Wednesday 20 February 2013


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

 Mission:  The mission of Immanuel Christian School is to prepare students to meet the challenge of the world and culture they live in as young and growing Christians.  Thus, students are taught the skill of discernment in the light of God’s Word, the practice of stewardship for creation, the required commitment to a life of Christian service, and the beauty of witness through modeling God’s love in a broken world.

School’s email address:  immanuel@amtelecom.net
Principal’s email address:  icsprincipal@amtelecom.net
ICS Website:  www.immanuelchristianschool.net    519-773-8476
FacebookCheck us out on Facebook:   facebook.com/ICSAylmer      
         Twitter:  twitter.com/ICSAylmer

LDCSS Website:  www.ldcss.on.ca   519-455-4360
Christian Education Foundation (endowment fund): www.ldcef.org

Upcoming Events
Feb       21   Hockey Practice 7:30;
                    3:15 exh Hockey game STCCS at Aylmer
                    Registration day JK/SK, all grades (daytime
                    8-4, evening 6:30-8) 
             22   Electives; Friday Family Fun Night Dinner               
             23   OACS Town meeting re CEAF at LDCSS
             26   Hockey Practice 7:30
             27   Chapel-Lent 3; Report cards sent home
March    1    Hat and Gum Day
               4   Parent/Student/Teacher Conference
               6   8:55 Chapel-Lent 4;  WDCS Hockey Tourn
               7   P.D. Day – no classes for students
               8-15 March Break

From the Principal's Desk::

I trust that you have enjoyed a good (long) Family Day weekend!  As a teaching staff, we have made good use of the PA day yesterday to work on second term report cards.  These reports will include a reflective parent-student-teacher connection form.  It is my hope that you can use this for constructive conversations on strengths and areas for growth.  Reports will be sent home next week, with parent-student-teacher conferences the following week.

Teachers also sat down with me a part of their regular professional growth interviews. These are routine times to reflect on areas of strength and growth for a class as a whole, as well as personal areas of strength and growth.  We often end up sharing joys and challenges of teaching, bringing in student work samples, and exploring various resources for the future.  As we report on our students, we also seek to grow ourselves.  The Society of Christian Schools of BC in Good Teaching Comes from the Inside expresses the importance of these type of activities:
           Our teachers are called to renewal.  Daily we need to pray with David, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and      
renew a steadfast spirit within me... Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me” (Psalm 51: 10-  12).  Renewal is the antidote for entropy.  Entropy is the opposite of growth – everything in our schools, everything in our   teaching and learning will gradually erode, run down, even break down unless it is maintained and revitalized.  Our          relationships and our teaching need ongoing change and renewal.

Lastly, an update on Mr T.  He is recovering well from a minor infection following his last surgery, and expects to be back at physio shortly.  He is also looking forward to returning to teaching, as able.  At this point, we would see Mr T taking on 25% teaching after March Break (likely LA and Bible between snack recess and lunch).  Ms Jones will continue with the remainder, "bookending" the day with devotions, AR and math in the morning, and history, science, art and phys ed in the afternoons.

Yours in Christ,
Keith Cameron, Principal

Praying for our Families:  Last week we prayed for Kelvin and Rose Saarloos & Wilf and Joanne Saarloos.   
Praying for our Staff:  This week we will pray for Ms. Jones and continued healing for Mr. TenBruggencate. 
Please pray for families who are considering Christian education.

Reminder of OACS Town hall meetings regarding CEAF
Come and hear the latest updates on the CEAF situation, hear a summary of our defense strategy and pose the questions they may
have of the OACS leadership team. Saturday, February 23 London District Christian Secondary School (LDCSS), 24 Braesyde Avenue, London, ON N5W 1V3, 2– 4 PM

A reminder of the OACS Parent Support Memo 2 that was sent out Feb 8th :
For those who have received a letter from CRA:  You must decide very quickly if you wish OACS to represent you to help resolve the issue.  There will be no cost to you for this service. You must however do the following IMMEDIATELY:
1. Copy the letter you received from CRA and next to your name, print in your email address so that OACS can copy you on whatever
    is sent to CRA.
2. Complete the attached T1013 E (extra copy attached to the Journal if you need it)
Deliver the above items 1 and 2 ASAP (no later than 9:00 a.m. on February 22) to the school that is co-ordinating this on your behalf OR mail to the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools (OACS), 790 Shaver Road, Ancaster, Ontario L9G 3K9 (Attention Judy Tomczak) where it must be received by February 25 for the OACS to meet the filing deadline.

For everyone receiving this memo:
Please complete the survey by following this link

We have received some good news from CEAF. 
The lawyer working on behalf of CEAF made an appeal to CRA official, Gary Huenemoeder, for some consideration for donors affected by the CRA review of the donations made through the School Support Program.  CRA has responded with a decision to hold off on proceeding to reassessment if the notices are not received in thirty days. This gives donors more time to decide how to respond to their letters. You will be able to go past your return date for some time without the threat of immediate reassessment. 
This decision also gives organizations such as the OACS and CEAF more time to sort out who can and will provide the leadership of a donor defense.  For donors, this means we all have more time to establish the name to be placed on the T1013 forms.
The OACS has also learned that many donors have contacted the CRA Office in Kitchener to speak to the officials about their letter. The nature of many of these calls has been less than respectful with some individuals expressing opinions on the work of the CRA in rather negative terms. Our advice to donors is to remain respectful at all times in these engagements.  Having angry outbursts with these decision-makers does not represent us well as Christians and they may be counter-productive in the long run.

Parent/Student/Teacher Conference Monday, March 4.  Conference request forms are due Thursday, Feb. 21.  See the end of the Journal.

See you this Friday for the Family Fun Night’s hearty Meat and Potatoes Dinner!
Friday Family Fun Night This month’s Friday Family Fun Night is a hearty Meat and Potatoes dinner! Take a night off from cooking and bring your family and friends to enjoy a warm homemade dinner this Friday - February 22 from 5:00-7:30pm in the school gym. Cost is Adults $8 and Children (12 + under) $5 and all proceeds go directly back into the school! Delivery to Heritage Place and Takeout will also be available.

JK, SK, All Grades Registration tomorrow, all day 8-4 and evening 6:30-8. 
Please bring along a copy of our child’s certificate, health card and immunization record.  We will photocopy the necessary documents for you.  Mrs. Groeneweg will be available to talk to you in the evening session.  Mr. Cameron will be available to talk to you after 10:45 (when he is done is classroom duty) to do an admission interview with you. 
If you cannot make the registration please call or e-mail the school and we can get the paperwork to you or you may drop in at any time to the office.  We would appreciate having your completed paperwork as soon as possible as we are looking at numbers for class sizes.
If you are undecided about your child attending I.C.S. in the fall please feel to come that evening anyway, browse, have a tour of the school, talk to Mrs. Groeneweg and Mr. Cameron.  We would love to have you come.

T.R.I.P.  The March order is attached to this Journal.  It is early because of the March Break.  Orders are due on Feb. 28 with pick up on Wednesday, March 6th because of the P.D. day on the 7th.  

Cheese Order:  Our March Cheese order is attached.  Orders are due on Feb. 27th with delivery on March 6th.         

Meat, Baked Good and Epicure Order for Easter is attached.  Just in time for your  special holiday family dinners.   Orders due: Wed. March 5 (please no late orders).  Pick up orders: Thurs. March 28 between 2:30-4.  It is much appreciated that coolers are dropped off before hand with your name on them!

Electives:  Our last elective will be this Friday to make up for the snow day we missed.  Thank you so much to all our volunteer leaders, and drivers to help make this program happened.  Our school has been blessed with many folks with different talents willing to share their time and expertise with our young students.  You are greatly appreciated!  

Attention all choir members:  For our special Grandparents’ and Senior Friends’ Day presentation, each of you need a black long sleeved shirt and a black (or very, very, very dark pants), even sports pants are fine and black socks.  Please gather those items an brig them to school for practice.

Help Wanted!  Please contact the Principal if this is you...

     Occasional Building Attendant.  Position involves opening and closing the gym for rentals, with janitorial services during and
     after the rental, depending on the booking.  Wages paid are the janitorial fees charged with the rental.  The ideal applicant ideally
     lives locally, and is able to attend ICS on an occasional basis depending on rentals.  The successful candidate will work with the
     janitor, and for the Principal.  Please contact the Principal for more information.  Applications may be sent to the office by Feb 27.

     Volunteer Handyman.  This is an ideal position for a retired gentleman who has a desire to serve with his hands on a weekly or
     bi-weekly basis in the school for a few hours during business hours.  We have many small items needing repair, which often wait
     until they become bigger before getting done - we'd like to move to a more proactive system, taking pride in our school building
     and keeping it in a high standard of repair.

     Tech Team.  Are you interested in learning how we keep our computers running?  Our tech team is seeking one interested
     applicant who is willing to learn!  

Hat & Gum Day: - Fri 1 Mar.  Licences and activities will cost $1, with funds going towards development of Christian curricular resources.  Activities include face painting, hair colouring, nails, and basketball.  Students participate by class from 9 to 10:30.  Licences are good for the entire day.  We will also let the grade 8s take leadership of a winter carnival taking place over lunch recess.  Students will participate by school families in a round-robin fashion.  The Ed Ctte is seeking volunteers to help with the morning events - please contact Emily Schuurman or Georgie Rodenburg.

ICS is hosting a Touch A Truck event June 1st on the school property.  We are also combining this event with an open house so that people in the community get to know us a little bit better.  We would like a few extra people on the committee to help out with planning this community event.  If interested please email dmantel@eastlink.ca.  We are meeting once a month for a few hours to plan the event and you would be asked to help out the day of the event (10a.m-3p.m)

Hockey:  Practice this week is tomorrow morning, Thursday, Feb. 21.  Exhibition game at 3:15 against Strathroy at the EECC.

It’s not too early to think SPRING!!!  We still have 16 trees left from our annual Sweets, Treats, and Treasurers sale ready to be planted in someone’s backyard!  We have 5 4”-5” large soft needle blue spruce and 11 3”-4” small soft needle blue spruce.  Please contact Christine Janssens @ 519-269-3305 or cjansssens@execulink.com for more info.

LDCSS Annual Spring Fundraising Dinner, Saturday, March 2nd.  This year we are excited to be offering an Indonesian Rijsttafel.  We invite you to come and join together for an evening of warm fellowship with friends, good food, and great music at LDCSS.  Proceeds will be going toward the budget and Tuition Assistance fund.  Punch reception at 6pm, dinner at 6:30.  Reserve now by sending an email to dinner@ldcss.ca stating your name, phone number and number of tickets required.  Tickets are $30.  You may book an entire table for 8 or any number of individual tickets.  You may also order tickets by calling the school office at 519-455-4360.  See www.ldcss.ca for more details.  

FROM THE CLASSROOMS:
JUNIOR / SENIOR KINDERGARTEN – Mrs. Groeneweg
Some of the things we have done in Kindergarten:
                Bible: Good Shepherd, Great Banquet.
                Letter and sound: W
                Math: All About Number: 11 (eleven, tally, count, number before and after 11..) 
                Show and Tell: JK - Tuesday, Feb 26.  SK - Wednesday, Feb 27           

GRADES 1 and 2 - Ms. Pieters

Memory Work: for Wednesday, February 28                You are the Shepherd                          ccli # 1443206
(John 10:3-5, 14-15) Keith & Kristyn Getty

You are the shepherd; I belong to you.
When I walk on rough ground, You can guide me through.
You know my name, You know my voice.
Before I was born, I was Your choice.
Show me how to follow. Lord, keep me close to You.
You are the Shepherd; I belong to You.                    
Spelling: Spelling Dictation words for Monday, February 25
Grade 1: ropes, bones, kites, bees, cakes, boxes, foxes, roses
Grade 2: you, your, yes, yell, drop, line, side, dress, draw, saw

GRADES 3 and 4 – Ms. Buma

Fri. Feb. 22 – Spelling Dictation:  (Review Lists) Grade 3 words are:  surprise, cried, finally, cookie, due, clue, voice, loyal, chocolate, it’s, wouldn’t, wasn’t, follow, found, cousin, even, raise
Grade 4 words are:  living, travelled, appeared, earliest, roughest, heavier, surface, collar, worth, wolves, potatoes, libraries, bought, almost, faucet, caution, because, cycle, dangerous, geography
Fri. Feb. 22 – Math Quiz:  Grade 3:  Checkup:  Multiplying with 12 as a factor.  Example:  (12 x 2 = 24) and (12 x 12 = 144)
Wed. Feb. 27 – Memory Work:  (Psalm 135: 5 – 6) Kids’ Study Bible
I know that the LORD is great.  I know that our LORD is greater than all gods.  The LORD does anything he wants to do in the heavens and on the earth. He does it even in the deepest parts of the oceans.
Accelerated Reader:   A note including your child’s 3rd Term AR goal will be sent home this Friday, Feb. 22.
Scholastic Book Orders:  March flyers were sent home today.  Please return any completed Book Orders to school by Friday, March 1.  Thank you.
Student of the Week:  This week’s Student of the Week is Lucas Krahn.  Next week: Kaylynn Mantel.
Swim to Survive:  Grade 3 students will attend their last session at the St. Thomas YMCA this Friday, Feb. 22.  We will be leaving ICS at 1:00 PM and plan to return to school by 3:15 – 3:20 PM.  Please remember to pack your bathing suit and towel, girls and boys!

GRADE 5 and 6 – Mrs Drop

Memory Work: 1 John 5:1 & 2
Spelling:  Review the words carefully for Friday's dictation
Science: the class should be very pleased with their marks on the electricity projects and the test last week.  I am impressed with the understanding and creativity displayed!  Well done!
Health: this morning, we started on a unit on Connecting and Growing.  Connecting deals with healthy expressions of our emotions, while Growing deals with the physical changes of adolescence.  Please contact Mr Cameron should you have any questions.

GRADE 7 and 8 – Mr. TenBruggencate / Ms. Jones

Friday, 22nd at 9 a.m. Mr. Buma from LDCSS will be speaking to the Grade 8’s concerning September enrolment and course selection.
Memory Work: "But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14: 17b-18
"Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." John 14:19-20
Bonus John 14: 17-20
Science: Improve test mark Wednesday at Lunch recess

Science Fair is on March 21st
Math: continuing work next class
Geography: Climate Graph due Wednesday, Feb.20
Spelling: Friday Feb. 22
Art: Fraction Drawing art assignment due March 8th

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Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, March 4, 2012
                       
                This conference is intended for everyone who wishes to have an update on their child’s progress, be informed about their CTBS score, or has a special concern to discuss.  New this year, if you wish, students from grades 3-8 may also attend the conference with you.  You will notice a self reflection form included with this term’s report cards which may be used during these conferences. 

A teacher may make a request to have parents come in for an interview as well. 

Please indicate on this form the approximate time and which teachers you would like to see for your scheduled conference.  We ask that you only book a conference with your child’s classroom teacher.  He or she will have marks and or comments from the rotary teachers.  If your child has Resource support, please book a conference also with the Resource teacher.  If after these conferences, you wish to speak to one of the other teachers, please call him/her to schedule an appointment.

                Showing a (1) for first choice and a (2) for second choice will help us in our time scheduling.  A “Parent/Teacher Conference Schedule” sheet serving as your confirmation will be attached to the Journal the week before the conferences.
                       
I prefer the following time:  4:00 - 5:00 _____  6:00 - 7:30  _____  7:30 - 9:00  _____                        

                I wish to see the following teacher(s):
                                   child’s teacher                                                  child

                ____________________________ concerning ________________

                ____________________________ concerning ________________

                ____________________________ concerning ________________

                ____________________________ concerning ________________

                                                                                                _____________________________
                                                                                                     Parent’s name (please print)

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Friday Family Fun Night
Hearty homemade
Meat and Potatoes Dinner
Friday, February 22
5:00-7:30pm
Adults $8.00 Children 12 + under $5.00
Immanuel Christian School in the Gym

A part of Immanuel Christian School’s

Friday Family Fun Night!

There’s one each month – a fun way to get together and proceeds go directly back into the school. Hope to see you there!

Delivery to Heritage Place and Takeout now available too!