Category Archives: FYI

Report Cards

Report Cards will be going home with students on Monday March 7, 2016.

Teacher/Parent Interviews with be held this Wednesday March 9 and Thursday March 10, 2016 from 2 to 4 pm.  If you have any concerns about your child and would like to book a time with your child’s teacher, please call the school, 250-635-5082.

We wore PINK on Anti Bullying DAY – Wednesday February 24th, 2016

At Thornhill Elementary we recognized Anti-Bullying Day by wearing pink to promote inclusion and diversity.

February 24, 2016 we encouraged everyone to wear something pink. Several of the students and the staff showed that we are all working together to prevent bullying in our schools, in our communities and online.

Pink Shirt Day comes from Nova Scotia high school students, who decided to take a stand against bullying in their own school.

Visit the website at http://www.erasebullying.ca/ for a variety of resources for parents and students.

Clubs Day – February 4, 2016

On February 4, our entire school body participated in a clubs day where the students got to pick from 10 different activities that were being offered by the staff for an hour.

Those activities were yoga, weaving bracelets, chess, making bead bracelets, building buildings, painting and colouring, rock band with real instruments, pop up cards, colouring post cards and G-ball in the gym.

“New” Filtered Water Fountain and Water Bottle Station

Our school has a brand new water filtering station. It has a water fountain and a filling station for water bottles.

We encourage all students to bring a refillable water bottle to school :-) . 

COLDER WEATHER

Just a reminder, with the colder temperatures, please ensure that your child is dressed properly in warm clothes and boots. If possible, clothes that are also wind resistant. On the colder, windier days, it does become an inside day for the students.

Also just as a reminder, if your son/daughter will not be at school because they are ill, please call the school at 250-635-5082 and let us know. If there is no answer, please leave a message.

Foundation Skills Assessment (FAS) Information for Parents

TIPS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

The Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) is a set of reading, writing and numeracy tests administered each winter to B.C. students in grades 4 and 7.

FSA does not measure students’ ability to memorize specific facts; it measures reading, writing and math problem-solving skills that students have gained during several years of learning. Some of the questions are easy and some are more challenging. Students answer the multiple choice questions on the computer and do their written work in a booklet that goes home to parents by March 31, along with the student’s overall assessment results. FSA results do not count toward student grades.

PURPOSE

FSA provides a “snapshot” of how well B.C. students are doing. Results help answer important questions, such as:

• Are all students learning vital skills they will need in school and in life?

• Is student achievement improving over time?

• Are there any trends in student performance at the school, district or provincial levels?

• How are specific groups of students doing?

VALUE FOR PARENTS

FSA is meant to complement – not replace –classroom learning. Along with classroom assessment and report card information, FSA provides valuable information to parents on how their child is performing in reading, writing and numeracy.

VALUE FOR EDUCATORS

Schools get information on how groups of students did on specific types of FSA questions. Using information from FSA, the Ministry of Education works with school districts to provide support for students and to improve teaching and learning for the coming school year.

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS

FSA results also show where individual students excel and where they struggle. FSA reading scores, for example, are a reliable predictor of a student’s likelihood of completing school on time. Paying attention to individual student results allows parents and educators to make early interventions that will lead to success later in a child’s schooling.

PREPARATION

Because they already cover reading, writing and numeracy in their regular classroom activities,  teachers and students do not need to take time away from classroom learning to study for FSA.

Students will be able to do their best if they are comfortable with the FSA format, which means knowing the type of questions, how to answer multiple choice questions on the computer section, and how long answers should be on the written questions.

TIME

The entire assessment takes about four and a half hours to complete, and most schools spread them over the course of two or three days. That’s less than 10 hours in total of provincial assessment from Kindergarten through Grade 9.

COSTS

FSA is not expensive. It costs about $20 for each student in Grade 4 and Grade 7, or an average of $2 a year over a student’s first 10 years of schooling.

SCHOOL RANKING

The Ministry of Education does not support the rating or ranking of schools based on FSA results. However, the Ministry does support making school, district and provincial level results available to the public.

FSA provides valuable information on student learning, but is only one measure of student performance. School rankings based solely on FSA ignore other important measures of student achievement and fail to account for factors such as demographics, location, school programming as well as some of the various features that characterize individual schools and school populations.

SAMPLE VS. CENSUS

FSA is about more than the overall performance of the provincial school system. All Grade 4 and Grade 7 students are expected to write the FSA because information about every child is important to parents and to schools. A sample of students would not provide information at the school or district level about specific groups of learners who may need extra help, nor would it provide information about individual children.

FSA FACTS

There is a strong correlation between FSA scores and eventual school completion.

For students who met or exceeded expectations in Grade 7 reading achievement, the completion rates are 90 per cent and 100 per cent respectively. These results have been consistent over the past four years.

Over the same period, among Grade 7 students who did not meet expectations in reading achievement, fewer than 67 per cent completed high school within the six-year time frame.

The same correlation can be seen at the grade 4 level.

TIPS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

There is no additional preparation required for FSA; however, following these simple tips will help your child prepare for any test, including FSA.

• Ask your children questions about their schoolwork and encourage them to talk about what they’re learning.

• Set up a study area away from the TV with adequate supplies and lighting.

• Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child’s homework for them.

• Students do better when they are healthy, well-rested and alert. Make sure your child gets a good sleep, eats a complete breakfast and arrives at school on time.

• Help your children get a library card and plan your trips to the library.

• If your children are struggling, talk to their teachers and work with them to develop a strategy for improvement.

FOR SCHOOL, DISTRICT AND PROVINCIAL RESULTS, SAMPLE QUESTIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/assessment/fsa

A friendly reminder regarding the upcoming “General Voting Day” scheduled on Saturday, January 9, 2016 for the CMSD82 School Trustee By-election for Electoral Area 3 (Thornhill).

Eligible voters must reside in Trustee Electoral Area 3 (Thornhill) (Area E of Kitimat-Stikine Regional District and the South and East portion of Area C of the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District including Copperside, Gossen, Kleanza, Usk, Jackpine Flats, Old Remo and Lakelse Lake).

Details regarding the General Voting Day are provided as follows:

General Voting Day
CMSD82 School Trustee By-election Electoral Area 3 (Thornhill)
Saturday, January 9, 2016 – 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Northwest Trades & Employment Training Centre
(former Thornhill Junior Secondary School)
3120 Highway 16 East, Terrace

The persons nominated as candidates at the By-election by Voting and for whom the votes will be received are listed below:

Ms. Barbara A. Johnson, #2 – 4717 Walsh Avenue, Terrace, B.C. V8G 1Y7
Ms. Diana Penner, 5418 Hepple Avenue, Terrace, B.C. V8G 4P7
Ms. Sandy Watson, 5221 Skeena Drive, Terrace, B.C. V8G 0A6

Please find a link to the Notice of By-election by Voting that provides additional information regarding the General Voting Day on January 9:

CMSD82 Notice of By-election by Voting – Trustee Electoral Area 3 (Thornhill)

Should you require further information or have questions, please contact Cathy Jackson, Chief Election Officer at (250) 635-1907.

PLEASE HELP AND SUPPORT US

Thornhill Elementary School is committed in creating a safe and healthy school environment for all our students, staff and visitors. In consideration of others who may suffer from chemical sensitivities, medical reactions and/or allergies. We request that you refrain from wearing products containing scents/fragrances such as perfumes, hairsprays, body sprays & scented lotions while visiting us. Thank you :-) 

Mrs. Rivet’s Grade 6 Class Fundraiser Raffle

Mrs. Rivet’s class RAISED $607.40 to help Syrian Refugees.

A great big thank you to everyone who purchased and help raise this incredible amount.

The lucky winner of the necklace was one of our grade 6 students, Ryan Corrie, congratulations :-)

There is an account set up for sponsoring Syrian refugees at the Northern Credit Union.

We would like to send out a great big Thank you to Goodman Jewellers from Winnipeg, Manitoba for donating the necklace.

Notice of Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement Public Consultation Meetings, Terrace & Kitimat (PDF Format)

Coast Mountains Board of Education School District 82 is holding a series of Public Consultation Meetings to discuss student learning in our Terrace and Kitimat schools.  Of particular focus will be the success of our Aboriginal learners.

The Public Consultation Meetings will take place as follows:

Wednesday, December 9, 2015 – 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Suwilaawks Community School (Library) – Terrace

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 – 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Haisla Community School (Community Room) – Kitamaat Village

All members of the public are invited to attend.

A summary of feedback received from the Public Consultation Meetings will be provided to the District Aboriginal Education Committee for their consideration and review for the Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement.

For further information or to provide a written submission prior to the meeting, please contact:

Carole Gagnon, Executive Assistant that the Board of Education Office
Tel: (250) 638-4401 or 1-855-635-4931, Ext. 4401
Email: carole.gagnon@cmsd.bc.ca