Hello R7A Families –

Would you please let me know via e-mail whether you receive and read this weekly blog? Thank you. It is always good to know who is out there and who is reading the blog.

Report card envelopes and student- and parent- input cut-off forms should be handed in as soon as possible, please. With the report card, you would have received a note about parent-teacher interviews next week, on Thursday evening and Friday morning. If you would like a separate, longer meeting, please let me know. Most of the R7A students are doing well, academically – which is just fine!

This coming week we will be planning a class potluck based on our work on food groups in Health Education. Our next Health unit will be on healthy relationships and social media. Please do have regular conversations with your children about and what they are using on their tablets, computers and phones. Two major areas for vigilance concerning social media for younger teenagers are the amount of time on-line and the appropriateness of communication. I will be sending information home as the unit goes on.

This past week, a few of our students met with the grade 5/6 class to share and read out their residential school journal entries. Ms Kirk, the other teacher, and I were very impressed by the creativity and the empathy of the writers and the audience. Some of our students will be working with the younger students on their writing. This will be a good and enriching experience for all.

Dress warmly – it looks like Ottawa’s winter is coming! The leaves are still stubbornly clinging on the oak trees, and some snow is on the ground. Below is a photo we took on our last day of climbing in Peru this August. There is true beauty in snow!

I hope to see many of you next week on November 22nd and 23rd.

Ms. Swail

Ausangate Mountain range, Peru