Update: Thank you to everyone who has supported this fundraiser so far. It's much appreciated.

The Purdys order has been placed and the flower fundraiser is still running. If you're looking to order flowers, you can order until April 17th. Currently the flowers are being dropped off at Tennyson although this might change. Once we get closer to the pickup date, we'll email you with details. 

Lord Tennyson Quebec 2021 is fundraising with Purdys Chocolatier and Growing Smiles, just in time for Easter and for making your patios and gardens ready for spring!

If you’d like to support the children currently in grade 6, please click both of those links below:

https://fundraising.purdys.com/1076830-73833 -- please keep in mind the market place shopping option is the easiest way to purchase as it is all fully online, but of course you are welcome to use the online order form option as well.

When you login or create an account, please take a moment to add your Child's name and division in the FIRST NAME. Leave the parent's full name in the LAST NAME. We want to make sure the proper chocolates get to you. 

After you’ve signed in the Purdy website you can buy their amazing chocolates or invite others to join and support our Fundraising Campaign.

https://lordtennyson.growingsmilesfundraising.com/home

As for the Growing Smiles feel free to order whatever you feel your patio/garden needs! 

Thank you so much!
Quebec 2021 Parents and Students. 

Thanks you for continuing to send ideas to keep mind (young and old) stimulated at home. Here are some fresh ones:

• The Internet Archive has opened a (US) National Emergency Library for all to enjoy. Read the article in the New Yorker here.
• Cosmic Kids Yoga!
• A kids guide to coronavirus podcast
• Tips here on homeschooling
• recommendations from the same site (some of these are repeats from earlier posts:
• Curriculums:
  • Mystery Science, for a starter list of kindergarten through fifth grade science lessons
  • Prodigy, for first through eighth grade math lessons built into an interactive battle-style game
  • Reading Eggs, for a homeschool reading curriculum with online reading lessons
  • ABCmouse.com, for a full, online curriculum for kids between two and eight years old
  • Khan Academy Kids, for free lessons divided by grade levels and subjects
  • Online G3, for classes geared toward accelerated learners
  Educational projects:
  • Savethechildren.org, for tools and tips specific to COVID-19, plus weekly learning activities organized by age
  • Scholastic Learn at Home, for a twenty-day plan with daily projects during school closures
  • PBS SoCal At-Home Learning, for at-home learning tips and pre-K to twelfth grade programming and activities
  Virtual field trips:
  • WebExhibits, for an online interactive museum that covers science, the humanities, and culture
  • The Boston Children’s Museum, the Louvre, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian, and many other museums, for virtual tours and online kid-friendly activities
  • The Georgia and Monterey Bay Aquariums, the San Diego Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and the Houston Zoo, for live animal cams
  • Yellowstone National Park and the Great Wall of China, for virtual field trips
  Educational games:
  • Arcademics, for free, multiplayer educational games for kindergarten through eighth grade students
  • National Geographic Kids, for online games, science experiments, and quizzes
  • All Kids Network, for free worksheets and printable crafts, activities, and mazes

March 27, 2020
 
Dear Parents and Guardians,
 
Thank you for your patience as the District develops plans to move forward as we all adapt to the limitations resulting from Covid-19.  As your superintendent, I understand the anxiety and ambiguity that families and staff are feeling.  I would like you to know that the Vancouver School District’s number one priority is the health and safety of our students, staff and you as families.  We care deeply about your well-being and will do all that we can to support you and your children at this difficult time.
 
As the official end of spring break is upon us, the District will implement a phased approach to provide continued learning opportunities for all students.  In advance of implementing these opportunities, the District will focus on three initial priorities:

• Ensure the health and safety of students, staff and communities
• Communicate thoughtfully, transparently and in a timely manner
• Provide connections to ensure students feel valued and have a sense of belonging and community

With these priorities addressed, we will be able to move forward to implement our fourth priority: 

• Continued learning opportunities so that all students can successfully transition to their next phase of learning

District staff have been working throughout spring break to develop plans and processes to begin to meet our goals.  Throughout the past two weeks, many staff have transitioned to working from home, although some are still working in schools and offices.  Those working with others have been practicing physical/social distancing and other measures that our public health officials have advised for everyone.  As we transition to having a few additional staff members in schools, these important safety practices will be a continued expectation.
 
For Vancouver students, school will not be the same.  As you know, in-class instruction is suspended.  This means there will be a fundamental shift in school services and supports for students.  Teachers and support staff will need time to prepare and plan for what that looks like and how to carry out the plans to support students. Next week, school staff will begin to communicate with families and students to check in on how you are doing, to establish connections, and to determine what would be most helpful in supporting your children.
 
One of our top three priorities is to establish ways to maintain supportive connections between home and school.  I have every confidence that our dedicated administrators, teachers and support staff will strive to sustain a strong sense of community and ensure that students know they are cared for, valued, and that their education matters.
 
Here are some other things to expect from your schools and our District as a whole.
 
Toward the end of next week, school staff will reach out to provide further information on plans about how students can access materials and belongings from their schools, potentially some ideas about the continuation of learning, and plans to support the most vulnerable students and their families.  This will not be perfect and there will be bumps along the way.  Please be assured that we are working diligently to do the very best we can on behalf of all students.
 
In addition, I would like to provide two additional updates about work underway to support children and families.
 
Supporting vulnerable students:
Throughout the past two weeks, a team of District staff have been looking to continue to provide meals to eligible students, through our schools.  Again, this will be a phased approach with initial steps starting on Monday, March 30.  Information will go out to families about the health and safety requirements (such as social/physical distancing) and the pick-up plan for students who previously accessed this support service. Feeding children and youth who require this enhanced support is a priority for the government and for the Vancouver Board of Education.  We are pleased to be able to do so and are thankful to members of IUOE – one of our unions – for working with us to develop and implement this plan.  
 
Providing childcare for children of essential service workers:
All school districts have been tasked with ensuring childcare for essential service providers.  Our staff have been working closely with government ministries (Education, Health and Children and Family Development) as well  as the City of Vancouver, the Park Board and childcare service providers to put plans in place to support the children of healthcare providers and first responders during this challenging time.  More details will follow as soon as they are available.  In the meantime, please continue to check for updates online, via the District website or your school’s site.  We will also continue to share information on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
 
Personally, I am inspired by our community, and I am grateful for the dedication of our team who play a vital role in your children’s lives.  In closing, I want to highlight the importance of staying calm and reassuring children during this challenging time.  As a community, our mutual support of each other in the interests of all children will help see us through these unprecedented times.
 
Sincerely,
 
Suzanne Hoffman
Superintendent of Schools
Vancouver School District

Thanks for all the suggestions! Keep them coming! There are some great ones on the FB page as well.

• Think Indigenous is offering online lessons K-8. Check out their Facebook page as well.
• Audible is offering free stories for kids.
• Massimo Bottura is offering free cooking classes on IG
• Curated Podcasts for kids
• NASA has made their entire library publicly accessible and copyright free
• Splashlearn has free match exercises for kid K-5

Dear parents,
 
What an unusual spring break. I send you lots of strength to get through this challenging time. Lord Tennyson has always been a school that stands together, so lets stand together (at least 1 meter apart), again. 
 
With the indefinite suspension of in-class instruction upon us, you might wonder what happens to the hot lunches and the noon hour programs. The short answer is: nothing right now. Be assured, I will start cancelling hot lunches on a weekly basis next week, if the situation doesn’t change towards a "back to school”. Your MunchaLunch account will be credited with the corresponding amount every time. 
 
For Noon Hour Programs, we are communicating with the instructors. In case the school closure is not continuing for too long after spring break, we are able to move and adjust the programs a bit. If schools won’t reopen on time, we will have to cancel Noon Hour Programs completely. In that case, the amount will be credited to your MunchaLunch account as well. 
 
In case the worst case scenario is going to happen, and our kids won’t return to Lord Tennyson this school year, credits will be carried over to September. 
 
I keep you posted and be assured, there won’t be any food delivered to Lord Tennyson without any kids there.
 
All the best
 
Barbara

Thank you everyone for the submissions of additional ideas! Here are a bunch more interesting things to do:

• Scholastic has created a free learn-from-home site with 20+ days of learning and activities
• Free curriculum used by some homeschooling families (in the UK). Preschool activities to 12th grade!
• ​List of thinking games by grade
• Starfall K-Gr 3
• Seussville. Need we say more
• FunBrain K-Gr8
• PBS Kids
• 30 day lego challenge! Send us photos of your creations!
• Learn Hul’q’umi’num’ (Halkamelam): one of the Coast Salish languages spoken in our 'hood, including by the Musqueam.
• ​Kids National Geographic

I have more coming in and will keep posting!! Would love any ideas specific to the older grades. They are a tough crowd :)

Below is the letter from Suzanne  Hoffman,  Superintendent of Schools, Vancouver School District regarding school closures due to COVID-19

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I wish to share updated information with you about impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on our school communities. Today, we received the attached letter from the Ministry of Education following the provincial government’s announcement to suspend in-class learning in BC’s schools.

Everyone at the District understands that the effects of this decision will vary family-to-family. We are committed to doing all that we can to maintain safety for your children. Like the Minister of Education indicated, the District will work to develop ways to ensure children’s learning continues. With schools out on spring break, we will take this time to initiate those plans. The District will provide more information as soon as details are determined. Please check our website for updates. Additionally, we are looking at how to continue to meet the needs of students who rely on enhanced supports at their schools such as nutrition/food programs.

In addition to today’s announcement, the District also suspended community groups’ rentals in our facilities. At this time, daycare and the District’s Community School Teams’ programs are not impacted.

We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Office of the Provincial Health Officer and Vancouver Coastal Health on the COVID-19 response.

Public institutions, such as our education system, have a responsibility to ensure every step is taken to address this pandemic in our communities. As I said before, these are extraordinary times. Yet, I know our school communities are places of deep connections and good will. I hope, like me, you find comfort in that sense of community amidst our current situation.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Hoffman
Superintendent of Schools
Vancouver School District

Staying home with the kids? (rhetorical question). Below are some resources to help pass the time. Learning, playing, and some just for sanity’s sake:

•  Learning Without Tears offers writing and keyboarding tools for the K-Gr5 set. They have just opened up some of their resources for free during this time. 
•  Easy Science for Kids
•  Jump Math
•  Kahn Academy
•  Virtual Museum Tours
•  CBC kids
•  Zone Jeunesse  (Radio Canada Kids)
•  Marble World Championships - in case you are in need of sports!
• CBC Podcasts - there are so many!! A few shout outs from  Tai, Asks Why  and  The Secret Life of Canada  got any favourites??
•  Master Class - ok, this one costs some money, but maybe they will take pity on us and offer a deal shortly - PLEEZE (I want to know how to be a boss/master chef/movie director/basketball player/chess master!!)
• Virtual Field Trips
• Mo Williams is posting Lunch Doodles every day at 1pm. The site seems to be overwhelmed at the moment, but they can be view on YouTube
• Collage Collage is selling  craft kits that can be picked up  11am to 2pm
• Netflix - Ok, we all know this one, but most of the shows have a version Français tool that you can turn on. I did this ONE DAY for my 8 year old when she was home sick and it made a huge difference in her French. Honest. I’ve heard Downton Abbey is a good series to watch + there are loads of actual French movies too.
• Common Sense Media has recommendations for age appropriate movies and apps
• Learn a First Nations language. Anyone have any good sites for this? Here is one about the weather in Cree
•  DIY hand sanitizer - I’ll let you google that as there are a lot of choices
•  How to talk to your kids about COVID-19 from CBC  
•  Several mediation apps offer free trials. Try Calm, Headspace or many others
•  I have a few spiritual free sites, if anyone is in need of some soul juice. I know this is a very personal area, so please email me if you’d like me to share. (info@lordtennyson.ca) I lean towards the new-age. 
• Many fitness apps also offer free trials. There are so many good ones, but if you have zero equipment in your house, try this one: The Be Coming Project
• Lego! The 30 day lego challenge.
  Learn Hul’q’umi’num’ (Halkamelam), which is one of the Coast Salish languages spoken hereabouts, including by the Musqueam. web.uvic.ca/hrd/hulq/index.htm
  

 
Have some ideas to share? Please send them to info@lordtennyson.ca and we’ll post them for everyone. Check back in with the blog to see what’s new, or let us know what your are doing at home and we can post that too! Happy social distancing!