Happy first day back!!

Dear parents and students,

Just a short note to wish you all a happy return to schooling. To my parents hugs to you all for being so supportive and caring. To my students: have no fear, you are all totally ready for this next grade!! More than ready!! You taught me a lot!! Hugs to you!! Work hard and always do your best, don't get "lazybones"!! 

This will be my last posting as I hand over the reins to your child's new teacher. I will be in the school volunteering from time to time so this isn't a total goodbye.

Good news for me is that I've been hired by UBC as a part-time Faculty Advisor. I will be mentoring student teachers when they do their practicums in North Vancouver schools. I'm looking forward to this new phase in my life. 

I get to spend a lot more time with my hubby and grandson as well, so life is good.

Best wishes, as always,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

Happy Summer!

Dear parents,

Hope you're enjoying the summer with your children. My hubby and I are getting a lot of grandson time, which is so wonderful! Just wanted to send out a "hi" to you and your children. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

My last day!!

Dear parents,

Just a note to thank you all for a terrific year! Also, thanks to those of you who were able to turn up for the "block party" on Thursday. Mrs. Evans and I were so surprised and are so thankful for the gifts from the Queensbury community. We were incredibly spoiled!! 

Today was my last official day as a teacher. Next year, I plan to volunteer at Queensbury, so this is not a goodbye! I hope the issues get solved over the summer so I can see the children in September. 

I wish you and your families a safe and fun summer! Love and hugs to you all.

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

No news!

Dear parents,

No news regarding the teacher strike. Our union and our employer have asked for a mediator. Hopefully this will be resolved sooner rather than later. 

All planned field trips (Karen Magnussen on June 23rd, and Science World on June 24th) are cancelled. 

I hope you are enjoying the sun! Please give hugs to your children from me. Miss them! 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

Thanking you!

Dear parents,

Just a note of thanks for all the gifts and supportive hugs that I've received over the last few days. You are all so special. 

The children brought all their school work and extra supplies home with them on Friday. All exercise books and binders became communal, so if you see another child's name on something, don't panic. Just put a new label over it for next year's use.

Listen to the radio, watch the news or follow your twitter accounts for the latest news about strike action. I will be attending a study session on Monday to be informed about the latest bargaining negotiations. If a deal is reached, we may be back in school for the last two weeks. We just don't know at this point. 

The school will be open on Monday with no picket line. It might be an idea to check out the lost and found table located in the front hallway if your child is missing any clothing or footwear. 

Again, many thanks and best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

Reminders

Dear parents,

The parent appreciation event is happening on Thursday, June 12th, at 3:00 PM. Hope to see you there. Please remember to pick up your child's diorama on the way home. They are all on tables outside our classroom. 

We have Fun Lunch (Subway Day) on Friday, June 13th. I will be sending home extra school supplies and your child's exercise books on Friday. They may need help packing their buckets home. You may keep the bucket! :)

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

Back in the Saddle

Dear parents,

It felt rather strange to be back teaching again! I think I remember how to do it!! :)

We had a great gymnastics class today. 

I will be sending home the Canadian animal dioramas on Thursday. If your children need help packing them home, please make arrangements to help them out. 

Remember, no school on Wednesday and parent appreciation tea on Thursday after school. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

Spelling words for the week of a June 9-13

Dear parents,

Our Spelling words for next week are compound words. They are: airplane, airport, outside, inside, upstairs, bedroom, classroom, afternoon, weekend, sometimes, another, anything, maybe, breakfast and outfit. The bonus words are turbulence and vagabond.

The Theme Reading for next week is about the Iditarod dogsled race. Our words are goal, hardy, victory, overcome, opponents, weariness, determination, loneliness, rugged and endure. Please go over the meaning of these words with your child. 

There is no school on Wednesday due to teachers' rotating strikes. 

On Thursday, June 12th, all parents are invited to our appreciation tea. It will commence at 3:15. Official invites will come home on Monday with your children if they haven't already. 

We had a great "Canada Day" party this afternoon. Thank you for the goodies! 

We said our goodbyes to Miss Gardiner today. We are all going to miss her SO much! She has promised to visit us in the weeks to come. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr

Miss Gardiner's last day!

Dear parents,

Friday is Miss Gardiner's last day with us! It seems hard to believe that she has been with us for 10 weeks. She has passed her practicum with flying colours. We will all miss her SO much. I will be purchasing a gift and a card that all the children will sign. 

Remember we're having a Canada Day celebration on Friday. Your child should wear red and white and bring a snack to share. A sign up sheet is by our classroom door. 

We have a gymnastics class on Friday. Please have your child wear appropriate clothing for doing somersaults. We also have another installment of Science Alive on Friday. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

 

More great dioramas!

Enjoy!!

Spelling words for June 2-6

Dear parents,

Our Spelling words for next week are words that have double consonants and "le". They are: apple, puzzle, little, bottle, rattle, middle, wiggle, bubble, puddle, juggle, scribble, cattle, nibble, riddle, and giggle. Bonus words are xylem, phloem and dispersal. 

We didn't do Theme Reading this week so the theme about the space race is on for next week. Our words are spacecraft, conquer, orbited, astronaut, satellite, delay, nations, launch, triumphant, and data. Please go over the meaning of these words with your child. 

Please review the location of the provinces and territories of Canada with your child. Also go over the names and locations of the capital cities of the provinces and territories and the name and location of the capital city of Canada. We have our Social Studies test on Monday, June 2nd. 

Please be advised that there is no school on Tuesday, June 3rd, due to rotating teacher strikes. 

Next Friday, June 6th, we have another Science Alive workshop in the morning. We have Fun Lunch-Wok Box on Friday. Yummy!! 

Best wishes for a lovely weekend!

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Wonderful Social Studies presentations

Dear parents,

Thank you for assisting in your child's Social Studies diorama projects. They look super and they are doing a great job with their oral presentations!

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Reminders

Dear parents,

We have a math test on our Measurement unit on Friday, May 30th. Things that will be tested include cm, m, km, perimeter, area and volume. 

We will be doing our art project involving the use of milk/juice cartons to make bird feeders, on Friday as well. If your child hasn't brought one in yet, please remember to send it along on Friday.

If you'd like some worms for your compost or castings for your garden at home, please send a plastic container with holes poked in the top to school with your child. We will be sharing our worms and castings on Friday. Any leftover worms and castings will be donated to our school garden club. 

We will have a Social Studies test next Monday, June 2nd. Included on the test will be the names of the provinces and territories of Canada and their capital cities. Students will need to know their location on a map of Canada. They will also be tested on symbols of Canafa and the major bodies of water that surround our country. 

We will have a party on June 6th to celebrate the conclusion of our study on Canada. The children should wear red and white, and bring a treat that is symbolic of Canada or symbolic of your country of origin, as Canada is a multi-cultural country. We celebrate Miss Gardener's last teaching day on this day as well. 

If anyone has a snow cone machine at home, please let us know. We'd like to make maple syrup. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

What a super field trip!

Dear parents,

We had such a fun day today on our field trip to the Vancouver Airport. The children were incredibly well behaved! They listened to instructions and as a result they kept

themselves safe on all modes of transportation (bus, Seabus, Canada Line sky train, and escalators). All of Miss Gardiner's safety preparation with the children really paid off. We are incredibly proud of them! Thank you also to our parent volunteers! We can't do these trips without parent support.

Reminder that we have early dismissal tomorrow, Wednesday, May 28th, at 2:00 PM. 

There is no school on Thursday, May 29th, due to rotating teacher strike.

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Socials Studies project

Dear Parents,

I have asked the class to build dioramas. These are to be done at home. A diorama is a three dimensional model. I have asked them to use shoeboxes or a box of similar size. Each student has chosen a Canadian animal. The diorama will feature the animal and its habitat. Parents may help but please do not do it for them. 

They will be marked on:

Creativity

Accuracy of animals and habit 

Written  Report (2 paragraphs minimum)

Oral Presentation

We have discussed all of this in class.

Thank you,

Miss Gardiner

Twin's Day!

Dear parents,

The children had fun with twin/triplet day today. 

Have a super weekend!

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Spelling words for May 26-30

Dear parents,

Our Spelling words for next week are words that are possessive nouns. Possessive nouns show that something belongs to someone. They are: man's, woman's, girl's, boy's, mother's, father's, brother's, sister's, grandmother's, grandfather's, aunt's, uncle's, cousin's, baby's, and child's. 

Our Theme Reading for next week is about the race to get into space. Our words are spacecraft, conquer, orbited, astronaut, satellite, delay, nations, launch, triumphant and data. Please go over the meaning of these words with your child. 

On Tuesday, May 27th, we will be going on our Vancouver Airport trip. To make the necessary connections we need to leave the school early at 8:40. Please plan to have your child arrive a little earlier on Tuesday. Your child will need a bag lunch for this trip. Plan for the weather! Umbrellas may be needed! 

On Wednesday, May 28th, we have early dismissal at 2:00 PM for staff collaboration. Please plan to make alternate arrangements to pick up your child early on this day. 

On Friday, May 30, we have a fun lunch "Subway". Yes!!

Just a final reminder to come out to our school's "Spring Fair" on Saturday, May 24th. It will be a fun day with raffles, games, bouncy castle, and artisan's food. It runs from 10-2! See you there!! 

We had a visit from SFU's "Science Alive" this morning. The children learned a lot about chemical reactions. 

We begin Gymsense next week. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for tumbling and hanging upside down. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Social Studies project reminder

Dear parents,

Just a reminder that the students' Social Studies dioramas/typed information about a Canadian animal is due on Monday, May 26th. 

We suggest making two copies of the information page so one can be kept at home. Students should prepare a one to two minute speech (which should be practiced many times at home) based on their information. They will each be presenting their dioramas and giving an oral report on their animal in the weeks to come. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Fun game

Dear parents,

We played a great game of California kickball today. The students are really getting the hang of it. 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Fine Arts x2

Dear parents,

The children were treated to two Fine Arts classes today as one session needed to be made up that was missed earlier in the year. The children are learning to be in control if their minds and bodies by doing Yoga. Mrs. Rittich had them all quiet and out cold on the floor when I walked in. As this doesn't happen often in our day I just had to take some pictures.

Thank you for your contributions to our "Garden" theme basket to be raffled off at this Saturday's "Spring Fair". It looked super!!

We need to send our wish for a speedy recovery to Toma, who had his appendix out last Thursday night. We hope you are back soon.

If you haven't done so already, please return the consent form for our Vancouver Airport field trip next Tuesday. We need to make final arrangements for this trip quickly. We have extras if your child lost theirs.

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner

Spelling words May 20-23

Dear parents,

Our Spelling words for next week are ones that use apostrophes. They are: let's, aren't, didn't, don't, wasn't, I've, you've, that's, how's, what's, who's, he'll, we'll, and we're. Bonus words are interstellar and astronaut. 

Our Theme Reading for next week is about dogsled racing. Our words are:  attempted, permitted, gaining, gap, racers, shortcut, regained, risk, glimpse and shrieked. Please go over the meaning of these words with your children. 

We had a terrific Fun Day today. The weather was just right; not too hot and not too cold! We were very proud of our students. They were very well behaved in all the stations. A huge thanks needs to go to our Grade 7 students, who not only plan everything, but they run the stations as well! Super examples of leadership by our oldest students at Queensbury. 

Please remember to contribute a few items or cash donation to our basket for the PAC Spring Fair, which happens on Saturday May 24th. Our theme is "Gardening". The items are due by next Tuesday, May 20th. 

Also, please remember to have your child bring in a 2 L milk or juice container. The children will be making bird houses in Art.

Notices have gone home about a Social Studies project that is upcoming. Students have all chosen an Canadian animal to research. They will need to type up their information and create a diorama in a shoebox or small box. These are due on Monday, May 26th. 

Next Friday is Twin/Triplet day. The idea is to have the children dress alike and have fun!! Friday is also Fun Lunch-Sushi Day. In addition to the above, we also have a Science Alive workshop on Friday morning. 

Please have your child return their permission slips for our Vancouver Airport trip. I think we are OK for parent volunteers for this trip. We will be contacting you if we need your assistance with more details about this super day. 

Please remember that there is no school on Monday, May 19th as it is Victoria Day. We will see you all on Tuesday, May 20th! Have a safe and happy long weekend! 

Best wishes,

Mrs. Gerri Karr and Miss Debbie Gardiner