CAS Weekly Message
Important Dates:
There will be no weekly message next week due to the short week.
· November 11- 13- Fall Break – School is Closed.
· November 14 – Frist day of school after Fall Break
· November 15 – 11:05 Grade 4 and 5 Assembly (Gr 4/5 parents welcome)
· November 25- Healthy Hunger – Last day of ordering - November 20
· November 21 – School Council (On Line) All families are welcome to attend
· November 28 – No Kindergarten classes during the day. Parent/ Teacher Conference will begin at 8AM. All Kindergrten students should attend the conference with their parents. Formal uniform is expected when students are attending events at school with parents.
· November 28-29 Parent/Teacher conferences (Students should attend conferences with parents. Formal uniform is expceted of all students when attending an evening event at school)
· November 28 - Face to face Parent Teacher Conferences
· November 29 - On-Line Parent Teacher Conferences 8AM - 11AM
· November-29- Conference Day - No school for students.
Chris Akkerman Families;
As we approach Remembrance Day, we take time to honor and remember the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country. Their sacrifices have ensured that Canada remains strong and free.
Explaining the significance of this day to children can be challenging. I find it helpful to have ongoing conversations about the importance of Remembrance Day throughout the year. For example, we proudly display Great Grandpa’s war medals in our library at home, which often sparks discussions with my children. These conversations are usually short and simple with my younger child, but as they grow older, I share more detailed stories and hard truths about the sacrifices made by those who went to war.
I tell my children about relatives and friends who served, like my cousin who spent most of his adult life in the military, and their dad’s grandfather who served in the Second World War. He left his wife and two young daughters to serve in Germany, Italy, and France, missing the birth of his third daughter. He returned home wounded but was always regarded as a hero in our family. These personal stories help my children understand the sacrifices made by those who left their families and the comforts of home to fight for our freedom.
It’s important to acknowledge that wars, though tragic, have sometimes been necessary to protect our way of life. Our soldiers, alongside those from other nations, fought to ensure that Canada remains a place where people can live freely and safely. I explain to my children that without these sacrifices, Canada might be a very different place today.
We also attend Remembrance Day ceremonies, such as those at the Field of Crosses or the Military Museum. These events provide a powerful opportunity for our children to see the impact of this day and to understand that many others also remember and honor these sacrifices. This year, we will visit the Field of Crosses before Remembrance Day in the evening as all the crosses are lit by candles. These experiences help us to remember and express our gratitude to those who have given so much for our country.
Sadly, war still exists, and I think my children need to know this reality. I let them know that there are Canadian soldiers in the line of fire today, on peacekeeping missions or in war-torn areas, risking their lives on behalf of our country.
Let us never forget that the peace and freedom we enjoy today are thanks to those who came before us. We are grateful for their sacrifices and for the contributions of all our families and loved ones in our diverse community at Chris Akkerman School. Thank a veteran, a person in uniform, or a senior today, and let’s appreciate all they have done for our great country.
Dr Bettesworth
Remembrance Day Assembly
On Thursday of last week we had the great pleasure of participating in an amazing Remembrance Day assembly. We were joined by two members of our Canadian Armed Forces, one a former student of Chris Akkerman! Our Grade 4 and grade 5 students lead the ceremony with spectacular singing, bells, interpretive acting and literature reading. Our entire community of learners had an opportunity to learn, think and reflect on what is peace and their particular role in continuing to ensure peace exists.
Grade 4 –5 Student Assembly
11:05 – Friday November 15
Grade 4/5 parents welcome and encouraged to attend!
This is a collection of presentations from our Remembrance Day Assembly. Our Gr 4/5 parents should see the amazingness that is your children. Unfortuanately, there is not enough space in the gym for family during our regularily scheduled assemblies. This is not a previous scheduled assembly but rather, was decided upon late Thursday afternoon after our Remembrance Day Assesmbly. We want parents to see how incredible their children are.
I encourage you all to attend. This assembly will be very short, two songs and a small amount of literacy being read aloud.
Please DO NOT park in bus parking or in a location that will interfere with bus transportation at the end of the day.
If you plan to attend and plan to bring your children home rather than have them ride the bus, please ensure the office knows about all of your children bad your plans.
Grade 4/5 Bus Monitors are still expected to complete their assigned task in advance of departure with their parents
We look forward to seeing our grade 4/5 parents at our grade 4/5 assembly. Parents – if you plan to video the assembly, kindly stand behind the chairs to accomplish this. I will remind families before our assembly begins. There will be reserved seats in the front row for all Grade 4/5 parents who attend School Council.
School Council
Please join the executive for their next meeting, Thursday November 21. The School Development Plan will be shared with families. There will be a brief slide show of photo highlights of the previous few weeks at CAS – Including the Remembrance Day Ceremony, Art Felt and Halloween Festivities - to name just a few.
See you on line!
Microsoft Teams Need help?
Meeting ID: 230 827 196 712
Passcode: zttRT8
Power School
All parents are welcome and encouraged to visit their student’s powerschool account via your MYCBE account. This is the location your child’s teacher posts the results of most summative assessments (Final Assessments) in all subject areas. We request that all parents view their child’s powerschool account to see all of the assessment information prior to parent teacher conferences at the end of the month. It is always great if parents begin the parent teacher conversation with a celebration from the Power School information or a question. All teachers will be asking parents about their feedback regarding what is posted on Power School. This is the very best place to see updated information about your child's learning on an on-going basis.
Metis Awareness Week
Metis Awareness Week is November 12-18. Chris Akkerman students will be learning about the Metis people. The Metis are a group of Indigenous people living within Canada. The Metis are a post-contact group that have a unique culture that was influenced by the Europeans during the Fur Trade, bringing in French influences and the First Nations people. Over the past couple of years, Chris Akkerman students have been introduced to the Metis culture during French Carnival. Students will be learning about Metis culture over the next two weeks in a variety of subjects.
Parenting and Mental Health
Boost Your Day with Dr. Greg Wells’ Morning Workout Tips
In his latest blog, “Practice the Morning Workout,” Dr. Greg Wells highlights the benefits of starting each day with physical activity, emphasizing its positive impact on brain function and mental well-being. Morning exercise, he explains, stimulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), enhancing learning and memory by promoting neuron growth.
Dr. Wells outlines several accessible activities - such as a brisk walk, stretching, yoga, or even dancing - to jumpstart cognitive performance, creativity, and mood. He encourages planning morning workouts to ensure consistency, noting that even brief sessions can reduce stress, boost energy, and set a positive tone for the day.
