Hard to say goodbye...

I know I haven't posted on here very much but I have always thought of it as being Miss Mynes blog and I'm happy that she invited me in having the opportunity to use the blog to keep you informed. Sadly this will be my last post to the blog but I will be checking in regularly to see what wonderful ideas I can borrow for my Kindergarten students at Pape avenue.

A special thank you to Miss Mynes for opening up the classroom and making me feel welcomed from day one and a special thank you to all the parents for entrusting me with your children everyday. It was a pleasure getting to know the families and teaching the children. I take away from Workman lots of fun stories and lots of great ideas and I know my new students and teaching partner will hear all about them.

Have a great summer and feel free to keep in touch.

Cheers,
Mr. Pate
john.pate@tdsb.on.ca

the last day

Yikes!  Spell check not working!  Please be kind as my spelling is bad and so is my typing. :)

This day is always a day of mixed emotions.  Of course, I'm excited to take time off, who wouldn't?  But I love your children and next year, all but two of my seniors will be with a yet to be named teacher and 2 will be with Miss House (YAY!).  I see your children as my children and I am so sad to not have them around me every day.  I will spend part of the summer preparing room 9 for myself and my juniors - who will be seniors! and the incoming juniors who I can't wait to get to know.

It has been a privielge teaching your children and I hope their kindergarten experience has been one filled with happiness, a sense of belonging and, of cousre, learning.

Have a wonderful summer.  I hope we all come back in September filled with great stories to tell and an invigorated readiness to learn.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about tomorrow

Tomorrow will be a crazy day and I will do my best to outline it here.  In the morning, the seniors will be visiting Miss House or Mrs Kanarellis and Mrs. Sampson and the junior will stay with me.  Mr. Vlahos organized this Meet Your New Teacher morning where the children will do Back to School activities.  He is concerned that the children will be nervous on the first day of school if they have never met their teacher before and hopes meeting them before next year will alleviate these fears.  Luckily, in a small school, all the teachers know almost all the children by name and all the children by sight or have taught them before.

In the afternoon, Mr. Jennings has organized a Play Day.  The classes will be split into two teams and play against each other in various fun activities.  Mr. Jennings is concerned some of the activities will be too difficult for our youngest students but Mr. Pate and I will be there to be sure the kids are safe and participate to the best of their ability.

I'm sure your children will be tired tomorrow and ready for a good night sleep before the last day of the school year.

:)

Miss Mynes

oops

Sorry everyone, but report cards don't go home till Wednesday.

Sorry for spreading misinformation.
:)
Miss Mynes

the last week

I can't believe next week is the last week of school for the year.  I have loved teaching your children for the last year, or two.  I can't believe my seniors will be moving on to grade 1 with Mrs. Kanarellis.  I am going to miss them like crazy!!

Every student will bring home a report card on Monday.  Feel free to approach me with any questions you may have.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Miss Mynes

a weekend idea

http://www.toronto.com/event/646984--toronto-international-dragon-boat-race-festival?gid=684520

Come see Miss D'Heureux and I race for gold in The Toronto International Dragon Boat Festival!  Out boat is sponsored by the Elementary Teachers of Toronto and is called A Stern Warning.

:)
Miss Mynes

some summer fun

http://www.scholastic.com/summer/

Check out this link.  Have fun with reading this summer with you children.

:)
Miss Mynes

the last day party

On the last day of school we will celebrate our accomplishment of the year with a party in the afternoon.  Feel free to send in a snack for your child to share with their peers.  If it is a hot day, we will have a water fight so your child can also bring accessories for that.

:)
Miss Mynes

another Superman story

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/about_us/media_room/Room.asp?show=allNews&view=detailed&self=33715

the primary field trip

On June 21st, we will be going to Rouge Valley Conservation Area for an Eco-Adventure.  Please return your permission forms as soon as possible.  Even if your child is unable to attend the trip, we need the form with the no section filled out.

Miss D'Heureux has planned this wonderful trip and I look forward to a fun day.
:)
Miss Mynes

so busy

These last few weeks of school are filled with disruptions, fun disruptions but disruptions none the less.  This morning, Mr. Pate and I will be out of the class for the Welcome to Kindergarten event in the library.  Then we will bring our students to room 9 to allow my incoming JKs and their families to observe a snapshot of our kindergarten day.  At lunch today, your child may be participating in the graduation committee fundraising BBQ lunch.  This afternoon, the whole school will gather for our annual Panoramic photo.  All that and I haven't even mentioned health, music, reading assessments, writing, partnering with Miss Parton and math folders.  What a day!!

:)
Miss Mynes

fyi

You may have noticed that room 10 is packed up and I know some of you are wondering what is going on.  I will be teaching kindergarten in room 9 next year and my current juniors will be coming with me for the 2012/2013 school year.  Then in the 2013/2014 school year, the students from room 9 will be moved to room 10 and assuming Mr. Vlahos assigns me to kindergarten for that school year, I will move back into room 10 with the children.  I just wanted to be sure that this information was being shared accurately.

Have a great day,
Miss Mynes

June Calendar

On the weekend, I suddenly realized that I forgot to send home the June calendar - oops!  Sorry about that.  I will get that out to you as soon as I can.

:)
Miss Mynes

oops

I tend to be quite organized when it comes to the classroom Scholastic orders but for some reason I got a book that I don't know who it is for.  It is a Barbie mermaid book.  If your child ordered this and you didn't receive it yet, please let me know.

Thanks!

next week

Next week, we focus on strengthening our oral language skills using Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow.  Eileen has written a whole series based on her silly monkeys and kids love reading along.

Miss Parton is expecting that all library books are returned to the library.  Book sign out is over for this school year.  Please return all library books as you find them in your home.

:)
Miss Mynes

Miss Mynes on CBC Radio

Here is Miss Mynes' radio interview for CBC Radio with Laura Di Battista:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Radio/Local_Shows/Ontario/Here_and_Now_Toronto/1775764786/ID=2242570128

Cheers.

check us out!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/06/05/toronto-gecko-video.html

Check out room 10!!

Superman on CBC

Mr. Vlahos has informed me that our Superman story will be airing on CBC News Toronto tonight at 6:20. If you miss it, don't worry because you can catch it online. CBC posts the last half hour of their broadcast online later in the evening.

It will be airing across the country on various supperhour newscasts.

Superman is putting J.G. Workman on the map!

all are welcome

If you know anyone with a child who will be in kindergarten next year and wants to come to full day kindergarten at JG Workman PS, tell them to call the office and register.  Our kindergarten classes are open to optional attendance for the 2012/2013 school year.  If we don't get our numbers up we risk having the 2 kindergarten classes collapsed into 1 in the early Autumn.

:)
Miss Mynes