R EGULAR N EWSLETTER F RIDAY , M ARCH 16, 2012

P IONEER SCHOOL
551654 S TREET R OCKY M OUNTAIN H OUSE , AB P HONE : 403-845-2468 N EWSLETTERS PUBLISHED EVERY SECOND W EDNESDAYS

A TTENDANCE L INE : 403 844-4213

W WW . WRSD . CA / PIONEER

REPORT CARDS & INTERVIEWS

Pioneer School students received their Second Progress Report Cards on Friday, MARCH 16th, 2012. PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS will take place on: *the evening of Wed., March 21, 2012 from 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. Please note: Mrs. Schweder & Ms. Briner are only available Monday, March 19, 2012 from 4:00 - 8:00 pm.

We have now completed two-thirds of our school year. As such, report cards came home on Friday. Please watch for them. Also, parent teacher interviews will be held on Wednesday, March 21 from 4:30 - 8:30. With the interim report cards having gone out in February, we are now looking forward to your feedback. Please email me at bobbiejo.douglas@wrsd.ca to provide us with your thoughts. Thank you, in advance, for taking the time to do so. We would like to thank the parents and staff who so generously donate their time to our breakfast program. The program is available to all students in the school. We are happy to be able to offer a nutritional breakfast to our students on a daily basis. If you are interested in helping with this, please contact Miss Chisholm as she coordinates our helpers. As you head into Spring Break, we'd like to wish you a very safe and relaxing time with your family and friends. We look forward to seeing you back on April 2 when classes resume. Mrs. Bobbie-Jo Douglas Principal

LOST & FOUND

There are a large number of items in our Lost & Found box. Please take a moment the next time you are in the school to check it for missing items. It is located near the gym. During Parent Teacher Conferences we will have the lost & found items on tables in the Student Gathering Area.

Come GrowWith Us!

Ensemble on ira loin!.................................

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Renaissance News
The ending of February saw another celebration for our Renaissance program. We celebrated in athletic style, our February Sports Pep Rally. Our hosts, Don Cherry and Ron McLean, impersonated by Connor Frizzley and Lane Larsen, were a site to see. Not only did these two students capture the essence of each of these icons, they entertained our students greatly. We had many other star athletes, come out to celebrate with and present our monthly awards. A huge thank you goes to the Grade 8 Leadership team for a job well done at our February Pep Rally. On Wednesday March 14, we will be celebrating our second Powerful Panther Party. This month we will be celebrating with 209 students at the Arena and Swimming Pool. Congratulations to those students who have risen to the challenge and consistently met our standards. With report cards having come out you can expect another Academic Celebration. Our next Academic Assembly will be held on April 3 at 10:15 am. We will celebrate our students successes, in Mardi Gras style. We look forward to seeing you in attendance. Our continued thanks is extended to all of our Sponsors for their generosity in helping make our program a great success!

Alpine Drugs Canadian Parents for French Chatty's Welding Ltd. Dairy Queen/Orange Julius Kal Tire McDonald's Parent Advisory Council Rocky Mountain House CO-OP Rocky Mountain House Swimming Pool Scribbles & Giggles Scrap'n Adventures Inc. Spoor Construction Ltd. Tim Hortons Wild Rose Public Schools C.I.B.C

January Renaissance Awards

Co-op Students of the Month A.J. Strawberry Aspen Gobert Kelsey Moorey Emma Chamberlain Roman Chabot Jerene Holt Julia Kim Avery Paro Colton Ironside Kirsten Lund Arianna Mamer Jessie Koples Keeley Watts Clay Wheeler Jasper Kolson-Velichka Brennon Lee

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January Renaissance Awards Cont

Tim Hortons Inspirational Scholar Megan Matchett Devon Daly Kayla Donner Hope Carrier Julie Patenaude Taylor Lund Tyler Freeman Autumn Bandravala Ryan Jeffery Will Johnston Lexie Mofford Jordyn Koples Kentin Chamberlain Aaron Greenwood Kiana Uhlmann Tessa Taylor

Canadian Parents for French Awards Brianna Sigouin Taylor Woitas McDonalds Complementary Class Award Leather Tooling Jessica Hoggarth Corbin Saulteaux Art Jordan Auld Zachary Land Braydon McLaughin Carson Sansome Elliott Speight Evyr Mason Alice Ma Drama Maryanne Sevigny Crafts Morgan Overgaard Tia Frisky Quilting Shyla Lund Jordyn Koples Jaylyn Hewitt Ceramics Quinn Hawkey Paulina Pelltier Breanna Crookedlegs Byron Ginter Trista Oler

Orange Julius Athletes Brook Bates Tori LaPierre Kyler Jacklin Seth Matagora Isaicc Pike Shannon Numan Josh Valstar Cole Carty Axee Anger Anders Eklund Holly McVae Taylor Johannesson Kolton Muyres Sienna Sadek

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January Renaissance Awards Cont

Dance Tessa Taylor Band Darian Kristoff Matthew Burnell Averyanna vanTol Braydon McLaughlin Kenny Bertagnolli Zane Wigley Jordan Adams Attendance Sponsored by Town of Rocky Mountain House Swimming Pool Perfect Attendance Angelina B-Gideon Braiden Ferris Cody Cartier January Attendance Kurt Wirda Harrison Curtis-Warner Hailey Freeman Birthday Sponsored by Spoor Construction Ltd. Tyler Stewart Literacy Sponsored by Parent Advisory Council Arianna Mamer

February Renaissance Awards

Rocky Co-op Students of the Month Alice Ma Cody McCuaig Shane Stewart Juli Yu Alaina Sulek Gabe Godin Hunter Roberts Amanda Simpson Ryan Jeffery Brendan Buss Catherine Pelletier ZiQing Ma Shelby Wozniczka Mary Lou Parks Saige Manford Ashley Zuberbier Tim Hortons Inspirational Scholars Dee Van Zyl Jae Won Lee Jordan Salteaux Kellie Evans Joe Pelletier Nick Mason Jean Auger Trista Oler Courtney Smith Mitchell Anderson Shannon Magnus Dakota Sullivan Hayley Ames Kianna Mora Game Kordell Smallboy Clayton Obdam

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February Renaissance Awards Cont

Canadian Parents for French Awards Isaiicc Pike Ethan Matkovich Orange Julius Athletes Mike Lougheed Zane Wigley Shaelyn Clark Payton Baltzer Joshua Young Lauryl Dwyer Julia Kim Emma Forsyth Jessica Hoggarth Shaye Kristoff Gabriel Gillis Tyja Kostynuk Darien Parker Christopher Rosdal Taite OpdenDries Elana Kabatoff Sevren Chomaluk McDonalds Complementary Class Award Drawing Rebecca Sevigny Crafts Devin Willert Laurissa Herold Jasper Kolson-Velichka Jessie Koples Dance Raeshanda Whitford

Band Summer Goldsbury Alex Merklin Rylan Lacey Carson Sansome Hannah Trautmann Taylor Woitas Maryanne Sevigny Taylor Smith Drama Micheal Steele Mike Lougheed Alex Merklin Parker Stewart Kooper Bagstad Art Julie Patenaude Hannah Trautmann Leather Tooling Chance Vanberg Joe Crowley Attendance Sponsored by Town of Rocky Mountain House Swimming Pool Perfect Attendance Elliott Speight Kenny Bertagnolli Braiden Ferris Shaye Kristoff ZiQing Ma Kevin Shin Brandon Simmelink Zara Chambers

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February Renaissance Awards Cont

Birthday Sponsored by Spoor Construction Ltd. Braydn Adams Jakob Gamblin Literacy Sponsored by Parent Advisory Council Daman Spencer-Bott

As per the permission form, students participating are expected to be present at the Run Through Recital for their grade. All recitals will run from 3:45 - 5:00 p.m except solos. Please mark your calendars. SOLOS (all) Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 April 19th April 16th April 18th April 19th 6 p.m.

FESTIVAL SOLOS
All students who are using the school pianists - Brayden Friesen (Brass) - Lacey Siemens (Woodwinds) - are asked to please have the $35 piano fees in ASAP. Below is a list of dates that Brayden and Shelby will be at Pioneer at 3:30 for solo practice:

BAND NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PIONEER GRADE 8 CONCERT BAND

The Pioneer Grade 8 Concert Band March 13 travelled to the Alberta International March 20 Band Festival on Thursday, February April 3 23rd to perform at the University of April 16 Calgary. They had an excellent performance and received a superior Choose two dates that work for you and be rating from both adjudicators. They sure that you are familiar with your solo bewere awarded a GOLD. There were fore meeting with the pianist. All soloists over 70 Grade 8 and 9 bands must attend the run through recital. participating in the festival that week. Only a few bands were awarded a GOLD for attaining the Superior rating. Grade Six Honour Band Rehearsals Congratulations also go out to the Below is a list of remaining Honour Band reWCHS Grade 9 Band for receiving hearsal dates. **Please be sure that music Gold during that week. and instruments are here.**
Kiwanis Festival - April 23rd-April 27th
A detailed newsletter will be handed out before spring break with all performance date and times.
Wednesday, March 21st Monday, April 2nd (right after spring

break

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BAND NEWS Cont..

Alberta Junior High Honour Band North

Students from Pioneer Middle School were chosen to participate in the 2010 Alberta Junior High Honour Band - South. They rehearsed in Edmonton during the Edmonton Teacher's Convention. Congratulations to the following students: Gabriel Gillis McKayla Wade Catherine Pelletier Carter Friesen
GRADE 7 CAMP CAROLINE: APRIL 3RD APRIL 5TH The Grade 7 Camp Caroline packages went home this week with fundraising totals. Money and forms must be in to the office by Thursday, March 22nd at the latest. Parents interested in chaperoning should email Ms Hastings at khastings@wrsd.ca, Chaperones must be in place by March 22nd at the latest.

Grade Six Honour Band Rehearsals Cont

Wednesday, April 18th

Grade Six Honour Band CLINICS ON CAMPUS - APRIL 17th

The Clinics On Campus package was handed out to students in Honour Band this week. Fees and Forms are to be handed in to the office as soon as possible. The deadline is Thursday, April 12th. Please contact Ms. Hastings with any questions regarding this activity. Any parents wishing to come to Clinics on Campus should indicate this on the form. If there is room on the bus, we welcome you to come along!!

JAZZ EVENING WCHS Gym

...jazz bands from Grade 7 through 12 will be featured... DON'T MISS IT!! Postponed to May date to be announced.

SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS

Next School Council meeting is Monday, April 16th at 12 noon in the school Library.

Band Pizza Sale Schedule 2012 The band program will continue to sell pizza on every Tuesday.

Look forward to seeing you there!

R EGULAR N EWSLETTER F RIDAY , M ARCH 16, 2012 Message from the Staff It is incredible to see how quickly this year is passing. Spring break is quickly drawing close which means the weather will be finally warming up and our students will be spending more time outside. As we transition to the end of the year, we ask for your assistance with a couple of things: Please make sure your child has appropriate outside gear Please verify that your child has enough school supplies to last the remainder of the year

Thank you for your continued support. We wish you a very happy, safe and fun Spring Break.

COMING UP:
Friday, Mar. 16th.................................... 2nd Progress Reports went home Wednesday, Mar. 21st ........................... Parent Teacher Interviews, 4:30 - 8:30 pm Friday, Mar. 23rd ................................... No School in Lieu of Parent /Teacher Interviews Mon., Mar. 26th Fri., Mar. 30th .......... Spring Break Monday, Apr.2nd ................................... 1st School Day back Mon., Apr. 3rd - Thur., Apr. 5th ............. Gr. 7 Camp Caroline Sat. Apr. 7 - Sat. Apr. 14th ...................... London Band Trip

Pioneer Middle School is planning a Fine Arts night in May to showcase art projects created by students from drawing to ceramics. We have much staff support for this event but require a coordinator to bring it all together and make it happen. If you are interested in helping with this project in the capacity of coordinator, please contact Kim Hastings at (403) 845-2468.

Systematic Training for Effective Parenting Course

There will be a seven week Parenting Course offered beginning in April. It is called Systematic Training for Effective Parenting for parents of children aged 6 to 12. Please pre-register by April 4th. Dates are yet to be determined but times will be during a weekday between 3:30 and 5:00. Please contact Marilyn Rees, Family Wellness Worker, at 403-844-4765 or email at marilyn.rees@wrsd.ca. Topics include understanding yourself and your child; understanding your beliefs and feelings; encouraging your child and yourself; listening and talking to your child; helping children cooperate; discipline that makes sense; and choosing your parenting strategy.

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Preparing for a Parent-Teacher Conference

Research shows convincingly that parent involvement has a critical effect on childrens learning, attitudes about school and aspirations. When parents and teachers work together, they can make an unbeatable team. Parent-teacher conferences help build that team.

Before the conference

Write down questions you want to discuss. Talk with your child about the fact that you have a meeting with his or her teacher. Ask the child if he/she has any concerns. Discuss what the child feels are his/her successes, likes and dislikes about school. Ask if there are any problems you should discuss with the teacher. Be prepared to talk and listen during the conference. What goes on at home affects how well a child does in school. Be sure to let the teacher know about such key events as a separation or divorce, family illness, new baby, death in the family, loss of a beloved pet, etc. It is not necessary to share all your personal business, but it will help your childs teachers to know about important events that may affect your childs performance.

At the conference
Talk about your childs interests and any special information that he/she wanted discussed. Ask the teacher for her/his views on needed improvements. Ask the teacher to explain anything you do not understand. Summarize your understanding of your childs progress and your childs teachers comments to make sure you and the teacher are in agreement. Follow up on any plan of action agreed to by you and your childs teacher. Stay in touch with the teacher.

After the conference

Discuss with your child what was said during the conference. Be sure to emphasize any positive comments the teacher made. Talk with your child about strategies for improvement in academic areas and about other topics such as discipline issues, school activities that might interest your child, work habits, getting along with classmateswhatever topics were discussed during the conference. Use this a chance to praise your child (for a project, an activity or just for helping you prepare for the conference) and to demonstrate interest in your childs life.