In this post I would like to move beyond the 3 R’s and share with you some of the recent amazing acts that have been taking place in our building. Character education is an integral part of our school culture.   It helps to form the foundation of responsible citizenship.  Over the month of December the theme of giving has permeated all we do at Emily Stowe P.S. 

The Angel Tree Fundraiser is a perfect example of the power of giving and the ripple effect it has on our greater community.  Monetary contributions and Canadian Tire money from students, parents and staff have been pouring in!  Donated items were sold at the Angel Tree Bazaar allowing students to purchase gifts for family members at a minimal cost. In turn, the money raised went towards the purchase of gifts for children in our community. Our school community raised $4000, enough money to purchase gifts for 25 ‘Angels’ in our local community through the Salvation Army and provide a significant donation to the Salvation Army. This was the result of the leadership of Mrs. Falkingham and a community coming together.

This week our school participated in the Holiday Brunch.  Food and beverage contributions donated by families in our school filled my office. Without these donations, the brunch would not be possible.  The Legion donated the hall for our functions and  parents and community volunteers donated countless hours at the Legion over three days this week setting up, cooking and serving 530 students and staff members…giving at its finest!

I have not begun to do justice to the amount of giving I have witnessed; weekly volunteers giving of their time running our snack program or supporting students in or outside of the classroom, staff doing all they can to help students receive gifts for Christmas, older students helping younger students in their learning, students donating personal items that they know a child in need could use… the list goes on. 

Giving grows character.  Acts like those mentioned above give more than the obvious.  These are lessons you cannot learn from a textbook. These acts foster self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.  They build community, inspire and motivate our students to make a difference.  My hope is that giving continues to be a cornerstone of our school culture all year long.  Mrs. Munro

“It is not about how much we give but about how much love we put into giving.” Mother Teresa