WALL OF AWESOME
There is a new bulletin board across from the office entitled the “Wall of Awesome” which relates to our first staff meeting. Neil Parischa was going through a tough time in his personal life and started a blog. Each day Neil posted a simple thing that brought a smile to his face (e.g., when your luggage comes down the chute following a long flight; sleeping in new bed sheets). The blog became a book and eventually a series of books all of which state simple things that make us appreciate life, something ever more important given the events over the last week. During our first staff meeting I asked staff to write the simple things that make them appreciate teaching and Allenby. These are now displayed on our Wall of Awesome. Please join us in posting sticky notes (available at the wall) about the simple things that you appreciate about Allenby. We could all use a smile…
ITINERANT MUSIC
The student interest in itinerant music for our grade 5 and 6 students this year is huge and far greater than we can support given our time allotment (provided through the music department), class sizes in order to maximize learning and the number of instruments. We have had over 140 students express interest for a program that can only support 80-90 students. We also face a substantial difference in the number of interested students between our French and English panels and between band and strings, both are historical trends at Allenby. After discussions with our itinerant music instructors, the music department and the APA it has been decided that only grade six students will participate in the itinerant music program this year. This will allow grade six students who began a program last year to continue and provide grade six students interested in participating, to join this year (as the number of new grade six students is far less than the number of interested grade five students).
All students will continue to receive their music instruction from our vocal music program with Ms. Bannerman. Grade six students, this year and next, will be able to access the experienced program (should they choose) at Glenview as they transition from elementary school to middle school. This plan also allows us to re-evaluate how students access the itinerant program at Allenby next year in a more balanced approach between panels and programs (band and strings).
Thank you in advance for your understanding. I know we will have many disappointed grade five students who have been looking forward to learning an instrument this year. I will be speaking to classes personally tomorrow to explain the model and how this prevents a lottery with only a select few grade five students being able to access itinerant music (given the high number of students entering their second year).