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
November
15, 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.
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. Parents whose children who
are chronically late for school will be contacted by teachers and school
administration.
HRSB School Closures:
It’s that time of year again when we
experience cooler weather and begin to think about those unwelcome winter
storms that often disrupt our daily routines, and occasionally even close
schools. The Halifax Regional School
Board encompasses a widespread geographic area, so weather conditions can vary
considerably. Sometimes all schools
within the School Board are closed due to extreme weather conditions. At other times only selected schools, or
“families of schools”, are closed. Decisions
on school closures and/or bus cancellations are posted on the board’s website
at www.hrsb.ca , on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HRSB_Official,
recorded on 464-INFO (4636) and communicated to all local radio stations. You
can also receive notice of school and bus cancellations by e-mail or text message by following the link on the front page
(left side) of the HRSB website. Announcements regarding school closures will
be made (as close to 6:00 am as possible) in the morning before school
commences. If school is cancelled after
students have arrived at school and classes have begun for the day an
announcement will be made before 11:30 am.
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Possible
Announcements Pertaining to Park West School
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1.
All
schools feeding into Halifax West High School or the Halifax West
FAMILY of schools is closed.
2.
All
schools in the Halifax Regional School Board are closed.
3.
School
buses are not running, but schools are open and it is at the parents’
discretion as to whether or not to send their children to school.
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In the event of extreme weather conditions
you are encouraged to use your judgment when it comes to your child coming to
school that day. The safety and
well-being of our students is a prime concern.
If a large number of our students are absent on a given day major
assessments will be rescheduled and the introduction of new work will be
minimal. You are requested to ensure
your children be aware of the arrangements associated with their dismissal when
Park West School is cancelled during the day and students must be dismissed
early; especially if they are to go to an alternative address or to wait at
school to be picked up. If schools are closed, then EXCEL (all
programs) is cancelled. Students who
would normally receive early morning, lunch time, or after school care would be
affected. Also, all school functions
and use of school facilities for that date are cancelled as well. Ultimately, the building is closed. By now all parents should have returned to
their child’s teacher the completed form with information for dismissal in the
event of an early closure during the school day. Teachers need this information so they can
dismiss your child according to your wishes.
Please ensure this information is always up-to-date and that your
children are familiar with the arrangements.
We Are Family: The Halifax Regional School Board believes that each school should be an
“environment that values and celebrates
diversity and generates acceptance and respect among all members of its school
community.” Part of our school vision is to be more
inclusive and to nurture a culture of acceptance. To do this, we, as a school community, must
continue to recognize and value diversity, respect differences, and increase
understanding. We need to know one another. We do not have to
necessarily share beliefs and culture, but we can respect the beliefs and
traditions of others (our friends and neighbours) and participate TOGETHER in
observances and celebrations (such as Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, and
Lunar/Chinese New Year). One of the most
treasured characteristics of the Park West community is our diversity. Let’s celebrate it every chance we get.
Community International Potluck Dinner: At Park
West School we value our diversity and strive to recognize important holidays
celebrated by our community, and develop a better understanding of the rich
cultures represented at our school. Most
celebrations include food, and involve families and friends eating a special
meal together. We would like to welcome all
members of the Park West School community to attend an important community
event…..as we share a meal together to celebrate our rich diversity and special
occasions being observed by our families at this time of year. A Community
International Potluck Dinner will be held at Park West School on Thursday,
November 29, 5:30 – 7:00 pm. Please
attend and bring your favourite family-size dish to share (enough to feed a
family). Desserts and/or entrees (main
dishes) are welcome. For more
information please contact Lynn Anderson (443-1942 or glennanderson@ns.sympatico.ca),
Farhana Kanth (800-0371 or farhanakant@hotmail.com),
or Joseph Attya (jattya@staff.ednet.ns.ca)
No
Child Without: The Canadian
MedicAlert® Foundation is a charitable organization which is the
leading provider of emergency medical information services linked to customized
medical bracelets and necklaces. They
are pleased to be able to offer MedicAlert memberships to students (from age 4
to their 14th birthday) through the No Child Without®
program at Park West School. The financial support of the Government of
Canada and Lions Clubs allows students to receive the MedicAlert membership for
FREE. They are currently active in 224 school boards representing 6046 schools.
New schools are enrolling every day! For
more information and to register your child visit www.nochildwithout.ca
Show Business: After much consideration we have decided
the school musical production will be deferred until next school year,
2013-2014. Due to the addition of 2 new classrooms there is a lack of space to
produce a school-wide musical. We are presently offering
drama class for grades 5-9 students on Thursday afternoons. Discussions are taking place for a smaller
scale alternative to the musical, such as a coffee house, talent show, etc. We thank you for your understanding and
support.
Happy Diwali: This past week (Nov. 13) some members of our
school community celebrated Diwali (which means “row of lights”). Diwali is a five day festival and is
considered to be the Hindu New Year. The
festival celebrations begin with a cleansing of homes and people, and new
clothes are put on. Many Hindus now send
Diwali cards, similar to ones with good wishes sent at Christmas time. Happy Diwali! (taken from Celebrate! The
History and Folklore of Holidays in Nova Scotia, by Clary Croft).
Christmas
Concerts: Our elementary Christmas
concerts will be held on December11 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.
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 will
be issued to students on Monday,
December 10. 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. 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.
This & That:
Ø When we are experiencing inclement weather
(i.e. heavy rain or extremely cold temperatures) students will be permitted to
enter the school building early through the main doors only after 8:15 am and 12:40 pm. Students who go home for lunch should not
arrive back on the school grounds before 12:40 pm. For safety and security reasons all exterior
doors are kept locked, except for the main doors.
Ø Students are able to remain at school for
lunch ONLY if they are registered in the
program. Students may
not randomly stay at school for lunch at any time if they are not
registered. This includes days when the
weather is inclement or parents cannot be at home on a specific day.
Ø Students using bicycles, scooters, and
skateboards MUST wear helmets. It’s the
law.
Ø We must insist that parents refrain from
sending birthday cakes, treat bags,
etc. to school on their children’s birthdays.
Individual students’ birthdays will not be celebrated in classrooms
during the school day. Teachers are not
able to host birthday parties and celebrations for individual students in their
classrooms. These celebrations should
happen at home. What happens in our
classrooms is governed by strict guidelines from the N.S. Dept. of
Education. Time has to be dedicated to
address curriculum outcomes. As well, we
must also abide by strict Healthy Food in Schools Policy guidelines. We appreciate your understanding and
cooperation.
Dates to Remember:
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November 21
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SAC and PTA Meetings
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5:45 and 7 pm
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November 28
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Junior High Dance
- $5
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6:30 – 8:30 pm
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November 29
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International Community Pot Luck Dinner -
please plan to attend and bring a family sized dish to share.
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5:30 – 7 pm
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November 30
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Assessment/Evaluation Day
(no school for students)
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December 3
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Fine Arts Christmas Concert (band, choir, strings)`
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6:30 pm
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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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