CLUBS 

All Star Reading	• This reading group was organized to match Primary students with parent volunteers to practice reading one-on-one. Parent volunteers are welcomed every week to assist our Primary students with their reading. We appreciate their help.
	(Organizer: L. Policelli)
Bus Patrollers	• Congratulations to all our safety patrollers who regularily devote part of their  day to keeping our school family safe on the busses.  Three bus patrollers will be nominated to attend the Ottawa Jamboree in May. Nominations are due in March and Mrs. Franke and myself will be deciding by March Break whom to nominate. (Patroller Leader: J. Bradford)
Choir	• Sing like no one is watching!!!! We have two choirs this year, the Festival & Liturgical choirs. Fetival practices are every Wednesday (at lunch) (Choir Leaders: K. Fitzgerald, T. Koma & A. Jones)
Computer	• Computer Club is a group of students who meet at lunchtime in the library to explore the world of software available to them on our computers. Favourite software includes Macromedia Flash, GarageBand, & iMovie. Usually begins in January. ( Coach: P. Maguire)
P.A.L.S.	T.B.D.
Reading Clubs	• Blue Spruce / Silver Birch / Red Maple selection begin in late November. The Red Maple book club has begun! Close to 40 grades 7 and 8 students signed out books this week. There are ten nominated fiction titles for 2012, and each club member must read at least 5 of the ten titles to be eligible to vote for the prestigious Forest of Reading award in April. Students will be discussing the books via a wiki that has been set up just for them. Books may be signed out at morning or afternoon recesses from room 211. (Coaches: K. Fitzgerald, N. Siemons, B. Rubini)
Scrabble	• Scrabble Club is back for another year at St. Francis of Assisi School.  It is an ongoing lunchtime club, and therefore every Monday in the library students of all ages are invited to come out and participate. Students have fun challenging their friends while improving their word skills at the same time. (Coach: M. Amoroso)
Skipping Club	T.B.D.
Public Speaking	• On January students in the junior and intermediate grades will ompete in the annual St. Francis of Assisi School Public Speaking Contest held in our gym. Twenty-two candidates take centre stage to inform, entertain and enlighten the audience. It's always  a proud moment for all the contestants.  (Organizers: T.B.D.)
Knitting Club	• We currently have over 60 members from grade one to eight participating in St. Francis of Assisi’s Knitting Club. The older, experience knitters drop by Miss Fitzgerald’s room each afternoon recess, and the younger, more inexperienced knitters have been divided into 3 groups and were assigned to one of three lunch hours (Wednesday with Ms. Siemons, Thursday with Ms. Policelli, and Friday with Ms. Marchesan). We’re always in need of more knitting needles and yarn! If you’re able to donate to our club, please drop them off at the office. (Organizers: K. Fitzgerald / L. Policelli / N. Siemons )
ECO TEAM	• Our SFA EcoTeam was established this month (November), and we have more than 20 eager students in grades 4 to 8 who want to make a difference around the school! Eco Team members meet each Monday at lunchtime, and have shared a number of clever ideas that we hope to be implementing as we progress towards official EcoSchool certification in the spring of 2012. Some of the team members attended an EcoTeam networking meeting at St. Joseph Secondary School on Wednesday November 30th where they learned about various projects that schools in Mississauga South have been working on. (Organizers: C. Klein and A. Camilleri)
HEALTY EATING ACTIVE LIVING GROUP	• The Healthy Eating Active Living (H.E.A.L.) Student Committee has been meeting along with Mrs. Camilleri and Mrs. Agathos for the past 2 months to explore healthy eating options. The committee shared healthy eating tips with the student body over announcements during the month of November. From December 6th to January 31st they will be initiating "Tuttie Fruitie Tuesdays". Students are asked to bring in a real fruit snack. The H.E.A.L. group will be making this a friendly divisional competition and classroom data will be displayed outside the gym. Did you know that more than 36% of Grade 6 – 8 students have sweets daily? Less than half of the same students have vegetables or fruit every day. (Region of Peel, Public Health) The Healthy Eating Active Living Committee wants to make SFA a healthier school. (Organizers: A. Camilleri & C. Agathos)
FAITH AMBASSADORS	• Youth Faith Ambassadors are once again involved in community outreach programs. On December 10th they will assist in the delivery of frozen meals to the Good Shepherd Mission by loading frozen food meals onto the delivery truck at St. Francis of Assisi Church. Then, on December 14th, they will be singing carols and visiting with the seniors at the Wendleigh Nursing home. Cookies continue to be sold on the first and third Thurs. of the month for $1. Donations go toward ShareLife and United Way. Thank you for your support. (NOTE: There are gluten-free cookies available.) . (Organizers: N. Male & N. Siemons, F. Wittemund, J. Worboys)
LEGO CLUB	• In January students will be invited to partake in the school Lego Mechanics club. Using our Lego dacta kits students will have to work together to develop a plan and carry out its development using the blocks, gears & motors provided. Top groups will be offered an opportunity to participate in the yearly Dufferin-Peel Skills Canada competition.  (Organizers: P. Maguire & M. Marchesan)