by Rachael Orford
The March Break (March 13-17) is in sight, but everyone is still working hard. The schedule for the local arena, and information on special events happening during the March Break have been sent home with the students. Get out there and have some fun!
What is flat, and fits perfectly inside an envelope? It’s Flat Stanley! Flat Stanley is a fictional book character that was flattened by a bulletin board one night. Paper Flat Stanleys have been created by kids all over the world and sent different places for various reasons.
At C.C. McLean, Flat Stanley is used to communicate with deployed members of the Armed Forces. Each student draws a Flat Stanley and decorates it to look like a soldier. Mrs. Jefkins’ Grade 4/5 class has Flat Stanley soldier pen pals all over Canada and some overseas.
Mrs. Jefkins has been doing this for four years. At the start of the year, each student in Mrs. Jefkins class gets a soldier pen pal. They write letters to them throughout the year.
They have 30 Flat Stanley pen pals this year; 19 pen pals are based in Canada, anywhere from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Shearwater in Nova Scotia, to CFB Esquimalt in British Columbia. One pen pal is studying to become a doctor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and another 10 are deployed with four different Multinational Operations in Europe and the Middle East.
Mrs. Jefkins’ class sent Christmas “treat boxes” to their deployed members. Many of the Flat Stanley pen pals have taken their Stanley’s on holidays. We have had Stanley’s visit Jerusalem, Israel, Patagonia, Argentina; Agra, India; Machu Picchu, Peru: Hawaii, USA; as well as touring Cambodia and Vietnam, and deep sea diving in the Red Sea. The 4/5 class have learned a lot of history and geography through their Stanleys this year! There will be more adventures of Flat Stanley next week!
The Grade 7/8 class science fair was held on February 28. The winners were: Bella Jefkins and Sophie Hietkamp. Congratulations!
Science joke: A Photon checks into a hotel and is asked if he needs help with his luggage. He said, “No thanks, I am travelling light.”
Don’t forget that the time change is on March 12. If you need to get up early on Sunday, you might want to go to bed early on Saturday night or you might be late.
Upcoming events include spring picture day and the March Break!
Until next time, “Dream and Believe. Learn and Achieve!”
