The Winter Olympics are fast approaching and Canada is getting ready. At Croft, two weeks of Olympic events are being planned to help celebrate the Vancouver 2010 Games.   The “Croft 2010 Olympics” will begin on February 12th with an Opening Ceremony at the front of our school. This will be followed by two weeks of sporting competitions and a Closing Ceremony on February 26th.   A total of nine events are planned, for all grades, with one specific Olympic competition being showcased each day.  Out of the nine sports, seven will be competitive and medals (gold, silver & bronze) awarded for each grade level. Pond hockey and bobsledding will be for fun only. Commemorative medals of the Croft 2010 Olympics will be awarded to all students at our Closing Ceremony.   All children will be encouraged to participate in each event, however, we will adopt a “Challenge by Choice” approach for each activity. In other words, if a student chooses to opt out of any sport, they will not be penalized. Students will still participate by attending each event and cheering on their friends and classmates in each sport.   In addition to the sporting events, each homeroom class has been assigned an Olympic country to study and research during the games. Morning announcements will highlight one or two of these countries each day with interesting facts, national anthem, etc. being shared with the rest of the school community.   To help defray the costs associated with the Croft Olympics (ie. medals) we are asking each child to bring in a toonie by this Thursday, February 11th to your child’s teacher.   Parents, friends and family are invited to all events. Help will also be needed each day to assist with each competition. Please let your child’s teacher know if you can be available on the dates/times listed for your child’s grade level.   Come out and cheer on our students during the Croft Olympics. We look forward to a memorable two weeks of outdoor physical activity and fun for all.