donated this book to West Kent and she included an information sheet for students to take home that were sent home in the homework bags today. It was truly a beautiful story with bold and engaging illustrations. The class really enjoyed this book and connected with the themes of family and the connections to our home Island. We completed a reaction activity imagining what was below the waves. Students used their imagination and what they know about the sea to complete this activity and we displayed it in the hallway. 

Soon, we will start our walks to Victoria Park. Permission forms were sent home earlier this week in the homework bags to be filled out and returned to school by Monday. Thank you to those who have already returned them. We hope to walk over once per week to explore the environment and observe seasonal changes. If the weather cooperates, we will walk over for the first time on Earth Day, which is next Wednesday. I will let you know early next week if we can use that plan. 

Next week in KA:

Monday, April 20, Day 1: Music & Introspection

Tuesday, April 21, Day 2:  Mrs. Mac,  Phys. Ed & Library

Wednesday, April 22, Day 3: Music & Earth Day

Thursday, April 23, Day 4: Mrs. Mac & Phys. Ed

Friday, April 24, Day 5: Music

Have a great weekend, 

Lisa 😊

Hi Team KA,

Well it was another short week here at West Kent. But, we only have three more four day school weeks scheduled this school year. It’s hard to believe how quickly the year is passing, and we are busy planning on some fun celebration activities for June. 

When we returned on Tuesday we were greeted with growth in our mini classroom farm. We have been observing and measuring the growth each day and we hope to taste test our harvest next week. 

In FunDations we have been learning Trick Words, words that cannot be decoded by tapping. This is helping students read texts more fluently and is something that we practice in various ways each day. We also continue to practice our decoding skills in order to become strong readers.

We have also been learning about 3D objects. We’ve learned about faces, edges, vertices, classifying based on rolling ability and names of some of the more common objects. We will continue to practice this new learning in the coming weeks. 

Thursday afternoon was very exciting at WK with our Pie in the Face fundraiser assembly. The energy (and noise) was high as one by one students’ names were drawn from each class and they chose a staff member to pie in the face. There were lots of laughs and it was a fun way to end the week. Thank you to everyone who bought tickets. 

Our school’s Occupational Therapist (OT) Sandra has kindly offered to come to KA to offer the Introspection program. This is a fantastic opportunity for our class to learn skills to help us pay attention to what is happening inside our bodies. A note explaining the program further will be sent home in homework bags Monday and Sandra will be joining us for the next five cycles to complete this program with the class. 

Next week in KA:

Monday, April 13, Day 2: Mrs. Mac, Phys. Ed & Library

Tuesday, April 14, Day 3: Music

Wednesday, April 15, Day 4: Mrs. Mac & Phys. Ed 

Thursday, April 16, Day 5: Music

Friday, April 17, Day 6: Mrs. Mac & Phys. Ed 

Enjoy the weekend, 

Lisa 😊