A Busy Month!
 September has certainly swept by with a "whoosh". There's been an extraordinary number of activities at C.E.S. involving students, parents, staff and community, including Operation Lifesaver, our Terry Fox Run, Grand Opening of the Living Classroom, Open House and Flea Market, special presentations and assemblies. The whirlwind of new classes, many meetings to attend and forms to fill should soon abate. Students, teachers and support staff are all settling in and doing a great job!
 As the leaves turn and the breezes freshen, please remind your children to dress warmly. It's very cool in the mornings, so at least a couple of layers are necessary to be comfortable i.e. t-shirt, sweat shirt, jacket. There are too many children and staff with colds now and they seem to hang on for a long time if we don't get enough sleep or aren't dressed for the weather. Please pay attention to this when your children leave for school.
I would like to express my appreciation for the kind words, warm thoughts and support of the parents and staff of Carman Elementary on my first few weeks in transition from vice-principal to principal. A special thanks to the best secretary a principal could ever have. Your presence in the school has been a blessing to me.

Young Children at Home
 If you have any younger children at home born between 1997 and 2001 please contact our secretary, Mrs. Hooper, at 745-2623 as soon as possible. This will assist us greatly with our school and divisional projections and planning.

Open House and Flea Market
 On September 19th C.E.S. held its Open House for students and their parents/guardians along with a school-wide Flea Market in the gym. Both turned out very successfully. The classroom turnout was excellent, and through the sale we were able to raise nearly $300 toward a covered sandbox or other playground equipment for the younger students. It was wonderful to see children with their parents looking through and choosing a bag full of old books to read together at home. Our 14 old flip top desks were taken in a hurry. I understand that many of these are in prominent positions in children's bedrooms, filled with books, paper, pencils and other school supplies. That's just great!

Communities in Bloom
 Congratulations to the citizens and the Town of Carman, and to the Parent Council, students and staff of Carman Elementary School on the awarding of a "4 Blossoms" rating to our fair community by the national Communities in Bloom organization. Special recognition was given to our school's Living Classroom Project for its value in promoting environmental and heritage awareness while developing strong connections within the community. The framed certificate is on display at the Carman library this week and will take up permanent residence at Memorial Hall thereafter. Debbie Iverson of the town of Carman Communities in Bloom committee brought the award to the school to show students and staff the special notation made regarding our Living Classroom. Thanks Debbie!

Pioneer Presentation
 Tim and Deanna Treadway will visit Carman Elementary School to share their pioneering experience with our students on Friday, September 28th at 1:15 p.m.

Eye Glasses at Large
 We have accumulated a number of pair of eye glasses at the school which have gone unclaimed. Some of these have prescription lenses. Please contact the office if you are missing a pair. Otherwise, we will give them to an organization which distributes donated glasses to children in need.

School Mentorship Program
 For the past several years, teachers at Carman Elementary have been involved in a Student Mentorship Program. Students referred to the resource teacher or administrator as needing a little extra social or emotional support have been partnered with specific classroom teachers. Each teacher identifies him/herself to the student they have chosen as someone whom he/she can go to if they have a problem or just want to talk. This program has developed over the years as a way to meet the needs of children, helping them to feel meaningfully connected and cared for at school.

Behaviour Log Book
 Over the noon hour recess break, we occasionally have concerns about the behaviour of certain students. I keep close contact with our noon-hour supervisors and patrol the playground regularly myself to interact with the students and supervisors. However, over a period of time (a week or two), there are sometimes a few students who accumulate a number of reminders about inappropriate behaviour i.e. hands & feet to yourself, respectful to supervisors, use appropriate language, stay on playground….. Students who "break the rules" have their name recorded in our Behaviour Log Book in the office. For severe or repeated infractions students may be required to stay inside (office) or go home for the noon hour, for a period of time. I realize that going home for the lunch hour is difficult for those living out of town, but we occasionally ask that parents assist us by making arrangements that will work. We hope we can count on your support in this matter. If you have any questions/concerns, please contact me at the school.