Tree Planting at Hodge's Pond
Last Friday, students and teachers from our seventh, sixth, and fourth grade classes put on their overalls, boots, warm
winter coats, toques and gloves and boarded the bus for some community earthkeeping work at Hodge's Pond, south of
Woodstock. Our bus driver, Gerry Huinink, remembers decades ago when Hodge's Pond was the site of summer
camps and outdoor recreation for families. In recent years, the former mill pond became warm and stagnant, so the
dam has been dismantled and the natural flow of Cedar Creek and accompanying wetlands restored. A partnership
between Ducks Unlimited, Oxford County, Stewardship Oxford, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
(UTRCA) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has been established in order to re-naturalize this site.
WCS students have worked with the UTRCA frequently in the past eight years planting trees and shrubs throughout
the county. The latest phase at Hodge's Pond includes plans to plant 1200 native trees and shrubs. WCS students were
the first of many groups of local students who will work to expand the natural habitats for wildlife in this area. Our
Grade 7 group planted 120 deciduous trees and bushes, while the grades 4 and 6 group planted about 130 trees,
including maple, tamarack and others. Students were industrious, efficient, and enjoyed being given specific
instructions and tools to do the planting work. Students returned to school chilly, dirty, but pleased with having had the
opportunity to work outdoors, and to provide new habitats for wetlands wildlife such as herons, turtles, snakes, and
birds. Future plans for Hodge's Pond include opening the area for public use as a natural space for hiking and enjoying
wildlife. We are thankful for this opportunity to work with community partners to be keepers and restorers of creation.
C. Verbeek, Principal

    As someone thinks within himself, so he is.  Proverbs 23:7

            A mindset is a belief about yourself and your basic traits relating to your intelligence, talents and personality.  An individual may hold a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.  A fixed mindset is a belief that traits are fixed and cannot be influenced nor increased.  A growth mindset is a belief that traits can be cultivated through attention and effort.  Believing that your qualities are fixed, or can be cultivated, leads to a host of thoughts and actions that carry an individual down entirely different paths of growth and development (Dweck, 10).

                The students of grade 7 began their year learning about mindset. Angela Watson is a Christian, wife and educator.  She has created a 10 lesson unit on Growth Mindset.  Grade 7 began the year in this curriculum.  We explored the terms, definitions and practical applications of mindset.  We learned the difference between a fixed, and a growth mindset.  We identified our responsibilities in our own learning and contributions at WCS.  We became aware of, and put to use, language that develops and supports a growth mindset.

                The following visual is helpful in distinguishing between how a fixed, and a growth mindset, responds in a learning environment (www.quora.com).

Most importantly, we learned what God’s word instructs us about how he created us and how he desires us to think in order to grow and flourish in his will.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139:14

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.  Phil 4:13

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Rom 8:5–6

God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.  2 Tim 1:7

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  2 Cor 10:5

Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.  Phil 4:8   

                                                                                                                      Lesa Racicot- Gr. 7