CVESC Newsletter

Many thanks to our teachers Mrs. Wiebe, Mme Labelle and Mme Beaupré who provided 50 CVES parents with valuable information on how to support developing their child's literacy skills at home. With the help of our library technician Mrs. Atkins and our grade 8 babysitters, parents and children in attendance had an opportunity to view online Tumble Books and sign up for a library card. These books are available through the Ottawa Public Library. Monika Ferenzcy, President of the Ottawa Chapter of Canadian Parents for French (CPF), spoke about the CPF mandate "a national network of volunteers that values French as an integral part of Canada and is dedicated to the promotion and creation of French second language learning opportunities for young Canadians." School Council is now an associate member of this organization which you can find through a link on our website, CVES.

Parent Supported Literacy Program

Thank you to our 12 amazing parent volunteers who are providing one-on-one or small group reading opportunities in French and English regularly throughout the week for 54 students in grades 1 to 3 who have been nominated by their classroom teacher for additional reading support. Our primary classroom teachers feel tht this program, now in its third year at CVES, is helping to improve the literacy skills of our young readers. Thanks also to Ms. Davidson, our Learning Suppport Teacher, for providing our parent volunteers with an orientation and training session earlier in November. If you have questions about this program or are interested in volunteering, please contact Heather Wilson.

Volunteers in Action at CVES

The CVES council would like to thank the numerous hands it takes to help organize the milk and hot lunch program. Below is a picture of Trudy Docksteader working so diligently at organizing a hot lunch day. Also is a picture of Dana Goodwin and her Mom, Marlene Godwin, two volunteers of the milk program. Thanks for your help ladies, without you these programs could not operate.

Premier's Awards for Teaching Excellence

Do you have an outstanding teacher that you would like to recognize? If you would like to nominate a teacher at CVES, please send in your nomination to the Ministry of Education. The deadline is January 31, 2011.

We Day and the CVES Vow of Silence

On Friday November 12^th, twelve grade 8 CVES students participated in We Day 2010, in Montreal, an initiative put on by Free the Children in order to promote awareness for children's rights and social change. CVES students were able to attend motivational presentation (bilingual) from Free the Children speakers, Jimmy and Melanie, who also did a 50 minute count down in the CVES Vow of Silence. Keeping silent represents children that don't have a voice - those who are kept silent by poverty, war and depression. During the Vow of Silence students watched the video "It takes a child", a documentary on Craig Kielburger and his organization, Free the Children. On November 20^th, some students participated in the 24 hour Vow of Silence - no talking, texting, and e-mailing for 24 hours. Participants raised pledges through donations and all proceeds went to the Adopt a Village Alternative Income program with Free the Children. If you missed the Vow of Silence, remember, there's always next year! Our goal this year was to raise $500. $1,245 was raised for alternative income in Sierra Leone. Thank you so much to everyone! Be the change.

Authors: Paige H and Lydia H

Upcoming Consultations on Special Education Clasess

The OCDSB would like to invite anyone interested in attending a meeting on Special Education Classes, Programs and Services for 2011-2012. A reference report is posted on the board website, OCDSB. Two consultations will take place

Monday November 29th, 7pm to 8 pm, Henry Munro Middle School, Library, 2105 Kender Ave, Gloucester

Wednesday, December 8th, 7 pm to 8 pm, D. Aubrey Moodie Intermediate School, Library, 595 Moodie Drive, Nepean

Christmas Shopping Day and Christmas Craft Day are Coming!!!

Christmas Shopping Day

Now includes students from JK to grade six!
Children will be able to shop for their family, all for the price of a Toonie!
Grades five and six will shop on Monday, December 13^th; and
JK to grade four will shop on Tuesday, December 14th.

Christmas Craft Day

Tuesday, December 14^th; and
Grade seven's and eight's will be making Good Luck Spiders to support student Megan S's breast cancer fundraiser.

To volunteer for Christmas Shopping Day, please contact Laurel Perry-Hapli.

To volunteer for Christmas Craft Day, please contact Marg Clunie.

To volunteer to provide food for our all-day volunteers on Tuesday, December 14th, please contact Michele Piironen.

Grade 8 Year End Trip Fundraiser

A huge thanks to parent, Angela Hayward who volunteered to organize the Everyday Style fundraiser to help students with a way to offset the cost of their year end trip. Grade 8's also have the opportunity to provide childcare at some of the parent information nights this year and further reduce their trip cost. Thank you to six grade 8 students who provided care for over 20 children at the our recent Literacy at Home parent information night and also taught them how to access online books through the Ottawa Public Library TumbleBook collection in our computer lab during this session.

Another Successful McMillan's Fundraiser!

CVES school has had another successful McMillian's fundraiser! A big thank you to the coodinator of this fundraiser, Susanna Penning. We sold 1414 units and raised $4,738.50! Thank you to everyone who participated and a reminder that orders are to be picked up Thursday Novemeber 25th, starting at 3:15 to 6:30 in the gym.

Check Out Our New Council Website!

Parent web coordinator Tracy Lager and Web master Leslie Segal have finished our new council websire! It's chock-full of:

CVES Council news and information

Fundraising details

Useful resources

Forms

A calender of events

Just to name a few!

The middle or "main" area of the home page is a blog and is updated frequently. The most recent information may be found towards the top and as it replaces older posts, these posts will still be available for you to access. If you wish to receive email updates every time something new is posted, you may subscribe to the blog using the widget found on the left side of out site titled "CVES Blog Subscription".

Vist our new site at castorvalley.ca

CVES Christmas Concert- December 8th, 7 pm.

carollers

Please mark your calanders for the CVES Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 8th from 7 pm to 8 pm, in the gym (snow storn date: Thursday, December 9th). This year the CVES concert will feature the Junior Choir, Grade 7 Band, Concert Band and individual classes. We are asking that attendants please bring a non-perishable item for the local community food bank.

Next Council Meeting

The next School Council meeting will be on Thursday January 13th, 2011 from 7 to 9 pm in the library. Topics for discussion included:

Mrs. Heard, the intermediate Arts Program
Healthy Schools 2020 Initiative-Andree Raymond, Public Health Nurse
OCDSB Trustee Mark Fisher
Update on the Playground Improvement Project

Please contact Chair, Heather Wilson, for more information

Castor Valley Ukulele Club

Thanks to parent volunteer Chantal LeBlanc, grade 4 to 8 students will have the opportunity to join in the Castor Valley Ukulele Club starting in January. Visit CVES website for details and how to sign up

Movember and the Castor Valley Mo Bros!

CVES male teachers and Chief Custodian, Mr. Jeff, are participating in Movember.....no, this is not a typo, Its Moustache + November. Movember is a month-long campaign that asks men to grow their best moustache, all in efforts to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer research. Our team is called the Castor Valley Mo Bros, and they are asking for your support by going online to Movember, and donating to their team.

Pop Tabs- Still Collect Them!

Castor Valley is still collecting pop tabs! The tabs are recycled for cash and the proceeds sent to Ontario March of Dimes to provide a wheel chair for someone in need. We are now working on our third wheel chair. Please send your tabs in with your child. There is a collection can in each homeroom class.