News

Technology and Skilled Trades Showcase
On Thursday, March 31, the boys of Class 209 attended the Technology and Skilled Trade Showcase at Confederation High School where they learned about programs at the high school level including Co-Op Education, Youth Apprenticeship Programs, and Specialist High Skills Majors. The boys also got to experiment with auto mechanics, wood working, and computer animation. Mr. Martin was pleased that the boys had this hands-on experience, and he encourages many of the boys to consider a future career in technology or skill

Milk Bag Mats
During the week before the March Break, the boys of Class 209 learned a lesson in helping those that are less fortunate than themselves. With the help of Mr. Martin's father, the boys learned to make a mat (that can be used for sitting or sleeping) out of recycled milk bags. The milk bag mats are also made by various organizations in Ottawa and are sent to developing countries like Haiti, where they are used by children and adults that do not have chairs or beds.

Wood-Working Project #2: Birdhouses
Again with the help of Mr. Martin's father, the boys applied many of the concepts from Math (3D Geometry) and from Science and Technology (Structures: Form and Function) in order to design and build a birdhouse from wood. The boys measured, cut, and hammered their pieces together in order to make their final products.

Pancake Relay Champions
On Tuesday, March 8, the intermediate students of Roberta Bondar Public School participated in the annual Pancake Breakfast and Relay Race. This year, the relay team from Class 209 was unstoppable! Sixteen of the gentlemen from our class showed their impressive speed and controlled pancake-flipping skills as they won the coveted Fry Pan Trophy. Well done, boys!

First Term Honour Roll
Mr. Martin would like to join all of the students in Class 209 in congratulating three gentlemen who earned a place on the Honour Roll for the first term of this school year. Samatar D, A.J. M, and Adam E all had averages of over 80% in all of the subjects across the curriculum on their first term report cards. Well done!

Blues in the Schools (BITS)
From Monday, February 28 to Friday, March 11, the students and staff of Roberta Bondar have the pleasure of participating in the "Blues in the Schools" program. This program brings professional blues musicians into Roberta Bondar School for a series of workshop during the week of February 28 to March 4. Then, during the following week, a selected group of students will work closely with the professional musicians, learning the tricks of the trade of blues music. Finally, on Friday, March 11, the professional musicians and the students will perform a concert together for the school.

Field Trips
During the week of February 14 to 18, the gentlemen of Class 209 went on two field trips. The first, on Monday, February 14, was to the Macskimming Outdoor Education Centre in order to participate in the Fur Trading activity. This field trip consolidated the learning that students did throughout the first two History units: //New France// and //British North America.// The second field trip took place on Tuesday, February 15, at the Rideau Canal for a day of skating on the world's largest outdoor rink. Students that had skates and helmets travelled by bus to and from the Canal. Students without skates and helmets, as well as those that preferred not to skate along the Canal, participated in a variety of winter activities at the school. The day was a great success for everyone involved.

First Term Report Cards
Report cards for Term 1 were sent home on February 2. As Mr. Martin indicated in the letter that accompanied the report cards, interviews can be arranged during the weeks of February 7 to 11 and February 14 to 18. Please contact Mr. Martin directly through a note in your son's agenda or through e-mail at daniel.martin@ocdsb.ca

Potluck Lunch
On Thursday, December 16, the gentlemen of Class 209 celebrated the accomplishments of the first four months of the school year by enjoying a Potluck Lunch. The boys brought a variety of delicious appetizers, salads, main dishes, and desserts as a culmination of their Health Unit on Healthy Eating. Mr. Martin would like to extend his thanks to the boys and to all of the parents and guardians that made this lunch such an enormous success.

Canadian Tire Money Fundraiser
Roberta Bondar School is a healthy active place where students can take part in physical activities before and after school, during recess breaks, and during the school day during DPA and PE classes. As a result, the school is constantly in need of purchasing new sports equipment that can be used in the gyms and on the fields. The local Canadian Tire store has offered Roberta Bondar School a special discount on all equipment purchased through them. Throughout November, December, and January, students and staff members are asked to bring their Canadian Tire money to school, so that it can be used to defray the costs of this equipment. Please consider sending any Canadian Tire money that you are not using to school with your son.

Sports and Physical Activities
Various sports activities continue at Roberta Bondar School. The Grade 7 boys volleyball team will compete in the annual Glashan Tournament (their last tournament for this school year) during the week of January 24 to 28. Several of the boys in Class 209 will be representing the school at this tournament. Also, the competitive basketball season is beginning and, once again, Class 209 is well represented on both the Grade 7 and Grade 8 teams. Congratulations to all the boys that tried out for the teams.

Intramural basketball begins during the second week of January. Games will be played during the first recess / nutrition break and the second recess. Mr. Martin encourages all of the boys to get involved!

Supply List for Class 209
Please ensure that your son has the following classroom supplies:
 * one large binder with dividers (for 6 subjects) OR 6 small binders (for individual subjects)
 * pens and pencils
 * eraser
 * ruler
 * scissors
 * pencil crayons
 * lined paper
 * calculator
 * physical education clothing (i.e. shorts, t-shirt, running shoes, and socks)
 * combination lock (not a key lock)

All students will be receiving a school agenda within the first two weeks of the school year. This agenda is an important tool both for organization and for communication. Students at Roberta Bondar School carry their agendas to all classes in order to record announcements, long-term assignments, and day-to-day homework. Students should also carry their agenda back-and-forth from school every day in order to allow teachers and parents to communicate in writing with one another. Please send $7.00 with your son in order to cover the cost of the agenda.

Electronic Devices at School
Many students choose to bring electronic devices including cell phones, digital cameras, MP3 players and iPods, and hand-held game systems like Nintendo DSs and PSPs to school. Bringing electronic devices to school is strongly discouraged. Those students that do bring them should note that all electronics must be turned off and be kept out of sight (i.e. kept in a pocket, a knapsack, or a locker) during the entire school day and throughout all locations of the school property (i.e. including classrooms, the hallways, and the yard). Teachers that find students with electronic devices will take and keep them, returning them at the end of the school day.

In classrooms, various teachers have different policies for the use of MP3 players and iPods. In Class 209, students MAY listen to music during independent work time only. Students listening to music must use only one ear bud, and must play his music at a volume that does not distract his classmates. Outside of Class 209, students must respect the policies of other teachers concerning the use of music devices.

Roberta Bondar School accepts absolutely no responsibility for lost, damaged, or stolen items that students choose to bring to school. If you need to contact your son in an emergency during school hours, please do not call his cell phone number. Please call the school's main number at (613) 736-7334, and office administrators will contact your son's teacher immediately.

Nutrition Breaks
Each day, students will have two long breaks consisting of an outdoor recess followed by a indoor time for eating snacks and lunch. The first break is from 10:40 to 11:20 a.m. and the second break is from 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. This year, students in all divisions (including intermediate) will have these breaks on school property. If your son normally goes home (i.e. not to a restaurant) on a daily basis for lunch, please contact Mr. Martin directly (daniel.martin@ocdsb.ca) to inform him of this routine. Otherwise, you, as parents, are invited to come to the main office to sign out your child on those special lunch occasions that you plan on spending together. Please remember to have your child pack sufficient nutrition snacks and lunches that do not contain nuts.

Various intramural activities will be offered during the breaks every day of week throughout the school year. All students are strongly encourage to involve themselves in these activities.