Welcome students, parents, and guardians to grades 4 and 5! I am pleased to be your child’s French teacher this year as we begin a new journey together. September is always so exciting: new year, new class and new beginnings. Let 2019-2020 begin!
Our new Board Spiritual Theme, this year, is “Seek Justice, Love Kindness & Mercy, Walk Humbly with God”. For the first year, we will focus on social justice and introduce Catholic social teaching as a lens for learning throughout the curriculum. Our theme will continue to enable staff, students and community to dig deep in the Gospel to make real and meaningful connections with our everyday lives.In our class, September will be about making real and meaningful connections as we get to know each other, establishing our routines and fully understanding what respect and responsibility mean. Your child will once again be immersed in the French language and the French culture while continuing to work on skills acquired last year: organization, social skills, self-confidence, and my personal favourite: problem-solving. When a problem arises, my ultimate response is: “There is always a solution, we just have to find it!” (Il y a toujours une solution, il s’agit de la trouver!). I strongly believe that children are creative problem solvers, they just need to be given the time to solve the problem and the opportunity to try out their solution. By the end of the year, my students, your children, will be better problem solvers!
Every year, I like to remind parents about the importance of showing an interest in your child’s French learning. Support and motivation are the keys to your child’s success in the French program. This can be accomplished by implementing some of these activities to motivate and stimulate your child so that him/her continues to enjoy learning a second language:
-Ask questions about what is being taught in class and suggest that the child teach you some vocabulary or sentence structures learned.
-Have your child read French books.
-Play French board games with your child.
- Allow them to make a phone call in French to a friend or family member.
- Download French Apps on tech devices
-Listen to your child read you the work they have written. If you do not understand French, simply listen then ask the child to explain what was read.
-Encourage your child to interact in French with French neighbours or acquaintances.
-Encourage your child to spend small amounts of time listening to French television (cartoons, sports, games, music & videos).
-Listen to French radio station in the car (94.9 Rouge FM or FM 104,1).-Borrow French books from the library.
-Provide your child with a French/English dictionary and a Bescherelle.
-Volunteer in your child’s classroom.
-Go on field trips with your child.
- Visit places and participate in the French guided tours.
-Go to a restaurant in Gatineau.
-Register your child in French activities in your community.
-Register your child in French camps.
Communication
Communication between home and school is very important. With the use of technology, this can be done in a faster and easier manner. I will keep you informed about our classroom news via this blog: http://madamebaron2000.blogspot.com. You will also find helpful websites, weekly readings, outlines for school assignments or research that needs to be done at home.
I will be using the Remind App to send you quick updates or reminders. This is not meant to replace the agenda. It is a communication tool that allows me to have a direct and quick link with you. You simply have to add the app on your phone and voilà!Here are a few websites that could be useful throughout the year:
-French Activities: http://lps13.free.fr/
-French Activities: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/gr/index.html
- French Help: http://www.fslhomeworktoolbox.ca/
- French Exercises : http://www.pepit.be/-Imax www.imax.com
-Music http://www.artsalive.ca/en/thf/index.asp
Informational Web sites for parents’ referral:
-Ministry of Ontario: www.edu.gov.on.ca-Association “Canadian Parents for French”: http://www.cpf.ca/
- Ottawa Public Library (GREAT for listening to books) http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/french/home_tumblebooks.asp
These are stores you may contact if you are in need of resources to improve your child’s academic skills:
Centre Franco-Ontarien de ressources pédagogiques
435, Donald StreetOttawa, Ontario K1K 4X5 Telephone: (613) 747-8000
www.cforp.on.ca
Coin du Livre
1657 Cyrville Rd.Ottawa, Ontario K1B 3L7
Telephone: (613) 746-1242
E-mail: coindulivre@bellenet.ca
Librairie du Soleil
33 George St.Ottawa, ON
Telephone : (613)241-6999
Important Reminders
Boomerang Lunches
Our school is an Ontario Eco School platinum winner. In order to continue to get that honour, we can help our planet by having boomerang lunches. This means that your child will be bringing back home all the waste from his/her lunch. This way, the items can be composted or recycled at home. Your help and cooperation are certainly appreciated in helping out our planet.
School Cash Online
For safety and efficiency reasons, we want to reduce the amount of cash & cheques coming into our school. School related expenses are now available online for you to make payments. Please take a few minutes to register. It’s very easy. Simply go to the school website: the.ocsb.ca and click on the link on the right.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Student safety, your child’s safety, is very important to all of us. If you drop-off or pick-up your child before and after school, you are asked to please use the safest drop-off/pick-up options. Those are Kiss-and-Ride at the front of the school, or on Scala along the fence. I have also seen parents drop off their child in the parking lot off Scala Park and the student then walks to the school yard. The parking lot is unsafe and becomes very dangerous in the morning and after school. Your cooperation in this matter will ensure that our students are safe at all times.
If you have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me. Your child’s agenda can also be a wonderful communication tool! I am looking forward to meeting you on Program Night on October 8th where I will provide you with more information about your child’s French classroom and my expectations.Your Partner in Catholic Education,
Mme Baron
Important Dates:
September 25th: Journée du drapeau Franco-ontarien (vert et blanc)
September 26th: Terry Fox Walk @ 1:30pm
September 30th: Orange Shirt Day
October 1st: Picture Day
October 11th: PD Day
October 14th - Thanksgiving
