RMHL Newsletter Volume 1 | Issue 7
Updated: Feb 28
March at a Glance
~ Registration has begun for Spring Break and Spring classes at The ACTAges 14 or 16+ in the adult section as well as child ages 6-14 programs.
If you have suggestions of a particular class you’d like to see them offer for your group in the future please let them know.
Click for Program guide 2021 here!
Contact: Lori Ceaser Arts Program & Administrative Assistant The ACT Arts Centre Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Arts Council 604-476-2792 | loric@mract.org
~ Archery Gym Time: Tuesdays March 2 & 9, 2021 @ 12:45-1:45 & 2:00-3:00
**Please arrive 5 minutes in advance to maximize instruction time.
Registration required!
Cost: $20/ child (subsidized by RMHL)
Who:
All skill levels, age 7+ years old Archery instruction provided by Stellar Play (www.stellarplay.ca) using special foam tipped arrows. All equipment is provided. You are signing up for two 1-hour sessions (one on March 2, one on March 9) with a maximum of 12 students per session.
Archery registration form available on the RMHL website.
~ RMHL Book Club Save the dates: April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 in the morning
Reading level of books: grade 5 and up (students can read or listen to audiobook)
Contact Elaine at: ejlee@shaw.ca
~ RMHL Outdoor Gym Time Save the dates:
Tuesdays April 6, 13, 20 & 27 @ 1:00-2:00 pm
Two groups: 5-8 year olds & 9+ year olds
Pre-registration will be opened in mid- to late-March and the group will be limited to 20 participants per group.
Contact Elaine at: ejlee@shaw.ca and Brenda C
~ Weaving a Cedar Bracelet and Learning About Haida Culture online via zoom:
Wednesday April 7, 2021 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: $15-$20 including materials and instruction (subsidized by RMHL)
Shipping price for the materials will determine the final cost. 10+ years old is recommended as the complexity and manual dexterity of the project.
Contact Elaine at: ejlee@shaw.ca for questions and registration available on RMHL website.
Looking forward
What does this group mean to you?
Why is this community vital to our future?
How do we move forward together?
As we enter the second half of this school year, our amazing founder of RMHL group has decided to begin the process of passing over the torch to a new set of parents to take on the invaluable work that she has dedicated the past 11 years to. Leah Pillet has been the behind the scenes magic maker and life force that was driving this group long before the convenience of social media and resources literally at our fingertips. Inevitably the time has come for her to step down and the fate of our group will be determined by the ones who step forward. Leah, for the most part, was a one woman show and I will be eternally grateful for her immense wisdom and connections that she has been able to acquire over the years. In order to keep this group alive we must all band together as I don't feel that any one person should be solely responsible for the group going forward. I know that due to the nature of this past year we have not had the joy and pleasure of connecting with new people, being first timers to homelearning I have not experienced what this group is truly capable of and yet I see how impactful it potentially can be and that is why I will continue to be a part of it in any way that I can.
The following is a letter submitted by Capri Rietel and Carly Fedyshen.
Future of RMHL
As many of you know, Leah Pillet, who has organized and led Ridge Meadows Home Learners since its inception, will be moving on at the end of this school year. If you know Leah, you know that she has devoted countless hours (all volunteer) over the past 11 years to build up RMHL and make it into the wonderful community it is today. It truly is an impossible job to replace her with just one person so moving forward, Carly Fedyshen and I, Capri Rietel, are prepared to take on a Co President Leadership role and shift RMHL into a Parent Participation format. It really does take a village and in order to keep our homeschool community strong we all need to participate in its growth. We understand that everyone is busy and that's why, by creating small jobs for every RMHL member, the time commitment will be minimal. Jobs will vary from leading a nature walk, helping on a social committee or planning a field trip. We do also have some key admin roles that will need to be filled in order to move forward for the coming year so please take a few minutes to fill out the google form below so we can have a better understanding of the interest in moving forward with this new vision for the group. Membership for the group would now include:
Members Only Facebook Page
3 Planned Social Events Per year
Organized gym Times
1 or more field trips per month
Access to RMHL Zoom Account
Moms events
Weekly Nature Walks
Possibly Book clubs, Virtual Events and Co-Ops
Access to Insurance
Non Profit Number
RMHL has been an absolute blessing to Carly, myself and countless others in our community. Thank you Leah for allowing us the opportunity to keep it alive and to grow in a new direction. Please take the time to fill out the form and let's see what can happen when people come together. Survey: Click HERE for Survey"Individually we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean." - Ryunosuke Satoro Capri Rietel and Carly Fedyshen
Dare I say Spring!
Spring is around the corner and I can feel the resurgence of life beginning again. Spring is my absolute favorite season. We have been dormant through winter both metaphorically and physically and now is the time for rebirth. The flowers will show their first vibrant buds and the green will slowly take over. Spring Break will be welcomed with open arms and we will all be able to catch up on some much needed Vitamin D. I plan to personally go on some nice long hikes over the break and I will be including photos of my hikes in next months issue. I would love to see your photos of some outdoorsy adventures, if you would like to have your photos published in the newsletter please send them to me: nicki.rmt@gmail.com
March
A Spike of Green
When I went out
The sun was hot
It shone upon
My flower pot.
And there I saw
A spike of green
That no one else
Had ever seen!
On other days
The things I see
Are mostly old
Except for me.
But this green spike
So new and small
Had never yet
Been seen at all!
~ Barbara Baker (All Day Long. An Anthology of Poetry for Children)
If you have any questions, ideas, inquiries or just wish to chat and connect about all things home learning please reach out and drop me a line. Thank you for reading my little newsletter every month.
NICOLE NIEUWHOF
nicki.rmt@gmail.com
IG @home_teach_mama