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