INSIDE

Point Roberts Primary School News

January 2008

January Calendar
7th Back to School
9th Library Visit and Beach Investigations
21st NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Day

Superintendent’sCorner
by Ron Spanjer

I hope that each of our Point Roberts families have found time for rest and relaxation over the holiday season. It was indeed a treat to see so many family parents, grandparents and community members in attendance at the Point Roberts Primary School program in early December. It is clearly evident that Point Roberts is a community that supports students at all levels of the program. It was indeed a special evening and I want to thank those in attendance for their participation.

Our students at Point Roberts Primary School are keeping very busy this year, with a wide variety of projects and activities supporting the instructional program. Parents and patrons have been an active part of making it all happen. We thank you for your interest and involvement in the important work of educating all children.

With the winter season just getting underway, we want to remind parents that we make every effort to announce weather related school closures or delays by 5:45 a.m. This information can be found on our website www.blainesd.org, on KGMI Radio, on Seattle TV stations, or by calling the Snow Line @ 360-332-0789.

As we enter the new calendar year, please note that the Blaine School District will place a Capital Projects Bond before the voters in March of 2008. The Bond will provide funding for significant expansion and upgrade at Blaine High School, as well as other more limited projects on the Blaine Campus. Information on the Capital Projects Bond can be found at the Blaine School District website at www.blainesd.org.

We look forward to an exciting and productive 2008. Happy New Year!

Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade
by Mary Edgley, Teacher

We have been having such a wonderful school year, but it is impossible to believe how quickly it is flying by. As always, our primary focus is on reading, writing and mathematics, but we have been doing lots of other things as well. If you have been to the Shell Station lately, you will have seen the students’ garden pieces up on the wall. We studied plants, their parts and how they grow. Then we visited Itoko Endo’s amazing garden, where students got to pick their own vegetables and see for themselves how the real thing looked, felt and tasted. As part of this unit, we are working on making a small garden here at the school where we will plant strawberries that the students will be able to harvest in spring. We have also been offered a spot off campus where we can put in a pumpkin patch. You can imagine how much fun that will be next Halloween.

We use a lot of games to reinforce math concepts and one of my goals is to offer a night in January when parents are invited to the school to learn math games that they can play at home with their children. The games that parents will learn provide a fun way to give students lots of practice with the math skills they are learning in class.

On December 19, we took a trip to Blaine to spend the day with our 4th grade buddies in Mrs. Schultz’s and Mrs. Tennyson’s rooms. We did some arts and crafts, read with our fourth grade friends, played some academic games, and ate lunch in the cafeteria (always a treat). Our goal, other than just to have a great day, was to help Point Roberts’ students become familiar with the great school they will eventually attend in Blaine.

I have already mentioned that you can see Point Roberts students’ work up in the Shell Station, but soon you will be able to find it at the Blue Heron Art Gallery as well. The gallery, which has always been a great friend to the school, has offered to feature two of our students’ artwork each month. Since we have some amazing artists here at the school, their work should look great there.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who helped out with this year’s Winter Concert. It was an overwhelming success. Special thanks to Tracy Armoogam, who came every day to help us practice our songs, and Pam Sarkissian who coordinated all the food. Thanks too to Irene Waters and Linda Hughes from the Parks Board for the use of the Community Center and for all their help in insuring that things went smoothly. Everyone who helped (and there were certainly many more folks than I have named) contributed to making a wonderful memory for students and their families.
May your holiday season be especially Merry.

Parent’s Corner
Pam and Jim Sarkissian

Ah, school days. Do you remember those primary years? For some of us we remember the fear of separation, the excitement of meeting new friends, and the cautious curiosity of independence and exploring new surroundings. Some may recall a special teacher or staff member that helped them settle in or favorite recess games and activities.

Our second child to go through Point Roberts Primary is now in his final year. We know that he will have many cherished memories from his time spent at this jewel of the community nestled in the trees. Which memories will stand out the most for Point Roberts Primary alumni? Will it be the beach walks, the nature hikes, trips to the library, or just playing with friends in the forest or on Baker Field at recess? Perhaps it will be the visits from members of the community who volunteered their time reading and sharing of themselves. Surely they will reflect fondly of the excellent and caring staff who have nurtured their desire to learn.

Whatever memories stand out, we know that they all add up to what was and is a quality school environment setting a solid foundation for our children’s continued education.

Where are they now?

Wesley Hubbard is one of the many students who attended Point Roberts Primary School. He has fond memories of painting in art class and baking with Mrs. Zimbelman (Rita Worth). Moving on from Point Roberts Primary, Wesley continued his education with the Blaine School District where he graduated in 2003 as co-valedictorian and received a National Merit Scholarship.

After high school graduation, Wesley left Point Roberts and attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Graduating from Whitman College with a combined math and physics degree, Wesley now works for EvolveFISH, a company based in Colorado Springs which also has a branch located here in Point Roberts. If Wesley isn’t busy working, you will find him on the slopes snowboarding!