January 31st (Interims Sent Home)

Have a great weekend.

A note that Div 1s interim reports were sent home today. These reports need to be signed and returned. If they are not returned, we will follow up with a phone call. Mr. Horner and I only made notes beside the subjects if an explanation was required. For example, to clarify why you received a not meeting or minimally meeting in your work habit. We do this so that you can improve in time to do well on your term 2 report card.
Thankfully, many of you were meeting to exceeding our expectations. Additionally, many of you have shown improvement since term 1. Well done.

TBH Div 1

TBH Div 2

January 30th

Ski Trip Update:

Some parents still need to meet with a grade 8 teacher or our administration and sign the District moderate risk waiver form. Please approach us via email, if you need to schedule a meeting (students cannot go on the trip without this meeting). If you are a parent wanting to go on the trip, chaperones are not needed, but your company always is welcome. If you pay through us, you will get the transportation, lesson and lift ticket at a cut rate. Otherwise, you can drive up and deal with payment/passes as a regular mountain user.

Now for the sad news: Mount Washington has closed until their snow base increases. We will keep you posted as this situation evolves. West Coast mountains can build up their base over a few days, but they can also have dry years.

Here is how we are going to work some scenarios:

If the Mountain doesn't open by February 18th, we will move the date of the trip.

If the Mountain doesn't open again for the season, we will cancel the trip and we will offer families one of two options:
1.  a full refund
2.  the ski trip payment will be put toward the grade 8 camp trip in June (this option would involve a part refund as the camp will be cheaper than the ski day)

As both a parent and a teacher, I hope that our trip will be a go (although the old lady in me doesn't mind the idea of not getting up at 4:30am! ;-)

Any questions or concerns, please email me: gbridal@sd62.bc.ca

The phrase for today's entry is: "Bring on the snow!"

January 29th

 
Tomorrow is exploratories so come prepared for the activity that you have signed up for.

Thanks to all your parents who came out last night for the ski meeting. If your parent was unable to attend, meetings can be arranged with our administration or with a grade 8 teacher to satisfy our District's moderate risk field trip policy. Please tell chaperones that I am still hunting down the answer to this question: how do chaperones or do chaperones pay? Stay tuned for the answer to that one.

To get an entry today, answer this question: Why do the knights in the cartoon have a red cross on their tunics? (and what is with Mr Happy Face?)

January 28th

Class notes:

If you were not able to complete the Plant/Animal Cell Lab in class today, I expect them to be submitted tomorrow. You should be reviewing for your Social Studies quiz. Use the S.S. course link to review the main ideas. I am not asking for you to memorize dates, but you should know who the Normans were, how they changed your history, how we know so much about them and what the crusades were.

Interim Reports:

Mr Horner and I are putting together an interim report for each student in Divisions 1 and 2. This report has a work habits focus, but performance and work habits have a direct relationship with one another; if you have good work habits, you will perform well. If you need to develop your work habits, your performance probably could improve. As a student moving into High School, you are the driver in your education. Expect these reports home on Monday next week.

Parents:

Ski Meeting Tonight at 6:30. 

For an entry, today's set of words are: Domesday Book.

For an extra entry, comment: What was the Domesday Book?

January 27th

Ski Trip:

Notices went home today regarding the Ski Trip and mandatory parent meeting. Please tell your parents to be there at 6:30 pm and please promise them that we will keep the meeting to 10 minutes tops. If they want to talk outside of the mandatory "talk", we will be there to field questions. Otherwise, they come and get it over with quick so that they can get on with their very busy evenings.

Math: Starting Dividing Fractions by Fractions

Science: Completed Plant/Animal Cell Lab Write-Up/Working on: Body Systems Project

Social Studies: Finishing Journal Projects/ Starting to look at the Crusades/ Review TEST on Thursday

Today's entry requires you to enter a comment. Answer this question: What is your favourite thing about going up a Mountain on a snowy day?

Grade 8 Ski Trip

There will be an important, mandatory meeting for parents this Tuesday at 6:30pm in the JMS Gym.
While skiing and snowboarding are fun, they are not without risks. The meeting is to outline those risks so that your parents are made fully aware. If your parents do not attend the meeting, our District will not allow you to come on the fieldtrip for legal reasons.
Now that we have all of the students registered, we have calculated the total cost. A notice will go home on Monday with the specifics. Parents can bring the remaining balance to the meeting.

If you are not going to the mountain, disregard this post. We will miss you.

Monday's word is: crusade.

Congratulations Mrs Barnes!

The wait is over; last night, Mrs Barnes had a bouncing baby boy. His name is Arthur and he looks super cute! I have to be on the look out for good boy gifts now. :-) Have a great weekend everyone.

 

TBH Div 1

TBH Div 2

January 23rd

Swimming tomorrow. Come prepared with your swim suit and your towel.
Today's word is: swim.
TBH's will be posted tomorrow morning. Mrs. Bridal is hitting the hay early :-)

January 22nd

So, both divisions have the body systems that they will be researching and presenting. What you will find is that there are many sources of information. For example, today I picked up an awesome Human Body book from Costco. Use the research questions to guide your study. If your system is very complicated, give an overview of the system and then focus on one key area. Use resources available to you. If you are in to see your doctor about a sore throat, take advantage and pepper them with questions about your system. I have pinned the project to the Science Wiki Homework page, if you need it. For today's entry post the system that you will be studying and something neat that you have found out about it!

January 21st

Better late than never. Keep those forms coming in. Today's word is: late.

January 20th

Swimming forms and $7 are due a.s.a.p. for Friday's Grade 8 Group Trip to Commonwealth.

Today's entry is an answer in the comment box to these questions:

How are onion cells and cheek cells different? What was that funky stick like object in S.S's sample?

This Week, January 20th to 24th

This week we will be having a suicide prevention presentation on Tuesday and a First Nation's cultural presentation on Thursday. On Friday, the grade 8s from JMS will be going to Commonwealth Pool; if you haven't brought in your permission form, please bring it by Wednesday at the latest.

Math: we will be looking at multiplying fractions by fractions.

Science: we will be finishing our microscope lab and we will be beginning our Organ Systems Project.

Social Studies: we will be finishing up our journal projects and we will be looking at how the Normans reshaped English politics, culture and language.

A gentle reminder that JMS is a scent free school; we have a number of students with extreme sensitivities to perfumes found in products like Axe. Please be considerate of these students, and use scent free deodorants etc. Thank you.

Today's word is: splash.

Div 1 TBH

DIv 2 TBH

January 16th

January 17 IS THE LAST DAY FOR SKI FORMS and CHEQUES

Come prepared for physical activity tomorrow. It is sunny and beautiful.

November 15th

Just a gentle reminder to both divisions that I would like you to come to class prepared with writing tools, paper and your binders. This will be an expectation at High School. Many of you are using your learning time to look for these items and the time could be better spent.

Today's word for an entry is: SUPPLIES

January 14th

Divisions 1 and 2 have the following notices to return:

1. ASAP -- January 24th Grade 8 Swim Trip + $7.00
2. ASAP -- Exploratory Selections
3. By January 17th -- Grade 8 Ski Trip + $75.00 deposit (Cheque Payable to SD#62)
4. By January 31st -- Magazine Orders
(Copies can be found on the Parents Link)

I am writing this as my own grade 8 daughter is waving a blank cheque in my face to fill out. "Stop it, I am trying to work, child."

The point of these trips is to create social connections with your peer group at the same time promoting physical fitness and activity. If cost is at issue, please approach me; it should never be a limiting factor and we can make it happen.

January 13th

Hooray, Mount Washington has opened. Students have until this Friday, January 17th, to bring a cheque for $75 payable to School District #62.

Swim notices should be signed and $7 brought in ASAP for a Grade 8 trip to Commonwealth Pool on Friday, January 24th. The main goal of this trip is to allow you social opportunities to connect with other grade 8 students at JMS before you all move up to EMCS.

Magazine sales will contribute toward field trip expenses. Only thing is, we have to sell magazines to raise those funds. I am subscribing to "Discovery" magazine and sending my mum a gift copy of "Canadian Gardening" to contribute to the effort and to maintain good relations with my dear, old mum.

Today's word for an entry is: SNOW.

This Week, January 13th to 17th

As of today, it is official...

Mr Tim Horner will be Division 2's Homeroom Teacher and will be teaching you both French, English and P.E. (I googled Mr Horner and came up with this photo. It isn't Mr Horner unless he leads a double life as an American WWF wrestler. I do think Mr Horner would suit the name, Mr. Lightnin, though)

Today's entry can be earned by writing a welcome note to Mr Horner in the comments box or you can write your name on one and put it in the box...Dawson ;-)

Div 1 TBH

Division 2 TBH

January 9

We are coming to the end of our first week back. I am really impressed by some of the 3rd Journal Entries I have seen in Social Studies. They are detailed, historically accurate, creative and very entertaining.

Housekeeping notes:

The $75 deposit for the February Ski Trip is due on January 17th, next Thursday. Please make your cheque payable to School District #62. The permission form and details can be found on the Parent Links under December Forms.

Magazine orders should be made as soon as possible. These funds are used to buy materials and to finance educational activities and field trips.

I am still waiting for a few camp permission forms.

Today's entry question: How did the Battle of Hastings influence the development of the English language that we speak today?

January 8th

Notices to bring in, if you haven't done so already:

1. Ski Trip Notice: It is dumping on Mount Washington so that cheque deposit is due January 17th. A copy of this notice can be found on the Parents' Links: December Notices.
2. Camp Permission Form

Also to bring in:
1. A baby photo - I will make a copy at school and you can take it back home tomorrow.

Today's entry question: What are the three lines of defence that your body has against invading pathogens? Post your answer in the comment box.

January 7th

The flu is at our school. Please take care of yourselves, wash those hands and keep them away from your face. You know that your immune system is hard at work keeping you bug free...well, almost.

S.S. -- Journal Entry #3 is due on Friday
Science -- Bacteria Lab due for both divisions by Friday
Math -- Assignments are in class, but you are advised to spend 15 minutes of home time per day on your times tables to increase your fluency with those important facts

Interesting responses to yesterday's entry question. You guys crack me up.

Today's blog entry question is what are the fractions represented in the following pie graph:

January 6th. 2014

(Oh no where's the snow???)

New seating plan today which will be the plan for the next three weeks.

It is January and I will be collecting permission forms and cheques for the Mt Washington Ski Trip. This being said, the Grade 8 Team is discussing the "what if there is no snow? possibility. For now,we are assuming that the snow will fall and we will be able to make it a go on February 18th.

Tomorrow, Mr MacRae will be teaching my classes. I am going to a workshop on Universal Design for Learning with Mrs Stewart and Mrs Abell; we are constructing a Fluids Unit using UDL.

Today's entry can be earned by posting a comment answering this question: If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? I would be an eagle because they are at the top of the food chain and they can fly.

See you Wednesday folks.

First Week of 2014 at JMS

Hope that you had a wonderful holiday...now back to work ;-)

Many of you will be wondering who is teaching your French, English and P.E. class. This week Mr. Horner, a regular Teacher On Call with our school and someone you all know well, will be teaching those classes until the successful candidate gets the position. There were a lot of teachers eager to fill the position and this is no surprise to me because who wouldn't want to teach you adorable little grade 8s (Okay, you are not little and tower over me, don't remind me). Bottom line is that the administration is really looking for the best candidate for the job. Only the best for the best. I will keep you all posted on this as I find out new information.

This week:

Math: a review of fractions including adding and subtracting fractions (There will be a test Friday)

Science: Body Systems Introduction (and we will check in on our Bacteria buddies)

Social Studies: Third and last Journal Entry (Due this Friday with class time provided) - We will look at some political history from the time. We have been focusing on Social History through our role play.