It is with mixed emotions that I write this final message to the parents, children, staff and community. It has been a great pleasure to serve the Mosa Community over the past three years. Mosa is a wonderful school with a great staff, respectful students and supportive parents. During my time here, I have learned much from all of you; experiences that will guide me in my new position as principal of Northridge in London. You have been very patient. Thank you to the School Council for your endless hours dedicated to making Mosa the best school community it can be. I will miss all of the students, staff and friends I have made. I hope everyone will have a fun filled, safe holiday and the students will be ready to continue their education come September.

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act was brought in in an attempt to protect everyone from the harmful effects of tobacco. Here are the facts:

For more information or tobacco or tips on how to quit, check out these resources.

Smokers’ Helpline 1-877-513-5333

Summer Reading at the Library

Grab your deerstalker and your magnifying glass and, using your keen sense of observation and highly tuned powers of deduction, join the investigation at Middlesex County Library’s Agent 009 Summer Reading Program.

The goals of the Summer Reading Program are to encourage children to read for pleasure, to help maintain and improve their reading skills and to encourage them to be lifelong readers and library users.

The program also encourages parents and caregivers to become more involved in their children’s reading activities.

It is very promising to learn that the number of children visiting libraries and enjoying books is increasing. During the summer of 2008 an incredible half a million Canadian children participated in over 27,000 library activities in 2000 locales, reading close to 2 million books!

There is no charge for the program - just come in and sign up and then get started as soon as school is finished. Participants will read at their own rate and there are many drop in activities. Teens ages 12 and up will enjoy our interactive, web based Summer Survivor program. We’ve chosen 5 books with mature themes that kids will read, discuss by blog and they vote on, giving us this year’s Summer Survivor.

1. Play word and reading games. Try looking for letters of the alphabet on signs as you drive. Or play "I Spy," trying to find a word that starts with A, B, and so on: "I spy an airplane. I spy a bridge. ..." For older children, games like Scrabble and Pictionary help build vocabulary.

2. Read together. Research shows that the most important way parents can help their children become better readers is by encouraging them to read at home. Try to find a time when your whole family can read together.

3. Visit the library. Several Middlesex County/London Public Libraries have special summer activities for kids. Kids need to learn that adults read for fun, too, so take— don’t send— them to the library.

4. Develop creative writing skills. Buy a notebook and encourage your child to keep a summer journal— recording, say, one event a week; drawing pictures; inventing some "what if" stories. You might "publish" some of these stories by sending them to grandparents or friends.

5. Write letters. If your family is planning a vacation this summer, have the children write a letter or e-mail to the departments of tourism in the places you intend to visit. Friends and relatives will enjoy hearing from your children anytime— either through e-mail or postal mail.

6. Learn how things work. Give your children the broken alarm clock or another gadget you were going to throw away. Let them take it apart and try to put it back together again.

7. Keep household financial records. Before you go shopping, have your children read advertisements and compare costs. Or have them keep vacation trip records, tracking gas costs and mileage or totaling money spent on food and lodging.

8. Plan outings together. Every community has interesting places to visit: working farms, free performances for children, area museums, etc. You can always enjoy a picnic in the park, especially if the kids help plan the meal.

9. Put on shows. A few metres of cloth, some out-of-style clothing, and imagination are all it takes to transform your living room or backyard into a theater.

10. Learn a new sport together. You will all have fun while getting fit.

11. Read maps as you travel through town or across the country. Talk about what you see from the car as you ride along.

12. Learn to cook. Using simple recipes, children can practice reading, following directions, and math skills. If you’re lucky, the results will be edible.

13. Study the weather. Keep a notebook to record temperature, humidity, etc. Make a rain gauge in a coffee can and measure the precipitation.

14. Study nature by collecting specimens. Whether the collection is of bugs, ferns, seashells or leaves, children like to learn to observe and classify things.

15. Publish a neighbourhood newspaper. While your child practices writing and reporting, everyone in the neighbourhood can keep up on the news.