Looking back: looking forward

Exactly one year ago my family packed up our house and took off to Europe for three months. I find myself thinking a lot about the trip, about our experiences, about how much we have done in the past twelve months and where I find myself today.

The trip was life-changing. Certainly for my daughters, they now have a deeper understanding of the world, of opportunities. They have made connections with places and people, and we all speak about reconnecting with those we care about, be that friends, old or new, the farm in Languedoc or the market in Paris, and we know that we will be returning. It is not a question of "if," only "when."

For me, the trip was about taking a break for the status quo, pressing pause on my work, my career, exploring other ways of being, and perhaps testing the waters for an alternative lifestyle. I did bring some of that back home with me. My garden is blooming and growing with flowers and vegetables. I spent Easter recreating it to reflect the Italian gardens we saw. We eat more simply, good breads and cheeses, fresh local fruit and veg.  My life is as busy as before, with all the demands of work and parenting and money, but the stress has slipped away. Maybe it is because I have a richer perspective now. I don't have the two hour lunches and siestas we had in the Midi and Tuscany, but I do take more time for myself. I try to fit in walks, runs, friends, writing and painting, cooking and gardening, time with my daughters. These are the things that are important.

And so I look forward. To living simply. To sharing this mode de vie with others. To planning trips and overseas experiences for my daughters and for myself . . . in time. I am in no rush to head off again, but rather I will consciously work to create a better life here, now. I am asking myself how can I enrich my life. By developing community - in my neighbourhood, among friends, among colleagues, at school, in Victoria. By growing myself - looking after my body, my mind, my spirit. By getting involved - in local issues and organizations. By living every day like I am on holiday - taking advantage of each moment, of opportunities, of relishing experiences and of appreciating every one I meet, at least as much as I can.

And if I can live this way, living each day fully and with appreciation, taking time for myself and for others, all good things will follow and I will have no regrets.

End of April Update

It has been a busy few weeks and I imagine it should continue for the rest of the year.

RESEARCH PROJECTS & CONGRÈS:
To start off I would like to congratulate all the students who completed and presented their research at the Congrès a couple of weeks ago. I had great feedback from the staff who attended and helped me evaluate. Despite a few technical difficulties, students did a phenomenal job of researching and presenting.

The final element of the Huit pas Rite of passage is for students to undertake 20 hours of volunteering. This could be around school, helping with neighbours and friends, with businesses or non-profits. The goal is to allow students to give back to their community, gain skills and experience, and further clarify their interests. A tally sheet can be found here. (Volunteering from any time this school year is acceptable as long as it can be verified by the supervising adult).

REPORT CARDS:
You have likely been hearing about Report Cards in the news. Yes, teachers will be completing reports cards this week. You will be receiving your child's report next Monday, April 30th. The reports will be abridged, consisting of a letter grade covering work in the first two terms and a work habits code (Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Needs Improvement). There will only be comments if there has been a significant change in progress since last term. As always, I am more than happy to meet with you or have a phone conversation if you have any questions or concerns. We are writing reports to comply with last Friday's Labour Relations Board order, but there is still a great deal of frustration with the provincial government and Bill 22 which I feel with hurt students, your kids and my own. Feel free to write to the Premier and Minister of Education to encourage them to create a fair mediation process and repeal Bill 22.

FIELD TRIPS:
There are a few events coming up that you should know about.

• Wednesday-Saturday: Band Trip to Kelowna
• Thursday, 9:30-2:30: For those not on the trip, Chinatown exploration with Div 15 and 17; please join us for all or part of the day.
  
• Friday 12:45-2:45: Crystal Pool swim with all Immersion classes; please come along!
• Monday, April 30: Report Cards home
• Wednesday/Thursday, May 2-3: Previously scheduled Student-Led Conferences cancelled; contact me, Mme Brault or Mme Balabuch if you would like to set up a meeting at another time.
• Thursday, May 10th, 7:00 pm: Dig It school musical at Vic High
  
• Thursday, May 17th: District Transition Day - all Grade 8s to visit their high schools.
• Friday, May 18th: Pro-D Day
  
• Thursday, June 7th: Curriculum Completion Day
• Thursday/Friday, June 14-15: Grade 8 Final Exams (Math, Socials and English only)
  
• Monday June 18-Wednesday June 20th: Camping Trip to French Beach (Div 15, 16 & 17) - please mark on your calendars. If you would like to join us on this trip (details to follow in May), please let me know and ensure that you have a current (within last 12 months) criminal record check. Though this is a voluntary extracurricular trip on the part of the Grade 8 Immersion teachers, we have chosen to take this trip to celebrate and bring closure to the year.
• Friday, June 22nd: Grade 8 Celebration - a final celebration for Grade 8s (note: there is no graduation ceremony for middle schools) consisting of a student planned lunch and dance; please do not plan to be away this day or you'll hear it from your kids!
  

CURRICULUM:
In French and Socials we are studying the Middle Ages. Students have an assigned role (serf, knight, noble, miller, etc.) and will look at medieval life through that lens. We will look at class and gender roles, the power of the Church, the rise of cities and the bourgeoisie, art, literature, justice, a quick look at medieval Japan, and end with a Medieval Feast in a few weeks. In French students are continuing to read their Lit Circle books and discuss them on Wednesdays and gleefully conjugate verbs and learn how to use "complements d'objet direct et indirect" (ex. Je la lance, tu lui écris un lettre).

In Science we are continuing to learn about Optics (light, lenses, vision) and we will be dissecting sheep eyes next week! There is a mix of horror and excitement about that! We will then move on to microscopes, cells and the immune system.

In Math the class is working on the Pythagorean Theorem and Geometry. They have begun Track and Field in Phys Ed.
In English they are finishing up their Radio Plays. If you haven't listened to your child's play, do ask them. They are very entertaining.

And that will keep us busy for the next month or so!