If you’re just checking in on the website you may notice a new poll on the right hand side. It would be great to get some feedback, so if you can take a moment to give your answer it would be greatly appreciated!

Have a super duper Spring Break everyone!

*NOTE from webkeeper – As a parent of 3 children under 11, I attended the last session of My Tween and Me, and I highly recommend this set of sessions to every parent! It’s full of insights to how your child is/is not communicating, and to make conversations count. I don’t think I’m the only parent that has complained that children ‘don’t come with a manual’, well, this is as close as it gets. The sessions are very informal; you grab a coffee, take a seat and the sessions fly by. You’ll really be surprised at how Jocelyn can share her knowledge and help steer your family into becoming a tighter, more receptive unit! D. Pedro

My Tween and Me parenting program will open your eyes to all the ways you can continue to influence your pre-teen’s choices, values and goals.  This interactive, customizable program will give you the keys to preventing risky behaviour — by helping you discover your own skills and strengths as a parent.

The BC COUNCIL FOR FAMILIES created My Tween & Me for fathers and mothers of children 7-12 years old. During the “tweens”, your children grow more independent. Yet for a little while more, you are still their hero—enjoy it! But don’t miss the
opportunity of this age to build lasting connections that will help them make safe, healthy choices during their teen years.
My Tween & Me is an entertaining, informative program that will help you learn how to make those connections with your “ tween”.

• Date: Starting Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
• Time: 6:30 – 8:30pm
• Location: Roy Wilcox School
• There is no cost for this program at this time.

Kitimat Youth Basketball League (KYBL)

Who?
1. Grades 2-3
2. Grades 4-5
3. Grades 6-7

Where?
Mt. Elizabeth Secondary School

When?
March 16 – April 20, 2010
Tuesdays and Fridays
4-5 pm or 5-6 pm

What?
Basketball skills taught by the Senior and Junior Boys Basketball teams. Teams will have one practice and one game each week.

Registration:
Deadline: March 5, 2010
Fee: $60. (includes t-shirt)

Contact:
Dan Striker 250-632-5243
email: dstriker@telus.net

The results are in for our  Olympic Book Competition

• Gold:  Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend
• Silver:  Psst
• Bronze:  Perfect Man

Congratulations!

Olympic Book Competition

• February 2010 Newsletter

Apollo is the first ever Hibernating Spirit Bear captured on live Cam

The Kermode Spirit Bear is a rare white bear only found in the Great Bear Rainforest of Beautiful British Columbia, Canada. There’s only about four hundred of these elusive Spirit Bears, so actually seeing one in person is rare. Now the world can see this precious wild bear on a live Kermode Spirit Bear cam.

The Kermode Spirit Bear is one of the rarest bears on the planet.  Although this white bear looks like an albino or a short polar bear, he’s neither. We don’t know why, but one out of every ten black bears is a white bear or Spirit Bear. He’s technically known as a “white-phase black bear” or a genetic throw back. Often a white bear will have black cubs and vise versa.

The Spirit Bear was recently honored in the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, as he is also part of their Miga Mascot.
The Kermode Bear is the official totem animal of British Columbia. The Spirit Bear has long been a strong part of the BC’s First Nation’s mythology, who call him Moks’gmol.

The Spirit Bear’s home, The Great Bear Rainforest, is now a 200 million hectare area, giving the bear protection from hunters.

In the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, along the scenic Nisga’a Highway, BCSpiritBear is now sharing their unique experience with the elusive Spirit Bear. Stephanie and Harreson Waymen have an unusual relationship with Kermode Bears as they live amongst them. They’re in a rare position to witness, photograph, film and study these bears up close and personal, as seen in their live Kermode Spirit Bear cam.

BCSpiritBear invites you to learn more about this special Spirit Bear of BC, through their information, sighting maps, photos, videos, personal stories,live cams and Kermode Snow Bear Contest. Throughout the year they will also have a summer cam to capture White and Black bears feasting on the many wild berries of the season.

How it Began, by Stephanie and Harreson Waymen:

After a year of technical challenges, we finally have a live video feed on our local Kermode Spirit Bear (we call him Apollo)
– first ever in the world!

We started on this path when Harreson accidently fell in a local Kermode Bear Winter Den last winter. Kermode Spirit Bears only occur in the Terrace area and we’re especially blessed to have one hibernating nearby.

We’ve set up a Kermode Spirit Bear website to showcase our films (yes, I know, the learning curve on video editing is steep), our Apollo live feed, information, art, books and a sighting map.

Please go to http://bcspiritbear.com/spirit-bear-hibernating-live/ to see Apollo.

We love Apollo like one of our children. He’s a huge Kermode Boar that returns to the cedar den every year. We think he’s about 5 years old as we have photographed him every year in our garden.

When he leaves his winter den (catch him on our live cam end of March, early April) we’ll move the live bear cam to our driveay where different Kermode Bears feed on our vast array of wild berries. Many black bears come a munching too.

One of the Olympic events taking place at Roy Wilcox is the Olympic Book Competition.  After traveling from class to class throughout the next several weeks children will vote for the book that merits the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. We’ll keep you posted on the winner!

We recently captured some of the kids who are enjoying the Lego Club at Roy Wilcox on Monday at noon hour. Great to see all that imagination and creativity at work! We would also like to remind everyone that we are still accepting any Lego/Duplo donations for the kids. Thank you!

Recently our Grade one class had an art lesson from Mrs. Hutson, a local Kitimat artist.  The lesson was about drawing scenery with crayons.  We attached a few examples.  Sorry we couldn’t attach everyone’s.

WHAT IS THE RAINBOWS PROGRAM?

Children grieving a loss NEED SUPPORT as well as HEALING. These needs touch an ever-increasing number of children each year. RAINBOWS provides effective peer support programs for children grieving the loss of a family member due to death, divorce, separation, abandonment, adoption, foster home or other painful life transitions. RAINBOWS is available to all children and is free of charge.

WHY DO WE NEED THE RAINBOWS PROGRAM?

We need the program because when something significant happens in a family, the entire family is affected. Even though death, separation or divorce occurs, not only do the parents grieve, the children do also. Because of their age and limited life experiences, children find it extremely difficult to verbalize their feelings.

WHEN: Starting March 2010

ARE YOU INTERESTED? If you are interested in enrolling your child, or would like more information please call:

David Mills 250-632-2912 | david.mills@cmsd.bc.ca
Sandy Boguski 250-632- 6194 ext 6303 | sboguski@kitimatcdc.ca
Jocelyn Iannarelli 250-632-7180 ext 6021 | jiannarelli@kitimatcdc.ca

A community partnership between the Coast Mountain School District, Kitimat Child Development Centre and Kitimat Hospice Society

Check out what the Roy Wilcox Elementary School P.A.C. is currently involved with!

• Latest P.A.C. Newsletter

The next Roy Wilcox P.A.C. meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 at 7:30pm in the staff room. Hope everyone can make and it would be fantastic to see some new faces!

The March Recreation Events Calendar is out! If you’re wondering what activities to spend your time on in the upcoming month then take a look ! C’mon Kitimat; get active!

• March Recreation Events Calendar