Our Mini Library is Open for Business!

After much packing and unpacking, Ms Vikse has successfully relocated our library. Our library is now located in Ms. Crockett's old classroom.

Here are some pictures of our mini collection that was cafefully selected by Ms. Vikse for our students.

Thank you to Ms.Vikse and all of the people who helped her to relocate such an important part of our school and restore it back to being an important hub of the school.

At this point, we are now finished all of our moves in order to allow for the construction to occur.

There has been quite a bit of work done to strip out the three sealed off primary classes in the primary wing, preparing them for the big changes that are to come when they become full day kindergarten rooms with cubby areas and washrooms inside them.

The final phase of our move....

On Thursday, Ms. Crockett was able to set up her class so that it would be ready for her students.

Here are some pictures of our new grade one classroom:

 As you can see, Ms. Crockett did an amazing job in a very short timeline.

On Thursday we also had a small practice fire drill with the classes that are affected by the new exit. The students did very well and our fire inspector was very impressed at how quietly and quickly students were able to exit and line up outside. Well done grade one and two students!

Finally, Ms. Vikse has been working hard to get our new library ready for use. In the meantime, she has continued with book exchange by creating a small mobile library that she has been taking to all of the classes. We are expecting to be operational in the new library this week.

So stay tuned for more pictures and stories about Parkview's big construction adventure!

Day 1: Students and Staff Settle In!

Today was a busy one with students bustling in the halls moving to and from their classrooms. There were lots of new things to look at...A new door at the end of the primary hallway and a new fire exit out the side of what once was Mr. Daponte's class.

The hooks outside of Ms. Nakada's room have been lowered to accomodate our kindergarten students and hooks have been relocated from the primary hall to the front hall to accomodate our two grade two classes in the library.

Everywhere adjustments were being made to ensure that our students were safe and happy and so that our amazing programs could continue from where they left off before the break.

Students from our new portable were in and out of the building to collect laptops for their work. Our intermediate students were taking advantage of the large staffroom/classroom so they could work enmasse on their Google Drive powered collaborative literacy projects.  

Students moved safely in and out of the building through their new entrances and exits. Teachers and support staff gave of their time to ensure that everything moved smoothly.

Thank-you to our parents for their kind words and their positive attitude as we successfully transition our students into their new digs!

Coming Up Later This Week:

Ms. Crockett's class will be moving across the hall to the "quiet"  side of the primary hall on Thursday they will be settled into their new room.

Our library will be moved into Ms. Crockett's former room. It will likely be reopened in its smaller incarnation early next week.

Portables and New Routines....

We hope that you have had a great March Break. We have a few items that we want to share with you.

  Classroom renovations have begun, and we have a new emergency exit and signage. A key change is that our primary doors are no longer in use. To accommodate this change, please see the following changes to our assigned exit and entry doors for students:

1.    Kindergarten students will still use their entry door. On Monday, Ms. Nakada will meet her students at this door and take them to their new classroom. Please see our construction blog at http://parkviewps.blogspot.ca/  for pictures of this new learning space. We will continue to use this door for our kindergarten students as long as the construction allows it.

2.    Students in grades 1-4 will be using the junior doors. We will have pylons indicating where (identified by grade) students are to line up. Students will be lining up by grade. Not by class anymore. Students will enter the school by grade and then travel to their classroom. Please see the  picture below for a visual of this arrangement.

 3.    Mr. Trivelli’s class will line up by the intermediate doors.

4.    All students in portables will continue to line up at their portable. This now includes Ms. Kuczynski’s class in their new portable.

Below is Ms. Kuczynski's new classroom in Portable 7...all set up and ready to go!

 Thanks to our amazing teachers, support staff and caretakers for making this set up possible and for helping us to be ready to start back to school on Monday March 17th!

The new chapter at Parkview starts...on Monday!

Many things have been happening since our last post.

On the PA day, our teachers worked together to set up our new classrooms:

Mr. Daponte's room in the library:

Ms. Yeung's classroom in the Library:

Ms. Nakada's Room in Room 10:

Ms. Shim's class  in room 2:

Mr. Suleiman's class in our  Staff Room:

And Ms. Kuczynski's Portable has arrived!

The inside of this portable (portable 7) will be all set up and ready to go for Monday thanks to Ms. Kuczynski and her helpers!

Finally, here is our new staff room!

As you can see, our staff has been fantastic and have made it possible for us to create a warm and inviting space for our students while we undergo this renovation, minimizing the impact on student learning at Parkview.  Their positive attitude has been helpful in creating an atmosphere of fun, excitement and adventure regarding these moves.

Despite all of this work, our amazing teachers and educational assistants participated enthusiastically in professional learning about our school wide focus on Critical Thinking.

Please check back before the end of March break. We will have more news and pictures to share!

Transitioning to our new classes:

Transitioning to our new classes:

As this week progresses, the feeling of change is becoming more palpable at Parkview. Workers in hard hats are visiting our building and it is becoming a reality that the construction is about to begin.

In order to reduce our students' anxiety and to answer their questions, teachers have been talking about the changes happening at Parkview. Classes that are moving have been talking about their new classrooms and in some cases have visited them. All students who are moving (with the exception of our students moving out to the new portable in Ms. Kuczynski's class) will have visited their new space by the end of Thursday. Their desks, chairs and materials will be moved on Thursday night and will be in place when they get to school on Monday March 17. Teachers will also show students the place where they will line up outside and the doors from which they will enter and exit the building. Specific confirmation of where students will be lining up and entering the building will be sent to parents via email over the break as refinements continue to happen as a result of the snow and ice.

Over the break, you can help us by talking to your children about the fact that their class is moving and reassuring them that their teacher, desk and their belongings will all be waiting for them when they return. Remind them that their class will still all be together and that the learning and routines for he most part will continue as they did before the break.

Most of the reaction that we have seen from our students has been very positive. They see this as an adventure. Most children adapt easily to change...we tend to struggle with it as adults more than they do. Our own attitude is a crucial part in developing the ease with which our children adapt and thrive in a multitude of environments. Adaptability is a life skill critical to student success and this is an opportunity to assist our children in learning that they are strong and resilient and that they can learn and grow from change.

Moving Day is on its way!

Moving day is on its way!

As many of you are aware, we will be starting the process of relocating a number of our primary classes, our library and one of our grade eight classes starting Friday of this week. As Friday is a professional activity (PA) day your children will not feel the effects of this move if they are in one of the classes below until they return to their newly set up classes first day back after March Break!

The classes that are moving are as follows:

Ms. Nakada's class will be moving from the Kindergarten room to room 10 across the hall.
Ms. Kuczynski's class will be moving from Room 10 to a new portable classroom.
Ms. Yeung and Mr. DaPonte's classes will be moving to the library.
Ms. Shim will move from her class to Room 2.
Mr. Suleiman's class will move from Room 2 to the staff room.
Our library will move from the library after the break, to Ms. Crockett's room.
Ms. Crokett's class will move from her room to Mr. DaPonte's former classroom after the additional exit is constructed after the break.

Much thought and discussion has gone into the planning of these moves at all levels of the school and the school board. We have endeavored to make this as least disruptive to our students as possible. 
 
Rest assured that teachers are still teaching and students are still learning. Staff is working hard to ensure that student learning is still happening. Staff will also be participating in professional learning as scheduled on Friday to ensure that student learning continues to be enhanced as school continues through the last third of our school year.

Many thanks to our teachers who have been working hard to pack boxes and get ready for this move on their own time as they continue to teach our students. Also thanks to our caretakers and other staff and colleagues who are working to support our teachers and students through this change. 

Next blog...tips on transitioning young children through changes such as moves!

Construction, Construction!

Construction, Construction!

As we near the beginning of our renovations it seemed prudent that we review some of the changes that have occurred thus far this year at Parkview with regards to our physical plant.

• We have cleaned up the school, staff have removed a great deal of clutter and we have recycled old books, desks, appliances and furniture.
• The school halls have been painted
• Classroom sinks and cupboards have been repaired
• Classroom doors have been painted
• Our staff utility area has been deep cleaned
• Wooden cabinets and other objects in the halls that constituted a fire risk have been removed
• Our old Kitchenette has been gutted to provide us with our first gym storage room 
• Fire exits have been cleared and cleaned out
• We have an additional set of hooks now placed in the hall for our junior students (this has made a huge difference)
• Over March Break the portables will be deep cleaned
• Our computer lab has been disbanded and now classes have additional computers available for daily student use 
• 25 security cameras have been installed in the hallways and outside of the school to reduce vandalism.