If you were to ask any teacher when the beginning and the end of the year were they would say September and June respectively. Not December and January. But the feelings that surround September and June are similar to those we feel at Christmas and New Year's. September is full of expectation and excitement and enthusiasm just as the beginning of January is. A setting of new goals and looking forward to what may happen in the future. June also holds a feeling of expectation but its that of endings and new beginnings to come, similar to those at the end of December. Of reflecting back at what has happened and deciding how to change and get better in the new year. 
Of course there are other feelings in June as well. Like pride in seeing our little peeps move onward and upward but also sadness that their journey through Kindergarten is over. Like anxiety over what the new year will bring and how everyone will manage. Like thankfulness for the friends and memories that have been made. And enthusiasm for new learning and adventures to come. 
Team Awesome and Mrs. Farber and I have been discussing all of these things the past few weeks, as we are sure you have been at home, and the children have been feeling all the feelings just as strongly as we have been. And while we know that a strong academic foundation gained in Kindergarten will carry the children confidently through their primary years and beyond, we are conscious that the friendships and social skills they have gained this year will be just as valuable, if not more so. Because ultimately, life is about connections with others. About caring and compassion and empathy. The friendships and social skills Team Awesome has negotiated this year are going to extend far beyond the walls of our learning spaces and into their future. And while their teacher and classroom and possibly school may change, their friendships will be there to see them through. 
And we would like to thank you, Parents, for trusting us with such an important job. To have faith that we would stand by and guide your children through their first, important, year of school with as much love and pride as you yourself would. It is no small thing we ask of you in September- to transfer your child's hand from yours to ours and know that they will be safe and cared for the time that they are away from you and returned happy and smiling and bursting with things to tell you. So thank you for your trust and support this year and we know that Team Awesome's journey, and yours, through learning and the education system will be successful. Have an awesome summer and we will see you next September!

​You know that 'hurry up/ slow down' feeling you get when you are waiting for something that you know is going to be great and you wish time would hurry up but at the same time you wish it would slow down so you can savour the anticipation? That's June. We have one eye on the prize at the end of the month but at the same time are trying to soak up and slow down every minute left in our learning spaces. Regardless of whether we are rushing June or trying to slow it down, the end always comes and here it is- the last Friday Housekeeping for the school year. We will try to finish and post all of our year end pictures and videos by next Friday or the beginning of the next week at the latest so keep an eye out for them. Don't forget you can download and save all of the pictures and videos to your own computer so you will always have them. As usual, the end of next week and the completion of the 2023/24 school year is going to come entirely too quickly. We're going to savour every minute.

• This made me laugh. Sorry.
• Thank you for helping with our trip to Centennial Park this week. If you were unable to join us we hope you enjoy the stories your child shares about our day.
• All library books should be returned, If not, a bill will be sent with your child.
• Please remind your child to look over the Lost & Found items in the main hallway if they are missing anything.​
• Monday June 24 is Primary Fun Day. More info has been posted.
• All student materials will come home Wednesday June 26. Expect overfilled bags.
• Thursday June 27 is our last day at BEST with dismissal at 12:30(ish). Please send a snack and backpacks to carry our last minute items home. Look for report cards in packs. There will be an end of year assembly on that day beginning at 10:45.​​
• The TNRD runs a great reading program throughout the summer! The goal of SRC is to encourage a love of reading. Any reading done between July 1-August 24 can be counted as part of SRC.​
• Don't forget the Bright Red Book Bus will be visiting various school locations throughout the summer to help facilitate your child's summer reading. Info has been posted.
• ​If your child will not be attending school Thursday, June 27, make arrangements to pick up their report cards from the office by July 5. Report cards can not be picked up before Thursday.
• Please remember to send a water bottle with your child every day. Hats as the weather gets warmer is also a good idea.
• Scholastic flyers are available here. All Scholastic orders can be done online whenever you like. Our class code is RC210022.​​​​
• Please have Team Awesome read any little paper books that come home (approximately 1 per week) multiple times for practice/ fluency. Thank you.
• Sight words we are learning in class: day, had, has, made, off, saw, they, them, went. Please feel free to practice together at home.
• Newsletters are paperless and can be found on the BEST website at best.sd73.bc.ca.
• If your child is exhibiting illness symptoms of any kind they must be kept home. Thank you.​​

Go forth and be Anxious/ Sad/ Excited/ Sad/ Relieved/ Sad/ Tired/ Sad for the end of Kindergarten!

​​​The Primary Fun Day events are scheduled for Monday, June 24. We will be participating in fun sporting events such as races and relays outside for the course of the morning. Hats, sunscreen and a water bottle are necessary as we are hoping it will be hot and sunny. In the afternoon K-3 students will have some water fun out on the field. Please send a towel and hat and have your child's bathing suit on under their clothes or in their bag to change into after lunch. A plastic bag to put wet things in might be handy. If your child would like to bring a water gun please have it clearly marked with their name and we will be collecting them in class to hold until the afternoon. There will be buckets of water and a pool to fill water guns in and a shady area to spread out our towels that will be off-limits for water gun usage. The whole day is a huge success and so much fun every year! Come have a blast with the primary students on Monday! 

​​Today was the last of our whirlwind marathon of field tips this June and we hope you enjoyed them as much as Team Awesome did. We would like to give you a heartfelt 'Thank You' for coming and supporting the team. Without your help we would not be able to take field trips and we appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to join us. For those of you who weren't able to come, we hope you enjoyed the pictures and stories the children shared with you. So from Team Awesome- and us- THANK YOU!