Thank You Notes

When was the last time you sent someone a hand written thank you note?

Has social networking on Facebook, texting, instant messaging and email all but eradicated this act of sentimentality?

Sending hand written thank you notes was covered on my favourite TV show, CBS Sunday Morning.  They interviewed a man that wrote a book about the 365 thank you notes that he sent last year; called "365 Thank You Notes."  He cited that the hand written thank you notes literally made him feel better and brought better relationships into his life.

I think it still holds tremendous value in sending someone a personal hand written note acknowledging a good deed, a job well done, or a friendship for example.

Our staff sends out "Good News Postcards" to students.  This Postcard was the brain child of our wonderful Student Success Teacher, Mrs. Patterson.  These cards acknowledge any positive behaviour one could imagine. 

From my perspective, I have sent out notes to students for high achievement levels or for something as simple as achieving all of their credits in a school year or for just doing a good deed.  Each student has a different story which would dictate the message on the card.  I have received positive feedback from the students that received the cards and even more feedback from their parents.  Why? 

People still have a true appreciation for the time and effort that it takes to write a note to someone else.  This is why I have sent hand written notes to staff in the past.  As well, I hand sign report cards and often add notes on them......all 1600 or so in the first semester.

People like to feel and touch the hand written word and just get more sentiment out of this mode of communication than a Facebook message or a Tweet.  At least...this is my opinion.

Go ahead....send someone your best wishes.....you will both benefit.

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to you thoughts and comments.  As an aside, Semester I Report Cards will be distributed to students on the 4th of February.

Childhood Obesity

Over the last 25 years, there has been an alarming rise in the proportion of overweight and obese children.  Obesity rates among children and youth have nearly tripled during this period.  It is an issue that affects children everywhere in Canada.  Like tobacco use, obesity substantially increases the risk of developing some of the most debilitating chronic diseases; obesity contributes to type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The Government of Canada has taken to help Canadian children live healthy lifestyles including:

• The Children's Fitness Tax Credit
• Eat Well and Be Active Toolkit &
• The Nutrition Facts Education Campaign

The Ontario Ministry of Education has created a Healthy Schools Recognition Program where schools can apply for a Healthy Schools Recognition Certificate.  Schools are required to submit an acceptance form whereby they pledge to undertake at least one healthy school initiative.

Our school will be applying this year as we have always implemented a myriad of initiatives that speak to the physical fitness and well being of our students.  Most notably, our breakfast program in partnership with Halton Food For Thought and our Inside Ride Campaign.  The former provides a healthy breakfast of raw cut oatmeal and fruit and the latter includes a large population of our Catholic Learning Community that spins for over an hour in teams in an effort to fundraise for cancer research.  (Please note that our school has just been approved to deliver a Health and Physical Education Specialist High Skills Major for the 2011-2012 school year.  See Guidance for details.)

We are also applying for a special grant that will allow at-risk students to spin for an hour first thing in the morning while monitoring their heart rates in an effort to improve their physical well being.  This class will allow them to exercise and achieve a Health and Physical Education credit.  We will also ensure that key courses such as English, Math and/or Science directly follow this first period class.  Research findings cited from a wonderful book called "Spark" by Dr. Ratey, indicate that they will fare better in such courses right after exercise as opposed to any other time in the day.

He chronicles the positive effects that aerobic exercise has on the brain which in turn positively impacts, stress, depression, dementia, hormones and ADD/ADHD.  Since more difficult classes such as math and science take place right after the aerobic exercise, there will be enough time to take advantage of the benefits of this exercise before it dissipates.

Dr. Ratey states scientific research indicates that aerobic exercise improves an individual's mental ccognition, takes the edge off by balancing the key attention, behavioural and motivational neurotransmitters of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.  This will in turn improve academic success in courses such as English, Math and/or Science as the brain is in its optimum mode to receive and synthesis information.

Oh an by the way, have you heard about the soon to be implemented Policy/Program Memorandum No. 150?  This is a beauty!  It is the new School Food and Beverage Policy for September 2011.  It will directly impact what schools in elementary and secondary sell to our children.  Schools will need to account for what they sell by following a stringent formula that includes essential nutrients and lower amounts of fat, sugar and/or sodium.  More to come on this topic.  Just to leave you with the type of impact this may have on school commissions derived from cafeteria and school store sales that go directly back into the educational needs of our students...the following list are some of the products no longer allowed for sale in schools....

• all soft drinks diet or otherwise
• all sports drinks
• french fries
• cream cheese
• bagels
• chocolate bars and all candy
• chips
• anything that is fried

Our fear is that students will just leave the building in droves during lunch to go to nearby fast food franchises to indulge despite the Ministry of Education's efforts to instill environments promoting healthy lifestyles.

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to your comments.

Principal Opposes Academic and Co-curricular Awards

I was listening to a Toronto talk show on the way home from one of my daughter's basketball games.  I caught the end of the show which was debating the merits of recognizing students for academic and co-curricular awards.  The talk show host was interviewing a Principal and had a panel discussing the merits of such a system in our schools.

In a nutshell, the Principal opposed awarding students at the end of a school year as it "alienates and adversely affects the self-esteem of the students who did not receive awards."

As I mulled over the opinions tossed around on the show, it did not change my opinion. 

I believe in a system of awards as long as it embraces student success.

Two of our governing values revolves around continuous improvement and a commitment to excellence.  We articulate that this may differ between students.  Our expectation is that everyone  (staff, support staff and students) gives their very best everyday. 

Success is relative and can materialize in different forms depending on the student.

For example, student A could be an honour roll student who culminates his academic career with the Governor's General Award.  Student B could be a great athlete who ends up winning Athlete of the Year.  Student C could be a student who came from difficult personal circumstances.  With the help of a caring teaching staff, interventions from the student success team, hard work from the student and financial help from the school, Student C achieves enough credits to graduate.  A goal that seemed like an impossibility two years ago. 

The key is to create an environment that celebrates its student achievements in different ways.  Students in our Catholic Learning Environment understand that such recognition takes place in many different forms.

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to your comments.



A Going Concern at CtK: The Inappropriate Use of Technology

Dear Parents:

I am concerned. 

For the last three years, our school has initiated the following to deal with an increasing and disturbing trend that combines bullying, harassment, and intimidation with cell phone technology and Facebook. 

We have:

1. Updated the student's knowledge on how to safeguard themselves from vulnerable and predatory situations on Facebook and Twitter through presentations from Chris Vollum.  Mr. Vollum is provincially renowned for his work in elementary and secondary schools in this field.
2. Spoken to our students at every grade assembly at the start of every semester regarding such issues.  In addition, we outline the possible disciplinary consequences from the school and the police.
3. Constantly reminded students on the morning announcements about their moral and ethical responsibilities regarding the proper  use of technology in our Catholic Learning Community.
4. Blocked access to Facebook and virtually all sites that would be in breach of our Catholic values on school property (e.g. pornographic sites, violent games etc).
5. Implemented an array of anti-bullying strategies that involve guest speakers, chaplaincy initiatives, teacher/student interactive activities, student led activities and of course our curriculum.

Moreover, a large component of our School Improvement Plan (http://www.ctk.ca/) is dedicated to the mental and emotional well being of our students. 

This area of student  need is not going away and students will continue to make very poor choices in how they treat one another using social network sites and cell phone technology. 

I chat with my colleagues regarding the pros/cons of technology and what is imperative to be instilled in our students for the opportunities in the 21st Century.  Cell phone technology and its use in the classroom is a controversial topic.  While I am on the fence, many people that I have spoken to regarding this topic are vehemently opposed.  "Teenagers just can't be trusted with their cell phones in a learning environment"  is the common retort.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is hard to argue with such a response in light of what has been happening at our school and those across the province.  Below is an article regarding cell phones in the classroom.

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3754972

Thank you for reading.  Looking forward to your thoughts and comments.

Christmas.....Boxing Day....New Years.....More Debt!

Have you checked your Visa or MasterCard balances lately?

All the major newspapers had articles alluding to another bulging item other than our waist lines......our debt!

The average household debt-to-income ratio has recently ballooned to 148.1% in Canada.  In other words, Canadians owe $1.48 for every dollar they earn.  This is outrageous!!!  We are statistically worse than our neighbours to the south!  You know....the same people whose financial and housing markets imploded!

Has our society gone away from delayed gratification to immediate gratification?  Is our society spending irresponsibly because of our voracious appetite for the biggest, the best, and/or the newest products on the market?  Are we as parents spoiling our children in the same manner? 

It is obvious that the average Canadian either doesn't care about money management or is in dire need of financial counselling.  What message have we been sending our children?  Are they being taught anything regarding the value of money....other than conspicuous consumption?

As a former business teacher, I was incredulous when the Harris government changed the diploma requirements for students by making a business credit one of several elective options instead of a previously required credit.  This death blow to business departments in secondary schools across the province now created a progressively declining demand situation for several courses that would teach the importance of and strategies for money management. 

Is there a need for a money management or financial planning introductory course in secondary school?  Is there a prudent argument against it in light of our debt load?  How often have you had discussions with your children about the gentle balance between saving and spending?  With three daughters, I have had many discussions!  Sometimes I think it is an uphill battle.

As school boards develop blue prints for 21st Century Learning skills, it would behoove them to ensure that financial literacy sits in the same prominent position as social and communication literacy skills.

Thank you for reading.  Looking forward to your comments.  Please visit our website at www.ctk.ca for information regarding our school improvement plan, school profile and safe schools plan.