PWS UPDATE
Park West School
Newsletter
Phone: (902) 457-7800 E-mail:
parkwest@hrsb.ns.ca
Website: parkwest.ednet.ns.ca
Principal:
Mr. D. Carter Vice
Principals: Ms. M. Chiasson Mr. B. Melanson
December
7, 2012
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by having it sent to your e-mail address simply e-mail your request to Mr. Carter
at dcarter@hrsb.ns.ca The PWS
Update is published approximately every two weeks.
HAPPY HANUKKAH:
Hanukkah, translated as
“dedication”, is an eight-day celebration in the Jewish community which begins
on the twenty-fifth day of the Jewish month of Kislev (November/December). This year Hanukkah begins at sundown on December
8. The celebration continues
through to nightfall on December 16. It
recalls an event which took place in 165 BC (in the Gregorian calendar) when
the Maccabees triumphed over the Greek forces of Antiocus IV. The celebration is also known as the Festival
of Lights. When the Jews entered the
temple they found only enough oil to light the lamps to last one day; but the
oil miraculously continued burning for eight days! To celebrate each family lights an
eight-candle holder called a menorah.
One candle is lighted on each of the eight days. Traditional foods include potato pancakes
called latkes and children play a game with a dreydl (a four-sided top). (taken from Celebrate! by Clary
Croft). Happy Hanukkah to those in our Park West
family who will be celebrating this special holiday.
Let’s Feed Nova Scotia: To help us
celebrate Hanukkah at Park West School we are asking all students
and their families to donate household light bulbs (Festival of Lights),
a bag of potatoes (latkes), and/or a bottle of cooking oil (oil in
the lamps) to Feed Nova Scotia.
All donations will be accepted at the school until Monday, December 17. Let’s show Metro Halifax the Park West School
community cares and shares.
Christmas
Concerts: Our elementary Christmas
concerts will be held on December 11 and 12, with a storm date of
December 13. Lord’s-a-leaping?
Swans-a-swimming? Join our
students as they celebrate the season kid-style in this delightful musical
revue. The Twelve Days of Christmas
highlights a special treat for each day of the holiday season. From decorating the tree and faxing a letter
to Santa, to caroling and going on a sleighride, there’s something for everyone
in this dazzling 45 minute spectacular.
Included in the revue will be musical celebrations of Eid and Hanukkah.
We want ALL students and their
parents in the Park West Family to participate in this special community event. Let’s all celebrate our special holidays TOGETHER, regardless of our beliefs and
cultural background. The performance schedule for classes is as
follows:
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Tuesday, December 11
(1:15 pm and 6:30 pm)
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Grades: primary, two, four, six
*grade 6 students are expected to be committed and participate in both
concerts on this date.
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Wednesday, December 12
(1:15 pm and 6:30 pm)
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Grades: one, three, five
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Afternoon
concerts (1:15 pm) will be general
seating on a “first-come” basis (no tickets are required for admittance)
for anyone who wishes to attend. This is
a great opportunity to family members (such as grandparents) and friends to see
the concerts. Performing students will
each be issued two tickets only for the evening concerts (6:30 pm). This is necessary
to accommodate all parents who wish to see their children perform with their
classes. We are working hard to accommodate as many family, friends and
community members in our audiences as possible with limited
seating capacity in our gymnasium.
Please understand that we must adhere to very strict regulations
imposed upon us by the Fire Marshal.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we strive to
accommodate and be fair to all.
Unfortunately extra tickets will not be available from the school. There will be no waiting list this year. If you would like an extra ticket perhaps
a neighbour or friend might kindly pass along an unused one to you. Tickets have been issued to elementary
students (2 each) performing in the concerts.
Out of respect for all performers we request audience members to remain
for the length of the entire concert (only about one hour). Babysitting
services are not provided by
the school. If you wish to bring
children to the evening performances tickets will be required for their
admission and children will be expected to remain
in their seats with parents.
Children will not be permitted to sit on the floor at the front of the
stage. Parking on the school grounds for
evening performances will be limited. Visitor
parking is available on the side of the building adjacent to the path. Doors will not open for audience members
and performing students until 6:00 pm for evening performances. A free-will collection will be accepted at
the door to assist us with concert expenses and support our school’s music
program. See you there!
We Need Important Information
from You: By now all students should have returned to
their teachers: (1) updated registration forms; (2) Closure
of Schools/Early Dismissal forms.
And…something else: Self-identification is important
to our school system and to our students. It is essential to know who our
students are and which communities we serve. It will help us to understand how
our demographics are changing and how best to support our students and schools.
We are encouraging all parents and students to identify their Ancestry and
Aboriginal Identity. This week all Park
West parents/guardians should have received self-identification forms and a
letter from our Acting Superintendent (Judy White). Please complete the form and return it to
your child’s teacher at your earliest convenience. Thank you for helping us gather this
valuable information.
HAPPY KWANZAA:
Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday. It was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana
Karenga with the hope of educating his people about the African-American
struggles and their rich cultural heritage.
The holiday lasts for seven days beginning on December 26. It binds the African harvest customs and the
social history of African North Americans.
The word Kwanzaa is derived from the East African Swahili phrase
“Mantunde ya kwanza” which means “the first fruits.” The second “a” was added to give the word
seven letters which corresponds to the seven symbols, the seven principles and
the seven days of Kwanzaa. For this
celebration, families and friends gather at meal time. The unity cup is passed from person to person
with each one saying something positive about the African-American (or
Canadian) community. Next, the candles
of the kinara are lit and the principles are recited. Everyone talks and dances as the family joins
together to rejoice in their heritage.
The celebration is organized around five fundamental activities: ingathering of the people, a special
reverence for the Creator and creations, commemoration of the past,
re-commitment to one’s highest ideals, and celebration of the good around and
within each other.
O Christmas Tree: The Christmas tree in our
school lobby is bare!!! Every student at
Park West School, regardless of his/her faith, is invited to help decorate
it. Each student may bring from home one
ornament (labelled with the student’s name and class, so it can be returned
after Christmas) to place on our school Christmas tree. Your ornament can be
homemade, have special meaning for you and your family, be a favourite, or
represent your culture or heritage.
Beginning on Monday, December 10, students will be
invited to the lobby sometime during the day to help trim the tree. If all students participate, by the time
we’re finished the tree should have over 800 ornaments on it! Drop by to see it when you visit the school
during the Christmas season.
Gobble Gobble: A traditional Christmas turkey dinner
will be available for all students registered in our lunch program to purchase
from our cafeteria on Wednesday,
December 12 at lunch time. Dinner
includes: slow roasted turkey, mashed
potatoes, homemade stuffing, seasonal vegetables, gravy, and dessert. Price:
$8.00 This special turkey dinner
must be ordered in advance from the
cafeteria. Students who usually go home
for lunch can order a turkey dinner for take-out. Contact our cafeteria manager , Jane Scrymgeour, in person or via
telephone (440-7352) between 8 am
and 12:45 pm daily to place an order.
Grade 9 Entrepreneur Fair: As part of their Social Studies program our grade nine
students have been working hard on projects with the goal of becoming
successful entrepreneurs. With a
start-up investment of $25, students have developed products to sell with the
objective of making a profit. Some
students have chosen to use any profits to help offset the expenses of their
Grade Nine Trip to Montreal. On December 18 (10:30 am – 3:00 pm) come
visit the Grade 9 Entrepreneur Fair in our gymnasium to see learning in action
and make some purchases to support our student endeavours. Products for sale will include Christmas
ornaments, jewelry, games, fashion accessories, art, and various food items. Prices will range from 25 cents to $2.00. All grades primary to eight classes will have
the opportunity to visit the fair to make purchases.
A
Park West Christmas: Thursday, December 20th has been declared Red and Green Day here
at Park West School. Students, staff and
visitors to our school are encouraged to wear red and green clothing to
celebrate the season. Anyone with
reindeer antlers, Santa hats, etc. may wish to wear them to school that
day.
Dates to Remember:
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December 10
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Junior High Student Forum
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Morning
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December 11 & 12
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Christmas Concerts (grades P – 6)
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1:15 pm and 6:30 pm
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December 13
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Concert storm day
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December 13
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Term 1 Report Cards sent home with students
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December 18
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Grade 9 Entrepreneur Fair
for grades P – 8
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10:30 – 3:00 pm
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December 20
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“Red & Green” *Last day of school before Christmas
holidays
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January 3
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Back to School - please be on time
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8:25 am
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