Frank Hobbs Elementary
3875 Haro Road, Victoria, BC V8N 4A6 call back phone number 250-477-3392 mailto:frankhobbs.pac@vcpac.ca
PAC Newsletter
Chair Chat
May 2009
As the school year is winding down, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those parents who have volunteered their time and energy organizing programs and events, participated in fundraisers and attended events and have become involved to benefit our children. Without these efforts it would not be possible to maintain the many extra programs and enhanced opportunities at Frank Hobbs. Funds raised this year were allocated to: Tennis Lessons, Chess Lessons, Chess Club
Tournament Entry Fees, Emergency Preparedness Supplies, Fine Arts Performance, Greening and Gardening, Parent Education, Swim Club, Swim Meet Entry Fees, Track and Field Entry Fees, Library Purchases, Roots of Empathy Program, Compost Workshops, Teacher Classroom Funds, Science Fair Entry Fees, Technology Upgrades - Discovery Streaming, Student Planners, Cross Country Pancake Breakfast, Fun Day, Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, and Grade 5 Year End Activities.
Thank you to our event coordinators and all parents who volunteered and participated to assist with these committees and initiatives.
Lunch Program - Jen Aitken, Claire McCutcheon, Newsletter Editor-Viki Stagg, Family Dance - Barbara Della-Siega, Anke Venema, Jodi Johl, Safe Travel Routes - Liz Miller, Fruit and Vegetable Program – Cathy Boraston, Tine Lathouwers, Clare Atwell, Callback - Brenda Micco, Emergency Preparedness - Phil Burton, Tine Lathouwers, Purdy's Chocolates - Tammy Blair, Move for Health Day/Recess Clinics - Patty McComiskey, Garden Club – Barb Bundon, Peter Willis, International Walk to School Week – Patty McComiskey, Liz Miller, Plant Sale – Barb Bundon, Event/Diplay Decorating - Jodi Johl, Free Spirit Books – Theresa MacKay, Winterfest Bake Sale - Barb Bundon, Jennifer Rickwood, Readers Digest Magazine - Jennifer Rickwood, Movie Night – Barbare Della-Siega, Anke Venema, Sheila Richardson, T-shirts’ Sale – Sonya Rinzema, Healthy Snack Week - Recel Fajardo-Jardine, Nina Evans, Clare Atwell, School Supplies – Sheila Richardson, Emergency Preparedness Supply Sale – Valerie Irvine, Jennifer Rickwood, Swim Team – David Tesch,
We also had a very successful AGM this past month and as result most of the executive positions are filled for next year. I would like to thank PAC Executive members Valerie Irvine, Roberta Eckard, Michele Yung, Wendy Joyce, Patty McComiskey, Sonya Rinzema, Eric Lott, Shelagh Martinusen, Sasha Rerrie and Clare Atwell for all their hard work this past year. I will be back as PAC President next year and welcome Shari Hurst – Vice-President, Michele Yung – Treasurer, Amy Sopinka – Secretary, VCPAC Representatives - Lingxia Li and Sharon Wissemann, Members at Large - Patty McComiskey, Sonya Rinzema, and Shelagh Martinusen, School Planning Council (SPC) Shelagh Martinusen and Eric Lott (still looking for one more SPC member). Wendy Joyce, David Tesch and Jodi Johl are all moving on from Frank Hobbs and we would like to acknowledge all the time they have given to the school over many years and extend our thanks and best wishes. I would like to mention that although David is moving on he will continue to organize our swim team and we couldn’t be more grateful for his commitment to this program and the students! I would also like to thank Diane Marshall, Emma Marley and the entire staff for their continued support as we work together to enhance the experiences and opportunities for all students at Frank Hobbs. A special thanks to Jan Anderson and Wendy Barlow who keep everything running smoothly . Enjoy the sunshine, Jill Hirschbold
Teacher Feature
This month it’s Marie
Kirby!
Marie has been a teacher for 21 years, but has been at Frank Hobbs for only 6 years. Her current 4 star favourite book is The Road Home by Rose Tremain. Her favourite subject at school was reading and her least favourite food is brussel sprouts. Marie would most like to have dinner with Jacques Cousteau, because his life was full of learning and adventure and he spent a lot of time in or on the sea. If Marie wasn’t a teacher she would like to be a naturalist or biologist. Her favourite song is, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. Knowing this it is unsurprising to learn that her personal philosophy is, “believe in the power of a smile and a positive outlook.” Thank you Marie.
School Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program
May
Taste the First Veggies of Spring Nugget potatoes, leafy lettuce, radishes, green onions, tender spinach ... are the first vegetables produced by BC farmers. They should be available soon in a store or farmers' market near you. Watch for them and enjoy the taste of spring. Springtime is also Time to Plant a Seed for Good Health Plant a Family Garden A great way to introduce children to nutrient and fibre rich vegetables is to involve them in planting and caring for a family garden. No space for a backyard garden - try a simple windowsill garden or gardening in pots on the balcony or patio. One pot could hold a variety of greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, parsley, chard) for salads and sandwiches. **Pick* **Wash* a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables. fresh fruits and vegetables before eating
**Enjoy* the taste of different coloured fruits and vegetables.
Frank Hobbs Movie Night and Plant Sale Thank you Barbara Della-Siega, Anke Venema, Sheila Richardson and Barb Bundon for organizing this event and all the volunteers Jenn Rickwood, Lyn Joyh, Claire McCutcheon, Patty McComisky, Nevin Mackay, Joelle Maycock, Lila Lund, Flarida Loy, Laura Farquhar, Diana Wakelin, Karen Martin, Valerie MacNeil, Jill Hirschbold who helped supervise, work the concession and help with the plant sale. Thank you to Jason Walasek for volunteering to supervise and look after all the technical aspects of the movie. A big shout out to Peppers’ who donated all the drinks for the evening. About 200 adults and children enjoyed this first time event, everything turned out quite well. We will take what we’ve learned here and hope to have many more movie nights in the future.
Move for Health Day 2009
By Patty McComiskey
On Wednesday, May 6th all the students of Frank Hobbs had an opportunity to participate in an obstacle course to celebrate moving our bodies in a healthy way. The course consisted of 9 stations which were supervised by some awesome parent volunteers. Thank-you volunteers for finding time in your busy schedules to make this a great event for the students. Some feedback as received from the volunteers: One girl was so excited to do the side step just like in ballet. One boy was thrilled to slide on his belly just like in real army obstacle courses. A big thank-you to the following parents who volunteered their time: Clare Attwell, Barbara Della Siega, Karen Diamond, Peg Ford, Jill Hirschbold, Heidi Hoffman, Erin Larson, Ed Ord, Matt Smith, Anke Venema, and Michele Yung. An obstacle course can be a fun way for a family to be active together in your own backyard. Our obstacle course consisted of Skipping, Basketball dribble and shoot, Agility Ladder using Hoola Hoops, Belly slide on a bench with a crawl through a card board box tunnel, Side steps, Two-foot jumps over five pylons, running jump into the sand pit, and a run to the finish line where each student received a Certificate of Completion. Pull out what ever equipment you have around the house and let the kids design their own course and run through it with them.
Stay Cool This SUMMER!
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The Racquet Club of Victoria is offering summer skating camps for children of all levels in a safe, fun, activity-filled environment. Camps will be held at Pearkes Recreation Centre located at 3100 Tillicum Road from June 29 to August 7, 2009.
A Proud Member of
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For information, please call 250 893 3641 A Proud Member of Racquet Club of Victoria Skating Club
STAY COOL & HAVE FUN!
www.racquetclubofvictoria.com
Frank Hobbs School Announcements
At the Board Meeting held on Tuesday night, May 19, 2009, a two-week Spring Break was approved on a trial basis for the upcoming school year. Section 77 of the School Act states that schools must finalize their calendars and distribute them to their parents by May 31, 2009. The Standard School Calendar for the 2009/10 school year is as follows: 187 Days in session 180 Days of instruction 6 non-instruction days 1 administrative day (Wednesday, June 30, 2010) Schools open on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 (school starts at 9:00 & ends at 11:30 for the first day) Thanksgiving is Monday, October 12, 2009 Remembrance Day is Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Last day school is in session prior to Winter Break is Friday, December 18, 2009 Schools re-open on Monday, January 4, 2010 Last day of school prior to Spring Vacation is Friday, March 5, 2010 Schools re-open on Monday, March 22, 2010 Good Friday is Friday, April 2, 2010 Easter Monday is Monday, April 5, 2010 Victoria Day is Monday, May 24, 2010 Tuesday, June 29, 2010 is the last day of school for students Wednesday, June 30, 2010 is an Administrative Day and then schools close. Also, to confirm, the Professional Development days for the 2009/10 school as follows: 1. Monday, September 21, 2009 2. Friday, October 23, 2009 (Province Wide) 3. Friday, February 19, 2010 (Tri District) 4. Friday, April 23, 2010 5. Friday, May 21, 2010 6. Tuesday, May 25, 2010 (Frank Hobbs Elementary) Noon Dismissal Interview dates: Div. 1 & 2 - December 3, 2009 and March 5, 2010 Div. 3 to 14 - October l, 2009 and April 22, 2010
Bike to School Week: The first annual Bike to School Week at Frank Hobbs was a resounding success! For the first year of this event, the number of students who participated far exceeded what I expected. During the four days we counted over 320 students 'on wheels'. Everyone who participated in this event should feel proud of the result, congratulations! I would like to thank Mountain Equipment Co-op for donating most of the prizes. I would also like to thank the Art Club for their posters, and the following people for their help: Hanif Khedri (div. 2), Micheal Micco (div. 2), Maiya Jess (div. 4), Kevin Martinusen (div. 8), and of course Ms. Marley. Without their help this event would not have happened, thank you. - Don Grier THRIFTY FOODS SMILE CARD PROGRAM Thank you for your help with the Thrifty Foods Smile Card program. We have been advised that our current approval ends this Saturday; May 30, 2009. Cardholders can load their cards until the end of business day on Saturday and Thrifty Foods will contribute an amount equal to 5% of the amount loaded on the card. When the card is used to make purchases is irrelevant. You are encouraged to "load up" prior to the end date in order to maximize our results. Thanks for your help. Frank Hobbs Chess Club The Frank Hobbs Chess Club has met on Wednesdays at noon hour since December, culminating in a school chess tournament that took place in April and into May. Congratulations to Andrew Martin who was our school champion! He will receive his certificate at the next school assembly. Congratulations also go to the following students who represented our school at the district tournament held at Margaret Jenkins School on our last Pro-D Day: Andrew Martin, James Huang, Max Smith, Ricky Huang, James Lin, Jack Isbister, and Jonah van Driesum. At the end of the tournament, James Huang and Ricky Huang were presented with medals for outstanding play at their level. I look forward to next year's chess season! Diane Franceschini Home Product Safety Fact Sheet for Safe Kids Week- Safe Kids Week is an annual public awareness program designed to help reduce the frequency and severity of preventable childhood injuries, the leading cause of death and disability of Canadian children. This year, Safe Kids Week will be held from May 25th to May 31st, 2009, with a focus on home product safety. The BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit has released a Home Product Safety Fact Sheet which includes helpful tips on how to prevent consumer product-related injuries. Please share this information on your school bulletin boards and in your school communication materials. Parents, is it time for you to do something for you? Are you wondering what to do in September when the kids go back to school? Why not consider upgrading your education with us at Continuing Education, SJ Willis Education Centre. Did you know…… We have course schedules and formats that can fit into There are no tuition fees for high school your already busy life! Flexible schedules (day & courses. This applies to graduates and evening) and self-paced and classroom learning non-graduates alike. formats are available for adult learners. We offer high school academic courses, English as a Second Language and computer courses. Ask about the Adult Graduation Program and Prior-learning credits. Achieving your dreams might be easier than you think! PLAN NOW FOR SEPTEMBER. Call us – 250-360-4332 – for an appointment to talk to an advisor. We are registering now for September.