Adam Scott C.V.I./I.S. has a focus on student achievement with clearly stated expectations and equitable assessment guidelines. This mandate will be met within a purposeful learning atmosphere that is free from the threat of physical or emotional harm, delivered within a climate which is supportive of curriculum and instruction, and addresses the learning needs of both staff and students.

CHARACTER EDUCATION ATTRIBUTE OF THE MONTH: HONESTY

VICE PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

- MS. RUSSELL

As you know, report cards were sent home on March 23^rd. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher to arrange an interview. It is vital that communication is flowing between home and school so that students have the support that they need in order to succeed.

Question of the month?

Just out of curiosity…. What do you think about same gender homeroom classes?

Thanks to Mrs. Sansom-Schroeter who responded to last month’s question about how parents see themselves as part of the school community.

Send me an e-mail: karin_mackenzierussell@kprdsb.ca

School Improvement Team (SIT) Report

Members: Mme. Ilkewicz, Mr. Colling, Ms. Knox, Ms. Scott, and Ms. Russell

In the last newsletter, I summarized the Instructional Support Model (ISM) and gave you an idea of what schools in KPR have been working toward including how SMART Goals fit into the mix.

Here at Adam Scott, teachers have just begun the process of implementing the third SMART Goal of the year. The focus of this goal is to help students to develop skills in identifying the main idea within a wide array of genres.

Teachers will ensure that this goal is met by working through the following steps:

1.       Pre-test diagnostic (Where are kids before we begin – what is their skill level?).

2.         Teacher modeling (Teachers explicitly teach students how to locate the main idea).

3.         Guided practice (Teachers model and give feedback, support students, and work to develop a level 4 performance standard with students).

4.         Continued practice (Cross-Curricular all the way – teachers move skill attainment into other subject areas).

5.         Final evaluation (What is the main idea of this story? Explain your thinking. – This is question number 2 from the CASI Assessment).

As you can see, this is quite a detailed process!

FYI: Students will be completing a second CASI assessment by mid-May. This will really help teachers to fine-tune what students need and how to best help them to succeed.

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO AT HOME?

WHAT’S THE POINT OF THIS?

Dear parents,

When I last wrote, it was to ask your help in supporting our literacy initiative of the month - Summarizing. We have seen a blast of success in this area, and I have no doubt that this team approach, parents and teachers working together for a common goal, is the key. This is why I don’t feel at all guilty about enlisting your help for this month’s initiative. In fact, I think you are going to really like it.

First, let me put this one in context for you. Has your child (or children) ever asked you what the point of something is? Perhaps you’ve heard this comment frequently: “I don’t see what the point of making my bed is, since I’m just gonna mess it up again later.” Maybe you’ve all noticed something strange when watching television together, and asked each other, “What was the point of that?” (I find car commercials really weird sometimes.) As adults, we need to know “why” something is, and what it’s all about; we search for how it is relevant to our lives. Adolescents are no different.

Here’s the education connection: this month we are studying the concept of Main Idea. Earlier I said you would really like this - here’s why. Now it is your turn to ask your child the classic question, “What is the point of that?” As we look for the main idea in our study of literature and informational text at school, students may need help figuring it out. Discussions at home would really be of great benefit, for example, about the idea of newspaper articles you are reading, as well as novels or short stories. My personal vote is for poetry, since April is Poetry Month, and there isn’t anything more fun for a Literacy Coach than debating the main idea of poems. Don’t laugh! Try this instead: What would you say is the main idea behind the poem “Jack and Jill”?

I’ll come back to that in a moment, but let’s think about what we’re getting at here with the Main Idea. What is the main idea of Main Idea? We are really thinking about why something was created. What is its message? Why did the author, poet, playwright, journalist, or critic write the piece?

What did they want the reader to understand?

What’s really interesting about this is that there may often be more than one possible answer. This is why we expect students to explain the answer they give. They must support their theories with real thinking, and use clues from their reading of the text to do so. In fact, you may have noticed we’re going APE in our classrooms here at Adam Scott:

A – answer the question

P – prove it and

E – explain or expand your answer!

Are you still wondering about “Jack and Jill”? Well, one theory has it that the nursery rhyme originated as a safety warning to children around the world, regarding the perils of carrying water up slopes.

Until next month,

Alison Scott

DPA

DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The weather is wonderful and students and teachers have been spending DPA time in the great out of doors! A few favorites include the proverbial “walk-around-the-block” and of course the most favorite stand by of all, soccer!

GRADE 8 TRIP UP-DATE

Fund-raising activities continue for both the Kingston and Quebec trips. Very shortly, Adam Scott will be hosting a pancake breakfast in the cafeteria during period 1 (9:00-10:00). We would love to have parents come in to fill their bellies, while at the same time, helping to raise money!

The Chocolate sales will soon be coming to an end. I must say that students have done a terrific job! A big congratulations goes out to Billy Williams who sold 7, yes 7, boxes of chocolate. His trip is paid for!!

Thank you to all of you parents who supported the kids in this endeavor.

Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion students have been busily selling very yummy lolli-pops. Good Job!!

THANKS FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERISM!!!

·    Mrs. Paddison and Mrs. Marlow have continued to show fantastic support to all students. They sell popcorn every Wednesday and Thursday at lunchtime, run the chocolate sales, and will be running the up-coming pancake breakfast. Thank you also to Mr. Paddison who acquired a large quantity (Mrs. Paddison can attest to this as everything is still sitting in her living room) of pancake mix and syrup – gratis!!

·    Mr. Schroeder continues to run a weekly Improv Group with 12 regular attendees!

·    Mrs. Plourde volunteers her expertise as an EA on a regular basis in grades 7 and 8 – What a great help!

COLOGNE VS SHOWERS

I am quite sure that anyone who ever comes into our school will concur that it is always best when the odor in the air is pleasant. That being said, some of our students are taking this to the extreme by amply dousing themselves in rather strong cologne. For most people in the vicinity of the spray, this means the whole intermediate hallway; the smell is overwhelming and causes headaches at the very least.

Please leave cologne/perfume at home and expect that if it comes to school, it will be confiscated and disposed of.

Take a shower instead - clean smells better anyway!!

CELL-PHONES AND MP3 PLAYERS

It is understandable that we all have the need to keep in touch but at Adam Scott, this will have to occur before or after school. Cell phones have become a huge issue not just because of phone calls but because of text messaging and pictures. In order to ensure that everyone’s privacy is respected and that students are focusing on lessons, not messaging, cell phones will not be allowed anywhere in the school or yard between the hours of 8:40 and 3:00. If there is an emergency, please come to the office. You are welcome to use our phone and parents may call us to get important messages to their kids.

It is up to the teachers whether or not the use of MP3 Players will be allowed.

YEARBOOK 2006-2007

Yearbooks will be on sale starting after March Break at a cost of $15.00 for each. This is a great chance to remember your year at Adam Scott.

Students that have photos that they feel would be “representative” of this year are asked to bring them to Mme. Girard to be inserted in the yearbook.

SCIENCE FAIR

If you are interested in taking part in this year’s Science Fair at Trent University, please see Mme. Girard for information regarding dates and forms.

VENI IN SCHOLA

Our Latin Club is doing well. We meet every Tuesday during lunch in Mrs. Ilkiewicz’s room. If Latin is not your thing, there’s also German to be had! Join Mme. Girard and Mme. Ilkiewicz for a language other than French.

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

BABYSITTING COURSE

Dates for the St. John Ambulance babysitting course are April 28, May 26, and June 9. All courses are held at the Sherbrooke St. Fire Department and is open to boys and girls 11-14 years old. Classes are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the cost is $50, and students are to take a lunch and pen. To register call St. John Ambulance at 745-0331.

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board is in the middle of a Strategic Planning exercise that

will lead to organizational goals for 2007-2011.

We believe it is important to ask students, parents and the public what are the areas that KPR should

be working on. The Board is asking all of its partners in education to help understand what they feel it is doing well, and where it needs to improve.

As part of this public questioning, a survey, Moving Forward Together, is available on the Board’s website, www.kprschools.ca throughout the month of March.

Please take the time to complete this brief questionnaire and consider what parts of public education, right now, are the most crucial for our school district. The answers to these questions will help the Board develop a plan and goals for the next four years. With your help, we will continue to provide our students with a lifetime of skills and success.

ELEMENTARY STUDENT LEADERS GATHER FOR CONFERENCE

Approximately 120 elementary student leaders and staff advisors, will gather at Trent University April 13, for a conference focused on Building Strong School Communities - Inside, Outside and Beyond.

Students will talk about how they can work together to defuse bullies and, instead, build strong school communities.

STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

We would like to congratulate several students who are taking great interest in the performing arts.

LITERACY DAY - April 23, 2007

Let’s celebrate literacy. Our staff is working to prepare exciting and engaging activities to promote literacy. We are planning to have our students involved in a variety of activities throughout the day. Students are encouraged to dress as a favorite character, bring a pillow and a blanket for comfortably reading. More details to follow.

Mme. Ilkiewicz

EARTH DAY CLEAN-UP

Think globally, act locally - April 20

After a long winter, our staff and students will participate in the Earth Day clean-up. The students in our Intermediate Division will once again show that they care about their immediate environment. We are very much aware of the need to preserve our planet, especially in the face of the most recent talks about the impact of global warming. Let’s start with the clean-up of our community.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

The Adam Scott Secondary and Intermediate School Council met Monday, February 19. We were treated to Mr. Roger Nevin’s demonstration of the new SMART board technology - a SMART board involves a computer, projector and electronic white board all used together to enhance presentations. Mr. Nevin followed this up with photos and information about how the library has been organized to draw our students in with eye catching displays of a variety of books and materials. (Manga, or Japanese graphic novels, have been very popular!) In addition, the council was given an update on boysread.com. This website was started up by Mr. Roger Nevin, Mr. Curtis Bryan, and Ms. Cynthia Sargeant, with the purpose of providing ideas and resources for parents and teachers to get boys reading, and keep them reading. You can access this site through the Adam Scott website.

Also of great interest is the role of Ms. Cynthia Sargeant, one of the teachers associated with boysread.com, as the secondary Student Success Teacher. This position was first created last year, and now involves two secondary periods daily, specifically working with and for students at risk of leaving school before graduation. Ms. Sargeant serves as a link between students, subject teachers, guidance and special education teachers, administration, and parents.

School Council meetings generally involve a report from our principal, Mr. Craig Allan, reports about both intermediate and secondary events, programmes, and plans, as well as student council reports, with ongoing opportunities for input and discussion. We welcome new members!

Our next meeting will be held Monday, April 16, at 6:45 in the school library. Hope to see you there!

PARENT AND SCHOOL COUNCIL CONFERENCE

October 27, 2007, location to be determined.

Parents, school council members and community members are encouraged to attend this annual event. Participants have the opportunity to hear a keynote speaker and participate in two workshop sessions of their choice. Watch for more information in the May issue of Keeping in Touch and in the School Council section of the Board’s website, www.kprschools.ca. This year’s theme is “Keeping Kids Safe and Successful”. The focus will be on the many safety issues, such as Internet safety, cyberbullying, street proofing, to name a few, and success factors, such as special education, mental health, parenting teens and understanding the school system, that impact student and parent well-being.

IN THE COMMUNITY

C.O.P.E.ing WITH

TEENS

At

Thomas A. Stewart S.S.,

1009 Armour Rd.,

Peterborough, Ont

Room 136

Parent Information Night

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Admission: Free

Info: Bev Hafelli-Timlin

(705)742-3803 ext.312

The Kinark Parent Advisory

Committee

present

PARENT TO PARENT SUPPORT GROUP

Meeting once a month at

Peterborough Public Library

The second Wednesday of every month

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Healthy Families Workshops

Spring 2007

Understanding Tics & Tourette Syndrome in Children & Teens

Dr. Robt. Munn, M.D.

Paediatric Neurologist

Thursday, April 26^th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

****

Yakity Yak, Don’t Talk Back:

Tackling Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Children & Teens

Dr. Kevin Nugent, M.D.

Child Psychiatrist

Monday, May 7^th, 7:00 .pm. - 9:00 p.m.

****

All Workshops held at:

The Peterborough Public Library

345 Aylmer St. N., Ptbo.

Admission Free No Registration Required

Info.: (705)742-3803