May Newsletter

Dates to Remember

May 6, Area Association Professional Development, No Classes
May 12, Birchwood Musical, Jack and the Beanstalk, 7:00 pm, Birchwood Cafeteria
May 19, Grade 6 Parent Meeting at Birchwood, 7:00 pm
May 20, Grade 6 Student Orientation, No Classes for Grade 7
May 20, Provincial Heritage Fair, Confederation Centre
May 23, Victoria Day, No Classes

Staff Happenings

Mrs. Sherry Gallaway, who has been a teacher at Birchwood Intermediate for 29 years, retired in April. Mrs. Gallaway will be greatly missed here at Birchwood by students and her colleagues. We wish her well in her retirement!

Mr. Ron Murphy, our band teacher, also retired in April after 32 years of teaching, 16 of those years were at Birchwood Intermediate. Former students of Mr. Murphy’s from Colonel Gray, Charlottetown Rural and UPEI, performed several of Mr. Murphy’s favorite pieces in a tribute assembly held in April. We wish Mr. Murphy well in his retirement and know that he too will be greatly missed!

We would like to welcome Nick Diamond and Lisa Mader who will replace Sherry Gallaway and Ron Murphy until the end of this school year.

Band News

Birchwood Intermediate Concert and Jazz Bands traveled to Nova Scotia for the Cape Breton Musical Festival. The bands performed superbly and received excellent reviews from the adjudicators of the festival. They had the opportunity to hear other bands play and partake in a Ceilidh at the Cape Breton Gaelic College.

Students and staff would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Ron Murphy for all his hard work and dedication to Birchwood Band students over the years. This was his last band trip. We wish him a happy and enjoyable retirement. Also thank you to Ms. McDonald and Ms. Squire who also traveled with students as chaperones.

Heritage Fair

Congratulations to Dylan Vokey, 7-5, who will represent Birchwood Intermediate at the Provincial Heritage Fair on May 20. Great job, Dylan!

Easter Seals Ambassador Tour

We welcomed the Easter Seals Ambassador, Hannah MacLennan to our school during her school tours. Birchwood students held a cake auction to raise money for this campaign and were pleased to present a cheque to Hannah on behalf of Birchwood Intermediate.

Sports Update

Female Athlete for April: Savannah Larter (Badminton)
Male Athlete for April: Justin Murnaghan (Badminton)

BADMINTON

Congratulations to Savannah Larter, Laura Mohan and Amy Frost - Wicks as they will representing Birchwood at the Provincials, being held in Summerside at Slemon Park, May 6th, 7th . Way to go, girls!!

SOFTBALL

Boys’ and Girls’ softball will start the first week of May. All students in grades 7, 8 and 9 are welcome to try-out. We are pleased to welcome back Ms. R. Rioux who will be coaching the Girls’ team and Mr. T. James and Mr. J. Brioux who will be coaching the Boys’ team.

TRACK & FIELD

Track and field will start the first week of May. Everyone is welcome to try-out. Mr. T. MacCallum and Mrs. J. MacAdam will be coaching.

ANNUAL PAINT BALL TRIP

On June 11, Mr. MacCallum will be taking students on the annual paint ball trip. All students interested in signing up are to contact Mr. MacCallum.

Chess Tournament

The chess tournament held at Birchwood, April 17 was a great success. The students competed in teams and we won both a bronze and a silver medal! The 'C-obras' won bronze and they were: Jack Baldwin, A.J. Baldwin, Jordan Johnstone, and Ben MacAusland. The 'Cobra Knights' team won silver and they were: Amanda Kalupahana, Jodie Blagdon, Harini Balasundaram, and Ashkan Shamaei. Special thanks to Ben MacAusland who wasn't scheduled to play but got pulled in last minute after another player couldn't make it. We are very proud of our players and the excellent sportsmanship they demonstrated at the tournament. Also, special thanks to Jordan who helped set up and take down chess boards and chairs.

Birchwood Musical

We are looking forward to putting on our Musical Production of Jack and the Beanstalk Bandstand on Thursday, May 12 at 7:00 pm in the cafeteria. Students have been working hard preparing for this musical presentation. Tickets can be purchased at the door, $4.00/adult and $2.00/student. We’re looking forward to seeing our students perform

Library News

On May 2nd, we took all of the grade 7 students to the Confederation Centre Library to meet the author, Maggie DeVries (she has a website if you would like to know more about her). She talked to the students about the writing process.

Raising Readers

There are lots of things you can do together that will help your child become a reader and stay a reader:

• Start right away! Read to your child from birth. Even tiny babies love to be read to.

• Talk to your child. Explain what you are doing. Name different things around you.

• Listen to your children. Ask questions about their day.

• Take your child to different places. The grocery store, the library, concerts, nature trails and the art gallery are all places that will help your child learn.

• Let your child see you read. Seeing you read will help your children learn to value reading.

• Read the things you see to your child. Colours, shapes, pictures and words we find around us every day can be read.

• While driving or walking point out signs, symbols and ads and talk about their meaning.

• At breakfast time talk about the words and images on your child’s cereal box.

• Tell your child stories. Most children love to hear stories about when you were little or about when they were younger.

• Turn off the TV. Children and teens benefit from family time playing games, talking or watching a movie together and discussing it.

Community Events

“Homestay on the Island” for Japanese Students

Looking for an experience where the whole family can have fun and grow together? Eight Japanese youth aged 12 – 16 are dreaming of spending a month this summer with an Island family. Host families are simply asked to welcome the exchange into their home and treat him/her like one of the family. We provide lots of support for this volunteer opportunity. Develop a friendship that reaches around the world. For more information call: Michelle 887-3299 or Nola 859-3684

Horse Camp or Horseback Riding Lessons?

Free Parent Information Session on April 29th from 5 - 7 p.m. att the Hughes-Jones Centre 271 Cornwall Road. Talk to horse industry professionals and find out everything you need to know before you put your child into horse camp or horseback riding lessons this summer. Live demonstrations presented by HJC’s fabulous students. Call Ellen 894-5452 or email: info@thehughesjonescentre.ca for more information. Find us on our website: www.thehughesjonescentre.ca or Contact: R. Ellen Jones at 902.894.5452.