The Police vs. Grade 1

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Derek Logan

If you happen to be in the KCS lobby be sure to watch for more photos on our TV.

On Tuesday morning, at drop off, I was out in the plaza in front of the school when Officer Rich, our community police officer, pulled up in his cruiser. He was here to speak to our grade 6-8 students on the topic of bullying and cyber bullying. Before entering the school, Officer Rich suggested that, after his talk with the older kids, we could bring some of the younger students outside and they could climb in the cruiser, ask him questions, etc. In a momentary lapse of reason, I spoke with the grade 1 teachers and offered to take their classes outside for the twenty minutes of morning recess.

So at 10:20, I lined the grade 1 students up in the hallway and we marched outside. Thankfully Ms. Borg, one of the grade 1 teachers, volunteered to come with me and take some photos, although I had confidently said to her beforehand, “If a police officer and a principal cannot handle 33 grade 1 students, there’s a problem.” Five minutes later, after we had rounded up the students for a photo op behind the black iron fencing :), the students were given the opportunity to climb in the cruiser and look around. The fun began. The energy and curiosity of the students was amazing to watch, it was like a beehive: constant activity. Some students were asking questions of Officer Rich, while others were arguing with each other about who was sitting in the cruiser the longest. They each had an opportunity to wear Officer Rich’s hat, and that in itself created some interesting conversations. Another student found a worm and decided it would be a good idea to chase some of her classmates. And by this time it was only 10:27. How would I survive the next thirteen minutes? I thought to myself… I need a nap.

I always tell parents that I really enjoy having the grade 1 classes across the hall from my office. If I ever want a little humour in my day, all I need to do is visit their classes or stand in the hallway as they are getting ready to go to their next activity. Those few minutes each day help to put my role at the school in perspective, and they certainly make me appreciate the quality of people we have teaching our primary students at KCS. Next time I have a bright idea to volunteer, I hope I remember this twenty minutes, and do it anyway.

Derek Logan
Head of School

Drinking From the Stanley Cup

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Derek Logan

Three or four of you might have watched the conclusion to the NHL season last night. If you are really interested, you may have watched the postgame celebration on the ice and in the dressing room with the Cup. You may have asked yourselves, I wonder what the liquid is they are drinking when they pass the Stanley Cup around. A KCS grade one boy has the answer.

Last week, I was sitting at my desk at the end of lunchtime, when two grade 1 boys asked if they could come in and speak to me. The first boy asked me if I could do anything I want in my job. Before I was able to respond, his sidekick looked over at a poster I have in my office with Bobby Orr drinking out of the Stanley Cup after winning it in 1972. At the bottom of the poster it states: TRIUMPH: “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”—Thomas Paine. He asked me who was in the photo and why is he drinking out of the Cup?

I told him the photo was of Bobby Orr and it was taken in the dressing room right after the Bruins won the Cup. This caused him to pause, look at the poster and then back at me and ask, “So he was really thirsty so he poured some water into the Stanley Cup and had a big drink?” “Exactly,” was my response.

Derek Logan
Head of School

Grade 1s outside my office

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Derek Logan

A few blog posts ago, I wrote about what two grade one boys said outside my office during one of our Spirit Days. Moments ago I overheard another two grade one boys says to each other: “I wish my schedule was: “Gym, Gym, Gym, Gym, Lunch, Recess, Recess, Recess.” Dream big, boys. You just can’t make this stuff up. Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Derek Logan
Head of School

Act with Empathy

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Andrea Fanjoy

One of our grade one classes had a big talk last week about the habit ‘Act with Empathy’. A classmate was away that day having teeth extracted, so they all thought about what they could say to express their empathy and make him feel better. Here is what they came up with:

I feel bad for you.
I hope you feel better soon.
I hope your mouth doesn’t hurt.
I hope you come back to school tomorrow.
I miss you.
How did it feel?
I’m really sorry for you.
I hope you can come back to school tomorrow.
I hope you get better soon.
I hope your teeth get better soon.
I hope you get used to it.
I hope your teeth grow in soon.
I hope you could get a good rest in your bed today.
I hope you can have some fun tomorrow.
I hope you lie down in your bed so you have energy for tomorrow.
I hope you can go to school tomorrow and you can eat apples, your favourite.
You can cut up your apple.

Empathy matters, so we teach it at KCS. ‘Sharing What We Know’ also matters, so we do that too. If someone in your life could use a little empathy and you’re wondering what to say, revisit this post. The grade ones know what to do.

Andrea Fanjoy,
Assistant Head, Academics

Grade 1s are So Honest

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Derek Logan

Today we had a Spirit Day at KCS. It was beach day. I was sitting in my office with one of my colleagues with my door open. My office is across the hall from the grade 1 classrooms. The younger students are always interested in seeing what the faculty and staff wear on Spirit Days. The two boys peeked their heads in to see what I was wearing – my Toronto Maple Leafs beach shirt, shorts and sandals. One of the boys said to the other, “He doesn’t look that weird.”

Derek Logan
Head of School