June School Newsletter and message from Principal

The June newsletter is now available and with updates from Principal. Ms. Susie Car. Highlights include information on the number of divisions for next September as well as changes and new staff members.   It can be found at the following:Link to newsletter

We have a raffle winner!

Congratulations to Joanne M., who won the tickets to next Friday's hockey game.

Thank you so very much to all of the people who bought raffle tickets, who made the effort to sell raffle tickets, and of course the family who donated the Canucks tickets to support our school. We raised over $1000!  We are all what makes this school a better place.

"Why Finland's public schools are so successful": a podcast

Listen to this fascinating podcast about the Finnish school system, which aired on CBC's Sunday Edition a few weeks ago.

"Finland is consistently put at the very top of global educational rankings despite, or perhaps because of, taking a very different approach: teachers are highly trained and very well-paid, students aren't tested until their teens, there's very little homework, and there are no private schools."

http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/shows/2013/02/17/finnish-schools/

A. R. Lord Work Bee

On Sunday, June 5th at 10am we will be having a work party at the school. We will begin two of our exciting PAC projects - a wonderful mural and school garden!

Please come and join us for some painting, garden prepping and fun!

Pizza and refreshments will be provided. We hope to get started at 10 a.m. and wrap things up in the early afternoon. Come by and help out for as long as you can or just drop by to cheer us on.

If you know you will be coming, please drop us an email ahead of time so that we can plan refreshments accordingly. Keep your fingers crossed for a sunny day!!

Hope to see you then,

A. R. Lord Mural Committee and Garden Committee

NO SCHOOL

A reminder to all families that this coming

FRIDAY, MAY 20TH
MONDAY, MAY 23RD
TUESDAY, MAY 24TH

are days off from school for all students. There will be no regular classes during school hours.

If there are any questions or concerns, please phone the school office at 604-713-4620 during regular school hours.

Playground Benches

Have you noticed the new park benches near the playground? These were purchased by the PAC and installed by the VSB Grounds department. What a welcoming addition to our school. Once the weather permits, the benches will be painted. Please enjoy! Thank you PAC and thank you Grounds department!

Little Building Update

Parents and staff from Dr. A. R. Lord have formed a committee and had an initial meeting to discuss details regarding the transition process for the co-location of the alternative programs on site at Lord elementary. They are working with the staff of the alternative programs to determine designated play spaces and behaviour expectations so that we will co-exist on the site in harmony.

Also, you may have already noticed that the boards are off the little building and workers are in and out getting the building prepared for the secondary students to begin in September. All questions and suggestions from elementary parents or staff are to be directed to Mrs. Gray in the office both through the spring and during the 2011-12 school year.

If you would like to participate in the committee working on the transition, you are more than welcome to join - please talk to Mrs. Gray.

Earthquake Preparedness

Every year in May, all VSB schools undergo an earthquake/disaster exercise simultaneously. Ensuring the safety and comfort of all students in our care during an emergency is always our first priority. School emergency preparedness plans are reviewed and updated annually, under the direction of the administrator and according to VSB procedures and guidelines. This includes but is not limited to: inspection of the emergency supply container and ensuring adequate provisions (water, some food, light sticks, etc.) are in supply, establishing roles of current staff to take on during a disaster (command post, first aid, utilities team, student release team, radio communications with VBE etc.)

In the event of an emergency, we expect that parents, guardians or other adults authorized by parents would come to the school to pick up the children. Students who are not picked up would be looked after by school staff. Students will be released to a parent or designate once specific information is recorded: who is picking up the child and where you are taking the child. Only those authorized will be able to take a child off site. In the event of a real earthquake, other family members might come to the school after you have already picked up your child. Thus, the information provided about the child’s next destination is very important.

In addition to this district wide drill that contributes to our preparedness as a larger community, we also hold our own drills at Lord throughout the year. These include: fire drills, earthquake drills, code red drills and code yellow drills. We always follow VSB emergency procedures for all of our drills.

For more information please contact the School Office at 604-713-4620.

NO SCHOOL

A reminder to all families that this coming

FRIDAY, APRIL 22nd
and
MONDAY, APRIL 25th

are days off from school for all students. There will be no regular classes during school hours and no after school activities.

If there are any questions or concerns, please phone the school office at 604-713-4620 during regular school hours.

Easter Egg Hunt!

This coming WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20th the PAC is hosting a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt!

Kids will make their own "bunny bag", explore the school grounds to find hidden eggs, and take home a chocolate treat!

Activities will be held rain or shine, so please ensure your child is dressed appropriately.

Hastings Preschool children are welcome to attend this afternoon celebration! Please contact the PAC Executive for questions or further information.

Fin's Friends Program

This year Ms. Watson's Division 5 class participated in FIN'S FRIENDS, a terrific program funded by Canucks For Kids.

The Fin's Friends program is designed to teach the basic elements of character education and social responsibility to primary students throughout British Columbia.

Students are taught to respect themselves and others by emphasizing the virtues of strong character, such as compassion, kindness, and perseverance. Specific children's literature is used as a basis to stress these positive character virtues.

Ms. Watson's students had a fantastic experience with the program!

NO SCHOOL

A reminder to all families that this coming

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th and MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14th

are days off from school for all students. There will be no regular classes or after-school activities.

If there are any questions or concerns, please contact the PAC or phone the school office at 604-713-4620 during regular school hours.

SATISFACTION SURVEY

The Provincial Satisfaction Survey is unique in its scope, size and usefulness to schools. It gathers information from parents, teachers and students on topics related to school environment, safety, and achievement. The information is used for planning in individual schools and provides a district and provincial perspective.

Early in 2011 the Satisfaction Survey will be administered to students in grades 4 and 7, their parents, and all school staff. We encourage parents to participate in this survey, as the results are important in identifying and celebrating current strengths, as well as determining where the school needs to focus improvement. The surveys contain standard questions for the Province – in addition, questions from the school and/or district that focus on local conditions or issues may be included.

This year, the survey can be completed electronically and can be accessed on the Internet at: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sat_survey

Any computer with an Internet connection can be used, and access to the e-survey is simple and secure. All that is required is a logon number that the school will provide to participants; please come to the office for your own unique logon code. Each code can only be used once. Provincial, District and School Reports for previous years can be viewed at the same site, without a logon number.

School computers will be available to parents during parent/teacher interviews on Wednesday, March 16 from 2:00 – 5:00 pm. For parents who do not wish to use school computers, local public library computers or computers at the community centre could be used.

For any questions please contact the school administration at 604-713-4620.

COYOTE SAFETY

On occasion, coyotes have been seen on our school grounds. It is always important to ensure children know what to do if they see a coyote. A coyote safety presentation is set up for Wednesday, February 9th. A representative from the Stanley Park Ecology Society will present “Coyote 101” to share safety tips with the students. Here is a little bit of background for your own reference.

The coyote (Canis latrans) serves as a prime example of how urban wildlife successfully adapts to an urban environment and how community residents need to take action to reduce conflict between humans and wildlife. Coyotes may be attracted to an area because of food scraps or garbage. If you see a coyote, it is important to be BIG, MEAN and LOUD, never running away from a coyote, and children should always tell an adult that they saw a coyote.

From our Vice-Principal

Dear Families,

Hello from Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary School! We are a Vancouver public school, right across the street from the Hastings Community Centre. I would like to take this opportunity to share a little bit about our fabulous school!

Dr. A.R. Lord is a busy, vibrant, exciting place to learn. We currently have 170 students in 7 different classes. Like all schools in the Vancouver Board of Education, Lord is inclusive and has a diverse student population. We welcome all learners and strive to meet the needs of each student. Students, staff, families and volunteers make our school a positive place to learn and play.

We are currently accepting registration for Kindergarten (Sept 2011). We will be hosting a Ready, Set, Learn event on January 17th for all neighbourhood 3 and 4 year olds. Please join us! Please call the school if you would like more information or would like to have a tour of our school.

Sincerely,
Sarah Gray
Vice-Principal

ARTS UMBRELLA

Arts Umbrella, a not-for-profit arts education centre for children and youth, will be at Lord working with most classes on a fantastic drama program for the next week. This is a wonderful experience for students to learn and have fun with an expert!

Numerous studies indicate that people who receive arts education early in life reap many tangible, long-term, life-changing benefits. From enhanced critical thinking, improved self-esteem and ability to collaborate, to improved scores in math and science, children gain skills that can help them well into adulthood.

Arts Umbrella will return in February and March to provide our students with another wonderful art program. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity for students within the regular classroom schedule.

For more information about this program at Lord, please contact the school at 604-713-6420.

Hot Lunch Update

Thank you to our PAC for organizing another successful Hot Lunch Day on Thursday, November 25th! Students enjoyed a well-balanced lunch of pizza, fruit and a tasty treat. Many thanks to parent volunteer Linda D who worked tirelessly to coordinate all the orders and ensured that there was pizza for all!

Vice-Principal's Message

Dear Families,

This has been a busy and exciting fall at Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary School. Students have been working on a number of projects, assignments and lessons in the classrooms for their academic growth. The library has been well utilized with children borrowing books each week. Classes go to the gym often, if not every day, for a variety of games, dances and sports. We are also all working on plans for the upcoming Winter Concert.
Through the year we try to offer a variety of learning experiences to balance academic, social, emotional, artistic and athletic opportunities at school. As the holiday season approaches life at school seems to pick up, building momentum until the winter break.
Once again there are many positive initiatives at school to share with you, so you can mark your calendar and talk to your child about some of the special activities happening at Lord.

Yours truly,
Sarah Gray
Vice-Principal

Kindergarten Vision Screening

This coming Monday, November 29th Vancouver Coastal Health will be sending Public Health Staff to Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary School for VISION SCREENING for all Kindergarten students.

The purpose of this screening is to find vision problems which can interfere with health and learning. As part of these screenings the students vision will be measured in each eye and depth of perception checked.

Parents will receive the screening results shortly after the screening day. If VCH has any concerns about your child's vision they will send a notice home with recommendations for further follow-up. Results will also be shared with the school Principal.

If you do not want VCH to screen your child, or if you do not want the Principal to be informed of the screening results please contact VCH at 604-654-2640. If you do not contact VCH they will screen your child's vision and share the results with the school administration.

If you choose for your child not to participate, your child will still be eligible for all health and education services.

These vision screenings do not replace regular check-ups by your Family Doctor, Nurse Practitioner or Vision Specialist.

If you have any questions about this program please contact Vancouver Coastal Health at 604-654-2640.

Scholastic Book Clubs

The October Scholastic catalogues have arrived in the classrooms! Students may choose to order from a variety of classic stories, award-winning authors and seasonal selections.

Order forms should be filled out and returned with payment to your child's teacher BEFORE October 25th.