September to December of 2009

September 9, 2009

Important Dates to Note
Sept 15-Picture Day-8:30 am
Sept 21-PAC Meeting 7:00 pm in Library
Sept 24-School BBQ-5:30-7:00 pm
Sept 25-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)

Principal's Message
Welcome to a new school year!   This is the ninth year that Chief Dan George Middle School has been in operation.  For the sixth consecutive year we will house just under 600 students in 21 divisions and three program areas (i.e. Early French Immersion, Late French Immersion and English tracks).  Virtually all of our teaching and support staff are returning this year, with just a few exceptions.  We welcome back English 6 teacher Ms. Leanne Sookachoff from a one year maternity leave.  Ms. Maria Piper Arroliga has joined our Early French 6 team.  We also welcome new First Nations/Youth Care Worker Ms. Jennifer Schlese. We have also added two new TA’s to our Resource Room, Ms. Dianna Botkin and Ms. Anita Jessamine. Our band/music teacher was married during the previous school year and has adopted her husband's last name.  Ms. Miriam Norton is now Mrs. Miriam Mills.  We will continue our focus on academic rigor and providing students with opportunities to develop leadership and teamwork through numerous teams and clubs.  With Vancouver and Whistler hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in the New Year we will be weaving in curricular experiences and opportunities related to this once in lifetime event. We look forward to serving your child and family.  Best wishes to all as we embark on a new school year!

Attendance
One way that the school seeks your assistance in maintaining a safe and secure environment pertains to our attendance policies.  It is essential that students and parents work with the school staff to ensure that we have accurate data regarding student attendance.  Firstly, we ask that you do everything possible to have your child on time for school each day.  Students who arrive late must be processed through the school office and must have their student planner stamped to gain entry into class.  As much as possible we would ask you to schedule appointments for your child outside of scheduled classes. In the event that a student is required to leave school early they 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 before classes in the morning to report the absence of their child.  Please assist us in ensuring that we maintain an efficient attendance tracking program.

School Goal
The School's Planning Council, with input from the PAC and staff have adopted the following school goal:  "To increase student awareness of and participation in healthy living through increased physical activity and consumption of nutritional food."  With the significant increase in health issues at all age levels related to our contemporary lifestyle we hope that your family will support the school in promoting this important goal.     

Code of Conduct
The School District has recently updated its formal student code of conduct. This is outlined in our student planner along with various policies that the school also has in place.  Please take time to familiarize yourself and your child with the information and sign page 8 to indicate that this has been done.  We appreciate your attention and cooperation in this matter.               
Dress Code
Although the school does not have a formal dress code, expectations are in place to ensure that students are dressed appropriately for a middle school learning environment.  Please take the time to review the standards that are listed in the student planner.                           

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

Open House BBQ-September 24th @ 5:30-7:00 pm
We are hosting families in our school community at an evening Open House on Thursday evening, September 24th. There will be a hot dog dinner available from 5:30 until 6:00 pm at the front of the school (we request a $3.00 donation/dinner). Home Arts teacher Mr. Lilly and members of our Student Leadership Team will provide the dinner opportunity.  At 6:00 pm there will be a brief presentation in the gym and then parents will be welcome to tour the school after that.  We hope that you can make the time to visit the school that night.

Emergency Contact Information
It is important for the school to have accurate information regarding your child. We will soon be sending home an Emergency Contact sheet with every student and ask that you make all corrections to the information and have your child return that information to the school ASAP.

Wolves Athletics
Well here we go, another year and the athletics are about to begin. In recent years we have developed an extremely strong reputation in a number of extra-curricular athletic activities.  Volleyball will kick off the 2009/2010 sports year. This years’ calendar has the first games of the season beginning on September 15th for the grade 8’s.  As for the grade 7’s, practices should begin in the second week with games starting sometime near the month’s end (schedules are not yet complete). Finally, grade 6 volleyball will begin at the end of the month with game days every Monday.  Among the other sports that start the year, are the always popular cross-country running and swim teams. Mr. Richards and Mrs. Bunbury will once again spearhead the Wolves Cross-country team; whereby they continue to boast participation of 100 students per season. This is a very impressive number as Wolves cross-country is the largest team in the district. At this point, a practice schedule has not been determined, however interested students should keep a watchful eye (and ear) for announcements. As well, Mrs. Baruta and Mrs. Baye will continue the swimming tradition in the absence of Ms. Veldhoen. If interested it should be noted that swim club draws in those who already have a swimming background as it does not have the facility to teach beginning swimmers.   Finally, if there are any parents interested in helping out in the following areas throughout the year please feel free to contact Mr. Baruta at Chief Dan George. Presently we need assistance in the following areas:  -Volleyball Referring; -Volleyball Coaching; -Basketball Referring; -Basketball Coaching and Rugby Coaching.

School Newsletters
With the exception of the first week of school, we will be sending out a newsletter twice per month (i.e. every second Thursday).  The newsletters for the upcoming two months will be issued on September 17th, October 1st, October 15th and October 29th.  We issue every student a paper copy of the newsletter and ask that they take it home.  If you would also like to have the newsletter emailed to your home please email our Office Manager, Mrs. Hollanti at donna_hollanti@sd34.bc.ca and she will add you to her address list.  Please note that even if you received the newsletter electronically last year you must re-register to get them sent to you again this year.

Canadian Parents for French
Hi all CDGMS parents from your CPF Rep. and CDGMS PAC President.  Canadian Parents for French is a cross-Canada volunteer organization  supporting French education at all levels in our school system from  K-12. This is an excellent volunteer organization to support (like  your school Parent Advisory Committee - PAC) because it values the  importance of French as one of our national languages in our schools.  I invite you to come out to the next meeting of CPF Abbotsford at  Centennial Elementary on Thursday, September 17th at 7:00 pm  By Greg Nutchey

School Fees
The Abbotsford School District has set school fees at all three levels of instruction (i.e. elementary, middle and secondary).  At the middle school level there will be an Activity Fee charged in the amount of $30.00. This will cover the cost of the student agenda, guest speakers, student cards, lock and locker rental, student leadership initiatives and student recognition.  Band students will be asked to pay a deposit of $15.00 for a practice book and CD, with those funds being returned at the end of the school year to those that return the items to the school in good condition. A fee collection envelope will be sent home this week.

City Bus Passes
Each month our office will have a limited number of city bus passes for sale (usually available the last week of each month). These passes are $30 each (make cheque payable to CDGMS please). In September and January (these two months only) we also have a 4 month City bus pass for sale for $85 (i.e. for September - December or January - April). This works out to $21.25 per month which is a substantial savings. A note of warning though is that the 4 month pass is just one card (not one card per month). If your child loses the card it will not be replaced. If you're interested in purchasing a pass or have further questions please see Mrs. Hollanti in the office.

Traffic Safety around the school
We are seeking your understanding and cooperation in assisting in keeping our students as well as youngsters in the nearby neighbourhoods safe from vehicles.  Each year we field complaints and concerns from nearby residents about drivers speeding through the neighbourhood before and after school.  We beseech you to maintain patience and care as you travel in and around our school this year.

Severe Peanut Allergies
Each year the number of students dealing with severe food allergies continues to rise.  Some of these students are required to carry an EpiPen with them at all times. Generally these students have severe allergies related to the ingestion of peanuts and peanut products.  We would ask that all families support us in reducing the risks to these children by eliminating peanut products being sent to the school with their child. Your cooperation in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

District School Meal Program
The District School Meal Program is intended to help feed children from homes where parents are struggling to provide food for their families due to financial hardship.  The District School Meal Program is funded by the Ministry of Education with nominal contributions requested by parents of children involved.  Eligible students receive a nutritious cold lunch consisting of juice or milk, a sandwich or similar entree and fruit or dessert.  The menu has been developed with the assistance of a public health nutritionist with variety, nutrition and value in mind.  If you feel that your children qualify please contact our school office or the District School Meal Coordinator, Helen Duval at the School Board Office 604-859-4891 Local 251.

School PAC
Mr. Greg Nutchey will once again be our school's PAC president. The first meeting of this group will take place on Monday evening, September 21st at 7:00 pm in our school library.  We have been very blessed with great support from the PAC over the years.  However, each year we require parents new to the school to assist in taking on roles and duties to maintain this high standard of support.  Please mark your calendar and make arrangements to attend the September 21st meeting.

School Fund Raising
Various groups have established regular fundraising activities through the school year.  We endeavor to coordinate these as much as possible and do our best to keep them to a minimum.  However, some groups rely heavily on such initiatives to assist in supplementing costs for special opportunities.  Our annual chocolate almond fundraiser is once again being coordinated by our school's PAC and all funds go directly to our Student Leadership program to support a wide range of student activities through the year.  Other fundraisers upcoming this fall and winter include our annual PAC magazine renewal and Christmas items sale as well as a frozen food and poinsettia sale by our school band.

Student Picture Day
Once again this year we will be working with LifeTouch Photography to take individual and class pictures of our students.  On Tuesday morning, September 15th individual pictures will be taken of all of our students.  These will be used for student cards and for our school Yearbook.  Families that wish to purchase affordable picture packages will be able to do so with LifeTouch on this day.  Order envelopes will be sent out with all students at the end of this week.

Chocolate Sales - PAC Sponsored Fundraiser
Our PAC  has arranged a chocolate sale to raise money for our Leadership Team’s many projects during the year such as pep rallies, spirit days and weeks, fun days, entertainers, etc.  Your child has brought home a bag containing 10 packages of chocolates which sell for $3.00 each for a total of $30.00.  The students who sell the most  chocolates will win a shopping spree gift certificate at Sevenoaks Mall!  First prize: $500     Second Prize: $400    Third Prize: $300
As well we will have many draws for prizes including a 5 pound chocolate bar. If you do not wish your child to sell the chocolates please have him/her return them immediately to the school as we will have many students who want to sell more to help them reach their goal of winning the grand prize.  Money + chocolates returned must equal $30.00.  Mr. Lilly will be in the Library every morning before the bell to collect.  Please make cheques payable to CDGMS. Deadline for returning chocolates and money is Monday, September 14th. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call the school.   
                       
Grade 6 School Immunizations
The Hepatitis B, Meningococcal and Varicella (chickenpox) vaccines for the Grade 6 students will occur in early October.  Students will be bringing home consent forms shortly and will need to return the signed consents ASAP in order to be eligible to receive the vaccines at the school. Students absent during the school immunizations must telephone the Health Unit @ 604-864-3400 to book an appointment at their clinic for these important immunizations.    

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 19th, 26th, November 2nd and November 9th from 2:40 - 4:40 pm. The cost is  $40.00 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 24 and space is first come, first served - please note that the course fills up very quickly!

Immigrant Pals
A free family literacy program is available to new immigrant Punjabi speaking families who have children that are three and four years old. Eligible families must be new to Canada having arriving within the last 2-3 years. Space is allocated on a first come first serve basis. However, preference will be given to those who have limited English. This program supports twenty-five families and runs for 10 sessions. Sessions run one evening per month, from approximately 4:45 - 7:00 pm. The program is located at Harry Sayers Elementary. For further information, please call Kanta Naik at 604-853-2637 or Cindy Romanowski at 604-851-4580.

SWIS (Settlement Workers in Schools)
If your family, or someone you know, is new to Abbotsford and has immigrated to Canada in the last year, you or they may be eligible for the service of a SWIS worker.  SWIS workers can help your family connect with school and can also help your family with many other settlement needs in home languages.  Services are currently available in twenty-one languages and can be arranged for in other languages, if necessary.  Please contact your local school for a pamphlet of SWIS Information for Families or call Kanta Naik at 604 8o7 4184


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September 17, 2009

Upcoming Dates to Note
Sep 21-PAC Meeting 7:00 pm in Library
Sep 24-School BBQ-5:30-7:00 pm
Sep 25-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Oct 12-Thanksgiving (NO SCHOOL)
Oct 15-Picture Retake Day
Oct 23-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)

Friday, September 25th-PRO-D (NO SCHOOL)
Classes will not be held on September 25th.  Our staff will be engaged in training around the writing process, our school goal related to fitness and health, and BCeSis, a new database software system initiated by the Ministry of Education.

Open House Thursday, September 24th - 5:30 to 7:00 pm
A reminder that we are hosting the school community on the evening of September 24th. A hot dog barbeque dinner will be available in the front of the school from 5:30 until 6:00 pm.  A brief assembly will be held in the gym at 6:00 pm and then students and parents are then welcome to tour the building and meet our teachers.

Morning Breakfast Program provided every Thursday, beginning September 24th
For a number of years we have had the good fortune of being supported by various local church/private organizations in providing a free hot breakfast to our students at least once per week.  For the sixth consecutive year we will once again be supported by the congregation of Northview Community Church in offering our students to partake of a hot breakfast on Thursday mornings.  Volunteers from Northview will arrive at the school before 7:00 am on Thursdays and will provide the breakfast between 7:40 and 8:00 am. in our multipurpose room. 

Terry Fox Run on Thursday, September 24th
For a number of years our school has participated in the annual Terry Fox Run for schools.  This year the designated day for the run is Friday, September 25th.  Given that this date conflicts with our first non-instructional day of the year we have decided to participate in this charitable endeavor one day earlier.  Students will be asked to make a donation to the Terry Fox Foundation next week (i.e. September 21 - 24) and the entire school will participate in a walk/run in the afternoon of Thursday, September 24th.  We will hold a brief assembly in our gym immediately after lunch and then students will be able to show their support for Terry's legacy by traversing a route of about 4 kilometers in length.  With almost 600 students and 40 staff at our school we have set a very modest goal of raising $1000 for the Terry Fox Foundation.  Any interested parents and other family members are welcome to come out and run with the school during that afternoon.   

Peer Mentors
Last year a group of Grade 7 students were selected as Peer Mentors in order to assist the transition of students from our feeder schools to Chief Dan George Middle.  The Peer Mentors did an excellent job in April and May of the last school year in welcoming these students to the CDG family.  In the first week of this school year the Peer Mentors (now in Grade 8) made themselves visible and available to our new Grade 6's.  This made for a very smooth transition and helped our new Grade 6's feel safe and welcomed. The Peer Mentors will have one last official duty to perform, helping in our school's Open House, and then they will graduate from the Peer Mentor Program.  Some of these same students will be moving on to other leadership roles within the school such as Student Leadership and/or a new program called the WEB (Where Everybody Belongs).  Ms. Jurcic would like to thank the following students for their participation in the Peer Mentor Program: Amarpreet G, Aaron H, Kynesha K, Jennifer K, Shalika K, Jesse M, Hannah P, Shania B, Hina C, Amrit D, Meghan D, Gurpreet L, Jaskarn L, Brenda N, Rebecca V, Makayla W, Arianne D, Jenni G, Victoria G, Pascal R, Bakhtawar T, Sydney B, Emiley F, Arshdeep G, Tianna G, Darren J, Alexandra J, Brielle M, Alexa R, John G, Tevon G, Beth N, Emma B, and Josh L.

WEB
New club up and running! W.E.B..- WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS! This club focuses on helping students. A number of students will be providing opportunities for their peers to come and talk with them to discuss problems, fears, difficulties, friendship issues, etc. that they may be having. Look for these students; they will be wearing their specially designed W.E.B.. t-shirts!

First PAC meeting Monday, September 21st at 7:00 pm
A reminder that our first P.A.C. meeting of this school year will take place on Monday evening, September 21st at 7:00 pm in our school library.  PAC president Mr. Greg Nutchey will lead this important team again this year.  Please consider taking the time to attend this meeting and support this group through the year.

Extra-Curricular Report
Our grade 8 boys volleyball team opened the season with the a 3-0 victory over M.E.I.  The team was led by the blocking and spiking of Arsh Gill and Tristan Etienne and the defense of Aaron Hiebert and Cole Mayert.  Both Corey Hauck and Gurveer Gill had excellent matches setting the ball.  Next up for the  team is a match verus Heritage Park secondary on Thursday.

Canadian Parents for French Meeting TIME CHANGE
As mentioned in last week's newsletter there will be a CPF Meeting today, Thursday, September 17th at Centennial Park School. Please note that the meeting will start at 6:00 pm, not 7:00 pm.

Student Accident Insurance
A few days ago students were sent home with information regarding a Student Accident Insurance program.  Parents are able to purchase this coverage to cover injuries that may be sustained by their children that may not be covered by their own health or dental plans.  Please be advised that the School District does not provide accident insurance for students.  Students are highly active in physical education classes, during the lunch period and when representing the school in extracurricular athletics. It is strongly recommended that all families check their insurance coverage and consider this program if their own family health insurance does not provide adequate coverage.

Composting Club-Name the Compost Contest!
Wanted:  Parent(s) with knowledge of soil and plants.  We are also looking for a club name for our compost contest.  Please submit names to Mr. Glum by Thursday, October 1st.  Winner of the contest will be notified October 2nd.  Prize for the best name to be awarded.

Preteen Xtreme
Preteen Xtreme is a free, drop-in program for kids in grades 4-7.  It runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at John MacLure Community School. We play gym games (like dodgeball, basketball, tag, or zombie island), go on free field trips (like swimming and bowling) and have special events planned by your Preteen council members.   Check the schedule for the next Preteen Xtreme event and come out for the time of your life!  If you would like more information about this program, contact Greg Atkinson, the Preteen Director at 604-859-6919 or e-mail him at greg@westabby.org.

Keep Active and Keep Strong
Back to school also means the start of organized activities and sports for many young people.   Children and Youth need to take care of their bodies in order for them to have fun and perform optimally physically and in school.  To help your child be at their best, provide support to:
o    Keep well hydrated throughout the day - water is needed for many basic functions in our bodies
o    Follow a healthy diet - Eat 3 meals and snacks every day, choosing foods from each of the 4 food groups
o    For most children, there is no need to supplement any nutrients if a balanced diet is followed
o    Make sure they get adequate sleep - school age kids need 8 - 10 hours per night
o    Be smoke-free, talk to your children about the dangers of smoking and ensure their environment is smoke-free.
o    Be active - it is recommended that children have at least 30 minutes of activity everyday
o    Role model healthy behaviours - after all, you have the most influence over your child's health choices.

Eat Well…Be Active…Live Tobacco Free.
“compliments of the Healthy Living Team at Fraser Health"

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October 1, 2009

Important Dates to Note
Oct 12-Thanksgiving (NO SCHOOL)
Oct 15-Picture Retake Day
Oct 23-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)

Staffing Update
We are pleased to announce that Mme Brittany Sawatzky has joined our teaching staff and will assume the teaching responsibilities of Early French Immersion 6 teacher Mme Kang, who has begun a maternity leave.  Mme. Sawatzky will be working with M Klim and Mlle Piper in supporting the three divisions of Early French 6 students that we have at the school this year. 

Terry Fox Run
Under beautiful sunny skies on the afternoon of Thursday, September 24th our student body and staff participated in the annual Terry Fox Run for cancer research. Although we did not meet our $1000 goal, hundreds of dollars were raised for the Terry Fox Foundation and all of those that participated were reminded of the significant contributions that Terry made to our society.

Health and Nutrition for Parents
There is overwhelming evidence to show that good nutrition is vital for healthy growth and development.  Yet nation wide statistics indicate that only one third of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 partake of the recommended daily minimum of five servings of vegetables and fruit a day.  Over sixty percent of boys and eighty percent of girls between the ages of 10 and 16 do not meet their recommended daily minimum of three servings of milk products per day. The is particularly distressing information when we know that about forty percent of adult bone is built during the two years before and after puberty.  Our single school goal this year is "To increase student awareness of and participation in healthy living through increased physical activity and consumption of nutritional food."  For this to take place we rely heavily on our partnership with our parent community.  Talking to your child about healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle will help. However, supporting them and modeling for them will have an even greater impact. We seek your assistance this year in working with us to achieve our school goal.

Den Opening - Monday, October 5th
Our “Den” lunch program starts up again Monday, October 5th. "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: Chicken Pot Pie, Caesar Salad and milk
            Thursday: Chicken strips (3 pieces), Caesar Salad, and milk
            Friday: Cheese burger (oven baked), Caesar Salad, and milk
Prices:  Lunches can be purchased on a daily basis 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 see Mrs. Hollanti at the till and then enjoy their meal. It will not matter which day your child comes into the Den, 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 checked off 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.

Wolves News
Cross Country is off to another great start this year.  There are 98 runners on our team!  At our first race we saw great runs from Danielle Thune, Callum Pilgrim, Emily Filewich, Matthew Connor, Anthony Bilodeau and Herman Gill.  Runners can check all of their individual times at valleyroyals.org.

Now that we are in the final week of September many sports have begun. These include volleyball, at all grade levels, cross-country and the swim team. Firstly, the grade 8 girls volleyball team has encountered much success this season. After week one, the girls found themselves at a 1 and 1 record with a loss to MEI and a win against Reimer.  However, the real test came for the team during a tournament in Mission. After the round robin the girls were in last place. However, this did not dissuade the girls attitudes. In the end the team emerged victorious with a first place finish. The girls continue to strive towards bettering themselves on a regular basis. Their league games are every Tuesday and Thursday. This weekend the girls face their second tournament in Surrey at Tamanawis Secondary. Stay tuned for details. In grade 8 boys news, the team find themselves in first place overall among the Abby/ Mission league. The grade 8 boys volleyball team moved their record to 3-0 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Clayburn. Corey H. setting, Maleek I. defense and the powerful blocking of Quintin S. have helped to lead the team to its impressive start.  Next up is a home game vs Hatzic on Thursday October 1st. Stellar work, skill and determination keep these boys above the rest. Coaches Bruce Schmor and Gilbert Constant are very impressed with what they have seen thus far. As for grade 7 boys and girls, both team are into their second week of practice with their first game on Wednesday September 30th. The boys play at home while the girls play at Howe. The boys are coached by Mr. Dudzik and Mr. Bowley and the girls are being coached by Ms. Jurcic. Finally, grade 6 league play begins on Monday October 5th. The boys are home to start and the girls are visiting Clayburn.  Coaches for these teams include Ms. Finch for the girls and Mr. Marshall for the boys.
In other sports, Mr. Richards’ and Ms. Bunbury’s cross-country team is boasting an impressive 98 athletes from all three grades.  Races are every Wednesday, with practices almost every day. There is no shortage of runners this year.
Lastly, Mrs. Baruta and Mrs. Baye have begun swim practices. Swim practices are every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:45 -3:45 pm at MRC. Both coaches are impressed with what they have seen so far. Currently, they have around 20 dedicated swimmers. Good luck to all coaches and athletes in the fall sports. It is great to see so many enthusiastic students!

Student of the Month
For the sixth consecutive year our school will be supported by the Abbotsford Kiwanis Club in honoring a Grade 8 student each month for their significant contributions to the school community.  Students so recognized are invited to an evening dinner, presented with an award and have their picture placed in our Student of the Month display case in the hallway across from the school office.

Aaron H. is a very accomplished musician in our Grade 8 band program. He is an outstanding athlete with a fabulous attitude and work ethic.  Aaron has already volunteered time to support our Student Leadership program and is being counted on by the teacher sponsors to demonstrate continued leadership throughout the year.   In addition Aaron a very hardworking student in the classroom and maintains a high average in all of his subjects.   He is viewed by his teachers and peers as consistently helpful and supportive. Congratulations Aaron for making Chief Dan George a great place to work and play!

Thanksgiving Day
The staff and Chief Dan George Middle School hopes you take the time with your family during the Thanksgiving long weekend to count your blessings and reinforce the connections within your family.   It is easy to be negative and forget how fortunate we are to live in this part of the world and to be a model for others in demonstrating how people from so many cultures and backgrounds are able to coexist together.  Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

World Teachers' Day
Monday, October 5th is designated as World Teachers' Day.  This global observance began in 1994 and was established to celebrate the role that teachers play in providing quality education at all levels. Although many aspects of a teacher's role have not changed over time, the increasing complexity in society has required adaptation and increased responsibilities.  The role of teacher remains significant and is critical in supporting the development of our nation's most precious resource, our children. 

October is International Walk to School Month
WALK WEEK :     Monday, October 5 - 9, 2009                          
WALK DAY :     Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Chief Dan George Middle challenges students to walk to school next week, October 5 - 9, 2009.  On Wednesday, October 7, 2009 stickers will be given to all students who have walked to school.  On Friday, October 9, 2009 students who have walked to school everyday will be entered into a draw and random prizes prizes will be awarded. 

An idea for students who are normally driven to school:
•Have your parent/guardian drop you off at a friends house and walk with your friend

Drag Racing Update
So far this school year, the Wolves Racing Team has raced on September 11th and 25th. We have one more race day on the 9th of October. The race season at Mission Raceway Park begins in April and runs through to October, and does not coincide with the school year. Because of this, we can have students who have graduated from our school finish off the racing season even though they now go to a different school.  On September 11th, Rae-Anne M. came in first place and now is far ahead of all drivers in the junior dragster division. Our flagship car, "Molly", is also ahead in points for school-owned cars. Unless a disaster occurs on the last race date of the season, it looks like we will again be champions in our division. Also, on both race dates in September, we had new drivers on the track. It's always a scary moment when a driver goes down the track for the first time. We've seen many accidents happen at the track. Our new drivers, however, did very well. Aside from one of them running over Mr. Sakai's foot at the staging lanes, it was all good. "Molly", our fastest car, keeps running consistent times. Can you imagine going 72 miles per hour sitting a few inches off the road at the end of an 1/8th of a mile? That's faster than many cars.

To give people an idea of how close the competition is getting at the track, on September 11th, the final elimination round involved a battle between two girls, Rae-Anne M. in "Molly" and Marissa M. in Mouat's "Screaming Hawkmobile". Both cars are pretty fast, but in elimination rounds, it is all about picking the right dial-in time and then running as close to it without going over it or starting before the green light. The reaction time is also figured into the formula. Rae-Anne beat out Mouat's driver by an overall total of 0.0089 of a second! The two girls both had reaction times less than 0.05 seconds and their dial-in times were within 9/100ths of a second. Mouat has come a long way since getting into junior dragsters and they are always breathing down our necks now. Rae-Anne M., along with Brittney H. and Michael P. will be on Mouat's drag race team for the next race season. Over the 8 years we have been going to Mission with our cars, we have developed a great relationship with Mouat. We're like one big family. It's always nice to see our former drivers again at the track year after year. Having said that, it's still a good feeling when we beat them for the title.

The possibility of having Clayburn Middle involved with drag racing has become a reality. Their car has been in our hands for the last few races. Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Sakai put the car together and it is in great shape. It's not a fast car, but it is very consistent. This coming race season, Clayburn Middle will be fielding their own team and we look forward to the added competition. We did not see any cars from Chilliwack or the Interior this season, but by the sounds of it, more and more schools are wanting to get into junior dragsters.

For more info about our drag race programme and what we do at the track, visit http://cdgms.com/wolf_racing.htm.
To see how we are doing as far as points are concerned, visit
http://www.highschooldragracing.org and follow the link to "Points".

If you or your company would like to become a sponsor of the race programme, please contact Mr. Lilly at the school. Your company logo can be placed on all our race cars and support vehicles.

PAC Q.S.P. Fundraiser
On Friday, October 9th, Mrs. Barb Billows from Q.S.P.. fundraising will, on behalf of the school's PAC, conduct a series of grade group presentations around our annual Q.S.P. fundraiser.  Catalogues and order forms will be made available to all students before they leave the school for the Thanksgiving long weekend.  Given the recent announcement from the BC government regarding significant cuts to grants that have been provided to school PAC's for a number of years, this year's fundraiser takes on an even greater significance.  Many parents are unable to find the time to attend meetings or provide volunteer time to assist the PAC. in its various endeavors through the year. However, most parents are able to make a contribution to a fundraiser such as this. We would ask that when you obtain your order form to strongly consider participating at whatever level you feel you are able.

Healthy Abbotsford  Fall Activity Challenge- October 1 - 31, 2009
Eat well.  Be active. Live tobacco free.  Visit www.healthyabbotsford.ca
Join the fall activity challenge.  Did you know that 2010 seconds is 33.5 minutes.  This is the approximate amount of daily physical activity recommended for increased health benefits. During the month of October, chart your progress on the activity log.  The challenge is to get 33.5 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every day.  Once the challenge is completed, return your chart to any Abbotsford Recreation Center of fax to 604-854-2326 by November 8, 2009.  Winners will be contacted via email or phone by November 16, 2009.

Vedder Transport Donates Free Abbotsford Heat Hockey Tickets
Thanks to Vedder Transport some lucky families will be able to enjoy watching the Abbotsford Heat hockey games for free.  Vedder Transport has donated 4 tickets for a number of hockey games throughout the season.  Each month we will announce game dates and provide an entry form through the school newsletter The school has received tickets for October 9, 2009 and October 16, 2009.  If your family is interested in entering a draw for free tickets for the Abbotsford Heat in October, please fill out the entry form and return to Ms. Jurcic by Monday, October 5, 2009.


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October 15, 2009

Upcoming Dates to Note
Oct 19-PAC Meeting @ 7:00 pm in the Library
Oct 23-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Nov 11-Remembrance Day (NO SCHOOL)
Nov 24-Report Cards Issued
Nov 25 & 26-Early Dismissal at 1:22 pm
Nov 26-Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov 27-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)

Provincial Pro-D on October 23-NO SCHOOL
Next Friday, October 23rd  is a designated Provincial Professional Development Day.  No classes will be held on that day as teachers and support staff will be engaged in various training opportunities.

No fireworks or firecrackers on the property
With Halloween fast approaching we wish to remind students
that School District policy strictly forbids any form of fireworks or firecrackers being brought to the school. Students found in possession of such material will be formally dealt with by the school administration.

Our students support community initiatives
This week we have two groups of students involved in supporting City of Abbotsford initiatives, both related to the Discovery Trail project.  On Wednesday morning, October 14th our two hundred Grade 6 students attended a tree planting ceremony at the entrance to Discovery Trail near the Recycling Center on Valley Road.  Each student assisted in the planting of their own tree and provided the audience for the dedication ceremony that involved mayor George Peary and other dignitaries.  On Friday, October 16th twenty two student representatives will be working with an artist to produce twenty two unique mosaic paving stones that will be used to decorate the entrance to Discovery Trail adjacent to the school property.

Q.S.P. fundraiser
Last Friday, October 9th all students in the school were sent home with a package of materials and a request to consider the P.A.C.'s annual Q.S.P. Christmas fundraiser.  The deadline to return completed order forms to the school is Thursday, October 22nd.  We hope you can support this program this year.

October's PAC meeting
Monday, October 19th at 7:00 pm our PAC will conduct its October meeting in our school library.  New members are welcome.   Contact PAC President Mr. Greg Nutchey for more information.

Results from iWALK 2009
Last week CDGMS participated in the International iWALK to School Week. Students of CDGMS were encouraged to walk to school during the week of October 5 - October 9, 2009.  On Wednesday, October 7th, special stickers were given to all students who walked to school.  On Friday, October 9th, our WEB Crew went around to classes to find out which students walked to school the entire week.  Chief Dan had a total of 29% of students walking to school during the iWALK to School Week.  The top ranking classes were Div 11 with 55%, Div 10 with 43%, Div 3 & 12 with 41%, and Div 6, 9 & 15 with 38%.  Results will be recorded and kept on file so that the school will be able to challenge itself to beat these scores in the future. 

Open Gym Saturday morning for boys interested in Grade 7 or 8 basketball
This Saturday, October 17th will begin a series of Saturday morning Open Gym opportunities for boys in Grade 7 or 8 interested in representing the school in basketball this winter.  Community coach Mr. Klammer, as well as other volunteer coaches, will provide skills training from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. on selected Saturdays from now until the end of November.  The next session after October 17th will be October 31st.

Band News
The Grade 8 Band will be performing the Canadian and American national anthems at an upcoming Abbotsford Heat Hockey game on Saturday, November 21st.  Tickets are available through the school for a group rate of $16.00 each.  Please contact Mrs. Hollanti in the office or Mrs. Mills if you are interested.  Everyone is welcome to come. 

Lucky winners of the Abbotsford Heat Hockey Tickets donated by Vedder Transport
Mack L. of Div. 14 and Katherine R. of Div. 7 were the lucky winners of the Abbotsford Heat Hockey ticket draw from the previous newsletter.  Each student won a set of 4 tickets.  Stay tuned as the next draw will be announced in the October 29th newsletter.  Lucky students will be able to treat themselves and 3 other family members or friends to a game on either the November 6th or November 20th.  Thank you Vedder Transport for the generous donation of hockey tickets.

Wolves Sports
After one month of school we have celebrated many successes and accomplishments throughout our sports program. Our Cross-country running team is still in the running for first place overall. Mr. Richards and Mrs. Bunbury have been very impressed by the hard efforts put forth from all their runners. The same can be said for Mrs. Baruta and her swim team. She has a core thirty swimmers that attend practice twice a week in anticipation for their first swim meet. Coach Baruta and the team have been working hard to perfect swim technique that is vital to a successful competition.  In other sports news, the grade 6 volleyball league has entered it’s second week of regular play. Both teams have very enthusiastic players with great talent. A reminder for parents that game days for the 6’s are every Monday.  In grade 7 volleyball news both teams have started the season with wins under their belt. Coach Jurcic has seen great improvement from her girls. They stand to be a dominant force in the grade 7 league. Coaches Dudzik and Bowley are also excited from what they have seen with their boys. They have much needed athletic talent that allows them to be successful. Finally, in the grade 8 news the boys head into their first play off game next week. At this point, the boys have a very impressive record of 7-0. Since they are first overall, they will be hosting the first play off game on Tuesday October 20th. The grade eight boys volleyball team ended their regular season with a 3-0 thumping of Abbotsford Traditional. The victory gives the team a perfect record of 7-0 going in to the playoffs.  Hunter S. and Quinton S. dominated the net with the help of  the setting of Aaron H. and Liam R.  Defensively the team was led by the steady play of Maleek I.  The team has earned a first round bye in the playoffs and will play their first playoff game next Tuesday at home.  All parents and students are welcome to come and cheer them on.  As for the girls, they have a well earned record of 5-4 which places them currently in third overall. Their latest victory came on Tuesday October 13th against the top seeded Howe. This was accomplished by all however, most notable were the power serving of Hailey G. and the unbelievable 12 straight serves of Amrit D. (which ultimately gave the team their game win). This latest win knocked Howe out of first and raised our standing from 6th to 3rd. There is no lack of effort from the girls. They are a great team to coach as they give 100 percent each game.  The girls head off to their third tournament in Surrey on the weekend of the 23rd/24th. Hopefully this experience will give them what it takes to go all the way in our league as they head into playoffs the following week. Congratulations to all who have represented Chief Dan George so far. You have done a great job!

Drag Racing Update
Our 2009 race season came to a close on Friday, October 9th. This season was the first that anyone could     recall that was free of cancellations due to poor weather. Although sunny, the day started out very chilly and the concern of the day was that the track surface was too cold. It was 10 degrees below ideal track temperatures. Heading into Friday's competition, our school was so far ahead in points, no team was going to catch up. As it turned out, that was a good thing, because the day was not one of our best. Aside from the team forgetting to bring crucial equipment, many errors were made at the staging lanes. At one point, our flagship dragster had to be pulled off the starting line because it ran out of gas. It was not one of our proudest moments. It was definitely a day to forget, but one from which we will take many lessons

In March, Wolves Racing will be looking for approximately 6 new grade six members. The prospective students will be given a form to fill out and the selection process will include an aptitude test and consultation with home room teachers. Parents and students must understand that not every team member will be eligible to drive. Even current members will go through a re-evaluation process. Among the qualities we will be looking for are students who are alert and mechanically inclined, as well as being a team player with lots of enthusiasm and good work ethics.

We would like to thank all the supporters of our race team - everyone from the parents who volunteer on track days to our valued sponsors. Without you, none of this would be possible. Our drag racing program is quite unique and has been in operation for quite some time. Thank you sponsors -  Lordco Auto Parts, Abbotsford Firefighters, and our PAC.

Special thanks go out to Mr. Dan Provost of New World Technologies for his company's continued support over the years. Not only do the funds provided cover our expenses, but his knowledge of the sport of racing has had a tremendous effect on our program. It really helps when your main sponsor comes to the track and is there for the team.

This year is the fifth time in eight years that we have won the junior dragster championship in the high school division. We hope to field another great team next season. Congratulations to Rae-Anne McCarthy for winning top junior dragster driver honours this season. Top high school owned junior dragster honours went to our flagship car, "Molly".

YCW News
Just 4 Girls and Guys Alive is a free program for grade 7's that the Abbotsford Youth Commission will be running 1 lunch hour a week for 10 weeks at our school.  Just 4 Girls is a program for grade 7 girls helping them navigate the rocky road through adolescence while maintaining their self esteem. Guys Alive is a fun an interactive program for boys, designed to help them develop the skills for a healthy and active lifestyle. Both of these groups are filled with fun and exciting activities, with a pizza party at the end. If you would like to join please see Jennifer Schlese in room 116A for forms.  The groups will be starting next week and there are still a few spots left. The Aboriginal program now has a link on the CDGMS website that is up and running.  Take a peak at what is upcoming for the year and to see some of the things we are doing!

Operation Christmas Child
Have you ever been disappointed with a Christmas gift you received because it wasn't exactly what you wanted? Well, imagine if you never received any Christmas gifts at all. For the second year in a row, our school is taking a part in making a difference in children's lives around the world. We are going to be packaging shoe boxes full of Christmas gifts for Operation Christmas Child. Every item that you bring in, will be counted as a point for your class. In each grade, the class with the most points will get to have an afternoon with a movie and snacks. You can start bringing items in as soon as you can, until November 6th. Each box costs seven dollars to send, so money can be donated as well. Our goal for this year is to package 150 boxes. Let's work together to make a difference.

What to Bring: hygiene items (toothbrush, dental floss, bar soap), hard candy, school supplies, toys (not war related), socks, money, etc. Please do not bring in any liquids or used items.
Where to bring items: Grade 6’s: Mr Klim's room; Grade 7’s: Mlle Longpre's room; Grade 8’s Mlle Klassen's room.
From Student Leadership


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October 29, 2009

Upcoming Dates to Note
November 11    Remembrance Day - No School
November 24    Reports cards issued
November 25/6    Early Dismissal at 1:22 pm
November 26    Parent Teacher Conferences
November 27    Pro D Day - No school

H1N1 Update
In order to closely monitor H1N1 spread all schools in Abbotsford are asked to submit an attendance summary to the School District each morning and include absentee rates and reasons for absence in those reports.  Our absentee rate has fluctuated between 9 and 12 % over the last two weeks, among the lowest of all the middle schools in Abbotsford.   Although most of the symptoms that students are experiencing are head cold related there are students who have contacted the flu.  It is our understanding that physicians in Abbotsford are seldom formally testing for H1N1 and are making the assumption that if their patient has the flu it is more likely to be H1N1 than one of the more common seasonal flus.  Although we have had five reports of confirmed H1N1 in the last ten days there are likely other students who have contacted that strain of flu. In cases of confirmed H1N1, letters have gone home with students in thats child class advising parents.We wish to assure you that we are remaining vigilant at the school and have taken a variety of measures to assist our students and staff in reducing the risk of spreading viruses, be they H1N1 or the more common seasonal forms of flu.  Additional cleaning measures have been put in place.  Students and staff have been educated in cough/sneeze etiquette (coughing into crook of your elbow) and encouraged to wash their hands thoroughly through the day.  The few classrooms that do not have sinks have been provided with hand sanitizers.  There is a hand sanitizing dispenser at the front entrance to the school.  Students who become ill during the day are isolated until such time as a parent or guardian can take their child home.  Parents have been encouraged to keep their child home should they exhibit any symptoms of cold or flu.  As mentioned we are closely monitoring our attendance and report each day to the School District and our local Health officials. 
If your child exhibits flu symptoms we would ask that you take the necessary precautions to keep your child at home and, if necessary, seek support from your family physician.  Given that we are closely monitoring our absenteeism daily we would ask that should your child become ill that you contact the school and specify the symptoms your child is experiencing. If your child is tested and is confirmed with H1N1 we need you to let us know  at the school.  Clinics will not be organized through school.   Fraser Health Authority is administering public  immunization clinics.   Clinic information is available through the website:  www.fraserhealth.ca.   Fraser Health Public Health has also put some additional resources in place.  There is a BC HealthLink available by dialing 8-1-1. 

Know the difference between a Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms



Fireworks and Firecrackers
We wish to once again remind our school community that firecrackers and fireworks are strictly forbidden on the school property. We appreciate that to date we have not had to deal with issues around these items and seek the cooperation of members of our school community to maintain that level of cooperation as we move closer to Halloween.

BCeSIS Reporting of Student Progress
Our School District has been working toward implementation of a new database reporting system that is being put in place by the Ministry of Education.  This year all middle schools are involved in the process.  Presently all of our attendance is being done online and student reports will be generated using a template that has been established by BCeSIS.  There will be uniformity among the middle schools in Abbotsford with regards to the formal reports and that this uniformity will become province wide in the next few years.  First term reports will be issued on Tuesday, November 24th.

Open Gym for Grade 7 and 8 Boys Basketball Players this Saturday Morning
The second Saturday morning drop in opportunity for boys in grade 7 and 8 interested in representing the school in basketball this winter will take place the Saturday, October 31st from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Parent volunteer Mr. Klammer will oversee the session and all boys so inclined are welcome to attend.

Student Leadership Sponsors Two Special Events at the End of this Week
Our Student Leadership Team has organized two special events at the end of this week. During the lunch period today  students were invited to participate in a lunch hour dance in our school gym. In addition, there will be an assembly in the gym on Friday afternoon to promote school spirit.  A variety of activities will be presented that will involve students and staff.

Chess Club
Chess Club began today in the library classroom at lunchtime.  The first playday will be Thursday, November 5th at lunch, then playdays will be every Monday and Thursday after that.

Status of Schools During Severe Weather Days
The School District website homepage (www.sd34.bc.ca) remains the contact for accessing information about the operating status of schools during severe weather days.  Information will be posted on the website by 6:00 am or shortly thereafter.  The following radio stations will also announce school closure information:   * Country 107.1 FM   *  Star 98.3 FM  *  CBC 690 AM (91.7 FM)  *  CKNW 980AM  *  News 1130 AM

50/50 tickets?
If any parents have extra rolls of 50-50 draw tickets at home that you no longer need, could you please send them to school for Mr. Bowley. Thank you.

Lost and Found
After only two months of school, our Lost and Found bin is overflowing with many items.  Items will be placed on display in the multi-purpose room in the afternoons on both Wednesday, November 4th and Thursday, November 5th.  Students will be able to walk through and claim any of their lost items.  Parents are also welcome to come and take a look.

Abbotsford Heat Tickets
Once again, due to the generosity of Vedder Transport, we have two sets of 4 tickets up for draw.  Two lucky students will be able to treat themselves and their family/friends to either the November 6th or the November 20th game.  Please fill out the bottom portion and return to the office no later than the morning of Wednesday, November 4, 2009.  Winning tickets will be announced at lunch.

Student Name: _______________________________________        Div: _________



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November 12, 2009

Upcoming Dates to Note
Nov 16-PAC Meeting-7:00 in library
Nov 24-Report Cards Issued
Nov 25 & 26-Early Dismissal at 1:22 pm
Nov 25 & 26-Book Fair
Nov 26-Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov 27-Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)

Early Dismissal Days Wednesday, November 25 and Thursday, November 26
Our first two Early Dismissal Days for this school year will take place at the end of this month. On Wednesday, November 25th and Thursday, November 26th we will run our "squash day" schedule where classes will be shortened by 10 minutes and dismissal will take place at 1:22 pm. Five of our six classes will run before lunch, with lunch falling at approximately the same time as our regular school day schedule. Please arrange for transportation for your child with the one hour earlier dismissal in mind.

Report Card issue and Parent Teacher Interviews
First term reports will be issued on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 24th. Parents will have the opportunity to meet with their child's teachers either on Wednesday, November 25th from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm or on Thursday, November 26th from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm. to 7:00 pm.  Your child's teacher will send home information regarding sign up for interviews in the next few days.

Remembrance Day Ceremony
Our annual Remembrance Day ceremony took place on the morning of Tuesday, November 10th.  Our Grade 8 school band and our student/staff choir performed, and a number of other students contributed to honoring the service men and women, past and present, who have sacrificed their lives for our country.  We were further blessed by the presence of representatives from the Royal Canadian Legion Color Party and a number of residents from Bevan Lodge, a seniors complex in our community.  Many thanks to vice principal, Ms. Jurcic for organizing the event and for teachers Mrs. Mills, M Cervo, Mr. McTaggart, Mr. Richards, M Hazlewood, Mme Longpré, Mlle Klassen, Mrs. Baruta, Mr. Glum, Ms Germain, Mrs. Lori Rice and Mrs. Linda Chezick for supporting students in their presentations.  We would also like to thank cadets Rylan O. and Justyse U. for adding their support to the Color Party.  Finally, thank you to Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. Glum and the Den students who cooked and served a lunch to our special guests.

Grade 7 boys volleyball District Champions
Twenty one players represented the school in Grade 7 volleyball this year.  In recent end of season tournament play both our "A" and "B" teams made it to their respective finals. The "B" team narrowly lost in the final game to W.A. Fraser and took home the second place ribbon.  The "A" defeated W.A. Fraser's "A" team in their final to take the gold medal. Congratulations to all the players and coaches Mr. Bowley and Mr. Dudzik for a very successful season.

Saturday morning basketball
The last opportunity for Grade 7 and 8 boys basketball players for Open Gym time on Saturday will take place on November 21st.  Players who attend will receive great coaching from  a team of parent volunteers between the hours of 9:30 am and 11:30 am

Wolves Sports
A big congratulations goes out to Sarya R. who finished fourth overall in the BC High School Championships for Cross Country on Saturday, November 7th.  Sarya competed with athletes from grades 8, 9 and 10 from all over BC.  Well Done!

Aboriginal Program
Field Trip forms have gone home with all students regarding the Dec 1 Field trip to the Xa:ytem Longhouse in Mission. Forms are due back November 20.  Halloween Pizza lunch was a hit!! Thank you to Ricardo's for the delicious pizza!  Check out our link on the school website at www.cdgms.com under classes - Aboriginal Program to see what we have been doing, and what is upcoming.  There are important links and information regarding H1N1 clinics, our field trips, and a new and exciting link for fun and games to play.  Our next Presentation will be on Warrior Sticks November 18.  Any aboriginal students wanting to participate please see Jennifer in Room 154 to sign up.  Any questions or comments please feel free to contact her anytime.

PAC News/Canadian Parents for French
The next PAC meeting will take place on Monday, November 16th at 7:00 pm in the CDG library.
Canadian Parents for French meeting is at Margaret Stenersen, November 17th at 7:00 pm in the library.
French Advisory Committee is meeting at Clearbrook Elementary, November 18th at 4:00 pm in the library.
For further information, contact PAC President, Greg Nutchey at 604-614-2751 (cell).

Student of the Month of October
Congratulations to Emiley F. for being named our October Kiwanis Grade 8 student of the month.  Emiley is a top academic student who supports the school culture in many ways.  She is a member of the Student Leadership Team as well as our newly created WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) team.  She also represented the school in cross country running this fall.  Emiley is viewed as a very positive and supportive individual by students and staff.  Emiley will be formally acknowledged at an upcoming dinner meeting of the Abbotsford Kiwanis Club.

District H1N1 Update
Our rate of schools reporting absentee rates of 10% or more has trended downwards significantly in the past two weeks.  As of today, just four schools are reporting rates higher than 10% compared to 50% of our schools two week ago.  It appears the worst of this wave of sickness is over.  Chief Dan George’s absentee rate over the last week has been around the 6% mark, normal for this time of year.

Book Fair
Book Fair arriving  week of November 23rd - 27th.  Further details concerning hours of operation to be announced.

Band Fundraiser
Neufeld chicken orders will be available for pickup on November 19th at 2:20 pm.  All students who ordered must be present to pick up their orders.

Coyote sighting recently in Horn Park
We have recently received information from the parent of a child that attends this school that she has spotted coyotes in Horn Park. Horn Park is located near Horn Street and Maclure Road.  We have contacted the City of Abbotsford and have been  informed that coyotes are common in the urban setting so citizens need to be aware of them whenever they are walking – even in highly urbanized sections of the City.  Coyotes are generally nocturnal animals and generally do not pose a threat to humans.  However, one needs to be cautious in dealing with them.  Some general safety procedures that should be followed include:
 Christmas Concert
This year's Christmas concert will be held on Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00 pm.  The concert will be held at Sevenoaks Alliance Church at 2575 Gladwin Road.  All band and choir students are required to be there.  All friends/family/students are welcome to attend.  Mark your calendars!

Operation Christmas Child
For the past month students have been donating toys, hygiene items, school supplies and other gifts for Operation Christmas Child! Because of your generous donations we have met our goal of 150 boxes and raised over $700! The leadership students packaged 160 boxes to give to less fortunate children around the world! With such success The Abbotsford News came in and interviewed the chair and co-chair of the PR team and the chair of Fundraising team. We thank everyone for their generosity to help children around the world to have a wonderful Christmas! Once again we would love to thank everyone in student leadership and you for making this project successful!

From the Student Leadership Team

Abbotsford Heat and Gr. 8 Band
Next Saturday, November 21st our Grade 8 band will be performing both the Canadian and American national anthems at the beginning of the Abbotsford Heat hockey game.  All new students in the choir and band program are required to purchase or rent a uniform shirt.  If your child has not done so yet, please see Mrs. Mills asap! 

Abbotsford Hockey Heat Sponsored by Vedder By Vedder Transport
The two lucky winners of the November draw were Ethan Cho of Division 9 and Alyssa Molina of Division 16.  There are no tickets for the month of December.  We will however do a draw at the end of December for the two sets of January tickets.


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November 25, 2009

Upcoming Dates to Note
Nov 26        Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov 27        Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)
Dec 15        Xmas Concert @ 7 Oaks Alliance-7 pm
Dec 18        Last day of school before Xmas Break
Dec 21-Jan 1    Christmas Holidays

Friday, November 27th - Pro D 
This is a designated Professional Development Day in Abbotsford. Our staff will be working with representatives from the B.C. Dairy Foundation as well as the Kinesiology Department at U.F.V. focusing on our school goal related to nutrition and healthy lifestyles. No classes will be in session on that day.

Early Dismissal Days and Parent Teacher Interviews
Report cards were issued on Tuesday, November 24th, Wednesday, November 25th and Thursday, November 26th  are designated Early Dismissal Days. We ask that parents arrange to have their child picked up soon after the 1:22 pm dismissal. Parent teacher interviews will take place on the afternoon and evening of Thursday, November 26th.  If you have not yet arranged for an appointment you need to contact your child's teacher on Thursday to make those arrangements.     

Nutrition needs of children
The importance of a proper breakfast can not be underestimated. This is especially true for middle school aged children. A recent survey conducted by one of our Grade 7 teachers uncovered distressing information. Over half of the students in his class indicated that they seldom ate breakfast.  Many of these students indicated that they were left to their own devices in terms of getting breakfast organized and felt it was too much trouble to bother with.  The teacher in question was concerned about these attitudes as he felt that the lethargy that some his students were demonstrating in the morning was directly related to their not properly fueling themselves before school.  We would ask that all parents support this year’s school goal focusing on proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles and take the time to ensure that their child has a proper breakfast each morning.

Book Fair
Our school book fair will be open to parents on Thursday, November 26th from 7:45 am to 7:00 pm.  Your child may give you a list of books they would like to own so if you are looking for good Christmas gift ideas, come in and purchase a book.

Aboriginal News
Our first Field trip to the Xa:ytem Longhouse in Mission will be Tuesday December 1st.  The bus will leave at 9:15 am and return around 2:00 pm.  Permission forms are now due back if you are going on the trip.  A big thank you to Brian Point from the Aboriginal Centre who came in and did his presentation on Warrior Sticks this week! Grade 6's will have an opportunity to make Canoes for Christmas on December 16th.  Keep listening for details on our Christmas Party this year.  For any more information about the program and upcoming events feel free to visit us at www.cdgms.com under Aboriginal Program.

Locker Forms
Your child has brought home a locker form today.  We require all students and their pairents to sign off on the conditions of use.  Please fill out the form and return to the school office no later  than Friday, December 4th. 

November Kiwanis Grade 8 Student of the Month
Shania B. is an Honor Roll student with a great attitude and work ethic.  She has provided service to the school as both a member of our Student Leadership Spirit Team and an official in volleyball. As a volleyball referee she has  handled herself with confidence and grace. Shania is a credit to her family and her school.
Congratulations Shania!

Band News
• This year's Christmas concert will be held on Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00 pm.  The concert will be held at Sevenoaks Alliance Church at 2575 Gladwin Road.  All band and choir students are required to be there.  All friends/family/students are welcome to attend. 

Mark your calendars!

• The poinsettia fundraiser is wrapping up this week for the band students.  Pick up will be in the MPR on Thursday, December 10th.



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December 10, 2009

Upcoming Dates to Note
Dec 15 Christmas Concert @ 7 Oaks Alliance-7 pm
Dec 18 Last day of school before Christmas Break
Dec 21-Jan 1 Christmas Holidays
Jan 4 School Re-opens
Jan 15 Pro-D (NO SCHOOL)


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 2010. 

Den
The Den will be closed on our last day of school before the Christmas break, Friday, December 18th.  The Pit Stop however, will be open and will be serving pizza at $1.50/slice (ham & pineapple, pepperoni or cheese). The Den will reopen after the holidays.

Christmas Concert
The Christmas Music Concert will be held this Tuesday, December 15th at Sevenoaks Alliance Church.  Information has been handed out to all band students to bring home.  Everyone is welcome to attend a night of fun, holiday music.  Concert starts at 7:00 pm.

Christmas Assembly Friday afternoon, December 18th
In keeping with our annual tradition we will draw all students and staff down to the gymnasium next Friday afternoon to enjoy a variety of presentations related to the season.  Some members of our band and our school choir will be performing.   We will have some other presentations as well as an opportunity for all to participate in some carolling.

Basketball
Grade 8 basketball has completed it’s second week of league play. This year’s Gr. 8 Boys Basketball team has already played 3 games, 2 of those being league games.  So far the team is looking really strong and have won every game and have been a force on the court.  Both teams have charted some impressive stats.  The team consists of 13 Grade 8 boys who are very dedicated and intense basketball players, and who compliment each other on the court.  The boys are now 3-0 with substantial victories over Howe, Abby Middle and Heritage Park.  Coaches of this year’s team are Mr. T.J. Klim  and Mr. Tanner Cervo.  Both coaches are very pleased with the play of their team and are hoping for a successful season this year.  They are confident in the abilities of their players, and have been working hard during practices and games to improve their skill level.  The team is playing in the City Tournament this weekend, starting Thursday @ 7:30 pm at Abby Middle.  Come out and cheer on your CDG Wolves.    The girls team have also had a successful start to the season with a record of 2-1. Their latest victory comes against Abby Middle on Tuesday. The only loss for the girls is from Howe.  Coach Jasbir Singh is delighted from the effort that his girls have put forth and foresees many good things from his team. Well done to all who are representing Chief this year.    
In grade 7 sports news, both the boys and girls have been practicing for the past two weeks. Although their season does not start until January 6th, it gives the coaches and players the necessary prep time to be competitive. This year’s grade 7 coach for the boys is Mr. Gordon Klammer, parent volunteer, and for the girls is Mr. Mike Bidal (teacher from Mouat). GO WOLVES GO!!!!

Aboriginal News
Our Field Trip to the Xa:ytem Longhouse was spectacular!! The students enjoyed making cedar bracelets, weaving, digging for artifacts, visiting the pithouses and much more! We would like to thank all the staff at the longhouse for a wonderful day and a big thank you to the parents who came out and volunteered. Our Christmas Party will be held on Friday, December 11th and I am asking students to bring a little something to share with others.  Pizza, veggies and drinks will be there for the students and a little something from Santa. I look forward to a New Year in January and would like to thank the students and families for their support.  May your holidays be filled with much peace and happiness.  

Abbotsford Food Bank Needs Our Help
With only one week to go before the Christmas break we are increasing our efforts to obtain donated food items for our local food bank. This year more than ever the Abbotsford Food Bank is facing a crisis in terms of providing for those less fortunate at Christmas.  All classes are collecting items through the end of next week.  Our Student Leadership team is holding a noon hour dance tomorrow, Friday, December 11th and will request a food item donation as entrance to the event.  If everyone does a little our school community will be able to make a significant contribution to this very worthy organization.  We look forward to your support.

Chess Club
Christmas Chess Party will be held at lunchtime Thursday, December 17th in the library classroom. Students may bring cookies or juice and their lunches

Congratulations!
Marina B. and Emiley F. traveled to Reisa, Germany last week to represent Canada in the IDO World Tap Dance Championships. They won 1st bringing home a Gold Medal for their small group performance 'Nutz', as well Emiley won a Silver Medal for her Duo 'The Contender' and Marina won Bronze for her Trio 'Swing with my Baby'.

Student Leadership News
Are you in the Christmas Spirit yet? Well, you will be next week.  From December 14-17th, we will be selling candy grams during the first 20 minutes  of the activity period.  Candy canes will be sold for $.50 each.   All proceeds will go to the Abbotsford Food Bank.  Its a fun way to send a greeting to a friend and help out a worthy cause at the same time.

Health and Nutrition Center
Starting your day with a good breakfast helps you feel better and learn better. Here's one idea that doesn't take a lot of time: Oatmeal, flaxseed, blueberries & almonds. This is a great breakfast. Steel-cut oatmeal is probably the healthier choice, but if you are in a hurry, the instant kind will do fine (it doesn’t have as much fibre, but the other ingredients make up for that). After microwaving the oatmeal, add ground flaxseed, frozen blueberries, sliced almonds. You can add a little cinnamon and honey (not a lot) if you’re using the non-instant oatmeal. That’s four power foods, full of fibre and nutrients and protein and good fats, with only a couple of minutes of prep time. And very tasty!

We have all heard the alarming statistics:  18% of Canadian children are considered overweight and another 8%  are considered obese according to a 2004 Statistics Canada report.  The culprits are well known: lack of exercise, too much screen time, too few fruits and vegetables combined with too much processed and sugary foods.  The health concerns for the individual and our already stressed medical system are enormous.  So, what to do?  Start simple.  Try to make one healthy change instead of trying to make them all.  One change a month will quickly add up to a more healthy lifestyle.  One example of a small and manageable change might  include having the whole family go for a short walk each day. Having a salad or vegetables with almost every meal would be another small but effective measure.  Whatever you choose, make it manageable and make sure it fits your lifestyle.  Talk to your kids about some more ideas that will get them and the whole family on the road to a healthier life.

CDG 2010 Olympics
Chief Dan George will be celebrating the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympics by hosting our own version of a School Wide Olympic Theme, February 12-26, 2010.  A CDG Olympic Organizing Committee has been formed and plans are already underway.  All classes have signed up to represent a country in both our Opening & Closing Ceremonies.  The school will host a World Fair in which students, staff, and parents will be able to "travel the world" with their own souvenir passport.  An Olympic Art Contest has been launched to design our own unique torch, emblem and mascots.  Winning designs will be unveiled in the Opening Ceremonies.  These events are only a few examples of the many things that will be happening in the CDG 2010 Olympics.  Stay tuned for more information and details after the holidays.

YCW News
The Just 4 Girls and Guys Alive program that has been running at the school has now come to an end.  We would like to thank the volunteers at the Abbotsford Youth Commission for a spectacular job on the program.  There were many students who enjoyed going once a week to talk about life, learn some skills and most of all have fun!  The program will return again in the New Year where more students will have the opportunity again.  We would also like to thank IMPACT who came in and did some presentations for the CAPP curriculum on drug and alcohol awareness. There will be more presentations in the New Year as well.   Please see Jennifer for more details on these opportunities and programs for students.


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