Hello parents,

I hope you have enjoyed this weekend, even with the crazy temperature swings! Please take note of the following updates and information on the Olympic Celebration.

Parent Teacher Interviews & New Sign Up Procedures

Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Thursday evening (February 8) from 6-9pm and Friday morning (February 9) from 10am-12pm.  We are launching a new way to sign up for conferences this quarter, using an online web-based platform.

  1. Go to https://signup.com/Group/12270274884593020122/
  2. Click “view” beside the teacher’s name you want to sign up for first (orange box)
  3. Choose an available timeslot for that teacher by clicking the green “sign up” button
  4. Log in via Facebook OR enter your email address (you need to click “confirm” on the next page)
  5. Fill in your name and your child’s name; your phone number is NOT required
  6. Click “save and done”
  7. Click “save” at the top of the screen (blue and white box)
  8. You will see a confirmation screen and will also receive a reminder email about that conference time/teacher; it is advised that you also record your interview teacher/time separately.
  9. If you have more teachers to sign up for, click the blue/white “Go back to all signups” button and repeat steps 2-7.

Ski Day

On Wednesday, February 7, the grade 3-8 and grade 10 classes will be going to Brookvale to ski. Permission slips and rental release forms have been sent home with the students.  All students will need to buy their lift ticket. Please note that there is an additional cost for students who will be renting equipment or taking lessons – those costs are listed on the permission slip. Students are welcome to bring their own skiing or snowboard equipment (including a helmet) if they have it. Please return the money and both forms by Tuesday, February 8.

Although the high school students are taking the bus, the elementary student will need to carpool.  If you are available and willing to drive, please let me know by Tuesday morning.  If you would like to pick your child up from Brookvale at the end of the day, please make arrangements to do so and send a note with your student on Wednesday morning. The students will be leaving the hill at 1:30 p.m. and will return around 2:00 p.m.

For those students not intending to ski, they should remain home on Wednesday as there will be no classes.

Buy A Brick- Daily Indulgences Challenge

The generosity of the GCS community continues to exceed our expectations and we are excited as we continue to get closer to our Buy A Brick campaign goal! As we enter the month of February we are looking to challenge you with a “Daily Indulgences” giving opportunity:

Each new day provides another opportunity for each of us to intentionally seek ways to impact the lives of others for the glory of God. Generosity is an attitude that must be cultivated daily. It is more than just giving resources, it’s about fostering meaningful relationships and serving others. Generosity isn’t about doing the bare minimum.

As we continue with our $1.5 million dollar Buy a Brick Campaign to complete phase one of our three-phase Plant a Seed Campaign, we would like to challenge you all to reflect on how your daily indulgences could be reallocated to bless the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and innovators from GCS.

Please visit www.gofundme.com/buy-a-brick-daily-indulgences to give to our Daily Indulgences Fund. Collectively, let’s see how many bricks we can purchase, when we see beyond our daily “wants” and seek to impact the lives of others for the glory of God.

GCS Entripy Shop – Sale

Entripy has stocked Grace Christian School’s shop with new products and from now until February 18th, they are offering 15% off all orders.  From t-shirts, to sweatshirts, hoodies, polos, beanies, sweatpants and more, you’re sure to find everything you need to show off your Grace Christian School pride.

Knitting Club

We are pleased to announce that GCS will be having an after school Knitting Club for elementary students from Grades 3-6!

When: Tuesdays from February 6th to March 13th

Time: 3:00-4:15

Cost: $20.00 (materials provided)

Who: Students in Grades 3-6; maximum of 6 students

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at mbouter@gcspei.ca and I will direct your questions to my mother, Shirley Robbins, who is running the club. Go mom!

Olympic Celebration

The Winter Olympic Games will run this year from February 9-25 in PyeongChang, South Korea. The Olympics provide an opportunity for the world to come together and celebrate excellence in sport. GCS has some exciting activities lined up to help students learn about and celebrate this event!

Graphing Results – Students will be keeping track of results from some of key countries participating in the Olympic Games by adding gold, silver, and bronze medals to our “Olympic Standings Graph” on display in the hallway. Each class will be recording the data for two countries. Of course, we will all be keeping a close eye on the medals earned by Canada!

Countries Being Tracked

  • Kindergarten – Norway, China
  • Grade 1-2 – United States, Austria
  • Grade 3-4 – Netherlands, South Korea
  • Grade 5-6 – Germany, Switzerland
  • Everybody – Canada

Red and White Day – Students are encouraged to dress in Canadian red and white on Wednesday, February 14th.

The Games – On February 23rd, students will participate in a morning of fun as they rotate through stations to try out versions of some of the Olympic sports. Students will need snow pants and mittens to participate in two of the activities as they are outdoors and involve the sledding hill.

The Olympic Reading Challenge – Combining with Love of Reading Week, students are encouraged to read like champions! An activity sheet was sent home with each student last Thursday. They are to choose their “event” and strive to earn a medal by completing the requirements for it. For example, a silver medal in “Cross-Country Skiing” would mean the student would have to read for 90 minutes in a day. Students cannot use the same book or time spent reading for two separate events. Parents, we ask that you help by signing the sheet when your child has completed the requirements for a medal. Student who participate in the Reading Challenge must pass in their signed sheets by Monday, February 26th, and will be awarded prizes in chapel on February 28th. I am excited to see what the students accomplish in this month-long challenge!

Important Dates

February 7 – Skiing at Brookvale
February 8 – Parent Teacher Conferences (pm)
February 9 – Parent Teacher Conferences (am) (No class)
February 5-28 – GCS Olympic Celebration
February 12-16 – Love of Reading Week
February 19 – Islander Day (No Class)

Upcoming Assessments

Other than the Bible memory verse due on February 6th, there are no scheduled assessments this week as it is a short one with the ski day and parent-teacher interviews. Plus, we are just starting third quarter. I’m sure students will feel elated with this news!