EdCom News November 2014

sd38.bc.ca & richmond-news.com @richmondsd38

november 2014

blair gets muddy over wild wednesdays

Kindergarten students at Blair Elementary school are really mucking things up, in a good way, these days.

This year teacher Lauren McLean is incorporating Wilderness Wednesdays into her prescribed curriculum in an effort to show kids that nature can be fun.

“The point is to get them connected to the outdoors. So, a lot of the time I was noticing, even last week, they didn’t want to touch the mud. So they’re scared, they don’t want to get dirty, they don’t want to get in trouble by mom. It’s to get a bit more connected to the place where they’re from, we want to understand more about Richmond,” said McLean, who was raised in Richmond.

She takes her students on nature walks every day and so far Wednesday’s are spent primarily outdoors.

“It looks a bit chaotic but there is a purpose to it,” said MacLean.

The kids learn math, art, and science, among other things. For instance, they measure puddles and count things.

They learn about colours and textures and, as it’s fall, they use a lot of fallen leaves for art projects.

They also point out animals, such as squirrels, birds, snails and worms.

And they learn about the weather.

McLean said man of her science lessons are done outside where her students can witness things first hand as opposed to learning from a book.

While over the past decade much has been made of Earth Day, McLean — who just competed her masters in education — said students are still suffering from what she, and others, call “nature deficit disorder.”

“By going outside we’re trying to build empathy for our place and creative thinking outside,” said McLean.

The vast majority of her students are immigrant or first generation ESL learners whose parents came from

Asia. Statistically speaking the vast majority of the families likely came from big cities where there isn’t necessarily as much of an opportunity to engage with nature. McLean is hoping to ease parents’ concerns.“I don’t think many kids go outside,” said McLean.

The Richmond School District cites studies noting that outdoor learning is an excellent means to reduce Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder among students. Other benefits include health, greater socialization and developing a sense of self and a meaning for where one lives.

The district works with the David Suzuki Foundation to help teachers develop outdoor curriculum.

Since starting Wilderness Wednesday McLean has noticed a marked improvement in learning inside the classroom, as she sees more focused and happy students following an outdoor activity.

“They get back in the classroom and they’re eager to learn more,” she said.

Notably, the school is currently fundraising for a new playground and hoping to build more garden plots as part of a planned garden centre.

Chairperson’s message ............ 3A Year in Review/Feed-U-Cate .............................. 4

iPAls.......................................... 5Crazy Cardboard ....................... 6Packers Farewell ...................... 7

Play Outside .............................. 8Advice for linden ....................10Take That! ................................11

muddy boots, muddy hands, muddy noses. oh, the humanity!

but, happy faces!

By Graeme Wood

E2 novEmbEr 2014 sd38.bc.casd38.bc.ca

7560Minoru GateRichmond, BC604-238-8020

Daily public swimming available.Schedule details atwww.richmond.ca/aquaticsor call 604-276-4300.

14300 Entertainment Blvd.Richmond, BC(Hwy 99 – Exit 32 –Steveston Hwy East)604-448-5353

www.richmond.ca

Enjoy family fun &fitness at the pool

South Arm and Steveston Outdoor Pools open daily July and August.

richmond school board Trustees a message from the chairperson

mr. rod [email protected]

richmond school district no. 387811 Granville avenuerichmond, bc v6Y 3e3 Phone: 604.668.6000Fax: 604.233.0150sd38.bc.ca

edcom news: The educate and communicate newspaper is published by the richmond news on behalf of the Communications Department of the Richmond School District No. 38. edcom news us intended for the parents of the Richmond School District students and includes information on upcoming events, district projects and school based activities. edcom news is produced at no cost to the Richmond School District. Commercial advertising in the publication does not imply endorsement by the Richmond School District No. 38.

For more information, or to provide feedback or article suggestions, contact David Sadler, Communications and Marketing Manager School District No. 38 at 604.668.6000 x3399 or [email protected]. All stories written by Graeme Wood & Philip Raphael.

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On behalf of the Richmond Board of Education, I am proud to present our latest edition of EdCom to our students, parents and community. As the school year is now officially under way and teachers and students are settling back into their classrooms, we would like to take the opportunity to thank all families in our community, both parents and students, for their support during the recent labour dispute.

As we move forward, we will focus our efforts to ensure that students are surrounded by a positive learning environment that provides an exceptional educational experience. It has only been a short time since we returned, but we can assure you that there is excitement in the classroom and the quality instruction that our teachers are known for is well underway.

It is important that we acknowledge and appreciate our teachers, who have started this school year with a determined focus on our children and their education. We are extremely pleased to see teachers back in schools, where they continue their daily work of guiding, supporting and inspiring our youth.

As always, we will continue to value the important role that all stakeholders play in our work, and we will build on these partnerships to ensure that students are supported by all areas of the Richmond community.

EdCom continues to provide a way for our schools, staff and students to share and celebrate stories of success. It is essential to note that EdCom is produced at no cost to the Richmond School District and the commercial advertising in this publication does not imply endorsement by our District.

These stories are about our District and about the dedicated people that make a difference each day. Countless hours are committed behind the scenes to accomplish so much and often times this dedication goes unrecognized. I am excited that we have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on a few of these individuals and congratulate them for the great work.

donna sargent Chairperson, Richmond Board of Education

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novEmbEr 2014 E3sd38.bc.ca

7560Minoru GateRichmond, BC604-238-8020

Daily public swimming available.Schedule details atwww.richmond.ca/aquaticsor call 604-276-4300.

14300 Entertainment Blvd.Richmond, BC(Hwy 99 – Exit 32 –Steveston Hwy East)604-448-5353

www.richmond.ca

Enjoy family fun &fitness at the pool

South Arm and Steveston Outdoor Pools open daily July and August.

iPaLs not iPads best for literacyKids fill up on fun and PbJ at cookA new program is set to begin in the Richmond School District that is designed to engage new immigrant families with toddlers aged three to five.

The Parents as Literacy Supports in Immigrant Communities (iPALS) helps parents understand best practices related children’s learning and development.

Families will participate with early childhood educators and support workers to learn about fun and engaging strategies to support their young children’s literacy development.

Marie Thom is the school district’s early learning teacher consultant.

She notes that while the program ultimately aims to help students learn English, it begins by building relationships by sharing a meal together. The iPALS program is designed to promote literacy skills by engaging parents and children through conversations, songs, toys, crafts and having fun together.

As she explains it, if the district recognizes that parents are their child’s first teachers, then it can better help them see that learning takes place everywhere, and not just in the home and in school settings.

Parents are encouraged to read with their children, even if the family’s first language is not English, as


Bleary-eyed kids stroll into the Cook Elementary school gymnasium early in the morning three times a week to get a jump-start on their day.

By the time the school day is set to begin just before 9 a.m. they’re all juiced up and full of peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

To help low-income families and working parents, the Feed-U-Cate program operates in 16 schools in the Richmond School District and is largely funded by private donations.

Students are invited to play games in gymnasiums and get a light snack to start their day off right.

Cook has been operating its Feed-U-Cate program for 15 years.

“It helps the parents out in our community. Many of our families live in apartments so the kids don’t have playtime and they love to have playtime,” said Debra Collins.

Having playtime and a healthy breakfast is “important for their learning,” said

Collins.

Kids are more focused to learn and, ultimately feel better. The mornings also offer an avenue for students to socialize with one another.

Teacher Linda Araki is largely responsible for the program at Cook.

She does Costco runs to stock the kitchen through donations from parents and fundraising activities.

Collins said the Cook program costs about $2,000 each year, in addition to countless volunteer hours from parents.Many of Richmond’s City Centre area schools that have the program also

benefit from extra playtime as kids tend to live in apartments.

Collins also noted there are lots of immigrant families in the area and Feed-U-Cate provides particular benefits for such families.

“They’re still learning the system, they’re still learning how the routines of schools happen and the services available in our province, and this just helps them out. A lot of parents — because they’ve come here from other countries — they are working two jobs and it helps,” said Collins, a longtime Richmond educator and administrator.Glenn Kishi, district coordinator of Feed-U-Cate, said the program operates throughout Richmond.

“There is poverty in Richmond and it’s in pockets and not necessarily a specific regional phenomenon,” said Kishi.“We’re continuing to seek funding because we want to make it sustainable and lasting, as the poverty won’t go away,” he noted.

You can contact Glenn at [email protected] to help.

Volunteer Geeta Chhabra and son shaun share a smile during the Cook Feed-U-Cate program.

By Graeme Wood

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iPaLs not iPads best for literacyA new program is set to begin in the Richmond School District that is designed to engage new immigrant families with toddlers aged three to five.

The Parents as Literacy Supports in Immigrant Communities (iPALS) helps parents understand best practices related children’s learning and development.

Families will participate with early childhood educators and support workers to learn about fun and engaging strategies to support their young children’s literacy development.

Marie Thom is the school district’s early learning teacher consultant.

She notes that while the program ultimately aims to help students learn English, it begins by building relationships by sharing a meal together. The iPALS program is designed to promote literacy skills by engaging parents and children through conversations, songs, toys, crafts and having fun together.

As she explains it, if the district recognizes that parents are their child’s first teachers, then it can better help them see that learning takes place everywhere, and not just in the home and in school settings.

Parents are encouraged to read with their children, even if the family’s first language is not English, as

listening to first language and having conversations is critical for language development.

“The children need to have parents that are having conversations with them,” she said, explaining that computers and technology cannot do this and, ultimately, this is how language is best learned.

iPALS shows parents techniques like using picture books, felt board stories, puppets and songs as ways to incorporate literacy skills.

“We want parents to see learning as something joyful and fun. Reading books, playing games, singing songs, using puppets, building with blocks, creating with art materials, and making discoveries….these are all the things we want children to delight in and to talk about.”

As a culturally responsive program, iPALS can be particularly valuable in Richmond where there are many new immigrant families.

iPALS is run by Decoda Literacy Solutions, a non-profit organization, which supports community-based literacy programs throughout B.C. It’s largely funded by individual donors and corporate sponsors.

Decoda approached the school district to see if they could do an immigrant sponsorship program.

The district will use its settlement support staff, community connections, and StrongStart (early education program) staff to help identify families that would qualify for iPALS. The program also partners with Touchstone Families, which will provide a family support worker to assist with the program and translations.

The program will operate out of Grauer StrongStart at Grauer Elementary school. The eight sessions offered from January to March are three hours long. Each session begins with a meal and ends with a small gift. For more information contact Marie Thom, Early Learning Teacher Consultant. (604-668-600 ext 3270)

novEmbEr 2014 E5 sd38.bc.ca

benefit from extra playtime as kids tend to live in apartments.

Collins also noted there are lots of immigrant families in the area and Feed-U-Cate provides particular benefits for such families.

“They’re still learning the system, they’re still learning how the routines of schools happen and the services available in our province, and this just helps them out. A lot of parents — because they’ve come here from other countries — they are working two jobs and it helps,” said Collins, a longtime Richmond educator and administrator.Glenn Kishi, district coordinator of Feed-U-Cate, said the program operates throughout Richmond.

“There is poverty in Richmond and it’s in pockets and not necessarily a specific regional phenomenon,” said Kishi.“We’re continuing to seek funding because we want to make it sustainable and lasting, as the poverty won’t go away,” he noted.

You can contact Glenn at [email protected] to help.

iPAls is a program designed to help immigrant parents learn literacy skills.

5451No.3Road,Richmond,B.C.

Tel:(604)-273-4427

www.imperialhobbies.ca

Email:[email protected]

Comics,Models,Games&More!

Kaizen Dental on the RiverDr. Greg Nelson • Dr. Arv Sooch • Dr. Rowena Sooch

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• Focus on preventative care,oral hygiene, sealants and nutrition

New patients “always” welcome

There were robots, horses, boats, wagons and lots of interactive games. You name it, it was there at the Woodward Elementary Cardboard Challenge on Oct. 10.

Students from Grade 2 to Grade 7 partnered up to build imaginative creations out of recycled cardboard. Once finished they got to play with one another in the school’s gymnasium.

It all sounds like a lot of horsing around but principal Jane MacMillan said it’s important to foster relationships between students, especially near the start of the school year.

“A big piece is social and emotional learning with others; how to work together and carry it through,” she said.

Having older students partner with younger ones also fosters leadership skills, she noted.The gym was full of excited students on this day and probably woke up some neighbours hoping to catch some late morning shut eye.

Among the highlights were a Plinko and Whack a Face games, a cardboard shuttle service and what appeared to be an impenetrable fortress in the middle as robots circled around.

“As you can see, everything went crazy,” chuckled MacMillan.

One of the organizing teachers, Brad Ray, said instilling imagination in the learning process in young students is a very important aspect.

“They take the experience of having created something and are learning to develop their imagination,” said Ray.

The Cardboard Challenge was also done through a sustainability lens; If and when then students decide to discard their projects they can put them in a recycling bin.

MacMillan said recycling is a big activity at Woodward.

Thanks to some thoughtful and timely work by the Richmond School District’s works yard staff, a pair of historical links with Steveston secondary school have been saved.

The crews were able to remove, restore and frame two, large sections of the old school’s maple wood gym floor bearing the Packers’ purple and gold logo which features the familiar, shark-faced, menacing seine boat, plowing through the water.

The task, accomplished a few months ago, came none too soon. The gym on the 13-acre property — sold last October for $41 million to developer Polygon Pacific Homes Limited — had suffered water damage after thieves removed some valuable copper piping which caused part of the structure to flood.

Plus, the structure had been used as a storage site for district materials and had fallen into disrepair.The site is slated to be levelled to make way for homes before the end of the year, meaning something had to be done before whatever memorabilia that

woodward school full of imagination and cardboard

saving a piece of steveston high

Female students in Grade 8 from across the Richmond school District were invited to stevston london secondary school for a hands-on opportunity to problem-solve at the Girls in Engineering Day. Photo supplied

students Jacob Chu, sunjot saran, Abhay Purba and Jaden Fajardo have more than a little fun during the Woodward Cardboard Challenge, which aimed to spark imaginations.

By Graeme Wood


By Philip Raphael

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Thanks to some thoughtful and timely work by the Richmond School District’s works yard staff, a pair of historical links with Steveston secondary school have been saved.



Plus, the structure had been used as a storage site for district materials and had fallen into disrepair.The site is slated to be levelled to make way for homes before the end of the year, meaning something had to be done before whatever memorabilia that

was salvageable was lost forever.

“It was a lot of grunt work to remove the boards,” said carpenter Austin Peters. “They were in okay condition, just nailed through a hundred million times. So, we had to cut through them, grind all the nails flush and get it ready for the finishing shop.”

Once they had been removed the boards had a canvass backing applied to stabilize, yet allow movement caused by changes in humidity and temperature. Then, sections of the old floor joists were also retrieved to serve as a frame. And scrap iron strips found in the school’s old metal shop class were cut and bent into bands around parts of the frame that are similar to Stevston London’s current design theme to provide a link between the old and new schools.Steveston secondary had been lying vacant since 2007 when its replacement — an amalgamation with nearby London Junior secondary — Steveston London secondary was completed.

“Because the school is co-named —

both had great history — this will be one of the few ways Steveston high will live on,” said Gord Friesen, carpenter foreman at the works yard. “And what’s neat is you look at how primitive the old logo looks compared to the new Steveston London gym’s art work, which is amazing. But this is where it started. This was the logo. This is what the school was known as — the Packers.”“It’s kinda neat to see something like this preserved,” said Tom Edwards, a shop carpenter with the district for the past 30 years. “It was an original part of the school which dates back to 1956.”Edwards’ association with the floor goes back close to three decades.

That’s when he and a fellow works yard colleague were tasked with painting the logos, as well as the rest of the lines on the gym floor.

“Having that connection makes seeing this pretty surreal,” Edwards said.No additional finishes were applied to the boards to keep the wood as original as possible, said Ray Saul, a painting foreman with the district.But one new addition will adorn each of

the five-foot by nine-foot sections — a plexiglass plaque stating the dates of the school’s operation from 1956 to 2007 will soon be affixed. Then it will be up to the staff and students at London Steveston as to where the frames will be displayed.

The city is now looking at Polygon’s development application to turn the site into a 133-unit town home complex. Part of the school’s fields will be turned over to the city for a park.

been saved.



Plus, the structure had been used as a storage site for district materials and had fallen into disrepair.The site is slated to be levelled to make

saving a piece of steveston high

students Jacob Chu, sunjot saran, Abhay Purba and Jaden Fajardo have more than a little fun during the Woodward Cardboard Challenge, which aimed to spark imaginations.

District works yard staff helped save some artifacts from the old steveston High, which will soon be demolished for planned townhomes.

novEmbEr 2014 E7sd38.bc.ca

By Philip Raphael

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it’s never too early to start playing outsideNestled behind Cook Elementary school is a refurbished portable. Inside is a wonder of programming offered for young toddlers. Outside, a new play area aims to connect children with nature, a fundamental part of a child’s development, according to many expert educators.

The Cook Early Learning Centre offers myriad of programs for children aged two to five, before they enter Kindergarten. The centre acts as a hub, of sorts, as the Richmond School District works in partnership with many community organizations.

Thanks to a $1,000 environmental stewardship grant the centre was able to build a space for toddlers to experience nature. The small space is groomed with wood chips and sand and features little log benches and landscaped plants around it. Notably, the district’s works yard staff got creative by using recycled materials. It’s a safe place to play for kids, says Marie Thom, district coordinator of the early learning program.

“It’s a little natural playscape for toddlers where they can dig in sand, watch things grow, jump and play on little tree stumps. We’ve used all kinds of natural things,” said Thom.

The longtime educator said the garden and outdoor play space is part of a district-wide philosophy that

children need to go outside and play more. This, in turn, leads to better learning outcomes, it is thought.Furthermore it promotes social responsibility amongst users.

“If you don’t look after things (in nature), how are you going to look after our world,” said Thom.On a rainy morning in October parents and their toddlers gather at the space to run around before taking part in Touchstone Family Association’s Community Action Program-C lessons, a federally-funded program that provides supportive learning and health and social development to parents, caregivers and their children.

For instance, Touchstone put on a lesson about Hepatitis B recently to help parents understand proper food safety and where and how to seek health services, amongst other things.

The district offers the portable free of charge in exchange for help from Touchstone staff elsewhere at the centre.

The lessons in Richmond cater to Chinese families so they can become more familiar with Canadian culture, according to Thom.

The City Centre Community Association also runs a preschool program out of the portable.

Many of the clients are new immigrant families. As such, with the new open play space, Thom notes there are opportunities to educate them about how outdoor play is important.

“We’re trying to get parents to know that it’s safe to play outside. There’s a beautiful, mild climate where children can be outside to love fresh air. Our world has become a little more fearful. When I taught Kindergarten 30 years ago, children walked to school. In some cases, I don’t know if some children even get to go outside,” said Thom.

Part of the learning centre’s goal is to stop a growing trend amongst children that they’re using too much technology “Children need to release energy. If they’re sitting at screens, which we know is happening at greater frequency, being outside is an anecdote to that rapid commercial stimulation,” said Thom.She noted children are feeling more anxiousness in this day and age, and being in nature is helping to curb the growing problem.

The learning centre is hoping to build raised garden beds in the future.

Thom said she hopes more of the community takes part in developing the space as it moves forward.

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mcKay kids may be responsible for canucks turnaroundSometimes you just have to let kids have fun. That’s exactly what 56 McKay Elementary students did last year when they sent letters of advice to new Vancouver Canucks president Trevor Linden.

The letters were described by Canucks front office staff as “raw, humourous, priceless and amazing advice.” They were so well-written the Canucks published them online at canucks.com for all hockey fans to see. Linden was shown in his president’s chair reading the letters with a smile.

The themes seemed to be consistent: Play hard and with passion, practice lots and stop trading goalies. “They all came from the heart, all

were authentic and represented the way young people view the world. I don’t think I can say which one was the most special, they all were special,” said McKay principal Marilyn Turnbull. Two teachers got their students together from their Grade 5/6 and Grade 1 classes to write the letters a few weeks ago. They were published online in June, shortly after Linden was named president. The advice seems rather sage. Joey, from Grade 1, feels discipline is the best advice: “Hi, my name is Joey. I got some really important advice for you. Tell the players don’t go to the penalty box!!!” David, from Grade 6, was baffled at how the Canucks organization so clearly mismanaged its former goaltenders, Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider: “Dear Mr.Linden,

congratulations on becoming president! My advice would be to stop giving away goalies and instead just train goalies, so you’ll have good goalies instead of no goalies.” Some, like Grade 6 student Aidan, took issue with the old John Tortorella coaching regime: “I think you need to schedule more practices for the team so they can get better.” Linden, a Canucks legend, was named president after former president Mike Gillis was relieved of his duties. In April, the Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time in Gillis’ six-year tenure. Since his hiring, Linden has hired former Boston Bruins assistant general manager Jim Benning as the hockey club’s general manager and signed star goaltender Ryan Miller, perhaps at the behest of McKay students.


By Philip Raphael

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Every year about this time, Tina Pali, a Grade 6/7 teacher at Spul’u’kwuks elementary is a massive favourite with the school’s entire student body.

Why?

School principal Darlene Shandola explained it has to do with Pali’s unique sense of creativity when it comes to raising funds for the annual Terry Fox Run.

“She’s quite imaginative,” Shandola said. “What she comes up with really manages to get the entire school involved.”

In the past it meant having a selection of paired up teachers eat a concoction of Jell-O and whipped cream. The snag was the teacher doing the feeding was blindfolded.

This time out, Pali came up with a good

old fashioned, slap-stick idea — a pie in the face — for a group of 10, hand-picked teachers.

The event on Oct. 17 helped raise a total of $1,700.

“The students bought raffle tickets and those who were drawn got to throw a pie at one of the teachers,” said Shandola, adding Pali bravely was one of those in the firing line, because it was not so much as a throw for the kids, but a reach out and make a connection with someone in authority experience.“It was very much an up close and personal, good old pie in the face,” Shandola said laughing.

Humour aside, the event capped a two-week period of Terry Fox-inspired fund raising that included the school’s annual Terry Fox Run.“It was quite emotional seeing the kids out there with names pinned to their

clothing of people they knew — family or friends — who had been touched by cancer,” Shandola said. “It was for those people they were running for.”

As for what’s planned for next year’s event, Shandola said the mastermind

behind the hijinks gives nothing away until much closer to the date.

“I am sure she will be creative as ever,” Shandola said.

Take that! Teachers take it on the chin for Terry Fox By Philip Raphael

spul’u’kwuks teachers got pies in their faces for a Terry Fox fundraiser.

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