MAG News

www.lrsd.net/schools/gaboury

February, 2016 Administration Team

Paula Meyer – Principal

Tyler Milloy – Vice-Principal

Secretaries

Jeanette McLeod

Micheline Scott

Administrator’s Message Parent Advisory Committee Alas, we find ourselves done with

January! Hopefully that brings an

end to the bitter cold wind as well!

The end of January means the

beginning of February, and a warm

welcome to our new Vice Principal

M. Tyler Milloy!

The PAC has had many on-going events this past while.

Our Active Living Committee has been working hard

planning Hot Chocolate mornings for Walk to School

Wednesday! We encourage everyone (when possible)

to make the extra effort to walk to school each

Wednesday. Once a month, the committee will provide

hot chocolate to help keep those bodies warm! Plus we

had a great family skate night! Aaaannnnd we will be

hosting a gym night for soccer and many more events

to keep our bodies moving! Stay tuned!

Fun Lunch is on-going each month. Thank you to the

parents who come in to help out!

Fun Lunch dates - February 18 – Pita Pit; March 17 –

Booster Juice; April 21 – Subway; May 19 – Pizza

Pizza; June TBA

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting, or

next event, or just around the school! Future dates for PAC Meetings:

February 22, March 21, April 18, May 16, June TBA

I cannot believe how quickly January has flown by. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Marc Poirier for all that he has done for his staff and students over the past 8 years. He has been a driving force behind our community, making it an amazing place for both students and staff to come to school every day. Best of luck to you as you move on to your next adventure. Know that you will be missed! I would also like to welcome Tyler Milloy, who will be taking on his role as Vice-Principal at the beginning of the month. We are looking forward to having you join our team. We are now gearing up for our upcoming Festival du Voyageur activities. Our 9th Annual Community Dinner, activities planned and concerts that have been booked are all opportunities for our students to immerse themselves in the ‘joie de vivre’ that is such an integral part of the French Canadian culture. In the weeks that follow, students will be taking part in activities such as: Various craft-making activities offered to each grade

level throughout the week of February 16th to 19th; A concert presented by TiBert le voyageur ; Outdoor activities related to the Festival du Voyageur; Maple syrup ‘snow toffee’; Our annual community supper, with French-Canadian

cuisine and live band Ca claque on the evening of Thursday, February 18th.

We are continuing with our focus on the 6Cs during our house activities in the month of February. Click here for more information related to our February initiative on Character. We are also preparing for next year. If you know someone who has a child who will be starting Kindergarten next year, please inform them that our Kindergarten Information Evening will be held on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:00 p.m. As well, Grade 8 students will be visiting Collège Jeanne-Sauvé on February 25th during the day to get better acquainted with the school as they transition to Grade 9. We are looking forward to another great month of learning with our students! Hé Ho! ~ Paula Meyer

École Marie-Anne-Gaboury’s Kindergarten Information Evening for parents will be held on Wednesday, March 2, at 7:00 pm in the Kindergarten classroom. If your child will be five years of age by December 31, 2016, (born during the year 2011), this evening is for you. There will be presentations and information regarding our school and the French Immersion program. Kindergarten Registration Week in the Louis Riel School Division will be held March 21 - 24, 2016. Please remember to bring your child’s birth certificate and/or Manitoba Health card when registering.

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News from the Classroom

This month has proven to be a very busy one for us in

Kindergarten. We finished up our study of Celebrations around the World and began our winter theme. We also

began our Handwriting without Tears number booklets. The students are practicing their strokes and curves, in many different ways, such as drawing on a friends back,

with little sponges and on a chalkboard. We will be starting our Handwriting without Tears alphabet booklets

soon! We have begun our math centers, where students get the chance to work with a partner on various math activities. This month, we have also taken time to finish our second portfolio samples. The improvements the students have made

are outstanding!

Mme Male - Kindergarten

Mme Côté - Grade 1

Welcome to 2016! During the month of January, the Grade 1

class has been busy learning and reading new French vocabulary related to our winter theme. We are also

continuing to learn and review the alphabet and its sounds in French. Students are now able to print most letters of the alphabet in lowercase letters. We practice by using our chalk

and blackboards, we practice printing in the air, we also practice by printing on a partner’s back and they must guess

which letter it is. It’s fun! In Math, we are skip counting by 2 to 30 and by 5 and 10 to 100. We are counting the days at school and are very excited for our 100 Day celebration! We are also learning to represent a given number in various ways such as: drawing the dots on a ten-frame

card, using tally marks, counting the dots on dice, writing the number as a word, counting the tens and ones (dizaines et unités) and making an addition and subtraction equation. I would like

to thank our parent volunteers who helped with our gingerbread houses during the month of December. Thank you for your help and cooperation! It is truly appreciated by myself and the students!

Mme Mandaliti - Kindergarten

What a busy month we have had. Now that winter is finally among us, we

have been hard at work on our Winter theme, as well as revisiting our Science theme of Trees to discuss what happens to them in winter. Can you

believe we have already begun our second work samples for our Portfolios? What a remarkable improvement since the beginning of the year. Bravo les amis! In addition to this, we have begun our study of the

alphabet. Did you know that we can print any letter of the alphabet using only 4 strokes? A big line, a little line, a big curve and a little curve? What fun we are having

learning how to use our fingers. We look forward to beginning our study of our Kids in the Know program, information to follow. We also just completed our theme of Celebrations around the World and would love to invite anyone who would be interested in coming in and presenting a

cultural celebration to our class. We would love to learn firsthand about traditional clothing, games and foods. Please contact me if you or someone you know would be interested. Merci!

February, 2016 Page 3

News from the Classroom

Mme Annick - Grade 1

Throughout the month of January, the grade ones have been working

hard, making continuous progress, and attaining goals. The students are

making a habit of expressing themselves in French by quickly assimilating

the new vocabulary taught. When working in guided literacy groups, the

students’ progress is evident. Students are working on reading and writing

multisyllabic words that contain basic French sounds. Throughout the month, new literacy work

stations were presented. The new games and activities reflect the latest concepts taught in class

and will give the students the opportunity to put their skills and abilities to practice. With the

strides they are making in French, we will be starting reading groups shortly. We are really

looking forward to it! In math, we have started numeracy groups and numeracy work stations.

The students have been looking forward to practicing their math skills and are able to do so by

choosing the math games that best suit their needs. While in their work stations, the students

are engaged and independent. I am so proud of them! For art education, we have been learning

about warm and cool colors and different line techniques. We have done several projects and

the students continue to progress in their fine motor skills and in the development of their

creativeness. The month of February is bound to be as successful, and we can’t wait to see what

is in store for us.

Mme Hudon - Grade 2

I’m very glad to report that although the month of January has proven to be a

very busy month here in first grade, the students have all expanded their knowledge, all the while having fun. This month, the children finished learning

how to properly form all of the lower case letters. Bravo les amis! In math, the students have been very enthusiastic about starting new and challenging activities which, in turn, help them stay motivated and learn! We’ve started learning about tens

and ones and have mastered how to count by 2s, 5s and 10s. In science, we’ve been learning about different textures and materials and the students have enjoyed doing experiments related

to these. In art, the students finished learning about cool and warm colours and we’ve incorporated different shapes in our art projects to review these in math as well!

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing break. It was

great seeing all the families who came out to support our Winter Concert. The kids did such an incredible job practicing and performing for you! We

are moving full steam ahead in Grade 2! We are continuing to grow as readers and writers in French and English! In Science, we are exploring

the differences between solids, liquids and gases! We will be doing a bunch of experiments to

help us see the difference in the different states of matter! In Math, we’ve been playing lots of games to continue to develop our mental math strategies! This will help us as we move into two

digit addition in the following weeks. We’ve also loved learning about money since we got back from the break. In Social Studies, we have been discussing our responsibilities and the different responsibilities of the people in our community. I’m excited for all the new and exciting things

that we will be learning in the coming weeks!

Mme Julie - Grade 1

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Mme Lauren - Grade 2

News from the Classroom

Happy New Year! And what a great start to the year it has been! Since we’ve returned from

Winter break, our Grade 2 students have been hard at work. The students have been enjoying working with money in math class. While using pretend coins, we have been working on skip

counting, problem solving, and other math skills. The class has come up with everyday real life experiences that connect to our lessons in class. This month, our class has started an exciting pen pal project in ELA. We’ve paired up with another Grade 2 class to exchange letters and

drawings with. The students can’t wait to learn more about their new friends while practicing their reading and writing skills. The Grade 2s have learned the format of a letter and are

working towards asking and responding to questions. We can’t wait to receive another letter from our new friends! In science, the students are finally finished their Canadian animal research projects. Through reading informational texts, the Grade 2s learned the physical

characteristics, the habitat and the prey of their animal. The students rose to the challenge to design and build an animal habitat out of a shoebox. The students were proud to show off their

projects and their knowledge to Grade 1, Grade 3, Grade 4 and Grade 6 students. Now that our animal unit is finished, we will be moving on to the properties of solids, liquids and gases. We can’t wait to do experiments in class to learn more about the world around us! Continue le beau

travail, les amis!

January has been a busy month. In French, we have read and completed a book study of

Clément aplati (which is the French version for Flat Stanley). In conjunction with our Social

Study unit “Explore the World”, the students have selected a travel destination for their

individualized Clément aplati. We look forward to hearing about their interesting and wild

adventures with their new family member. We are also exploring the world as we learn all about

the continents, different countries and oceans around us. In collaboration with Mme Gisèle

Gagné, the teacher librarian, the students have also started a research project on Mexico. We

are excited to learn all about its culture, the authentic dishes they prepare as well as the

different festivals and animals that are representative of Mexico and much more!! In

Mathematics, we have added two and three digit numbers with regrouping, in the expanded and

algorithms forms. The students have also conducted a survey on the winter activities to collect

their own data and transferred that information into a bar graph with the 6 required elements.

Mme Bérard - Grade 3

Mme Kateri - Grade 3

Throughout this month, the grade 3 class has been very busy. In math, we started

multiplications. The class was very engaged. We played a lot of games using manipulatives to understand groupings. They are understanding that if they can skip count easily, multiplication

is not that hard. In social studies, we are exploring the world. To introduce this unit, we read a book in class called Clément Aplati (Flat Stanley). It is the story of a little boy called Clément who became flat. Since he is flat, he can travel the world in an

envelope. Then we created our own Clément Aplati to send anywhere in the world. Every student had to choose a family member or a friend to send Clément.

Right now, Clément is travelling to Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Florida and even Nunavut! In June, Clément will be sent back and we will do a little welcome home party. The class is very excited. I wonder what kind of adventures all of our

Flat Stanleys will have?! I can’t wait to see what February has in store for us!

February, 2016 Page 5

News from the Classroom

Mme Légaré/Mme Scheelar - Grade 4

This month, students were introduced to our class mascot, Toba. The mission of this beautiful stuffed husky is to promote empathy and compassion between classmates.

Each day, students take turns being in charge of Toba. Children who become aware that they are dealing with difficult emotions may request to hold the stuffy dog to help them calm down. In Math, students are actively learning about fractions. Please

discuss fractions with your child whenever you come across a “real life” example. In Health, we are learning about the 4 food groups and portions. Students were giving

the challenge to eat 5 portions of fruits and vegetables for a week. On January 15th, Mme Vernelle

Mirosh from Habitat for Humanity came to present to the grade 4 students what the organization will be able to purchase with the $710 our students raised at their annual Rummage Sale back in December. In English, students are very excitedly preparing their first Tusc presentations of the

year. Tusc stands for Totally Unbelievable Speakers Club. For Science, students are practicing their researching skills while learning about various Canadian animals. In Social Studies, we are continuing our unit on The North.

Since the return from winter holidays, students have been working very hard! In français, we

continued developing our French reading skills through our weekly reading groups. We also got creative and wrote a letter to Jack Frost convincing him to give us a snow day so we could have a day off from school. In ELA, we read The Day the Crayon’s Quit and then wrote about what it would

be like if one of our favourite daily items decided to quit on us. We also completed a mini book report for The Boxcar Children, a book that we read together as a class. In math, we began learning about multiplication and have been learning how to represent multiplication facts using words, drawings,

graphs, number lines and repeated addition. In sciences humaines, we started a new unit called Explorons le monde and we have been learning about the equator, the northern and southern hemisphere, north and south poles and the cardinal points. We are also learning about the different

continents and oceans and we also started a research project about Mexico with Mme Gagné. In sciences de la nature, we started our unit on Forces That Attract or Repel. Students have been learning about la poussée et la traction and we have been doing fun class experiments to

demonstrates these forces. Finally, we worked with pastels in art class and drew cartoon faces catching snowflakes, keeping in mind the different types of lines we can include in our art projects. It’s been a great month in grade 3!

Mme Carrière - Grade 4

On January 15th, both grade 4 classes were honoured to present the proceeds from our Rummage sale of $710 to Mrs. Vernelle from Habitat for Humanity. Thank you to all of

the parents and students who made donations! We have started the New Year by welcoming a new member to our classroom who came all the way from Antarctica...our new class mascot, Poppy the Penguin! The students have been learning about Poppy’s

habitat and environment. They are presently working on writing an adventure story about how he came all the way from Antarctica to our classroom! To correspond with our penguin theme, we have also started a novel study with the book, Mr. Popper’s Penguins.

In French, the students have been working on a research project about a Canadian animal. They will be presenting their projects to their classmates in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. In Social Studies, we have been discovering one of Canada’s great northern territories; Nunavut. In Science,

the students are learning about animal adaptations and habitats. In Math, we have been learning various multiplication strategies and we have also been learning how to construct and interpret pictographs and bar graphs.

Mme Mangin - Grade 3

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Mme Stechesen - Grade 5

Mme Cloutier - Grade 5 /6

February has arrived and with it comes many different learning

opportunities. This month, to conclude our unit on Electricity, students will be working a design process in Science based on what

they learned about electrical circuits. They will be challenged to plan, design, build and test a prototype using electrical circuits. They will be working on collaboration and problem solving to ensure their success.

In Art, we are working on Pop Art, and discussing artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. In Social Studies, students are completing a historical newsletter, covering the

efforts and contributions of our First Nations’ soldiers during the First World War. In French, we are completing our second novel study (Le Joker). Fractions and decimals are the focus in Math for the grade five students, as well as continuing to improve our skills with long division and

multiplication. We must not forget the arrival of the Festival du voyageur, which will bring many different activities based on the French culture. Two outings are also planned. We will spend a

half day at the Saint-Boniface Research Center and another half day at the RDC, where we will combine Aboriginal education and Math. All in all, a very busy month!

News from the Classroom

M. Lachance - Grade 6

This month, the French educational youth show "ONIVA!", telecast

across Canada by Radio-Canada, was at École Marie-Anne-Gaboury to interview and record some answers to pre-selected questions with the

Grade 6 students! The students who participated will have the chance to appear on the show in episodes starting in March. What a cool experience! The class also had a visit from Montreal-based cartoonist,

Michel Hellman, who conducted two workshops. These were in conjunction with a collaborative comic strip creation project taking place between our class and a Montreal-based classroom. At

the end of the project, 6 comic strips focusing on linguistic duality and issues will be created and will be presented at a Literacy Festival in Montreal.

In December, the Grade 5’s completed their first oral presentations en

français. It was fun to learn about interests and pastimes that might not otherwise be shared in class. We also found out about some special

talents that we might not have known to exist amongst us! The students will have more opportunities to continue to develop and practice their presentation skills by presenting topics that interest and

motivate them. In Science, the class has learned the basics of how static and current

electricity work through many experiments and by building numerous circuits, both in the science lab and using on-line interactives. We’re wrapping up the unit with a design project that uses electricity to

perform a specific function. In Math, the students have finished their unit on dividing and multiplying 2- and 3-digit numbers, and are now exploring fractions and

decimals. The Grade 5’s have also enjoyed creating interactive digital posters on various themes surrounding Canada in the First World War. They used the program Glogster to both showcase their research and practice their technology skills. I’m impressed by the energy and motivation

the class continues to show – Continuez votre bon travail, les amis!

February, 2016 Page 7

The grade 8 students are well underway with our unit on the Theory of

Matter. We are busy exploring concepts such as melting and boiling points, phase changes and heat transfer methods. They will be furthering their understanding of the use of thermal isolators and

conductors during our upcoming design process project. In français, students have read several Greek myths. They have also researched 4

prominent Greek scientists and will now write a newspaper article announcing a discovery or contribution of their choice. We are also tying in art to our History curriculum as students summarize one of the myths

they have read on a Greek vase.

Mme Daumler - Grade 8

Students have been working very hard since their return from winter break! Here is a list of

projects students have been working on this month: Sciences Humaines 7/7-8/8: Students have completed a research and art project concerning

different aspects of ancient Greece (clothing/architecture /hoplite gear). They are currently learning how to effectively choose important information while reading an informative article and then how to create notes.

English 7/8: Students are continuing their civilization projects. I am so impressed with their creativity and motivation! The finished projects (due January 29) should be amazing!

Français 7: Students are currently learning about the verb tense passé composé. They will then apply that knowledge to their upcoming club super-orateur speech based upon ancient Greece. Students have also completed the research component for their debate and are currently

crafting their debate speeches.

Art 7-8/8: After studying ancient Greek pottery, art and mythology, students are creating their

own Greek vases.

M. Acorn - Grade 7

Mathé 7: Students have been working on concepts such as percentages

and adding and subtracting fractions. They will be moving on to integers in the near future.

Mathé 8: Students have been working on concepts such as rates and ratios. They will be moving on to multiplying and dividing fractions in the near future.

ELA 7: Students have been working on completing their biome projects as well as reading their assigned novels and continuing their Genius Hour

projects. ELA 8: Students completed work on their biome projects and have begun working on a Greek Theatre unit. They have also continued the reading and blogging associated with their reading

program as well as their Genius Hour projects.

Mme Taylor - Grade 7 / 8

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Band - Mme Wiebe

News from the Bandstand

Congratulations to all the grade seven and eight band students as well as the choir, who had a great performance at the Centre Culturel

Franco-Manitobain on January 19! I am very proud of the students and I hope that you are proud of them as well. Thank you to family and friends who came out to support these fine young musicians.

Band is a special course, because the final result is the collaboration of all students in an ensemble and everyone has their special role to

play. We are looking forward to upcoming workshops and performances. Please mark your calendars for our Spring Concert on May 18th at 7 pm at the CCFM again. The grade seven and eight bands are both preparing for a Band Festival which takes place the

week of April 12th to 15th. Please stay tuned for the date and time, which will take place during the school day. The grade eight students are going to Collège Jeanne Sauvé on February 4th for

a day of workshops with the high school students and Mme Gendron. Please get those permission slips in and don’t forget that lunch is included! We are trying to plan a similar day for the grade seven class later on in the year. I send out group emails with information about

dates and upcoming assignments often. If you are not receiving these, please send me an email at gabrielle.wiebe@lrsd.net requesting to be added to the email list.

“Music, uniquely among the arts, is both completely abstract and profoundly emotional. It has no power to represent anything particular or external, but it has a unique power to express inner

states or feelings. Music can pierce the heart directly; it needs no mediation.” ― Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain

The holidays are over and we are back working hard in physical

education class! Students in Grades Kindergarten to 3 have been participating in low-organized games as well as learning how to

roll, throw and catch. When rolling and throwing, students are practicing to have the correct foot forward using the back back

back method. Challenge them to show you how which foot goes forward like we do in physical

education class! For Grades 4 to 8, we have been doing fitness-related activities, track, basketball and tchoukball. Our basketball season is underway and congratulations to the four

basketball teams who continue to work hard at practice and during games. A big thank you to all of our basketball coaches who volunteer their time for our student athletes. The track team has been practicing for a couple of months and will soon be competing in meets. Bonne chance

les élèves! Thanks to all of those who helped raise funds for Jump Rope for Heart. Together, as a school, we raised $1,240. February will be a busy month in physical education as we will be

doing Festival du Voyageur related activities. Hé Ho!

M. Bohemier/M. Levesque/Mme Male - Physical Education

Mme Berger - Music

January at MAG has been African drumming

month! We have drummed our winter worn cares away and I’m pretty sure our playing

ushered in the recent warmer weather. All classes participated in drumming, singing African songs and playing an African rock

game.

February, 2016 Page 9

Student Services Mme Meyer, Mme Rivard, Mme Popkey and Mme Vick (cont’d)

Anxiety in Children and How to Help Them Anxiety is our body’s reaction to perceived danger or stress. In children, like in adults, it

can show up at any given moment and for no apparent reason. Anxiety can be an extremely scary feeling for children and adults alike. Although it can feel different for everyone, some compare it to the feeling you get when you accidentally miss a stair. Anxiety is not easy for children to understand. As adults, our knee-jerk reaction is often to tell them that

they will be fine or that there is nothing to worry about. As much as they want to believe us, often their body is telling them otherwise. A better approach is to let them know that we understand. Knowing that someone else “gets it” can help right away to alleviate some of their worry. The following are other healthy habits and ideas on how to support children who are anxious:

Help them to identify body feelings. Ask them what their body feels like, and let them know that it is normal to have physical feelings of

worry and fear. They may experience headaches, stomachaches, dizziness, shortness of breath or rapid breathing. They may also feel sweaty, fidgety, and/or tired. Some may also have difficulty

concentrating, eating and sleeping, and they may have constant “what if” thoughts. Teach how the brain and body work when we are scared. A child-friendly explanation of anxiety is that it is something that lots of people feel, even adults. It

happens when part of our brain thinks there is something it needs to protect us from. It switches on

when it thinks we’re in danger, even when we’re not and can make our body feel different. Make a worry list. Have your child make a list of all his/her worries. Just the act of recognizing and writing down worries

can make the scary emotions seem less intimidating for your child. This also allows you to identify

which worries you want to work on with your child. Practice thinking strategies. Help them convert their worries into positive thoughts. For example, if they are worried that they will do

poorly on a test, have them replace it with, “I worked hard to prepare and I will do the best that I

can.” Continually practice changing worrying thoughts into positive statements in order to build resilience.

Help them to develop a coping toolbox. Assist them in making a personalized toolbox of strategies to tackle their worries. This could consist of

deep breathing exercises, distraction ideas (games or books that they enjoy), understanding where in their body they feel worry and fear, and questions to ask themselves as well as positive statements they can make. Is it true? I can do this! What’s the worst that could happen?

Make sure your child is getting enough sleep.

A well-rested child will be much better equipped mentally and physically to deal with stress. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that 3-5 year olds get 11-13 hours a nights, 5-12 year olds get 10-11 hours per night, and teens get 9.25 hours per night.

Make healthy food choices.

Make sure your child eats regularly throughout the day. When children experience low blood sugar, it can look and feel a lot like anxiety, including dizziness, sweating, shaking and feeling faint. Caffeine and energy drinks should also be avoided as they can mimic the effects of adrenaline and cause anxiety.

Get moving. Exercise helps burn adrenaline. It is great, not only for physical fitness, but for mental health as well.

Peters, D.B. (2014, January 7). 6 Healthy Habits To Teach Kids Who Worry Too Much. Retrieved from

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-b-peters-phd/6-healthy-habits-to-teach-kids-who-worry-too-much_b_4531475.html Peters, D.B. (2014 December 11). 10 Steps for Parents and Kids to Tame the Worry Monster. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-b-peters-phd/10-steps-for-parent-and-kids-to-taming-the-

worry-monster_b_4345171.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ir=Education Sigmund, H. (2015, March 5). Anxiety in Kids: How to Turn it Around and Protect Them For Life. Retrieved from http://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-kids/

Page 10 MAG News

Hi! I am, Gisèle Gagné the new teacher-librarian

replacing Mme Labossière who is now in retirement. Schedules have been adjusted and

with these changes, I have the pleasure of working on collaborative projects with the Grade 3 and 4 students and teachers.

Our Grade 4 students are researching animals of Canada including adaptations of their physical

and/or behavioral nature. After taking notes, they will present their findings in a PowerPoint slide show.

Our Grade 3 students are researching another culture, that of Mexico. They will navigate sites

that have been pre-selected to find answers and will put their notes in an Xmind diagram. From there, they will complete their project in a

PowerPoint presentation. Mme Sokol is taking care of all the book exchanges on the alternate days that I am not there. I

appreciate her flexibility! She is open to new ideas and helps everyone. Great job!

I look forward to working with other teachers on collaborative planning when these projects are

completed! If you have any questions, feel free to give a call at the school.

Library - Mme Gagné et Mme Lise

Hearty foods for Cold Weather

In Canada, once the cold weather arrives, it tends to stay awhile! It can give you peace of mind if you know your children have a hot lunch to warm them

up in the middle of the day. It’s also a nice way to prepare them for heading outside to brave the elements at recess! It can be hard to think of what to send, or how to send it, especially if you’re in the habit of sending cold

lunches. Here are some ideas:

Temperature is key. How many times have you sent cooked food that you know your child likes, only to find it comes back home, uneaten? Often it’s the temperature. By the time they open it, either it’s lukewarm, or the texture isn’t good because the way it is

packaged has made it soggy. Invest in a good wide-mouthed stainless steel thermos so warm foods stay warm.

Consider sending leftover foods from supper. Not everyone loves leftovers, but some of us do! Especially if it’s one of their favourite meals—let them enjoy it twice!

Cook baked chicken nuggets in the oven in the morning and package them while still warm.

Send along a little container of their favourite dip, along with some crunchy veggies. Soup is a great choice. You can make your own, or prepare canned soup and add noodles,

beans and/or veggies to make it more hearty and filling. Send with crusty, whole grain bread.

Devon Peart, RD, Consulting Dietitian The Lunch Lady is proud to be offering new Smarter Meals at participating schools. Smarter Meals are healthy options that are limited in sodium and fat and are good sources of protein.

For more information about the Smarter Meals and our participation in the "Nourishing School Communities" initiative, see our menu or go to www.thelunchlady.ca

News from the Lunch Lady

February, 2016 Page 11

Page 12 MAG News

Divisional Citizenship in High Gear

Students, staff and parents connect Citizenship dots CITIZENSHIP, as one of three Board priorities, has been the catalyst for some very exciting developments over the past several months. Starting in September with High School mentors visiting every grades 5 – 8 classroom in the Division, everyone is talking “Citizenship.” Students, school staff and parent councils in all 40 LRSD schools have been engaged in conversations about what Active Citizenship means and how the Division can move forward together in planning a collective Citizenship journey. In December, almost 300 students, staff and parents came together at the Board Office for a Kitchen Tea Party. This eclectic group represents the first ever Divisional Citizenship Council. Over cups of tea and a few biscuits, Council members began a bigger discussion about how we as a school division can support social and environmental needs in our local, national and international communities. The next step involves about 40 students, school staff and parents who will meet as a “core” group to further the discussion about how to connect the Citizenship dots between schools across the Division. They will support schools who have committed to at least one common activity or project between now and June, 2016. They will also help plan a Citizenship Symposium called Youth for RIELChange in May, 2016. In the end, the goals of a Divisional CITIZENSHIP journey are about

increasing communication and connections in the community.

February, 2016 Page 13

Important dates 2016

École Marie-Anne-Gaboury 95 Pulberry Street, Winnipeg MB, R2M 3X5 (204)253-9704 Fax: (204) 255-5541

Monday, February 1, 2016 .................................... All About Me - Gr 5 - a.m. Gr 6 - p.m. Monday, February 1, 2016 .................................... Christine Melnyck - Reading to the Gr. 2’s only - 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 2, 2016 .................................... House Activities - Theme: Collaboration Thursday, February 4, 2016................................... All About Me - Gr. 5 & 6 - 9:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Thursday, February 4, 2016................................... ORFF Days - Gr. 4 only Friday, February 5, 2016 ....................................... Professional Development Day – (No classes) Tuesday, February 9, 2016 .................................... All About Me - Gr. 7 & 8 - 9:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m. Monday, February 15, 2016 .................................. Louis Riel Day – (No classes) Tuesday, February 16, 2016 .................................. College Jeanne Sauvé staff members at MAG for Grade 8 Presentation - 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 17, 2016 ............................ Aboriginal Enrichment - RDC - Mme Cloutier’s class only (p.m.) Thursday, February 18, 2016................................. Fun Lunch - Pita Pit Thursday, February 18, 2016................................. Festival du Voyageur dinner (details to follow) Monday, February 22, 206 .................................... PAC Meeting 6:30 p.m. - Library Tuesday, February 23, 2016 .................................. Staff Meeting / Early Dismissal - 2:37 p.m. Wednesday, February 24, 2016 ............................ Pink Shirt Day Thursday, February 25, 2016................................. Grade 8 only - Visit College Jeanne Sauvé Friday, February 26, 2016 ..................................... House Activities - Theme: Character Friday, February 26, 2016 ..................................... Winterlude Wednesday, February 24, 2016 ............................ MADD Canada presentation - Gr. 7 & 8 Tuesday, March 1, 2016 ........................................ Open House at College Jeanne-Sauvé - 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, 2016 .................................. Kindergarten Information Evening 7:00 p.m. Monday, March 14, 2016 ...................................... PAC Meeting 6:30 p.m. - Library Wednesday, March 16, 2016 ................................ Track Attack - Max Bell Centre - Track team only Thursday, March 17, 2016 .................................... Report Cards distributed Thursday, March 17, 2016 .................................... Fun Lunch - Booster Juice Friday, March 18, 2016 ......................................... Professional Development Day – (No classes) Monday, March 21, 2016 ...................................... Take Pride - Grade 3 only Tuesday, March 22, 2016 ...................................... Staff Meeting / Early Dismissal - 2:37 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, 2016 ................................ Portfolio Evening Thursday, March 24, 2016 .................................... Last day of classes before Spring Break Monday, April 4, 2016 ........................................... Classes resume Tuesday, April 5, 2016 ........................................... Aboriginal Enrichment - RDC - Mme Légaré’s class only (a.m.) Tuesday, April 5, 2016 ........................................... Human Rights Museum - Gr. 5, 5/6 & 6 only Wednesday, April 6, 2016 ..................................... Oak Hammock Marsh Presentations Wednesday, April 6, 2016 ..................................... Cercle Molière - Grade 3 only Thursday, April 7, 2016 ......................................... Cercle Molière - Grade 4 only Wednesday, April 13, 2016 ................................... Day of Pink Thursday, April 14, 2016 ....................................... CJS Choir Presentation 1:00 p.m. Monday, April 18, 2016 ......................................... Aboriginal Enrichment—RDC—Mme Stechesen’s class only (p.m.) Monday, April 18, 2016 ......................................... PAC Meeting 6:30 p.m. - Library Thursday, April 21, 2016 ....................................... Fun Lunch - Subway Friday, April 22, 2016 ............................................ Professional Development Day – (No classes) Tuesday, April 26, 2016 ......................................... Staff Meeting / Early Dismissal - 2:37 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, 2016 ......................................... Alex Belliard Concert - K to Gr. 8 - 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2016 ............................................. Professional Development Day – (No classes) Monday, May 16, 2016 ......................................... PAC Meeting 6:30 p.m. - Library Wednesday, May 18, 2016 .................................... Gr. 7 & 8 Spring Band Concert - Centre Culturel (details to follow) Thursday, May 19, 2016 ........................................ Fun Lunch - Pizza Pizza Monday, May 23, 2016 ......................................... Victoria Day – No school Tuesday, May 24, 2016 ......................................... Staff Meeting / Early Dismissal - 2:37 p.m. Mon. June 6—Wed. June 8 ................................... Camp Red Rock Grade 7 & 8 only Friday, June 10, 2016 ............................................ Professional Development Day – (No classes) Wednesday, June 29, 2016 ................................... Report Cards distributed Thursday, June 30, 2016 ....................................... Last day of school