Could-Be Blogs

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Andrea Fanjoy

Each weekend, I carve out time to sit down, reflect on the week, and decide what to write about for the blog. Each weekend, I struggle with the fact that for every blog that’s written, there are easily ten that could be.

This weekend, I chose not to struggle. Here are ten events that I had the pleasure of witnessing and could have easily written more about, but won’t this time.

Our first Primary Awards Day for 2013-2014, where individual students were recognized for exceptional demonstration of our habits. It’s pretty inspiring to see how hard these 5 to 7 year-olds are working at following the three school rules, taking responsible risks, acting with empathy, showing self-control and persisting at what’s tough.
Hearing the story at a cross-country tournament this week of one of our fastest male runners, fighting for first, going neck-and-neck with a female from De La Salle, losing by a pace, but making a point of high-fiving and saying “Good race”.
Watching dozens of our students participating for the first time in the Brock University Caribou math challenge http://www.brocku.ca/caribou/
Seeing the return of the student leadership project ‘Save That Species’, an awareness-raising and highly entertaining game-show skit that informs us of endangered animals and what we can do to help them
‘Free-Hug-High-Five Friday’, another student initiative in its third year, where students, parents and teachers are greeted with a show of affection as they arrive for school.
Following our SK students on Twitter (check out our Twitter feed @KCSMatters and look for their hashtag #KCS_SK)
Learning of how hard the grade 8s are working to prepare for Remembrance Day, not because they’ve been told to but because they want to
Finding out that one of our grade 6 boys entered a contest to create a new Pokémon character, and won!
Joining our first Open House of the year and having the chance to meet and chat with parents and children keen to join KCS. I love sharing what happens here.
Watching our older students get up and speak at assembly, marveling at how confident and skilled they’ve become at public speaking over their years at KCS.

Our first Pizza Lunch, ‘Compliment Friday’, class meetings, field trips, other stories from the cross-country tournament, our girls’ basketball team and many other topics could have easily been added to the list.

A school with 413 students has a lot going on each week. With our Four Doors to Learning program at KCS, what goes on is pretty great. I look forward to explaining more when I write next weekend.

Andrea Fanjoy,
Assistant Head, Academics
You can follow Andrea on Twitter @afanjoy.

You Gotta Try This

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Andrea Fanjoy

In need of a work-day boost? Fed-up with the February blahs? In general need of a joyful escape but March Break is still too far away?

Our eight-year-olds know just what you need.

A group of five girls spent weeks putting it all together. They developed the plan, checked with their teachers, found a date that worked, and chose the DJ.

‘We Gotta Dance’ was a dance party for all grade twos and any available teachers. For 20 minutes, we boogied to “Gangnum Style”, “Call Me Maybe” and other good-time tunes that banish the blahs. Boys, girls, and lucky teachers, shimmied, sang, ran, laughed, rocked and rolled.

If your workplace has a vacant room, and a boss who’s willing, you gotta give this a try. This is a boost that’s as good for the body as it is for the bottom line.

It Takes a Village

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Andrea Fanjoy

What does it take to make the world a better place? It takes a village of children – children who are empowered to do so, that is. Here’s what happens when you have such a village:

Four boys in grade 4 are organizing a Haunted House fundraiser for breast cancer research;
Five girls in grade 2 are organizing a food drive, and four others a toy drive;
Two girls in grade 4 are ramping up for their third year of their “Fair Food Friday” awareness campaign;
Two others in grade 4 spoke at assembly to remind everyone to say thank you when the door is held for them;
Two gentlemen in grade 8 are preparing for this year’s “Walk to School Wednesday” campaign (which has led to exponential increases since it began three years ago in the number of students walking to and from school);
Two other grade 8s are delivering math enrichment workshops for younger students;
A group in grade six is organizing an art contest;
A group in grade 7 is organizing our school’s participation in “The Vow of Silence” to promote awareness of and an end to child labour;
One new student in grade three took the initiative to pick up garbage on the field beyond what was asked;
Another new student in grade three taught his class about his favourite charity “Helping Hands”;
All of our grade four students helped organize our Terry Fox Run;
Sixteen House Captains stirred up our KCS spirit;
“Compliment Friday”;
“Free Hug and High Five Friday”;
“Talent for Treats”;
“Turn Out the Lights Tuesday”;
Volleyball for the Food Bank;
A winter coat drive;
Art for shelters;
Club leaders;
Recess helpers;
Lunch supervisors…

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Be sure to visit our homepage for regularly updated student-led leadership initiatives – we’ll be featuring them in the news feed.

The world has a lot of room to be made better. Adults are unable to do it alone. Empower the children in your village to use their talents and desires to make a difference. You’ll be amazed at the difference they make.

Andrea Fanjoy,
Assistant Head, Academics

You can follow Andrea on Twitter @afanjoy.