Week of October 14, 2024

 

Spectrum Alternative & Davisville JPS Trip to Evergreen Brickworks

On Friday October 18th, Mme Kimi and Mme Samuel's Kindergarten class along with Ms. Daly' Grade 7 class from Spectrum Alternative School went to Evergreen Brickworks. The classes have been working collaboratively together to learn more about the natural environment.

Both classes traveled together by TTC to Brickworks. During their walk, classes learned about the history of the land and the fact that tiny Mud Creek used to be a large river full of salmon and that there used to be giant beavers living at Brickworks that were as large as grizzly bears! This was a wonderful trip for students to learn about their local environment. 

TRC Work Embedded in the Delivery of All Programming

As part of our ongoing work towards Truth and Reconciliation, students in Mr. Shragge's music classes are learning a special song written by Shawnee Kish in collaboration with members of the Mohawk community in Fort Erie. This song, Yohahi:yo (The Good Road) features words in English and Mohawk, and features the theme of walking along the Good Road towards togetherness and harmony. Through music, we can further our understanding of the meaning behind our daily Land Acknowledgment while showcasing indigenous voices and languages.

Snapshots of the Learning Taking Place in Our Classrooms

In alignment with our school vision and school improvement goals where student identity is central to the work we do, our classes from JK/SK to Gr. 8 have been focused on rich tasks that leverage students' identities and lived experiences. Ms. Tiralongo's class created "I am Me" poems where students expressed their intersecting identities and Ms. Casselman's class delved into the meaning of their names. They read a story called, "The Name Jar" by Yangsook Choi and as part of their learning, students had to speak to their families about their names to determine naming traditions, the meaning behind their names and the cultural associations of their name. Bravo to our classes!

Co-constructing Learning Skills in Our Gr. 8 Class

Ms. McKenzie's Gr. 8 class co-constructed their shared understanding of each of the learning skills. Students then engaged in self-reflection of their own progress in relation to these skills. What a rich activity to promote students' critical thinking skills. Learning should provide students with the opportunity to self-monitor, reflect and improve their own learning. Great work happening!

Spectrum Alternative: Grade 8 Transition Information Night Resources

The resources and websites below are available to support families with Gr. 8 transitions and Open House/Information Nights. 

Dear Spectrum Alternative families,

Below are some resources and links that you can explore to support your child's Gr. 8 transition.

Central Student Interest Program Application Fact Sheet for Parents/Guardians and Caregivers

Please also visit the Secondary Program and Admissions Internal Website for further information on Grade 8 transitions.

Additional Public Websites:

Beyond 8: Grade 8 to 9 Transition Website

Central Student Interest Program Main Website

Secondary Out-of-Area Admissions Website

Secondary Schools without a Boundary Website - There is a new process when applying to attend Central Technical School, Central Toronto Academy, Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute and Western Technical Commercial School

High School Open House and Information Nights Website - lists all Open House dates

If you have questions regarding Grade 8 to 9 Transitions, please contact the school or your child's Gr. 8 Guidance teacher, Ms. Asmita Pal.

 

EcoSchool Initiatives at Davisville JPS

Akin to last school year, Davisville JPS staff and students will be involved in a number of EcoSchools initiatives this school year. For example, events such as "Take Me Outside Day" and "Waste Reduction Week" are designed to encourage outdoor education, learning in natural settings and focus on environmental stewardship and taking care of our environment. 

We will also be beginning "Food Waste Friday" soon and the focus on that will be on composting food scraps and having students learn about the importance of composting.