Millarville’s Cool News

(Page 9)

Principal Notes
It is the season of giving . . . and the annual problem is what to give. Our society is filled with abundance and we are very fortunate to be where we are. That good fortune is not necessarily a measure of what your material possessions amount to. It is instead the opportunities that we have to become who we want to be . . . to learn, to be creative, to give to others and to choose our experiences in life.
In so doing, many take the opportunity to step outside of their comfortable lifestyle to help those who are less fortunate. It is not the somewhat disconnected act of sending money to a charitable organization alone that makes the difference to another. It is the initiative you take to connect with that person through your presence – being there to serve them in some manner that then not only sends a message of care but you also come to know how blessed you are to be where you are today.
As we enter into this Christmas, money and material goods are not always the best expression of wishing each other well. Somehow, walking through the maze of a city shopping mall can be a frustrating and demeaning experience. Are they telling us that you must buy those diamonds or high end electronics to satisfactorily show our good will for one another? The pressure to buy is enormous. Instead, good fellowship and a magical meal together is a richness of its own.
Mother Teresa once said that “we can do no great things, only small things with great love.” In our society we tend to fixate upon TV, movie, music and sports stars. We even go to the extent of glorifying fictional characters that appear on computer games. All of these characters are in the business of making money, first and foremost for themselves and once the government revenue agencies become involved, they initiate giving to charitable organizations.
For the most part, the real heroes are “unsung” as they say. They are the individuals who quietly go about doing for others without the expectation that they will be noticed or put upon a pedestal for public accolades and exhibition. Instead of thinking that the super heroes represent the impossible dream and thus you're whiling away your time in Neverland thoughts, take action, become the quiet initiator of good things for others.
The rewards most likely won't be financial or great superstardom, but they will be much richer. They will not have the vulnerability of public opinion or financial loss, but instead be forever within you and shaping of your character with each “small thing” done “with great love.” As in times of war, the majority of heroic acts go without public acknowledgement; it is the few that receive the medals . . . the others wear their rewards within.
Ted Thorne

From the Grade One Class at Millarville Community School
In Grade One we are studying family traditions and celebrations.  Our central idea for this unit of inquiry is “Celebrations and traditions contribute to families and communities.” We have learned that a tradition is something that a family or community does every year. We were able to share our own family traditions with the class and we made a “Who We Are Museum.” We discovered that some families have similar traditions and some families have different traditions. We learned that some families celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. We learned about the Muslim tradition of Ramadan and the Jewish tradition of lighting the menorah. Highwood Museum will be bringing their “Christmas Past” program to Grade One this month. We are looking forward to seeing artifacts and toys from Alberta's past.
We are also studying the changes in people, plants and animals in different seasons. We loved identifying different activities that we do such as building snowmen in the winter, playing in puddles in the spring, going swimming in the summer, and jumping in leaves in the fall.

We are wishing everybody a very Merry Christmas as you enjoy special traditions with your family. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!