Some Final Thoughts Before Summer

I am a lucky man. I work in a job I enjoy. I get to work with incredible children and dedicated adults every day. I receive support from an active and positive Parent Advisory Council. I love my job.

I also love the fact that I will soon be going on vacation. 🙂 The Gulf Islands are calling, and I will soon be on my way.

Before I am able to leave to the Denman Island for the summer, I first have a few things to wrap up. There are some emails to parents that I will answer before July 4th. There are some phone calls to make and some staff still to hire. I have to pack up my office and get parts of the school ready for the summer construction project.

Soon. Vacation will be here soon.

Over the summer I plan to reflect on these past two years, and set some goals for myself on how I can continue to help Cleveland Elementary School be a place where all learners can achieve success, and all community members feel valued and cared for. I will take some time to try and understand French Immersion instruction and how to support the program as an Anglophone from Quebec (sounds like a bad song title). I will read novels that have nothing to do with school – I just started Peter F. Hamilton‘s The Temporal Void. I will exercise more (I promise mom). I will find time to relax, enjoy good company and family time, and connect with nature. I will be ready to come back in late August.

Thank you to all members of the Cleveland Elementary School community for their continued support and positive energy throughout the year.

Thank you to all our grade 7’s and good luck in High School.

I would like to acknowledge the six grade 7 students who were honoured at our Grade 7 Farewell Celebration on June 25th – Adam, Aidan, Avery, Jenna, Lizzie and Meghan. These six students were chosen by the Cleveland staff  to receive our annual Citizenship Award. Thank you for your contributions, and thank you for your excellence.

Have a wonderful summer and see you in September.

Take care.

Insert picture of Doug Beveridge in his hammock 🙂

Just A Few Days Left

It is Monday evening and I find myself sitting in my office, listening to music – The High Road by The Broken Bells, followed by Sugar Magnolia by The Grateful Dead (I love random play), while I tidy up and get ready for the rest of the week.

The end of the year is upon us. We have been together for over 180 days, and we only have two full days left.

Time flew by too quickly again. Our grade 7’s are getting ready to leave the nest, and our grade 6’s can’t wait to be the big kids (I even have one telling me that finally, she’ll be the oldest kid in the school). Our Kindergarten students are now experts on how this school works, and soon they will not be the youngest at Cleveland.

I really enjoyed this year, and I am grateful for everyone who has taken the time to contribute to our wonderful school.  People who share how well things are going are very important in a school culture, as are the people who share how things could be better. Thank you for caring about how well we do, and for helping us do a little bit better.

Summer vacation is almost here, and  I still have to write my farewell address to the class of 2013. The random play is now playing You’re Wondering Now by The Specials.

“You’re wondering now, what to do, now that you know this is the end.” ~ The Specials

I guess I better do my homework.

Take care.

 

Thank You Grade 7’s

Tomorrow we say farewell to the grade 7 class of 2013. They will actually be with us for a couple of more days, but our ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. I will have some words to share at the Farewell Celebration, but there will not be enough time to mention all that the 7’s have done to contribute to life at Cleveland.

Thank you Grade 7’s for the many important ways you helped to make Cleveland a better school. This year, grade 7 students helped by;

  • being buddies for our younger students,
  • creating year end slide shows,
  • lunch monitoring,
  • making daily announcements on the PA,
  • running, setting up and cleaning up our assemblies,
  • helping with the Terry Fox Run,
  • taking care of our two salmon tanks,
  • taking photos of special events,
  • being stage crew the primary Christmas concert,
  • taking care of hurt children on the playground,
  • helping with Free the Trees,
  • changing the sand for the Kindergarten sand tables,
  • creating a grade 7 yearbook,
  • writing a school blog,
  • representing our school in sports (basketball, cross country, volleyball and track & field),
  • running Fun Day,
  • putting up art displays,
  • cleaning cupboards and equipment rooms,
  • reading to primary children,
  • organizing the library,
  • mentoring on safety patrol,
  • taking a lead in the Talent Show,
  • training two new tech crews for next year,
  • helping with Jump Rope for Heart,
  • etc…

Good luck in High School, and thanks again for your help.

Take care.

 

Wear a Tie Day

It was Wear a Tie Day at Cleveland today, and many students (and staff) joined me in wearing a tie to school. There were many wonderful ties worn, including many that were hand made (paper and coloured pencils).

We had bow tires, neck ties, ribbon worn as ties, and even some ties that were worn on shoes.

I saw an Angry Bird tie. A tie with the seven dwarfs. Ties with floral patterns, stripes or interesting designs. My choice for today’s tie had children on it. I was asked if I painted them on the tie. I did not.

I also saw some rather interesting knots. I am sure there were a few Windsor knots, a half Windsor, a small knot and a double knot. There were also ties that appeared to be tied using a bowline knot, a shoelace knot, a slipknot, and a half hitch. We had some creative knot work today.

Thank you for supporting your child wearing a tie. It was nice to see some many children and adults participate.

I wonder if we started a fashion trend today. Will any one else will wear a tie tomorrow? We shall see.

Take care

Band Concert Tonight

This evening we will be having our year-end band concert, and it will be the last one for our Mr. Toren. He is retiring this year, and moving on to play music elsewhere.

Actually, I am not sure what he will be doing, but I’m not sure “riding into the sunset” applies to him.

Elementary band is a wonderful way of introducing music to children. When I was an elementary student, my school system did not offer band. We were able to start in grade 8 (I think) as part of the beginning band at my secondary school (Riverdale High School in Pierrefonds, Quebec). I took up the clarinet (I think it was an hand me down from my brother) and played for a few years.

By the time our band students get to grade 8, they may have spent 3 years as part of a band program. How lucky is that?

Mr. Toren helped students learn to learn. He helped them understand the importance of working as individuals and then coming together to create wonderful music. We often talk in the education world about the importance of collaboration and creativity. Band lessons provide students with opportunities to develop the skills needed to collaborate, to create, and to learn.

Thank you Mr. Toren for teaching us music.

Thank you to all the band and strings teachers for their incredible dedication to children and for helping children discover their own musical voice.

Thank you to all the parents who support our Band and Strings programs in our elementary schools.

And finally, thanks to all the students who bring music into our lives.

Take care.