Churchill High School – Flexible Learning

Here is what’s current in the world of Flex…

1) The Hunger Games that are scheduled for Friday have been moved from Bird’s Hill Park to St. Vital Park.
- We are still missing permission forms from fifteen of your children.
- We are in need of many awesome parent drivers.
- We are in the process of booking a shelter that would allow us to attend rain or shine.

2)Most everyone seems to be in a bit of a panic over the exams that are approaching.
- I am trying to instill in your children that exams are not that big a deal. Yes, you have to study for them. Yes, studying can be fun. Yes, Dave and I are here to help everyone through the process.
- Science exam prep will occur following the English exams on June 4 and 5. We will use English class time to prepare. Things you may want to purchase are fun-coloured markers and recipe cards that they can bring to class.

3) We need the exam permission forms back.
- These permit your son or daughter to head home after exams and rest, regroup, in the comfort of their own home.
- If these forms do not make it back to school, we are legally responsible to keep your children with us for the entire day.
- Just to clarify – they will be exempt from school only during the official exam week of June 18 – 22.

4)Activity Days
- You may have heard rumor of the activity days for grade 7 students.
- Forms will be sent home late next week to explain the activities that are available for your children in June 25,26,27.

5) Grade 8 Camp
- We will be camping at West Hawk.
- Dates are June 25,26,27
- Letters will be heading home late next week with full details…

6) Final flex potluck on June 21!
- Come one, come all.
- bring a food dish, and bring your own dishes.
- let’s celebrate a great community of learners….

That’s all folks. Any questions, please feel free to e-mail Dave. Just kidding. Feel free to e-mail either of us at any time.

With thanks,

Tanis Westdal

Grade 8 students have a practice quiz on Order of Operations (PEMDAS) to be finished by tomorrow. There will be a unit test on this on Tuesday.
Thanks,
Dave

Hello wonderful parents!

   You know it’s been busy when you don’t even have a chance to send or check any emails until Wednesday!

   Things have been crazy busy at Churchill, and as soccer season winds down and May Long approaches, things are going to get crazier! All your children have been given calendars, which they have been instructed to keep in the front of their binders. On Tuesday, Tanis and I went over all the important dates coming up. It might be a good idea to sit down with your child and go over these dates again with them as there is a lot to remember! Some of these dates are the exam dates, which are also available on the Churchill website, but we’ve added some other dates specific to Flex. Some (but not all) of the important dates coming up…

June 1st: Our Hunger Games field trip. We’ll be spending a full day at Bird’s Hill park as a cap to a year in English and much time spent on studying the Hunger Games novel.

June 4-5th: English Exams (Grade 7 and 8).

June 7th: Social Studies final project due. This is a large-scale inquiry project that will serve as their Social Studies exam (worth 20% of their year’s grade). We have already started it, and at this point, students should know what they will be doing for it. The idea is for them to apply two or more major themes of the Social Studies curriculum (Geography, People and Places of the World, Human Rights, the Media, Global Development, and Sustainability) to something that they are interested in. For example, if a student is interested in comic books, s/he could create their own comic book about “Sustainability Man”, or if they enjoy writing stories, they could write a story about a young person growing up in a refugee camp.

The kids have amazing ideas, but we only have 9 classes left to work on this, so this is expected to be a homework project for the most part. This weekend, at least some time should be spent on it, whether it’s acquiring supplies (if they are, for instance, building a structure) or researching components of their topic. Please email us if you have questions.

June 12th: Grade 8 Math exam.

June 15th: Locker cleanup.

June 18th: 7/8 Science exam.

June 19th: Grade 7 Math exam and Social Studies “exam” (Students will come in for an hour or so to write a self assessment of their inquiry projects, which will be worth 25% of their project’s mark).

June 21st: Flex Potluck and Grade 8 farewell. (This date isn’t set in stone yet…)

June 25-27: Grade 8 Camp or Grade 7 activities.

June 28th: Awards Day.

June 29th: Last Day of School (Pick up report cards, say tearful goodbyes).

Whew!!

Again, if you have any questions, please let us know.

Thanks,

Dave and Tanis

Dear Parents,

   Just to let you know that Grade 8s have to finish their integer booklets by tomorrow.

Thanks,

Dave