530 Prospect Street, Box 430, Palmerston, ON, N0G 2P0
519-343-3520
“Be The BEST That You Can Be”
“Fais De Ton Mieux”
2012-2013
Newsletter #2
October 1, 2012
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRINCIPAL
October is here already! Soon we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and planning for the School Council's annual
Hallowe'en Dance-a-thon on October 31st. We appreciate our families who are diligently selling QSP magazines. The
money raised will be used to subsidize class bus trips and to support classroom programs and to purchase technology for
our classrooms.
In September Palmerston P.S. supported the fight against cancer by organizing our annual Terry Fox run. Thanks
very much to our generous students, staff, and parents who contributed over $1,200.00 to this worthy cause. Thanks to
Mr. Walls for organizing the short assembly and the routes for all the eager student and staff runners.
Congratulations to our school soccer teams who played in tournaments in September and October. They played
well as a team and demonstrated good sportsmanship throughout their games. A special thanks goes out to our
coaches: Mr. MacLean, Miss Horton, and Mr. Walls.
Please remember that school begins at 9:00 a.m. and it certainly helps your child start the day more positively
when he/ she arrives on time.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to express my gratitude to the students, staff and parent community of
Palmerston P.S. for your warm welcome to this school. I have enjoyed my first September as the Principal of Palmerston
P.S. and look forward to the rest of this school year.
I wish you an enjoyable October. As always, our school believes in keeping the lines of communication open, and
your concerns are important to the staff at Palmerston P.S. If you have a concern, questions or a suggestion, please call
your child's teacher to arrange a time to talk.
Wilma Shannon
Principal
SCHOOL PICTURES
Individual and class pictures will be taken on Tuesday, October 30th.
OPEN COMMUNICATION
Our staff here at Palmerston feel that open communication between home and school is vital in order for all our
children to be successful. Our students are expected to write information into their agendas including homework. We
suggest that parents check the agenda daily in order to ensure the communication is two way. Our younger students carry
a “Communication Book” and parents are encouraged to write in the book to inform the teacher of any concerns or just
information to share about your child.
Our staff are very busy at the beginning of the day meeting our children as they arrive at school, checking
agendas, collecting money for various events and fund-raisers and preparing for lessons that begin as soon as all the
children are in their classes. In order to ensure that we can begin our teaching time immediately after entrance and that we
are not overcrowding our halls we ask that all parents remain outside the school doors during this busy time. If you
wish to meet with a teacher we request that you do not just drop by their classroom in the morning or during the school
day but that you call to set up an appointment.
We thank you for your support and understanding concerning this issue.
SCHOOL SPORTS TEAMS
During the year students will be chosen to represent P.P.S. on school teams.
The criteria used for choosing students for the school team include:
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Participation with good attendance in the games held at nutritrition breaks.
Showing good sportsmanship and team play.
A positive attitude to winning and losing.
Putting forth a good effort in academics in class.
A respectful manner to peers and adults.
Students will have to pay $5.00.
OTHER
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Milk tickets can be purchased when required. Tickets are sold in sheets of 10 chocolate or 10 white for a cost of
$7.00. Milk is available at both nutrition breaks.
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When sending money to school with your child please try to send the correct change.
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Bicycle helmets are mandatory for children riding bikes. A potential hazards exists when students wear bicycle
helmets when playing on playground equipment. Please reinforce with your children the dangers and hazards
associated with bicycle helmets being worn when playing on playground equipment.
»
When there is inclement weather such as fog, snow or freezing rain, buses may be cancelled in the morning.
BUSES AND INCLEMENT WEATHER
Board Policy – Parents
It is a parent’s responsbility to determine whether or not it is safe for their students to leave for school in
inclement or severe weather. A parent must be aware of the following:
a) When a bus does not travel a route in the morning due to fog, ice or snow conditions, it will not travel that route
in the afternoon.
b) If a parent elects to drive their pupils to school, they are responsible for their pupils’ pick-up at dismissal time.
Students will be dismissed at 3:00 p.m. School ends at 3:00 p.m. on a “no bus” day.
c) Buses will not be delayed, buses will either run or be cancelled. Students will not be sent home early during
inclement weather.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1. Each driver is ultimately responsible for deciding if it is safe to complete his or her route. If they decide to cancel
or delay their route, they will ensure that every effort is made to inform parents of their decision.
2. We suggest that if you are planning a special occasion for your son/daughter and wish other classmates/friends to
attend that you arrange to pick up everyone at the end of the day. Please make arrangements prior to the end of
the day of the event.
3. Please let us know if your child is not going home on the bus. Notification to the office is important. If we do not
have a note or call then we will send them home on the bus.
BUS TRANSFER REQUESTS
Our Board Transportation Policy does not permit bus students to ride a different bus at the end of the day for
various reasons (sleepover, birthday parties, etc.). Non-bus students are not permitted to ride a bus at any time.
BUS LOADING AND UNLOADING
As you are aware, the school zone for Palmerston P.S. is a very busy place in the morning (8:30 a.m.) and at the
end of the day (3:15 p.m.). We have students crossing the street at the crossing guard, in front of the school by the
baseball diamond and in good weather we have students riding their bikes to school using this crossing with the walkers.
While buses are loading and unloading there is traffic in front of the school, as well as parents who are dropping
off/picking up their children. To ensure the safety of the students we need your help. In order to keep this area safe for
our students, we have the following requests and reminders for our students, parents and neighbours.
1. Park on the opposite side of the street across from the ball diamonds if you are dropping off or picking up
students.
2. Please do not ask your child to enter the vehicle from the driver side facing oncoming traffic, and do not load the
vehicle at the crosswalk. Parents set the example for road safety.
3. Please do not cross the street except at the two designated area. Students should not be called to a vehicle mid
block, and we ask parents to use the crosswalk to set a positive safe example for all of our students.
4. Bikes must be walked across the street in the crossing area and along the sidewalk in front of the school.
5. Students must follow the directions of the crossing guards and the staff members on duty. We ask parents to do
the same as a positive model.
REMINDER: Cars need to stop when the buses are flashing their red lights. Failure to do so could result in a fine.
Thank you for your support in this matter.
GRADE 3 STUDENTS TO WRITE CCAT
Our Grade 3 students will be writing the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test in October. This assessment is
completed with Grade 3 students across the country and is used by our Board to screen for Gifted Students.
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY & PROGRAM
The Upper Grand District School Board places a high priority on the safety of our students. The Child Abuse
Prevention Policy is evidence of our commitment to this priority. The following is a quote from the policy:
“Every citizen in the community shares a responsibility for our children. School officials and teachers share this
collective community responsibility for creating safe and nurturing environments for children. Under the Child and
Family Services Act, this responsibility includes the legal requirement to report to the local Children’s Aid Society any
suspected child abuse or other situations where a child may be in need of protection. Teachers and other Board
employees have a special opportunity to know and understand children during their most influential years of development.
They are in a unique position to be able to see early signs of maltreatment, and to know or hear about the abuse and
neglect that is often suffered by children.”
As required in the Policy, we will be teaching age-appropriate lessons to help our students identify abuse and
protect themselves from abusive situations. The goal is to provide children with the tools they need to keep themselves
safe. The lessons cover a broad range of safety issues including bullying, stranger danger and abuse by a known and
trusted adult.
These lessons will occur during the school year. For grades one, three and five, the lessons will be team taught by
our Child and Youth Counselor and classroom teachers. There is no formal program in grades two, four and six, although
the safety concepts are reviewed by classroom teachers informally. Students in grades 7 and 8 will also participate in a
Red Cross program presented by the school’s Child & Youth Counsellor entitled “It’s Not Your Fault”. These two hour
presentations will occur in homeroom classes.
We encourage you to discuss with your child at home, the concepts taught in the Child Abuse Prevention
Curriculum.
For more information regarding the Child Abuse Prevention Policy and/or Programs please contact Jill Hope,
Child and Youth Counselor.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The School Council will be hosting a Halloween Dance-a-thon on Wednesday, October 31st at our school during
the day. More information will be coming out soon!
Our School Council executive is:
Chair:
Co-Chair:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Renee Beswitherick
Ann Tooley
Kristi Will
Karen Goddard
A reminder that your School Council normally meets every last Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the School
Library. The next meeting will be held on Monday, October 29th. Come out and support your child by joining the School
Council.
GO GIRLS
Go Girls is an exciting seven week program for girls 12-14 yrs old! Go Girls incorporates fun, educational games
and activities which address the topics of active living, balanced eating, and feeling good.
Key issues for girls participating in the program include:
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Body Image
Self-Esteem
Healthy Eating
Physical Activity
Relationships
Where and when?
Go Girls is being offered at the Palmerston Public School on Tuesday evenings for seven weeks starting Tuesday,
October 2nd until Tuesday, November 13th. It begins at 6:30 and ends at 8:00 pm in the gym. Parents are responsible to
get their daughters to and from the school.
The program is being offered by Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Wellington and there is no cost. Sign up at the
office and/or contact Marianne Pope at 519-323-4273. There is a limited number of participants.
RECESS OUTDOOR TIMES
The morning and afternoon recesses are an opportunity for students to “burn off” some of their energy after being
in class. Often the fresh air will make a child feel better when they are “stuffed up” with a cold. If a child is sick, the best
place for this child is at home. Thanks for your cooperation.
MONDAY
1
TUESDAY
Day 5
8
2
9
Day 1
Day 5
THANKSGIVING
15
Day 4
16
Day 5
22
Day 4
23
Day 5
29
Day 3
School Council Meeting
6:30 p.m.
30
School Pictures
Day 4
3
WEDNESDAY
Day 2
Hot Dog Day
Westario electricity and
conservation presentation
4
THURSDAY
Day 3
Girls Intermediate Soccer
Tournament
FRIDAY
7
Day 4
Boys Intermediate Soccer
Tournament
10
Day 1
11
Day 2
12
Day 3
17
Day 1
18
Day 2
19
Day 3
24
Day 1
25
Day 2
26
Gr. 7 Hep B &
Meningococcal
Gr. 8 Girls HPV
Kindergarten classes to
Herrle’s Country Market
Hot Dog Day
31
Day 5
Halloween Dance-a-thon
Mrs. Harrison/Mrs.
Fairbrother to Wawanosh
Mrs. Bastedo/Mrs. Pratt to
Wawanosh
QSP magazine orders due
Mrs. Stroeder/Mrs. Black
to Wawanosh
P.A. DAY
PALMERSTON BRANCH
Wellington County Library presents ...
Sciensational
Sssnakes!!!
Sciensational Sssnakes!!! provides a hands-on
educational programme about reptiles and
amphibians for the young and young at heart!
All ages welcome. Please register.
SATURDAY,
OCTOBER 13
10:30 am
www.weIIi ngton.ca/Library
519.343.2142
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ALTCRNATE FORMATS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Wellington County Library's
PALMERSTON BRANCH presents ...
Fire Safety Fun!
The Fire Department will be bringing their
special Fire Safety Trailer to the Palmerston Library.
All ages are welcome to come
for a tour to learn about
fire safety!
Saturday, October 20
11:00 am
www.wellington.ca/Library
519.343.2142
ALTERNATE FORMATS AVAILABU UPON REQUEST
Health
October 2012
What a good feeling!
Go For 4!
Parents - preparing lunches day after day can be a challenge! Here are resources to help you:
• Go for 4! fact sheet and Canada’s Food Guide available from your school nurse or
www.wdgpublichealth.ca
• Healthy eating on a budget. Visit http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/en/healthy-ontario/healthy-eating/eathealthy-budget.asp
•
Healthy eating resources at www.eatrightontario.ca
Make sure you pack lunches that have all four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide:
• At least one fruit or vegetable
• One serving of milk or milk products (like cheese or yogurt)
• One meat or alternative (like sunflower seeds or hard- boiled eggs)
• One whole-grain item
When we improve what we eat, we can make a big difference to our health and well-being for years to
come.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
1-800-265-7293 | www.wdgpublichealth.ca
info@wdgpublichealth.ca