Onslow Elementary’s spring fair, hosted at the Quyon school on Thursday evening, was in many ways like the other spring fairs put on by schools across the Pontiac as the weather warms up.
Faces were painted, kids clambered all over a fire truck parked out front, and small furry animals, in this case baby goats and a rabbit, were made available for cuddling by young Shawville 4-H Club members.
Spirits, generally, were high, enhanced no doubt by the free hotdogs and hamburgers being grilled by Quyon Lions Club members Eric Provost and Rolly Bernier.
“We’ve just got to sit here, looking good and cooking,” Berrnier laughed, as he quickly grew the stack of bun-ready burgers in the corner of his grill.
But the small team of teachers that volunteered their time to pull this . . .
spring fair together had something more in mind for the event, and so organized it with a special theme – math and literacy.
The theme was honoured by way of several unique fair features. For one, teachers brought back the school’s once annual Scholastic book fair that had been on hiatus since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kids and their parents browsed the many long tables filled with books and other knick-knacks set up in the school gym.
“I’m happy [the book fair] is back,” said parent and Onslow alumna Brittany Ramsay. “My mom was just saying she remembers when it was me running around, and now I’m the one buying the books.”
In the second hour of the event, parents and kids were invited to attend one of five workshops being hosted by teachers in their classrooms.
“Our workshops are supposed to be geared towards what families can do with their kids at home over the summer,” said Selina Gervais, Grade 1 teacher at the school and organizer of the event.
“Some parents don’t always know what to do and this is kind of a place to start.”
Gervais said workshops offered math, robotics, outdoor education, and language arts activities.
“And it’s about showcasing things that we do at our school, because a lot of parents don’t have a chance to come in and see it.”
Holly Leach is a mother to kids at the school.
“I find that as parents, we don’t know what to do with the kids during the summer time. My son loves math. So anything that could help me keep him learning throughout the summer is definitely beneficial,” she said.
“We can go on the internet and find stuff, but if they can give us tools and tricks from the way they teach, well then it’s better we use that.”
