Principal's Message

With a chill in the air, and leaves turning colors and falling off trees, it really is starting to look and feel like autumn!

It has been a great start to the year. We welcome our new families, and cherish those who continued from last year. Our theme this year is celebrations! We want to celebrate the little things, the big things; the academic things, and the things that show good character; we want to celebrate us – our amazing DDS family!

We kicked off our celebrations with the annual Terry Fox Run and a follow up “Welcome Back” party with fun stations that kids had a chance to spend time at. Included were Minute to Win It games, silly relay races, puzzles stations, and an epic 96 foot long obstacle course. This obstacle course was paid for partly through DDS’s School Council/PSBSPB, and partly through the hot dog money Mrs. Gibson and volunteers raised through Hot Dog Days last year. Thanks to both!

Thanks to those parents who came out to the School Council meeting in September – it was the best turnout ever! I’d love to see that continue – along with more! Please come to our next School Council meeting after school on Wed., Oct. 10 at 3:40 in the library. Thank you also to those parents who came out for the Hot Lunch meeting – I am excited to see how our Hot Lunch program develops. If you are still interested in helping out in any way, whether with hot lunch or in any capacity, please contact the school.

I’d also like to invite you into our school – anytime! We have an open door policy and we would welcome you to pop by, or book a time with your child’s teacher to help out. Every classroom always needs help, and School Council always needs assistance with Hot Lunch. Make a difference in your school and in your child’s school life and volunteer!

Have a wonderful October – I hope to see you at the PSBSPB’s Harvest Gala on October 20^th! See the webpage for more details.

With warmest regards,

Ms. Shari Rogerson

Principal

It truly has been an honour to serve as your Principal this year and to be a part of the many things that make Dorothy Dalgliesh School such a special place!  It is hard to believe that we are approaching the end of another incredible school year - what a year it has been!

As we reflect upon the many achievements and accolades of our students in their academics, athletics, artistic endeavours, social responsibility and relationships, and personal goals which have been set along the way and achieved, it is truly amazing!  We are pleased to celebrate this tremendous growth of each student and ask for families to take some time to review your child’s gains with them. 

We truly appreciate our extremely dedicated and committed staff who make Dorothy Dalgliesh School all that it is. The partnership between school, parent, and student is paramount. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank each and every one of our parents for allowing us the privilege of working with your children and for your ongoing commitment and support of Dorothy Dalgliesh School. Your children inspire us as educators each and every day. The memories created in elementary school are ones that will last a lifetime!

For those students and families moving on to other adventures, we will miss you.  You have made a difference during your time with us, and please know that Dorothy Dalgliesh School will always be a place that you can call home.  Please keep in touch with us. For families that are registered to return for the next school year, we look forward to continuing to be a part of your child’s educational journey and will see you in September.      

Don’t forget to READ, READ, READ!

On behalf of the staff of Dorothy Dalgliesh School, we offer our warmest wishes to you for a restful and enjoyable summer. 

Happy June!

June is a bittersweet month for me. I look forward to summer, but it is also a time of reflection – how did the year go? In order to grow, sometimes we must look long and hard ourselves with a critical eye. It is an honor to serve as your principal, and I truly want to be the best leader possible for your children and for this school. Please let me know of anything you’d like to see stay at the school, or see changed. The only way I can know how I’m doing is with your feedback. Come on by and we can have a conversation.

June is also bittersweet because I need to say goodbye to kids for the summer, and our grade six kids forever! It is always tough to let go of our oldest group, but this group has been such a fun bunch of kids – I will miss them lots!

I know June is going to fly by with Provincial Achievement Tests, field trips – including a school-wide swimming trip to Henderson Pool, track and field day, year-end celebrations, and our final family activity of flower deliveries. It’s going to be a fun – but busy – month.

Warm regards,

Ms. Rogerson

Happy May!

I cannot believe we have only two short months until summer break – we still have so much work to do! May and June are going to be busy months with field trips, Track and Field Day, our annual community flower delivery, 2 Farm Safety Days, final assessments, and Provincial Achievement Tests for grade 6, also known as PATs.

If you have, or have had, a grade 6 student you probably are familiar with PATs, but even if not, it affects all our kids, K-6. There is a lot of pressure to prepare kids for PATs every year, not just in grade 6 but in all the years leading up to grade 6 (BTW, PATs will happen again when your child is in grade 9). Teachers spend quite a bit of time analyzing data around PATs in order to improve.

It got me to musing, however, about the dangers of focusing too much on data – what harm can there be? Research implies that while data can help inform teachers’ instruction, too much focus on data and results can be detrimental to school culture and to the students.

My two biggest concerns about focusing too much on data are:

1. Causing students, and let’s face it, parents a lot of unneeded anxiety; and
2. Missing what data can’t measure

I can assure you we take the PATs seriously, but I can also assure you with great confidence, that it is balanced very solidly with DDS Staff seeing your child as the wonderful and unique person he or she is – not as a number, or a grade, or a percentage, but as a unique, charming person with unique skills, talents and interests.

Yes, we want our kids to find success, and a part of that includes data and grades and percentages. HOWEVER, the most important part to us at DDS, is developing your child, in partnership with you, to create kind, caring, resilient adults who will make a difference in the world - however that looks.

As always, pop by to see me if you have any questions or concerns about anything to do with your child and his or her education.

Best regards,

Ms. Rogerson

Happy April!

I want to begin by thanking everyone who came out on Student Led Conference evening. It is wonderful to see you participating in your child’s educational journey, celebrating their growth and accomplishments. Research shows that your involvement as a partner in your child’s education is one of the strongest predicators of your child’s success. Being involved also helps you to be more aware of what is truly going on in the school.

School looks a lot different from when you were a child, and hanging out in the school more often will give you a clearer picture of where, and how, your child spends her day while at school. Imagine instead of asking your child, “How was your day?” only to be met with a non-committal shrug of the shoulders and an off-handed, “Fine…”, you can engage in rich, meaningful conversations about specific initiatives and events happening at the school. Follow this link to find out more about what the research tells us about the benefits of being more involved with your child’s school. https://www.education.com/reference/article/benefits-parent-involvement-research/

We at DDS would be delighted to have you in any capacity that fits you and your busy schedule. For example, many of you chose to put aside an hour one evening to attend Student Led Conferences – so appreciated by your child and the staff at DDS! However, have you considered some of these ways to get more involved without stretching yourself too thin? How about:

• Committing to 2 hours a couple times a school year to help with Hot Lunch?
• Spending an afternoon to read with students in your child’s class?
• Attending one of our regular assemblies?
• Help out with mini-basketball or mini-volleyball?
• Having an informal chat with your child’s teacher at the end of the day?
• Attend a School Council meeting?
• Offer to volunteer in the library to shelve or label books?
• Share your expertise by teaching a lesson on your hobby or skill?

Any of all go a long way to building the connection between school and home, and I know your child will LOVE to see you at school, too!  

Happy March!

With report cards coming up, along with Student-Led Conferences (Thursday, March 22), I reflect upon my work as a principal and ask myself what would my report card look like if someone filled one out on me? I LOVE my job, and I feel truly privileged to be principal at DDS, but is what I am currently doing enough? What can I do to improve? How can I make our school even better?

I would like to think of our school as student-centered, forward thinking, innovative, and conscientiously contributing to your child growing up to be the best person he or she can be. First, we have, in my opinion, the most caring and invested staff in Palliser. In addition, we are ahead of many of our provincial educational peers in our implementation of best curricular practices. Furthermore, we employ new strategies and techniques to create safe environments in which kids learn best. Moreover, we have a strong emphasis on kindness and positive thinking. Great things are happening at DDS, but I always ask myself, “How can I do better? What else is there? What’s next?” In consideration of the Four Pillars of Education: learning to know; learning to do; learning to live together; and learning to be, am I leading this school most effectively to achieve all I can for your child?

I would love for my school to be on the map, so to speak, not only because of the amazing things we do, but because of the amazing people we help to build, especially your child. So, in the spirit of report card season, I ask you – what grade would you give me? What grade would you give our school? Please stop by for a visit, or call me. I hope to see you out for Student-Led Conferences, so feel free to stop by my office then, or anytime - I’d love to hear your “report card” on me.

With warmest regards, your partner in education,

Ms. Shari Rogerson

Principal

Happy Heart Month!

School Council does SOOOOOO much for our school. I am always thanking them but I never feel as though it is enough. SO much of what we have at the school – Scientists in the School, Director’s Cut, hot lunch, Chromebooks, special library book selections, iPads, the appliances and tools in the kitchen, the document camera, our sound system, to name only a few – are thanks to School Council and their tireless volunteer hours and efforts to fundraise. Please consider joining, or at least helping out from time to time. I hope to see you on Tuesday, Feb. 13 for our next School Council meeting in the School Library.

Keep your eyes on the LED sign outside the school. I recently had a slide that said, “If you mention you saw this to Mrs. Stauth, she will enter your name into a draw.” Not a single person said they saw it! The slide is gone now, but may pop up again at any time….

As always, stop by my office for a visit, or if you haven any questions or concerns.

With warmest regards, your partner in education,

Ms. Shari Rogerson

Principal

HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome to 2018! May your year be filled with joy and abundance!

We had a wonderful lead up to the Christmas break. First, I’d like to thank the School Council parents for organizing the Turkey Dinner, and the volunteers and people who donated – we couldn’t have done it without you!

Second, thanks to Mrs. Gibson, the Grade 6 students, and all the staff and students for the most AmAzInG Christmas Concert yet! It was fun to listen to classics and new favorites!

I’d like to send out a HUGE welcome to Mrs. Dato, our new grade 1 and grade 4 teacher. The entire staff and student body of DDS is very excited to get to know you and work with her.

Also, welcome to Ms. Papworth, our newest educational assistant addition. We are happy to have you on the team!

New Year’s always comes with a bittersweet feeling – we look back at all the wonderful things that have happened, and look forward to a fresh new start. Some of us like to make New Year’s resolutions. Why don’t you try one of these…?

Scholastic’s 100 New Year’s Reading Resolutions, or Parent and Child’s New Year’s Reading Resolutions.

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/free-printable/reading-printables/new-years-reading-resolutions

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/free-printable/reading-printables/time-reading-resolution

Both are fun ways to get your kids reading more, and hopefully develop a life-long habit of reading and book love.

With warmest regards,

Ms. Shari Rogerson

Principal

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! What a joyous, wondrous time of the year! Christmas lights and decorated trees are popping up; Christmas Carols are playing in stores (and Grade 6 - Mr. V!); malls are beginning to fill with busy shoppers; and here at DDS, we are in full swing practicing for what promises to be yet another AMAZING Christmas Concert.

During this season of joy, please remember those who may be looking towards Christmas with dread or anxiety. Many families are wondering if they will be able to have anything to eat on Christmas, let alone a gift under the tree for their precious littles. Please help these families by supporting our two primary campaigns.

The first campaign is our Food Bank Drive. For this cause, we ask you to please donate a non-perishable food item, or toiletries (i.e. toothbrushes; toothpaste; soap; shampoo; etc.).

The second cause is spearheaded by Palliser's Caretakers –  our “Sock It To ‘Em” Campaign. Please donate new socks, mittens, and toques to help stuff our giant stocking and make someone’s Christmas a little warmer.

Also, just before Christmas we are excited to host another School Council sponsored Turkey Dinner for the staff and students. Watch for requests for donations and help. Along with this, we will ask for “extras” to create a food hamper for a family in need.

Please keep in mind what this season is truly about – kindness, generosity, and bringing joy to the lives of others.

Have a wonderful December filled with magic and joy!

With warmest regards,

Ms. Shari Rogerson

Principal

As you likely know, report cards and Parent-Teacher Interviews are coming up on November 16. This is such an important time to celebrate your child’s growth, and perhaps set some goals. While grades are not the “be all, end all”, and our school focuses primarily on character, grades are obviously still very important.

We are all looking forward to seeing you for Parent-Teacher Interviews, and I know your child is looking forward to the positive feedback. Below are some tips to help get the most out of your time with your child’s teacher.

• Ask your child how she feels about school.
• Ask your child if there is anything that he wants you to talk about with his teacher.
• Tell your child that you and the teacher are meeting to help her.
• Make a list of topics that you want to talk about with the teacher.

Prepare a list of questions such as:

• What are my child's strongest and weakest subjects?
• Does my child hand homework in on time?
• Does my child participate in class?
• Does my child seem happy at school?
• What can I do at home to help?

For more tips, try this website:

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/tips-successful-parent-teacher-conferences-your-childs-school

Also, remember that your child is great at a lot of things. Perhaps he struggles struggling with reading, but is a fabulous artist. Maybe she doesn’t find math easy, but LOVES science. Celebrate and nurture what your child is good at, and support her to improve where the needs are.

Your partner in education,

Ms. Shari Rogerson, Principal