DOUGLAS PARK Elementary School

 

Highlights From The 2009-2010 School Year!

Music Research Presentation

In Mrs. Solheim's Arts Education class with Mrs. Dawe's group, Chase and Aidden were paired together to research, and present a musical topic of their choice. They chose the classic rock band AC/DC! With help from Mrs. Donnawell and the internet they found out quite a few interesting facts about AC/DC. Their presentation on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010, included the songs "Thunderstruck" and "Hells Bells" along with a poster featuring AC/DC's recent Regina concert. Great work boys!

Once On A Housetop

This years winter concert “Once On A Housetop” was performed on Thursday, December 17th, 2009.  The entire school had the opportunity to take part in this concert.  Austin and Brianna joined Ms. Patron’s Grade 4 class in singing “A Big Red Fella In The Chimney” and “Once On A Housetop”.  Aidden and Chase joined Ms. Dawe’s Grade 6 class in singing “Lotsa Latkes”.  They did a wonderful job of learning the words and actions to these songs.  Thank you to Mrs. Solheim for the Musical Direction and to Ms. LaPlante, Miss Ochitwa and Ms. McCashin for Drama Direction.

Agribition

On November 24th, Mrs. Schmidt organized a Cowboy breakfast, with the help of parent volunteers on the grills. We enjoyed juice, eggs, sausages, pancakes and hash browns. To finish off the breakfast, we sang "Old MacDonald Had A Farm", "Home On The Range" and "My Home Is In Montana".  Thank you Mrs. Schmidt for inviting our class to join you! After breakfast we boarded a bus and headed off to Agribition.  Educational displays were set up in the Canada EventPlex. We learned about: how bees make honey, train safety, the life cycle of a chicken, how much milk a dairy cow produces. We even got to see a chick emerging from an egg! While eating our lunch we watched the pony races. The ponies had to zig zag between pylons while pulling a wagon. The day was fun for everyone! We all learned a lot about animals and life on a farm. We collected pens, pencils, stickers, tattoos, pamphlets, colouring pages and cards to help us remember our trip. We ended our day with a bag of mini doughnuts and a cab ride home!

 

Owls On Tour

On Thursday, November 12th our class joined some other intermediate classes for the Owls On Tour Presentation. The main focus of the presentation was on the Burrowing Owl and it's native prairie habitat. We learned about what the owl eats, where it lives and why it is endangered. Trooper, the owl, even produced a pellet for us to see. The best part of the presentation was seeing, petting, and having a live Burrowing Owl perch on our hand!  Click on a students name to see them holding Trooper! Aidden, Austin, Brianna, Chase, Marco

Douglas Park Remembrance Day Program 2009

Douglas Park School once again provided the staff, students and members of the community with a solemn

Remembrance Day Program. It began with the singing of our national anthem, "O Canada". We then watched the video "Pittance of Time", by Terry Kelly. Guest speaker Mr. Dennis Chisholm, a retired City Deputy Police Chief, spoke to us about his time serving in W.W.II and all the men and women that are currently serving. "In Flanders Fields" was recited by Mrs. Schmidt's Grade 4/5 class. Andrew Montgrand, read the poem, "An Honoured Son". Sharie Argue performed "The Last Post". This was followed by a Moment of Silence and concluded with the playing of "Reveille". Gale Russell played "Amazing Grace" on her bagpipes, while a representative from each class brought their wreath forward. Thank you Aidden for carrying the wreath for our class. The Senior Choir and ROAR performed "Siyhamba". The Finale was the singing of "God Save the Queen" by all those in attendance.

 

Who are those Masked Students?

For Halloween Superman, a Goth Princess and Scream visited our class.  It is too bad that Austin, Brianna and Aidden were not here to see them.  We lit the E.T. pumpkin that Mr. Heffernan carved, wow is he ever talented!

Special Show and Share

Marco brought his skateboard for Show and Share on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009. We watched at the back tarmac as he attempted to do an ollie and a kick flip.  It takes a lot of balance and practise to ride a skateboard.  Chase and Aidden were eager to try some tricks as well!

 

Potluck Supper

On October 20th, 2009, our school held its annual Potluck Supper.  A few of our students were fortunate enough to join us.  Chase came with his mom, sister and Tom.  Brianna brought her grandpa and grandma with her. They all enjoyed eating supper with their families, classmates, Miss Smith and Mrs. Donnawell!

Highlights From The 2008-2009 School Year!

Swimming At Massey Pool

Our class along with a few others travelled to Massey Pool on Thursday, June 18, 2009. The warm sun, slight breeze and cool water made for a perfect afternoon in the pool!

 

Caribbean Dancing

On Thursday, June 4th, 2009 Miss Smith attended the Caribbean Pavilion at Mosaic. Brianna performed 3 dances, Day-O, Pump Me Up and Pass the Dutchie. The colourful costumes, Caribbean music and lively dance made for terrific entertainment!

Track and Field

On May 5, 2009 our class participated in the school Track and Field Day. Each student chose their favorite 4 events, which included: long jump, ball throw, 50 meter, 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter races. All the students tried their best and finished each event. The weather was superb, and we couldn’t have asked for a better day. By the end of the day we were all very tired, who knew that having so much fun would be so exhausting!

Master Drummer

We had the good fortune to have Joseph Ashong visit our school on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009. Joseph is a master drummer, dancer, teacher, choreographer, and entertainer from Accra, Ghana. He moved to Canada in 1990, where he has recorded and performed with musicians from around the world. Joseph's dynamic performances have put him in great demand as both an entertainer and educator. The students and staff were delighted as they were invited to participate in the music-making, in a truly communal, magical music experience!

 

All Ears

Mr. Heffernan brought his sister’s dog Gordon to school on Monday, April 27th, 2009. Gordon enjoyed a walk around the block with the class, stopping every so often to rest his short legs. Back at the school we played in the gym, building tunnels out of mats, throwing a ball for him to chase, and rolling on the floor so his wet nose could tickle our ears. Even though Gordon was only 4 months old his paws and ears were very big. His coat was very smooth, soft and shiny. When we got back to the class he was very tired and just wanted to lay down on the carpet. He was so tired we could not even get him to howl, which he usually loves to do. CLICK HERE to watch Gordon attack some of the students with his wet nose! CLICK HERE to watch Gordon playing in the gym!

 

A “Minnie” Friend

Chase’s dog Minnie came for a visit on Monday, April 6th, 2009. She was very cute, fluffy and playful. She brought her favorite toy hamburger. We all took turns throwing the toy and watching her chase it around the lunchroom. She sat still for only a few seconds to let us brush her soft coat. She was very curious and tried to explore the school. She escaped from the classroom and was chased all the way up to the Library.

A Fond Farewell

Montey’s last day with us at school was on Friday, April 3rd, 2009. He moved to a new home and is attending Empire Community School in Moose Jaw. We said good-bye with ice cream, hugs, smiles, hand shakes and gifts. He will be missed dearly in our class, as well as around the school.

Feathered Friend

On January 27^th, Chase brought his aunt Diedre’s pet cockatiel, Joey, for Show and Share. Joey arrived in his cage, covered with a very warm blanket. When the blanket was removed Joey was excited but nervous. Joey was quite vocal, providing us with assorted loud chirping throughout the day. He was also kind enough to provide us with a dance, moving back and forth quickly on his perch, bobbing his head. Giving him a short whistle would often result in a loud squawk. When his cage door was open he managed to climb onto the outside, giving most of us a startle. Even though Chase assured us he would not fly away, we did not want to take any chances! Joey was put back in the cage after doing a few laps around the exterior while Chase was trying to catch him. It was fun having a bird in our class for just one day!

Saskatchewan Science Centre

On Thursday, December 18^th, we had the good fortune to be able to go to the Science Centre, courtesy of Mrs. Delaney and the Ministry of Energy and Resources. We got to see extreme nature and seal conservatory displays. We saw bats being fed and made giant bubbles. Brianna was brave enough to try out the gyroscope. It twirled and turned her upside down and sideways. A few shrieks could be heard throughout the building! Brianna and Mr. Heffernan participated in a lung capacity demonstration. Mr. Heffernan definitely had more lung power than Brianna. The balancing board was a favourite, with everyone trying to beat each other’s time. Miss Smith showed us all how it was done when she balanced on the board for 2 minutes. We concluded the trip with a class photo in a giant shark mouth.

 

The Legend of Polar Mountain

In The Legend of Polar Mountain an old storyteller tells the tale of a young girl and her brother who get lost in a winter storm and are befriended by a giant snowman and a snow queen. The entire school had the opportunity to be involved in this Winter play on December 16^th and 17^th. Aidden, Chase and Tyler joined Mrs. Schmidt’s Grade 4/5 class in the singing of “There’s a Light”. They used flashlights to produce a stunning multicoloured visual effect. Austin, Brianna and Montey joined Mrs. Holloway’s Grade 3 class and the A.M. Kindergarten group in the singing of “Dancing in the Snow”. They used scarves, toques, mitts, fake snowballs and a blanket as visual aides. The entire Cast rejoined on the stage to sing “Once on a Wintertime”, which concluded the concert.

 

 

Christmas Preparations

Mrs. Hart invited our class up to the Library on Thursday, December 4^th to help decorate her Christmas Tree. We all enjoyed getting into the Christmas spirit by placing ornaments on the tree. After decorating the tree, we decorated cookies and drank hot chocolate, provided by Mrs. Hart. “It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”

 

Agribition

On November 26^th, Mrs. Schmidt organized a Cowboy breakfast, with the help of parent volunteers on the grills. We enjoyed juice, eggs, sausages, pancakes and hash browns. To finish off the breakfast, we sang “Old Mac Donald Had A Farm”, “Home On The Range” and “My Home Is In Montana”. Thank you Mrs. Schmidt for inviting our class to join you! After breakfast we boarded a bus and headed off to Agribition. Upon arriving we sat and watched the team penning events in the main arena. Two cowboys had to herd and separate 3 cows of the same number into a pen. Educational displays were set up in the Canada EventPlex. We learned about: how bees make honey, train safety, the life cycle of a chicken, how much milk a dairy cow produces. We even got to hold fuzzy baby chicks and see a chick emerging from an egg! While eating our lunch we watched Tommy Turvey and his horse, Ace perform. The horse was very well trained and did tricks that most dogs wouldn’t consider doing. There were miniature ponies just for show. We patted and admired colourful pigs. We painted pictures of grasslands and the animals that live in them. The day was fun for everyone! We all learned a lot about animals and life on a farm. We collected pens, pencils, stickers, tattoos, pamphlets, colouring pages and cards to help us remember our trip. We ended our day with a bag of mini doughnuts and a cab ride home!
To see more pictures of the students holding baby chicks, click on a student's name: Aidden, Austin, Brianna, Chase, Montey, Tyler.

 

Owls On Tour

On Monday, November 17^th our class joined some other primary classes for the Owls On Tour Presentation. The main focus of the presentation was on the Burrowing Owl and it’s native prairie habitat. We learned about what the owl eats, where it lives and why it is endangered. We performed a little skit and sang a silly song to help us remember where owls migrate to. The best part of the presentation was seeing and petting a live Burrowing Owl!

Douglas Park Remembrance Day Program 2008

Douglas Park School once again provided the staff, students and members of the community with a solemn Remembrance Day Program. It began with the singing of our national anthem, “O Canada”. We then watched the video “Pittance of Time”, by Terry Kelly. Guest speaker Mr. Lorne Harasen, spoke to us about his time serving and all the men and women that are currently serving. The Remembrance Day Choir sang “Siyhamba”. “In Flanders Fields” was recited by Mrs. Schmidt’s Grade 4/5 class and was joined by Tyler and Aidden. Riley Sampson and Katlyne Serbu read “Why Wear a Poppy?”. Nicole Ottenbreit performed “The Last Post”. This was followed by a Moment of Silence and concluded with the playing of “Reveille”. To conclude the program Mr. Rasmussen played “Amazing Grace” on his bagpipes, while a representative from each class brought their wreath forward. Thank you Tyler for carrying the wreath for our class. The Senior Choir sang “The Peace Drum Song”. The Finale was the singing of “God Save the Queen” by all those in attendance.

Who Are Those Masked Students?

On Halloween a Rich Guy, a Wizard, a Mummy, Freddie and a Princess visited our class. It is too bad that Chase, Montey, Tyler, Aidden and Brianna were not here to see them. We lit the pumpkins that Mr. Heffernan carved, (Batman and Shrek), wow is he ever talented! For more photos click here: Group Carving, Tinkerbell, Rider Pumpkin.

 

School Community Council
Magazine Fundraiser

This is the first year that the S.C.C. has organized a magazine subscription sales fundraiser. A total of 754 subscriptions were sold totalling over $22,000. The S.C.C. raised $8,136.48 during this very successful fundraiser. Points were received for selling magazines. Then prizes were awarded according to the amount of points each student earned. The top seller from each class received a $10 gift card to Wal-Mart. Chase was the winner from our room. Our students had the privilege of handing out prizes during the presentation assembly on Tuesday, October 28^th, 2008. As a reward for our hard work the S.C.C. bought two games for our class, “Rush Hour” and “Speed Stacks”. That sure was very generous of them!

Potluck Supper

On October 21^st, our school held its annual Potluck Supper. A few of our students were fortunate enough to join us. Chase came with his mom, brother, sister and family friend Diedre. Brianna brought her grandpa and grandma with her. A Capital Cab drove Tyler and his mom to the supper. Montey came with his uncle Clarence and foster brother Tyrell. They all enjoyed eating supper with their families, classmates and Miss Smith!

Pirate’s Adventure

On Thursday, September 18, 2008 we travelled to Wascana Park to embark on a Pirate’s Adventure. We started the day by meeting our Pirate Guides, Captain Scurvy Scott and Captain Near-Beard Brad. We were then outfitted with life jackets and paddles. We learned the basics of paddling on the Seven Seas and some Pirate Ship safety rules. Soon after our departure from shore we learned that paddling in unison is a lot harder than it looks. After a bit of splashing and paddle slapping we managed to get the boat moving at a good pace. We paddled and sang a few Pirate songs, until we landed on Spruce Island. After regaining our land legs we were told there was buried treasure on the island. We split off into two groups to find it. After finding the treasure (water toys), the two groups rejoined but… the less experienced Pirates decided to mutiny on the more experienced ones. A big water fight ensued. The younger Pirates got the wettest, with a little help from both Captains. We ended our Adventure with a truce over Pirate Pizza lunch. It was a perfect day for a Pirate Adventure. Thanks to Debra, our cab driver and a very special lady, who provided this amazing experience for our class! To view more of our Pirate Adventure click the following links: Bri and Austin, Aidden, Chase, Montey, Tyler 1, 2, View, Waterfall.

 

Highlights From The 2007-2008 School Year!

Government House

On January 22nd, our class joined Mrs. Gorrie’s Grade 1/2 class on a trip to Government House. We learned a little bit about what it was like to live back in Victorian times. We learned about differences between the Victorian manor of long ago and today’s modern home. We also compared the lifestyle of Victorian children with the children of today. At times it was difficult to see all that old, neat stuff without touching it (right Tyler?). We got to spend some time in the Once Upon A Time playroom by, colouring, dressing up, and playing with all the toys. It was a great way to spend the afternoon!

 

Rainbow Cinema

At Christmas, Debra, one of our cab drivers generously gave our class gift certificates to use at the Rainbow Cinema! On January 18th our class used these gift certificates to go and see “The Bee Movie” (this was the movie that the students wanted to go to). Thanks to Debra, students enjoyed a Kiddie Combo while watching a very funny movie!

Cookin’ Up Christmas

Aidden, Chase and Tyler joined Mrs. Schmidt’s Grade 4 Class in singing The Rap of the Elves. Brianna and Montey joined Mrs. Gorrie’s Grade 1/2 Class in singing Chicken Soup and Your Special Gift. They did a wonderful job of learning the words and actions to these songs. Thank you to Ms. Ochitwa for leading the singing and to Mrs. Zsoka for playing the piano. For the Finale, all the classes involved in the concert gathered on stage to sing Christmas is Finally Here.

Regina Symphony Chamber Players

We enjoyed listening to the sweet sounds of the Regina Symphony Chamber Players on November 5.

Who Are Those Masked Students

On Halloween a Rich Guy, the Grim Reaper, a Dark Lord, Superman and a Reindeer visited our class. It is too bad that Chase, Kenny, Aidden, Austin and Montey were not here to see them. Mr. Heffernan brought the pumpkin he carved for all of us to see (Curious George), wow is he ever talented!

Books for Breakfast

Mrs. Hart once again put a lot of hard work into organizing the Books for Breakfast. On October 19th we enjoyed muffins, bagels, oranges, and juice for breakfast while Mr. Heffernan read us a story. It was a great way to start the day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional Aboriginal Flutist

Jason Chamakese visited our school on October 18th. He is an Aboriginal flutist who captivates his audience through story telling and soft, soothing, dreamlike music. While listening to his music you find yourself slowly relaxing and entering an almost hypnotic state. He decided to take up the flute after listening to a recording of it nine years ago. Jason spoke to us about the meaning of the flute and how important story telling is in his culture.

 

 

 

 

Potluck Supper

On October 16th our school held its annual Potluck Supper. A few of our students were fortunate enough to join us. Chase came with his mom, brother and sister. Brianna brought her grandpa and grandma with her. Debra drove Tyler, his mom and grandma. Montey also arrived thanks to Debra. They all enjoyed eating supper with their families, classmates and Miss Smith.

Hoja!

The a cappella group Hoja came to our school on October 16th. They use their voices to make music without any instruments. It sounds as though they are using guitars, drums and various other instruments but they are only using their voices to project the sound. They remake and perform popular pop and rock songs. Mr. Filson was called upon to assist them in singing a country song. Mr. Filson was fun to watch and was a great entertainer.

 

 

Furry Little Friend

On October 2nd, Chase brought his pet hamster, Daxter, for Show and Share. Daxter arrived in his cage, covered with a blanket. When the blanket was removed Daxter was excited and ready to see all of us. Daxter enjoyed rolling around the class in his ball, and even tried to escape out the door a few times (not to mention the accident he had in his ball). Daxter had a lot of energy and only slept for a short time while in our class. Daxter was kind enough to allow us to hold him without trying to make a snack of our fingers. Daxter was a welcome addition to our class for the day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights From The 2006-2007 School Year!

RCMP Heritage Centre

On Monday, June 11, 2007 we joined Mrs. Schmidt's and Ms. Bryden's classes for a trip to the RCMP Heritage Centre. We started our day by meeting Dave, our tour guide. He told us what is expected of the cadets while they are on the training grounds. We learned how to march properly and were asked to march and stay in our line formation as we toured the facility for the day. Marching properly is very hard work as we later found out. We briefly explored some of the exhibits before watching a multi-media presentation called Tour of Duty. We marched down to a hall where several dozen cadets were learning proper marching techniques, we definitely did not look that good while we were marching. The Drill Sergeant kept the cadets performing their best by making those that weren't following the others do push-ups. We toured the oldest standing building in Regina, built in 1883, a Chapel originally used as a mess hall. After only a 15 minute lunch break, we had the honour of viewing the Sergeant Major's Parade. The cadets marched around the Parade Square and received inspection from the Sergeant Major. A few cadets could be seen tucking in their shirts or straightening their slacks in an attempt to look their best. The weather was perfect for the tour and we couldn't have asked for a better tour guide. Thanks Dave!

Métis Sash Making

Mrs. Baldwin was assisted by some Grade 8 students in teaching our class how to make Métis sashes. We used yarn to weave our names and designs on a burlap strip. The sashes will look wonderful when they are completed.

Trip To The Abbott's Farm

We joined Mrs. Gorrie's morning Kindergarten class, on a trip to the Abbott's Farm on May 11th. The farm is located just North of Pilot Butte. Thank you Debra and Navidi for providing us with our transportation. We saw lambs, piglets, chicks, donkeys, goats and horses. We held the chicks, ducks and baby turkeys. We fed the miniature pony, he was really hungry. We got to go for a hay ride around the farm and in the pasture. We finished the trip by eating S'mores, cooked over a bonfire. To view more photographs of our Abbott's Farm Trip click the attachment at the bottom of the page.

Professional Trials Rider Ryan Leech

Ryan Leech, a professional Mountain Bike Trials Rider came to our school on Friday, May 4. He spoke to us about reaching for our dreams and acheiving our goals through hardwork and practice. He also demonstrated his amazing Mountain Biking abilities, through a number of tricks and stunts. He jumped over a 40 inch high bar from a stand still on his bike. He hopped his bike up onto numerous platforms, balancing often only on one wheel. For the grand finale he jumped his bike over 2 teachers who were laying on the gym floor! If you want to learn more about Ryan, visit his website at www.ryanleech.com Watch some of his performance by clicking the 2 attachments below.

Métis Jigging

On May 3, 2007 Brianne Spencer visited our school to teach us some Métis Jigging. We had fun learning the steps, listening to the music and trying to keep up with her! Who knew jigging was so much work!

Seussical The Musical

On May 2, 2007 our class travelled by bus to Campbell Collegiate. We had the pleasure to watch Grant Road School's production of the musical, Seussical. The musical was directed by Douglas Park's own Ms. Ursan, with music, lyrics and the book by Stephan Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens! The musical was based on the works of Dr. Seuss and included characters from books such as, The Cat In The Hat, Horton Hears A Who, Yertle The Turtle, The Butter Battle Book, and many many more.

A Visit From Rob Hunter

On April 27, 2007 our whole school enjoyed an acoustically amazing presentation by Rob Hunter, a Métis musician. Rob is originally from Regina, but now lives in Vancouver (where he went to school to get his Music Degree). Rob told us that he uses his instruments as an extension of his voice. He knows how to play a number of instruments (drum, rattle, trombone, piano).

A Visit From Calvin Racette

On April 17, 2007 our class enjoyed 2 interesting stories read by Mr. Racette (one story was about Creation and the other was about the Métis people).

"Charlotte's Web" - The Movie

On April 2, 2007 our class travelled to the Rainbow Cinema to view the movie "Charlotte's Web". The show was fantastic. The students enjoyed a Kid-Combo (popcorn, a pop, and candy) along with the movie.

Attachment	Size
Ryan Leech Jumping	3.05 MB
Ryan Leech Hopping On Front Tire	3.9 MB
Abbotts' Farm Trip	284.19 KB