Volume 13, Issue 3

We loved seeing everyone's costumes this year! Powell River students engaged in a creative engineering Interaction Day and made some spooky spiders using yarn and popsicle sticks. 🕸

Payton and David don their cool costumes at their Blended Learning class at Oceanview.

This Blended Learning class is lucky to have enthusiastic Kerri as their teacher this year! Great costumes, everyone!

Comox Valley students were treated to a Halloween story time and craft at the Courtenay library!

No fun was lost on this very rainy day in November! These awesome students had a blast knocking down pins together!

Crew from St. John's Ambulance guided Comox Valley students through various exercises, including how to treat someone for choking, basic CPR, how to call 911, and how to check for dangers when approaching someone to administer first aid. Playing with the lights and sounds of their ambulance was a highlight for many! 🚨

At this Interaction Day, students were challenged to use cardboard to build and create designs! Check out some of their creations!

Using found objects in nature, students built shelters at Powell River's Outdoor Learning Centre. Well done, everyone!

Students Joey, Trenton, Brandon, Alex, Rose, David, and Lennard participated in a treecycling workshop with Janet May.

Students explored the forest with a variety of activities to focus attention on their senses and on recognizing plants and fungi. They discussed concepts such as photosynthesis, carbon cycling, decomposition, introduced species, and First Peoples use of the forest.

Janet aims to make students feel comfortable in their forest and to respect the growing things, their habitats, and natural cycles.

PIE teacher Rebecca French read the book “What Does it Mean to Be Present?” to Comox Valley students. As part of the EASE curriculum, this resource is geared to help children with anxiety. Students practiced taking 3 deep breaths to help them to be present and to calm their bodies. After, they decorated butterflies and wrote what "being present" meant to them.

Check out the Read Aloud of "What does it Mean to be Present?" below and decorate your own butterfly!

Comox Valley students spent time testing their hypotheses.

Comox Valley student, Bella, recently obtained her Occupational First Aid Level 3 certification for Work Safe BC. This challenging certification required 70 hours of study and practice. Bella aced her exam and practical, and now she is certified to work! 🙌🏻

Ronin has been creating his own animations and managing a YouTube channel for them for the past year. He always strives to use new characters and engaging music! Way to go, Ronin! You can view Ronin’s animations here: https://youtube.com/shorts/4LGuUGYsPtI?feature=share

Ross enjoys spending time outdoors or working with his hands. This term he worked hard on his tracker, installing a lift, and scouting deer and elk at Fiddle Head Farm. Check out these great shots of him doing what he loves! 📸

Isabella has taken math on in a brave and bold way this term and is celebrating major growth in this area of study! She has been working hard in both Brightspace and in real life applications of her numeracy skills. This photo was taken at one of her tutoring sessions where she practiced making change.

PIE is interested in creating a GSA (Gender and Sexualities Alliance) group for students. If you are interested in learning more or participating, please complete this anonymous survey.

💗 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 🤎 🖤 🤍

ʔaǰɛčɛpot, tanisi kiyawow, how are you?!

I want to introduce my new role as the PIE Indigenous Success Teacher and let you know that I will be starting to highlight Indigenous learning resources and opportunities in the monthly PIE newsletter.

I would also LOVE to feature success stories from our Indigenous learners throughout this school year. If you have a success you would like to share through this newsletter, please connect with me at alyssa.stapleton@sd47.bc.ca.

Our PIE Indigenous learning community spans many nations and origins. Everyone is spread out throughout the province. I am currently in the process of connecting with each of you to find out what supports, services, and opportunities for cultural enrichment our district can provide. Do not hesitate to reach out to me at any point in time.

Resources:

• Idea #1: Explore picture books illustrated and written by Julie Flett who is a Cree-Metis author, illustrator, and artist.
• Idea #2: Explore Monique Gray Smith’s Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults that weaves together high school English, Social Studies and Science subject areas in one amazing read! Monique is Cree, Lakota and Scottish and adapted this book from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s beloved bestseller.
• Idea #3: Listen to Andy Everson share the Legend of Queneesh: https://www.comoxvalleyschools.ca/indigenous-education/legend-of-queneesh/

Opportunities:

For Indigenous high school students residing in qathet, Ahms Tah Ow (6687 Sliammon Rd, Powell River, BC V8A 0B8) is open for tutoring/academic support from 3:30-5:30 Monday-Thursday.

• Consider attending the 2023 Gathering our Voices Summit for Youth: https://gatheringourvoices.ca/
• For Indigenous students close to graduation or in Grades 10-12 here are some opportunities to explore: Indigenous Student Scholarships and Indigenous Youth Internship Program
• For Indigenous learners who are ages 10+ and reside in the lower mainland and Kootenays, the Indigenous Life Sports Academy offers free skiing/snowboarding lessons as well as free programing in other seasons for sports such as mountain biking, climbing, and hiking. Find out more here: https://www.lifesportcanada.org/book-online

Alyssa

The next PIE PAC meeting will be held virtually on March 1, at 4:00 pm. Contact stephanie.hall@sd47.bc.ca to receive a link if you would like to join the meeting. All PIE parents are members of the PAC.

December 🎅

13: Winter Showcase - Sharing and Caroling (Comox Valley)

21: Winter Wonderland Skate (Powell River)

23: Term 1 Report Cards go home / Schools Close

January ❄

12: Schools Re-Open

📸 Instagram

Email: stephanie.hall@sd47.bc.ca
Website: https://www.sd47.bc.ca/school/pie/Pages/default.aspx#/=
Location: 7105 Nootka Street, Powell River, BC, Canada
Phone: 604-485-2756
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/16157794226
Twitter: @pie_partners