Students from Grades 5 to 9 are proud to present their musical theatre production of Once On This Island, a captivating legend of romance between a peasant girl and a city boy whom she saves from death.  This calypso-flavoured re-telling of The LIttle Mermaid opens on a Caribbean island where villagers comfort a little girl with the story of the orphan Ti Moune, destined to love too much for the human heart to bear.  Staged with minimal props, sets and costumes, Once On This Island delivers melody, love and joy in tropical abundance.

Showing Thursday, March 4th at 7:00 pm at Aspengrove School.  Tickets available at the school office (250-390-2201). $7 for adults, $5 for students.

Aspengrove students (197 in total) rose to the challenge when faced with the question of how they could help the citizens of Haiti after the recent earthquake  that devastated their country.

Our High School students had already organized a dance and generously donated funds raised at the dance to the Aspengrove Haiti Relief Fundraiser.

Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 took turns sorting bottles, cans and other recyclables and the Nanaimo Bottle Depot set up an Aspengrove Haiti Fundraiser account for members of the public to also donate to this bottle drive effort.  Local newspapers also assisted the school with notices in their news articles and community events calendars which was extremely helpful to the cause.

Students from Kindergarten to Grade 5 held a bake sale and challenged our middle and high school students to also hold a bake sale and see if the could beat the amount of funds our primary students raised……and they did!  There’s nothing like a good old fashioned challenge to stir the competitive spirit of youth.

One of Aspengrove’s Grade 2 students raised an additional $300 at her birthday party in lieu of gifts.

Total funds raised were $2,714.90 which is being donated to Doctors Without Borders, an organization that the Canadian government recognizes for fund matching so the total amount that Doctors Without Borders will receive is $5,428.90!  This is a true testament to the caring, global citizenship that our students exemplify and that make us so proud of each and every one of them.

Aspengrove School and members of its faculty are hosting a free information session/workshop for parents and members of the public on the implications of Online Social Media in the lives of today’s children.  Participants will learn about the different ways children are participating in today’s Social Web and how Aspengrove School is working to teach students the skills they need to become effective Digital Citizens.  We also plan to facilitate a conversation on how schools and parents can best work together to educate and support our students/children so that they can leverage the power of the internet and avoid its pitfalls.

If you are interested in attending this session we would appreciate an RSVP via phone 250-390-2201 or email to ereay@aspengroveschool.ca

Please attend and join in the conversation.

Primary and Senior Choir members entertained shoppers at Woodgrove Centre with Christmas and seasonal songs in Woodgrove Centre’s Singing Christmas Tree.  The Choirs were led by music teacher, Jill McElwain and accompanied on piano by Grade 4 teacher, Mr. La Bounty.

Student Council members Rachel Goldminc, Gr. 11 and Darcy Good, Gr. 12 have planned an activity for the White Ribbon Campaign (Violence against women/Dec 6^th).

For the first hour students in Grades 10, 11 & 12 will be working with their peers in gender stereotype and healthy relationship workshops. Following these working groups, we have arranged for a guest speaker from Haven House to come and speak about violence against women in our own community.

Monday, December 7^th –        12:30-1:00 and 3:15-4:30

Tuesday, December 8^th –        12:30-1:00 and 2:15-5:00

Wednesday, December 9^th –   12:15-4:30

Thursday, December 10^th –     12:30-1:00 and 3:15-4:30

Students from Grade 11 & 12 Make A Difference to the Pediatric Ward at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital by decorating the halls and waiting areas for Christmas to bring some happiness to the children, families and hospital staff who will spend their holiday in hospital this year.

Mr. Shuley’s Grade 5 class completed their D.A.R.E. training with Cst. Vaughan of the Nanaimo RCMP detachment and performed their skits for an audience to share their knowledge regarding violence and drug and alcohol use as well as making their personal pledges to avoid violence, drugs and alcohol in their lives.

Each student received a D.A.R.E. certificate and t-shirt to commemorate the occasion and thanked Cst. Vaughan for making the training enjoyable and engaging.