Stay connected!

http://www.psd70.ab.ca/schools/wabamun

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wabamun-School/171942962895371

Website

Box 120 Wabamun, AB TOE 2KO Ph: 780-892-2271 Fax: 780-892-4999 February 2017

Principal’s Message

It was great earlier this month to Have Tammy and Kali MacDonald visit our school to promote their 15-year message around the Hair Massacure that has so deeply touched their family and raised money for the Stollery Hospital and Make a Wish Foundation. The number of kids and parents who made the commitment to raise money and bring awareness to the cause was a pleasure to see. This was just one incredible way of teaching Empathy to our students and I was proud of the kids’ involvement and my personal commitment to the cause this year. Why do we need empathy? Because a world without it would be chaotic and uncivilized. We probably wouldn’t survive it. Empathy creates connections between people, bringing them together and helping to forge friendships and love. It makes us feel as if someone cares for us: without it we would likely feel vulnerable and lonely. Empathy “allows us to create bonds of trust, it gives us insights into what others may be feeling or thinking; it helps us understand how or why others are reacting to situations, it sharpens our ‘people acumen’ and it informs our decisions.” Although other species have the capacity for empathy, the human ability to relate to another person’s feelings and to even act on it is what brings us together, spreads humanity and makes our world a much nicer place to live. Through empathy, we understand each other’s experiences and are more prone to help each other. Here’s how: Empathy helps us connect with each other. When we can relate to how other people feel, then we are more likely to connect and connections feel good!

Have you ever said, “OMG, I can totally relate to that!” and then inside you feel like you just bonded with someone. Have you watched a movie and teared up! Empathy allows us to understand and have real human emotions. Empathy also means that we care about each other. Having someone show you empathy feels good and tells you that someone noticed you and valued how you felt. Can you remember the last time someone showed you empathy? How did you feel? When someone makes you feel that you are valued and cared for, you likely feel good about yourself and then you are more likely to show that you care in return. This builds connections between people: It’s a cycle! Empathy means that we create a better world. As we connect and care about each other, the world becomes a nicer place to live. Empathy is contagious. Pass it on! In fact, empathy is thought to be so important to the future of our society by some people that whole organizations have been built around the concept of generating more empathy in the world (See startempathy.org, Ashoka.org, Rootsofempathy.org). These organizations believe that if we can support empathy in people, we can change the entire world into a better place. I ask that you consider this and continue to work at developing the understanding of empathy in yourselves and our kids. Teaching our kids about empathy is really teaching them to be connected and care about other people. After all it is always better to be a ‘bucket filler than a bucket dipper’, and teaching Empathy, as a virtue, allows this, but it must be taught!

Richard Kniel, Principal

Jersey Day

March 17 Wear a jersey & earn a point for

your Color Team

February 22 was Pink Shirt Day

Thanks to Wabamun School Fundraising and Student leadership all students & staff were provided Pink

Shirts. Teachers included practicing kindness and acceptance of others in their lesson plans and students

made a PinkshirtPromise.

Thank you to our Village of Wabamun

Mayor and Councilors who came out to

help make breakfast on Pink Shirt Day!

Our parent volunteers plan and offer break-

fast every school day through the Breakfast

Clubs of Canada Program.

Any parents or community members who would like to assist with the Breakfast Program may contact the school office for more information.

Students make the #pinkshirtpromise on Feb 22.

Dress For the Weather!

Just a reminder, unless the weather is extremely cold or wet, students will have time to play outside in the morning and at recess and lunch time. Dressing appropriately for the weather conditions will allow

students to be safe and comfortable while they are outdoors. Students should have a winter jacket, snow pants, warm winter boots, mitts/gloves, a hat, and a scarf. Labeling these items make it much easier for students to find their clothing! Please send your child prepared for our Alberta winter weather conditions.

Student Attendance is crucial to success in school as students are expected to attend classes regularly to achieve their highest potential. Students arriving to class after the bell will be considered late and will be marked on the attendance roll as late. Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during class time without permission from their parents. If your child needs to leave the school during the school day for an appointment (i.e. dentist), please send a note indicating what time they must leave and if they are expected to return. Please have your child show the note to their teacher and turn it in at the office as they leave. Ask your child to check in at the office when they return.

Attendance

PowerSchool Parent Portal

https://powerschool.psd70.ab.ca/public/

home.html

The parent portal is the best way to keep track of your child’s attendance, pay school fee’s and print off your receipts.

The Student Fees section is where you can pay any outstanding fees which are due.

Please check the school Website or call the school office if you require instructions to create an ac-count or require account set-up information. Let us know if you have any questions, need assistance or if you require a copy of your account set-up infor-

Student Leadership Rafiki Sales

Rafiki Bracelets will be available for purchase during Student Led Conferences on

March 21 & 22 from 4-7pm.

Congratulations to our

Junior Boys basketball

team!

Our boys have had a successful season

winning all of their games! Great job boys!

Ryker Karl Logan Rasmussen James Pasko Kolton Barros Calen Lynch Hunter Cardinal Hunter Roberts Brady Preston Nathan Gruenheidt

Welcome to Wabamun School’s 2nd annual Book Fair!

March 14 – 23 12:15pm-12:55pm & 3:00pm-4:00pm daily

Two late nights on March 21 and 22 4:00pm -7:00pm.

See you there!

Hair Massacure Kali & Tammy MacDonald visited

Wabamun School on Monday

Feb. 6 to kick off our Hair

Massacure event!

During the month of February many students ‘Pinked’ their hair in support of the Make a Wish foundation and on February 6 we were honored to have Kali and Tammy MacDonald (and Kali Bear) visit our school to kick off Hair Massacure month. Kali and Tammy spoke about the Hair Massacure and how Kali was shaving her hair off on February 24 and donating it to have a wig made for some-one who has cancer and lost their hair because of chemo treatments. Wabamun School has been encouraging students to participate in this event by either ‘pinking’ their hair, joining a Hair Massacure Team and collecting pleadges, or supporting someone on a team with donations. Thank you to everyone who participated in this event in support of the Make a Wish Foundation and Stollery children’s Hospital.

Join us for this Movie Night event! All children 10 & under must be accompanied by a parent.

Doors open at 6:00 noon

Movie starts at 6:30pm

Day Date Name

Wednesday Mar 1 Scrambled eggs, veggies , milk

Thursday Mar 2 Muffin, Yogurt, juice

Friday Mar 3 No School

Monday Mar 6 Cereal, fruit, Milk

Tuesday Mar 7 Muffins, yogurt, juice Wednesday Mar 8 Breakfast sandwich and juice

Thursday Mar 9 Muffin, Apple Sauce and Juice

Friday Mar 10 Grilled cheese, veggies and water

Monday Mar 13 Cereal, fruit, milk Tuesday Mar 14 Muffin, Yogurt

Wednesday Mar 15 Scrambled eggs, veggies, juice

Thursday Mar 16 Muffins, apple sauce and juice

Friday Mar 17 Pancakes, Sausage, Fruit Salad

Monday Mar 20 Cereal, fruit, milk

Tuesday Mar 21 Cereal, fruit, milk

Wednesday Mar 22 Breakfast sandwich and juice

Thursday Mar 23 Muffins, apple sauce and juice

March’s

Breakfast

Menu

March 17th St. Patrick’s Day

Breakfast

Wabamun School Council

& Wabamun LEAPS

Present

A Family Movie Night Thursday, March 23

Wabamun School Gym

2017

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

PRIDE Preparedness Respect & Responsibility Integrity Determination Empathy

Staff

Development

Day

NO SCHOOL

Kindergarten

Friday

JERSEY

DAY

Student Led Conferences 4-7 pm

Kindergarten

Parent Mtg 6pm

SPRING BREAK March 24—31

Scholastic Book Fair Open 12:15-12:55 & 3-4pm

Term 2 Report Cards

Go home

Scholastic Book Fair Open 12:15-12:55 & 3-4pm

1st Day of

Spring Break

NO SCHOOL

Grade 6-9 Term 2 CTF at Seba Beach School

Movie

Night

Moana

6:30pm Book Fair Family

Night 4-7pm

Book Fair Family Night

4-7pm