Volume 25 No. 5
2014 02 26
Together, Making A Difference…..One Student At A Time
From The Principal’s Desk
Pizza Days
Mid-year report cards and the rapidly approaching
March Break have made us all anticipate the
impending change of season. We have a little way to
go until then and it is also likely that we will have
inclement weather as winter hangs on.
Our next order will be due on Monday, March 24th.
You may send one cheque for your family
but please remember that you MUST
SEND AN ORDER FORM FOR EACH
CHILD TO THAT CHILD’S TEACHER!
Cheques are made payable to: James
McQueen Public School.
Please remember when checking the school board
website for bus cancellations, the card colour for
school school is BLUE.
When listening to the radio to hear bus and taxi
cancellations, the message for our school is CENTRE
WELLINGTON.
As is typical, our students are busy in classes working
on lessons and curriculum based activities.
Remember that we are here to work with you and
your family to help your children learn and grow.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have
questions or concerns. Have a wonderful, fun and
safe Spring Holiday.
Sincerely,
L. Lacey,
Principal
MS Read-a-thon
Thank you to those students and parents who
participated in the MS Read-a-thon. Together you
raised over $500.00. Good work!!
Last month’s newsletter winner was…
Beth Lang. Congratulations!
Please
Yearbooks For Sale!
Once again this year there will be James
McQueen PS yearbooks for sale for
the price of $10.00.
Order forms will be
sent home later this
week. Please return
to Mrs. Hopf in the
school office by
Friday, May 23rd. The
yearbooks will be distributed before the end of the
school year.
School Council Corner…
Easter Bunny Breakfast-Saturday, April 5 –
9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
The Annual James McQueen Breakfast with the
Easter Bunny is fast approaching! If you are looking
for a way to contribute to this year’s event, there are
many different ways you can do so! We will be
looking for prizes for both the silent auction and
penny table. No prize is too small and all prizes are
greatly appreciated! If you think you have something
you would like to donate or a business you would like
to promote, the committee can be contacted at
jmpsbunnybreakfast@gmail.com. Also, be on the
lookout for information coming home with your
children regarding food donations and volunteer
recruitment after March Break. We are still looking
for donations of frozen orange juice and pancake
syrup as well as parent/community volunteers. Many
hands are needed for this event, so if you have some
time to spare the week leading up to the event or on
the day of the event itself, we would love to hear from
you! Thanks to the families who have already
donated!
Valentine’s Dance a Success!
Thanks to everyone who helped out and/or attended
the Valentine’s Dance! Thank you to our amazing DJ
Mrs. Hopf and the best party coordinator, Mrs.
Arnott. Thanks to parents for baking amazing treats
even though you don’t have time, for taking time to
purchase drinks and supplies, for helping at the
tables, for setting up and cleaning up, for getting
floats, for spreading the word….for all of the things
that you do to help make JMQ such an amazing place
for our kids!
Next School Council Meeting – Wednesday,
March 5th – 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
School Council meetings are open to everyone – join
us the second Wednesday of the month – next
meeting is Wednesday, March 5, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
There is free babysitting available. With so much
going on this year, participating in school council is a
great way to play an active role in your child’s school
Math Games to Play at Home
Do you read with your child every night? Is it a positive
experience that creates a love of reading between you and
your child? Do you play a fun math game with your child
every night? Is it a positive experience that creates a love of
math between you and your child?Does your child bring
home a library book from school? Does your child bring
home a math game from school?
Did you answer these questions differently? Do you view
reading differently than math? Are you looking for a way to
make practicing math skills at home more fun and exciting
for your child? There are lots of online computer games
and apps that make practicing math skills more engaging
for your child.
Beginning this month, and from now until June we will be
including some math games in our newsletter that you can
play at home with your children. Math continues to be a
focus at our school and within our board and we hope it
will be a focus for you at home as well.
1.
2.
Give us your email address….
...and we’ll keep you up to date on everything you
need to know at James McQueen. It’s so easy – go to
http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/jamesmcqueen/ and click on
the “subscribe” button. You will receive notification
every time a newsletter comes out, as well as other
updates. Help us cut our photocopying costs and save
some trees along the way!
3.
4.
Go to https://www.prodigygame.com/Canada/ for
a free online Math game that supports Mental
Math abilities and builds confidence with
problem solving questions.
“Race to 10, 50 or 100” Roll the dice and add up
each turn. First one to 10, 50 or 100 wins.
Multiply the numbers for older students.
“Guess my number” Place a sticky note on your
child’s back and have them guess the number by
asking only yes/no questions (Is it bigger than
500, is it odd/even, etc.)
Play dominos, cribbage or yahtzee
Send us an email with your favourite math game, so that we
can share the word with all our families and send a message
to our students, that learning math happens every day all
around us.
Talking About Mental Health!
Let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Lynn Woodford,
Psychologist, the Mental Health and Addiction Lead with
the Upper Grand District School Board and I like to talk
about Mental Health! It is an exciting time in our schools
and communities where we can all make a difference in
our children and youth’s mental well being, as well as
understanding and supporting mental health concerns.
Mental well-being and mental health concerns are closely
linked to academic and social outcomes. Students who
experience mental health and/or addiction concerns often
struggle academically and may not be able to demonstrate
their full academic potential unless provided with
appropriate understanding and support. At Upper Grand
District School Board we are talking about mental health,
promoting positive mental health and supporting students
with mental health concerns.
As part of Ontario’s plan to enhance children’s mental
health and wellness (“Open Minds, Healthy Minds”), the
Upper Grand District School Board has developed its own
Mental Health and Addiction Strategy. I am thrilled to be
the lead on this project.
The UGDSB Mental Health and Addiction Strategy guides
the schools to promote awareness of mental health needs,
supports and services; to build capacity among students,
staff and parents; and to collaborate with community
partners to provide support for students and their families.
We are promoting positive mental health, creating a
culture of caring and empathy regarding mental health
and addictions, and enabling all to collaborate with
community partners in a coordinated, responsive and
effective manner. Students need support and guidance
from caring adults in their families, at schools and in their
communities. These include ongoing secure relationships
with parents as well as formal and informal relationships
with teachers, mentors, coaches, peers, youth volunteers
and community members. Ensuring positive student
mental health is a shared responsibility of students,
parents, community partners and all staff. The Upper
Grand District School Board is working to de-stigmatize
mental health issues and promote positive mental health.
Each month I will be writing a column about mental health
and well-being in the hope of providing parents with
information to increase awareness of mental health issues
and promote well being in our children and youth and
within our schools, families and communities. I hope you
find these columns interesting and useful. Look forward to
Talking About Mental Health with you each month!
Dates to Remember
Monday, March 3
Grade 3 students will be presented with dictionaries from the Rotary Club.
Tuesday, March 4
Kindergarten students visit the Wellington County Museum.
Thursday, March 6
Grade 6’s are holding a toy/bake sale to raise $$ for their trip!
Wednesday, March 5
Kindergarten students visit the Wellington County Museum.
School Council Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is Welcome!!
Friday, March 7
P.A. Day
Monday, March 17
Welcome back from March break! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
Friday, March 20
Crazy Hat Day!!
Grade 6 students return from Mansfield at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Area Basketball Tournament at J.D. Hogarth P.S.
Monday, March 10
Wednesday, March 19
Monday, March 24
Tuesday, March 25
Wednesday, March 26
Thursday, March 27
Friday, March 28
COMMENTS:
March break begins!
Grade 6 students leave for Mansfield at 9:00 a.m.
Ms. Spencer’s and Mlle Skerritt’s grade 1 students visit the Sugar Bush this a.m.
Spring Photos beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Spring Photos for Alternate Kindergarten Students beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Mme Bennett’s and Mme McKinnon’s grade 1 students visit the Sugar Bush this a.m.
Green Legacy Seeds Assembly at 9:00 a.m.
Comfy Cozy Games Day!!
Character Assembly today at 11:15.