Volume 13, Issue 7

Enjoy your well-deserved Spring Break! 🌷

I homeschooled my two children until they decided to go to high school in grade 10, at which point I started working in the office at Island Discovery (nine years ago). This has been a great way to stay in touch with the community we care so much about. Outside of work, our family has a small farm where we grow much of our own food and keep a small flock of rescue chickens and ducks.

What is your favourite book? "A Prayer for Owen Meany"

My name is Jessica and I have been working with PIE for nearly two years. Prior to that I taught grade 1 French Immersion for ten years in SD47.

What do you love about your role? I really enjoy seeing my students succeed. Each student has individual needs and I like helping them achieve their goals. I also love being a part of a team and I'm grateful to be working with so many wonderful staff members.

What is your favourite book? I'm going to go with "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" by Madeleine L'Engle. I first read this book when I was 11 and reading it launched a life-long passion for reading and writing.

Tell us something fun about yourself! I speak three languages and I'm the author of this newsletter!

I am a neurodivergent, animal loving, part-time photographer who loves to curl up with a good book and always has a puzzle on the go. I love learning and spend a lot of time listening to podcasts on all sorts of topics. I have two children, one of whom is a PIE student and one who goes to a brick and mortar school, and we live on a small acreage with 16 chickens, three cats, two golden retrievers and two horses.

How many years have you been working in education? 17 years (15 with PIE!)

What do you love about your role? The relationships I get to develop with the families that I work with! Some of my students have been with me from Kindergarten right through to graduation now! Having the opportunity to work with the same students for multiple years allows me to really get to know what makes them tick and I love being able to help them come up with a 'best fit' plan for how to learn.

What is your favourite book? This is a tough one. I usually have at least one fiction and one non-fiction book on the go at any given time and there are so many great reads out there. I love books that teach me something new or help me see things in a different light. If I have to pick one, I'll go with Malcom Gladwell's, 'Outliers,' as I find myself quoting it regularly. The human mind fascinates me, so I love books about psychology and neurodiversity.

Tell us something fun about yourself! I love horses and own four of them at the moment. One of them is tiny; only 28 inches tall and can ride around in my minivan!

PIE student Asher learned how to draw a house on the classic 1960s mechanical drawing toy the Etch-A-Sketch!

PIE students Kylie, Brea, and Ruby successfully passed their Equine Canada Level 2 practical, written and riding exams with marks of more than 95% and are now preparing to take their level 3, 4 and 5 exams this summer. Congratulations! 🐎

qathet Region students enjoyed a super-fun Interaction Day doing gymnastics!

In March, PIE student Ayva travelled to Victoria to compete in the 4-day Provincial Championships at Commonwealth Pool. She competed in 100-meter Backstroke, 50-meter Butterfly, 50-meter Freestyle and 50-meter Backstroke, and crushed her expectations! Now that she has achieved some of her seasonal goals ahead of schedule she is hoping to achieve her next goal of obtaining Canadian Junior Championships standards before July to potentially attend the national level competition in August.

In February, CV students visited the Cumberland Museum where they learned about local Japanese history and mining in this area.

PIE and Westview Elementary students engaged in a volleyball jamboree and were coached by PIE student Ashley! 🏐

Students in the Comox Valley enjoyed rock climbing day at WIP!

If you are looking for things to do over Spring Break, check out some ideas below!

1. Try a Spring Break Reading Challenge (primary) 📚

2. Volunteer some time helping someone 💛

3. Jot down some notes in this Spring Break Mindfulness Journal (elementary)

4. Grow your own rainbow science experiment (primary) 🌈

5. Take a hike!

6. Do a virtual tour of the Royal Tyrell Museum. Be sure to check out the dinosaurs! 🔎

At the end of February, PIE hosted its first online GSA! Attendees introduced themselves and said where they were calling in from. They established some group norms and watched the short film "In a Heartbeat" (featured below).

Our next meeting will be April 4th from 6:30pm - 7:30pm and will continue every other Tuesday after that. All members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community are welcome to join. 😀

Why not try the 10 Days to Happiness challenge over Spring Break? Simply sign up for the FREE program and follow for 10 days. 🌞

March 🍀

1: PAC Meeting

10: Schools close (end of day)

27: Schools Re-open

April 🐣

5: Anniversary of Tla'amin Treaty

7: Good Friday

10: Easter Monday

May 🌼

1-7: Mental Health Week

22: Victoria Day

29-Jun 4: Children and Youth in Care Week

June 🌞

2: Term 3 Submission Deadline

21: National Indigenous Peoples Day

27: Pro-D Day

30: Administrative Day (Schools Close)

📸 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