Welcome!

"An optimist sees the donut, a  pessimist sees the hole." 

Elaine McLandburgh Wilson

Welcome to our blog and to the grade 4/5 gifted class at Forest Hill Public School! Last year, I found this an excellent way to communicate with the families in our class. I will update the blog once a week and it will list important class information such as assignment due dates, upcoming field trips and a description of what your children are doing in class. If you have any questions, please email me at : stacey.mendelson@tdsb.on.ca.

We're off to a great start and it has been a pleasure meeting all of your children. They have come to school with smiles on their faces and an abundance of energy, very eager to learn! Several of the grade 5's were in my class last year and I am honoured to be teaching them again. For those celebrating Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year, I wish you a wonderful holiday with your families and a very happy New Year.

Quote Reflection - The quote posted above was discussed in class on Wednesday. Students were asked to reflect on the meaning of this quote and relate it to their lives in school, at home and the world around them. Please ask your child to share some of the ideas discussed in class as we had a great discussion about being optimistic versus pessimistic. Students will be completing a quote reflection once a week as part of their Breakfast for Your Brain (BFYB) program.

Transportation to and from school -  If you are using the school bus for transportation, please note that the first week is always a little slow as the drivers become adjusted to their routes; however, by next week, things will quickly settle in and the students will become very familiar with their pick up and drop off times. If you have any questions regarding buses, please call the school office and they will be happy to assist you.

School supplies - I hope you all received the pink welcome notice that has the suggested list of school supplies listed on the back. If you cannot get all of these supplies, please do not worry. They are not essential supplies. The large zippered binder, however, is something that I'd like each student to have. This is an excellent way to organize information and hold the papers and assignment students will be receiving this year in our class. Thank you for your assistance with this.

Forms - Please sign and return the forms that were sent home this week as well. Students will receive their agendas on Monday September 9th. They will be asked to write down their work for the week in their agendas every Monday at school. Please have a look at your child's agenda on a daily basis so you can monitor their homework and assignments. If you have a question or a comment, please feel free to write it in your child's agenda and I will respond to it.

French - The students will have French on Days 1, 3, 4 and 5. Madame Pryde will be their french teacher for the year. She will be teaching French in the kindergarten classroom of the junior school building.

Gym - The students have gym on Day 2 and 3. On Day 2, they will be taught gym by Ms. Gunton in the lower gym. On Day 3, I will teach them gym in the upper gym. Running shoes are a TDSB requirement in order to participate in gym. Please ensure that your child has a pair of running shoes that can be left at school once the weather changes.

Student Teacher - We are fortunate to have a Master's student teacher with us from OISE named Ms. Annie Gamliel. Annie has been observing in our class this week, spending some time getting to know the students. She has a wonderful rapport with the students and has been a welcome addition to our first week. Annie will be back in November for her practice teaching block for a month.

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL ON CURRICULUM NIGHT - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2013.

Thank you!

Mrs. Mendelson