BACK - - TO SCHOOL BACK TO SCHOOL AUGUST 2012 Supplement Exclusive to Gateway Gazette Digital Newspaper Displayed Digitally in 3 formats: 1) Printable PDF for all to share 2) e-Edition Flip-book great for computer viewing 3) Directly online for super clean mobile viewing 403-933-4283 · 403-938-2469 · [email protected] · www.gatewaygazette.ca
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BACK- -TO SCHOOLBACK TO SCHOOLAUGUST 2012
SupplementExclusive to Gateway Gazette Digital Newspaper
Displayed Digitally in 3 formats: 1) Printable PDF for all to share
2) e-Edition Flip-book great for computer viewing 3) Directly online for super clean mobile viewing
Submitted by: Brenda Thompson,President, Foothills Skating Club
On May 11th, 2012 the Foothills Skating Clubgathered for their annual AGM and awards night in
celebration of the years' accomplishments. All our skatersprogressed and developed their skating skills throughout the
season meeting the CanSkate and StarSkate program objectivesof creating a fun and active learning environment that engages'
skaters interest and challenges athletic and personal development.Our club objective is to develop self-confidence, focus and positive
attitude, develop fundamental movement, develop basic sport specificskills, introduce simple rules and ethics of the sport,
and instill a love of skating.CanSkate Champion Medals: Brayden Thornhill and Kamryn Blanchet.
CanSkater of the Year: Avery Meechan. Most improved Preschool Skater:Jason David. Most Improved Preliminary Prep Skater: Danielle Denning.
Program Assistant of the Year: Kyra Glazier-Morris. Martha Schiel MemorialAward: Jillian Falasconi. Patricia Fisher Award: Josh Brauner
Gold Skaters in Interpretive: Katelyn Thompson, Hannah Lansdell,Josh Brauner
Gold Skaters in Skating Skills: Hannah Lansdell, Katelyn Thompson, JoshBrauner. Gold Skaters in Dance: Katelyn Thompson, Josh Brauner,
Hannah Lansdell. Gold Skater in Freeskate: Alex Brauner. Triple GoldSkaters: Katelyn Thompson, Hannah Lansdell, Josh Brauner.
Quad Gold Skater: Alex BraunerStarSkater of the Year: Katelyn Thompson.
Foothills Skating Club will be offering CanPowerand CanSkate clinics in September.
Please visit our websitewww.ffsc.ca for
registration information.
Foothills
Skating
Club
FoothillsSkatingClub
• At intersections controlled by a safety patroller, be sure to listen andobey their directions and don't cross until they say it is to do so.• At intersections controlled by an overhead lit crosswalk, make sure toalways push the button, wait until the traffic (in both directions) stops.Then, make eye contact with the driver to ensure they see you and becareful that another vehicle is not passing the vehicle(s) that is stoppedfor you.
• At intersections not controlled by a safety patroller oran overhead lit crosswalk, wait until there are no vehiclesapproaching the intersection and look both ways beforeyou cross.
safe
While you are walking to and from school,
please be sure to stay safe by following the crosswalk safety tips:
In all instances, always pay attention while you are crossing a streetThis important message brought to you by:
The Town of Black Diamond Protective Services Department
Celebrates a Successful Season!
Gateway Gazette Digital Newspaper August 2012 ~ Back To School Supplement ~ www.gatewaygazette.ca~
Moving from a one room schoolhouse to a one world schoolhouse is now a reality.
- Cisco Systems
Leonard Quilty is a Teacher with the Center for Learning@Home in Okotoks, Alberta. He can be
reached by e-mail at [email protected] or visit his website at www.inspiredtoteach.com
I came across a really interesting video on Twitter last year. Its name is “Did you know?” The video
link was posted by a fellow educator, Richard Byrne:
(http://www.freetech4teachers.com/). The short video details the changes being brought about via
the internet and social media. Just to name three of those changes: the top 10 in-demand jobs in
2010 didn't exist in 2004; there are over 200 million users on MySpace – that would equal the fifth
largest country in the world; and 4 exabytes (a billion gigabytes!) of unique information were gener-
ated in 2011 – more than in the previous 5,000 years!
Isn't that amazing? But here's another point to consider. The video ended, almost ominously, with
an intriguing question (for which no answer was supplied). The question was: “So what does it all
mean?” That got me thinking, so I decided to watch the video a couple of more times.
Here's what I think it means. I believe it's an incredible advantage for humankind to have this “new
knowledge” multiplying at such a rapid pace. It's like what I've often heard or read in pedagogical dis-
cussions: all knowledge builds upon prior knowledge – the more knowledge you have, the easier it is
to accelerate the process.
That brain thrust of new knowledge can only augur well for possible breakthroughs in medical re-
search and other fields of endeavor. But, coupled with this evolution of human intelligence, there has
to be a parallel growth (at the very least) in our sense of moral certitude. As the information explosion
continues on its upward spiral, our ethical compass must be likewise directed to its true north. The
apostle Matthew pointed in that direction when he said in chapter 16, verse 26: “What will it profit a
man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?”
One night last summer I read, as a bedtime story to my youngest daughter, an adapted version of
the classic children's tale Alice in Wonderland. The story took quite a while to read and my daughter's
interest, because of her sleepy state, was beginning to wane. I hurried my pace a little and tried to
pique her continued interest by saying that an important part of the book was contained near the very
end. With her interest mildly renewed, I quickly arrived at the section where Alice had come to a fork
in the road. She then asked the Cheshire cat which road she should take. He asked her: “Where are
you going?” Alice replied that she didn't know. The Cheshire cat quickly responded: “Then it doesn't
matter what road you take.”
Contrary to Alice's predicament, on the information highway it's important to illuminate our way
with frequent signposts. For the purpose of clarity and direction, these signposts – displayed in flash-
ing neon colors – should read something like this. Attention: objects on the horizon are closer than
they appear. Always filter new discoveries through the triple sieve: the Ten Commandments; the
Golden Rule; and the advice from Jesus found in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth and the life: no
one comes to the Father except through me.”
From the Teacher's Desk by Leonard Quilty
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Gateway Gazette Digital Newspaper August 2012 ~ Back To School Supplement ~ www.gatewaygazette.ca~
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Ask the Principal
“How is the configuration of the classes deter-
mined each school year?”
This is a question of great concern for many parents. Par-
ents and school personnel both want to create the best possi-
ble learning environment for students. To do this, careful at-
tention is paid to the academic and social needs of each child.
Classes are created using class size guidelines that are based
on the staffing allocation given to the school. These ratios are
19.5 and 26.7 students per teacher for Division 1 & 2 classes
respectively. The make-up of school classes rarely match the
ratios and that is when decisions must be made in terms of
split, multiage and combined class groups. Turner Valley
School has basically had one class of each grade for the past
few years. Our student population is growing and it is likely
that there will be a split grade homeroom next year. The curric-
ulum for language arts and math and the options spirals and is
thus the same for all elementary grades and challenges the stu-
dents where they are at developmentally. Science and social
studies curriculums outcomes are combined. In this way we
create optimum class size numbers for all students and are
able to provide rich learning experiences.
Here is a comment from Dawn Jardie whose children have
experienced a variety of class configurations…
What a worry parenting can be! Every new experience to be
questioned, researched, double checked and doubted long after
the decision is made. We all want what is best for our children,
and it has been my experience that we have an amazing staff
and administration that also has our children's best interest at
heart. Thankfully taking some of the guess work out of this new
venture we call parenting.
Asking questions and seeking answers is a great start to un-
derstanding the multiage and combined class groups. We are all
learning as our kids experience every new opportunity – don't be
afraid to ask questions. Volunteering in my kids classrooms has
been an amazing opportunity to see firsthand how the teachers
and kids handle their daily tasks.
I have been impressed with the way the teachers and ad-
ministration combine their skill sets and divide/combine class-
rooms to provide for our children's individual needs. Let's keep
in mind this is no easy task, as year to year we are never certain
what funding will be given or taken away. Keeping the school
running smoothly, kids learning effectively and being happy stu-
dents – takes a special bunch of people – proud to say we have
them!
Yours in Education,
Rob Bennington
Technology has become an
integral part of life, affecting
how we communicate, how we
view our homes, how we con-
duct business and nearly every
other aspect of our daily lives.
That includes how we learn, es-
pecially for today's youngsters.
The classrooms of yesteryear
are quickly becoming a thing of
the past, as teachers are in-
creasingly turning to technol-
ogy to help students learn.
Whereas technology in the
classroom once meant teach-
ing basic computer software
and fundamental computer
skills, nowadays technology is
being integrated in ways that
supplement lesson plans re-
gardless of the subject matter.
Another way technology in
the classroom is benefitting to-
day's students is the wealth of
resources that technology can
provide. Classes connected to
the Internet, for instance, give
students access to the latest in-
formation about topics they're
studying. This can include up-
to-date studies and theories
from experts in the field or, for
current events students, in-
stant access to what is going
on in their community and be-
yond. Such accessibility was
unimaginable as recently as
15 years ago, but is quickly be-
coming commonplace, and
benefitting students along the
way.
Technology in the class-
room can also help teachers.
Students learn in their own
ways, but teachers faced with
growing class sizes and fewer
resources often find it hard to
connect with students who
might not respond to the same
teaching methods as their
classmates. Technology can
provide teachers with another
avenue by which to reach their
students, helping to engage
those students who might oth-
erwise have been turned off or
lacked the necessary initiative
to excel in school.
Teachers may also find that
technology in the classroom
makes it easier to reach stu-
dents. That's because kids
tend to find technology fun,
even if it's part of the learning
process.
TURNER VALLEY SCHOOL NEWSTURNER VALLEY SCHOOL NEWS
The Many Reasons To Support
Technology In The Classroom
Gateway Gazette Digital Newspaper August 2012 ~ Back To School Supplement ~ www.gatewaygazette.ca~
I appreciate when
teachers and parents
ask about tinted lenses
as a possible solution for
dyslexia - this tells me
there is an acknowledge-
ment of the role of vision
in reading and learning.
People will sometimes
ask about 'Irlen' lenses.
These are normal, un-
coated lenses that are sent to special labs to be tinted with
color chosen by a mostly arbitrary selection process. Some
parents and teachers have reported that such tints seem to
improve the reading problem for some children.
Most recently, a national distributor of glasses frames
and lenses has gotten on board the 'dyslexia glasses' wagon,
that is, tinted lenses for reading problems and they have
made some remarkable claims about the value of such
glasses that will almost certainly give false hope to many par-
ents. Because some vendors might be persuaded to offer
these products, it's important to clear some things up about
such 'dyslexia' glasses.
Start with some facts. There is no question that specific
tints and lens treatments (like polarized lenses and anti-
reflective coatings) can help in making visual targets easier
to see. So, for myself, I prefer brown polarized lenses for driv-
ing in sunny conditions or for fishing and the reason is sim-
ple: Things are easier to see, and more comfortable on the
eyes. As another example, there is some evidence that grey
polarized lenses provide better vision on the golf course.
Some tints can make reading easier by adding contrast
to print and by making the reader more comfortable by re-
ducing the 'noisiness' of room light or daylight. Generally
this benefit is short-lived and parents are left wondering if
they should replace the lenses when the child needs an up-
date. People with dyslexia might find tinted lenses comfort-
able for the same reasons as anyone else might, but the tint
will not help the dyslexia.
If these glasses seem to provide a real benefit to a child's
comfort while reading, there is a good chance there is an un-
derlying problem with focusing, eye muscle control or eye
alignment. Addressing the functional issues will usually
solve the problem then the child can continue on with the
school curriculum and try to catch up.
There is generally no measurable impact on reading per-
formance due to tinted lenses, nor is it generally measured.
When a child's behaviour doesn't change and grades don't
rise, and after the money is spent, parents are left with the
feeling that 'vision' is of no consequence in reading or learn-
ing, and nothing could be further from the truth.
Most children who are referred to my clinic for reading
and learning problems have been diagnosed as dyslexic
and/or having problems with attention. The great majority
of these children do have vision problems that can and
should be addressed as part of a full care plan. Strong vision
remains an important cornerstone of success in school, but
parents and teachers are reminded that reading is complex
and tinted lenses are not likely to be a cure. If a child strug-
gles in school, vision is almost certainly part of the problem,
but this requires professional assessment and intervention
before money is wasted on false claims.
Views on Vision
By Dr. Charles A. Boulet
Tinted Lenses and DyslexiaGateway Gazette Digital Newspaper August 2012 ~ Back To School Supplement ~ www.gatewaygazette.ca~
Diamond Valley Vision Carein Black Diamond www.dvvc.cawww.LearningManagement.ca
Foothills School Division students head back to school
Tuesday, September 4, 2012!
Back to School FAQs:
What about junior high and high school students?
Our junior high and high schools have staggered return datesfor students at different grade levels. If in doubt, check yourschool’s website or call your school starting August 23
New to our Division?
Contact your local school starting August 23 to register
Not sure what your designated school is?
Visit our website or call 403.652.3001For more information about bussing visit our website or
call Transportation at 403.652.6547
www.fsd38.ab.ca
High River & Okotoks in-town buses:
Bus passes: pick up at your school from August 23through the second week of September
Students MUST have a pass to board the bus
Rural bus routes:
Bus pass NOT required
Bus drivers will contact families before September 4about pick-up locations and times
Questions about bus transportation?
As September moves closer, we
are very excited for another great year
at Longview School.
We are very pleased to welcome
Ms. Amanda Hoyle back as the Grade
3 / 4 teacher. She will also teach art
and music to her homeroom students
as well as drama to our 5 / 6 stu-
dents. She has been an incredible as-
set to our school and will continue to
use her talents to the lead school
plays and events throughout the
year.
Ms. Amanda Caporicci-Urovitch
comes to Longview as the new Kin-
dergarten teacher and will teach
French to students in Grades 3 to 6.
We are excited that she will be our
Learning Coach to support student
and staff learning at Longview
school. Her experiences with stu-
dent literacy and leadership make
her an asset to our community.
We are very fortunate to have Mrs.
Ainsley Croil join our school as the
Grade 5 / 6 teacher, Instructional
Coach and art / music teacher for the
Grade 1 / 2 class. She is joining us
from Spitzee Elementary School in
High River. Ainsley has just com-
pleted her Masters in Education from
Oxford-Brookes (England), specifi-
cally in leadership and management
and is looking forward to working in
Longview.
Ms. Emily Christensen is another
new arrival that we are thrilled to
have join our school team. She will
teach the Grade 1 / 2 class and
Grade 5 / 6 art. She is very excited to
be joining our staff and looks forward
to working in the community of
Longview.
Our amazing librarian Mrs. Jan
Dyck, returns to continue making
our library a wonderful center that
supports student learning and liter-
acy. The hard work and commitment
of Mrs. Winfield, Mrs. Graham, Mr.
Malmberg and Mrs. Denomi will con-
tinue to make Longview School a
great place to be.
We will continue to build our Phys-
ical Education, Sports and Arts pro-
grams at Longview School. We have
an amazing school with wonderful
and supportive parents who nurture
our students and support learning.
We look forward to working together
to continue making Longview School
a place where learning soars. We
will see everyone on September 4th
as we kick off the school year with a
continental breakfast and welcome
back assembly.
New Principal, Chet Musgrove,Introduces Staff Members
Gateway Gazette Digital Newspaper August 2012 ~ Back To School Supplement ~ www.gatewaygazette.ca~
There is a power outage, and your child's school is dismissing students early, requir-
ing you to arrive quickly for pickup. Your kid will not be left waiting for you because you
got this information immediately after a quick log-in to the social media site you use to
connect with other parents. Some other parents may be delayed in receiving this impor-
tant information because they rely on phone alerts.
Social media has changed the way people communicate. Whether through tweets or
status updates, information shared through social media avenues is often instantaneous
and can reach a large number of people, which is why many parents have turned to so-
cial media to learn about events at school.
According to a study by Nielsen McKinsey Company, parents are more likely than
adults without children to play games, engage in creative pursuits, and look for enter-
tainment on Facebook, blogs and other social sites. The data collected from 2,000 adults
(both parents and nonparents) who frequently use social media found 88 percent of us-
ers rely on social networking sites for communicating with family and friends. The next
most popular activity is connecting with new friends, followed by accessing product re-
views and online entertainment. Reports show that adults devote a quarter of their time
spent online to social media sites. Parents, in particular, are finding new ways to put
these sites to use.
Social media is helping parents in a variety of ways, even enabling them to keep an eye on
their children when they go online. According to a survey from Laptop magazine, 55 percent
of parents are using social media to watch their kids' online activities. Of that 55 percent,
one-fifth indicated they only use social media to monitor their child's online activity.
However, social media has other handy purposes. Many parents use it as they
would a bulletin board - posting all types of information. Some parents use social
media to stay abreast of school happenings, asking questions about when
fundraiser money is due or if anyone got the spelling words for the week. Others
find it is a good way to meet parents or speak with the parents of their child's
classmates. Some moms and dads use it to set up parents' nights out, advertise
things for sale or ask for recommendations on contractors.
Parents also use social media to invite people to special events, including birth-
day parties. Others can see who was invited and decide if they're going to come,
too.
More parents are turning to social media sites for advice and
information, to stay in touch or simply to share a good laugh.
Parents Connecting With Social Media
ONE ON ONEONE ON ONEONE ON ONE
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403-933-4840Black DiamondBlack Diamond
Come on in for all your Back to School Hair Cuts
Back to School Specials
Gateway Gazette Digital Newspaper August 2012 ~ Back To School Supplement ~ www.gatewaygazette.ca~
Girl Guidesof Canada 1-800-565-8111
www.albertagirlguides.ca
The back to school season can be bit-
tersweet. Parents may miss having their
youngsters around the house when sum-
mer officially ends, but it's also fun for
parents to watch kids partake in all that
school has to offer.
One of the things few parents look for-
ward come the end of summer vacation is
back-to-school shopping. Such shopping
can be costly, especially when it's time to
outfit kids with new wardrobes. While a
complete wardrobe overhaul might not be
necessary, kids typically need to replace a
few items they've outgrown since the start
of summer break. There are several ways
parents can save on back-to-school
clothes.
* Get a head start. Parents can save
themselves some money by shopping
early for their children's back-to-school
wardrobes. Though kids may experience
a growth spurt during the summer, shop
for items, like socks, that they aren't
likely to grow out of before the back-to-
school season begins. This affords you
time to comparison shop and spread out
the cost of replacing your child's ward-
robe instead of being hit with one big bill
all at once.
* Establish a budget. Without a bud-
get, it's easy for parents to overspend on
back-to-school clothing, especially for
those parents who wait until the last min-
ute and simply buy the first things they
see. Establish a budget, ideally several
weeks before your
child's first day of
school. Having a budget
in place reduces the like-
lihood that you will over-
spend, and developing
the budget early helps
you spread out your
spending.
* Shop at consign-
ment stores. Consignment stores
offer name-brand clothing at dis-
counted prices, something par-
ents of ever-growing youngsters
can appreciate. Kids will like the
name-brand gear, while Moms
and Dads will enjoying not having
to pay name-brand prices. A con-
signment store with significant in-
ventory might sell anything from blue
jeans and T-shirts to sneakers, shoes and
jackets.
* Swap clothes with other families.
Clothing swaps between families have
grown increasingly popular as more and
more parents look to save money on ris-
ing clothing costs for their kids. Typically,
families will swap clothes, including jack-
ets, if their kids are similar in age and one
youngster has outgrown his or her
clothes. If you can't find a family to swap
with, visit your local community center or
church to see if it has a clothing swap pro-
gram.
* Shop discount stores. If the local con-
signment store has already been raided,
consider a discount store. These stores
typically sell items at heavily discounted
prices and often have similar inventories
to mall department stores.
* Shop online. A relatively new way for
parents to save on back to school clothing
is to shop online. A popular store's Web
site might offer discounts that their
brick-and-mortar store does not. Parents
can also scour a host of coupon Web sites
to find special codes they can use at
checkout. These codes might offer free
shipping or a percentage off the bill when
consumers spend a certain amount of
money.
Save On Back-To-School Clothes ShoppingGateway Gazette Digital Newspaper August 2012 ~ Back To School Supplement ~ www.gatewaygazette.ca~