I’m sure it makes us a heartier brand of people to live in a part of the country with such varied weather and to raise our children in the same environment. Given the level of heat in the summer, and the bitter cold in the winter we can live through, and the changes that can happen within 24 hours, we really should feel lucky to deal with it and be proud to live in Saskatchewan. While you’re being proud with me, can I remind you that we send students out for recess until minus 25 degrees, and that our bus drivers are expecting the students they pick up to have adequate warm clothing with them for the bus trips to school and back home.

The Career Fair we took the grades 11 and 12 to this last month was a good trip and had many students talking about their future plans. I’ve encouraged a number of students who are planning to pursue a trades career route to sign up for the Youth Apprenticeship Program at the office. The YAP helps students prepare for that trades career and gives them some rewards for starting their planning in their high school years.

I’d like to remind you that our school is continuing its focus on our multi-year School Goals. Our Literacy Goal and its supporting Professional Learning Community is about targeting students who are struggling with reading or are reading below grade level and making strides to help them improve. Our Math Goal and its supporting PLC measures students at three grade levels and looks for gaps in their prior knowledge, giving classroom teachers opportunity to reteach or supplement their lessons with help to get the students back on track. We’re looking forward to our future results. Take time to ask the staff about their work towards student success.

This next Monday is a day away from school for students as teachers have the day for class preparation. It also is the first of two weeks this year that the Grade 12s will be away at work sites for their Career Work Experience class. Good luck Grade 12s and work hard as your work placement may provide you with a great reference for your resume.

Parents, I hope you had a chance to sit down with your child and look through their report card and behavioural report this weekend. Reports went out on Friday, Nov 15. It was great to see the student progress and the comments about how they’re doing in class.

That’s all for now. For further information and updates from the students and classrooms, check out our school website at https://blogs.spiritsd.ca/hanley/.  As always, Mr. Anderson and I would love to talk to you if you have time to drop by the office or give us a call. Talk to you soon.