November 2009 Newsletter
November Newsletter (PDF version)
Junior Kindergarten – Mrs. Michèle Gignac-Lamoureux
Thanks to two soldiers who had returned from Afghanistan, we had a beautiful
November 11th ceremony. They talked about the hard reality of this war. In spite of their
young age, the students were very attentive.
As in previous years, I highlighted “La Sainte-Catherine” by making delicious taffy with
my students. One of them, Caitlin Foody, told her mom that I was a good cook. It is
comments such as these that motivate me to hold this annual activity.
We had a wonderful outing to the Canada Science and Technology Museum. Our guide
was very dynamic. We attended a workshop about the trains at the museum. On that
day, we met one of the conductors of these old trains. In 1952, he had driven one of the
locomotives and he shared his experience with us.
In December, we will be going to the National Arts Center to see Alice in Wonderland.
We will also make gingerbread men with our student teacher from the University of
Ottawa, Mrs. Tina Naim. She is very good with the students. We will also practice the
song we will be presenting at the Christmas concert.
I wish a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all the parents.
Senior Kindergarten – Mrs. Nicole Duguay
November flew by in Senior Kindergarten. We spoke extensively about sentiments and
colours. We have also started to write short dictations and to read syllables. The girls
manage very well. We visited the Canada Science and Technology Museum -- many
thanks to the parents who accompanied us. Every Thursday morning, the students of
grade six come to read stories to our students. The girls love receiving their visit and
always await their return impatiently.
In December, we will prepare for Christmas. We are counting the days and the whole
month will be devoted to this theme. We will write a letter to Santa Claus together to be
sure that he doesn’t forget us. It is with joy and enthusiasm that we start the month.
Grade 1 – Mrs. Véronic Beauchamp
November started with a week of evaluations, since the report cards were about to be
handed out. The girls worked very hard and completed the evaluations for the first term
successfully. Also, the girls of grade one presented a short rhyme. It was fabulous to
hear them speaking in French in front of the class. Bravo girls, I am proud of you.
On November 11th, we had the opportunity to attend a splendid Remembrance Day
ceremony. The girls were very attentive to the various speeches and participated very
well in the question period.
Finally, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to meet the parents again. It was a
true pleasure to discuss your daughters’ progress with you!
Grade 1 – Mrs. Donna Jones
We worked with time, temperature, and money in Math this month. We are trying to
learn the months of the year forwards and backwards. The girls are learning the names
and value of Canadian coins. They do seem to understand how to use money and had
some creative ways to spend it.
T
he girls enjoyed having two long weekends in November. It gave them a chance to
rest and relax.
Grade 2 – Mrs. Véronic Beauchamp
November started with a week of evaluations, since the report cards were about to be
handed out. The girls worked very hard and completed the evaluations for the first term
successfully. Also, the girls of grade two worked very hard to learn the verb “to be”.
They mastered it without difficulty and have more success every day in using it in
written texts and while speaking. Bravo girls, I am proud you.
On November 11th, we had the opportunity to attend a splendid Remembrance Day
ceremony. The girls were very attentive to the various speeches and participated very
well in the question period.
Finally, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to meet the parents again. It was a
true pleasure to discuss your daughters’ progress with you!
Grade 2 – Mrs. Donna Jones
November was another busy month in Grade Two. The girls started working on their
animal research projects in mid-November. The girls are all completing their projects in
teams of two or three. They have been amazing me with how well they are working with
their partner and with all of the interesting facts that they are learning about their animal.
We will be presenting our completed projects on Friday, December 11, from 8:45 –
10:00.
We started our first novel study in November. We are reading Freckle Juice by Judy
Blume.
We made our first trip to the Canada Science and Technology Museum on December 1
where we learned all about Solids and Liquids.
Grade 3 – Mrs. Annie Duchesne
The conquest of books has begun in grade three. It is a project that aims to encourage
the girls to read, to foster the discovery of new authors and to establish a structure that
supports literary exchanges.
The girls received their conjugation diplomas! They now know the verb endings of simple
tenses! We can start to conjugate!
The students have completed their portfolios. They contain their personal journal, great
moments of the first term, as well as works that they are proud of. We are ready to
begin the second term and our objectives are well set out.
In class, we can feel that Christmas is coming! We have already written to Santa Claus
and hope that the elves will not be attacked by the H1N1 virus during the holidays!
Grade 3 – Ms. Sabine Neubert
We are looking back at a successful first term, are happy about our report cards and
wonder what the exciting month of December has in store for us. It is definitely looking a
lot like Christmas. We will work hard to prepare a great performance at the Christmas
Concert, and we got busy in the “Christmas Bakery” on December 4.
In English, we are reading the book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever about the
unusual but best Christmas pageant ever, due to the rather unorthodox behaviour of the
Herdman children. In Math, we hope to bring our multiplication and division skills to
perfection and, in Science, we enjoyed an interesting field trip to the Museum of
Science and Technology on December 1.
All in all, this will surely be an eventful month and the Christmas break will be more than
welcome. We wish everybody a few restful weeks off, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy
and Peaceful New Year.
Grade 4 – Mrs. Elaine Bartlett
This month has been busy but very productive. The Grade 4 students have been writing
imaginative and amusing tall tales which will be displayed in the upstairs hallway for
your viewing. In math, they have just completed the geometry unit and have now begun
the multiplication and division unit. They have also started the science unit on rocks and
minerals and are very enthusiastic to learn all about them. Many of them brought in their
own treasured rocks and minerals for us all to view.
Grade 4 – Mrs. Anne Meurillon
We worked hard throughout November. In French, we started the final chapter of our
novel, La grenouille et la baleine. We will soon have the pleasure of discovering
together the Québécois film on which the novel is based. We have studied the number
of nouns and soon we will be working on homophones, before the enthusiasm about
Christmas encroaches on our learning! The girls also had time to familiarize themselves
with a new conjugation tense: the imperative.
In Social Studies, we are studying the human aspect of our province: the distribution
and concentration of the population, its diversity, the number of French-speaking people
in Ontario… We always have wonderful conversations in Social Studies class!
I wish to thank all the parents who came to meet Mrs. Bartlett and myself on Friday,
November 27th.
It was a true pleasure to discuss your girls’ progress with you
Grade 5 – Mrs. Erin Elliott
November has been another very busy month in grade five. Unfortunately, like many
other classes at Joan of Arc, we were greatly affected by the seasonal flu, colds and
other illnesses. We hope that December will be a healthier month for all of us! The girls
have been enjoying their Matilda novel study and especially the Feature Teacher
projects. The presentations and lessons were very creative and the girls clearly loved to
play the role of teacher and be in charge of the class for a few minutes. In math, we
worked hard to complete a unit on Geometry where we learned about various polygons
and angles, as well as how we can see the use of geometry in the construction of
bridges. Nearly the entire class participated in a soccer tournament this month which
marked the end of another successful season- great job, girls!
Grade 5 – Mrs. Anne Meurillon
We have worked hard throughout November in grade 5. I had lots of fun reading your
daughters’ adventure stories. They are not lacking in imagination! They also learned a
conjugation tense with a rather intimidating name: the future perfect. I think they realize
that the more they become familiar with various types of conjugations, the easier these
are to integrate. We also worked on homophones, that they learned in grade four, but
that must always be reviewed to avoid forgetting them!
In Social Studies, we are discovering the natural resources of each physical area of
Canada, as well as the main economic activities of the country. The girls are working as
a group to develop a poster representing each area!
I wish to thank all the parents who came to meet Mrs Bartlett and me on Thursday,
November 26th. It was a true pleasure to discuss your girls’ progress with you
Grade 6 – Mrs. Sabine Neubert
One third of the school year has passed already. We are looking back to an eventful
first term with many exciting highlights as well as some challenges that our girls
naturally faced entering the intermediate level. They mastered them though, those
made them grow, and the girls were ultimately rewarded with their successful report
cards and the sense of an important accomplishment.
Now we are looking forward to the month of December with all its Christmas
preparations and activities. Excitement is in the air! We will work hard to prepare a great
performance for the Christmas Concert, and we are definitely looking forward to the
Christmas Break, the promise of some rest after months of intense work. We wish
everybody a few relaxing weeks off, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Peaceful New
Year.
Grade 6 – Mrs. Catherine Pham
The students of grade six started the second term with a wonderful energy and an even
stronger will to speak French whenever they can. We are in a celebratory mood
because we are practicing a breathtaking number for the Christmas concert. Also, we
will be attending the enchanting performance of Alice in Wonderland at the National Arts
Center on December 9th.
In French, the writing of an opinion text will hold our attention and, in Social Studies, we
will broaden our horizons and compare our country with others where the living
conditions are often more difficult. We will see how Canada comes to their help. We are
lucky to have Mrs. Labelle who has agreed to come and talk to us about her work in this
field and about her experiences in South America and Ukraine.
Grade 6 Math – Mrs. Kathleen Forestell
The grade 6 girls are almost half way through the curriculum. We’ve completed the
fourth and fifth units which covered decimals and data management. The girls were able
to prepare for their decimals test while playing an intense game of math bingo. These
games have been a great success and we look forward to playing more. They have also
completed their second unit problem which involved analyzing English and Cree text by
creating tables, graphs and making inferences. Great work girls! Enjoy your vacation!
Grade 7 Mathematics and Science – Mrs. Kathleen Forestell
The grade 7 girls have now completed another two units in math, Fractions and
Decimals as well as Data Management. Currently we are working on Measuring
Perimeter and Area, which will be completed before Christmas. Our next unit problem
will take place after Christmas which will involve bringing out the girls’ artistic skills and
applying it to math concepts. Good work girls!
We are almost finished our second unit in science which has covered structures, their
form and function. We were able to take a trip to the Science and Technology Museum
where we participated in a structures workshop. The girls had a lot of fun building
bridges, creating support beams and even standing on their own block bridges. Many of
the girls have joined our science club which takes place on Thursdays after school.
Happy Holidays girls!
Grade 7 Language Arts – Mrs. Kristin Greenacre
This month we completed our novel study of “The Keeper of the Isis Light”. As a
culminating task the students created a brochure of the planet Isis. The girls did a great
job designing their brochures using the template while adding great creativity and
important information. They completed a unit in poetry, studying terms and devices
before creating two unique poems of their own. First, the girls created haikus relating a
chosen flower to themselves, and secondly, they wrote self-portrait poems and
presented them in a variety of creative ways. We also began working on our Christmas
concert. The girls cooperated very well while collaborating as a group to write their
piece. We look forward to seeing you all there on the big day!
Grade 8 Mathematics and Science – Mrs. Kathleen Forestell
We are half way through the textbook! Unit five and six have been completed which
covered Data Management and Circles. The girls completed their second unit problem
which entailed creating a survey and pulling together the results in the form of tables
and graphs. We learned what girls spend their money on, their favourite types of books
and how much they read, and what girls desire to be when they grow up. The entire
class is working very well. Enjoy your break!
In Science, we have completed our second unit. This unit looked at systems, their
mechanical advantage and efficiency. To end this unit we will be designing and creating
“mouse trap” machines! This will involve identifying the types of simple machines in a
“mousetrap”, designing and building their machine and then racing them! A fun way to
end 2009! Next our chemistry unit covers fluids. See you in 2010!
Grade 8 Language Arts – Ms. Kristin Greenacre
This month we completed our novel study of “To Kill a Mockingbird”. We watched the
film version of the story and enjoyed seeing it staged. As a culminating task the
students are writing their first essays, using the formatting and style guide we have
been studying. The girls did a great job writing clear and concise outlines and wellorganized
rough copies. I look forward to reading all the final copies. They completed a
unit in poetry, studying terms and devices before creating a unique poem of their own.
First, the girls studied lyrics of songs about social issues and change, and secondly,
they wrote poems about an issue they felt needed to be heard and then presented them
to the class. I look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming Christmas concert!
Grades 7 and 8 – Mrs. Nadia Pasqua-Cooper
What a mild and sunny November! At the intermediate level, we were busy with several
activities. We completed our history program in grade 7 with presentations on Canadian
women and in grade 8 with presentations on various topics. Now, in geography, the girls
of grade 7 are starting construction projects which will represent the site and the
location of the Academy. In grade 8, we studied population density while creating an
age pyramid of the members of our families. We then combined our information to
produce an age pyramid representing our 8th grade population.
We are planning an outing in December to La Nouvelle Scène, to see the play Cyrano
TAG, an adaptation of the classical work by Rostand. This will certainly inspire the
grade 8 girls who will present their version of the play on January 21st, 2010 at 9:30.
The rehearsals are already in full swing! We hope to see you in great numbers.
Workshops - Mrs. Nadia Pasqua-Cooper
Our outing to the University of Ottawa swimming pool, arranged by Mrs. Isabelle, was
educational and entertaining. The girls of the intermediate level had a lot of fun during
this sports activity. Several tried jumps off the 3 to 7 meter towers. Congratulations, you
are courageous!
Physical Education – Mrs. Isabelle Murray
I wish to congratulate our grades 5 and 6 soccer team that won the tournament on
November 23rd in Kanata. I also congratulate our grade 4 soccer team that made a good
showing at the November 9 mixed tournament, where they partnered with Ashbury
College. Bravo girls! You have worked very hard since September and this has borne
fruit. Go Cyclones go!
I
thank Mr.Thériault and Mr. Brunas for their excellent work as coaches throughout the
season. I also congratulate our grades 7 and 8 volley-ball team for their excellent
performance at the November 25th tournament at Turnbull School. Great work girls! Your
trainer is proud of you! Finally, we had a great workshop at the University of Ottawa
swimming pool. There were many girls who swam like fishes and many very
courageous girls who dove from the first and second dive towers.☺
Library News – Ms. Sabine Neubert
The highlight of the month of November was our Used Book Exchange.The majority of
our students participated in this event, and were very happy and enthusiastic about
exchanging their books. This activity not only provides them with new reading material
but also contributes to building a more closely knit school community across grades.
The book exchange has become a popular and eagerly anticipated event and is calling
for an encore in the spring. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the parents who
volunteered their time during the Book Exchange and helped to make it a success.
Outreach – Mrs. Janice Vriend
A huge thank you to all those who have contributed to our outreach programs to date.
We collected nearly 1000 pounds of food for the Ottawa Food Bank and 84 shoe box
gifts were handed over to the Operation Christmas Child Program. Our next project will
be Pennies 4 Portions through the Christmas Exchange. This local charity has a
mission statement that reads: ¨To provide assistance to persons residing in the
Ottawa area who are verifiably in a time of need, with primary emphasis on the
Christmas Season.¨
We received news that all students who donate money will receive a coupon for a free
kids meal at Boston Pizza -- what a great incentive!
OTHER NEWS
Thank You
JOA parents Bruce and Heather Holbrook, owners of Isobel & Co., have donated
specially designed gingerbread cookies bearing the JOA logo to help market the school.
Thank you so much!
The cookies were given out to prospective parents and children who came to the Open
House on Tuesday, November 24th. Such a yummy idea!
Reminder Regarding Allergies to Scents
A number of students and staff members have severe allergies to perfumes. To prevent
allergic reactions, it is therefore very important that students, personnel and visitors
refrain from wearing any perfume or scented product at school. Thank you in advance
for your cooperation.
Feel Free to Contact Us
This is your school and your opinion counts. For any comments, questions or general
inquiries, do not hesitate to call 613.728.6364 or to e-mail us at: administration@joanofarcacademy.com
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