My Fire Fighter Story

October 1st, 2009

!!!!! Fire fighters more than just putting out fires!!!!!


Hi my name is dots, I am a firehouse dog. I help by sniffing stuff and find clues. I am a big help to fire fighters. Everyone knows that fire fighters put out fires. They might put out a forest fire they might put out a fire caught in a building or a fire in a car. They risk their lives to save us from injury or burning buildings. But that’s not all.
-Fire fighters respond to medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents, they come to car accidents if there is something needed.
-They make fire safety practices for schools and shops (ect.) and they teach the public about fire preventions. By doing this they help to save peoples lives, just talking to them.
-They have conducting inspections, rescue operations and they emergency patient care.
-They respond to emergency hazardous material situations.
-They donate stuff and they create contests. They give Halloween candy all that by showing the example and being safe. Helping people is leadership. Being a fire fighter is a big job and it is a dangerous job at the same time.

From: Drummonville Elementary School
By: Chelsy Gill

A Friend Far Away

My name is Jesse and today is my last day at Drummondville Elementary. This school has taught me a lot over the past year. It has given me more confidence and gave me chances I may have never been able to do in the United States. I have made new friends that I will stay with me for a long time. I was able to learn a lot about Canada. I learned who discovered it and who lived there. I was able to use computers at school , improve and harden my math abilities. I will miss my amazing teachers Mme. Lucie, Ms. Napier, Martin, Mr. Robinson and of course Ms. Hodak. They all helped me in different ways. When i move back to the United States i hope to stay in touch with this school and to also bring a little bit of Canada to the United States

Firefighter for Day Contest

Our class is very proud that two of our students won the Drummondville "Firefighter for a Day" Contest.

Here is the winning entry from Elisee, our runner-up.

Fire Fighter

Hello my name is Elisee, and I would like to won the contest so this is my piece of writing. It is not a story but it is a little piece of what I already know about you, I hope you understand English. So here it is.
When there is a fire the fire-fighter risks their lives for us. Even if many risks are in that job we should respect them. It is not a 9 to 5 job it is a 24-hour a day, seven days a week public service that involves working weekends and holidays. They work about 42 hours per week over a four week period. They are very courageous to do all of this for us, if they weren’t there, many people would have lost their lives but because they are there they save lives from burning fires.

When they don’t put out fires they respond to medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents, they educate the public about fire prevention and fire safety practices. They even get the cats that are in the trees. They always work none stop. So this is a job that requires courage, strength and intelligent people. Thank you and see you maybe on the week of October 6th.
The End

Elisee won a telephone for her room and her text was printed on a certificate presented to her by two members of the local Emergency Response team. Congratulations, Elisee!

Bullying and What to Do About It

Image taken from http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/tip-sheets/tip-sheet-27.aspx

Hello Families,
A very disturbing and disappointing situation has been brought to my attention, and I am asking for your help. Students in the class have come to me to let me know about a situation that has gone from teasing to bullying.
The student being targeted has not come to me.
I have spent some time looking for resources and strategies to deal with this in class, and we will discuss it to sensitize the student to the different types of bullying and what it looks like. We will talk about how to stand up for ourselves, and how to stand up for others (which is what research says really works). And we will be vigilant, and make an effort to look out for and care for each other.
The situation is remarkably complex. Confronting the bully and sidekicks isn't recommended, as it generally backfires. General work about bullying is easy to disregard. Parents will need to be contacted, and discussions will be long.
I need your help. Please review the information at the link below, and speak with your child about what they see and hear at school. Please talk with them about the difference between teasing and taunting, and how they can help make the school safe for all the students.
As always, I am available if you hear something I should know.
Thank you so very much for your help,
Kathy Napier

http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/tip-sheets/tip-sheet-21.aspx

I can hear it from here...

I can.
You might think I can't, but I can.

It is the sound of 27 families kvetching about the weekend's homework.

I know I usually don't give homework on the weekend (save for reading, which I refuse to consider work). But I had to.

I did. I had to. And not only is it homework. It is the recorder. I can hear the groans from here.

Don't blame me. The Quebec Education Program says they have to learn an instrument. So off we go on a musical odyssey from "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to "Ode to Joy" in twelve weeks. So if we are going to get there, we have to start somewhere. This weekend it's the notes G A B and an overview of the sheets in their duotang.

If your sixth-grader is squeak-screeching around the house this weekend, check their fingering to make sure the air isn't leaking out the sides of their little fingers.

Then send them out to serenade the neighbors. ;)

Interesting Presentation on Motivation

Have you seen the TED talks?

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, and the talks are given by experts from around that world who are given 20 minutes to explain their research, findings, theories or new ideas. I am hooked on these talks, which are like a little "brain spa."

If you have 20 minutes, watch this. It is about motivation, and how reward systems backfire:



The speaker makes the point that there is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does. I couldn't help but think that the mismatch applies to schools as well. Often, kids are already in the "what's in it for me?" paradigm that reward systems can foster, and we have all seem scenarios in which the carrot and the stick are the only tools someone has for making someone do something. And I don't just mean with the students.

Autonomy, mastery and purpose not only work better, it seems, but allow everyone to keep their integrity.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

Welcome Back!

Hello Families!

It has been a pleasure to have the students back these last two days. They have settled in remarkably well, gotten into the routine and adapted to the changes that we have brought. Everyone seems rested and healthy, and they seem anxious to do their work well (even if they are not happy about having homework).

You will be hearing more form me in the next few days, but I wanted to remind you that I am available my phone and email if you have any questions or concerns, and we can arrange to meet if you so desire.

A little information you need:
Physical Education class will take place on Thursday and Friday
Mr Rutherford will be teaching Science in French
Mme Lucie will be teaching French Monday through Thursday
I will be teaching all other subjects (schedule to follow)

All my very best wishes for a wonderful school year!
Kathy Napier