Physical and Cerebral

Actually, I guess this self portrait is neither cerebral nor physical, but I did have a mom make a comment to me about my change in appearance since taking over for Mr. Hunt a few weeks ago. I'm actually on day 8 of participating in the Movember initiative to bring awareness to the need to make a reduction in the number of incidents of prostate cancer amongst the men in our lives.

I know, personally, friends who have had to tackle this form of cancer and I know the importance of getting annual check-ups from my doctor to reduce my risk. The mustache will be gone in three weeks (and my wife will do a dance) but the need to keep up our awareness of this problem will continue.

On the physical front I watched a few PE classes today and saw a number of students using balls with various degrees of skill. I wrote a couple of weeks back about how you can do family things to look for math in the community, and today I'd like to ask you to consider looking at family ways, other than, or in addition to, organized sports to help your children grow these skills. Playground type balls can be acquired quite inexpensively and catching and throwing, bouncing and making balls move in a variety of ways can be a big help in acquiring skills. And that's not to mention the physical fitness improvements that can come to you and your children by participating together.

On the calendar for today was a field trip for four of our classes. They took their learning away from the school and three of the classes were hoping to meet Robert Bateman. I'm certain to hear more about that tomorrow. The top note says, "Reading Groups Start" and this is part of our effort to meet the needs of our struggling readers by hiring a part time staff person. I'm pleased to say that Bronwyn Thomson has joined the staff in a third role. She is now teaching little ones one day a week, bigger ones one day a week, and teaching individuals and small groups of all ages three days a week. Welcome to your new position Bronwyn! I look forward to seeing you succeed in this assignment too.

Meetings... I have to attend an administrator's meeting tomorrow after lunch in Sechelt. Tom Williams will be the teacher in charge for the afternoon and I will be back Thursday morning.

Remembrance Assembly - 11:00 Thursday morning. In the programme we will have our senior band lead off with Oh Canada and one of our grade 7 students has been working hard on doing a solo of Taps. As well, Mr. Williams students will do a recitation of Flanders Fields. I hope you can be there.