December is such an exciting month for students and staff at Dr. Roberta Bondar
School. We recognize December is a time to share in the spirit of the season, and
embrace our School Development Goal of Kindness and Empathy. To do that, we are
participating in the Annual Mayor’s Christmas Challenge Food Drive supporting the
Calgary Food Bank. Students are welcome to bring in food or cash donations until
December 16th. We are hoping to have our boxes filled to the brim! When you come
into the school, you will see a couple of Festive Trees waiting to be decorated with new
hats, mittens, scarves, and socks. We would ask, if you were able, to please consider
contributing to our trees. We will send all of our donations to the Inn from the Cold.
December is also the time when we celebrate the hard work of the past twelve weeks,
and examine the gains the students are making in all aspects of their learning. It is
wonderful to walk into classrooms and see the connections the students are making as
they work independently, in small groups, or with the whole class. They are immersed
in asking important questions, and using their experiences to understand new
information. It is a time when the students move towards setting more innovative and
challenging goals. Our students are embarking on a personal understanding of our
inquiry question of “How will our curiosities inspire our path?” They are in a position to
see how it connects to the curriculum as a whole, and the Competency of Social,
Cultural, Global and Environmental Responsibility. A competency, as defined by
Alberta Education is “an interrelated set of attitudes, skills, and knowledge that is drawn
upon and applied to a particular context for successful learning and living.
Competencies are developed over time and through a set of related learner outcomes
that contribute to students becoming engaged thinkers and ethical citizens with an
entrepreneurial spirit.”
As the students focus on their objectives, engage in the activities of the classroom,
believe in their abilities, and construct new understandings of the world around them,
we know they will be successful in reaching their personal highest potential.
Assessment and Reporting
The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Our provincial
Programs of Study are in the process of changing and like many other school divisions
in Alberta, the CBE is re-designing assessment and reporting practices. Across Alberta
and the CBE, students will continue to develop strong foundations in literacy and
numeracy, as well as important competencies such as critical thinking, problem-solving,
global understanding and creativity, and the subject/discipline areas that are essential
for students to become engaged thinkers and ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial
spirit.
When teachers examine student learning, they are focusing on assessment “for”
learning, and assessment “of” learning. What goes on in a classroom, on a daily basis,
is the teacher’s assessment “for” learning. It is a broad-based assessment that
promotes continuous learning, and involves the student understanding how they can
improve. It is the kind of assessment that informs the teacher of what he/she needs to
do to ensure the student understands. It is also an opportunity for the student to be
involved in the assessment, and see it as part of the learning process. Examples of this
“formative” assessment may be the teacher’s observations, anecdotal records, journals,
learning logs, performances, projects, portfolios, and conferences with the student. The
gift of formative assessment is that it is directly connected to the learning of the student
and the teaching that ensues. Assessment “of” learning is evaluative and “summative”.
This is where pencil and paper tests come in, including teacher-made quizzes,
commercially produced tests, and standardized exams. This process of assessment
“as” learning is ongoing and is a reflection of the interrelationship of the student, the
teacher, and the curriculum. The report card marks and anecdotal comments are
indicators of both “formative” and “summative” assessments.
One of the ways we communicate the progress of student learning is through the
conferences with parents and the students, and the formal report cards.
In K-9, the achievement indicators (Excellent-4, Good-3, Basic-2, Not Meeting-1) signify
the extent to which a student has demonstrated achievement of Alberta Programs of
Study outcomes organized by report card stem. Please see the attachment “Report
Card Indicators” for more information as the achievement criteria for each indicator.
Report card stems are categories used to organize Program of Studies outcomes and
assessment information for communication to students and families. The mathematics
report card stems have changed in order to make the report card clearer to students
and families, and to connect report card information directly to the content of the
program of studies. Mathematics teaching and learning will continue to provide a
balance of building conceptual understanding, developing procedural skills, and
problem solving. Mathematics teaching and learning will continue to draw connections
within the study of mathematics and between mathematics, other disciplines, and
student experiences.
The report cards will be coming home on January 30th, 2020.
Conferences
Thank you to all of the families who were able to come to the school and meet with the
teachers to discuss the learning of their child. The staff was also most appreciative of
all of the families who provided dinner for Thursday evening, and breakfast for Friday
morning. The food was delicious!
Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair was a huge success. There was approximately $9 000 worth
of materials sold, which means our school will receive around $4 200 in credit towards
the purchase of books for our Learning Commons. We greatly appreciate your support
of the Book Fair. We would also like to thank Mrs. Andriano for organizing the Fair, and
all of the volunteers who spend hours setting it up, running the event and packing it up.
Our Learning Commons Committee is looking forward to purchasing all the new
resources.
Three Left Feet Dance Residency
Our students are having a wonderful opportunity to participate in the Three Left Feet
Dance Residency. Along with their instructors, Allara, Ingrid, and Jillian, the students
use the movement to become physically active and aware of how their body is able to
move. The students are developing competencies of creativity, innovation, personal
well-being, collaboration, and problem solving as they work together to learn new dance
movements. It is such an exciting program! This experience is allowing our students to
meet the outcomes of understanding and appreciating the art of dance, movement,
music, performance, and physical activity. We greatly appreciate the Alberta
Foundation of the Arts and the Dr. Roberta Bondar School Development Association for
funding this residency. Please join us for the Performances on December 10th and 11th.
We anticipate that seating may be limited due the space required for the dancers. We
would ask you to attend only those performances where your child is dancing. To
honour the work of all the dancers would also ask you to stay for the whole
performance.
Cold Weather
With the advent of winter, we are working hard to remind our students to dress properly
for the weather. We are encouraging them to wear their coats, hats, mittens and boots.
We have also noticed that our “lost and found” bins are full. If your child is missing an
article of clothing, he/she should be checking the “lost and found” by the Launch Pad. It
is important that the students dress warmly, as they are expected to be outside until the
entry bells ring (8:30 and 12:35). We will post signs for a “Blue Day” when the
temperature is below -20 or (-18 with a wind-chill); they may come into the school and
wait in the hallways until the bell rings. If it is necessary to close the schools because of
weather, it will be announced through the local media.
Have a wonderful Winter Break!
Laine Mulholland, Principal
Kim Howden, Assistant Principal
