The end of another week (also known as one week closer to grad) and Special Visitors

Hello families,

Well, it was another big week here, and I hope you're giving your kids the Flintstones vitamins because from here on out there are only big weeks with many projects, exams and trips. It promises to be hectic and fun, but very hard work, and in my experience keeping 12-year-olds busy (very, very busy) is half the battle.

What battle, do you ask?

Oh, the ongoing battle against hormones and backtalk, arguments and obstinacy (which is a word, but I had to check), sloppy work, bad manners and lack of motivation. But I know I don't have to tell you this. From what I hear, this battle is being fought on all fronts.

Keeping myself ready for this is also what sometimes keeps me from acknowledging, daily, how your children are really great people. Really great people who care deeply about others and their world, who are critical thinkers and who have come a long, long way in the year and eight months we have been together.

I'm tearing up and losing my focus here. Ahem.

We had two special visitors this week. The first was the lovely Kat Usher, Naturalist from the EarthValues Institute in Montreal who came to give her annual presentation to the students. This year's theme was "Colour My World." She is a wonderful speaker and I was sorry to have been out sick that day and miss her talk.

I was also sorry since every time I am sick h-e-double-hockey-sticks seems to break out with the kids' behaviour and I come back to problems. If you heard from me Thursday you know what I mean (if you didn't, your child wasn't involved :).


Our second visitor arrived Thursday morning and was a surprise for the kids. Just in case your own loving 12yr old was less than communicative and forthcoming this week, you should know that I asked an agent of the Surete du Quebec to come and speak to them about drugs. If they didn't give it to you, you should go riffling through their bookbags for the information document for parents about kids and drugs (after hearing what he had to say, perhaps you should riffle through their things regularly). The students had excellent questions and Agent Jutras was a very experienced speaker who handled the information with just enough detail to (hopefully) scare them away from drugs and pushers. It is a good time to reopen a dialogue with your child about the whole subject.

Thank you for your help and support this week, and as we move into the Math and English Exams next week please continue to keep your child as well-rested as possible.

Enjoy the weekend, and Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Kathy
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