The big screen in the forum serves as a picture record of these many events. For example, this past week, students and parents enjoyed watching the Kindergarten Family Dance pictures scrolling across the screen. For the ninth year in a row, Barry and Colleen Hill provided the music for the dance. The kindergarten students and their families packed the gym for this special event. What a turn-out!
Some parents danced along with their children, while others seized the opportunity to visit or take memorable photos. Encouraged by their teachers Mrs. Thorne, Mrs. du Toit, Mrs. Bruketa and Mrs. Norman, the students participated in many familiar dances such as the Hokey Pokey and the Limbo.
The library has a lovely picture display as well, but it’s not photo art. Instead it is an impressive, uplifting chalk art display of butterflies created by our very own SES students. The butterflies help lift our spirits and remind us that spring is finally here. These beautiful butterflies arrived just in time to help us appreciate Earth Day.
All across the school students were participating in lessons and discussion about Earth Day. In Mrs. Rachar’s Grade 3 class, the students were engaged in several activities for Earth Day; after reading stories, viewing videos and discussing ways to help our Earth, the students created an art and writing project explaining how they can do their part in protecting the Earth.
The students in Mrs. Starling’s Grade 2 class were also busy writing. They wrote full length adventure stories and then published their stories. The published works included cleaver illustrations. Hats off to these young authors. To achieve recognition, authors are well served to present their stories to their reading audience. Thus, Mrs. Starling’s students practiced reading their stories with expression before engaging in an “author reading” event. Although, these young writers are not yet on the New York Times Best Sellers list, Ms. Limpert’s Grade 1 students were mightily impressed as they attended their first ever, “author reading” event and listened intently to the Grade 2 stories.
To begin the Friday afternoon assembly, Mrs. Starling’s class led the singing of the 7 Habits song while Mrs. Kirby played the music. Monthly assemblies are designed to highlight one of the 7 Habits and to reflect on all that the students and staff have accomplished in the past month. The Grade 1 students presented the feature habit of the month on Friday. A number of parents watched proudly as their child participated in delivering a 7 Habits lesson. It was an entertaining lesson.
Among the many accomplishments, Mrs. Fischer highlighted during the assembly was the SES Science Fair. Students in Grade 5 held their awards ceremony for their Science Fair winners on a beautiful day outside on Friday, April 10. In an earlier interview, Mr. Howell, spoke on behalf of fellow Grade 5 science teachers Mrs. Fox and Mr. Thorne. He said, “Our students worked on their projects over an eleven week period using the Scientific Method.”
The prize winners were in three separate categories. There were gold level, silver level, and bronze level award winners. Prizes included sports bags, cash prizes, and coupons to the Space and Science Centre in Edmonton.
Gold level winners were Erin Mercier and Shaelee Schwartz for their project on “Eww! Mold!”, Issac Deaver and Garnett Kromm whose project was on “Garbage Gas”, and Avery Olafson and London Landry who did a project called “Tutee Fruity”. Silver level winners were Reid Coulthard and James McArthur, Reagan Robbins and Cassie Smith, Natasha Smith and Evie Blake, and Taylor Roth. Bronze level winners were Shandelle Froese and Jessica Turnbull, Robert Leslie and Kody Baillie, Chloe Shingoose and Gabby Heck, Ty Holden and Cody Paulson, Yuvraj Uppal and Zach Forseth, and Kendra Knudtson and Kiersten Brittain. Mr. Howell said, “These projects instill in our students a passion for science. This will be useful to them in the future.”
Monthly assemblies give us all an appreciation for the enriching experiences students at Stettler Elementary School enjoy.