Dear Families,
I hope everyone's PA Day is going well!  I am really enjoying collaborating with my colleagues to plan and prepare meaningful lessons for my students!  Here at Nottawa we are surrounded with staff who love working together to create a school atmosphere that is safe, strong, and wonderful!!

Groove:
On Monday, we had the pleasure of participating in our second groove dancing session with the ever talented and passionate Mr. Tyler Boyle!  What an engaging and meaningful experience we all had!  Students loved it and participated with full enthusiasm :)  Check them out!











Many especially enjoyed the meditation at the end (see picture above) ...we were relaxed, calm, and recharged ready to learn for periods 4-6! 

As you may already know, in class I have my students meditate twice daily to the following link (see below) and I can say that everyone truly feels the benefits from it!  It's calm, soothing, and resets our focus so we can think, listen, and learn to our full potential.  It's quick, easy, and effective.  Give it a try :)


Speech Presentations:
I would just like to acknowledge and extend my gratitude to everyone who presented their speech this week in front of the class!  You ALL did your personal best and I could tell many of you prepared for this experience at home.  It certainly paid off!


For many people, public speaking is a nerve wracking experience, and I can whole-heartedly empathize with my students as I too get the jitters when I have to speak in front of a large audience (e.g., assemblies, workshops).  Stepping outside of our comfort zones isn't easy, but when we do, we often realize potential in ourselves we never knew we had!  It's good to try new things, even uncomfortable things because we can rise to new heights and develop our brain power further!  Well done boys and girls!

Monday:
Due to the political actions taking place on Monday, there is no school.  I realize that I have several speech presenters for that day, so we will have those students present on Tuesday (Felix, Thomas, Hannah, Orin, and Liam).  I apologize if there is any inconvenience with this.  Thank you for your care and cooperation in this matter.  See everyone on Tuesday!

Cameron, Joella, & Connor:
Congratulations to our top 3 grade four speech presenters who were chosen based on peer feedback and the success criteria for oral communication. 


We had to have 1 final vote to select a speaker who will represent our class family at the gym this coming Tuesday.  It was a very close one, and when I announced the recipient everyone cheered!  I was so pleased to see that despite not everyone advancing, students remained uplifted and genuinely were happy for our winner.  It was a fantastic moment for us all :) 


Congratulations to CAMERON who will participate in the gym competition next week!  Way to go! 

Data Management:
It has been a fun and productive week of surveying, collecting / organizing data in charts, graphing, and interpreting our findings!  See pictures below the kids in action! 

Please ask your child what his or her survey question was and what some of their findings were (e.g., what was the most popular choice, least popular, how many people they surveyed, the difference between the most popular and least popular choice).












Next week, students will use the same information, but create a pictograph to display their data!


Lou & Noah:
Congratulations to Lou and Noah for their hockey tournament victory last weekend!  They both arrived to school on Monday with a GIANT SMILE eager to tell me about their achievement!  Their smiles say it all!  What a fantastic photo, adorable :-)


Noah and Lou had the opportunity to share this experience with the class and we are all so proud of them!!  Remember boys and girls ... T.E.A.M. "Together everybody ACHIEVES MORE!"  You were a collaborative TEAM with your Blackhawks squad!


Kali:
To accompany her speech about the history of hot chocolate, Kali provided her classmates and I with delicious home-made hot chocolate!  Everyone devoured it :) 


It was a delicious sweet treat that warmed us up on a cold wintery day.  Your thoughtfulness is appreciated, Kali!

Cameron:
Thank you Cameron for sharing your book that's filled with growth mindsets!  I LOVE IT!  Please click on the photo to enlarge it to enjoy the powerful message :) 


I shared at the beginning of the school year that all my students are teachers too ...well, here's a FINE EXAMPLE OF IT! 


Thank you Cam for teaching and reminding US that we all have the power to achieve ANYTHING with effort and right strategies.  We continuously learn and grow from our failures (F.A.I.L. = first attempt in learning)!!

A Message from Mrs. Richards:
Please click the photo to enlarge and view :)


I would like to personally thank Mrs. Richards for her dedication, hard work, and compassion throughout her time here at Nottawa.  It was a true pleasure connecting and working with her.  I have the utmost respect and will hold our experiences close to my heart always.  Mrs. Richards unconditional support is something I'll never forget.  Her main focus was always ensuring the safety and happiness of all students and staff.  She will always be remembered fondly!

Mr. Perry:
Welcome BACK, Mr. Perry!  The staff and students are delighted that you're feeling better and can continue your work.  There was a big cheer when students read and heard on the morning announcements that you would be returning!  This shows that your staff & students adore you!     

Mindfulness:
In life, we will not agree with everyone, and that's OK!  In fact, it's better than ok, it's what makes our world so bright, innovative, and interesting!  But, what I've shared with my students especially in collaborative situations, we must always be considerate of others thoughts, feelings, and opinions.  If you don't agree with someone, please remember to RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE.  We all have a voice, it needs to be heard in a kind, caring, and respectful manner.



Growth Mindset:
Thank you Liam for sharing this wonderful quote!!  It's oh so true!

Image result for kindness is like snow it beautifies everything it covers

Namaste, 
Ms. Gill

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