Dear Sibylla Kiddle School Families,
What does it mean to be a scientist? Stereotypes would suggest you need white frizzy hair. You should probably put on a white lab coat and maybe get yourself a microscope. You could complete the caricature by mixing up some baking soda and vinegar inside a paper mâché volcano. I hold a slightly different take on what it means to be a scientist. I believe at the heart of a scientist lives a spirit of curiosity. 
Walt Disney once said, “Curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." Science is about wonderment, questioning and exploration. It is impossible to travel a new path, literally or metaphorically, without having a heightened sense of awareness and expectation. You don't know what you'll discover but your curiosity propels you forward with intrigue. This is where science is found. It the pursuit of making sense of those things that cause us to be curious. How does an airplane fly? Why can't I grow a palm tree in Calgary? Why does one person love the taste of asparagus and another finds it revolting? Discoveries are ultimately made in the pursuit of satisfying curiosity. 
How can you inspire curiosity in your child, especially over Spring Break? Start with listening to the questions they have about the world. Children start doing this as toddlers when they constantly ask 'why'. What is your child curious about? Maybe they have stopped asking why and don't feel inspired to ask big questions. Try a field trip to inspiring places and model asking curious questions yourself. Walk through downtown and wonder how buildings can be made both tall and strong. Take a stroll along the riverbank and consider how fish stay alive in the icy water. Visit an antique store and be curious about how an old device, like a clock, worked and how it has improved over time. How can you let out your inner scientist and inspire your child to do the same? What might you learn and discover together? Be curious. Have a great Spring Break. 
Sincerely,Brad EmeryPrincipal