Students in Grades 1-3 participated with me in the Forest of Reading Program, where they read and voted for books by Canadian authors. We had a celebration in the gym as we watched the video of the winning author announcement, read in the dark with mini-flashlights, re-read the winning book, and played a Kahoot game about the books we read. Here is the winning book and some pictures of our celebrations. https://www.anooshasyed.com/lost-stick
A new Storywalk is up- check it out if you are on the school property! The first stop is a little ways behind the baseball diamond.
Here is a preview of the Summer Reading Program for this year! This flyer will go home in your child’s report card envelope. We love using Book Creator at school. If your child is not familiar with it, it is really simple to learn. This will be my last blog post for the school year. I wish everyone a wonderful summer.
Support our school by ordering your child’s new books from the Scholastic Digi-Flyer! Enter in class code- RC391237.
Check out this helpful article from Growing Book by Book!
We will be hosting a used book sale soon! Proceeds will go towards a student-led project – a school Time Capsule for the HHCS 60th anniversary, coming up in September!
Our new Storywalk is up in the wetlands behind the school! Students, parents, and community members may walk from stop to stop, reading the pages and doing the suggested activities.
I am excited to announce that I will be starting a grade 3 and 4 Spelling Bee team! We will practice at school and will then have the opportunity to take a top scoring pair of spellers to a regional tournament at another Christian school! I hope that we will have enough interest in starting this new extra-curricular activity at HHCS.
Buzzing with Words: Books About Spelling and Spelling Bees
Spelling can be tricky, but it’s also a skill that can be fun, engaging, and even competitive! Whether students love spelling or find it challenging, picture books can help make the journey more enjoyable. From stories about spelling bees to playful word adventures, here are some fantastic books to check out.
A Bee in Your Ear by Frieda Wishinsky
A fun and engaging story about a young girl who dreams of competing in a spelling bee but struggles with confidence. This book provides encouragement for young readers who might be nervous about spelling.
The Spelling Bee Before Recess by Deborah Lee Rose
A humorous look at a school spelling bee where kids compete for the grand prize—extra recess! The rhyming text and playful energy make it a fun read for any student preparing for a spelling challenge.
How Books Support Spelling
These books don’t just tell great stories—they also help kids develop a love for words! Books reinforce spelling patterns, introduce new vocabulary, and show that even mistakes are part of learning. Whether students are preparing for a spelling bee or just trying to master tricky words, these stories offer inspiration and encouragement.
Shannon Olsen is a beloved children’s author known for her heartwarming books that celebrate classroom communities, kindness, and connection. Her books, including Our Class is a Family, A Letter From Your Teacher, A Letter From Your Teacher on the First Day of School, and Collaboration Station, have resonated with students, teachers, and families alike.
Through her writing, Shannon captures the importance of belonging and the special bond between teachers and students. Her stories remind us that classrooms are more than just places of learning—they are places where friendships grow, encouragement thrives, and everyone has a valued place.
Shannon’s work is especially popular among young readers and educators for its uplifting messages and engaging storytelling. With her background as a teacher, she understands firsthand the importance of fostering a supportive and welcoming environment in schools, and that passion shines through in her books.
Her stories have become classroom staples, helping educators build strong classroom communities while inspiring children to embrace kindness, empathy, and self-confidence. Whether it’s through a heartfelt letter from a teacher or a reminder that a class is like a family, Shannon Olsen’s books continue to make a meaningful impact in schools around the world.
For those who haven’t yet discovered her books, they are a wonderful addition to any home or classroom library. Her storytelling reminds us all of the power of connection and the lasting influence of positive relationships in education. Grades 1-4 at HHCS are looking forward to a virtual author visit with Shannon Olsen on Tuesday!
I am looking for volunteers! Do you like to read? Do you like Christmas? Do you like kids? We are looking for parent or grandparent volunteers to guest read to classes on Thursday, Dec. 19 for a special celebration of JOLABOKAFLOD- the Icelandic tradition of ‘flooding’ with books on Christmas Eve! We will be reading in different ways and enjoying hot chocolate and pajamas. Please email Mrs. B. if you can help out- L.Baillargeon@hh-cs.org.
Check out these amazing family literacy resources from Growing Book by Book!
A new Storywalk is up! Enjoy Our School is a Family as you walk by our school wetlands at the back of the property! Each Storywalk stop has a discussion question and an action activity to go with the pages of the book that have just been read.
Thank you to all students who entered the Tissue Box Book Character contest! The results were so cute! Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy.
Screen-Free Week/Digital Citizenship Week is here! During this time, we’re inviting your child to take part in a fun challenge by signing a pledge to go entertainment screen-free for 5 days (Monday-Friday). Pledges will be available at school and proudly displayed on the wall across from the gym. Last year, we had 100 students take the pledge, and this year, we’re hoping to break that record! We’d love for parents to join in the fun too! Teachers are also using lessons from Common Sense Media to instruct about media balance, being safe and kind online, giving credit when doing research online, and using reliable websites.
Here are some conversation starters and other resources from Common Sense Media to help you out as parents!
SELF-AWARENESS IN DIGITAL LIFE
Talk About How Your Child’s Behavior Online Affects Themselves and Others
Your child is learning how their behavior online can affect themselves and others. Use these questions to talk with
them about what it means to be their best selves online.
Ask these three questions:
1. I hear you learned about the Rings of Responsibility in school. Can you tell me about them?
○ Listen for:
■ Self: Responsibilities you have to yourself, such as keeping yourself safe and healthy.
■ Community: Responsibilities you have to your community. This includes the people you know well, like
friends and family, and people you might not know as well, like a clerk in a grocery store.
■ World: Responsibilities to the larger world, including people you don’t know but who might be affected
by your actions.
2. What are some things we value in our family? Are there any similarities to the Rings of Responsibility?
3. How could you use the Rings of Responsibility to help you think through the choices you make when you’re online?
RELATIONSHIP SKILLS IN DIGITAL LIFE
Talk About How Your Child Can Keep Online Interactions Fun and Friendly
Your child is learning how to keep their online games, texts, and other interactions fun and healthy. Use these
questions to talk with them about how to stay positive online and avoid risky situations.
Ask these three questions:
1. I hear you watched a video about some kids who were playing an online game. Can you tell me about the video?
What happened?
2. How do you (or your friends) interact with others online? Does it look different if it’s a group text versus an online
game or social media, etc.?
3. What are some ways you can keep online interactions fun and friendly?
○ Listen for:
■ Be kind to people you interact with.
■ Report and/or block someone who is being mean or disruptive.
■ Avoid strangers online if they make you feel uncomfortable.
I had a mini-assembly with grades K-3 to talk about Screen-Free week and to share this book with them- Rocket Says Look Up! Rocket is so excited to see the Phoenix Meteor Shower, but her older brother Jamal is more interested in looking down at his phone all the time. Will Jamal miss the beautiful event in the sky because he is too busy on his screen?
The Living Books Christian book fair starts this week! Ann the Book Lady will have the fair open at school during parent-teacher conferences on Thursday this week. Students may have a preview on Thursday or Friday this week to make a list of what they might like to purchase. Then classes will come to shop on Monday Oct. 21. Ann will also be open for shopping on Grandparents’ Day on Oct. 23. Check out the website to start making your list !
Grade 1-2 recently created another wonderful project- they presented me with a book of wonderful words to describe the library! See the amazing pictures below. This immediately reminded me of the book The Word Collector by Peter Brown! I read it to the class to show the wonder of words and to say thank you for their work.
Representatives from the Halton Hills Public Library came to visit the students and talk about their summer reading program! We were excited to hear about the prizes and the fun events that will be happening this summer. I thought I would also highlight the library’s Inc Writing Project- a great way to extend your child’s learning!
HHCS SUMMER READING PROGRAM- You will see a flyer come home in your child’s report card. One side is to set reading goals for the summer, e.g. Books I Want to Read, I Want to Read ____ Books This Summer. On the other side is a Reading BINGO challenge. Complete at least 10 of the squares and return it to me in September to receive a HHCS Award Seal! Examples of some challenges are: read under a tree, read a book that became a movie, read a book about the beach, etc.
GROWING READERS TIP- FINDING FREE OR INEXPENSIVE BOOKS
Books can be expensive, but there are some affordable and free options. Try these ideas for bringing books into your home.
The public library
Library book sales
Yard sales/garage sales
Thrift shops or second hand shops
Scholastic book orders
TAKE AWAY: Use free and inexpensive sources for books.
This past week I took a group of grade 4-6 students to the Forest of Reading Festival in Toronto, Canada’s largest literary event for young readers. Students read books by Canadian authors throughout the year and then voted for which author and book they felt was the most deserving of winning the Silver Birch Fiction Award. The winning author was announced on stage in front of a cheering crowd of school children from all over the GTA. Our HHCS students also participated in author workshops at the festival, received a free book, and of course asked the authors for their autographs. It was an amazing day!
Authors Kevin Sylvester and Colleen Nelson.
We also celebrated the Blue Spruce Award for the Forest of Reading for grades K-3 at home at HHCS! We made posters for our favourite books/authors, read with finger flashlights in the dark, watched the award ceremony on the screen, read the winning book aloud again, and finished off with a book trivia game of Kahoot! All the primary students looked amazing in their fancy outfits for attending the awards!
