May Newsletter

May 1, 15, 29: Grade 2 & 3 “Get Active” After School Program every Monday 2:15pm-3:30pm (excluding no school days). Students must be signed up prior to the session and picked up no later than 3:30pm

May 5: FULL DAY of Classes for students (Regional Inservice rescheduled to May 8)

May 8: NO SCHOOL for students (Regional Inservice)

May 9: Grade 4 ‘Learn to Fish’ Program

May 9-11: Dalhousie Literacy Study (including enrolled grade 5 students)

May 15: Grade 2 & 3 “Get Active” After School Program every Monday 2:15pm-3:30pm . Students must be signed up prior to the session and picked up no later than 3:30pm

May 16: FULL DAY of CLASSES for students (early dismissal has been cancelled)

May 17: Red and White Day will kick off our school celebration of “150 Reasons We Love Canada” to celebrate Canada’s 150 years. Light and Lens will be here doing yearbook group photos, and we are asking everyone to wear red and/or white for our full school photo

May 18: Spaghetti Supper (5:30-7:30pm) and Ticket Auction (7pm) hosted by Grade 5 class and WFDS Home and School

May 22: NO SCHOOL (Victoria Day)

May 25: Home & School Annual General Meeting at 7pm (Selection of Executive)

May 26: Transition Fun Day at AVHS for Grade 5 students ONLY (rain date: May 29th)

May 31: Grade 5 Orientation visit to WHMS, 9:30am to 1 1 :00am

May 31: Open House at WHMS for grade 5 students and parents, 6:30pm-7:30pm

June 5: Grade 2 & 3 “Get Active” After School Program 2:15pm-3:30pm. Students must be signed up prior to the session. Students must be picked up no later than 3:30pm

June 8: Spring Fling 5:30pm-7:30pm

June 9: FULL DAY of CLASSES for students (early dismissal has been CANCELLED)

June 12: Tentative date for grade P-3 Class Trip

June 15: Grade 4 Class Trip to Blue Beach and Avonport Beach

June 26: End of year celebration for Grade 5 from 1 -2 pm

June 27, 28 & 29: NO SCHOOL (Marking Days)

June 30: Last day of school. Early dismissal at 1 1 : 1 5am

Upcoming Events

Reminder: Due to the number of storm days we have had this year, the superintendent of the AVRSB has decided to CANCEL all EARLY DISMISSAL days scheduled from April 3rd to June 30. Please note May 16 & Jun. 9 will be full days of school. As usual, on the last day of school, June 30, students will be dismissed at 11:15. am

Please Note: MAY 8th is a FULL DAY inservice so there will be NO SCHOOL for students.

EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS—CANCELLED

SPRING EVENTS UPDATE

This year some of our traditional events will not be happening, while other new things will. To mark the end of their time at WFDS, the Grade 5 class is planning a special celebration for end of year in lieu of a traditional “graduation” ceremony. More information will come to grade 5 families from the class soon. Mark your calendars for June 26 from 1:00pm—2:00pm.

Beginning May 17, we are planning a month-long school-wide celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday! More information will follow from the planning committee.

We will not be having our traditional Field Day or Variety Show this year. These events are usually organized by PE and Music teachers, and since those teachers are working at three schools this year it is just getting to be too much to manage.

PARENT REMINDER: AVRSB VOLUNTEER POLICY

The Grade 5 Transition Fun Day is coming up on Friday, May 26th (rain date—Monday, May 29th). This event is a FUN Day held at Avon View High School. It is organized by the 3

feeder school PE teachers in cooperation with Jim Bryan and the leadership students at AVHS. The day is designed as a Fun Field Day for the students transitioning into middle school. They will have an opportunity to meet students from the other feeder schools and begin to make connections.

Students will be placed in groups with students from the other feeder schools. The groups then spend time getting to know one another with fun activities as a team before they begin the rest of their day. Once familiar with their group members, the students spend the rest of the morning rotating through a variety of stations participating in cooperative and competitive games/challenges all in the name of FUN and getting to know other students!

There will be a recess break and lunch break as close to our usual break times as possible. Students will need to bring a recess snack, water bottle and bagged lunch for that day. Permission forms will be sent home by the classroom teacher and should be returned as soon as possible.

Please be aware that the AVRSB has a policy requiring all volunteers in the schools in the AVRSB to have a Police Check and Child Abuse Registry Check completed every three years. Parents wishing to volunteer for school/class trips or lunch supervision must have these checks completed. If you have not already completed these checks, we ask that you please do as soon as possible. For those who have had checks completed and unsure when they expire, please check with Mrs. Jackson. The updated volunteer policy requires that all paperwork be returned BEFORE someone can volunteer. This can take up to six weeks – so don’t delay! Ask Mrs. Jackson for details.

GRADE 4 CLASS TRIP

On TUESDAY, MAY 9th, the grade 4 class will have the Learn-to-Fish program. The day starts at 8:25 in the classroom, where volunteers from the West Hants Wildlife Association will give a presentation about fish identification, fish habitat and fishing etiquette. At 10:00, the students will travel by bus to the pond by the St. Croix ball field where they will all be given fishing rods, and will fish for approximately 90 minutes. They will be given a hot-dog lunch, and will return to the school in time for dismissal. Please note that students are NOT to bring their own fishing gear.

This trip will involve being outside for the day, and both will go ahead rain or shine. Therefore, children need to be prepared with: sunscreen, bug repellent, hat, water, a bagged lunch, snack and appropriate clothing and footwear. Raincoats and rubber boots will be necessary if it is raining.

Consent forms have been sent home with students. Please complete forms and return to the classroom teacher as soon as possible.

We need parent chaperones to make a ratio of one adult for every seven students. If you are able to help us out to chaperone one or both of our trips, we would really appreciate it.

OLD SHIRTS DONATION

If you have any old shirts or long t-shirts that you don't want anymore, we would appreciate you sending them in. We are attempting to get a set together to use as Art smocks for the Art Room. Thank you.

TRANSITION FUN DAY FOR GR. 5 STUDENTS

SCHOOL GARDEN

The Canada Day tulips we planted in the fall are popping their heads above the ground. We will soon need some help in the garden with weeding, trimming and planting. If you are interested, please contact Kate Sircom (ksircom@gnspes.ca). All families are welcome to wander in the garden when picking up or dropping off children!

PROVINCIAL ATTENDANCE POLICY — FEEDBACK

Parents/Guardians, and School Staff are being given an opportunity to provide input on the draft Provincial Student Attendance and Engagement Policy recently released by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

The draft policy can be found at:

https://www.ednet.ns.ca/sites/default/files/docs/student_attendance_and_engagement_policy_draft_for_discussion.pdf

If you do not have access to check this out on line, you can request a print copy from Mrs. Jackson.

The link to provide responses is: https://goo.gl/forms/E3SutRM4wPsmqD2x1

Feedback can also be sent to: attendance@novascotia.ca or

Student Attendance Policy – Feedback

Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

Strategic Policy and Research Branch

2021 Brunswick Street

STUDENT ATTENDENCE

Excellent Attendance Awards: Throughout this school year WFDS students with excellent attendance for the month have been receiving a certificate to celebrate their commitment to attending regularly. There will also be a certificate in June for those students who have excellent attendance for the entire year. We are considering excellent attendance to be no more than 3% of possible days missed. At this point, 32% of students are on their way to receiving an excellent attendance certificate at the end of the year! Bravo!

Attendance Intervention: We are also tracking attendance records of concern at our school (more than 10% of possible days have been missed). Currently 25 % of our student population has been absent on more than 10% of the possible days. This is concerning to us.

When a child is frequently absent from school he/she misses important learning experiences including specific skills and knowledge that may be necessary for further learning. The real danger of frequent absences from school is that the class continues on with their learning and absent students often develop gaps in their learning that will hinder future learning.

It is understood that there are legitimate reasons why students must be absent. For example, when students are sick, home is definitely the best place to recover! However, if it’s a matter of school refusal, we might be able to help. If you are struggling to get your child to attend school regularly, please talk to the teacher. If there is anything we can do to help your child get to school more regularly we would be happy to work with parents. Together we can problem solve to find possible solutions!

SPAGHETTI SUPPER AND TICKET AUCTION

Each year our school puts on a Spaghetti Supper and Ticket Auction. This year the event will be held on Thursday, May 18th. Supper will be served from 5:30 – 7:00; Auction will follow.

These two events are held at school on the same evening. The funds raised from the evening go to the Home and School Association and to fund the grade five end of year class trip.

Our grade 5 class is busy organizing this event and will be collecting business donations for the ticket auction. We are accepting business donations, all of which will be recognized appropriately on the auction item labels. So if you know of or have a business that would like to make a donation, it will be greatly appreciated. Auction items should be dropped off right away.

NEW PRIMARY STUDENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2017

If you know of any families who may have an incoming primary student (five years old by Dec. 31, 2012) for September 2017, please ask them to contact Mrs. Jackson at 902-792-6700 as soon as possible.

DRESS CODE

With warmer weather coming please be reminded that the following are not permitted:

exposed undergarments

excessively tight or short garments

strapless or short tops that expose much of the upper chest or back

any clothing with inappropriate messages

Students failing to comply may be asked to change or cover up.

NSCC STUDENT—WORK PLACEMENT

Please welcome NSCC student, Darlene Payzant-Rourke, currently enrolled in the Office Administration program to our school from April 24th to May 27th. She will be joining us to complete her work placement in the office with Mrs. Jackson.

Preparations are underway for next year. We will again have six classes at WFDS. Based on current numbers and class caps we will have some single grade classes and some combined grade classes.

Class assignments will be announced on the first day of school, as usual. When students are assigned to a classroom, we try to balance academic and social strengths and needs. If your child has need for special consideration regarding class placement, or has needs of which staff may not be aware, you may send a note to Mrs. King before the end of June detailing any concerns. The final decision for class assignments is made by the principal, after consultation with staff, and consideration of many factors. Please be assured that staff will strive to provide a suitable learning environment for all students, regardless of class configuration.

We are at or very close to class caps in most grades so the movement in or out of even a one or two families could change the class make-up before September. If you are moving, or if you are aware of any families who may be moving in or out of our area over the next few months we would appreciate having that information. This helps us plan for students who may move on to other schools, and be prepared for students who may register with us.

PREPARING FOR 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR

RAINY DAY CLOTHING

When possible, students go out each day for a bit of fresh air and exercise at recess and noon. With spring here, so is the occasional rainy day. If it’s a heavy or very cold rain we will stay inside for quiet play time in the classrooms, but if just a drizzle or light rain we try to get out. On days where rain is forecasted please send students prepared with a rain jacket or water resistant jacket and boots, if possible. Or if they don’t have a rain jacket, you can send along an extra jacket or sweater so they can change once back inside. Usually we stay on pavement on wet days so outdoor sneakers are fine most of the time if they don’t have rubber boots. If you need our assistance, please let us know. Sometimes we have donations of items kids have outgrown that are still in great shape!

LOST & FOUND

There are a number of items in our lost and found. If your child is missing something, please feel free to have a look on your next visit. Items not claimed will be donated.

Minor Baseball Registration West Hants Minor Baseball will be holding registration on the following dates:

- Saturday, April 22 10:30AM – 2:30PM at Windsor Home Hardware

- Saturday, May 6 10:00AM – 3:00PM at Avonview High School

The May 6 registration will be held with the Windsor and West Hants Sports and Recreation Fair.

Registration is open to all anyone between the ages of 5 and 18. Games and practices are held at the baseball fields on Tremain Crescent. Additional information can be found at www.leaguelineup.com/windsorknights

RCMP—Drug Awareness Session

The RCMP from the Windsor Detachment have been doing some important work in the area of drug awareness, in particular fentynol. They are offering an awareness session about fentynol at the Brooklyn Fire Station on May 9th at 7pm. All are welcome to attend.

PD Opportunity

If you are someone working with students in physical education, recreation / volunteer capacities, there is a very affordable PD opportunity for you. It will takes place on May 11-13, at Camp Brigadoon, Kings Co.

Opportunities to obtain several important certifications including:

mental health first-aid, flat water canoeing certification, risk management, Outdoor Council of Canada hiking certification, autism practical supports & strategies, behavior strategies, Leave No Trace instructor certification, practical ways to reconnect students with nature, Stewards of Children training, YMCA engaging newcomers to Canada and more.

For more information or to register:

http://www.recreationns.ns.ca/recreation-practitioners-training-institute/

St. Joseph’s Stage Prophets presents its 15th production, Anne & Gilbert, based on the books by Canadian author, Lucy Maud Montgomery. Touted as one of Canada’s newest musicals, it marks the first time that it is being performed in Nova Scotia. It is an inspiring story with themes of love and the importance of family, friends and our communities. This show is one that will surely get your toes-tapping as the State Prophets cast and crew bring this story to life.

Anne & Gilbert begins in the beautiful countryside of Prince Edward Island. Anne is now an independent-minded young woman about to begin her first job teaching at a one-room schoolhouse. Romantic complications unfold when childhood sweetheart Gilbert Blythe proposes marriage-- and he's not her only suitor. Troubled by her orphan past, Anne doubts if she can love anyone. But as Anne discovers the truth about her parents, a path to future happiness is revealed. Award-winning songs, memorable comedy and drama, and a message of enduring love, hope and friendship make Anne & Gilbert unforgettable family entertainment.

Six performances take place from May 18 - 21st with shows each evening at 7 pm and Saturday & Sunday

matinee’s at 1:30 pm. at the Festival Theatre Wolfville. Tickets are available on-line www.boxoffice@acadiau.ca, at Acadia Box Office, Box of Delights and Occasions Gifts and Décor Kentville.