News from the Southwold P.S. Office: SMART Technology all around!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

SMART Technology all around!

Thank you to our School Council's initiative, for now we have received the final 6 smartboards. Once they are installed, we will have every classroom completed with Dataprojectors and Smartboards. This is exciting and VERY appreciated! Kudos to everyone who participated in this program. Our staff and students are thrilled. We hope to have every board up and running by September 2011.

5 Powerful Things to Say to Your Kids

In the spring, I shared an article I read with our incoming parents of JK students. The article is from ParentCentral.ca
(April 23, 2012)

You can find it at: http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/articlePrint/1165540

What I liked about this was the reminder that what we say to our children really imprints and helps to form who they are. I encourage you to read this article for the full story, but here are 5 of the top things we can say to help build their strong character in a positive way:

1) "I like you."
2) "Tell me more."
3) "You're a fast learner".
4) "We all make mistakes".
5) "Let's read".

You can learn more at www.tenpowerfulthingstosay.com

As a parent of a 21 and 16 year old, I still need reminders to use this list. Hoping you find it helpful too !

Thank you for helping keep Southwold safe!

Parents who pick up/drop off mid-day are asked to continue signing your child(ren) in/out at our main office. We will contact the classroom to dismiss your child. This helps us protect instructional time and keeps our hallways safe.

Also: if you drive your child to school in the morning between 9:15-9:30, please drop them at the front door (they can walk down the gr. 1 wing to the yard door for recess). Parents are asked to avoid using the side parking lot.

Thank you for your care and concern in this regard.

Quotes from kids and parents about Balanced Day.......

"I like Balanced Day better because I don't have to put my snowpants on/off as many times. Recess seems longer." (gr. 3)

"I like Balanced Day because the kids aren't outside at the peak sun." (parent)

"I like Balanced Day because their food is spread out over the day- we have always been told to eat smaller meals, so packing two small lunches and having 20 minutes to eat them, makes more sense." (Parent)

"I like Balanced Day because the day seems to go faster. We either have a team/ club practice at the lunch break or we just stand around outside anyway..........so I don't miss the 40 minute long recess." (gr. 8 student)

" I like Balanced Day because we can play a full game in 25 minute recesses. The short ones we used to have made me a little mad because we would just be starting to play and then the bell would ring." (gr. 1 student)

Upcoming Events This Week

Reminder that we have our 'Meet and Greet" hour from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday September 20th. Classrooms will be open and teachers will be happy to meet and greet you.

We sent a flyer home on Friday, but we would appreciate you helping us get the word out and planning ahead, if you wish to join us.

Please note the change in time and traditional format from the past. All we ask is that you send a note if you are going to meet your child at 4;00, so we do not send them home on the bus.

No note= bus home.

If you arrive at school just before or at 4:00, please park on the road or in an open spot in the parking lot. After 4:15, you are welcome to park in our bus compound.

If you do arrive just before or at 4:00, we will have a waiting room available for parents in the Primary Gym, until we have all students dismissed and the hallways cleared. (it might look hectic, but it is a well orchestrated routine). We appreciate your support of our safe dismissal practice.

Students with notes indicating that parents will arrive at 4;00, will remain in their classrooms to meet their parents.

Report Bullying or Teasing

Southwold is very proud of our efforts to continually safeguard our school grounds and hallways. The Southwold staff work very diligently to deal with any and all bullying or teasing that may occur. We are aware that often it is hard for students to report their concerns, so we have provided two different ways to do so anonymously.

Please check out our school website to review the definition of bullying. Then, you can click on the link that will provide a direct report to our office mailbox. Your password is 1650. Another option is to complete an "I Care Card" by hand and put it into the "I Care Box" at the office. Care Cards are available outside the Sr. Washrooms.

As always, a student is welcome to approach any staff member with his/her concern at any time. We just wanted to remind you of these other two more private avenues to help us deal with issues.

Funny Things Kids Say

C
"THE BOILER ROOM" Saga:
One thing that often cracks me up is the few times I happen to be working at my desk during recess. I often have my window cracked open and the primary children who like to play in that corner of the playground don't realize that I can hear every word they say. Recently, I overhead a pack of gr. 3 girls giggling because they saw the door to the boiler room parked open (our fabulous charge custodian Mr. Paquette had just returned the carpet he was cleaning outside using this door). When they saw him they eagerly ooohhhd and awwwwwed as they peeked through the door- "Hey Mr. Paquette, can we come into the boiler room?" Mr. P. wisely and nicely said "No girls" but they continued to giggle....... (not realizing that he was in full hyper work mode)........"Look how sweaty Mr. Paquette is.......he's dripping hot!".

Now- for anyone who knows or has seen Mr. Paquette in action, knows that grass does NOT grow under his feet- ever!

The one girl commented, very matter of factly........of course he is......he lives in the boiler room and it's hot in there....... that's why he is sweating !

Honestly.......kids are so funny! I had one JK tell me that I smelled like the office. Not sure what that means, but it did make me smile. :)

Keep working hard Mr. Paquette. We now know that you pour your blood, tears AND sweat into your job!