Friday, September 28th

Hi all
Homework
Integer Review - due Monday.

Effective Monday - For those of you who have not completed your homework, you will be required to stay after school to finish it. That includes those of you who have the following excuses: I lost it; my mom threw it out; I forgot it; I didn't have time to do it; I spilled something on it and it's in the garbage; I left it on the radiator and it just vanished; It was in the pile of stuff on the dining room table and who knows where it is now; I can't stay behind because my mom says so; I have a hockey game; I have a baseball game; I just can't.

Really? I've heard it all. You are in Grade 8. You will be getting a lot more homework once you are in High School. Now's the time to develop those solid work habits. If YOU are unable to develop solid work habits, let me HELP you - the not-so-pleasant way.

Here's what's due:
1. Math (due Monday)
2. Personal Narrative Organizer (due last Thursday)
3. History (Mme Francis - due ?)

Housekeeping
1. IEP Parent Consult Letters went home today. Please check your child's backpack.
2. Picture day is on Tuesday. Please ensure you have indicated a pose on the picture form. Bring your form in on Tuesday.
3. Girls' Softball. Practice is on Tuesday a.m. and there is a game after school. Also a game after school on Wednesday.

Great participation for the Terry Fox Run. Thanks to Nicolas, Ayden and Thomas for the music. Here are some pictures.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Hi all,

Homework
1. Reminder that there will be a Math test on Friday (Chapter 6). We have completed the Practice Test in class. We have all done the Extend questions together and posted our answers on the board. Suggestion, review the Practice test again, in particular the higher level thinking "extend" questions. If there are concepts you still do not understand, make a note and we can discuss on Friday.
2. I have given you another worksheet as a chapter Review. There are 7 questions on this sheet. This sheet is due on Friday (not tomorrow). Again, please come with questions.

Housekeeping
1. Strep throat - please see the note that went home today.
2. Terry Fox pledge form. Our Terry Fox Run is on Friday after our afternoon recess. As always, parents are welcome to join us. Please ensure that you are dressed appropriately - running shoes, comfortable clothes, water bottle, hat, etc.

Tomorrow is Day 3 and I do not see you at all. If you have any questions or concerns, please come to our classroom and I can help you.

Have a great evening. See you all tomorrow (in the halls or come visit me).

Ms Vincent

Monday, September 24

Homework
1. Math, p. 204 (Review), Q 8 - 10 (Due Tuesday).
2. Personal Narrative - Graphic Organizer is due Thursday. Do not leave your writing notebooks at home!
3. Math test on Friday (Chapter 6). We will continue working on concepts and review this week.

Housekeeping
1. TTC photos for student cards are on Wednesday. Please bring your $5.25 on Wednesday.

See you all tomorrow.

Math Class, Friday

Here are some pictures from shared word problems in Algebra this morning.

Tuesday, September 18th

Hi all
Math homework for this evening:
p. 196, Q 4 & 5
There will be a quiz on algebra this week. I will go over details with you tomorrow in class.

A note has gone home today regarding our curriculum night. It has been postponed until a later date. As always, I am here for your questions. Please do not hesitate to contact me through our usual avenues of communication: 1) Agenda; 2) Phone the office 416 396 6165 and I can return your calls; 3) Keep this blog address handy as I tend to update daily.

Girls' Softball Practice is tomorrow after school, 3:15 sharp! If you have soccer cleats, please wear them (no metal spikes). The field will be extremely mucky after today's rain and there is more rain scheduled for tomorrow.

See you all tomorrow.

Ms V.

Monday, September 17th

Hello everyone!
Math homework for this evening:
p. 190, Q 7, 8 and 9.

Softball Practice
Tomorrow's (Tuesday) softball practices (both boys and girls) have been cancelled due to rain. The field will be very wet and muddy we will be unable to play.

Girls' Softball Game on Wednesday has been cancelled. Please ensure that you check your schedules that Ms Lowen and I handed out in this afternoon's meeting.

There is another meeting tomorrow afternoon at recess in the library for the Girl's softball team. See you there.

Band starts tomorrow with Mr. Wallis.

See you all tomorrow.

Ms Vincent

Purple Day!

Friday is Purple Day! 

Wear your Clairlea Spirit wear or anything purple. 

Go Panthers!

Curriculum Night

Curriculum Night and BBQ is Thursday, September 20th.

I will be here and I look forward to meeting all of you. 

In addition, Girls' Softball Practice is still on for Friday morning. 7:30 a.m. in the gym. Please be on time! 

See you all tomorrow. 
Ms Vincent

Wednesday, September 12th

Hi all

Homework
Math practice sheet. I will collect these in tomorrow morning.

I was pleased with the number of students who completed their homework. Yes, some of those questions were a little challenging, but I'm always happy when you try and then are able to articulate where the challenge was.

Guidance and High School Process
Ms Sandra Sneyd, our Guidance Counsellor, was at Clairlea this morning to introduce herself to our Grade 8s.

Here's what we have learned about the High School process.

1. Letters will be handed out to parents on Curriculum Night (September 20th) about High School information.
2. A second letter will go home mid-October inviting all parents and students to High School Information Night in early November.
3. High School Information night should be attended by all parents.
4. High Schools will begin having open houses for you to view their programs beginning in November.

I would strongly encourage you to visit a number of school websites. It is early in the year, but their websites may have information regarding speciality programs for you to read about.

Wexford Collegiate School of Performance Arts
Birchmount Collegiate (BEEP program)
International Baccalaureate Programs at: Victoria Park High School, Wilfred Laurier (in the Guildwood  area), Monarch Park
SATEC has some speciality programs within the school
TOPS program at Marc Garneau
Leadership Program at R.H. King

Again, we are way ahead of the game. Letters and brochures will be coming home to you very soon regarding the process for optional attendance and high school applications. We will have an open house at Clairlea to help introduce to the process and field the many questions you will have.

* All is good in the homeroom classroom.
* Rotary appears to be going very well. The student feedback is very positive: switching classrooms and teachers for speciality subjects makes the day a lot more interesting.
* Yes, we are short on lockers which means some students need to share. Not ideal, but this is the reality that we are faced with. Thanks for everyone's cooperation.

Housekeeping
* TTC will be at Clairlea on September 26th to take pictures for the Student Fare Photo Identification Card. The cost is $5.25 and students will be issued with a laminated student card. This card is recommended for all students who are or will be turning 13 this academic year. A good idea, please, as we tend to use the TTC fairly often throughout the school year.
* HPV permission forms are still outstanding (girls vaccine only). Even if you do not wish your daughter to have this shot, the permission form should be returned with No indicated. Thank you.
* Pizza lunch forms have gone home.
* Some agenda money and brown envelopes are still outstanding. Please and thank you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding questions. I can be reached via the agenda or by calling the office at 416 396 6165.

Thanks!
Ms Vincent

Team-building Kind of Day

This afternoon, we pulled all four Intermediate classes together and spent most of the (hot!) afternoon outside. We divided all the kids up into 6 teams and played soccer/baseball and soccer at Edge Park and in our playground. Hot, smelly, sweaty and tired. That was the order of the day.

Reminder
1. Thanks to all who have returned brown envelopes and agenda money. Still a few outstanding. ASAP, please.
2. Lots more paperwork to come home: TTC passes and HPV vaccination for Grade 8 girls - paperwork to be sent home this week.
3. Please remember to bring your running shoes to school EVERY DAY.

See you tomorrow.
Ms. V.

First Day of School

Our Grade 8 class, first day of school.

Welcome back to everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful summer! I am so very pleased to be teaching this wonderful group of students again, this year. I would like to extend a warm welcome to Abilaash who joined our Grade 8 class this morning. We now have 36 high-energy, enthusiastic students!

This year, we have introduced "rotary" to our Intermediate grades. As I am still tweaking the timetable, I will have it available tomorrow. Here is a general breakdown of teaching responsibilities:

Ms Vincent - Grade 8 English homeroom teacher, Grade 8 Math and Grade 7 and 8 Language
Mr Knierim - Grade 7 and 8 Science
Mme Francis - Grade 7 and 8 History (1st term) and Geography (2nd term)
Mme Boisjoy - Grade 8 Core French and Grade 8 Health
Mr Church - Phys. Ed.
Mme Demeter - Visual Art
Ms Park - Dance and Drama

Requests
1. Please read/sign/return forms in the brown Clairlea Public School envelope. It is important that these are returned to the office as soon as possible.
2. Agendas have been handed out. Cost is $6.
3. Regarding school materials: USB; 1 binder with subject dividers to keep papers, assignments organized, pencils, and the usual makers, pencil crayons, etc.
4. Please have a chat with your student about the importance of staying organized, this year, as we work on a "rotary" schedule. It is important that they stay on top of assignments, build positive relationships with their teachers and peers. This rotary experience is excellent practice for the realities that await high school, next year.

As always, I can be reached via email, carol.vincent@tdsb.on.ca; phone: 416 396 6165; and through messages in the agenda. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.  I'm happy to meet with you. Please make an appointment first.

Please check this blogspot regularly for information and news.

Looking forward to a fantastic Grade 8 year.

Ms. Vincent