A Message from the Principal

Christmas Concert

Once again, our school’s Christmas Concert was a huge success! A perfor-mance such as this does not happen without a team of people working to ensure its success. Students from Grade K-9 were involved as perform-ers, actors, and tech support. Many students in Grades 10-12 helped with setup and takedown. Several staff members were involved behind the scenes—Ms. Hoffer and Mrs. Smith who worked with the actors, Mrs. El-lingson who helped with choir, Mrs. Kreil and several community members who helped with sewing and preparing costumes, all the K-6 teachers who supervised their classes during the con-cert. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this concert a huge suc-cess.

Of course, our hats must go off to Mrs. Sanche, who outdoes herself every year with a wonderful performance! The time and effort she puts in during Christmas Concert season is outstand-ing. Camel Lot was a big hit!!

Exam Preparation

Students in Grades 9-12 will be quick-ly facing Diploma, PAT, and Final ex-ams when they return in January. It will be very important for students to spend adequate time preparing for the-se critical exams. Students should spend time every day studying and re-viewing materials. They can be redo-ing math or physics questions, re-reading texts, taking notes, making mind maps, using sticky notes or cue cards, and quizzing each other. As well, Flex time will be a great oppor-tunity for students to have questions answered, or to work with a teacher or with peers to prepare for exams.

Students in Grade 12 will have extend-ed class time starting on January 5 to prepare for their Diploma exams. They will have Math from 8:40—10:10, English from 10:30—12:00 and Biology from 1:00—2:30.

We wish all of our students the best of luck on these upcom-ing exams.

Danica Martin

Principal

Principal’s Message

Teachers will create exemplary learning environments

where every student will exceed expectations.

Every student, staff member, parent and guest will feel valued, safe and cared for

every minute of every day in our school.

SCHOOL GOALS

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Christmas Edition

A message from the Superintendent

In Chinook’s Edge, we know that ensuring a healthy physical and social environment in our schools can positively impact student performance and academic achievement. When students and staff in our schools are healthy and well, they are better able to learn, to lead, and to achieve success.

People in our schools work hard every day to help each of our students reach their full potential. This begins with ensuring a sense of wellness, which is a balanced state of emotional, intel-lectual, physical, social and spiritual well-being. To that end, we have worked hard over several months, with multiple staff groups from across our division, to create our new ‘Welcoming, caring, respectful, safe and inclusive schools’ administrative procedure to foster a sense of belonging and well-being among all members of our school community.

I thank everyone whose efforts helped define this important admin procedure to support our priorities, and I wish all of our Chinook’s Edge families a happy and healthy new year.

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Beginning in January, we will be accepting Kindergarten registra-tions for the 2015-2016 school year. Children must be five years old by December 31, 2015, to begin attending Kindergarten in the fall of 2015. If you are interested in information on Pre-Kindergarten programming, please contact us! There are no school fees for Kindergarten students in Chinook’s Edge.

Kurt Sacher Superintendent of Schools

Working toward optimal health and wellness together

2014-2015

Oscar Nomination

Your Name:

Name of staff member I would like to nominate for an Oscar:

The reason I am nominating this staff member for an Oscar is:

Thank you for your feedback! Please submit this Oscar nomination at the front office, or email your

nomination to dkmartin@chinooksedge.ab.ca

West Wing in December

Students and staff went skating

after the Caroling and we had a

great time.

December has come and will go out with a

BANG! This month has had plenty of fun

activities and learning events. Our

wing received our response back from

Santa and the kids were thrilled.

The students are getting excited for the

Christmas concert. We have all been diligently

practicing our songs for this event. We took a

small detour and learned other Christmas carols

for which we took to various Senior Homes in

Innisfail to sing. The seniors were ecstatic

to have us in their presence. The students also

made Christmas cards for the seniors. Special

thanks to Mrs. G. for volunteering her time

with the card making in each of the classrooms.

Students took part in special

events this month with special

days like door decorating, toque

day, ugly sweater day, Christmas

hat day, collection for food

bank, and a couple mystery days.

With all the excitement going on

students will finish off the

month with special visit from

Santa.

Happy Holidays from your high school team! It seems like just yesterday we were all coming into our classes and starting our educational journey together here at Spruce View. The grade nine class fin-

ished their data collection unit in math and collective rights and immigration units in social studies. They can go into the holidays and enjoy a bit of a break before coming back and preparing for their Provincial Achievement Tests. Grade ten students powered through Romeo and Juliet and have learned

to appreciate Shakespeare’s unique style. They got to enjoy a final day of school on the ski slopes of Nakiska. The grade eleven students completed their unit on ultra nationalism and sovereignty and have been powering through math and physics units. Grade twelve students have already been working on

their diploma exam prep in both Biology and English. We hope that all our students have a wonderful holiday and we can’t wait to see you again in January!

Collecting Items for Local Food

Thank you to everyone for the food donated to be given to our local food bank this Holiday season.

January 22 Head to Toe Favourite Colour Day May

February 21 Superhero Day 13 Dress Your Best Day 27 Tie Day (Tie One On for MS) 25 Pink Shirt Day (anti-bullying) March June 2 Dr. Seuss Day 11 Western Day 19 Nerd Day

April

16 80’s Day LDOS Canada Day (LDOS = last day of

school (elem))

Upcoming Spirit Days 2014-2015

Student Leadership (grades 5-12)

Co-Chairs of Student Leadership

December 8th Toque day

December 9th Door decorating

December 10th Christmas cut outs (everyone gets a paper ornament to decorate)

December 11th Christmas Food Bank (everyone brings in 1 item for the Food Bank)

December 15th Christmas hat day

December 16th Mystery Day 1

December 17th Ugly Christmas sweater day

December 18th Mystery Day 2

December 19th PJ’s and movie day (movie to be decided by the teachers in each wing

Advisors—Mrs. Small - Miss Hoffer -Mrs. Haupt

How We Celebrated the 9 Days of Christmas

Favorite Christmas Traditions 2014

Every year on Christmas Eve, the Pyjama Elf sneaks into our home and leaves brand new pyjamas for everyone. He also leaves a book or movie for our family to enjoy together. We have yet to ‘catch’ him in the act, but we all enjoy our cozy new pyjamas!

Danica

My dad is 100% Norwegian and we always had Christmas with my Grandparents from Norway on Christmas Eve. We keep their memory and our heritage alive on December 24 by cooking traditional Norwegian food- my favorite is Lefse , my dad reads the Christmas Story , and we open a few gifts (usually Pajamas).

Cherie Sanche

Admin Team

Favorite Christmas Traditions 2014

Decorating our Christmas Tree as a family and watch-ing the kids hang the orna-ments with the first of our Christmas music playing in the background.

Sheri Christoffersen

My favourite Christmas tradition is decorating the Christmas tree.

Kayla Hoffer

My Christmas Tradition by Sue Provencal: Every year being Norwegian we all get together before the Christmas meal and make Leifsa. We have special ricers and rollers to create our flat potato pan-cakes. We eat them with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Yum, yum!!

We spend every Christmas at my parents’ farm; the place where I grew up. It is wonderful to celebrate with my parents, siblings, and their families. We always have fabulous food to eat, including homemade butter tarts, made by my mother, and poppy seed loaf for breakfast. This year will be extra-fun and magi-cal because I have a nephew who is two years old. We can’t wait to see his delight when he opens his gifts! I look forward to spending time with my family, which to me, is the best part of Christmas, besides all the yummy food!

-Jeanette Greenough

My favourite family tradition occurs on Christmas morning. We wait until every member of the family is awake and sitting in the living room. The youngest child in the family who is able to read hands out all of the presents. We then take turns opening presents. As each person opens a present, the person who has re-ceived the gift thanks the family member who has given the present. We each revel in the presents given. Taking turns opening presents does take a long time but we all see all the presents given to everyone. -Fletcher family’s favourite Christmas tradition

My favorite family Christmas tradition is our venture out to cut down a tree and then roasting hotdogs afterwards Fun times! Mrs. Smith

West Wing Staff

Favorite Christmas Traditions 2014

Christmas tradition from the Meyer Family (There are so many;)

Sleigh ride with family and friends singing Christmas carols , drinking hot chocolate and having supper together after.

Santa always delivers present on Christmas eve to our house that includes PJ’s, movie and hot chocolate.

My dad always makes Tortiere (pork pie, a French dish)….. so yummy

Lefsa, perogies and cabbage rolls are a given at the Meyer family dinner.

Papa always gives grandkids pajamas and reads the kids a Christmas story after Christmas supper

So many I couldn’t decide…

Giselle Meyer

Holiday happenings

Celebrate with meal and Opening of Christmas gifts Christmas Eve and Christmas Stockings/boots on Christmas morning.

Danish rice pudding with hidden whole almond for dessert !

Nothing over the top.......

Ken & family.

My holiday memory is when reading my grand-mother’s pop-out book “The Night Before Christmas” every Christmas eve with my family after setting out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk.

Jeff Rasmussen

Finding the mistletoe to stand under…

Mr. Johnson

To travel to Bagend and spread Christmas cheer.

Ryan Johannson

High School Staff Missing from photo: Ken Kure

Favorite Christmas Traditions 2014

A tradition that we have is eating my grandma’s Christmas pudding – she has since passed and my mom still makes it. It isn’t Christmas without it.

Michelle Long

When I was a blond bowl-cutted boy, my Christmas tradition was to awaken as early as possible and to sneak down to the tree and open my pre-sents. Do your children “sneak”? Like my sneaking, their sneaking is probably on par with a troup of Shriners brandishing vuvuzelas. The cacophony could not help but wake my parents, who would arrive bleary-eyed to watch as my brothers and I opened each gift with shouts of delight - sneaky, sneaky shouts. Now, a parent myself, this tradition has come full circle. Pardon me while I rub the sleep out of my eyes.

Mr. Amundrud

Christmas tradition in my family is decorating the tree together while enjoying my father's famous crab dip. Crab dip is always made around Christmas time and we all can't wait to dip in :)

Deirdre Aubie

Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve and eating spaghetti!

Mrs. Abraham

Don’t really know – I like the whole holiday.

Probably… watching ‘White Christmas’ with my husband, and the Christmas Eve candlelight service.

Jeanne Small

My Christmas tradition is Every Xmas eve with my whole extended family we all play a game called the Christmas exchange gift game. We all buy one gift and tell no one what it is, we then put all the pre-sents in the middle and sit around them in a circle. Who ever rolls a 7 or an 11 with the dice gets to choose a gift and open it, the next player can either open a new gift or trade with another player. Be-fore we play we choose how many rounds we go and at the end you are left with the gift you want or with the gift you hate. It is all strategy and luck haha.

Ashley Wenzel

Middle School Staff

Favorite Christmas Traditions 2014

Opening a gift Christmas Eve!

Yvonne Haupt

On Christmas Eve we have our meal, sing carols and then read the Christmas Story from the Bible before we open presents.

Brenda Kemtrup

Christmas Eve church service & Christmas cracker at Xmas supper. Have to wear hat and read the horoscope before we ate.

Shelley

My tradition is the Christmas cracker. We snap it open at the start of supper & wear the hat!

Sherry Meloche

My family enjoys having a games night Christmas evening, playing Dutch Blitz and Settlers of Catan. The huge brunch my mom makes Christmas morning is pretty fantastic as well!

Marjie

Watching a movie with the family Christmas Eve. Paddy Birkeland

The Danish always open their stockings Christmas Eve. Joyce Lorenz

Support Staff

Library News We have many new picture books, non-fiction, novels and chapter books. A couple new Christmas books are ‘Merry Christmas cookbook’ and ‘Dashing through the snow’ picture book.

Be sure to look at our library catalogue ‘Destiny’ which students can access from home by going to: destiny.chinooksedge.ab.ca In Destiny, they can look for books, place holds [if they are logged-in], do research, and even watch a free movie through Learn 360. Try ‘Destiny Quest’ which shows up on the left margin: it’s a fun way to search the library.

Enjoy your holiday! We’ll see you January 5th.

Mrs. Meloche

Spruce View School Library

Can you spot the hidden Viking in this newsletter??

There is a Viking hiding in this

newsletter somewhere. He is a

special Viking with a star on his

helmet. He is tucked away and he

does not want to be found. If you

can find him, fill in the entry form

below and put it in the entry box

at the office. There will be a draw

for a special prize each month.

Find the Viking

Spruce View Lions Club

Annual Peace Poster Winners

Flex time is the daily opportunity for students in grades 9-12 to choose how their learning opportunities.

Currently, flex time runs from 1-2pm. All of the high school teachers are

available during this time to help stu-dents and answer questions. We want each individual to be choosing to use this time wisely and we are finding

many students are.

As a parent you can help us as we shape these young men and women

into responsible young adults by ask-ing your child “how did you use flex

time today?”

Group projects

collaborative

Learning Happens Here

Commitment

Diligence

Self-Discipline

Hard Work

svs

Christmas Play

CameL Lot

“Don’t Miss The Manger”

Thank You to everyone who made our play a success!

The following groups are now on Facebook. Keep up to date with the latest happenings and like each of them today.

Spruce View Community School

Spruce View Community Engagement Site

Spruce View Community Library

Spruce View School School Council and Parent Advisory Board

Special thank you to Rick and Lorraine from Plateau Reclamation for the special Christ-mas gifts for our Grade Three class. Each child received a "GrowMe" pet; an animal that has grass seed for a head. When the hair grows, you can cut and style it into fun shapes!

SEEDS This is a program for parents and their children (ages 0 - 6 years old. It is a 16 weeks program to develop your child's oral language with songs, rhymes, books, story sacks and storytelling. This program runs till Dec. 15, 2014 and resumes again on Jan. 5, 2015 from 10:00 am—11:30 am. Please call Library to register.

BOOK CLUB Jan. 21, 2015 and the book for the January meeting is THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN. Meetings are held in the Llibrary from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, everyone is welcome!

LEGO CLUB Lego Club will resume on Jan. 14, 2015 in the Library from 3:30 pm—5:00 pm. Lego Club is open to all kids ages 6—12 years old.

The Library will be closed from Dec. 20, 2014 to Jan. 5, 2015. Paddy Birkeland Library Manager Spruce View Community Library Box 130 Spruce View, AB T0M 1V0 403-728-0012 svlibrary.prl.ab.ca

Spruce View Community Library

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW

YEAR FROM THE STAFF, BOARD,

FRIENDS OF THE LBLBRARY AND VOL-

UNTEERS.

This is a paid advertisement.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3

4 5

Day 6

Gr 12 Diploma

prep timetable

begins

6

Day 7

7

Day 8

8

Day 1

Hot Dog Day

9

Day 2

10

11 12

Day 3

13

Day 4

English 30

Diploma Exam

14

Day 5

15

Day 6

Gr 5 Field

Trip

Hot Dog Day

16

Day 7

17

18 19

Day 8

20

Day 1

English 30

Diploma Exam

21

Day 2

22Day 3

Head to Toe

Favorite Color

Day

Hot Dog Day

23

Day 4

Bio 30 Diplo-

ma Exam

SS9 PAT

24

25 26Day 5

Math 30-1 Di-

ploma Exam

English 10

and Math 20

Finals

27Day 6

Subway Day

Math 9 PAT

English 20

Final

28

Day 7

Science 10 and

Social 20 Fi-

nal

29

Day 8

Hot Dog Day

Physics 20 Fi-

nal

30 No School for

Students

Organization-

al Day for

Teachers

31

January 2015