Goodbyes And Hellos

June 17, 2022

Action Plan For Learning

Welcome To Kindergarten

We had a great afternoon of connecting and sharing with the new families joining our community next year. Almost all families of future Ks participated in the event. We started off with a number of different activities that the children could do with their parents while also providing an opportunity for them to meet each other. Eventually the children were asked to go with the Kindergarten and resource teachers to enjoy a story and a snack, while parents stayed with me in the library. An important part of the action plan is making sure all stakeholders know what our goal is, what we have done to make progress, and our plans moving forward; so that is what I led with when introducing our new K parents to our community. I shared with families our school goals, and the value we place on communication and community. It was a lovely afternoon to grow our Wix family.

Pizza!!!

Just because there is only a week and a half of school left doesn’t mean the learning stops. Division 7 has been working hard on their unit of fractions! To end off their fraction extravaganza they were surprised with making pizza fractions for lunch! The students were able to design their pizza’s, tell how many equal pieces they will need and what ingredients they need! They had a blast making them and enjoyed every bite of their pizza’s! No piece was left uneaten!

Truth and Reconciliation

I love the end of the year and the reflection that comes with it. As a school community we have come a long way in our journey of truth and reconciliation. Through our learning we have become more aware of the importance and value of learning and knowing about Indigenous culture. We have also learned how far we have yet to go. It’s fun and easy to learn about some of the more obvious cultural differences like food and music; and with Ms. Peach and Ms. Millar designing lessons collaboratively, students couldn’t help but be engaged. The harder learning comes with a willingness to be vulnerable and admit wrongs were done and continue to be done. To get past the, “Well I wasn’t part of the atrocities that took place with colonization, so I’m okay to move along as I always have.” means we need to recognize that we continue to actively participate in the marginalization of Indigenous people and the colonial mindset by doing nothing.
Much of the content of the blog, although can be read by students, is directed to the adults of the community. We can’t, as role models to the children, expect change unless we model that change for them. With this in mind there have been portions of the blog that have included heavy content for the adults to contend with. We have shed light on and named otherness. Kevin Lamoureux explains otherness is racism and defined it by saying that “it is when one views someone else through a lens of us and them; them being the ‘other’.” An example of this is when people try to dismiss racism by saying they don’t see colour; however, by not recognizing someone’s identity and trying to understand their story you dehumanize them and put them in the category of ‘other’.
Another heavy lesson was focused on privilege. Recognition of privilege is a hard step; to stand up and say you are where you are because of some life advantage you have no control over feels like we are diminishing the work we engaged in to succeed. Most people want to talk about their success as the result of hard work, but is that all that contributed to your success? We need to pause and ask ourselves: Did you grow up in a home with both parents? Did you ever go hungry? Was your family supportive and kind? Maybe you have a story of struggles; but you can have privilege and experience disadvantages. A woman who comes from a middle-class home with both parents has both privilege, in the type of home she was raised in, and disadvantage, in the fact that she is a woman. Acknowledging your privilege allows you to leverage it and create needed change, thereby fulfilling your purpose and making your community a better place to be.
So, throughout our journey we have had opportunities to engage in lighthearted, engaging lessons as well as some grittier lessons that hopefully reshaped how we see our role in the Wix walk of truth and reconciliation, which exemplifies the First Peoples Principle of learning that states: learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.

Important School Events

Grade Seven Farewell

Saying good-bye is always harder than saying hello. As a staff we have fully invested ourselves in doing our best to meet the needs of our students, so this night was as important to us as it was to them. Ms. Ryan and Ms. Allin planned a lovely evening that was a great balance of formal celebration and a chance to relax and connect. Additionally, they took the opportunity to have one last read aloud and went the full nine yards by having the students come and sit on the carpet…and every single one of them eagerly engaged in the moment; it was so heartwarming. I was able to say a few words (and manage to get through without crying!) I think for me; I am feeling a little Mama Bear right now, wanting to support and protect, but knowing we have to let them go. My hope is that my message to them conveyed that they are loved and cared for; that they will always have space at Wix, and that rather than just glomming on the the first group of peers they find, they hold out for peers that will accept them for who they are.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the grade seven parents for preparing a fantastic meal and Ms. Blake for the lovely decorations. Over all it was a beautiful send off!

Sports Day

Sports Day is kind of a big deal. The planning required so that things go smoothly is monumental; even more so when you haven’t done it for three years and no one remembers quite how things went in the past. That didn’t stop Ms. Ryan from taking it on. She put together activities, provided instructions for each activity, created a timetable, created a map and organized the time for teams to work on cheers and posters. PHEW! All her work paid off!! We all had a great day enjoying the activities and each other’s company. Thank you Ms. Ryan!!