It’s been a busy month for the Grade 6 classroom. We have finished Animal Classification in Science and have moved on to Flight. In Math we are beginning to look at decimals, and in art we are working on origami. Outside of academics we cheered loudly as a class at the Senior Boys Basketball tournament on January 13th. On January 17th we are having a class potluck for lunch. 2012 is looking like an exciting time for Grade 6!

Well it has proven to be difficult to get back to the grind after the Christmas Holidays! We are finally back on track and keeping very busy! The class decided they wanted to learn about the Titanic for a few weeks before starting our Canadian Provinces and Territories Unit. This Titanic mini unit has really caught the interest of the entire class, and we have been learning tons of interesting information! On April 15, 2012, it will be the 100th anniversary since the sinking of the Titanic so the students are taking a special inter- est in the history. We are kept busy with a visit from the Science Center on the 17th and an upcoming Grade 5 class trip (information will be sent out at a later date)! Looks like the cold winter weather is right around the corner…

Ms. Angela Rancourt

Since we’ve only been back at school for a couple of weeks, there isn’t much new from the last newsletter update. The grade two’s have finished their math unit on adding and subtracting to eighteen and have begun their next unit on measurement. The grade three’s are also completing their unit on adding and subtracting with Mr. Woods-Fehr. In social studies, we are finally nearing the end of our communities unit and will have a quiz near the end of next week. I hope to sneak in a mini unit on needs and wants before the Winter break next month. We have also been quite en- gaged in science learning about all of the different groups and classifications of animals. In health class, we are shifting from the topic of bullying to what makes a good friend. During ELA, we have been reading several short stories working on different reading strategies such as making connections, visualizing, inferring, learning new vocabulary, comprehension, and working on our fluency and expression as we read. We have also spent a fair amount of time learning how to organize our thoughts and ideas as we write.

The end of January marks the halfway point of the school year, and with it brings a semester end as well as Semester exams running the week of January 24th to 27th. Senior students, please note the exam schedule so you are prepared for your final evaluations. This is a reminder that there will be no school on January 30th while teachers prepare for semester 2 that starts January 31st.

As I discussed in December’s newsletter, there will be an opportunity for Grade 12 students to take Career Work Experience A30 in semester two again this year but we will be run- ning the program in a different format. Stu- dents will take the course in two separate 5 day weeks, March 5-9 and May 7-11, ensuring a more realistic experience at the jobsite. It is important to receive this credit that the students do not miss one of those days, and will need to arrange another day to complete it if missed. Students will be responsible to arrange their travel to the work placement. Give me a call if you have some questions I can answer.

The Grades K-7 took part in some hands on Science projects when some students from the Saskatchewan Science Center visited Hanley School on January 17th. They always do a great job to involve students and get them interested in Science. A couple of players from the Saskatoon Blades will be out on January 24th to see the Grades 6-9 students as part of a program they call Project Face-Off, aimed at educating kids about the effects and consequences of substance abuse. January 27th will see the Grade 7 students heading to Table Mountain for a day of skiing.

Both the curling and basketball season’s are underway with the Senior Boys Basketball host- ing their home tourna- ment last weekend, and the Junior Girls Basketball hosting the weekend of January 21. Hanley will be hosting Senior Curling Conferences February 10th-11th.

On an informational note about the school building, we have installed sixty new lockers in the middle years hall- way and we were able to have seven new data projectors installed in the classrooms, connecting them to the classroom computer for extra resource possibilities for teachers. We’re hoping to make some changes to the gym sound system this school year as well, but the cost for those improvements may be more than we can budget for in the remainder of this year.

As always, drop in to see Mr. Anderson and me sometime. We’d love to say Hi. Take care and I’ll talk to you soon.

Mr. Chris Tucker Principal

We’ve had the luxury of very little snow to deal with this winter, but I’m finding it strange to get ready for the break with- out some more of the white stuff on the ground.

Students and staff alike are looking forward to the break starting next week on December 22nd following the festivities of Christmas Dinner on December 21st. Classes resume on January 3rd this year and senior students will be spending some serious weeks preparing for the Semester 1 exams the week of Janu- ary 23rd-27th. There will be no school on January 30th while teachers prepare for semester 2 that starts January 31st.

There will be an opportunity for Grade 12 stu- dents to take Career Work Experience A30 in semester two again this year but we will be running the program in a different approach. Students will take the course in two separate 5 day weeks, ensuring a more realistic experience at the jobsite. More information will be sent home in January but give me a call if you have some questions I can answer.

I want to take a moment to tell you how proud we have been of the four interns in our school this fall and wish them our best as they return to university after the break. Hanley School was very fortunate to have four quality people to share our students with and we know that they will have a great career at teaching. Good luck to Mrs Kinzell, Ms Rugg, Ms Clark and Mr Cavanaugh and thank- you on behalf of the staff and students for your efforts, hard work, humour, participation and planning in our school and its events this semester.

If you were unable to attend the Christmas Concert this week you missed a great perfor- mance by the K-6 stu- dents. Congratulations students on your work to prepare and to the teach- ers and all staff and stu- dent helpers who con- tributed to getting them ready for the big night. You did a wonderful job!

On a personal note, I would like to wish you and your family a safe Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas. As always, drop in to see Mr Anderson and me some- time. We’d love to say Hi. Take care and I’ll talk to you soon.

Mr. Chris Tucker