​I am so thankful that it is a short week for Team Awesome as the days are taking their toll. The children are beginning to tire but managing to mostly keep it together. A three day weekend will give them a chance to recuperate as the next two weeks are our first real full weeks, with plenty of activities, and I expect our little peeps to be tuckered by Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy your extra day with Team Awesome!

• Tomorrow, Friday Sept. 21, is an NI Day so there is no school for the children.
• Don't forget to send library books back for exchange on Tuesday. Just take them out of the special library book bag and drop them (with the bag) into the labelled container inside our classroom door.
• Lunch orders for October will come home soon.
• We have begun sharing our Family Projects. Please feel free to send them back as they are finished.
• School photos are Thursday, Sept. 25. We are usually first so we can keep neat and tidy for our pictures (but no guarantees).
• Our second fire drill is Friday, Sept. 28.
• The BEST PAC has sent home our first fundraiser- coupon books. If you would like to buy one, just keep the one that was sent home with your child and return $10 in the envelope. If you would like more than one, there is an order form inside the envelope. If you do not want any of the coupon books, please return it to the office in the envelope it was sent home in. If you flip through the book you will see that it is full of amazing deals and most coupons pay for the book itself.  Don't miss this chance to scoop some great little discount coupons and support our school at the same time! Thanking you in advance for your support.
• School supplies fees can be paid at the office. 
• Buddy Bags do not usually go home over long weekends (but sometimes I forget and schedule them).
• Please do not send toys from home to school. They often get lost or broken and then copious amounts of crying ensues. And more crying, followed by yet more crying.
• I often copy things on papers that were already copied on and discarded so if there is something on the back of your child's paper that seems odd that will be why.
• If your child seems to have misplaced a notice, I pin all extras to our hallway bulletin board- help yourself.
• BEST PAC would like to host a Christmas Craft Fair on Sunday, Dec. 2 and is looking for parents who would like to rent a table. They will be giving vendors/crafters that attended the last year first spots then opening up Monday October 15, 2018 to the public. Register at bestpac@ymail.com or call Amanda at 778-220-0113 for more information.
• It is chilly when we go out for recess so please remember to send sweaters/ coats.
• Lost sweaters/ coats can be found in the Lost & Found bin by the parking lot doors.
• Thank you for donating to the Terry Fox Run. 

Go forth and Be Awesome!

​By now I am sure you have heard plenty of garbled stories about the book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, which we read last Friday morning. To our surprise there was a note at the end of the book from Chester Raccoon inviting us to find him somewhere in the school. So off we went, following the clues, meeting new people and seeing new places in the school. We were sad not to catch Chester as we were so certain that we would, but he did leave us each a heart for our hand and some apples before returning to the book. Boy, do I wish I could have bottled the energy, excitement and joy generated by this activity (to be imbibed by me at a later date, probably around Xmas). We have since read the book twice more (hoping we would find another note but alas), and we will act it out with paper Chester puppets we will make soon. We have also learned to sign 'I love you' so if your child has been making punk rocker 'devil' finger signs at you they are actually trying to show you how much you are loved. We love Chester Raccoon!

​​Give your little person a pat on the back or big hug and tell them they are awesome!! They worked very hard this week and were great listeners. The first days at school can be hugely overwhelming for new Kindergarten students and Team Awesome handled it extremely well. I am very proud of them!

• ​Don't forget to send the Take Home folders back each morning and your child will put it in the Home Box on their way in.
• Library books are due back on Tuesdays or put it into the Library bin beside the Home Box whenever you are finished.
• School supply fees are due into the office. Thank you.
• We do NOT have a microwave in our classroom to heat up lunch items for the children.
• If you would like to send a water bottle with your child's name on it to leave on the back counter, you are welcome to. Remember to take them home occasionally to wash, especially after an illness. We do have a fountain in our sink but it is difficult to work.
• Although we are not in cold season yet, it is coming (we have had sniffles already). If you have already sent a box or two of tissues for our classroom, thank you.
• A Student Verification form came home this week. Please insure all information is correct on the Student Verification form and correct anything that needs fixing and return it to me or to the office. Thank you.
• I sent the 'share' email for the Google photos this week so let me know if you didn't get one. Actually, two- one for the videos and one for the photos. It was difficult to decipher some of the email addresses and I might have made some mistakes. If there were two addresses I sent it to both to be sure you received at least one.
• Scholastic book orders were due today, Friday, Sept. 14. 
• The first Buddy Bags went home today with three children. Please return them on Monday. There are instructions inside the front cover of the journal. Check the calendar for your child's weekend.
• Sharing will begin Monday, Sept. 17. Check the calendar for your child's day. Please refrain from sending toys to share.
• BEST will be hosting a Community Meet & Greet for parents and families the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 19. From 8:35-8:55 parents are welcome to come in with their children, see their classroom/ locker/ desk etc and meet their teacher.
• The September Family Project went home this week and is due Monday, Sept. 24, or whenever you have finished it. Have fun!
• There will be a fire drill on Thursday, Sept. 20 and Friday, Sept. 28. We will be talking about what will happen and practicing what to do so we are prepared. 
• ​Friday, Sept. 21, is an NI day which means there is no school for students.
• School photos are Tuesday, Sept. 25.
• Orange Shirt Day is Friday, Sept. 28.

Go forth and Be Awesome!

The BEST PAC has sent home our first fundraiser of the year today- coupon books- but I noticed there were no instructions with the envelope, just an order form. If you would like to buy a book of coupons keep the one that was sent home with your child and return $10 in the envelope. If you would like more than one booklet, there is an order form inside the envelope to fill in and return to the office by the due date. The extra books will be delivered to you at a later date. If you do not want any of the coupon books, please return the book sent home today to the office in the envelope it was given in by the due date. If you have any questions, please call the office (250-376-2205). Thanking you in advance for your support of BEST and our students. 

As you all know, the Terry Fox Run is a non-competitive event where people get together as individuals, families, and groups to raise money for cancer research in Terry's name. It is a day of celebrating Terry's legacy and helping to keep alive his dream of finding a cure for cancer. BEST, and the other schools in SD 73, participate as well by providing time for students to learn about Terry Fox and participate in a school- sponsored run. Our Terry Fox Run will take place Friday Sept. 14, just before lunch. The school will gather in the gym for a short assembly at 11:15ish, which will include a warm-up activity led by some of BEST's staff, before heading outside to run. The intermediate students have a route that takes them to Schubert Dr. while the primaries run around the school grounds, staying inside the fence. If you would like to send a toonie for Terry there will be a labeled donation container in the office, or I can collect it in our classroom. You are also more than welcome to join us for the event if you are able. By participating, you will help share Terry’s example of courage, strength and hope. This year, BEST has a goal of raising $300.00 for cancer research which is just over $1.00 per student. Mr. Law has given us a jump on the goal with a personal donation. Let's go BEST!

I will be inviting you via email to share an album of all the photos I have taken of the children on Google Photos every month. Keeping them sorted by month makes it easier when searching for a specific picture. Once I have downloaded them you will be able to peruse them at your leisure and download, save and/or print all of your favourites to your own computer without altering the album in any way. I will continue to add pictures to special events as well as make videos, which will also be shared with you in Google. Don't forget to share your favourites with family!