Park West School: September 2012

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

September 25, Newsletter

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

September 25, 2012

Receive the PWS Update electronically! You can receive the PWS Update electronically via e-mail. If you wish to be among the first to receive the latest editions of our school newsletters 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.

This is the first regular edition of our school newsletter, PWS UPDATE, for the 2012-2013 school year. It will be published approximately every two weeks. It will be the only item sent home from school printed on yellow paper. Printed copies will be sent home with the youngest student in each family. It will be posted on the school website. You may also wish to receive it electronically via e-mail. We urge you to read each edition thoroughly and to keep past issues for reference. Here at Park West we value good communication. We are striving to keep you informed and involved.

8:25: that’s the time school starts in the morning. Our students need to be here on time. When students arrive late for school (either in the morning or after lunch) they are disrupting school and classroom routines, missing out on receiving classroom instruction and important information. Arriving on time allows them the opportunity to prepare for learning (getting their materials organized, removing outdoor wear, going to lockers, etc.). Entrance bells ring at 8:25 am and 12:50 pm. Students should be on school grounds and ready to enter the building at those times. We are striving to teach our students the value of time management, punctuality, respect for others, and good citizenship. We are preparing them for life. Our society values punctuality.

Seeking Nominations: “The School Advisory Council (SAC) is a legally recognized body composed of the principal and representatives of teachers and support staff, students, parents, and community members who work together in an advisory capacity to increase the quality of education being provided by the school. The fundamental purpose of the school advisory council is to ensure that all students receive the best possible learning opportunities by engaging all partners in an ongoing process of problem solving and shared decision making.” Our SAC has a vacant position for a PARENT MEMBER. That individual must have a child presently attending Park West School. The term is for three years. The expectations include attending six meetings per year on a Wednesday evening at 5:45 pm to 7:00 pm. Nominations for this position are now being accepted. Nomination forms are available from the school office and are due back to the office on October 1. You may nominate yourself or someone else. If more than one nomination is received there will be an election to fill the position. The next meeting of the Park West SAC is October 19.

A Healthy School: This is the time of year when many children (and adults) get sick. If your child is not feeling well, for the comfort and good health of him/her and everyone here at school, you are encouraged to keep him/her home for the day. If your child has been diagnosed with a contagious condition (egs. lice, chicken pox, scarlet fever, strep, etc.) please notify the school immediately.

Terry Fox Week: If Terry Fox can run with cancer, we can run for cancer. On September 27 all students and staff will be participating in The Terry Fox National School Run Day. Last year our school raised about $4000. On Thursday all students will meet in the gym at 1:00 pm for a brief kick-off assembly. Students in grades primary – three will then proceed to the field at the back of the school to walk on the track. Students in grades four – nine will walk on a route around our community, returning to the school by 2:30 pm. Parents and community members are invited to join the walk or cheer for us along the route. Students should dress appropriately. Students have been provided with pledge sheets if they wish to collect donations for the Terry Fox Foundation. To pledge on-line or seek additional information go to www.terryfoxrun.org. Thank you for your support.

Safety First: To make our school grounds more welcoming to parents and community, and to ensure the safety of our students, we’ve made some changes over the summer. We’ve changed and added signage, created visitor parking areas for parents, and now have a “Drop Off” zone for quick drop offs and pick ups. For everyone’s safety all drivers on our grounds are asked to follow these guidelines:

· No parking in the traffic loop, except in the four designated visitor parking spots.

· No parking in Fire Lanes.

· A “Drop Off” zone is provided in the traffic loop for a QUICK drop-off or pick-up of students. Do not stay stopped or parked in the Drop Off zone. Move to the front of the Drop Off zone as far as possible when dropping off or picking up.

· Drop off and pick up students at curbside in the Drop Off zone, not in the middle of the traffic loop.

· Drive slowly. The maximum speed posted is 15 km per hour.

· Be aware of the marked cross walks. Stop when necessary for pedestrians to cross.

· Do not park or drive through the staff parking lot.

· Visitor parking is now available at the south end of the building (adjacent to the garbage compound).

· School buses always have the right-of-way in the traffic loop. At no time should vehicles impede the movement and parking of school buses on school property.

School Fees: Based on feedback we have received from parents and after consultation with our School Advisory Council and Parent-Teacher Association the student fee structure for Park West School has been revised. The following school fees are suggested for 2012-2013:

*Grade:*	*Fees cover:*
Primary $25	· Subsidy towards class trips and/or in-class activities (egs. Guest speaker, Mad Science workshop, special craft project) · School presentations: guest speakers and performances (egs. Neptune Theatre, Symphony Nova Scotia, Mermaid Theatre, Terry Kelly) · School Activities: Field Day, Multicultural Festival, etc. · Personalized items: deskplate, name tags, labels for school supplies, photos for classroom activities.
One – Six $25	· Subsidy towards class trips and/or in-class activities (egs. Guest speaker, Mad Science workshop, special craft project). · School presentations: guest speakers and performances (egs. Neptune Theatre, Symphony Nova Scotia, Mermaid Theatre, Terry Kelly) · School Activities: Field Day, Multicultural Festival, etc. · School agenda for each student
Seven – Nine $25	· Subsidy towards class trips and/or in-class activities (egs. Guest speaker, Mad Science workshop, special craft project). · School presentations: guest speakers and performances (egs. Neptune Theatre, Symphony Nova Scotia, Mermaid Theatre, Terry Kelly) · School Activities: Field Day, Multicultural Festival, etc. · Combination lock for locker
Athletic Fees *fee will be according to the team sport	Athletic fees for team members will be determined based on the expenses associated with each sport. Students chosen to play on school teams will each be responsible to pay the fee to cover these expenses for the team. Athletic fees will pay for: · Referee fees · Subsidize transportation expenses · School athletic association memberships · Venue rental expenses · Tournament and event fees
Band Fees $20	Band fees will be charged to each band student in grades 6 – 9. Band fees will pay for: · Entrance fees for festivals and events · Subsidize transportation expenses · Enhancements (eg. special musical arrangements) · Guest clinicians or presenters

During the school year our students participate in many extra-curricular activities to enhance learning and their overall school experience. We promote and provide these learning experiences and opportunities because we believe they are important for intellectual, emotional and social development. They enhance the learning experience, and are often fun. Many of these activities can only be provided at an extra cost to the school and our students. Therefore, we are requesting funds (school fees) from parents to help defray the costs so we can provide these opportunities and experiences for our students. In most cases student fees will only partially cover the cost associated with certain activities; in particular the class trips in which your child will participate during the course of school year. School fees will be used to subsidize class trips. Sometimes it will be necessary to charge additional fees to cover the entire cost of trips. Some classes take more trips than others. Some trips cost more than others. Bus charters (even when using Stock Transportation, the school board bus provider) have become extremely expensive. For instance, to charter one bus to go from our school to the Nova Scotia Museum on Summer Street in Halifax costs approximately $200. That does not include the fee the museum charges. We are requesting school and band fees be paid in September by the end of the month, if possible. Athletic fees may be paid throughout the year as team participants are selected. It is not our intention to cause any of our families undue hardship. Fees may be paid by cash or cheque. Please submit fees in an envelope with the name and class of the student. Receipts will be issued. Student fees are due by September 27.

HRSB Student Protection Policy / Volunteering in Schools: According to the HRSB policy a “visitor” is defined as an individual who enters the school who is not an employee or volunteer. A visitor includes, but is not limited to, a one-time speaker, an individual making a delivery, a community member working at annual school events, a School Advisory Council or Parent-Teacher Association member and anyone attending a meeting with a teacher or an administrator.

A “volunteer” is defined as an individual who interacts with students in an environment that is not supervised at all times by HRSB teachers or administrators. A volunteer includes, but is not limited to, a coach, a driver, a regular classroom helper, or a trip chaperone.

All volunteers are required to have a criminal records check and child abuse registry search completed prior to volunteering in schools. Prior to volunteering with the HRSB all volunteers must provide to the school:

• A completed Department of Community Services Form B2 – Consent to Disclosure of Information which can be found at: http:.//gov.ns.ca/coms/families/abuse/ChildAbuseRegister.html

• A certified and true copy of a criminal records check completed within the three months preceding volunteering. This check must be updated very three years.

Online criminal records checks are available online at: http://www.halifax.ca/police/criminalrecordscheck.html

All visitors and volunteers are to sign in at the school office upon arrival and wear an HRSB access badge while on the school premises. Individuals (including parents visiting our school) should not proceed through the building without signing in at the office. The access badge must be returned at the end of the visit. All HRSB employees must wear and visibly display their HRSB photo identification card at all times while working and visiting schools and board sites.

Dates to Remember:

September
27	Terry Fox Run - please join us!		1:00 pm
27	Student Fees due ($25 per student)
28	PD Day (no school for students)
*Future Dates*
October 4		Junior High Dance ($5)	6:30 – 8:30 pm
October 25		PTA Hallowe’en Dance	5:30 – 8:00 pm
October 26		Conference Day (no school for students)
November 14		Parent-Teacher Conferences (to discuss student progress)	Afternoon/evening
November 29		International Community Pot Luck Dinner	evening
November 30		Assessment/Evaluation Day (no school for students)
December 3		Fine Arts Christmas Concert (band, choir, strings)`	Evening
December 11 & 12		Christmas Concerts (grades P – 6)	Afternoon/evening

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Grade 6 Band Notice

September 10, 2012

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

Welcome to the band program at Park West. Band for grade 6 will be held on
Mondays from 2:00-3:00 and on Wednesdays at lunch. Students should bring a lunch
on Wednesdays and come to the music room. Monday’s class is held on the stage and
students should bring their end of day materials.
The first band class this year will be on Wednesday September 12th
at lunch.   It
is important that students attend class even if they do not have their instrument yet.
Although I do review material regularly, there is a lot of new information covered each
class especially in the first few weeks.
Students require a band instrument and a Standard of Excellence Book 1 for
their instrument. Both of these should be labeled with their name, school and phone
number
Clarinet and Saxophone players should have four number 2 1/2 strength reeds.
These will need to be replenished throughout the year. Trumpet. Baritone and Tuba
must have valve oil and tuning slide cream. Trombones require tuning slide cream and a
trombone water bottle. Percussionists need a practice pad, practice bells, drumsticks and
mallets. Students must also have cleaning supplies for their specific instrument. Long
and McQuade have quality student model instruments that can be rented at a reasonable
price. They also carry the music books and other supplies needed. Please avoid buying
instruments from department stores. Though these instruments are less expensive, they
are not of the same quality that you will find at the music stores and often require
frequent repair.
I have a number of new books which you can purchase from me for 7.00. All
proceeds will go directly to the ParkWest Band Program. If you would like one please
email me at wilsonv4@staff.ednet.ns.ca and tell me which instrument you play.
In order to be successful in band it is essential that students practice their
instruments regularly to reinforce materials learned in class. Students who do not
practice tend to fall behind and get discouraged. Practicing 20 minutes 5 times weekly is
recommended! Please encourage your child to play for you. You’ll be amazed at how
quickly initial squeaks become recognizable songs!

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at
wilsonv4@staff.ednet.ns.ca

.
V Wilson

Saturday, September 8, 2012

September 7, 2012 School Newsletter

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

September 7, 2012

Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends of Park West School;

It’s that time of year again! Time to come home from the beaches and cottages, and in from the loungers on sun-drenched decks. Perhaps there’s less time to spend on the golf course, reading a favourite novel, or working in the garden. Yes…it’s inevitable…the routine that comes with returning to school in September, signaling the end of summer vacation. Hopefully, you and your family have taken some time to relax and rejuvenate during the summer months.

Here at Park West it’s “the most wonderful time of the year”! We look forward to another productive year for our students; continually striving for progress and celebrating successes along the way. Thank you for being our partners in this awesome endeavour. We couldn’t do it without.

Our student population, as of today, is almost 800. We are expecting more of our students to arrive home from overseas vacations over the next two weeks. We have 29 classes in grades primary to nine, and almost 80 staff (teachers and support staff) working in our building. To accommodate our students we are using all four “chalets” (portable classrooms) on site, and we have four combined grade classes this year.

I extend a special welcome to those students and their families who are new to Park West School. You’ve chosen a great place to live (and go to school)! I’m eager to meet new and familiar faces in the coming weeks.

Our administrative team (Ms. Chiasson, Mr. Melanson and I) is committed to providing dynamic leadership to this school community so that our ultimate goal of ensuring that every student succeeds can be met. We look forward to working with our students, their parents, our staff, and the school community as Park West evolves and moves forward. We want to be an administrative team that makes a difference here at our school and in our community.

We are fortunate to have so many dedicated teachers and support staff on our team who are committed to making sure every one of our students achieves success. We’re not perfect, and we will make mistakes along the way, but be assured, we are working hard to do our best for you and your children. Every staff member at Park West is a leader, and I continuously encourage them to “lead from where they stand”.

This year’s theme for Park West School is “Success for All”. Our focus will be on helping one another to succeed….helping one another to help our students succeed. Building relationships based on trust and mutual respect is essential to our success. We are a school focused on people, where we strive to nurture an environment that is positive, safe, welcoming, inclusive, and collaborative. I’m proud to say Park West is a “home for the heart and for the mind”.

Scotia Learning (the owners of our school) and our caretakers worked hard this summer to refresh our facilities. Lots of painting was done (including the entire exterior of our building), new signage was installed for vehicular traffic on our grounds, more visitor parking was created (on the south side of the school), and some major cleaning and de-cluttering occurred. We need to maximum the space we have and ensure it is being used efficiently. Drop by to look at our new and improved main foyer. We’re looking good!

As good as our school is I believe we can be even better. As we launch into a new school year I invite you to join me, our administrative team, and our staff as we undertake the challenge to advance, improve, and support one another in our quest for success. Let’s make our vision reality. Together we’ll do great things at Park West. The possibilities are exciting!

Sincerely,

Mr. Carter

Park West School Staff for 2012-2013

*Principal*	Mr. D. Carter	*Art*	Ms. A. White
*Vice Principal*	Ms. M. Chiasson	*Art*	Ms. A Pashkoski
*Vice Principal*	Mr. B. Melanson	*Core French 4-6*	Ms. M. Mockler
*Admin Assistant*	Ms. B. Hayes	*Core French 7-9*	TBA
*Admin Assistant*	Ms. C. Pirri	*Core French*	Ms. S. Kristiansen
*Primary*	Ms. C. Ng	*Tech Ed./Phys Ed.*	Mr. J. d’Entremont
*Primary*	Ms. E. Kostlac	*Phys Ed.*	Mr. M. Carrigan
*Primary/One*	Ms. D. Henneberry & Ms. N. Gerrard	*Phys Ed.*	Ms. A. Pashkoski
*One*	Ms. P. Little	*Phys Ed.*	Ms. S. Morgan & Mr. B. Mrezar
*One*	Ms. S. Doucet	*ESL*	Ms. T. Graham
*One/Two*	Ms. C. Dickison	*ESL*	Ms. M. Sydney
*Two*	Ms. S. Haikings	*Resource*	Ms. D. Allan
*Two*	Ms. L. MacLeod	*Resource*	Ms. L. Hayes
*Three*	Ms. A Jandreau & Ms. S. Starling	*Resource*	Ms. V. Allen
*Three*	Ms. T. Crummer	*Early Literacy Teacher*	Ms. N. Gerrard
*Three/Four*	Ms. J. Smith	*Jr. High Support*	Mr. J. Moshett
*Four*	Ms. S. MacMullin	*Learning Centre*	Ms. S. Marfels
*Four*	Ms. J. Walsh	*Learning Centre*	Ms. S. Tulloch & Ms. C. Ward
*Four/Five*	Ms. L. MacDonald & Ms. A. Mackay	*Learning Centre*	Ms. V. Allen
*Five*	Mr. G. Shupe	*EPA*	Ms. B. Scott
*Five*	Ms. C. Curry	*EPA*	Ms. J. Hurshman
*Six*	Mr. D. Cunningham	*EPA*	Mr. S. Hopkins
*Six*	Ms. K. Aucoin	*EPA*	Mr. B. O’Connor
*Six*	Ms. S. Christie (formerly Glydon)	*EPA*	Ms. M. Conrad
*Seven*	Ms. T. Riddell & Ms. K. Murray	*EPA*	Ms. L. Sutherland
*Seven*	Mr. B. Banks	*EPA*	Ms. J. Keating
*Seven*	Ms. K. Stewart	*EPA*	Mr. P. Beaulieu
*Eight*	Ms. J. Attwater & Mr. M. Saab	*EPA*	Ms. S. Yari
*Eight*	Ms. P. Casford & Mr. T Cobean	*EPA*	Ms. T. Mailman
*Eight*	Ms. C. White	*EPA*	Mr. M. Chute
*Eight*	Mr. A. Driscoll	*EPA*	Ms. K. MacLeod
*Nine*	Mr. G. Beattie	*Library*	Ms. A. Comeau
*Nine*	Ms. S. Morgan & Mr. B. Mrezar	*YMCA Worker*	Mr. J. Attya
*Nine*	Ms. L. Bennett	*EXCEL/Lunch*	Ms. W. Nizam
*Guidance*	Ms. T. Aucoin & Mr. T. Cobean	*Caretaker*	Mr. L. Lee
*Music*	Ms. K. Servant	*Night Cleaners*	Mr. R. Turcotte
*Band (4-9)*	Ms. V. Wilson	*Cafeteria Manager*	Ms. J. Scrymegour
*Strings (3-6)*	Ms. M. Kanner

4^th Annual Park West Community BBQ: Join us here at the school on Wednesday, September 12, 5:30 – 7 pm, for this exciting event to kick off our school year. There will be lots of good things to eat, including: hamburgers ($2); hot dogs ($1); cold beverages ($1); popcorn ($1); and ice cream ($1). There’ll be face painting, fire truck and ambulance tours, local police officers to meet, and 50/50 draws. There’ll be fun for the entire family. Bring your family, friends, and neighbours. This event is being presented by our PTA. For more info, or to volunteer, please contact Lynn at pswpta@gmail.com.