As we prepare for next year, we are looking at moving the blog site to a new location. The hope is that we have ONE place where you can get all of your information on Forest Green. This will not only be a blog, but it will also be a website, community page, and place for student learning. This is something that is very new to us, but if you want to watch the development of it as it progresses, please feel free.

We would like to create a place where Forest Green parents can also communicate with one another as well, along with the school. The goal is to have ALL school blogs hosted within this one area.

If you are wanting to watch the development of this page, it is located here:

http://forestgreenschool.ca/

Here is a video of a student that use social networking sites, explaining in her own words how she connects to the world.  Please watch:

Welcome to my PLE

I was just led to an amazing blog post that talks about our changing world.  I think it is beneficial if we learn how the world is continuously changing.  It is important that we try to keep up.

The author states:

The world is changing, and insisting it’s not won’t do any good. Schools must grapple with the questions and the implications even though the challenges grow and the rapid changes in technology constantly call every decision into question. Tackling these questions, even if mistakes are made along the way, is better than irrelevance.

See this powerful post –While you read this, watch the world change

Please take a look at the google document that has the agenda for our parent council meeting on Thursday, May 27 at Forest Green School.

May 2010 Parent Council Meeting Agenda

I just read this great post on inspiring passion in our students, that was inspired by this video:

It is amazing how our kids can inspire us if we give them the chance.

We were lucky enough to be a part of a PSD pilot project, OMA (Opening Minds through the Arts)  for grade 2 students this year that incorporated dance into core learning. Lucky for us that we have a grade 2-3 split and they were able to join the project as well. Miss Janine did an amazing job with the students and they really learned a lot from their time with her.  There is a lot of theory on how movement helps to improve learning and this theory was incorporated into the classroom.

The students did a great job and we were very proud of them.  I would also like to thank the teachers, Ms. Perri and Ms. Heward, on doing such a wonderful job and being flexible with this practice.  Great job to everyone involved!

I have found this great video on the importance of Critical Thinking and I thought I would share it with the Forest Green community.  Let me know your thoughts.

Ms. Mahan and her grade 5/6 classroom recently started a running challenge this month to promote healthy lifestyles.  In the front display case, they are celebrating the athletes of our school.  It is looking great and the kids are really working hard to see their progress for this initiative.

If you want to see how far the students are running, Ms. Mahan and her class have created a Google Map displaying how far the students are going.  Great job Ms. Mahan’s class!

The kids had SUCH a great time at the Hip-Hop dancing today and we really enjoyed the positive message that 3rd Street Beats brought with us during their dance routine.  Sometimes “hip-hop” gets a negative image from media, but this week showed us about working together, exercising, and respecting the abilities of others.

It is amazing how quickly the students picked up the dance during this experience.  It shows that if students are engaged in their activity and find it relevant to their lives and surroundings, how much they will really enjoy it.

I was so happy to see how many happy parents were at the show and moving with the kids!  The kids will always think of their “dance” when they hear the song.

I also wanted to say a special thanks to Carlos and 3rd Street Beats!  They did such a great job with the kids and they stayed after to sign autographs to kids who just thought they were amazing.  It was a great week and we hope that we can get them to the show again!

We are so lucky to have 3rd Street Beat with us this week working with all of the students on some dance.  I have never seen students so engaged and their instructor Carlo is amazing with the students.  What a great way to promote the arts within the school by having a passionate performer share his knowledge with the students.

On Friday, May 7 at 1pm, the students will have the opportunity to showcase some of their moves, followed by a  performance done by 3rd Street Beats.  I personally am so excited to see the kids showcase what they have learned in a way that they are truly engaged.

What I have loved most about the week, is that every time a staff member is in the gym, they are also taking part in the dance with the kids.  Not for something “just to do”, but because it is fun, relevant, and a great way to exercise.  I remember dreading dance class as a student in my elementary school but am finding myself envious of the opportunity these students are getting right now.

Looking forward to Friday!