September to December of 2007
September 5, 2007

Important Dates to Remember

September 13-Open House BBQ-5-7 pm
September 13-Disney info night for Gr. 8 Band  Parents
September 14-Picture Day
September 17-Band Rental Night
September 21-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
September 24 - PAC Meeting


Principal’s Message

Welcome back to a new school year!  This is the seventh year that Chief Dan George Middle School has been in operation.  We will once again have just over 600 students attend in our three major program areas, Late French Immersion, Early French Immersion and English track.  For those families that are returning you may be interested to know that we have added new staff in each of our programs.  Joining our Late French team are Mrs. Louise Jenkins and Mr. Duncan Hazlewood.  In Early French Ms. Amy Klassen will be a new member in our quartet of French 8 teachers.  In our English track program we have added Mrs. Candice Gibb to our English 6 team as well as welcomed back Ms. Tracy Finch from maternity leave. Ms. Finch also joins our English 6 team.  Over the years our school has developed a very strong positive reputation in the community.  Many interesting and exciting curricular and extracurricular opportunities will once again be available to our students. We look forward to serving your family and getting to know you better.  Best wishes to all as we enter into our new school year.


Attendance

One area that assists the school in maintaining a safe and secure environment involves our attendance policies.  It is essential that students and parents work with school staff to ensure that we have accurate data regarding student attendance.  We seek your assistance in ensuring that your child is on time to school each day.  Students who are late to school must check in at the school office and have their school planner stamped.  The stamped planner is needed to gain entry into class.  Students who are required to leave the school early must bring a note from home and must wait in the school office until they are picked up and signed out by an adult family member or friend.  Parents are asked to call the school office or email joanne_mcmillan@sd34.bc.ca or donna_hollanti@sd34.bc.ca   in the morning to report the absence of their child.  Please assist us in ensuring that we maintain an efficient attendance tracking program. 


Extracurricular Athletics

Thanks to the good work of many teachers and parent volunteers the school has supported a large number of athletic extracurricular opportunities over the last six years.  With each new season of play we will be seeking parent involvement in supporting our extracurricular program.  The first season of play will involve cross country running, swimming and volleyball.  We are blessed with a number of teachers who will coach these teams.  Meetings will be held next week for interested students and practices will begin very soon.  If you are interested in coaching or supporting our extracurricular sports program please contact the school’s Athletic Director Mr. Colin McTaggart.


School Goals

The School’s Planning Council, with input from the staff and P.A.C., have adopted two goals this year, one new one and the other a maintenance goal carried over from the last year.  The new goal reads “To increase student awareness of, and participation in, healthy living through increased physical activity and consumption of nutritional food”.   The maintenance goal reads “To increase student reading comprehension achievement in the language of instruction by June 30, 2008.”  In both case numerous strategies and initiatives have been planned to support the progress of these goals.  We hope that parents and guardians will also assist us at home in reinforcing our efforts at school.


Code of Conduct

In recent years the school and School District have adopted a formal code of conduct.  Behavioral expectations are outlined in each student planner.  Please spend time with your child in the first week of school familiarizing yourself with the information and sign page 7  to indicate that this has been done.


Dress Code

With summer weather and holidays just being completed it is necessary  for all students to familiarize themselves with our school dress code.  Although the school does not have a formal uniform policy we do expect that students are dressed appropriately for a middle school learning environment.  Please take some time to review the dress code standards that are listed in the front of the student planner. 


Open House

We are hosting families in our school community at an evening Open House on Thursday, September 13th.  There will be a short presentation in the gymnasium from 5:30 pm  - 5:45pm and opportunity to tour the school and meet with your child’s teachers from 6:00 pm- 7:00 pm.  A hot dog dinner will be available for your eating pleasure by donation (recommend $3.00/dinner) served up by Home Arts teacher  Mr. Lilly and members of our student leadership team.  The hot dog dinner will be available from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm  in the front of the school. We hope that you can take the time to visit the school and make new connections or renew previous developed connections with the staff.


School Meal Program

The primary purpose of the School Meal Program is to provide lunches to students who come to school hungry.  The School Meal Program is intended to help feed children from homes where parents are struggling to provide food for their families (i.e., Social Assistance recipients, low income earners, families who are experiencing financial hardship due to work shortage, medical reasons, etc). Scientific research provides compelling evidence that poor nutrition negatively impacts behaviour, school performance and cognitive development in children.   The School Meal Program is funded by the Ministry of Education and through contributions from parents.  While we rely on parent contributions to keep the program running, no needy student will be turned away because of an inability to contribute.   Students receive a nutritious cold lunch consisting of milk or juice, a sandwich or similar entrée and fruit or dessert.  The menu has been developed with the assistance of the public health nutritionist with variety, nutrition and value in mind.  Our meals are monitored on a regular basis.  If you feel that your child/ren qualify to be placed on the School Meal Program, please contact your school office or the School Meal Program Coordinator, Helen Duval, S.B.O., 859-4891, Local 251.


Calendar for September & October

A calendar of events for September and October is provided on a separate sheet of paper. Please keep this as a reference for various events and activities.  We will provide you with monthly calendars throughout the school year. 


School Newsletters

With the exception of the first week of school, we will send out newsletters from the school office twice per month (i.e. every second Thursday). The newsletters for the upcoming two months will be issued on September 13, September 27th, October 11th and October 25th.   We issue every student a paper copy of the newsletter.  If you would like your newsletter emailed home please call the school at 604-852-9616 or email: donna_hollanti@sd34.bc.ca and she will add you to her address list. Please note that even if you received them via email last year you must re-register to get them electronically this year.


Fund Raising Opportunities

Various groups have established regular fundraising activities through the school year.  We will endeavor to keep fundraising to a minimum, recognizing that some groups rely heavily on such initiatives to assist in supplementing the costs of special opportunities.  The Student Leadership Team is once again “kicking off the year” with a chocolate fundraiser.  Teacher Mr. Lilly is spearheading the event and you will receive information about the sale in the next few days.  Some upcoming fundraisers that you can look for include a P.A.C. magazine and Christmas items sale and a frozen food fundraiser by our bands.


School Fees

A B.C. Supreme Court ruling last fall necessitated that all School Districts in the province reassess their fee collection structures.  The Abbotsford School District has made changes to its fee requirements for students at all three levels of instruction (i.e. elementary, middle and secondary).  See attached information from the School District.  At the middle school level there will be an Activity Fee charged in the amount of $30.00. This will cover the cost of student agendas, guest speakers, student cards, lock and locker rental, student leadership initiatives and student recognition.  There will no longer be a charge for Exploration courses like Home Arts and Woodworking.  Band students will be asked to pay a deposit of $15.00 for a practice book and CD with the funds being returned at the end of the year to those that return the items to the school in good condition. A fee collection envelope is being sent home this week. Please look for it.


Severe Peanut Allergies

Each year the number of students dealing with severe allergies continues to grow.  Some of these students are required to carry an EpiPen with them at all times.  For the most part these students have severe allergies to peanuts and peanut products. We would ask that all families support us in reducing the risk to these children by eliminating or reducing the number of peanut products that they send with their child  to school and reinforcing with their children that if they are eating peanut products that they should be washing their hands when they are done.

A Reminder to Parents of Allergic Children
Grade 6 School Immunizations

The Hepatitis B, meningococcal and Varicella (chickenpox) vaccines for the Grade 6 students will occur between September 24th, and October 27th. Students will be bringing home a consent form within the first few weeks of school and will need to return the signed consent ASAP in order to be eligible for the vaccines at the school. Students absent during the school immunizations, must telephone the Health Unit @ 864-3400 to book an appointment at our immunization clinics for these important immunizations.


Carpool needed for gr. 6 girl from the Terry Fox area.  If you are able to help, please contact Neil Jasper at 604-853-8035


School P.A.C.- First meeting is Monday September 24th.

Mrs. Lee-Ann Hamel will once again be our school's P.A.C. President.   All schools rely on a strong P.A.C. to support programs and initiatives.  We hope that you will consider assisting that group this year.  The first meeting will take place on Monday evening, September 24th.  There are some Executive positions to fill and elections will take place that evening.  The meeting will begin at 7:00 pm in our school library.  Please mark this on your calendar and strongly consider attending.


Red Cross Babysitting Course

Course focus is: Child care skills with special emphasis on child safety. A Canadian Red Cross certificate will be issued upon completion of the course. This course is designed for students 10-15 years of age. It teaches the basics of babysitting, rights and responsibilities, getting along with participants, holding, diapering, feeding, bedtime, toys and activities, accident prevention and handling emergencies. This  four week program is  taught by Petersen’s First Aid Training at our school on the following dates: October 15, 22, 29 and November 5th, 2:40 pm - 4:40 pm. The cost is  $35.00 per participant. If you are interesting in having your child take this program we have registration forms at the office. The class maximum size is 20 and space is first come, first served - please note that the course fills up very quickly!




Back to Top

September 13, 2007

Upcoming Dates to Note
September 13-Open House BBQ-5-7 pm
September 13-Disney info night for Gr. 8 Band  Parents
September 14-Picture Day
September 17-Band Rental Night
September 21-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
September 24-PAC Meeting

Open House Tonight - September 13th
We would like to invite families of the Chief Dan George Middle community to join us this evening, Thursday, September 13th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at our annual Open House.  Home Arts teacher Mr. Lilly and a team of staff and students will offer up a hot dog dinner starting at 5:00 pm and running through to 6:00 pm.  We will be asking for a $3.00 donation per meal or $10.00 for a family.  At 5:30 pm there will be a short assembly in our gymnasium and then an opportunity to visit classrooms and connect with your child's teachers.   We hope you can make arrangements to attend.   
           
September 21-District Wide Professional Development Day
Friday, September 21st will be the first of six non-instructional days for the new school year.  No classes will be held on this date.

Babysitting Course
Due to popular demand , the babysitting course is now full.  We hope to run another course in the next few months.

WOLVES ATHLETIC NEWS
Extracurricular teams start practices this week in preparation for upcoming competitions.  The XCountry Team under the direction of Mr. Richards, Mrs. Bunbury, Mrs. Finch and Mr. Dugdale have been training this week under clear skies in preparations for the first of four XCountry Grand Prix races sponsored by the Valley Royals Track and Field Club.  The races are held at Clearbrook Park on four consecutive Wednesdays starting September 19.  The Swim Team coached by Ms. Veldhoen and Mrs. Baye will start practices during the last week of September.  Mr. Goerke has some Gr. 7 and 8 Boys involved in Football in partnership with the Abby Middle School Football Program.  They have been practicing hard at the Abby Middle Oval over the last week. Finally, Volleyball Teams started practices this week to prepare for league games beginning the last week of September.  Gr. 8 Girls are lead by Mme Bonneau, Mlle Perron and Mlle Klassen.  Gr. 8 Boys are coached by M and Mme Cervo.  Gr. 7 Boys are coached by Mr. Schmor and M Constant with the Gr. 7 Girls lead by Ms. Stevens.  Gr. 6 coaches are yet to be named.

TERRY FOX WALK/RUN
On Friday, September 28th , Chief Dan George will take part in the annual Terry Fox National School Run Day.  All monies raised through school fundraising or online contributions will be forwarded to The Terry Fox Foundation to further the cause of cancer research.  We encourage families to contribute online this year as a quick and easy way to register your support.  Online Pledging instructions are available at www.terryfoxrun.org.   Our walk/run will be from the school, across Gladwin Road to the gated gravel roadway travelling west  to the Ag Rec parking lot where we will veer south to the ally south of the Ag Rec Buildings.  After about 100 m. we will turn right travelling north past the Show Barns to the underground passage to Clearbrook Park where will do one lap of the gravel trail returning along the same route.  In total we will walk about 4.5 kms.  The Abbotsford Police Dept. will provide traffic control at the intersection of Gladwin Rd. and Old Riverside Rd.  Teachers, parents and supervisors will be on hand to supervise and assist students along the way.  The route will be marked with bright orange cones and two teachers on bicycles will be moving through the course to assist where needed. All students are encouraged to take part.  We also invite parents and young children to participate by walking, jogging or by cheering for those running or walking the route.  We are very proud to be associated with the Terry Fox Foundation and believe that our involvement will help to keep Terry’s dream to find a cure for cancer alive.  Let’s rally around this event and show true Chief Dan George support.

PICTURE DAY-SEPTEMBER 14  Bring those smiles!!!
On Monday afternoon, September 10th we sent students home with an information package pertaining to student photo's for this school year.  On Friday morning, September 14th every student in the school will have their individual photo taken.  This photo will be used for a student card that will be processed in a few weeks and issued to every student in the school.   Student card costs are part of the $30.00 general fee that has been levied to middle school students in Abbotsford this year.  Those families that would like to take advantage of the reasonably priced picture packages should also complete the information package, enclose payment, seal the envelope and have your child bring that to the school on Friday.  Please note the cheques should be made out to LIFETOUCH CANADA (previously Josten's photography).   Please note that full class pictures will take in place in the early spring of 2008.

Literacy Week
One of our school goals relates to Reading Comprehension skill development. In that light we will be promoting a series of activities to increase the profile of that important skill during a designated Literacy Week program October 1st-5th.  Activities to be announced.  Please encourage your child to read everyday.

Band News
The Grade 8 band Disneyland meeting will take place in the band room at 7:00 pm tonight  immediately following the Open House.  If you are interested in puarchasing any cookies or pies for Thanksgiving, contact Ms. Norton or any grade 8 band student.  Band Rental Night is scheduled for Monday evening, September 17th at 7:00 pm in our  multi-purpose.  This is a very convenient opportunity for parents and guardians of band students to rent instruments at very competitive rates for the upcoming school year.

Den Opening Soon!
Its that time of year again! Supplies, backpacks, books, pencil cases and school lunches. If your child doesn’t  eat well in the middle of the day, their energy levels drop, affecting their ability to concentrate and learn. A lunch that's fast to prepare, as well as nutritious and something they'll eat, is a daily challenge.  To help you with this challenge, we are going to open the "WOLF DEN" at lunch (October 1st). "The Den" will help you safeguard the health and well being of your children by serving hot nutritious lunches each school day at a very affordable price. We hope to teach and model good nutrition habits in our school that will last a lifetime with our students.
 
MENU - THE “DEN” DAILY MENU
MONDAY  - CHICHEN BURGERS, CAESAR SALAD, AND MILK
TUESDAY - CHICKEN STRIPS (3PIECES), CAESAR SALAD, AND MILK
WEDNESDAY - BBQ PORK RIBS, A FRESH BUN, AND MILK
THURSDAY - CHICKEN STRIPS (3PIECES), CAESAR SALAD, AND MILK
FRIDAY - CHICKEN POT PIE, CAESAR SALAD, AND MILK

Prices:
Lunches can be purchased on a daily bases by paying $4.00 at the till in the home ec room where the students will get their food. If you prefer, you can prepay your child's lunch by sending a cheque to the school (made payable to Chief Dan George Middle School). If you choose this method of payment, an index card with your child's name and the number of meals prepaid for will be kept at the till. Your child simply needs to have their card stamped and then enjoy their meal. It will not matter which day your child comes into the cafeteria, for example, if they do not care for what is being served on a given day, they can bring a lunch from home and miss that day. The card will only be stamped on the days they use it. Students will know in advance what is being served as the menu will be the same each week.  To help bring down your cost we are offering a special. If you choose to prepay a minimum of  two weeks worth of lunches (10 lunches or more) we will sell them to you for $3.00 a lunch ($30.00). Again, these do not need to be used up in two weeks. The 10 lunches can be used at the student's discretion.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Mrs. Hollanti or Mr. Lilly at the school (604-852-9616).   All products served are  peanut free.

Library and Sewing Help Needed
Mr. Lilly is looking for parent volunteers to help in the library and with sewing.  The library requires parents to reshelve books and to sight the shelves.  This can be done at any time during the week.  The sewing portion of Home Ec takes place every Thursday.  Volunteers are needed for all six blocks during the day.  Again, you are welcome to come in and help whenever you are available.  If you have any questions or if you want to volunteer, please call Mr. Lilly and leave your name and phone number.  Thanks.

LEADERSHIP NEWS
We are currently looking for dedicated, committed, and hard-working students to be a part of our Student Leadership team for the year. Application forms are due in the office by the end of the week and members of the team will be involved in the planning and carrying out of activities for the rest of our students during the entire year. Sponsor teachers so far include Ms. Schafer, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Cervo, Ms. McIntyre, Mr. Baruta, Mr. Lilly and Mrs. Fladager and we are really looking forward to some fantastic events. Mr. Lilly has kicked off the year with chocolate sales that raise the bulk of our funds for our activities. Please get all of your chocolates and money in to him ASAP as  the competition will be wrapping up next week! Lastly, we are planning another Spirit Day for September 27th. It will be our world-famous Crazy Hair Day! Each winning division by grade level will receive a class pizza party provided by the Student Leadership team. Mark it on your calendars and make sure to encourage your homeroom teacher to have crazy hair to increase your division's chances of winning.

Student Leadership Fundraiser
Once again the school community has embraced our annual Student Leadership fundraiser. Teacher Mr. Paul Lilly indicates that the Studaent Leadership Team will have access to thousands of dollars for various events and initiatives to benefit all students at this school this year.

Bottle Drive
Div 22, our resource room students, will be having a Fall bottle drive from September 24 - October 2nd.  The class that collects the most bottles will receive a class ice cream party.  Other prizes will be awarded.

Swim Team begins September 25th.
Any interested grade 6, 7 or 8 students that can swim a length of the pool can join. Practices are Tuesday and Thursdays after school at MRC.   Permission forms can be picked up at the office or from Mlle Veldhoen.

BC Adults Can Take Free High School Courses
All BC residents, both graduates and non graduates, can now access free Grade 10 to 12 courses, upgrade and access educational programs through the Abbotsford Virtual School (see www.avs34.com for course offerings or phone 604 859 9803) and ask to speak to a teacher about High School Courses.   Other changes include the ability of younger students to access Grade 10-12 courses free of charge as enrichment or as part of an educational plan as recommended by their school based team.  High School courses in Punjabi and English as a Second Language will be offered in Spring Semester.
 
Traffic in and around the school
Like many schools we continue to face challenges around traffic in and around the school.  For the most part drivers have been very careful and patient.  However, we have had some reports of vehicles travelling too quickly in the neighbourhood east of the school.  For the safety of the youngsters who live in that area, who walk either to Dr. Roberta Bondar or CDG, we ask that all drivers using those streets before or after school take extra care as they travel through that neighbourhood.  Thank you.

Gladwin Heights United Church Parking Lot
Over the years we have had the pleasure of a very good relationship with Gladwin Heights United Church located on the corner of Gladwin Road and Old Riverside Road.  We have benefited by being able to have our parents and guardians use the entrance and exits to their parking area before and after school.  a has reduced the congestion at the front of the school during those peak times of use each day.  Members of the church recently expressed some concern regarding the speed by which vehicles enter their property off of Gladwin Road.  The church is now running a day care and young children are in and around the front of the church building each morning.  We would ask that those of you who use the church as a drop off and pick up point be much more conscious of your vehicle’s speed as you enter and move on their property. Thank you for your support in this regard.

PAC Meeting
The first PAC meeting of the new school year will take place on Monday evening, September 24th at 7:00 pm in our school library. We would like to invite all interested members of the parent community to attend. Mrs. Lee-Ann Hamel, last year’s PAC president will chair the meeting. She can be reached at the following email address:   hamels4@telus.net                       

Back to the Top



September 27, 2007

Important Dates

Oct 1         DEN opens
Oct 2         Pie and Cookie Order pick up @ 2:30 pm
Oct 8        Thanksgiving Day (NO SCHOOL)
Oct 15        Picture Retake Day
Oct 19        Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Oct 26        Interims home

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: Annual General Meeting 2007 **
It is with great pleasure that CPF- BC & Yukon Branch invites all CPF Members and Non-Members to their AGM in Victoria this coming November. For more details and a printable registration form regarding this informative and inspiring annual event (such as details about schedule, cost, location and registration), please visit the following web site: www.cpf.bc.ca/site/modules/news/article.php?storyid=124  (or visit www.cpf.bc.ca and click the CPF News icon). Remember, this conference is not just beneficial to FI parents, but great for parents with kids taking Core French and teachers too! Deadline to register for the AGM: Monday October 1st 2007.

Wolves Athletics News
Volleyball is well under way with Gr. 8 Girls and Boys teams both posting victories against MEI (3-0) and Abby Middle (3-1) respectively.  Gr. 7 Teams began play on Wednesday with the boys hosting and the girls travelling to ASIA.  Our X-Country Team participated in the second of four Grand Prix Races at Clearbrook Park on Wednesday.  Mr. Richards, Mrs. Bunbury, Ms. Finch and Mr. Dugdale are very impressed by the consistent improvement of all runners.  CDG Football players have played two games with the Abby Middle Football Team against HD Stafford and Seaquam.  Mr. Goerke says the boys, especially those playing for the first year, are coming along nicely.

Terry Fox Run
Come join us on Friday, September 28th @ 1:00 pm for our annual Terry Fox Run.  Parents, grandparents, brother, sisters and the whole family are welcome to join us in support of the amazing work done by the Terry Fox Foundation in search for a cure for cancer.  We will assemble in the gym at 1:15 pm and walk/run at 1:30pm.  The route will take us west through the Ag Rec complex through the Haida Drive underground passage to Clearbrook Park, around the fitness path and back to the school following the same route of about 4 kms.

Wolves Racing News
We finally did it! One of our dragsters finally got into the 9's. We took two dragsters to the track on Friday, but only ran one. Molly's brakes were not working well, so it was decided to stay safe and not run it at all. We got 9 runs in and overall it was a very successful day. One of the other highlights of the day was watching Mr. Lilly, our mild-mannered librarian, drive our sponsor's 7 second dragster down the track. Because it was Mr. Lilly's first time ever on the track, he had to go through a certification process. His first three runs had to be slower than 10 seconds in the 1/4 mile. It was unbelievable to see him do a perfect burnout on his first attempt. Mr. Lilly got two runs in and will have to do one more before he is allowed to do a few medium speed runs. After that, he will be able to go full tilt. Mr. Lilly was so excited after the two successful runs that it was hard to tell if the wrinkles on his face were from being so happy or if they were from pulling over 3 G's at the starting line. For those of you who have not been in a dragster capable of going well over 200 miles an hour, the inertia is unbelievable. Another highlight of the day was watching our good friend Leo (one of the employees and head mechanic of our sponsor) record a personal best ET in his amazingly fast dragster. Can you believe it? 5.7 seconds in the quarter mile. Enough to make your head spin for quite sometime. Both of his runs on Friday were in the 5 second range. Needless to say, the track was in excellent shape. Our next race date is September 28th. We are hoping to have all three of our dragsters operational by then. Our friends from Mouat did very well and won first place in the high school division. A couple of our former racers are now on Team Mouat.

Literacy Week
At CDGMS we are raising literacy awareness with our first Literacy Week of the new school year which will take place from October 1st to 5th.
 "Guess the Quote"  Back by popular demand, 6 students will have a chance to win a book three times over the week. Quotes will be presented in both English and French and the winners will be able to choose their prize from dozens of books.
The "Reading Scavenger Hunt"  will be distributed by homeroom teachers on Monday.  The deadline for Reading Scavenger Hunt entries is Friday noon. 3 more prize winners (one from each grade) will be announced at the end of the day on Friday.
The "Staff Graph" will display the reading preference of all staff at Chief Dan George. Do staff members escape reality with Fantasy or Sci-Fi? How many realists are there among us who prefer non-fiction? Competition will build as the graph grows!
A total of twenty-one students will win books during this week-long Literacy Week! 
At CDGMS we are raising literacy awareness with our first Literacy Week of the new school year which will take place from October 1st to 5th.
 "Guess the Quote"  Back by popular demand, 6 students will have a chance to win a book three times over the week. Quotes will be presented in both English and French and the winners will be able to choose their prize from dozens of books.
The "Reading Scavenger Hunt"  will be distributed by homeroom teachers on Monday.  The deadline for Reading Scavenger Hunt entries is Friday noon. 3 more prize winners (one from each grade) will be announced at the end of the day on Friday.
The "Staff Graph" will display the reading preference of all staff at Chief Dan George. Do staff members escape reality with Fantasy or Sci-Fi? How many realists are there among us who prefer non-fiction? Competition will build as the graph grows!
A total of twenty-one students will win books during this week-long Literacy Week! 

News from your Student Leadership Team!!
Leadership is a volunteer group that meets on a regular basis to plan pep rallies, organize school events and even design the yearbook. We will make this school year one to remember!  There are approximately 55 Grade 8 students involved in Leadership, and we are looking to expand this opportunity to responsible Grade 7’s and 6’s in the future. There are 5 branches of Leadership: Yearbook, Intramural/Sports, Fundraising, Spirit and PR. In each group we have motivated participants who are already hard at work!
Right now the Leadership Team is working on promoting 'Crazy Hair Day', which will take place Thursday, September 27th.  A division (in each of our 3 grade levels) with the c-r-a-z-i-e-s-t hair will win a pizza party!! This is the first of many Spirit Days that our Leadership Team will be planning. We are currently fundraising for the upcoming Terry Fox Run, which is Friday, September 28th.  Each of the three grade levels have accepted the challenge of donating as much as they can in hopes of winning a coveted spot on the bleachers at the next pep rally!!      
C. Holland & H. Lee, PR for Leadership 2007/2008

Student Leadership Fundraiser
Many thanks to all students and their families for once again supporting our annual Student Leadership fundraiser.  Thousands of dollars are now available to our Student Leadership team for special events for students through the school year. A number of student sellers received prizes at a brief assembly before lunch today.   Many thanks to Mr. Lilly and a number of members of the  staff for spearheading the fundraiser again this year.     

Newsletters Via Email
If you requested newsletters to be emailed to you and did not receive one last Thursday please email donna_hollanti@sd34.bc.ca your email address. Some of the purple forms returned with this request from parents did not include an email address and some of the addresses were incomplete or illegible. 

Breakfast Program begins on October 1st
For the last three years we have had the great fortune of offering a hot breakfast program to our students three mornings per week.  On Monday, Thursday and Friday morning students are able to partake of a free of charge hot breakfast from 7:40 am until 8:00 am in our multipurpose room.  Three local churches sponsor the opportunity and provide volunteers to cook and serve the breakfast.  Those churches that have provided this service in the previous years have agreed to continue to support this initiative again this year.  We wish to once again thank the Gladwin Heights United Church, New Life Christian Reform Church and Northview Community Church for their generosity and support of our school.

Thanksgiving Day, October 8th
Monday, October 8th is a statutory holiday to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  Given that we will not have another school newsletter before that date we want to wish all members of the Chief Dan George Middle School community best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving Day,

O’ Canada
Please note that every morning at 8:15 am we play O’Canada throughout the school and are unable to answer the school phone (approximately 3 minutes).

World Teachers Day
Next Thursday, October 4th is designated World Teachers Day. This has become an annual celebration to honor the dedication and commitment of teachers to our present students and future contributing adults in  our society.  We are fortunate to have such a talented and hardworking team of teachers and Chief Dan George and wish them an enjoyable World Teachers Day next week.

Attention all Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion Students!
CPF and the Centre de leadership et d'aventure en nature in Powell River are joining forces to offer the first Recontre en Plein Air to children of CPF members.  This is an exhilarating outdoor adventure camp, all in French language.  The camp runs from Friday, October 19th to Sunday, October 21st. The cost is an extremely reasonable $150 per participant.  For more information about the camp, visit http://www.cpf.bc.ca/site/modules/news/article.php?storyid=147 or visit www.cpf.bc.ca and click on the News link. Deadline for registration is this Monday, October 1st. 

Reminder - Den Opening Soon!
A  quick reminder that our “Den” lunch program starts up again Monday, October 1st. "The Den" serves hot nutritious lunches each school day at a very affordable price.

Menu:
Monday: Chicken burgers (oven baked), Caesar Salad, and milk
Tuesday: Chicken strips (3 pieces), Caesar Salad, and milk
Wednesday: BBQ Pork Ribs, a fresh bun, Caesar Salad and milk
Thursday: Chicken strips (3 pieces), Caesar Salad, and milk
Friday: Chicken Pot Pie, Caesar Salad, and milk

Prices:
Lunches can be purchased on a daily bases by paying $4.00 at the till in the Home Ec room where the students will get their food. If you prefer, you can prepay your child's lunch by sending a chaeque to the school (made payable to Chief Dan George Middle School). If you choose this method of payment, an index card with your child's name and the number of meals prepaid for will be kept at the till. Your child simply needs to see Mrs. Hollanti at the till and then enjoy their meal. It will not matter which day your child comes into the cafeteria, for example, if they do not care for what is being served on a given day, they can bring a lunch from home and miss that day. The card will only be stamped on the days they use it. Students will know in advance what is being served as the menu will be the same each week.  To help bring down your cost we are offering a special. If you choose to prepay a minimum of  two weeks worth of lunches (10 lunches or more) we will sell them to you for $3.00 a lunch ($30.00). Again, these do not need to be used up in two weeks. The 10 lunches can be used at the student's discretion.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Mrs. Hollanti or Mr. Lilly at the school (604-852-9616).   All products served are  peanut free.

French 8 Voyage to Quebec
We will be holding our first information night for parents regarding this year's Quebec trip on the evening of October 10th, beginning at 6:30 pm in the Multipurpose Room. Although we are still awaiting final approval of the trip from the School Board, we want to go ahead with our plans and give parents the opportunity to learn more about the expectations surrounding the trip, the travel plans and accommodations, inform them about the sites that we will be visiting, answer any questions that you may have about the trip, and collect the $200 deposit. The proposed dates for the trip thus far are May 10-17, 2008. Please let us know if you will not be able to attend the meeting, but are interested in having your son/daughter participate in this experience. You can also check for updates on our website at the following address: http://abbynet.sd34.bc.ca/~tanner_cervo/quebec. We hope to see all of you on the evening of Wednesday, October 10th.

Red Cross Babysitting Course
Due to popular demand we have scheduled another training course for Babysitting. This  four week program is taught by Petersen’s First Aid Training. The dates for this second session will be: January 14, 21, 28 and February 4th, 2008  from 2:40 pm - 4:40 pm. Course focus is: Child care skills with special emphasis on child safety. A Canadian Red Cross certificate will be issued upon completion of the course. This course is designed for students 10-15 years of age. It teaches the basics of babysitting, rights and responsibilities, getting along with participants, holding, diapering, feeding, bedtime, toys and activities, accident prevention and handling emergencies. The cost is  $35.00 per participant. If you are interesting in having your child take this program we have registration forms at the office. The class maximum size is 20 and space is first come, first served - please note that the course fills up very quickly!

Recycle
Div. 22 Bottle drive is on until Tuesday October 2nd.Your support makes a difference in children's lives.

Back to the Top

October 11, 2007

Important Dates to Note

Picture Retake Day to be announced-See below for details
Oct 15-Babysitting course starts
Oct 15-PAC meeting-7:00 pm
Oct 19-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Oct 26-Interims home


Pro-D - October 19th

Friday, October 19th is designated a provincial Professional Development Day.  No classes will be held.


P.A.C. QSP Fundraiser

Our school's PAC has once again joined forces with QSP Reader's Digest to offer a Christmas items and magazine subscription fundraiser at the school. It is the only fundraiser planned by the PAC this school year.  On Wednesday, October 10th  students viewed a 15 minute presentation regarding the program and were provided with an order package. We hope that you will consider supporting the PAC by placing orders and having your child return the order forms to the school on or before October 22nd. 


Wolves Athletics

Volleyball is well underway with Gr. 8 teams having completed five games of their league schedule.  The Gr. 8 Girls are 5 - 0 with dominating performances against MEI and Abby Christian.  Led by server Erin L., hitter Ashley S. and defensive specialist Emilia A. the girls look to be one of the strongest teams in the AMSSAA Gr. 8 Girls League this season.   The Gr. 8 Boys sport a 3-1 record with strong performances against Clayburn and Abby Middle.  Sebastian G. anchors a strong group including server James A., hitter Mitchell F. and setter Alex B.. 
Our XCountry Team  is having its best season ever.  As of the first three races Gr. 8 Boys/Girls and Gr. 6 Boys are in first place.  Gr. 7 Boys/Girls and Gr. 6 Girls are all in second place.  Wednesday, October 10th  was the fourth and last race in the Valley Royals Grand Prix Series.  We congratulate our  CDG XCountry on an outstanding season.
Our football players are five games into their season.  Mr. Goerke is very pleased with their progress.  Next game is October 15th at Abby Middle versus Maple Creek Middle School (POCO).  Good Luck Guys!!
Finally, our Swim Team of 16 athletes is preparing for upcoming swim meets on consecutive Thursdays.  Led by Gr. 8 swimmers Michelle K., Matt K., Mariysa O. and Zac S. the Wolves Swim Team looks as strong as ever.


Wolf Racing - September 28th (Race Day)

The last event of the season and it looked like the weather was not going to cooperate. Forecast called for rain all day long. The BCSSMA executive were so convinced of the forecast that they canceled the event. Mission Raceway Park was still open, so we went as usual. The morning was cold and miserable, but dry. Dark clouds gathered overhead and it looked really bad at times. However, the skies did clear up after a few drips and toward the end of the day, it was bright and sunny. The track surface wasn't in the greatest of condition, but we did get a few runs in. Although there were less cars at Mission than usual, we didn't get as many runs as we normally would due to numerous break downs, a late start, and a large number of drivers licensing. We usually get to Mission at around 10:00 am, but this time, we were early by almost an hour. We were itching to run, but didn't get started till after 11 am! We usually call it quits at around 3:30 pm, but we stayed a little longer to get in our 6th run. No complaints, though. It could have rained on the last event of the season.

We took along two dragsters this time around. Chili could not be resurrected in time. The brake problem Molly experienced last race day was due to the brake bleeders coming loose on their own. Something we thought we had fixed, but on run three, they came loose again which almost caused a problem at the turn off lane. All three dragsters will be thoroughly checked over in the off season and they will be back faster and better than ever in April. Rumour has it that we will have some tough competition next season as Robert Bateman is looking to get into junior dragsters. Mouat has shown some interest in juniors, as well.
Congratulations to our two new drivers, Rae Anne M. and Graeme M. First time driving down the track and they did an outstanding job. Having to wait for over a year to be able to drive is tough at times, but it paid off. Great runs, guys. The team is very proud of you.  Wolves Racing team is always looking for more sponsors. If you would like to become a sponsor and have your business logo on our dragsters, please contact Mr. Lilly at the school.


RETAKE PICTURE DAY - To be rescheduled

We have been informed by Lifetouch  Photography that picture packages and student cards will not be available until next week.  We will reschedule our retake day to the end of October.  We will communicate the date as soon as it is confirmed by LifeTouch.


Interims to go home

First term interims are slated to go home on Friday, October 26th. 


Fireworks/firecrackers

With Halloween fast approaching we wish to remind students and their families that fireworks or firecrackers are not to be brought to the school for any reason.                     


Quebec Trip planning meeting

The French 8 teachers will hold an information evening for our annual Quebec Trip on the evening of Wednesday, October 17th at 7:00 pm in our school's multipurpose room.  There will be a multi-media presentation and information about the proposed experience for this school year.


PAC meeting

The October PAC meeting will take place in our library at 7:00 pm on Monday, October 15th.  New members are always welcome. This year's Executive is as follows:
President                     Lee-Ann Hamel       
Treasurer                 Krys Beketa       
Secretary            Greg Nutchey       
DPAC Rep                Alex Sheppard       
Key Communicator        Ken Brake       
Funding Coordinator        Kim Stamler       
French Advisory Council Rep     vacant   
CPF Rep                vacant           
School Planning Council    LeeAnn Hamel, Ken Brake, Janet Weston, Alex  Sheppard


THANK YOU for supporting Division 22. You brought in 11,344 recycle containers.


STUDENT  LEADERSHIP NEWS

Way to go Chief Dan!  We raised over $900 for the Terry Fox Run.  Thank you all for your help.  It was a great success.  We just completed our first Literacy Week of the year that included the Quote of the Day and Scavenger Hunt.  We’d like to thank the following students for their help during Literacy Week:  Jordan Jutras, Josh Leger, Brandon Wnuk, Ashley Dueck and Marleau Brown.  Also, thank you to Bronwen Kenyon for her help with collecting ballots and scavenger hunt entries.  Thanks to everone for showing their school spirit with our first Crazy Hair Day!  Congratulations to Mme Veldhoen, Mr. Richards and Mr. Cervo’s class who had the class with the highest percentage of crazy hair participants.  Don’t forget to show your school spirit at the next Halloween Pep Rally, where the grade 6 students will have the bleachers for the first time in CDGMS history.  Remember to wear your costumes and the two kids in each division with the scariest and most creative costumes will be involved in the Pep Rally parade.  During the week of the 22nd - 26th, the fundraising team will be selling candy grams for $.25 a piece.  Thanks for your support!
Chair and Co-Chair of the PR Team:  Ashley Dueck and Hudson Lee.

Musical Metaphor--Fine Arts presentation #1

Each year our students are treated to high quality Fine Arts performances at the school. The first of these for this school year will take place on the afternoon of Friday October 26th when we will  enjoy a performance by Musical Metaphor.
Terry Fox Foundation is a winner
At our annual Terry Fox Run at the end of September the school raised over $900 toward the Terry Fox foundation.   Many thanks to all those students and staff who participated in the walk/run and assisted in keeping Terry's dream alive.


LOST & FOUND ITEMS - PLEASE CLAIM!

Each classroom in our school will be viewing the many items that have accumulated in our Lost & Found bin in our Multi-Purpose Room on Monday,  October 15th.          We will be bagging these items up on Wednesday, October 17th  and donating them to a local charity.   Please remind your child to check the Lost and Found bin.  Quite often there are several valuable items in the bin.


THE FALL CLOTHESLINES

A FREE clothing give-away
Date:    Friday, October 26th
        7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
        Saturday, October 27th
        10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Place:    Sevenoaks Alliance Church
        Youth Centre & Gym
        2575 Gladwin Road, Abbotsford

Back to the Top
October 25, 2007

Important Dates to Note
Oct 26        Interims home
Nov 9            Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Nov 12        Remembrance Day (NO SCHOOL)
Nov 27        Report cards home
Nov 28/29        Early Dismissal
Nov 29        Parent/teacher interviews
Nov 30        Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)

Interims
Friday, October 26th teachers will inform you of your child's general progress to date.   The first formal report will be issued on Tuesday, November 27th and you will have an opportunity to schedule a conference with teachers on either Wednesday, November 28th or Thursday, November 29th.

Wolves Athletics News
Swimming and Football seasons are drawing to a close.  Swimmers have their first qualification meet on Thursday, November 1st.  Those that qualify will advance to the Fraser Valley Championships Thursday, November  9th at Walnut Grove.  Wolves football players have three games left on their schedule with a home game at Abby Middle against Mission on Monday, October 29th.  Volleyball teams are mid way through their seasons.  Gr. 8 Boys (4 - 3) and Gr. 8 Girls (7 - 1) are gearing up for the playoffs with solid performances against Abby Christian and Howe.  Gr. 7 Boys and Girls Teams are participating in season ending tournaments on Friday, October 26th (Boys “B” Tournament @ CDG) and Monday, October 29th (Boys “A” Tournament @ CDG).  Gr. 7 Girls season ending tournament is at Clayburn Tuesday, October 30th.  Grade 6 Volleyball Teams continue Monday playdays  for the next three weeks with the Boys visiting MEI Monday, October 29th.  Basketball tryouts for Gr. 8 Boys and Girls will be announced during the next few weeks.  Stay tuned!!

Health and Fitness Goal Update
A committee of teachers is exploring plans to implement strategies for improved student nutrition awareness and fitness.  District resources are being pursued to help compile modules that could help students better understand what is in the foods they eat.  Also, several teachers are in the process of field testing a student fitness regime that has proven effective in other BC schools.  Our Professional Development Committee is planning a Health and Fitness Development Day on November 9th to help staff focus on health and fitness related issues.

Buddy Walk
The Fraser Valley Down Syndrome Society is hosting its 1st annual Buddy Walk Saturday November 3, 2007 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (walk starts at 11:00 am) at Mill Lake starting at Bevan Avenue  picnic shelter.   Come out and walk with us to support persons with Down Syndrome.  If you would like to register for the walk, or sponsor someone, please phone Sylvie at 604-853-5563 or e-mail:  fvdss@telus.net

Traffic in the Neighbourhood
We appreciate the patience and the care that has  been shown by drivers before and after school in front of the school.  However,
we have been informed once again by homeowners in the subdivision east of the school that there are still a number of drivers that are speeding in the neighbourhood before and after school.  In addition,  these drivers are not stopping to allow younger children who walk to Dr. Roberta Bondar to cross the road safely.  We know that many of the drivers who transport their children to and from our school have limited time to get elsewhere after they drop off or pick up their child.  However, we would ask that the extra minute or two needed to drive more carefully near the school be extended to the neighborhood beside the school.  Thank you.

Breakfast Program
We are now into the third week of our hot breakfast program. Our community sponsors are Gladwin Heights United Church (Mondays), Northview Community Church (Thursdays) and New Life Community Church (Fridays).   This is a free service with no obligation.  Children who are at the school between 7:40 am and 8:00 am are welcome to partake of a hot breakfast served up
in our multi-purpose room. We thank our community sponsors for their continued support of our children and our school community.   
Student Photographs and Free Service provided by Lifetouch
Lifetouch Photography provided our student picture program this year. In September  the company took  individual pictures of all students and issued student cards and picture packages recently.  They returned last week for picture retakes and will not return again until the spring, when they will take class pictures.  Today your child was issued two cards with their picture on it.  This is a new free service provided by Lifetouch as part of a safety identification program. These cards are for parents and guardians and they contain Lifetouch information that will assist police or media search for a child if they are lost or missing, similar to the Amber Alert program.  The concept behind the card is that it allows parents to carry a recent picture of their child in their wallet or purse. The identification numbers do not identify your child but allow Lifetouch to quickly locate your child's photo for fast distribution in the event of an emergency. 

Art Starts Presentation-October 26th
Each year our school provides students with some opportunities to view high quality fine arts performances in our gymnasium. Tomorrow afternoon, Friday, October 26th, our students and staff we be treated to a performance by Metaphor Musical, a crew of hip hop artists who build community empowerment and social justice through their art, teaching and facilitation.
                           
Halloween Costumes
We would like for as many of our students as possible to dress up on Wednesday, October 31st, in costume or in orange and black.  However, we would also ask that student costumes not include mock weapons or too much in the way of 'gore'.  As well, please ensure that any costumes worn to school will allow for both the safe movement of your child and for their full participation in our various classes. 

Reading Power = Connect, Question, Visualize, Infer, and Transform
The members of the Literacy Leadership Team will be including the strategies of making connections and asking questions with both fiction and nonfiction material in the coming weeks. Adrienne Gear is a teacher in the Vancouver school district who has given after school workshops on Reading Power strategies that many of us have attended. As we collect student samples from a variety of lessons, we will share our results at future staff meetings.
           
News from your Student Leadership
Trick or treat, gimme something good to eat!  Next week in the MPR from October 29 - 31st, buy your Halloween candy gram for $.25 each.  As everyone knows, we have our Halloween Pep Rally on October 31st and we hope you will all dress up in your creative costumes to show school spirit!  Also, for those of you that have forgotten, for the first time in CDGMS history, the grade 6’s will be sitting in the bleachers.  They earned the privilege by contributing the largest amount to the the Terry Fox Foundation.  Thanks for your support.
Chair and Co-Chair of the PR Team:  Ashley Dueck and Hudson Lee.

Assets Kids Need to Succeed
Principal, Mr. Dudzik and Vice Principal, Ms. Fladager, attended a workshop for administrators this past Friday, October 19th, on Developing Assets in Schools.  The workshop highlighted how all of us as adults can make a difference in young peoples’ lives.  These ‘developmental assets’ are considered the building blocks that children and teenagers need in order to grow into healthy and productive adults. Over the course of this year, we will be sharing with you some of the ways in which you, our community and our world can support our children as they  become adults.  Our first focus is on Supporting our Children with Love, Care and Attention.  Caring supportive  relationships are vital to children and teenagers. 
      You help young people feel supported when you:
      • Freely give them your love, affirmation, and acceptance;
      • Surround them with people who care; and
      • Help them know that they belong.
  If you would like to learn more about the developmental assets and the research behind it, please visit:  www.search-institute.org

Parent Meetings
Please be advised that DPAC Parent Meetings and Key Communicator Parent Meetings have been scheduled as follows for the 2007/08 school year:
DPAC Meetings are held at the School District Administration Office - Boardroom and begin at 7:07 pm:
    September 27th, October 25th, November 22nd, January 24th, February 28th, April 24th and May 29th
Key Communicator Meetings are generally held at the School District Administration Office - Boardroom and begin at 9:30 am.
    October 3rd (this meeting was held at Abby Middle):
    November 7th, January 9th, February 6th, April 2nd and May 7th

Back to the Top

November 8, 2007

Upcoming Dates to Note
Nov 9-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Nov 12-Remembrance Day (NO SCHOOL)
Nov 27-Report cards home
Nov 28/29-Early Dismissal
Nov 29-Parent/teacher interviews
Nov 30-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)

Lest We Forget
Today all of our students and staff participated in a Remembrance Day Assembly.  We were joined by members of the local Legion Color Party as well as guests from a local seniors complex and from the community at large.  Many thanks to all of the staff who assisted in either preparing presentations with their students or participating directly in the program.  We hope that all families will take some time on Monday, November 11th to acknowledge the past and present contributions of our armed forces.

Wolves Athletics News
Our Gr. 7 Boys Volleyball team won the District Championship Tournament for the second year in a row defeating a strong Clayburn  in the final 3 - 0.  The boys sent notice that they will be a volleyball force next year.  Tristan J., Brandon B. and Riley K. led a potent attack that the competition could not match.  The Gr. 7 Girls Volleyball team played in their seasons ending tournament Wednesday,  November 7th @ Clayburn. 
   
The Gr. 8 Girls Volleyball team is ranked No. 1 going into the playoffs that start Thursday, November 15th at home.  They gathered momentum this weekend with a first place finish in the Howe Invitational Volleyball Tournament.  Going into the final as the second seed, the girls defeated the No. 1 seeded Clayburn team 3 - 0 with scores of 25 - 16, 25 - 22 and 25 - 12.  Tournament MVP’s Emilia A. and Ashley S. showed outstanding leadership in rallying the team to victory.  The Gr. 8 Boys Volleyball team will go into the playoffs ranked No. 5 and will play Heritage Park at home Wednesday, November 7th  in round one. 
   
Gr. 6 Volleyball wraps up next with the Boys playing at Clayburn on Wednesday, November 14th.  Gr. 8 Basketball practices will begin next week leading up to the start of league play during the first week of December.  Stay tuned for information meetings and practice schedules.  There is a coaching vacancy in our Rugby Program this year.
   
This week the CDG Swim Team will send nine swimmers to the Fraser Valley Championships to be held at Walnut Grove Aquatic Centre in Langley.  Matt K., Jacey G., Gene S., Mikayla and Janaya F. lead a strong team against schools from Surrey to Hope.   Any parents with experience coaching rugby please contact Mr. McTaggart as we have a coaching vacancy in our Boys Rugby Progam.

Foundations Skills Assessment Data from May 2007
For a number of years the Ministry of Education has conducted Foundation Skills Assessments in reading comprehension, writing and numeracy at the Grade 4 and 7 level.  The results are used to provide teachers, students and families with "snap shot" data regarding performance in each of these important curriculum areas.  Our staff use the data to guide instructional practice and our School Planning Council works with the staff to identify goal areas to support academic skill development.  The results below provide data around the collective performance of our Grade 7 students of last year (i.e. our present Grade 8 students).  School results are compared to District and Provincial results in the table below.

Summary of F.S.A. results - Grade 7 - May 2007
We have a very high participation rate at this school.  96% of our Grade 7 students participated in the assessments where the provincial average of participation is only 88%.  Collective performances are listed below.


Reading Comprehension: Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding Expactations

Our School
 District
Province
76% 73% 71%

Writing: Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding Expactations

Our School
 District
 Province
92%
 89%
 85%

Numeracy: Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding Expactations

Our School
 District
 Province
81%
 85%
 80%
   

Student of the Month for September
Congratulations to Sahil Ahuja for being named our September Grade 8 Kiwanis Student of the Month.  Since he began attending Chief Dan George Middle School, Sahil has demonstrated a very high level of citizenship.  This year he holds an Executive position with our Student Leadership Team. He has already represented the school as a member of the cross country team. His teachers are able to constantly rely on him to assist them with various tasks in and around the school. He does all this and retains an extremely high standing in his academic subjects. 

Student of the Month for October
Congratulations to Grade 8 student Jill B., who was named our Kiwanis Grade 8 Student of the Month for October.  Jill was nominated by a number of her teachers for her many contributions to the school. She is an integral part of our Student Leadership team, an outstanding band student and a model citizen who performs at a very high level in the classroom. 

First Term Reports
The first formal report of this school year will be issued to students on Tuesday, November 27th.  The following two days are designated as Early Dismissal Days and students will be dismissed at 1:24 on both Wednesday, November 28th and Thursday, November 29th.  Afternoon parent/teacher interviews will be scheduled on those days. Also, on the evening of November 29th there will also be opportunities to schedule a meeting with teachers.  Friday, November 30th is a designated non instructional day and no classes will be held. Information about scheduling interviews will be sent to you in the next week or so.

Assets Kids Need to Succeed
This is the second of our series on Positive Things You Can Offer Kids.  Our focus this time is on Empowering our Children with Opportunities to Make a Difference in their Family and Community.  Kids need to discover the joy of making a difference.
You empower them when you:
* Help them feel valued and valuable;
* Give them opportunities to serve others; and
* Keep them safe.
Again, if you would like to learn more about the developmental assets and the research behind it, please visit:   www.search-institute.org

Haney to Harrison Race
Last Saturday, November 3rd, 250 teams from Canada and the United States ran the famous Haney-to-Harrison Relay race. Each team had 8 runners who ran between 10-15 kilometers each to complete the 100k total distance. This year the Chief Dan George relay team consisted of Mr. Cervo, Mr. Richards, Mlle. Klassen, Ms. McIntyre, Mr. Baruta, Mr. Dugdale, Mr. Baruta's wife, Jennifer, and Mr. McTaggart's brother, Duncan. We are proud to announce that all runners did fantastically well despite running in the pouring rain, and that our team placed first overall in the Middle School Open category. This is the 4th year in a row that Chief Dan George has competed in this event, and we look forward to another successful race next year! Many thanks go out to our supporters, including Mr. Dudzik and Mrs. Fladager.

Abbotsford Arts Council 27th Annual Christmas Craft Fair
November 23 - 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
November 24 - 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
November 25 - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Ag-Rec Building
32470 Haida Drive
FREE ADMISSION
Food Bank Donations gratefully accepted

Back to the Top
November 22, 2007

Important Dates to Note
Nov 27-Report cards home
Nov 28/29-Early Dismissal
Nov 29-Parent/teacher interviews
Nov 30-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Dec 17-Xmas Concert  - 7:00 pm
Dec 24-Jan4-Xmas Holidays
Jan 7-School Re-opens

Early Dismissal Days Wednesday, November 28 and Thursday, November 29
Students will be dismissed one hour earlier than normal (i.e. 1:24 pm) on  November 28th and 29th.  This is allow for parents and guardians to meet with teachers regarding first term report card data.  The user pay school district buses will be at the school at 1:24 pm on these days to provide service to students. Students who use the city bus will be able to catch the 1:20 pm bus on Gladwin Road on those days. We will dismiss city bus users 10 minutes before the scheduled end of day to allow those students that require the service enough time to be on time at the bus stop.

Non instructional day on Friday, November 30th
There will be a non-instructional day on Friday, November 30th. No classes will be held on that day. Staff will be focused on our two school goals for this year.  These are as follows:   "To increase student awareness of, and participation in, healthy living through increased physical activity and consumption of nutritional food" and "To increase student reading comprehension in the language of instruction by June 30, 2008.”

First Term reports and parent/teacher interviews
First term reports will be issued to all students on Tuesday, November 27th.  Parent teacher interviews will follow in the afternoon of Wednesday, November 28th and the afternoon and evening of Thursday, November 29th.  Information has been sent home with all students around scheduling interview times for parents and guardians.  Please contact the school if you have not received information around arranging an interview time.                       

Wolves Athletics
The CDGMS Swim Team ended another successful season last week at the Fraser Valley Championships at Walnut Grove Aquatic Centre in Langley.  Coaches  Veldhoen and Baye noted that all swimmers posted personal best times.

The Gr. 8 Boys Volleyball Team ended their season with a tough three set loss to Abby Traditional Middle School in the second round of the playoffs.  Coach Cervo highlighted the improved play and tenacity of all the boys.

The Gr. 8 Girls Volleyball Team advanced to the AMSSAA Gr. 8 Final Four Tuesday night with a 3 sets to 1 victory over Mission.  Coaches Bonneau, Perron and Klassen were confident leading into Wednesdays clash with Howe in the first game of the Final  four.   The team played at AMSSAA  Wednesday night with a strong 3 sets to none victory over Howe.  The Final is set for Thursday at 3:15 pm at Abbotsford Traditional Middle.

Gr. 8 Basketball League play starts first week of December with the Boys and Girls hosting MEI Middle.  Check with coaches Jenkins (Girls) and Flann (Boys) for practice times. 

Gr. 7 Basketball practices start first week of December with league play beginning after Christmas.

Wolves Athletic Clothing Sale
CDGMS Athletic Clothing is on sale for the next  week.  Sale ends Thursday, November 29th.  Hoodies (zip and pocket), baby T-shirts, sweats and shorts are on display in the trophy case at the front of the school.   Order forms are available in the office.  Return all completed order forms to the office.  Sizing is available in the PE office Monday - Thursday from 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm.

Help the Homeless program
Students and staff at the school will once again be holding a major clothing drive to support our annual charitable work to support the homeless.  Under the direction of teacher Mr. Ray Goerke the program has been a great source of pride for our school and a tremendous benefit for the less fortunate.  Over the years our school community has gathered many truckloads warm clothing and blankets for donation.  Our Help the Homeless drive will begin next week, Monday, November 26th and run through the month of December.  Your support will be greatly appreciated.

BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED
Our book fair this year will take place from November 26-30th.  It will be set up on Monday, November 26th and classes will be invited down to view the product on November 27-28th.  Students will be permitted to purchase our product or simply make a     Christmas wish list during their class time viewing, before school and after school.  The fair will also be open Thursday evening during our parent/teacher interviews.  This is a great opportunity for parents to purchase Christmas gifts that their children want and promote reading at the same time.  After viewing the fair most students produce a fairly lengthy book wish list from the hundreds of new releases they see. 

Mr. Lilly is looking for parent volunteers to help with the fair.  It will be open daily from Tuesday to Thursday from 8:00 am -3:30  pm and 3:30 pm - 7:30  pm Thursday evening.  He needs parents to be stationed at  the sales table during the above mentioned time periods.  He could also use some help Monday afternoon setting up the fair and Friday morning closing it down.
If you are available and would like to help with the fair, please contact Mr. Lilly or Donna Hollanti and the school (604-852-9616).     

Christmas Band and Choir Concert
Once again the PAC has agreed to support the rental costs for holding our annual Christmas band and choir concert.  It will be held Central Heights Church on the evening of Monday, December 17th, starting at 7:00 pm. Please mark your family calendar with that date as the concert is always an uplifting experience sure to get you into the Christmas spirit.  The concert will feature the grade 6, 7 and 8 concert bands, jazz band and choir.  All family and friends are invited.  (More detailed information will be handed out in class.)

Assets Kids Need to Succeed
This is the third of our series on Positive Things You Can Offer Kids.  Our focus this time is on Establish clear boundaries and having high expectations.  Young people need your guidance to stay safe and healthy.
 
You offer healthy boundaries and expectations when you:
® Set and enforce clear, respectful rules and limits;
® Behave in healthy and responsible ways; and
® Expect and help kids to do and be their best.
Again, if you would like to learn more about the developmental assets and the research behind it, please visit:   www.search-institute.org

PAC QSP Fundraiser
The PAC would like to thank  the school community for supporting the QSP fundraiser for this school year. Close to $10,000 in sales were generated with  over one third of that amount as profit for the PAC to support initiatives at the school. Orders are expected in the school next week. There will be a short assembly on Thursday, November 29th to recognize the top student sellers and prizewinners.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP NEWS
Way to go Chief Dan!!!  We sold over 1,000 Halloween candy grams and raised enough money to donate 7 1/2 months worth of supplies to our sponsor child, Jesfati.  We should all be very proud of our accomplishment.

Our next Spirit Day will be in the first wek of December.  We are going to have a pyjama day; wear your fun, bright, colorful pyjamas, but remember to keep them appropriate.  Also, in leadership news, in mid-December, yearbook pre-sales will start.  For the first time in CDGMS history the yearbook will have 40 pages of full color!  Make sure to get those orders as they sell out fast!  Books are only $22.00 each.  Once again, thanks for your support!
                Chair and Co-Chair of the P.R. Team
                Ashley D. and Hudson L.

WE KNOW WHERE YOUR MISSING SOCKS GO!!!
They may actually be in our MPR's Lost and Found Bin (and NOT in your clothes dryer), along with your child's coat, shoes, hat, backpack, binder, lunch kit, gloves (well, you get the idea...).  Please help us out in clearing out our Lost & Found on a regular basis.  If your child comes home and has apparently misplaced an item, this is the first place that they should check for it.  As well, if you are ever visiting our school, please check out our bin as well (located in the MPR on the wall next to our Band Room).  Thank you for your help.


Back to the Top
December 6, 2007


Upcoming Dates to Note
Dec 17        Christmas  Concert  - 7:00 pm
Dec 24-Jan4    Christmas  Holidays
Jan 7        School Re-opens

Wolves Athletic News
Volleyball season has drawn to a close with an Abby/Mission District Championship title for the Gr. 8 Girls team.  In a dominating 3 - 0 match victory over the Abbotsford Traditional Middle School Sabres the girls cemented their position as the class of the league.  Game MVP,  Emilia A. led a determined group of girls through three games of superb volleyball.  Congratulations!

Basketball season started this week with both Gr. 8 Boys and Girls teams hosting MEI on Tuesday and away to Mission on Thursday.  Coach Flann is encouraged by what he has seen of the boys so far during practices and Coach Jenkins has high hopes with a group of girls, most of whom played on the championship volleyball team.  Gr. 7 Boys and Girls basketball started practices this week preparing for league play beginning on Wednesdays in January.  Basketball for Gr. 6 players has been moved to later in the year to take advantage of gym availability.

We are still in need of a Boys Rugby Coach.  Anyone interested please call Mr. McTaggart at the school (604-852-9616).

Spelling Bee           
Congratulations to our CDG spellers who participated in our 2007 Spelling Bee on November 27th.  A very nerve-wrecking competition, even for the judges.  Our overall top CDG speller was Grace Tsai.  She will be advancing to the next level!  Our 2nd place speller was Jory Smallenberg.  Other participants were Rebecca Vedder, Brett Harasymchuk, Spencer Spenst and Kennedy Sanna.  We expect great things from Jory, Rebecca and Spencer next year. as they will be the only returning participants to our school.  Also, a thank you to our judges, Mrs. Hollanti and Miss Schafer.

Assets Kids Need to Succeed
This is the fourth of our series on Positive Things You Can Offer Kids.  Our focus this time is on Helping Young People Find Activities that Make Constructive Use of their Time.  All kids need access to quality programs and activities that enrich their lives, develop their talents and interests, and help them develop healthy relationships.
 These can include:
•  Music;
• Drama and other arts;
• Sports and hobbies;
• Involvement with their religious community (if applicable); and
• It’s also important that they spend time at home.
Again, if you would like to learn more about the developmental assets and the research behind it, please visit:   www.search-institute.org

Race Team
The Wolves Drag Racing Team is looking for sponsors.  Any contribution you care to make would be very much appreciated.  All funds received will be used for entry fees, maintenance, parts and repairs, etc.  Any individual or company who would like to help out, please contact Mr. Lilly.  Tax receipts will be issued on amounts over $50.00, if requested.

Help the Homeless
Chief Dan George is proud to support our Help the Homeless program again.  Please bring  in canned foods and clothing from now until Christmas.  Remember:  Don’t be greedy, support the needy!

Den Lunch
Please mark on your calendar that the Den lunch program will not be open the last Friday of December (December 21st) due to the many class parties, pot lucks etc. planned. The Canteen will be open as usual that day with pizza available.

Yearbook News
For the first time in the history of Chief Dan George Middle School, the yearbook will be 40 pages of FULL COLOUR! The yearbook club is really excited about this year's annual and have already begun taking pictures and designing pages. We are going to begin pre-sales of the yearbook starting Monday,  December 10th and ending Thursday, December 20th. This will be your chance to guarantee yourself a copy of this year's book before anyone else and also have the chance to win your money back. We will be drawing 3 names from the pre-sales list on Friday, December 21st, with the winners getting their copy for free. The books are only $22  and can be purchased before or after school from Mrs Hollanti in the office. Here's your chance to get an early Christmas present and ensure that you don't miss out on what will be a guaranteed sellout.

November's Grade 8 Kiwanis - Student of the Month
Congratulations to Marleau B. for being named CDGMS Kiwanis Student of the Month. Marleau is a straight "A" student who is an outstanding citizen. She has already represented the school in two major sports this year.  She was a member of our cross country team, which involved over 100 students and achieved tremendous success as the top middle school this fall. In addition Marleau was a key player on our girl's Grade 8 volleyball team, this year's District champions.  Marleau is a great role model to others and is a very worthy recipient of this award.

Lost and Found Items - Please Claim!
Each classroom in our school will be viewing the many items that have accumulated in our Lost & Found bin in our Multi-Purpose Room on Monday, December 17th.  Any clothing/items not claimed by Tuesday, December 18th will be donated to our Help the Homeless shed sponsored by Mr. Goerke and our Grade 8 Student Leaders. Students will be invited down to view the items during the afternoon of Monday, December 17th.   Please remind your child to check the Lost and Found bin.

Evening Christmas Concert on Monday, December  17th
Please join us at Central Heights Church at 7:00 pm on Monday, December 17th for our annual Christmas Concert.  You will hear selections from all of our bands as well as the school choir. It is guaranteed to be a heartfelt experience that is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.

PAC thanks the school community for its support with the QSP  fundraiser
The PAC would like to thank students and parents who supported the QSP Christmas fundraiser this year. The total sales were $10,000, which now provides thousands of dollars that the PAC can use to support various initiatives at the school.  Last Thursday, a brief assembly was held and PAC President Mrs. Lee-Ann Hamel and Fundraising Coordinator Mrs. Kim Stamler were on hand to issue prizes to the top student sellers and random draw prizes to other students who also sold items. 
The top sellers were:
Josh L. who received a $300 gift certificate to Seven Oaks Mall, Courtney H. who received a stereo/CD player and Alistar W. who received a set of high tech stereo sunglasses.

Book Fair
We sold $2545.25 worth of books and this earned us $1409.56 in free books for our Library! Thanks to all parents for their support.

Leadership News
We’d like to thank everyone for participating in our first pajama day this year.  It was a great success!  In third place was M. Klim’s class, coming in second place was M. Hazlewood’s class and the winning class, who will be receiving a Subway lunch, is M. Bowley’s class. Congratulations!
   
Are you ready to get your grove on?  Boogie on down to the gym next Friday, December 14th for our first school dance of the year.  There is no charge to attend as the Student Leadership Team will cover all costs.  However, if you are planning on attending the dance if would be much appreciated if you brought a non-perishable food item to donate to the food bank.  As well, remember to keep your outfits appropriate.
   
Can you go a whole night without watching TV or typing away on the computer?  Well, here’s your chance to find out!  On Friday, December 7th, there is a “No TV or computer night contest?  A student’s name will be drawn from each grade to win a fun board game.  All forms are due in the office by Monday, December 10th.  Prizes provided by our PAC.
   
Last, but certainly not least, is Help the Homeless.  We will be collecting clothing and non-perishable food items until the end of December.  Please bring your items to your homeroom and they will be collected.
   
Thanks for your support!
Chair of the P.R. Team
    Ashley Dueck

Pit Stop (SCHOOL CANTEEN)
As many of you are well aware, our school community has been moving toward providing more nutritionally sound food choices for our young people here at Chief Dan George; in fact, one of our school goals includes the wording, “To increase student awareness of and participation in healthy living through increased consumption of nutritional food.”  To this end, as of January, 2008, our Pit Stop will no longer be offering dried soup mixes, and will also not be providing our students with hot water for these mixes.  We offer many affordable food choices here at our school, and your child is sure to find something on our menu that will appeal to them.
                   
Guess the Number of Bandaids Used
                   
Can you guess the number of bandaids that students have used since September 4th until Dec 7th? If you guess an amount closest to the ACTUAL amount used, you will  win FREE  lunch  at the DEN for a week.   Pick up your entry form (1 entry form per student) from your  homeroom teacher.   Drop the entry form off to the office  by afterschool on December 13th.  The winner will be notified on Friday, December 14th.    

Bottle Drive   
Div. 22's bottle drive is happening this week, December 3 -10.  Thank you for supporting our program.


Back to the Top
December 20, 2007

Upcoming Dates to Note
Dec 24 - Jan 4  - Christmas  Holidays
Jan 7 - School Re-opens
Jan 14 - Babysitting course starts
Jan 14 - PAC Meeting - 7:00 pm

Best Wishes for the Holiday Season
The staff at Chief Dan George Middle School wishes all members of our school community a wonderful holiday season.  We hope that everyone takes time to relax with family and friends and gain additional appreciation for their blessings.  We also wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year and look forward to providing a continued high level of service in 2008.  In the New Year we will continue to focus our attention in our goal areas related to reading comprehension and health and fitness.  We will have the added challenge of administering Grade 7 F.S.A.'s within a few weeks of returning from the Christmas Break.  In recent years F.S.A. administration has taken place in the month of May.

Wolves Athletics News
Basketball season is well underway.  Gr. 8 Boys and Girls teams played three league games and participated in the Anuual Howe Basketball Tournament.  Coaches Jenkins and Flann are encouraged by the progress of their teams and look for steady improvement after the Christmas Break.  League games are played on Tuesdays (Girls 1st) and Thursdays (Boys 1st).  League schedules are posted on the Athletics Board in the Multi Purpose Room.  This week both Gr. 7 Boys and Girls Basketball Teams played exhibition games in preparation for league play that starts on Wednesday, January 9th  and continues on Wednesdays until February  27th.  Gr. 6 Basketballl will start sometime after Spring Break to take advantage of increased gym time.

Blessed Events in December
We wish to acknowledge and congratulate two  of our teachers who recently welcomed new babies to their family.  Mr. Martin Richards (English 7) welcomed a new baby girl, Astrid, on December 2nd.   Mr. Duncan Hazlewood (Late French)  welcomed a baby boy, Kieran Antony William  into his family on November 9, 2007.  Everyone is doing well and looking forward with great anticipation to the holiday season.

Band 8 to perform on site at Disneyland
Our Grade 8 band has recently received fabulous news. Through a rigorous audition  process they have been granted the opportunity to perform directly on the Anaheim Disneyland site during their trip to California in April.  This is a significant accomplishment in that thousands of bands from North America seek approval each year for this honor and only a small percentage are granted the opportunity.

Student of the Month for December
Congratulations to Ashley D. for being named December's Grade 8 Kiwanis Student of the Month. Ashley is an outstanding student, receiving straight "A's" on her first term report.  She is chairperson of our Student Leadership Public Relations committee and has worked tirelessly to promote various initiatives this fall.  Ashley is always upbeat and modest about her accomplishments. She is a great role model to others.

Trail Naming Contest
In a naming competition for the new paved trails in Abbotsford, Grade 8 student, Katey A's submission of "Discovery Trail" won first prize.   Along with the satisfaction that the trails will be named by her, Katey will also receive  $1000 toward purchase of a bike from a local supplier and a $100 gift certificate from Sport Chek.  Well done Katey!

No TV/Computer Night
We’d like to thank everyone for participating in the no tv/computer night and there will be another night to participate in later on in the year.  As well, we’d like to thank the PAC for sponsoring this.  The winners were Brooklyn P. (Div. 12), Courtney H. (Div. 4), and Mitchell V. (Div 18).

Pit Stop (School Canteen)
As many of you are well aware, our school community has been moving toward providing more nutritionally sound food choices for our young people here at Chief Dan George; in fact, one of our school goals includes the wording, “To increase student awareness of and participation in healthy living through increased consumption of nutritional food.”  To this end, as of January, 2008, our Pit Stop will no longer be offering dried soup mixes, and will also not be providing our students with hot water for these mixes.  We offer many affordable food choices here at our school, and your child is sure to find something on our menu that will appeal to them.

Electronic Gadgetry that Santa May be Delivering
With Christmas quickly approaching, we thought that it might be timely to remind our entire school community about our rules around various electronic gadgets.  We would ask for your assistance at home with this as our school believes that children should, both before and after school, and during breaks, socialize with one another and get some physical exercise.  We provide access at our school site to computers as needed, along with cameras and other technology required for projects, along with a phone for student usage in our Multi Purpose Room.  We have told our entire student body on many occasions the rules around cell phone usage and iPods/MP3 players.  We would like students to turn these items off when they arrive on school grounds and to store them safely in their lockers.  If a student is concerned that an item may be stolen from a locker, then we would recommend that the item be left at home.  Students may not use portable game players at school - these should be left at home.  We appreciate your support of our school's expectations.

French for Parents Workshops
You want to learn French to support your child education? Learn French at a school near you! French Classes specially prepared for parents with children in Francophone or French Immersion Programs

CENTENNIAL PARK ELEMENTARY : 2527 Gladwin Rd (7:00 pm to 9:30 pm)
Beginner 1 :  Tuesday, January 22, 2008 to March 11, 2008.    Please register by January 17,  2008

Cost $100  per person +  $15  workbook
For information and registration: (hours: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm) 1-800-747-4825 or 604-708-5100 or frenchforparents@educacentre.com 
Or visit our website at: http://www.educacentre.com

Beginner I
Objectives: to accumulate some basic notions such as introducing yourself, asking questions, using common verbs and fundamental vocabulary. For the students without previous training.



Back to the Top