Guitar Program (former band program)…

This program was required to adapt to the restrictions that were laid out from the COVID 19 pandemic were no woodwind or brass instruments were to be played.  In the past years the students moving into Grade 5 would be introduced to and learn how to play core band instruments; trumpet, clarinet, flute and trombone.  However, this year we were excited to offer a guitar program to our grade 6-8 students.  All have enjoyed the program and picked up all the new techniques quite quickly!  This year this group was privileged to join the violin program perform for family, friends and to the senior centre all through Zoom.

Music Education helps develop…

• Creative thinking
• Communication skills
• Concentration
• Self-expression
• Hand-eye coordination
• Poise technological awareness
• Goal setting
• Time management skills
• The desire to achieve excellence
• Cross-cultural understanding
• Memory skills
• Teamwork

Chapel…

Each class, including the childcare programs have daily devotions and every Wednesday at 9:00am, the whole student body at BSLS gathers for Chapel.  Due to COVID 19 restriction we are unable to gather in Chapel area, however we meet through Microsoft Office, Teams to live stream worship with Pastor Schnarr from BSLC.  Services are around 20 – 30 minutes long and once restrictions are lifted and we are able to resume in the Chapel area again, the students will once again participate in the service by being the candle lighters, chapel artists, dedicated prayer reader, scripture reader and candle extinguishers.  Classes continue to participate during live streaming by sharing their answers to questions and present their prayers requests before God.  This year our theme is Heroes of the Bible.  We look forward to being able to open our doors to visitors once again and we would love to see you!

French Education…

Students from K – 3 receive daily French instruction from their homeroom teacher.  In the early years the students receive approximately twenty minutes per day of French instruction often integrated through cross curricular lessons.  The grade 4 – 8 students receive French instruction from our French specialist for 30-40 minutes per day.  The Manitoba curriculum is focused on enabling students to communicate in the French language and to appreciate francophone culture.  Students acquire the language skills to communicate in French, demonstrate an appreciation of Francophone culture and value the learning of French as a tool for personal, intellectual, and social growth.

Resource Services…

The school has access to a speech pathologist, school phycologist and a school social worker through the Louis Riel School Division.  BSLS has a part-time learning resource teacher who provides additional support to our students.  The focus of our Learning Resource teacher is to provide two reading programs Leveled Literacy and Empower Reading Program for our early years students who require support.  Our Learning Resource teacher also oversees the development of Individual Education Plans with the classroom teachers.  We have volunteers that visit BSLS weekly to assist with supporting the speech programming. 

Volunteers…

Parent Volunteers are invaluable for special activities, special snacks, fieldtrips, reading a book to a class or a student or helping out teachers and office throughout the school year. If you are able to assist, we are very pleased to have you!  Due to COVID 19 restrictions we have had to ask our volunteers from not coming into the school this year and we look forward to having them walking our hallways once again.

Physical Education…

 In our physical education program students develop knowledge, skills and attitudes for being active and healthy in five areas that include movement, fitness, safety, personal and social management, and healthy lifestyle practices.  Students engage in activities that promote game rules and fair play.  They can identify benefits of exercise and they participate in physical activities that focus on improving personal fitness.  The physical education curriculum teaches about the factors that influence friendship and positive relationships.  It teaches about appreciating diversity among God’s people, anger and conflict management skills and how to set goals personally and for a group.  This year all classes have been held outdoors due to the COVID 19 restrictions and the students have enjoyed learning new and exciting ways to play all the games they use to, just modified.  This year the students have learned about quinzhees and how to build a structure out of blocks.

Our physical education teacher provides many extra-curricular activities throughout the year.  Students are usually provided with an opportunity to spend additional time in the gym participating in low and high organized games with fellow students at recess or the lunch recess period.  In addition, the middle school students can participate and join the volleyball and basketball teams and participate in track and field meets.  We look forward to commencing these activities once restrictions are lifted.

Before and After School Care…

The school provides a number of additional services to our families like our Before and After School Care Program (BASC).  This program opens daily at 7:00 – 8:30am and then from 3:16 – 5:30pm.  All students who are accepted into BSLS K-8 are guaranteed a spot.  This program is also available during in-service days, early dismissal and during spring break.  During the in-service days the students engage in different activities like bowling at Tache Bowling Lanes, clay club, cooking club and we have even brought in a large dome for the children to learn about constellations.  Even if children do not need the care, you will hear through the halls that they want to attend because of the unique and fun activities they do.

BSLS also offers students with extra-curricular after school programs like Mad Science, Coding and Archery, just to name a few, some at a slight additional charge.  All of the above activities are currently not running due to COVID 19 restrictions.  

Love and Logic…

BSLS uses the Love and Logic® approach and we offer sessions twice a year to our families and friends free of charge.  We graciously have Dr. Nobby Woo (an alumni parent of the school) and Mrs. Butterfield (staff) who are highly trained facilitators and provide us with the Love and Logic content. This program provides parents with helpful tools on how to raise children from toddler to adulthood.  Dr. Woo and Mrs. Butterfield are very knowledgeable and can answer any questions you may have.  While attending these sessions you will learn key words/phrases and strategies to help teach your child(ren) how to be responsible for their actions and their belongings. If you would like more information please contact the admissions office at the school, we do also have a Love and Logic® lending library open for anyone to sign out DVDs, CDs, and books.

Parents in Partnership…

The Parents in Partnership (PIP) is the group of parents in the school that meet four times a year to help raise monies for the school and provide fun events for our families, throughout the year.  PIP also hosts speakers for educational purposes on topics of interest to the parents of the school.  The PIP usually two fundraisers that run all year long and one major fundraiser which is usually our annual dinner.  Due to COVID 19 restrictions meetings have been held by Zoom and various fundraisers have been held this year, One Stop Shop, Glenlea Gardens, Mom’s Pantry, Morden’s Valentine Chocolate Fundraiser and more to come.  Visit the PIP tab on our website for current fundraisers and events!  All funds raised will go to support various projects in the school.  The last major fundraiser was upgrading the North playground by leveling off the grounds, laying new grass and adding an outdoor classroom.  Last year, PIP donated money towards the classroom budgets and support the purchase of recesses equipment for each classroom and Chromebooks for each student from the grade 3/4 classroom to Grade 8.

PIP usually holds two to three movie nights per year and host an annual BBQ at the end of the year for everyone to gather and have fun before we all break for the summer.  We are looking forward to all of these events to start up once restrictions have been lifted.  Everyone is welcome to come to the meetings to participate please contact Mrs. McCrea for a Zoom invitation.  PIP also brings in special guests to speak to our parent community on relevant topics to support parenting. 

Staff…

At Beautiful Savior Lutheran School and Childcare we are privileged to have very knowledgeable and experienced educators.  Educators are defined as people who teaches, informs or inspires others.  Our teachers dedicate their time, energy and love to support our students and community.  They share their talents and passions with the students everyday and even into their personal time with the many extra-curricular activities offered throughout the school day and week.  The following are the extra-curricular activities that our dedicated staff volunteered to run through BSLS last year.  This year due to current COVID 19 restrictions all extra-curricular activities are currently on hold and we all look forward to restarting all of the activities when restrictions are lifted.  The following descriptions are based off the 2019-2021 academic school year and anticipate all to return to the school next year.

Coding Club – Mr. Bennett & Mrs. McCrea

In Coding Club, the students will be learn how to program their own interactive stories, games and animations using the Scratch programming language. There will also be opportunities to use BBC Microbits (pocket-sized, codable computers) to create physical coding projects. They will participate in the AstroPi Mission Zero program in which entrants’ code, written in the Python programming language, will be run in space on the International Space Station! 

R & R (Rest & Relaxation) – Mrs. Van Dale

Students in grades 3-8 can choose to come into an atmosphere that is quiet and calm.  The lights are dimmed and Christian music is playing while the students whisper to each other while doing quiet activities like drawing, painting, or puzzles.  The students enjoy spending time together doing table top activities that they may not get a chance to do with their school friends.  It allows students to build relationships and to enjoy one another’s company.

Talent Show Prep – Mr. Badiuk & Mrs. Van Dale

BSLS has an annual talent show that takes place in June.  This club is where the students can design, prepare and be dedicated to their “act”/talent for our annual talent show.  Students learn strategies to work with their anxiousness and how to prepare a strong stage presence.

Chess Club– Mrs. Petkau

The chess club is offered to students in grades two-eight and begins by conducting ‘Introductory’ lessons that are taught to beginner chess players (the grade twos or others) before they start.  The older students begin to mentor the younger students while playing practice games with the new grade twos (or beginners) and they talk them through a game.  The Chess Club meets once a week in the chapel area during lunch recess.

In March, there is an optional mini-tournament that the students may sign up for if they are interested or they may continue to come out and play for fun.  The students are divided up into groups by grade level and by skill level. Chess Club runs until Easter Break.  Tournament trophies are awarded during our Awards Day in June. 

Pick It – Mrs. McCrea

Pick it is a time where the students get the opportunity to play board games and/or other simple games together in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.  The goal of the time spent together is to model appropriate responses when winning or losing a game and appropriate conversation when in small groups with friends.

Reading Club – Mrs. McCrea

A time to read.  Plain and simple.  This is the opportunity to read the book the students choose and to enjoy time during the day to catch up on your book in a quiet and calm atmosphere.

Private music lessons – Mr. Badiuk

Mr. Badiuk offers private lessons in violin, guitar, drums, and the core band instruments (on hold at the moment) in addition to regular music class. There is an advanced violin class offered to students who are interested in continuing on with the violin studies and/or for those who are currently taking band class. Private lessons and advanced violin are great ways for the students to call the shots on what they are learning musically. The extracurricular time encourages children to learn musical material that is of interest to them, challenge their skills and that might not be covered in the BSLS regular music curriculum.

Colouring Club – Ms. Meilleur

Colouring Club meets every Wednesday during lunch recess for some calm creativity. The grade 1-3 students have options of creating their own drawings or colouring positive growth mindset posters or Bible verse posters.  The students have the opportunity to develop friendships that foster from a different place than the playground.

Physical Education—Intramurals – Mr. Wozney

Students are encouraged to participate in exploratory and cooperative learning activities during morning and afternoon recesses.  Low and high organized games are planned and supervised by the physical education teacher.  The grade five—eight students play a variety of games including dodgeball, soccer and invasion.  All intramurals are played during the winter months and end, at the end of March.

Running Club – Mr. Wozney

Students from grade three-eight are able to walk, jog, or run with friends during the lunch hour recess in the fall and spring.  The students walk in conversation with one another and have the benefit of exercise and of fresh air!  Younger students are encouraged to participate with an adult.

Volleyball – Mr. Wozney

The students learn the skills of volleyball such as serving, setting, forearm passing, and spiking during practices and are allowed the opportunity to use these skills during games against other schools.  They learn how to play as a team and have the opportunity to demonstrate respect and good sportsmanship to others in a competitive environment.

Basketball – Mr. Wozney

The students learn the skills of basketball such as dribbling, passing, and shooting that are related to basketball.  They learn different offensive and defensive strategies as applied in games.  The students have the opportunity to use the skills against other schools in organized games and demonstrate their ability to communicate and work with others in a non-classroom competitive setting.

Track and Field – Mr. Wozney

The students participate in track and field at the University of Manitoba in a four part series through the Athletics Manitoba Association.  The grade four-six students participate in team relay events.  The grade seven-eight students participate in individual and team relay events.  The students participate in shot put and hurdle events.  The students compete against others schools in Winnipeg at these track and field events.

Comic Club – Ms. Meilleur

In comic club, students learned about the parts of a comic book such as panels, captions, speech bubbles, etc. then worked on developing their own comic-style stories. Guidance was given to help develop characters and plot.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) – Ms. Meilleur

STEM club for grades three-five which meets weekly during lunch hour to solve fun problems such as how many drips of water go on a penny before spilling over. These activities help develop inquiry, design and group work skills.

Drama Discovery – Mrs. Van Dale & Mr. Badiuk

Drama Discovery is for students in grades 5-8 who want to explore theatre. The students explore public speaking strategies and practice speaking and acting in front of larger groups.  The students are experimenting with play writing and are currently preparing a skit about recycling.  We are hoping to see the children’s play at our Spring Concert in June.

Drama Discovery – Mrs. Van Dale & Mr. Badiuk

Drama Discovery is for students in grades 5-8 who want to explore theatre. The students explore public speaking strategies and practice speaking and acting in front of larger groups.  The students are experimenting with play writing and are currently preparing a skit about recycling.  We are hoping to see the children’s play at our Spring Concert in June.

We Care Club – Mrs. Butterfield

The students in the BSLS We Care Club are motivated to share God’s love with those in need in their school, local, and world community.  The students determine the direction of club activities each year, and this year they have already undertaken two campaigns to help Winnipeg’s most vulnerable to have healthy food and warm clothing this winter.

They began with the We Scare Hunger food collection from any BSLS families who could donate non-perishable items to help out a local mission whose furnace had burst right before the cold Winnipeg winter set in.  This was quickly followed by the launch of their Koats for Kids campaign, during which the We Care Club students made posters, wrote compelling announcements and short skits to rally their fellow students to bring warm winter gear to share with children in our city.  They amassed a trunk load of warm winter gear that was delivered to Perth’s Drycleaning for distribution to local elementary schools.

Upcoming campaigns will involve fundraising for Christian Education, Children’s Hospital, environmental awareness and tree planting campaigns, and the vulnerability of safe drinking water.  Popsicle, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, and popcorn sales are some delicious ways the students plan to fundraise and to share in fellowship for doing God’s work on projects near and far.