Junior kindergarten students at St. Francis celebrated Valentine’s Day in style. Students decorated their red paper hats with valentine cards they received from classmates. Students sang songs, listened to poems, stories and made crafts for their families to celebrate the special day.

Ms Peterson’s 1/2 class celebrated the 100th Day of School on February 11th this year. The preparation for the celebration starts in September as part of the math curriculum. Starting the first day of school until the 100th Day number sense math concepts are taught visually, orally, and “tactilely,” as well as, reinforced daily: calendar, identification and value of coins, counting by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, 25’s forwards and backwards, adding using regrouping for ones, tens, hundreds and the importance of ten as anchor number. A puppet named “Zero The Hero” comes to visit the students every ten school days with lifesaver candies to reinforce the concepts previously listed, as well as, the importance of zero in a number for place value. The preparation from the first day of school to the 100th day of school allows the children to experience number sense concepts in a fun way.

For the class celebration on February 11th, the grade 1/2 class decorated 100 Day crowns with cheerios using ideas from a math cheerio counting book, and brought clothing from home that represented the number 100 in some way, along with a home-made collection of 100 things to display. A classroom book was created about 100 Wishes for the principal. The children played several games that included counting to 100 in a variety of ways ( orally, physically in the gym and using dice). Also, several jars of valentine candy were on display and the children had to estimate which jar contained 100 candies. The week prior to the 100th Day the students made predictions about the book, “100 Day Worries.” Of course, the classroom puppet, “Zero The Hero,” came for a visit wearing a special 100th Day costume and a special zero shaped treat. Lastly, and the class favourite, is SNACK. The snack is selecting ten pieces of candy from ten bowls with different kinds of candy to collect and place the pieces on an individual 100 Chart mat. The children get to eat ten rows of 10 different types of candy. Many six and seven year old children have been heard to say during this activity, “This is the greatest day of their entire school life!”

On Friday, February 11th, the Marymount ski team competed in the city championships held at Adanac ski hill. Team members include Kate Palkovits, Tori Jewell, Mackenzie Webber, Lyndsay Greasley, Danielle Burla, Brittany Major, and Vanessa Bulfon. Under beautiful sunny skies, the team showed once again this year that they are a force to be reckoned with. Led by Gr. 11 student Kate Palkovits, Marymount finished in first place among all Level One skiers. There were record numbers this year for the female racers, so this was quite the accomplishment. On Tuesday, February 15th, the team moved on to compete at the Northern Ontario level and after some unbelievably competitive skiing by girls from all over Sudbury and North Bay, Marymount once again proved that they were #1 and captured the overall Level One NOSSA title. Level One skiers are those who have never received any club racing training beyond the Nancy Green Level. The team now moves on to OFSAA, to be held at Blue Mountain in Collingwood on February 28th & March 1st. This is the second year in a row that Marymount has represented Northern Ontario at the provincial level. Some individual NOSSA results include:

Kate Palkovits:
2nd Place – Giants Slalom
1st Place – Slalom
1st Place – Overall Combined

Tori Jewell:
3rd Place – Giant Slalom

Mackenzie Webber:
5th Place – Giant Slalom

On Friday, February 11th, the Marymount ski team competed in the city championships held at Adanac ski hill. Team members include Kate Palkovits, Tori Jewell, Mackenzie Webber, Lyndsay Greasley, Danielle Burla, Brittany Major, and Vanessa Bulfon. Under beautiful sunny skies, the team showed once again this year that they are a force to be reckoned with. Led by Gr. 11 student Kate Palkovits, Marymount finished in first place among all Level One skiers. There were record numbers this year for the female racers, so this was quite the accomplishment. On Tuesday, February 15th, the team moved on to compete at the Northern Ontario level and after some unbelievably competitive skiing by girls from all over Sudbury and North Bay, Marymount once again proved that they were #1 and captured the overall Level One NOSSA title. Level One skiers are those who have never received any club racing training beyond the Nancy Green Level. The team now moves on to OFSAA, to be held at Blue Mountain in Collingwood on February 28th & March 1st. This is the second year in a row that Marymount has represented Northern Ontario at the provincial level. Some individual NOSSA results include:

Kate Palkovits:
2nd Place – Giants Slalom
1st Place – Slalom
1st Place – Overall Combined

Tori Jewell:
3rd Place – Giant Slalom

Mackenzie Webber:
5th Place – Giant Slalom

St. Francis school gym was the scene of the “South End Family Dance”. Students, parents, and teachers from St. Francis, St. Michael, St. Theresa, Corpus Christi and St. Christopher schools came together to dance to the tunes of DJ Bill McElree. Many thanks to all the parents, students and teachers who attended to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Thank you to the St. Theresa’s Cathoic School Council for funding the evening. Families came together to unite the school communities after many months of review and uncertainity. With a plan in place and the interest of students put first, this was time to celebrate and move forward. A wonderful evening of dance and fun was celebrated by all. Can food items were collected for those in need and will be forwarded to the “Inner City Home”

Have you ever wanted to tell someone what a wonderful friend they are? St. Anne’s Student Council members used February 14th as a way to let students and staff do exactly that. Candy-o-gram messages were sold by the council for a week previous to Valentine’s Day. Each candy-o-gram was purchased for $1.00 and then forwarded to classmates and family members throughout the school. Every message was attached to a small Valentine treat. Student council members from the Intermediate grades will continue to raise funds during school spirit events. Proceeds will go towards school activities.

Mr. Joe Cormier, Federal Liberal Candidate for Nickel Belt came to Capreol to speak to students and staff about the recognition of our Canadian Flag, on Flag Day. February 15th is National Flag of Canada Day. He spoke about the history of how the flag came to be. He spoke of the involvement of the Honorable Lester B. Pearson who, while Prime Minister, informed the House of Commons of the government’s desire to adopt a distinctive national flag for Canada. Our recognizable single leaf design was inaugurated at an official Parliament Hill ceremony on February 15, 1965 in the presence of the Governor General, His Excellency General the Right Honorable Georges Vanier, the Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Lester B. Pearson, members of Cabinet and Canadian parliamentarians. Mr. Cormier also brought a flag with him, through the efforts of his wife, Monique, that once flew on Parliament Hill. Students and staff alike, while singing O Canada, had the opportunity to hold and raise the flag. Mr. Cormier shared these words from the Honorable Maurice Bourget, Speaker of the Senate: “ The flag is the symbol of the nations’s unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion.” Students have the opportunity to participate in a special art project – drawing the Canadian Flag in a setting of their choice. Students will have a chance to win a Canadian Flag of their own, along with a copy of a book signed by The Hon. Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Opposition.