An Evening with Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari, MSW, RSW, author and founder of Connected Parenting will  discuss  her  CALM technique  which  helps  to  de-escalate  behaviour while building trust and increasing emotional resilience in children.

Parents will learn to use the tools that therapists implement  to  help  children  (K-12)  develop  the emotional  and  neurological  hardware  they  need to deal with whatever life throws at them.  

The event will take place Wednesday May 25th, at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium at Oakwood Collegiate Institute, 991 St. Clair Avenue West.

All parents are invited, but space is limited! Please RSVP to marjoleinwinterink@yahoo.ca

School Council Meeting Thursday, May 19th

Please come out to our next School Council meeting, Thursday, May 19th, at 7 o'clock, in the McMurrich Library.

School Council meetings are a great way to find out what's happening at McMurrich. There will be updates from council and committees, as well as an update from the principal.

Refreshments will be available, and free childcare will be provided across the hall in Room 103.

All are welcome. We look forward to seeing you!

Get ready for the Butterfly Effect fundraiser on Friday!

McMurrich students have been hard at work, creating beautiful works of art to display at the Butterfly Effect Art Show, this Friday May 13th!

The butterfly effect has been selected as the theme for the McMurrich/Winona Welcomes Refugees kick-off fundraising event because we felt that the idea that “the fluttering wings of a butterfly trigger an effect that reverberates around the world,” was the perfect symbol for our initiative. For more on the McMurrich Welcomes Refugees initiative, visit www.mcmurrichrefugees.com.

The event will include a bake sale and open mic talent show, and is open to all in the community. Come on out, bring your neighbours, bring your friends! All funds raised will go towards the sponsorship of a refugee family from Syria. 

Big thanks to the McMurrich Welcomes Refugees committee and the School Council Enrichment committee for making it happen!

Looking for something?

Is that a new neighbourhood boutique?

No, it's the new, well-organized lost and found!

Thanks to McMurrich School Council member Jannine for getting it done!

Fort McMurray needs our help!

McMurrich is holding a Toonie drive to raise funds for the Red Cross in support of the people of Fort McMurray, whose city has been literally decimated by fire.

Running today through Thursday of this week, children are invited to bring in a Toonie to donate to the relief efforts. Let's do our part to help!

McMurrich Welcomes Refugees Meeting May 10th

The next meeting of the McMurrich Welcomes Refugees committee will be on Tuesday May 10th at 7 o'clock in the McMurrich Library, to prepare for our Butterfly Effect Art Show on Friday the 13th featuring art, a bake sale, open mic talent show, and more!

We've raised $570 in one week and are looking to keep up the momentum.

Come out to the meeting on Tuesday, and to the art show on Friday, or donate online!

Get ready for Fun at the Fun Fair!

Mark Thursday June 9th on your calendars and get ready to have FUN!

International food table, silent auction, games, more inflatables, more FUN!

We also need volunteers. You don't need to be a parent to volunteer - high school students looking to meet their volunteer requirements are welcome to help out too! Each student who volunteers will have a parent buddy to make sure things go smoothly, and get volunteer credit too!

To find out more about how you can help out, email Jo at joannajorgensen@hotmail.com.

Cupcakes!

We need cupcakes!

Can you can donate baked goods for our art show on May 13?

Cupcakes, goodies, and other treats will be on sale at The Butterfly Effect: Art Show - May 13 - 6:00 - 7:30 pm, An evening of Art and Entertainment in support of the McMurrich Welcomes Refugees initiative.
 
Contact Linnea linnea.nord@nelson.com  or bring your contributions on the day, to the tables at the back of the gym.

And even if you cannot donate baked goods to sell at the event, please mark your calendars and come out to see your child's art on display at the show! The children are spending three days making art with a professional artist, and this is their exhibit. There's also an open mike and we're inviting both parents and children to come on stage and share their talents with us during the art show, as well as enjoying treats at the bake sale. All proceeds will be going to the McMurrich Welcomes Refugees initiative.

Mindful Parenting Workshop

Felicity Bannister (MSW, RSW) has worked in mindfulness for over 6 years with both adults and youth and has extensive experience running groups. She has completed the Applied Mindfulness Program at the University of Toronto and attended Vipassana silent retreats. Her experience includes running Mindfulness Meditation Programs in Corporate, Community, Social Agency and Volunteer settings. Felicity has experienced the transformative benefits of fostering her own mindfulness practice.

In Felicity’s presentation, she will:

• Define mindfulness
• Discuss the benefits and how they apply to parenting
• Outline the science behind the practice
• Run two short meditations
• Offer mindfulness tips in everyday life
• Provide a list of resources

This free workshop, happening at Brown Public School 454 Avenue Road, Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016 7:00-8:30 p.m., is presented by the Brown Public School Speakers Series for Parents.

Teacher Appreciation Lunch - May 11th

The McMurrich School Council is hosting our annual Teacher Appreciation Potluck Luncheon on Wednesday, May 11th to celebrate all the hard work and dedication our amazing teachers have put into making McMurrich a fantastic place to learn for our children. This is an opportunity for us as parents to thank our teachers and support staff in person, and let them know how much we appreciate all the time, hard work and patience that they have put into our children! Parents are encouraged to attend.

To make this a success, we are asking that the parent body contribute any of the following items: Salads, sandwiches, casseroles, veggie and fruit trays, drinks, desserts to name a few. Please send an email to Colleen at warrior1166@yahoo.com to let us know what you would like to bring to share. All food items should be dropped off by 10:00 am on Wednesday, May 11th.
A heartfelt thanks to everyone for helping make this event a success.