John Norquay Elementary School
4710 Slocan Street, Vancouver, BC V5R 2A1
Telephone: 713-4666    Fax: 713-4668

Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 Newsletter #7
Area Superintendent - Mr. Tom Grant  604 713-4590
Principal -. Ms.Gail Wynston
Liaison Trustee - Mr. John Cheng
Vice-Principal - Ms Kim Nemeth
School Consultative Committee Chairperson: Mrs. Anne Miller
Visit Norquay School on the Web at norquay.vsb.bc.ca

SEPTEMBER  REGISTRATION
Do you have a child who will be five years old before December 31, 2004?  If so, then it’s time to register for Kindergarten.  Please help us by reminding neighbours that it is Kindergarten registration time.   We require a birth certificate, proof of address, and immunization record.

The last date for student registration at schools will be June 18th.  After that date, students new to a Vancouver school will need to register at the District Reception and Placement Centre.

STUDENTS NOT RETURNING IN SEPTEMBER
If your child is not returning to Norquay School after the summer break, please return the form sent home or let your child’s classroom teacher or our office know.  This information is important for our planning.

EMERGENCY CONTACTS
Many of our student do not have “in service” phone numbers on their Emergency Contact Forms.  This means that in a medical emergency we have not been able to contact a parent or alternate to meet the child at the hospital.  If your contact numbers have changed, please let the school office know immediately.

AFTER SCHOOL SUPERVISION
With the warmer weather, many children are staying on the playground after school.  Parents are reminded that the school provides supervision only until 3:20 p.m.   Children on the school grounds after 3:20 p.m. are not supervised by the school.

SUPERINTENDENT’S VISIT
Mr. Chris Kelly, the new Vancouver Superintendent of Schools,  recently spent the afternoon visiting Norquay.  He attended the Senior Choir practice with Mr. Colpitts, Mrs. Wheelhouse and Ms. Smith, and watched a short demonstration by Mrs. McIlwaine and Ms. Magee’s Gymnastics Club and saw Mrs. Kainer’s Division 4 class tap-dancing.  He visited most classrooms, engaging the students in discussion and watching lessons.  We were delighted to host our new superintendent who was highly impressed with our students and the quality of teaching and programs he witnessed.

TRACK AND FIELD
Our dedicated coaches, Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Abe, Ms. Holmes, Mrs. Koh, Ms. Tilston, Mr. Smith,  Mr. Fast, and Ms. H. Paris have begun practices for this year’s Track and Field team.  The 60  students in grades 4 to 7 meet for morning practices and will be competing in two mini-meets and a Final District Meet on Thursday June 3rd, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.  We are proud of all the athletes and wish them luck at the upcoming meets.

BOOK EXCHANGE
Our 12th annual Book Exchange will be held May 27 and May 28.  The first day is for children to trade books they have brought from home.  On the second day, books will be available for children to purchase for 25 cents.  If you are able to volunteer to help sort the books and/or supervise the exchange and sale, please contact Mrs. Lane.

STREAM OF DREAMS
Norquay students and staff are joining a community project to build awareness about Still Creek, which once ran right by our school, and to learn about environmental responsibility.   Each participating student will paint a “dream fish” and will learn about the importance of keeping our waterways clean.  This exciting project will take place at the school May 10th - 14th.  The fish will then be displayed on our school fence or in other locations in our community.

SALMONID ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
Ms. Soo Goodtrack’s grade 4 students have been involved in this very worthwhile environmental program.  Here is Asmeret Sahlezghi’s story:

        One day Ms. Goodtrack told us that we were getting about 55 eyed eggs.  My whole class was excited.  After a couple of weeks we got the eyed eggs from the Fisheries and Ocean.

        In Science we learned about the salmon life cycle.  It was fun.  After we learned about eyed eggs, they turned into alevin.  They had big red sacks that they absorbed.  At that time we did not have to feed them.  They looked cute.  We got to look at them every day.  Then they turned into fry.  We now had to feed them. Some of the fry died and that was sad.

        We are going to release the fry in Beaver Creek in Stanley Park.  We are going there for a field trip, too.  The sad part is we can’t have them in our class anymore.  But the happy part is that they are going to have a happy free life!

SCHOOL GROWTH PLAN UPDATE
Each year our school community sets goals for student improvement.  This year our focus was to improve students’ ability in writing and their social responsibility.  To accomplish these goals, the teachers attended workshops on bullying, held in-school discussions and planning sessions about student writing.  We have collected and analyzed writing samples from cross-grade assignments.

The staff is currently in the process of reviewing and updating our progress and data.  We are comparing this year’s student writing with last year’s samples.  We will also be surveying students and teachers about bullying.  Our School Planning Council members, parents Mr. Pace and Ms. Robertson will be reviewing the teacher’s recommendations and providing their parent-perspective input.  A further update will be given at our next PAC meeting on Wednesday May 5, 7:00 p.m.

LUNCH PROGRAM
During April Norquay has been piloting a Vancouver School Board Hot Lunch Program, with 150 students participating.  Our student helpers, Rhoda Fong, Rishal Chand, Jason Khuu, Beverly Lim, Amanda Lai, Megan Wong, Kathy Yu and Annie Zhou, have done a great job in helping to serve the food.  As our participating families and others have asked to continue the program, we will be running it again in May.  The cost continues to be $60 per student for 20 lunches.  The menu and registration forms have been sent home and were due in the office this week.  Students who are on the lunch program will receive their Sports Day hot dog, juice and chips without an additional charge.

AFTERNOON OF DANCE
On Friday April 30th, Mrs. Kainer’s Grade 6 class and Mrs. McIwaine’s and Ms. Magee’s Gymnastics Club will be representing Norquay at an Afternoon of Dance at Vancouver Technical School.  Families of these students are Welcome to attend 12:45 to 2:45 p.m.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Division 17 is participating in a program called Artist in Residence.  Fana Soro, from Cote d’Ivore (Ivory Coast) is teaching Division 17 about Africa and instruments and also how to play them.  These are some of the instruments’ names: balafon, djembe, cassinette, doun daun and kankani.  Fana will come two days every week for three weeks.  We’ve had lots of fun learning with Fana Soro and we would like to thank him for coming and teaching us such fun things.                    By Paris Siu and Chad Loro, Division 17, Grade 3

DONATION
We’ve received a $100 donation from Robin Vrba, a real estate agent for ReMax which will go towards our Grade 7 camp.  Her donation is part of a program in which she donates $100 to the school in the area where one of her team sells a home.

SCHOOL CALENDAR
Wed. May 5    Parent Advisory Committee Meeting (all parents welcome), 7:00 p.m.
Thurs. May 6   Earthquake Drill at 2:00 p.m.
Fri. May 21      Sports Day (Students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m.)
Mon. May 24   Victoria Day (School closed.)
Tues. June 8     Professional Day (No school for students.)
Tues. June 22   School Leaving Ceremony for Grade 7 students
Tues. June 29   Last day for students (Students will attend until 3:00 p.m.)

Preparing Children for Success in School

Having your child starting school can be a difficult transition for parents and children.  Participating in this group will make this transition easier.

In this 5 week program parents will learn:
        - ways of preparing their young children for success in school,
        - approaches that support their young children’s healthy social and emotional development,
        - how to help their young children develop more self-control and self-confidence,
        - about the local school systems,
        - about resources and sources of support in the community,
        - how to become involved in their children’s education,
        - how to play and support their children’s healthy development,
        - to support one another in informal networks,
        - respectful ways of guiding children’s behaviour

Free child minding is available.
Space is limited, so register early.

“Well, I had a lot of doubts, doubts that started to dissolve each time I came here…I’ve had very little experience, since I recently came to this country, and this has been incredibly helpful.” (Quote from a previous participant)

The program will be offered at

Collingwood Neighbourhood House
5288 Joyce Street, Vancouver
April 26, May 3, 10,17 & 31.
Mondays from 10:00 to 11:30 am.
For registration please call 604 435.0323
AND
Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House
4065 Victoria Drive, Vancouver
April 24, May 1,8,15,22
Saturdays from 11:00 to 11:00 am.
For registration please call 604 874.4231