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Point Roberts Primary School News
March 2006

Principal’s Corner
by Nancy Bakarich
Hello from Principal, Nancy Bakarich! Some exciting news here at Point Roberts Primary is: Mrs. Ackerson, our librarian had her baby on December 19, 2005. She had a little girl named Elsa Jane. Both mom and daughter are doing well. We will look forward to her return in March and we know she will bring with her the “Mom Brag Picture Book”.
I was pleased to host my third Point Roberts Primary School Parent Coffee Talk for this school year. We are busy looking at ways to work together to enhance our school and to provide opportunities to include all students. Some of our topics were: Transition to the Blaine Campus, Before and After School Activities, and hosting Computer Time.
Math 101
Math is an area that we have been concentrating on to develop our skills and increase our knowledge. Here are some tips that may help you when working with your child in this area. Today’s math classes focus on more than just adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. While these skills are necessary, schools have expanded math to include logical and systematic thinking, the interpretations of data, and pattern recognition. Math teachers want students to understand the “hows” and “whys” as well as learn mathematical facts and formulas.
Parents can help children develop and reinforce the mathematical ideas, attitudes, and skills they learn at school by:
Being Enthusiastic. Children notice and copy their parents’ attitudes. If you tell your children that math is interesting and important, they will respond.
Showing math’s relevance. Show your children how mathematical skills and strategies can be used daily. From figuring out change to planning a route for errands to doubling a recipe, math is an important part of daily life. When you connect math to everyday activities, you take advantage of opportunities to reinforce mathematical thinking, and you send the message that math is relevant.
Playing math and strategy games. Nearly all board games involve some kind of math-counting, computing, or developing strategy. There are also books of math puzzles that you and your children can work on together. Ask your local toy store or bookstore for recommendations.
Reinforcing number facts. Practicing math skills at home will help your children succeed in the classroom. Count change, use flash cards, or play games.
Helping with homework. Teachers use homework to determine where children need more help in class. Offer to help your children when they’re stuck, but don’t give them all the answers.
Resources:
• Figure This! Contains challenging and engaging math problems for students in middle and upper elementary school. It also has information for parents. www.figurethis.org
• The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ Web site includes a “Families” area. www.nctm.org
• The Math Forum Web site provides links to a variety of online resources.
http://mathforum.org/parents.citizens.html
• The publications section of the Learning First Alliance’s Web site has tips for parents and an action plan designed to ensure every child is mathematically proficient. www.learningfirst.org
I hope these tips are helpful. I look forward to seeing you at our next coffee talk or during parent teacher conferences, which are coming up on March 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Have a wonderful Mid-Winter Break.

Kindergarten, First & Second Grade
by Rita Worth
Our dark, rainy winter school days were brightened by forced hyacinths and narcissus blooming inside our rooms. The inspiration came from a reading curriculum book HOW TO GROW HYACINTHS ( ...SUN FLOWERS, too...info in the spring news). We followed the steps in the reader. Bulbs were left in a closet for most of the fall and checked on regularly by the students. The Kindergartners each planted one outside. Of course the inside ones have now bloomed and waiting for the others continues. Besides the lovely fragrance we’re enjoying, anticipation was experienced and patience was tested. This hands on learning is invaluable for the young child.
The hands on approach is in full force as we prepare for our annual STUDENT SHOWCASE FAIR. This is an opportunity for children to “show” visually a collection, an accomplishment, a hobby, a pet, a favorite vacation, or anything else that they can display using pictures, writing, and objects. In the past we’ve seen rock, shell and money collections, trophies with pictures and ribbons, pets stories, pictures, and stuffed animal likenesses and many other varied displays. This year we may see projects on space, Oosoyos and cruise vacations, and dads’ jobs. We plan to add a school project or two to the FAIR. We’ve begun a wild animal report that will be ready and we may add something artistic or poetic, too. Please watch for the STUDENT SHOWCASE FAIR date and time in March.
Some children saw the disastrous flooding caused by the early February storm. Most told stories of driving by to observe houses and parents helping to push and sweep water out of friends homes, and of the big lake at Lighthouse Park. Their journal entries were touching:
The Flood by Katie
I don’t like the flood. We drove down to lots of beaches. There was a lot of water. Lots of people’s houses got flooded. It is sad. Now some people are poor from that. It was really flooded. The waves were big. I saw lots of people on the road. Sorry, Maggie.
Marisa wrote: I saw a flood. It was scary. It was bad. People were crying. The waves were big. I saw lots of people on the road. I felt bad for the people that lost their homes. It was really flooded. I cannot believe how bad the flood was. It was on the news.

Parent’s Corner
A note from Sue Johnson
I’ve been pleased to see the Parent’s Corner in the All Point Bulletin and I felt I had to write something too, in support of our wonderful school. My daughter Annie, is in Grade One and couldn’t be doing better, both academically and socially. It is so nice to have her close by and for me to be able to join in the occasional trail walks and attend the plays the children put on. I had tried teaching her to read before school but let’s just say she wasn’t open to my teaching style (!).
Well, Mrs. Rita Worth must be doing something right, because Annie’s reading has taken off by leaps and bounds. I highly recommend our local school to anyone with Kindergarten to Grade Two aged children. I wouldn’t consider any other options.