Emily Stowe Public School
1 Jerdon Street N0J 1P0 Norwich, ON, Canada

Mrs. Arthur’s class went outside today to share their poetry! They wrote their poems with sidewalk chalk on the tarmac and concrete so others could enjoy their work, too.

Today some of our young Spartans read, Step Gently Out, then went outside to observe nature themselves. They sat silently for 15 minutes and used their senses to observe the world around them. Some had spiders or ants crawl on them or their pages, many noticed the warm sun shining on them, and they loved seeing bright colours from flowers! After they wrote their observations in their nature journals, they used the iPads and captured signs of spring. Next, they will be making a collaborative class video using their images. (The last 7 photos of this post were taken by students and represent some signs of spring)

As the Spring weather brings warmer temperatures, please remember to pack your refillable water bottle! Our water filling stations are a great way to access clean and cold water as it's needed throughout the day. Stay hydrated, Spartans!

Kinder C has been doing a solar system inquiry over the past couple of weeks. They’ve learned facts about our solar system and planets, thought about how long it would take to travel to Mars and what they would need to pack, learned about stars, and realized how small Earth is when looking at the bigger picture. I wonder what they will learn about next?

Our Grade 1 Rockstars have been learning about where maple syrup comes from this week! They explored various artifacts, learned how sap moves in a tree through a hands-on demonstration, then actually tapped some trees on the school’s property and collected the sap. To their surprise, the sap was quite sweet, measuring 4 brix! They would like to extend a big thank you to local maple syrup producer Wayne Bertrand, from Shady Walnut Farm, for sharing his wisdom (and syrup) with them.

Our two wonderful Spartan TV co-anchors help spread the news daily to our classrooms. Not only do they film and write their own content, but they also do all the editing themselves! Did you know that tomorrow is Big Crunch Day? Mrs. Arthur’s class created a fun fact segment for everyone to watch, and they also performed O Canada in sign language last week! Thanks to everyone who contributes content to our daily video announcement, including classrooms, individual students and educators!

Today Canadian author Vikki VanSickle joined us virtually! JK - 2 listened to her read her book: Teddy Bear of the Year, and got the scoop on some of the hidden clues in the pictures. Grade 6 - 8 learned all about how she writes, where she finds inspiration, and the importance of persevering. Due to some technical difficulties, the presentation for our Grade 3 - 5 students will be rescheduled in the near future! Thanks for spending your Friday with us, Vikki! We all had a g...reat time! Also, thank you to our Home and School Association for covering the cost of this special school-wide event. Vikki's newest book, Anonymouse, can be purchased through The Hallmark Shoppe in Woodstock. Emily Stowe Parent Council The Hallmark Shoppe Vikki VanSickle Thames Valley District School Board

Balloon owls! Our Grade 1 Rockstars were busy showing what they know today as part of their owl inquiry, by creating labelled diagrams of an owl on a balloon. Did you know the flat feathered face of an owl acts like a satellite dish and focuses sound into an owl’s ears? Also, an owl’s eyes are tubular, which means they can’t move their eyes in their sockets. Instead, they move their whole head, and can turn it up to 270 degrees!

Tonight is the last opportunity to view our trees before they head off to their new homes! The Drive Through display will be open this evening from 5:00 - 6:00, as our winning bidders will be picking up their items at 6:30. Thank you everyone for your support! You helped make this event a huge success for our local Food Bank and Angel Tree Campaigns. We couldn't have done it without you!

The auction has now CLOSED. Thank you to everyone who bid. Winners will be contacted shortly.

The auction for trees closes this evening at 6:30, sharp! If you're looking to bring one home, there are still 15 trees that are under $100. https://www.facebook.com/525461734207725/posts/3555620827858452/ All money from this event goes directly to the local Angel Tree Campaign and supports families in our communities. ... Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the fun so far! Winners will be contacted via Facebook Messenger this evening. Good luck!

Check out what our amazing Home and School/Parent Council has been up to this holiday season

Here it is! Our trees are available to take home! Simply comment with your bid and check back often. Only dollar amounts please. Bidding closes Thursday, December 10 at 6:30 PM. The highest bidder will be contacted through Facebook messenger with pick up instructions for Friday, December 11. All donations will be collected by Mrs. Greenwood, from the Norwich Salvation Army, and go directly to the local Angel Tree Campaign.

Emily Stowe's Celebration of Lights event is happening this week, from 5 - 7 each night! We're collecting new toys for the Angel Tree Campaign and food for the food bank. If you're not in a position to donate, that's ok! All are welcome. Please come enjoy the efforts of our Spartans as their gift to you this holiday season.

Today, Canadian author and illustrator Patricia Storms virtually visited our Grade 1 and 2 Spartans! They listened as Patricia sang If You’re Thankful and You Know It, learned to draw some fun fall cartoons and even got to ask some questions. We learned that Patricia loves cats, her partner Guy, homemade tuna salad sandwiches and and walks through the leaves at Thanksgiving. The inspiration for her stories comes when she’s talking with friends or simply enjoying the world ...around her. Our Spartans had the opportunity to share things they are thankful for, which included: family, friends, games, pets, soldiers and animals. We even shared some Thanksgiving Traditions: playing games, eating turkey and mashed potatoes, seeing family and sharing. We hope all of our Spartans and their families enjoy their Thanksgiving weekend! See you back again on Tuesday

Happening RIGHT NOW! Ms. Driedger’s class is live on screen with Heather McNairn as they learn about how satellites in space are helping to inform Canada’s agricultural landscape. The class asked about how they use satellites to see diseased crops. Dr. Jury’s class also asked a question: How high does a satellite orbit? Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants

It’s Terry Fox Shirt Day today!

Tomorrow is Terry Fox T-Shirt day! To donate to our school’s Terry Fox fundraising efforts, head to: www.terryfox.ca/EmilyStowePSNorwich If we reach our goal, Mrs. V will get a pie in the face!

Ms. Malpass’s class also attended the trip to the Lemur Forest today! Their question was shared with everyone and answered by the hosts. How exciting!

Many of our Spartans headed to the Lemur Forest this morning for a Virtual Field Trip! Here is what Ms. McCauley and Ms. Serrador’s class learned from today’s adventure. Next week’s virtual trip theme is Space!

Today is Orange Shirt Day Spartans have been learning about what this day means in their classrooms and through segments this week on Spartan TV. Mrs. Mackie has also prepared a variety of digital read alouds and activities focused on the topic that can be accessed in classrooms. Here’s a nice summary of what the day means from CBC kids:

On September 30, we invite all Spartans to wear an orange shirt.

This year we celebrate 40 years of the #TerryFoxRun! To donate to the Terry Fox Foundation and Cancer Research, please follow the link below. 100% of the fundraising this year will be online!

Today was World Rhino Day! To celebrate these amazing creatures all Spartans had the opportunity to participate in a variety of virtual field trips or view a fun video teaching facts about rhinos. Students learned about conservation efforts, strategies being used to prevent poaching, the habitat and diverse eco systems rhinos are part of and plenty of facts about this huge land mammal. Take a look at what Ms. McCauley and Mrs. Serrador’s friends did to apply their new l...earning! #worldrhinoday

We can’t wait to see you, Spartans!

Our staggered start dates are as follows: September 14 and 15: last names beginning with A-K September 16-17: last names beginning with L-Z September 28: everyone!

An update: This year’s school year will start the week of September 14. Our staggered start schedule is as follows: September 14-15: last names A-K... September 16-17: last names L-Z September 18: Everyone! If you have decided to change your Return to Learning plan, please contact the office before Friday at noon. 519-468-0201. If you’d like to double check what your plan is, please log into your parent portal. Thank you! Stay tuned for more details regarding the school’s reopening plan :)