Friday 20 April 2018

ICS Blog discontinued temporarily!



Please note that due to technical challenges with Blogger, we have discontinued posting the Journal online. Formatting was a persistent challenge. Distribution will continue by email and hard copy.

The school calendar may be viewed on our website at http://immanuelchristianschool.net/calendar.html.

Wednesday 28 February 2018

February 28th, Journal 2018


The ICS Journal
logo-school.jpg

Wednesday, Feb 28th, 2018

Mission:  Immanuel Christian School assists parents in raising children to follow Christ with an excellent elementary program and a focus on Christian character growth.

Upcoming Events


Mar   1st - Jump into JK/SK #4
                  Gr. 4-5 Museum of Ontario Archaeology field trip
         2nd - Friday Family Fun Night 5-7pm
                  Winter Electives #4, Swim to Survive #3
         3rd - Legion Public Speaking Contest - Zone Level in St. Thomas.  
         5th - Children’s mental health workshop & kids movie night        
                  (McGregor PS 6:00-8:00pm)            
               -  Jr. Girl’s basketball practise at lunch
         6th -  Jr. Girl’s basketball practise after school 3:30-4:45
         7th - Chapel - Lent #4
                  Bluewater Hockey Tournament
         8th - Winter Electives #5, Swim to Survive #4
         9th - First day of March break
       19th - Return back to school after March Break
       21st - Chapel whole school drama rehearsal
       23rd - BlueWater District Christian Schools Science Challenge
       27th - Battle of the Books at LDCSS
       28th - Spring Celebration of Learning & Drama
                  Hot Lunch - Sub day
       29th - Easter Break (no classes)    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
75 Caverly Rd, Aylmer, N5H 2P6
Telephone: 519-773-8476
Facebook: facebook.com/ICSAylmer       
Twitter:  twitter.com/ICSAylmer

LDCSS:  www.ldcss.on.ca   519-455-4360

Christian Schools Foundation (endowment): www.christianschoolfoundation.ca

From the Principal’s Desk:
On Sunday afternoon, my wife and I were among the “disaster tourists” surveying the collapsed cantilever bridge span in Port Bruce. Later that night, I was reading the Daily Bread devotional, which spoke of the importance of sure foundations. Whether foundations or supports (we’ll have to wait on the engineering assessment), what’s often hidden from the eye is key to lasting strength. I’m struck by the parallels with Christian education for our children. The ODB devotional pointed me toward Isaiah 33:6, which declares that the Lord “will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Alongside family and church, ICS aims to build lasting foundations of faith that will endure for a lifetime of Christian service! That’s not easy, the costs of money, time and effort are high, but the results do speak over time in terms of children growing into adults, confident of the skills God has given them, serving Him in their local community, and raising their own children in the faith. That is a foundation upon which God’s kingdom is built!
We are open for new family enrolments! All grades are currently open for Fall 2018, with limited availability in gr 4, 5, 6. In the coming weeks, we have three families with older children “jumping into Immanuel” with their children experiencing classes for a day. We are actively seeking more kindergarten enrolments. As discussed at our latest board meeting, I will be proposing an option for optional full-time programming for JK. Let me know if that interests you, or if it may interest a family you know! More details to follow…

In Christian education, Keith Cameron, Principal and Chief Operating Officer
Principal Search Update #3: The Principal Search Committee (PSC) has sifted through the applications and has completed the first round of interviews!  There are a couple of qualified candidates, and the second round of in-depth interviews will continue with these individuals.  The next couple of weeks will be intense for the PSC.  The possibilities have been narrowed down, and they now face the challenging task of choosing the person they feel is the best fit for ICS.  From that point, the chosen candidate will be presented to the Board for approval in April, and the greater school community will be fully updated at the May 2nd 7pm Membership Meeting.
Please keep this process and the school community in your prayers, as well as Keith and Amanda as they actively prepare for their family’s move to Nigeria.  
On behalf of the ICS Board of Directors, Jacklyn Versnick

Each week, during staff devotions we join in prayer for our parents and staff members. We invite you to do so as well.
Praying for our parents: Please pray for Keith & Ellyn Sinke as well as Dave & Charlene VanGurp.  
Let’s continue to remember the Krahn family as Anna’s father has made some progress. Prayers for healing and patience would be appreciated as they wait for when he is stable enough to return to Ontario.
Praying for our staff: Please pray for our Librarian Mrs. Nancy Robinson

REMINDERS:
Immunizations: Notices have been mailed out to students whose immunization records are not up to date with St. Thomas Public Health. Students who do not have up to date records on file with public health, will need to address the overdue vaccination issues by March 6th. A clinic will be held at Elgin St. Thomas Public Health, March 5th, from 4-7pm, so students can avoid being suspended March 6th.
T.R.I.P:.Due on March 1st, pickup on the 8th.

Scooters: We are thankful for the nice weather, but we ask that you leave scooters at home. They do not transport well on full busses and can be a tripping hazard if left in the hallways.  

Friday Family Fun Night: ALOHA! This Friday is the next FFFN and we're having a Hawaiian Luau!! There is still time to bring in your change and vote for the teacher you would like to see get a pie in the face. Who will it be? Mr.Bierman, Mr.Cameron or Ms.Smeets? The best dressed Hawaiian at the Family Fun Night, will get to throw the pie at 6pm!  At the door admission will be: $10/adult and $7/child (12 and under). Thank you to the families who pre-ordered their FFFN admission, your co-operation is greatly appreciated! *Looking to get some G.I.F.T.S hours completed? Sign up to help the FFFN crew here. Complimentary dinner included!

Income Tax Receipts: Tax receipts are coming, we will have them mailed out by next week at the latest.

Electives field trip: The “You're the Chef!” elective class will be going on a field trip this Friday March 2nd to the Amish bakery called Country Flavour-Rites. All baking is done at this bakery using a wood-fired oven. Children may bring up to $5 to make a purchase while there. Leaders Mrs. Margaret Voth and Mrs. Marg Klassen will be the volunteer drivers.

From the Missions Club: We are so excited for Abigail Atkinson as she prepares for her missions trip to Nairobi, Africa.  Dhe will be helping at an orphanage there.  The missions club would like to support Abigail by filling a suitcase full of items to donate to the children there.  We are looking for: pencils, pens, spiral bound notebooks, composition notebooks, erasers, rulers, coloured chalk, watercolours, paintbrushes,  paper, blankets ot craft items.  We ask that all items be new.  There will be a prize for the class that brings the most donations!  Let's send a suitcase full of love to Africa!!!!!

Royal Canadian Legion Certificate of Merit: Legion Branch #81 in Aylmer has awarded ICS in recognition of encouraging participation every year in the Youth Education programs. Promotion of the Legion programs is to the betterment of the Legion and the future of the individuals participating.

Job Posting - Music and Junior Rotary Teacher. Do you know someone interested / able? Point them our way, please! All our postings are on our website (www.immanuelchristianschool.net/job-postings.html) and on the OACS site (http://lightbringers.oacs.org/)

Hockey: Parents, our last practice will be on Monday rather than Tuesday as our tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, March 7 in Strathroy. Please refer to the information form and tourney schedule for game times.  Students are expected to arrange for their own transportation.  Please inform Mr. Bierman if you are unable to find a ride for your child.

Jr. Basketball Practices: Girls - Monday March 5th at lunch and Tuesday March 6th after school from 3:30-4:45. Please make sure all forms are in by the end of the week. Games will start after March Break - days to be announced. Boys-Tuesdays at lunch

Art: Art Exhibition at the St. Thomas Public Art Centre is on! The student’s work looks great in the gallery!!


The excitement is building as we prepare to share with you “Life School Musical.” The actors & actresses are practicing and the students are learning their music. Combined with our celebration of learning, this is a night you won’t want to miss!
A Spring Celebration of Christian Learning!
Wednesday March 28th, 2018.
Matinee Performance: 9:30am whole- school drama
Evening Performance: 5:45-6:30pm students showcase their classroom learning with families
                                      6:45pm - 7:45pm Whole-school drama. Tickets are free, but limited!
RSVP to office@immanuelchristianschool.net or 519-773-8476

Needed for Spring Drama: Dry ice/fog machine... Please contact the office if you have one we can borrow. Thanks!

Library: The monthly overdue notices will go out tomorrow afternoon. Have you checked for and returned your books?


FROM THE CLASSROOMS…

Reminder: Due to allergies,  no peanut-based products are allowed at school or on the buses. Additionally, we ask that you limit egg-based items in Kindergarten lunches including boiled eggs and cream salad dressings.

JR / SR KINDERGARTEN - Mrs. Penner (s.penner@immanuelchristianschool.net)
Happy Birthday: We would like to wish Stewart Wells (6th) and Gavin Miller (5th) a very happy birthday as they both celebrated this last Monday, Feb. 26th. May God richly bless you both in your new year of life.
*Friday, March 2*  For K-2 electives, we will be creating something with paper mache!
We welcome Melissa Dyck into our classroom for the mornings of Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for her Co-op placement from E.E.S.S. We are appreciating her helping hands already!
Scholastic Book Orders: March flyers were sent home. If you would like to place an order, please complete the form and return it to school by Thursday, March 8 with the payment (cash, or cheque, or pay online). Thank you.
Library: Remember to return your library books by Monday.
Some of the things we are doing in Kindergarten.....
Bible: Elijah and the Fiery Chariot, (2 Kings 2). We will live with God forever.
Elisha and the Oil, (2 Kings 4:1-7). Elisha was filled with God’s Spirit so that he could perform miracles.
Letter and sound of the week: Xx We now know: s, a, t, n, i, p, c, k, e, h, r, m, d, o, g, b, j, z, f, w, l, u & x.
This month’s math focus: JK - Patterns & Shapes, SK - Graphing, Shapes & Solids

GRADE 1 and 2 - Ms. Pieters (m.pieters@immanuelchristianschool.net)
Memory Work: for Wed., March 7 He Loves Me (Life School Musical)
      Verse 1 & chorus
His love is patient. His love is kind. His love is with me all the time.
It isn’t jealous. It doesn’t boast. It trusts, protects and always hopes.
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really loves me this I know.
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really does, the Bible tells me so.
      Verse 2 & chorus
When I have Jesus, I have a friend. He’ll walk me through thick and thin.
At any moment of any day, He’ll always hear me when I pray.
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really loves me this I know.
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really does, the Bible tells me so.
      Bridge & chorus
Jesus loves me and He’ll stay close beside me all the way.
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really loves me this I know.
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really does, the Bible tells me…
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really loves me this I know.
He loves me, Jesus loves me. Yes, He really does, the Bible tells me so.
He really does, the Bible tells me so.
Spelling: List 20 dictation will be on Friday, March 2
Grade 1: late, gave, snake, line, feet, jeep, cone, use
Grade 2: have, give, live, love, from, much, such, old, told, friend
THANK YOU to our bus drivers Mr. Doug and Mrs. Ann Walters and to our volunteers Mrs. Danielle Bierman, Mrs. Andrea Klassen, Mrs. Sara Loewen, Mrs. Cally Manning and Mrs. Julie Peters. The Arctic presentation and display at the Children’s Museum added a great hands-on extension of learning and exploring Canada’s Arctic region.
Scholastic Book Orders: March flyers were sent home today. If you would like to place an order, please complete the form and return it to school by Thursday, March 8 with the payment (cash, or cheque, or pay online). Thank you.
Grade 1 Math: Our new unit focus is on length. Students will:
  • Compare the lengths of two or more objects, Arrange objects in order by length, Estimate and measure length
Grade 2 Math: Math Book A will be coming home next week! You will notice that not every page has been completed, making this a great resource for extra practice if your child needs it. We will begin our new unit (Mental Addition and Subtraction) next week as well.

GRADES 2 and 3 – Miss Loewen (a.loewen@immanuelchristianschool.net)
Happy Birthday to Rosemary Voth (March 4), who is turning 8! We wish you many blessings and a wonderful year.
Happy Birthday to Jarvis Loewen (March 6), who is turning 8! We wish you many blessings and a wonderful year.
Memory Work: for March 7 is  School of Life v 1 and 2
Verse 1
Open up your mind today.
Won’t you read the Book to find your way?
Learn to listen and obey.
Let’s step up and step out in faith
At the school of life.
Verse 2
Lessons tell of love that’s true.
Love He freely gives to me and you.
He is making all things new
So let’s live as He calls us to
At the school of life.
Spelling: List 17 quiz will be on Friday, March 2
Gr 2: now, down, how, out, shout, about, our, house, slow, show, sound, flow
Gr 3: follow, below, own, grown, town, ground, around, found, about, house, group, would, should, country, cousin, fountain, crown

Library: Remember to return your library books for tomorrow.
Language Arts: Wow, girls and boys. As a class, we read 3,150 minutes during the Olympics. Way to go!  Let’s keep working on using reading strategies that we know and challenging ourselves to read good-fit books.   
THANK YOU to our bus driver Mrs. Walters and to our volunteers Mrs. Leona Loewen, Mrs. Chantelle Bakker, Mrs. Tina Hiebert, Mrs. Katherine DeKraker, Mrs. Christine Janssens, and Mrs. Tara Foster. We had a wonderful trip and learned many neat things. See Facebook post for some pictures.
Accelerated Reader: Goals are due on Friday! There are only a couple people who still need to reach it. We can do this!
Phys Ed.: Due to scheduling, we have moved gym from Tuesday afternoons to Mondays at 9:35. Please send your child’s gym clothes along with them on Mondays.
Scholastic Book Orders: March flyers were sent home today. If you would like to place an order, please complete the form and return it to school by Thursday, March 8 with the payment (cash, or cheque, or pay online). Thank you.
Grade 3 Math. We’re finishing up measurement this week, going on to complete our multiplication 6, 7, 8 and 9 times tables. Check out the new Multiverse multiplication game on Mathletics! Mr Cameron
Swim to Survive: We are looking forward to our 3rd Swim to Survive class this Friday, March 2. Remember to bring your swimwear and towel, Grade 3! Ms. Buma

GRADES 4 and 5 - Ms. Buma (t.buma@immanuelchristianschool.net)
Fri. *March 2 - Spelling Dictation: List 17 Grade (4) - also, bought, cough, almost, false, officer, soft, stalk, halt, faucet, saucer, caution, lawyer, awesome, stall, crawl, awful, because, caught, salt
Grade (5) - signal, regular, generous, energy, bridge, genius, dangerous, segment, figure, country, circle, concert, peaceful, nice, since, electric, dancing, decided, guarantee, cancel
Memory Work: *Wed. March 7 - Song: Everywhere I Go - Verses 3 and 4
3. He is with me day by day; he will be my strength and stay;
From his path I will not stray but follow in his way.
4. In the coming days of joy or sadness, I will praise his name with songs of gladness.
For to me it’s clear that the Lord is near, everywhere I go.
Words and Music: Natalie Sleeth, arranged by Charlotte Larsen, 1992
Field Trip: Thurs. March 1 - We are looking forward to our upcoming Field Trip to the Museum of Archaeology in London this Thursday! Thank you to Mr. Doug and Mrs. Ann Walters for being our bus drivers. Thank you also to our parent volunteers who will be assisting us on this day: Mr. Chris Bakker, Mrs. Danielle Bierman, Mrs. Julie Peters. We will be leaving school at 8:45 a.m. and plan to return by 3:15 p.m. Students are required to bring lunches that are “Field Trip friendly” with food and drink in stored containers and bags. Parents, if you have any further questions, please feel free to call or email me at school or at home. Thank you.     
Accelerated Reader: Goal due date is Friday, March 2. Keep reading, Grades 4 and 5! You can do it!
Scholastic Book Orders: March flyers were sent home today. If you would like to place an order, please complete the form and return it to school by Thursday, March 8 with the payment (cash, or cheque, or pay online). Thank you.
Music:  Create your Newfoundland Ugly Stick.  Worksheet went home last week.  It is due on Fri Mar 2.
.

GRADES 5 and 6 – Ms. Farrow Jones (k.farrowjones@immanuelchristianschool.net)

Bible: Memory Work: Acts 6:8-10 for Friday.
Math 5: How do you divide fractions? Find the quotient. Please use mathletics at home to practise work.
LA: Writing: Cover letters and Formal essay writing format. Starting opinion essay on bullying at ICS. We are talking about concerns and solutions to bullying at school. Due March 2.
Reading: Olympic Reading Winners!!!
Battle of the Books: Keep reading, re-reading and practicing your questions! BATTLE DAY is March 27!
Art: Cartoon finals due by Friday.
Music:  Create your own instrument from recycled materials. Worksheet went home today. Due Mar 7.  Group Garbage Bands will prepare and perform after March Break.

GRADES 7 and 8 – Mr. Bierman (p.bierman@immanuelchristianschool.net)
Abigail Atkinson will be traveling to Kenya on March 20th-April 4th to use her gifts to serve at an orphanage in Nairobi.  As a class, we would like to support her in filling two suitcases with school supplies to share with the organization and the children. Students are encouraged to donate $5 from their own pockets, by March Break, for her to use to purchase pencils, books, and other supplies.
Science Challenge: We will compete Friday, March 2nd during first period. Parents are invited to come and cheer on the class. Check out the ICS Facebook video post or: https://bluewaterscience.wikispaces.com/home . One ICS team will compete at the competition after March Break.
Mathletics:  Our class was recently recognized as one of the top performers in the country, so I have registered us into the 2018 March Madness national competition. Students can complete assigned lessons or complete live mathletics activities to earn points.  The contest runs from March 5-April 1, with prizes available for top scores in the country.  In addition, students will compete on World Maths Day, March 7.  They will have an opportunity to raise money for Unicef supported schools in Zimbabwe, helping bring education to children in need.
Grad Shirt Orders went out today. If you want to order a shirt, please return order form and payment before March Break.
Music: Band instruments need to be at school every Wednesday and Friday.
Battle of the Books: Keep reading, re-reading and practicing your questions! BATTLE DAY is March 27!
Tech: Mr Cameron is teaching a segment on interactive Google Slides to go with the Geography assignment. We’re looking forward to some very impressive Geography presentations after March Break!