Rogers Mural Project Raffle

Purchase your raffle tickets now!  Raffle tickets can be purchased at Rogers Elementary front office, by contacting rogers.mural@telus.net and at community locations TBA.  Tickets will be sold until June 3, 2013.  Draw date: June 4, 2013 3pm at Rogers School.  Winners will be posted on this Blog after the draw.

Support the Rogers Mural with a purchase of raffle tickets: $2 per ticket (of 1000 tickets) for the following prizes:

Original matted painting by Joanne Thomson

(Christmas Hill view) value $120

Original matted painting by Joanne Thomson

(Turkey Vultures over Christmas Hill) value $120

Everything Pan by Krona value $120

Donated by Owen Richman/ Ventures International Products Ltd

4 Quart/ 3.8  Litre pan with straining lid; stainless steel construction

Pizza Baking Package  value $73

Donated by Owen Richman/ Ventures International Products Ltd

Pizza baking stone (40.5 cm x 35.5 cm)

Grip-ez Pizza cutter

Grip-ez Pizza/cake lifter

2 prizes of $50 worth of gift cards from Country Grocer

Sterling Silver Earrings value $40 each

By artist Joanne Thomson

2 prizes: Bluebirds & The Sound of Hope

 $25 gift certificate from Bird of Paradise Pub

Original art cards by Joanne Thomson

2 prizes: 4 & 5 art cards (Values $20 & $25)

Chances are 11 in 1000 (total tickets for sale) to win a prize.       BC Gaming Event Licence #54798

Know your limit, play within it.

Problem Gambling Help Line 1-888-795-6111 www.bcresponsiblegambling.ca 19+

Tickets may be sold and purchased only in British Columbia

Winners are responsible to pick up their prizes

International Day Against Homophobia: May 17

The International Day Against Homophobia, held on May 17 every year, is a rallying event offering an opportunity for people to get together and reach out to one another. Fondation Émergence promotes, mainly on a pan-Canadian level, the International Day Against Homophobia and encourages organisations and individuals to highlight this event in their environment.

For more information: http://www.homophobiaday.org/

Toonie Hike

Christmas Hill Toonie Hike 2013

Hiking in our school neighborhood helps to promote Daily Physical Activity (DPA).

Students at Rogers school will hike Christmas Hill during the weeks of May 6^th to 16^th to help fundraise for the mural on the front of our school.  While on the toonie hike, students will learn about the Garry oak ecosystem on the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. The future mural will be a representation of the Garry oak ecosystem on Christmas Hill so the students will be making a connection between the ecosystem and the future mural. Students will be drawing or writing about discoveries they make while on their hike and these will be posted beside our Mural Timeline in the school for everyone to see.

 If you would like to make a donation it would be much appreciated.

PLEASE have donations returned to the office by May 16th.

For each Toonie collected the student will receive a draw ballot:

            Class Prize: Pizza Lunch    1st Prize: iPod Touch   Secondary prizes:  Summer fun toys

Dedicated Cross Country Runners

Our dedicated cross country runners come out on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:10 am to run, as well as Wednesdays at 12:10 to run. Here they are stretching! 

Fitness is great for the body and the mind! 

Way to go, Rogers Runners!

Green Team is Proud of New Recycle Station

At least once per week, the student Green Team members at Rogers empty the classroom and school recycling from the Power Towers into the main Recycling Station recepticles. We have recently purchased a more compact recycling station. 

We are so proud of the recycling at Rogers!

Kindergarten 2013-2014

Kindergarten Parent Information Night

We would like to invite all parents of upcoming kindergarten students to our Kindergarten Parent Information Night. This will be held on Wednesday, May 15^th from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the Rogers Elementary School library. The Kindergarten Parent Information Night will provide you with information about the school, kindergarten and the Parent Advisory Council, as well as providing an opportunity to meet some of the Rogers staff and to ask questions that you have about kindergarten. Looking forward to meeting our new kindergarten parents soon!

Kindergarten Student School Visit

We would like all newly registered kindergarten students to attend a school visit for 45 minutes. This will be held on Thursday, May 16^th in the Rogers Elementary School library. The school visit will include about 12-15 children in each group. It will give your child a chance to meet some other students, some of our teachers and it will provide us with an opportunity to get to know your child.  We will have a school tour for the parents while the children are busy in the library.  We will inform you of your child’s school visit time with an invitation that will come in the mail. Looking forward to meeting our new kindergarten students soon!

Pro-D Day: April 26, 2013

The staff at Rogers had a very productive Pro-D on April 26th. The morning consisted of a JumpMath presentation for K to grade 3 staff and 10 guests while the grade 4/5 staff took in some technology learning and Science in Action resource review. The afternoon was a trip outdoors. Come join the staff at Rogers on an afternoon with Science in Action in our own back yard.

Slideshow customized with Smilebox

Reminder: Pro-D Day

Reminder: Friday, April 26th is a PRO-D DAY at ROGERS. This is not a District Pro-D Day. This is our school selected Pro-D Day. There is no school for students of Rogers Elementary School on Friday, April 26th. Thank you. Have a lovely weekend!

Community Living Resource Fair 2013

Spirit Day: Green Day

With Earth Day coming up this week, we are going to recognize Earth Day at Rogers by wearing GREEN on Monday, April 22nd.

Also, we encourage everyone to act GREEN all day. Some ideas:

1. Ride bike or walk to school (or walk up the hill).

2. Bring a litterless lunch. (Compost and recycle).

3. Bring a water bottle.

4. Turn lights off for one hour in the afternoon.

5. No garbage use all day.

The Green Team says: "It's keen to keep the Earth clean by being green!"

Spring Cross Country Meet #1

Great fun and superb running! Check out the new Rogers jerseys!!

Go Rogers Go!

See all of our runners at Clover Point on Monday, April 22 at 3:45 pm for Meet #2.

Computer Lab Gift

At Rogers, we just received the first computer access station for students with visual needs in our District. The access station has a 32 inch screen, magnification features, enlarged fonts, applications to assist with word recognition and a visually enhanced keyboard. We thank Daphne Hitchcock, the teacher for students with visual needs who arranged for the access station at Rogers!

Community Clean Up

Rogers is taking part in the Tim Horton's Community Clean Up on the afternoon of Thursday, April 18th. Find out more here: http://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/events/community-clean-up

Earth Day is Coming Soon

Think about it this way...

50 Ways to Teach Your Child to Read

Click here to find 50 ways to teach your child to read.

Spring Cross Country

Practice Schedule

There will be 3 practices per week + DEAR practice. Runners will meet on the gym stairs wearing proper running attire & appropriate running shoes. Students are expected to attend each at least two practices per week to reach optimal fitness and in order to participate in the meets. Attendance will be taken at all practices. Only students who take part in at least two practices per week will be entitled to go to meets, unless there is an excused absence from a parent.

            Practices:

            1. Tuesdays at 8:10 am
            2. Wednesdays at 12:10
            3. Thursdays at 8:10 am

4. Students have Drop Everything & Run on Tuesdays at 2:30 pm as a practice

Meet Schedule

Parents are responsible for making transportation & supervision arrangements for their child for each meet. Meets begin promptly at 3:45 pm. Race order starts with grade 3 girls, grade 3 boys, grade 4 girls, grade 4 boys, grade 5 girls and finishes with grade 5 boys. Parking is often congested so please arrive early.

            1. Monday, April 15^th at Lambrick Park
            2. Monday, April 22^nd at Clover Point
            3. Monday, April 29^th at Lambrick Park
            4. Monday, May 6^th at Clover Point 

Go Rogers Go!

Catching Students Caring

These three students dedicated their lunch time to cleaning up litter from the school yard! It's always a delight to give students positive affirmations when they go out of their way to show that they care!

Thanks girls!

Preparing for The Adventures of Ging Gong the Cat

The kindergarten classes and the grade ones and twos are preparing for the two daytime assemblies of "The Adventures of Ging Gong the Cat". 

Hope to see our families and friends in the audience for either the 9:30 am assembly or the 1:30 pm assembly on Friday, April 5th!

Expect to have the tickets come home with your child on Wednesday.

Easter at Rogers

Slideshow customized with Smilebox

Anti-Bullying Day Assembly at Rogers

With special guest speaker: Brian Price!

Photo slideshow created with Smilebox

Spring Break 2013

Have a safe and restful Spring Break!

See you back to school on Monday, March 25th!

Aboriginal Education Field Day

Students with Aboriginal ancestry from three schools had a Field Trip together. The eighteen grade 2 to 5 students from Campus View, Frank Hobbes and Rogers Elementary took in the Imax film, The Great Lakes, which involved a look into many ways to preserve endangered species and care for the natural environment despite modern day burdens on our planet.

As well, students enjoyed some time together going through an information scavenger hunt at the BC Museum's First Peoples Gallery.

It was a wonderful opportunity for students to bond with peers in other schools as well as learning more about their cultural history and the connecting importance of the natural environment.

Class Placement Requests 2013-2014

We will soon be starting the process of placing students in classes for next year.  Any parents wishing to have input on the placement of their child are asked to submit their requests in writing or email to Ms. Trofimuk before FRIDAY, APRIL 26^th.  We discourage requesting specific teachers, but ask instead that you provide input on what you believe would be the best environment for your child.  Parent input will be considered, but we cannot guarantee your request will be met.  Parent placement requests are typically not as easily considered after the above deadline.

Staff puts a great deal of time and thought into each child’s placement.  We meet in teams to place students, with specific information about each child.  We use a wide variety of criteria to build heterogeneous and diverse classes that balance and stimulate learning.  These criteria include, but are not limited to:

• Academic Achievement and Development
• Learning Style
• Work Habits
• Social/Behavioral Needs
• Socialization/Relationships/Leadership/Followship
• Maturity Level
• Gender balance in the class
• Level of Independence/Support Needs
• Class Size Limits

While teacher assignments are tentatively developed by the month of May, assignments are still uncertain at this time of year due to changing enrolment.  Teacher assignments will not be finalized until September. 

WE WILL START SCHOOL CONFIGURATIONS FOR 2013/2014 AFTER SPRING BREAK  — IF YOU ARE MOVING PLEASE LET US KNOW. Thank you!

"Catching a Student Caring" at Rogers

For the next few weeks, the staff at Rogers will be handing students little yellow pieces of paper  that say, "Catching a Student Caring". A student will receive this piece of paper if s/he was seen doing something that was caring in some way. The idea behind this system is to acknowledge positive behaviours happening in our school.

Students bring their yellow "Catching a Student Caring" to the office. Five of these papers will be drawn per day and read on the announcements. All of the papers will be hung on the beautiful bulletin board in the main hallway.

The Positive Behaviour Support approach that is used at Rogers suggests that for every constructive comment that is made to a child, there should be 5 positive comments made. This is known as the "5 to 1 ratio".

Anti-Bullying Messages form Rogers Students

Slideshow design created with Smilebox

Pink Shirt Day Message at Hockey Game!

Pink Shirt Day: 27.02.13

Anti-Bullying Day/Pink T-Shirt Day: on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 we encourage everyone to wear something pink to show that we have zero tolerance for bullying. Pink Shirt Day comes from two Nova Scotia high school students, who decided to take a stand against bullying in their own school. At Rogers, every day is Anti-Bullying Day.

Bullying is defined as intended unwanted, aggressive behaviour that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. 

On February 27th we will be having two assemblies: one for our 4 & 5 students at 9:00 am and another assembly at 10:30 am for our K to 3 students. Both assemblies will feature a presentation from Brian Price, an Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist. Brian will be talking to the students about the importance of character, which is a very fitting topic for Anti-Bullying Day. We look forward Brian's motivating message!

Student's 'School' Acronym

On Friday, as one of the grade 3 students at Rogers was writing his spelling test, he told his teacher the mnemonic device he uses to remember how to spell 'school'.

 It is, "Six Cool Hours Of Our Life"!!  

Writing & Reading in Grade One

Several of Mrs. Brcic's students came for a visit to the office on Friday morning to share their findings about Beavers. Each student read his/her writing work to the Principal, Ms. T. 

These students are developing their writing and reading skills with daily progress. 

Very impressive work!

Rogers Marlin Swim Meet Results

From February 20, 2013 Swim Meet

Rogers Mixed relay team (Ava. B, Chris H, Bradley C and Evan O) won 3rd. 
Rogers Boys 8 and U relay team (Evan, Brodie Y, Tyler I and Bradley C) won 1st. 

Chris H (1st free, 2nd breast) advances to finals in both events Bradley C (2nd free, 1st breast) advance to finals in both events Evan O (4th free, 5th breast) advance to finals in both events Brodie Y (5th free, 7th breast) advance to finals in both events Tyler I (12th free, 4th breast) advance to finals in both events Chelsea K (7th back and 13rd free) swims in back finals Sunday Jorja S (8th back, 17 free) swims in back finals Sunday Ava Birtwistle (5th breast, 18 free) swims finals in breast Sunday Elladee K (6th breast, 28 free) swims finals in Breast on Sunday Quinton O (9th breast, 18 free) swims finals in breast on Sunday. 

Honorable mentions:
Rachel S (18th free, 17 back)
Caitie P (19th free, 13th back)

The 10 mentioned will be advancing to the finals along with Tayah G, Ali R and Gonzalo FP.  

Great work everyone!  Thank you parents for encouraging them along.  

From February 24, 2013 Swim Finals

Relays:
Boys 8U Relay 4 x 25 m - 1st place (Bradley C, Tyler I, Evan O, Brodie)
Mixed 10U Relay 4 x 25 m - 2nd place (of 23!!) (Ali. R, Tayah, Gonzalo and Chris. H)
Individual:
Ali Rasmussen 5th Freestyle, 4th Breast and 7th in Fly Tayah Giesbrecht 9th Freestyle, 6th Breast, 10th Fly Gonzalo P - 8th freestyle, 3rd in back Chris Holmes 16th freestyle, 4th Breast, 14th fly Bradley Christison 3rd freestyle, 2nd breast, 3rd fly Evan O'Toole 7th freestyle, 8th breast Brodie 10th freestyle, 10th breast Tyler I. 17th freestyle, 7th breast Jorja Styles 17th back Ava Birtwistle 10th breast Elladee Kay 27th breast Quinton Owens 14th breast.

Great work everyone!  Thank you parents for encouraging them along.

Movie Night: February 22

The PAC Movie Night is on Friday, February 22nd, from 6:15 to 8 pm. 

Bring a blanket & pillow or lawn chairs and get comfy.

Pizza and popcorn orders are due by Friday, February 8th.

Movie Feature: ICE AGE 4!

See you there!

English Ivy & Garry Oak Ecosystems at Rogers

You may have noticed some changes to the front cement walls of our school!  Up until the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year we had greenery growing on the cement wall at the front of Rogers. But it has been removed and for good reason.  An exciting "Mural Project" has begun. Over the next six month, the school and school community will be engaged in the "Mural Project"!

First of all, the green and growing part of the wall was not a good thing.  Many of you will know this plant was English ivy, but what you might not know is that it is a serious invasive plant in our region – and is a big risk to the rare Garry Oak Ecosystems beside Rogers on Christmas Hill.  English ivy takes over ecosystems in our region, eliminating native plants and habitat for wildlife, covering trees and eventually destroying them.  (In addition, the ivy berries are toxic if ingested by humans.)

At Rogers School,  our belief is, “We care about ourselves, each other and this place”.  With this belief in mind for everything that we do, we aim to be good stewards of the natural environment. We are fortunate to have our school next to a very special ecosystem which is one of the most endangered in Canada. And thus, it is our job to take care of that precious ecosystem.

The English ivy has now been removed from the cement walls, to grow no more.  The exciting part is engaging our school and community in a celebration of Garry oak ecosystems  as murals are created on these walls. We will be working with artists and community partners so that environmental education programs, community building and mural painting can unfold through the spring and into the summer of 2013!

(For more information about invasive plants and English Ivy: http://www.saanich.ca/living/natural/stewardship/invasive.html?ref=shortURL and for more information about Garry Oak Ecosystems: www.goert.ca)

Or visit the foyer at Rogers to see the display. Thanks to Carolyn R for helping us to learn more about this important topic.

Marlins Swim Club Update

Swim Club practices on Monday have concluded - next  is the preliminary meet for novices on Wednesday, February 20th from 9:30 am (meet at the pool) to approximately 2 pm.  Supervision is required

The finals are on Sunday, February 24th.  Start time is 9 am so please be there for 8:30 am.

Go Rogers Go!