March 18, 2013 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 

     

March 18, 2013

 

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:  School at Park West begins every day at 8:25 am.  We need our students here on time.   Too many students are still arriving late for school and disrupting school and classroom operations.**********WELCOME TO OUR SCHOOL:  If you visit our school during the day you must sign-in and obtain a visitor pass at the office.***********PLEASE SLOW DOWN:   The speed limit on our school grounds is only 15 km per hour.  For the safety of everyone please do not speed. 

 

“Getting to Great” – A school improvement Survey:  Once again this year Park West School and the Halifax Regional School Board are seeking feedback from parents, students, and teachers.  Getting to Great allows all parents/guardians, teachers, and students in grades 4-12 to share information that will help us improve schools. We are on a mission to make every school a great school, but we cannot get to great without you. Your voluntary participation in this survey will help us identify the strengths and challenges at our school, so we can do our part to enhance the opportunities for students to learn. Your input is valuable in helping us make improvements that will directly impact your child’s learning and school experience.  The online survey is available from March 4- March 29.  Please visit the website: http://survey.hrsb.ns.ca select “Park West School” to start the survey. You are welcome to complete a survey for each child attending our school. Please remember, all survey information is anonymous and is not used to evaluate individuals. At the end of the survey, you will find space to make any additional comments you wish to share with us anonymously.  All students in grades 4  to 9 at Park West will be completing the survey in school.  

 

Take the Roof off Winter:  The winter walk to school event will be kicked off on Wednesday, March 27 with a warm up Walk to School.  The walk will begin at 8:10 am at Veterans Memorial Park at the corner of Langbrae and Parkland.  After gathering there we will walk as a group up Langbrae to Park West School in time for the 8:25 am admission bell.  For those who walk to school from other directions, we encourage you to walk from home to school with friends and neighbours. Between Tuesday March 19 and Wednesday March 27 students are invited to submit their suggestions to about how to make walking to school safe and fun, and their ideas about fun outdoor winter activities.  Students can leave suggestions addressed to the ASRTS Committee of the PTA in the office.  Make sure your name and grade are on the submission.  Each student entering a submission will be entered into a prize draw to take place on March 28.  Prizes are a $25 SportsChek gift card and several Take The Roof Off Winter hats.  On behalf of the Active and Safe Routes to School Committee I thank you for your support of our Committee’s work.                     Kelly Greenwood  -  Chair, ASRTS Committee

 

Supplementary Funding:  Supplementary Funding is provided by HRM Council to the Halifax Regional School Board to enhance the Public School Program in schools across the region. Each year the HRM provides approximately $18 million in addition to the funding the HRSB receives from the provincial government and through mandatory municipal contributions. Supplementary Funding is raised through a municipal tax assessment on residential and business properties. The HRM is the only municipality in the province that voluntarily provides additional funding in this manner and they should be applauded for their leadership to provide students with enhanced opportunities.  What does Supplementary Funding provide?  Supplementary Funding allows students to benefit from program and service enhancements above the general funding received from the province including:

• Smaller class sizes

• Additional Physical Education, Music and Art instruction

• More support for resource and libraries

• Fine Arts programs (including All-City Music)

• Student Support Workers

• Early Learning Opportunities program

• Social Workers

 

ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOL TODAY:  What is assessment and why is it changing?  Everyone needs information to plan.  Doctors need information about patients to plan treatments.  Investors need information to help you invest your money.  And educators need information about students` achievement to help them learn.  Assessment is the process for collecting information.  In our schools, it is the process of collecting evidence of student learning.  That evidence may focus on individuals or groups of students, and it may come from one or more sources.  Tests are the best-known tools for collecting that information.  But tests are only one tool.  Student oral presentations, projects, student interviews, writing samples, performance assessments, teacher observation, portfolios, and student self-assessment can all serve to collect accurate information about student learning.  (from Understanding School Assessment, Jan Chappuis and Stephen Chappuis)

 

Allergy Alert:  Park West is a nut and latex aware school.  We have many students and staff members who have life-threatening allergies.  Contact with nuts or latex could be fatal for them.   Also, we are a scent-free school.   Students and visitors should not wear scented products while in our school building (especially perfumes, colognes, and after-shaves). 

 

We’re Scent-Free!  Did you know that perfume is made of toxic chemicals that can be detrimental to your health?  Many of the chemicals in perfume are the same chemicals in cigarette smoke, and yet there is no regulation of the fragrance industry.  Perfume today is not made from flowers, but from chemicals.  More than 4000 chemicals are used in fragrances.  Of these 95% are made from petroleum.  Many of us are bothered by perfumes; causing headaches, sinus problems, and even provoking asthma.  Other affects may include exhaustion, weakness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, rashes, muscle ache, nausea, and stomach cramps. Many of us get sick from wearing or being exposed to it.   The result here at school is that learning is affected.    Park West School strives to be a scent-free environment.  Parents and students:  please do not wear perfumes, colognes, and heavily scented products to school. 

 

Epi-Pen Policy:  The Halifax Regional School Board (HRSB) has a policy for students requiring epinephrine auto injectors.  Students needing epi-pens must  carry the pen injectors on them at all times while at school. 

 

Just Right Books:  During the school year your child may be learning how to choose ‘just right’ books for independent reading.  All children should be encouraged to read each night.  Primary students must develop the habit now.  What is a ‘just right’ book for independent reading?  A just right book is one that can be read easily with 95% accuracy (based on a word count divided by the number of errors).  This book can be read orally with at least three word phrases with good flow and expression.  It should sound like talking.   There should be very few or no ‘slow spots’ or spots where the child sounds out words.  It should flow from one word to the next.  How can I tell if a book is ‘just right’ for my child to read independently?  When the book is read orally it will sound like talking.   Your child will be able to tell you about the story and even make some comments about what is happening in the story.  Why choose ‘just right’ books?  A ‘just right’ book allows your child to read the book without having to work too hard at figuring out the words.   This means he/she can think about the story and make connections to things that happened in the story.  It will free the reader to think about the strategies he/she will be taught in the classroom.  It will help create independent readers and thinkers.   Choosing ‘just right’ books to read prevents the reader from struggling and becoming frustrated.   It nurtures a love of reading, and develops confident readers.  Should my child read other books?  Yes, with support from a parent or teacher.  You may continue to read other books to your child so she/he is exposed to good literature.  If your child has an interest in a particular area, help him/her read about that topic.  Take your child to the library and let him/her choose some ‘just right’ books and some books of interest that may be more challenging that you can read together or that you can read aloud.   Even older students will enjoy these special times of being read to by mom or dad.   As developing readers, children need to be challenged.  However, we must be careful to keep the experience pleasurable and meaningful, ensuring they experience success as readers.

 

Is Something Missing From Your Life?:   Is your son or daughter missing boots, sneakers, a GAP hoodie, a ball cap, an umbrella, a lunch bag, Tupperware, spoons, gloves, pants………? We have a mountain of lost & found items here at the school.  Everything is on display in our “lost & found” area in our back stairway.  Feel free to drop by to take a look for yourself.  You might be amazed by the ‘lost treasures’ you’ll find.   .

 

Reminder to all School Volunteers:   The HRSB Student Protection Policy is now fully implemented.  All individuals who wish to volunteer in the school (including chaperoning class trips) must successfully complete Police Records and Child Abuse Registry Checks before being able to do volunteer work in our schools or accompany students on field trips.  Many parents recommend the website www.mybackcheck.com as an efficient and quick way to complete a criminal records check online.  For more details on the policy and requirements visit the HRSB website at www.hrsb.ca   This is something you may wish to do in preparation for  the spring, when classes tend to go on lots of educational field trips. 

 

Dates to Remember:

March 21	Payment due for Grade 9 Trip ($200)
March 21	Grade 9 Orientation at Halifax West High School	morning
March 21	Family Bingo Night  @ Park West         (a fundraiser for the grade 9 trip)	6 – 8 pm
March 22	Assessment & Evaluation Day    *no school for students
March 27	School-wide Assembly (grades P – 9)        * you are invited to attend with us	10:35 am
March 27	Winter Walk to School Day
March 29	Good Friday      *no school for students
April 1	Easter Monday     *no school for students
April 4	2nd term Report Cards issued
April 17	SAC and PTA Meetings	5:45 and 7 pm
April 26	“Crazy Hat Day” @ Park West       *wear your favourite hat to school…make one…decorate one…be creative!
May 1	Parent-Teacher Interviews	12:30 – 3:30 pm
May 2	Parent-Teacher Interviews	5:30 – 7:30 pm
May 8	Junior High Dance    (admission:  $5)	6:30 – 8:30 pm
May 16	PTA Family Bingo	5:30 – 8:30 pm
May 17	PD Day       *no school for students
May 22	Information Night for Parents of New Primary Students	6:30 pm
May 28	Orientation Session for New Primary Students (for the  2013-14 school year)	2:45 – 4:15 pm
June 1 – 5	Grade 9 Trip to Montreal
June 17 – 21	Exam Week for Grade 9 Students
June 20	PTA Community Barbeque
June 26	“Canadian Day”   *We’re celebrating  Canada’s birthday early!  Let’s dress in the colours and symbols of Canada.
June 27	Assessment & Evaluation Day     *no school for students
June 28	Last day of school / final report cards issued

 

 

 

"Child Anxiety": What Parents Can Do

 

 

 "Child Anxiety: What Parents Can Do

An Introduction to Anxiety & Parenting Strategies"

 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 

          We are privileged to be able to bring Dr. Daniel Chorney, registered psychologist, to our school community to speak about the issue of anxiety and how it affects the lives of children and their families.

 

Dr. Chorney will speak for approximately one hour then answer general questions on child anxiety. The title of his talk is “Child Anxiety: What Parents Can Do - Introduction to Anxiety & Parenting Strategies"

 

Some of the topics covered in the talk will be:

 

1)    understanding the difference between normal developmental fears and clinical anxiety (including early identification of anxiety)

2)    evidence-based treatment strategies parents can use at home for children with mild anxiety

3)    resources in the community that parents can utilize if they are looking for further help or questions regarding anxiety

 

This event is taking place:

 

Thursday April 4^th, 7 pm

 Rockingham School Library

31 Tremont Drive

 

Please help us plan for numbers by completing the information below:

 

Parent Name:                                        Your Child’s  School:

 

 

 

 

This event is brought to you by the SAC of Rockingham School

 

February 28, 2013 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 

     

February 28, 2013

 

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:  School at Park West begins every day at 8:25 am.  We need our students here on time.   Too many students are still arriving late for school and disrupting school and classroom operations. 

 

Welcome to our School:  If you visit our school during the day you must sign-in and obtain a visitor pass at the office.   

 

Park West Rocks!   Our next “school spirit” day is March 8.  All students and staff are encouraged to have some fun and wear their PJ’s to school that day.  March 8 is “PJ Day” at Park West! 

 

Slow Down:   The speed limit on our school grounds is only 15 km per hour.  For the safety of everyone please do not speed. 

 

Who’s Hungry?  The Park West School cafeteria serves a variety of hot tasty healthy meals for our students to purchase at lunchtime. Daily specials include:  grilled cheese and tomato soup; beef & macaroni bake; baked chicken with rice and veggies; meatloaf with mashed potatoes; sloppy joes; roast beef dinner; sweet & sour chicken balls with rice and egg roll; chicken cacciatore; lasagna; mini hamburgers and taters; chicken fajitas; meatballs with rice; baked ham and scallop potatoes; shepherd’s pie; and chicken fingers.  Lots of other choices are available.  Hot lunch specials are from $3.75 to $4.50.  Other cafeteria offerings include:  cheese pizza ($3.50); garlic fingers with donair sauce ($3); nachos and dip ($3); hamburgers ($2.25); cheeseburgers ($2.75); chicken burgers ($2.75); veggies trays ($2.25); fruit cups ($1.25); and chicken ceasar wraps ($3.75).  An assortment of freshly made sandwiches are available (egg salad, chicken salad, ham & cheese, and tuna salad) for only $3.25, and salads (garden or ceasar) for $3.35.   During the cold winter months hot homemade soups will be served daily for only $3.25.  Drinks include:  bottled water ($1.25); 100% pure fruit juice (.55/$1.50); milk (.35); and chocolate milk ($1.25).  A variety of snacks for sale include:  baked chips ($1.50); Crispers ($1.50); Rice Krispie squares (.60); and cookies (.60).  The cafeteria opens at 8 am for pre-ordering and for breakfast.  Toast, bagels, and bacon/ham/cheese on toast are available for those who didn’t get to eat at home.  Two copies of the menu are sent home to all students in grades primary to three every month; one to keep and one to use as an order form.  Menus are now available on our school website.   To request a menu, place an order, or if you have any questions please contact our cafeteria operator, Jane Scrymgeour, at 440-7352 between 8 am and 12:45 daily. 

 

What is Bullying?

 

How to Be A Peacemaker: ·          Learn about what is happening in the world around you. ·          Learn about different ways of living and thinking. ·          Be involved in the decisions being made on your behalf by parents, teachers, counsellors, and politicians. ·          But first of all…..learn about yourself; about why you think, believe, feel and act as you do.  ·          Learn how to listen and how to see things from another point of view. ·          Learn how to solve problems peacefully in your own life; in your own back yard.

The Scoop on Bullying:  Bullying is a relationship problem!  It’s using power to control and distress others.  It can be face-to-face or indirect.  There are four types of bullying: ·          Physical:  hitting, punching, slapping, kicking, punching, tripping, spitting, etc. ·          Verbal:  hurtful teasing, malicious name-calling, put-downs, etc. ·          Social:  group exclusion, gossip, rumours, slander, etc. ·          Cyber:  using MSN, e-mail, Facebook, cell phones, websites, text messaging

Do you know a bully?               Are you a bully?             Who owns the problem?                    Grown-ups are role models for behaviour.

 

Do you know what bullying is?  Let’s check:

·         It is a repeated behaviour.

·         It is an unfair match and/or there is a power imbalance or abuse of power.

·         It is an intentional and hurtful behaviour.

·          The behaviour was intended to threaten, intimidate, or victimize someone.

 

Bullying is a repeated pattern of intentional and hurtful behaviours (physical, verbal, psychological) used by one or more individuals who exercise power to intimidate, threaten, harm, and/or victimize another person/victim who is perceived as relatively weaker.    Bullying behaviours can be direct and open, or indirect and subtle.  This includes the use of e-mail or internet to harass and /or intimidate others.  A one-time incident does not qualify as bullying.  Remember:  bullying is a pattern of repeated behavior.  Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that occurs through the use of technology.  This can include the use of a computer or other electronic devices using social networks (such as Facebook), text messaging, instant messaging, websites, e-mail, or other electronic means.  A person participates in bullying if he/she directly carries out the behavior, assists, or encourages the behavior in any way. 

 

Professional Development is Key:  More than two decades ago the school year in Nova Scotia was increased from 190 to 195 days.  One reason for this change was to accommodate in-servicing and professional development for teachers without costing students valuable instructional time.  Professional development (PD) is critical for teachers in their efforts to provide the best learning opportunities for students.  Recent research has shown that the number one influence on student achievement is quality teaching.  According to data collected over the past three years, teachers in Nova Scotia do more than 65 hours of PD per year (much of it during weekends, evenings, and summer months), while the school calendar allows for only 25 hours (i.e. five days).  Unfortunately, parents are not always aware of the benefits that professional development of teachers provides to students.  Some would support that all PD activities occur during the summer months.  The fact is, most new initiatives are introduced at the beginning of a school year, while others are introduced during the year.  For teachers to make appropriate assessments and enhance the teaching of these initiatives, it is necessary to support the teaching and learning with in-servicing at strategic moments in time. Educational programs, strategies, resources, philosophies, and initiatives continue to change at a rapid pace.  Teachers must keep abreast of the evolution.   Our next PD Day is MAY 17.   Students will not  attend school on that day.

 

This Year Has 195 Days:  The school year in Nova Scotia is 195 days.  Students who are absent for any of those days must have legitimate excuses (such as illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, etc.).   That time is needed in classrooms to cover the outcomes for all subjects at each particular grade level.   Students must be assessed so that we can determine if they have met the outcomes covered.  When our students are absent for an extended period of time it may negatively impact on their academic progress.  This year school does not close until June 28.  Meaningful learning and assessing will be occurring in the classrooms of Park West School until that date.  We do not stop working, party non-stop, show one movie after another, or tell students they should stay home because we ‘won’t be doing anything’.  We are assuming that ALL our students will be in attendance until then so that their academic progress is not jeopardized.  We cannot teach and assess our students if they are not here.  Students should not be unnecessarily absent from school for extended periods of time.  Teachers are not responsible for providing packages of work to students in advance so they can participate in extended vacations from school.  Parents:  please consider this when making your summer travel plans.  

Let’s Eat Out:  The Lower Deck is a locally owned (by Park West parents) and community-minded eating establishment here in Clayton Park.  They’re new to our neighbourhood and have become outstanding supporters of our school.  Every Monday night, 5 – 10 pm, they are donating 25% of food purchases to our school.  All you need to do is mention to your server that you’re supporting Park West School.  They will track “Park West” purchases and post them on their Facebook page every week.   A cheque will be delivered to our school every month.   It’s just that easy!   Thank you Lower Deck for caring about our neighbourhood and supporting our school.

 

New for Spring!  Park West Spirit wear is now available!  Students can show their school spirit with the latest Park West fashions including T-shirts, hoodies and track pants.  Spirit wear can be viewed and purchased online by visiting the online store link on the school website homepage.  If you have any questions or would rather pay by cheque please email pta.parkwestschool@gmail.com. Proceeds are reinvested into Park West and used to enhance programs and services for all students. So…sport some spirit and support your school with your next spirit wear purchase!

 

Strike Up The Band:  The Grade 6 Band is working hard preparing music for the Kiwanis Music Festival in April. They will be joined by the grade 7 students. The  grades 8 and 9 band students are busy getting music ready for an exciting spring band trip to PEI with the CPJH Grade 8/9 Band. Congratulations to those students who participated in the grocery packing at Sobeys to raise funds for their PEI trip. It was a huge success! Many thanks to those parents who chaperoned and especially to Ms. Colleen Walker who organized this event for our students.

 

Canadian Pride!   As you probably already know, Ms. Steward’s grade 7 class recently won the grand prize, with the highest average in all of Canada among all classes who participated in the Canadian Citizenship Challenge.   Last year 44,000 students participated in the Challenge.  This year our grade 7 students participated with 1000 other classes from across Canada.  The Canadian average for the Challenge test results was 72%.  The average for Nova Scotia was 78%.  And….the average for our winning grade 7 class was…….95%!!!!  We are so proud!   Great things happen at Park West!

 

Dates to Remember:

March 6	Junior High Dance -  $5.00    *students must be present at school that day to attend the dance that night	6:30 – 8:30 pm
March 7	Junior High Ski Club skiing at Martock	3:00 pm
March 8	PJ Day at Park West     *wear your PJ’s, house coats, and slippers to school
March 11-15	MARCH BREAK   *no school for students
March 21	Payment due for Grade 9 Trip ($200)
March 21	Grade 9 Orientation at Halifax West High School	morning
March 22	Assessment & Evaluation Day    *no school for students
March 27	School-wide Assembly (grades P – 9)        * you are invited to attend with us	10:35 am
March 29	Good Friday      *no school for students

 

Cash Mob at Tattletales

The 7th Annual Pennies/Coins/Dollars for Books Campaign is taking place during the month of February.  The Cash Mob at Tattletales is rescheduled for Sat. Feb.16  www.tattletalesabooks.ca

Want to know if school is open?

Call the HRSB School Closure line:
464-4636

Pennies/coins for Books Campaign

During the month of February, Park West School will be participating in the Annual Pennies/Coins for Books Campaign.  This campaign is sponsored by Tattletales Books Store.  All the money 

raised goes towards buying books for the school.   The two classes 

that raise the most money will win a prize.

Checkout Tattletales website  to find out more about this annual 

campaign and ways you can help make it a success.  

www.tattletalesbooks.ca