Joyeux printemps

It is good to be back after a couple of weeks off. I enjoyed hearing about everything that students did over the break, holidays to the sun and snow and rain, tournaments, time with friends, movies, books, and all things Hunger Games. I had a quiet break in town, baking and gardening with my daughters, reading (including Hunger Games 1 & 2!) and a quick trip last weekend back to the Juan de Fuca Trail.

I can't believe we are a week from April. The year has gone by quickly and this final term always flies by. In French and Socials we will be finishing up our Media unit over the next two weeks, then plunging into the Middle Ages and finishing the year looking at the Renaissance. We have just started another Lit Circle round, this time with discussions in class and on the Wikispaces site (at http://mbarwin.wikispaces.com/project/list) once a week or more. We will also look at French literature from medieval times through to Molière, a French contemporary of Shakespeare.

In English students will be working on Radio Plays. In Science we are continuing our study of optics, followed by microscopes, cells, body systems and ending with ecology.

Here is what is coming up over the next couple of weeks:

• Thursday, March 29th: High School counselors will be joining us to guide students through the course selection process. Students will be bringing home course booklets and forms for you to sign and return.
• Thursday/Friday March 29-30: Choir Trip to Powell River.
• Friday March 29th, 9:15-12:00: Broadway Brilliance concert at the Royal Theatre with the Victoria Symphony and Cdn College of Performing Arts; we will be walking down at 9:15 and require at least one adult to help supervise; please email back if you can come along.
• Friday afternoon: Restoring Natural Ecosystems program, with visiting expert from UVic. Feel free to join us for this indoor/outdoor experience.

• Wednesday, April 4th: Rite of Spring Concert
• Thursday, April 5th: Research Project Conference - at long last, students will be presenting their research to their peers, families and the Central community; we are working on the schedule but I will post it on the Wiki and send it out to you next week.
• Friday, April 6th & Monday, April 9th: Easter (no school)
  
• Tuesday, April 10th: Media to Change the World project due (a group project including a poster, an radio message and a video, to be posted on the Wiki).
• Friday, April 13th: Complete research project due (title page, table of contents, all chapters, revised if necessary, etc.); this is the final chance to submit work for the research project.

I did send home Term Two marks before the break. If you have not seen the mark/self-evaluation form, let me know and I can send you the Term 2 grades. As always, please feel free to send me a note or leave a message at school if you have any questions or concerns.

Joyeux printemps!