Sunday, January 24, 2010

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Update on Activities Old and New



Scaryside Academy
In October, some of the grade 6 and grade 5 students acted in a Halloween play, Scaryside Academy: “You Are What You Eat,” that our lovely secretary Mrs. Hodak wrote in honor of Halloween. The people who acted in this play did a great job. The characters were Ms. Crabtree the teacher (Leila), Wendy the witch (Alyssa), Frankie Frankenstein (Meagan), Vinnie the vampire (Samuel), Greta the ghost (Laurence), Wally the wolf (Daren) and Scott the skeleton (Jacob). In this comedy, Ms. Crabtree organised an operation to know what Vinnie had been eating these past few days. They operated on Vinnie and when someone pulled out a skipping rope they found out that he had been skipping a few meals! This play was the best play we have ever seen.
Written by: Leila & Jessie

Cross-country on October 8th
On October 8th Grade 6 students Sam, Jonathan, William, Jacob, Jacob, Gabriel, Juliano, Leila, Naomie, Justine, and Alicia went to Lennoxville for a 1.9 kilometre running competition. They had lots of fun and laughter. Most of the athletes were close to having an award but had an entertaining and amusing day just the same. The race was longer than what was practiced at school but most people finished before 30th position. When not running, team-mates were tremendously encouraging and the runners appreciated it greatly. Martin, their Phys. Ed. Teacher, was also vastly encouraging and trained them well.
By Samuel and Alicia

Winter Concert
On December 16th, D.E.S held a wonderful Winter Concert. Each class performed different songs and executed the songs in an enjoyable way. Grade six and kindergarten began with “The Twelve Cats of Christmas,” and “Must be Santa.” Grade six followed with “The Cherry Tree Carol,” “Fa la la la la,” and ended the concert with “ A Soalin’” bringing many audience members to tears. Grade six even had musicians who accompanied on different parts of the songs (Laurence on the piano and Leila on the guitar). The students practiced hard and it was worth it.

Friday, January 1, 2010

New Low in Underfunded Schools

Irish children told to bring loo roll to school to save costs



Telegraph.co.uk URL below
Published: 7:00AM BST 07 Oct 2009
Children at an Irish primary school have been asked to bring their own lavatory roll in order to help save money.

Pupils at a St John's girls' national school were asked to bring their own supplies of toilet roll Photo: GETTY

Pupils at a St John's girls' national school, in Carrigaline, in the southern county of Cork, were asked to bring their own supplies in one of the starkest examples yet of the death of Ireland's "Celtic Tiger" economy.

Catherine O'Neill, the school's principal, said, in a letter to parents: "From time to time we will request your daughter to bring in a toilet roll to her class teacher. These rolls will be specifically for your daughter's class and will be dispensed by the class teacher."

She said the measure had been taken in order to save money in the face of education funding cuts.

"We are endeavouring to trim down expenses and ensure we use our grants towards [educational needs]," she wrote.

Irish parents are already struggling to buy schoolbooks and uniforms in the face of a deep recession.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ireland/6267269/Irish-children-told-to-bring-loo-roll-to-school-to-save-costs.html

* Private toilet paper manufacturers stepped into the breach. While their well-publicized generosity is no-doubt appreciated, it doesn't address the real issue.