Principal’s Update:

Welcome back cougar families!

Happy New Year! As we say goodbye to 2019, we hope that each of you enjoyed your winter break with family and friends. We hope that your time together was filled with joy, laughter and love.

Personally, I am grateful for the simple moments. Those moments where you are fully engaged in the activity and immersed in your surroundings: hyper aware of what you see, hear and feel during the experience. I believe that these are the experiences that feed the soul, recharge our body and mind, and remind us what matters most. Taking my daughters public skating, running the trails at Rattlesnake Point, and watching Canada win gold on Sunday afternoon at the World Junior Hockey Championships are moments that I will hang onto...remembering where my mind was and how I felt.

As we drop our children off at school each morning, I think it is important that we acknowledge the significance of well-being. Not only do we want to feel good and be well, we want our children to feel safe, happy, and have a sense of belonging when they are at school. A supportive school-home partnership is beneficial to ensuring that each and every child is provided with a learning environment that sets them up to meet their social-emotional and academic potential.

Here are five things to try (or keep doing) that will promote your child’s well-being and achievement:

• Embed a “school day” discussion into your daily routine (e.g., talking about the school day at the dinner table or before bedtime; “what did you learn today?”; “what was the best part of your day?”)
• Maintain open communication with your child’s teacher to discuss progress and share concerns (e.g., using the planner, telephone conversation, set-up a meeting)
• Follow School-Day announcements and subscribe to our website to ensure you are aware of Chalmers’ events and activities
• Make literacy and numeracy practice at home fun and authentic (e.g., talk about numbers, play math games, journal about your experiences, read together)
• Ask questions, share your voice and engage in the Chalmers’ experience (e.g., attend a School Council meeting, come out to a family engagement event like Math Night, or inquire about how you can help or volunteer in a classroom)

Check out my Soapbox video and learn more about the information on our school website!

If you are ever interested in having a “coffee and conversation,” please let me know. I welcome the opportunity to listen, and learn more about your child’s learning and progress at Chalmers. Similar to my last few Cougar Report “challenges,” I look forward to having you take me up on this offer.

The month of January also brings with it the opportunity to set new year’s resolutions. With that being said, you may be thinking, “here we go, he’s about to tell us to set new goals, try something new, and turn the page…” Well, there is certainly great value in all of the above; however, my message this time around is a little bit different.

Coming off the break, we have four months of the school year behind us. That is great news! It’s great news because we have six months left in each child’s journey to success and achievement.

I want each of you to continue to maintain high expectations for your child. Sixty percent of the school year awaits us. Just think of the possibilities and the story that has yet to be written. Let’s take charge of this opportunity, and seize the moment. Through teamwork, connectedness, and a learning experience that is built together with understanding, amazing things can and will be accomplished for each cougar student!

I’m “Fired up. Ready to go!” Are you?

Give me a call and tell me what you thought about the video! What did you learn?

Sincerely,

Jeff Johnson

An Update From School Council:

Our School Council parent leaders continue to provide students and Chalmers’ families with experiences that are fun and engaging. December’s opportunities were very much about enabling students to make positive connections with their peers, staff and family members.

Students put smiles on the faces of their friends and classmates by sending out candy grams during the final two weeks going into the winter break. Many families also enjoyed their time together as they took in the action and excitement of our December Movie Night which featured the screening of Lego Batman.

Thank you School Council for making experiences like these available to our students! Both of these activities created joy and were very well organized.

Please join us at our next School Council meeting on Wednesday, January 15th at 6:30pm in the library. All Chalmers’ parents and guardians are welcome to attend.

Stay tuned for further details about our upcoming Family Math Night taking place on Friday, February 7th at 6:30pm.

Around the Community:

• Cambridge Minor Lacrosse is hosting tryouts at Chalmers Street PS this Sunday (January 12th) from 10am-12pm
• Further tryouts will also be held at Centennial PS in Cambridge on Sunday, January 19th from 10am-12pm
• Details can be found on the Cambridge Minor Lacrosse Website at cambridgeminorlacrosse.com