Your newsletter from

John Dolan School

May 2015

John Dolan

School

3144 ArlingtonAvenue

Saskatoon, SK

S7J 3L5

Phone: (306) 683-7290

Fax: (306) 657-3920

Dawn Driedger

Principal

Donnalee Weinmaster

Superintendent of

Education

I want to extend a BIG THANKS to our newly-formed Parent Council! We’ve only had two meetings, but it’s abundantly clear this group has an incredible amount of enthusiasm, energy, and creativity in working toward making our Sensory Playground a reality. Our Executive members – Kathy, Robin, and Charmaine – have taken on this challenge with incredible heart and vast expertise! Our team of teachers, together with Candace Wilson (consultant) and Renee (amazing secretary), also took on a new challenge this year in organizing our first-ever Community Agency Symposium. About 20 agency representatives happily accepted our invitation to share information with us on a variety of supports available for students and families with special needs. Please plan on coming to the school any time between noon and 2:00 on May 5! Once again, we will be hosting a Mini RiKi Walkathon in May. This is a ‘win-win’ event in that funds raised support both Camp Easter Seal and John Dolan School. Thank you, in advance, for your generous support! We look forward to walking with our friends from W.P. Bate School. You’re welcome to walk with us, too ... the more, the merrier!!

Hope to see you soon!

Welcome to the sunny month of May!! As you will read in each of our five program’s highlights, we are REALLY looking forward to moving our learning and wellness activities outdoors! Bring on the Vitamin D!

Enriched Learning Program

Autism Support Program

Happy May, Families!

I cannot believe it is already May; it seems like just yesterday the year started. Some highlights from April

were:

The Easter Egg hunt and movie – all students enjoyed searching high and low for paper Easter Eggs and

many students filled their baskets full!!

Going to Prince Philip’s park with some friends from JDS

Bowling

Arts and Crafts

Science

Enjoying the weather and spending lots of time outside!

May is a busy month for us with continuing learning, Mother’s Day, Special Olympics, RiKi Walk-a-thon and

other fun events planned for the class as well as with the school. There is also a Parent Group that is being held

on Friday, May 8th at John Dolan in the afternoon – more information to come.

ASP is participating in Special Olympics held on Wednesday, May 20 (rain out day Friday, May 22). Please

remember to dress for the weather for that day. I will send a reminder in the agendas as the day gets closer.

Looking forward to more learning and fun in the sun in the following months!

We are now entering the month of May; hopefully, the spring weather is finally here to stay. With this in mind,

please dress your child appropriately; we hope to be spending extended amounts of time outside. Please feel

free to send sunscreen (labeled), bug repellant (labeled), as well as a sun hat and sunglasses.

We also hope to be enjoying more out of school field trips throughout May and June. However, we are in need

of volunteers; I have attached our tentative schedule for May and June trips. We will require two volunteers for

each trip except for those indicated; please let me know if you are available for any of the indicated dates. Our

W.P. Bate buddies will also be asked to join us on a few of these trips.

Tentative Schedule:

May 14th 12:45 Walk from the weir to the Mendel Art Gallery to check out the student art exhibit

May 28th 1:30 Riki Walkathon

June 11th 9:30 Forestry Farm – whole school

June ??? 12:45 Lathy Pool and wheel chair accessible playground

June 22rd 9:30 Eastview Bowl – with W. P. Bate Buddies - no volunteers required

May/June ??? Walking to Market Mall - visit grocery store/dollar store/etc.

**these trips will be impromptu & weather dependent, no volunteers required – small

groups will go at a time while others enjoy activities at the school**

We would also like this opportunity to invite our “Moms” to a Mother’s Day Tea on

Friday, May 8th at 10:00 a.m. Hope to see you there!

Interactions Program

Active Learning Program We have been appreciating the warmth of the sun, and sharing the fresh air with our community friends and neighbors. We have been busy planning our garden within the community garden. We have been buying and caring for bedding plants and vegetables so they are ready to put into the garden. It is going to be spectacular! We have plans to attend the Children’s Festival with our friends in the Autism Support Program. We are arranging a special story time at the Saskatoon Public Library. There are several playgrounds that we love exploring. We love getting ideas for our future playground!! We’ve made several trips to the zoo, Mendel Art Gallery, shopping, and swimming. We are looking forward to a trip out to The Farm in the Dell. It’s so interesting to spend time outside in the sunshine in short sleeves – even in the SNOW!!

Sensory Program “The first day of Spring is one thing, and the first Spring day is another. The difference between them is

sometimes as great as a month.” – Henry Van Dyke

Sensory Springtime Checklist:

Easter Egg Hunt (Everyone had a lot of fun, especially seeing them fall from the sky!)

A week of holidays (We hope it was restful and relaxing.)

Butterflies (Our works of art are hanging in the commons area.)

Walks outside (It was a bit windy, but the sun was lovely.)

Planting flowers (They are sun-tanning in our window right now.)

Animals (We’ve played games, made crafts and sang songs about them.)

Ice Age (What is spring without a winter storm?!? We also read a Magic Tree House book about it.)

New beginnings (We’ve discovered some new iPad games.)

Bunnies (and snakes and mice and lizards…we got to see and touch them all!)

Spending time with friends (We are glad to have a full house again.)

April has come and gone, and much fun was had. The students had a great time at Apex Trampoline and

enjoyed our school’s Easter Egg Hunt. The students were sad to say good bye to Sarah, as she is now away on

Maternity leave. Chantal is excited to be with us for the rest of the year. As the weather has been so nice, we

have enjoyed many outdoor adventures. We are very pleased to, once again, welcome a group of Massage

Therapy students to our classroom. During the month of May, we will be going on nature walks and to the park, as

well as learning through fun outdoor activities whenever possible. We’ll keep you posted about upcoming field

trips—you are always welcome to join us!

John Dolan School is pleased to be

participating in the Mini Riki

Walkathon again this year on

Thursday, May 28th at 1:30 p.m.

Pledge Forms will be sent home on

Monday, May 11th.

Please consider helping raise funds

to support Camp Easter Seals, John

Dolan School and the Riversdale

Kiwanis Club.

Donations of $10 or more will be

issued a tax receipt.

From the Board Table

Highlights from the March 31, 2015, meeting of the Board of Education:

At every meeting trustees hear about a Celebrating Excellence success story from within the division. Patrick

Traves, a student in the Marion M. Graham Collegiate Functional Life Skills program and member of the

school’s basketball team, along with coach Dan Dewar were at the meeting to talk about how Patrick has

become the “heart” of the team. They also shared how his story and a video of his basket during a BRIT

tournament game attracted worldwide attention.

The Board was provided with an overview of the division’s Safe, Caring and Accepting Schools core strategy

with a focus on digital citizenship. The presenters shared initiatives and highlighted how students are

supported in the development of healthy and respectful relationships.

Trustees received a report on a survey conducted to gather staff feedback. The survey shows an

overwhelming number of staff members (teachers as well as professional and support staff) feel a shared

purpose and collective responsibility for student learning. Staff enjoy their workplace experiences and feel

they receive opportunities to learn and grow professionally.

Reports of information presented at the meeting can be found at www.saskatoonpublicschools.ca.

Scholastic Book Order Forms

There are some excellent choices this month from Scholastic

Books. Please ask your teacher or our Secretary for an order form.

Orders are due, Friday, May 1st

Saskatchewan Cerebral Palsy Association The Saskatchewan Cerebral Palsy Association supports and advocates for individuals with cerebral palsy and their families through promoting awareness and education. Saskatchewan WheelChair Sports Association The Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association provides sporting opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities at a provincial, national, and international level. Participants experience and play a variety of wheelchair sports in a fun and supportive atmosphere. Special Olympics Special Olympics is a sport program. Sport includes a full continuum of opportunities, from grass roots development to high level competition, that meet the needs and interests of people with intellectual disabilities. Theraplay Theraplay is dedicated to helping both children and adults with developmental needs build skills for the job of living. This clinic uses an eclectic approach that places a strong emphasis on self-regulation and social engagement.

THANKS TO ALL AGENCIES AND

REPRESENTATIVES

TUESDAY, MAY 5TH 12:00 TO 2:00

John Dolan School

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