JUNE 2013 YEAR-END NEWSLETTER
June has been a busy month with a variety of activities. We honoured our RUPS volunteers at a luncheon with our
staff, and our grade 3 students participated in EQAO testing. Year-end activities for students have included Play
Day, Junior Speech Showcase and Talent Show. Our Grade 5 Graduation will be held on Wednesday, June 26th at
9:30 a.m. At this assembly the following awards will be presented: Citizenship Award,
Proficiency Award, Valedictorian, Principal’s Award, Ryan Gillen Memorial Award and Holly
Smart Award of Merit. Our year-end assembly is on Thursday, June 27th at 1:20 p.m. and will
include the presentation of the Fay Rush Award, as well as a farewell to the staff who are
leaving Ray Underhill. The recipients of all our awards have been working hard through all their
school years to be active participants, to achieve to the best of their ability, and to be positive role models for their
peers. They should be extremely proud of this special recognition.
Each year at this time, teachers have an opportunity to interview and seek positions at other schools. We are sad
to be saying goodbye to Mrs. Brovold, who has accepted a teaching position at Settler’s Green Public School for
September. Mrs. Brovold has been teaching at Ray Underhill (JGL, Kindergarten, Grade 1, ISSP and Planning
Time) for the past 10 years. We will miss her enthusiasm for teaching, her positive outlook
and her dedication to her students. I know the community joins me in wishing Mrs. Brovold
continued success in her new school and position.
We must also say goodbye to our Behavioural Teaching Assistant, Mrs. Ponte, who has been
transferred to Trelawny Public School for next year. Mrs. Ponte has had a significant impact on the students at Ray
Underhill during her 6 years here. We will miss her caring ways and support of the RUPS Positive Behaviour Code.
In addition, we would like to thank Ms. Cufino for the excellent job she has done as our grade 2/3 LTO teacher
since January. Best of luck in your future teaching career, Ms. Cufino!!
We will be adding a few new members to the RUPS staff. We welcome Mrs. Reitemeier (Kindergarten), Mrs.
Sang (Grade 2) and Ms. Henry (BTA). We are very pleased to have them joining our staff and we know that you
will welcome them into the RUPS learning community. We are in the process of hiring LTO replacements for
September for Mrs. Hickey (grade 3 teacher), Mrs. Finol (Kindergarten ECE) and Mrs. Servent (Kindergarten ECE),
who are on maternity leave.
Included in your child’s report card today is his/her tentative class placement for September. Also included is a
brochure on the Peel Board’s initiative BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). We will be implementing BYOD over the
course of the 2013-2014 school year. Information regarding this will be communicated to students and parents
through teachers and our newsletter.
Today’s package also includes some updated information about volunteering at Peel Schools. Parents and
community members may now volunteer to assist staff with, or to lead, extra-curricular activities. All volunteering is
based on school-identified needs, and volunteers must complete a Criminal Record Check. Please consider this
opportunity for September.
Good luck to our grade 5 students as they leave Ray Underhill to attend Dolphin and other middle schools. Best
wishes also to any students who are moving this summer and will not be returning to Ray Underhill in September.
Please keep up the good work habits and positive attitude that have been fostered at RUPS.
I would like to extend a thank you to Mrs. DiNola and Mrs. Markou, co-chairs of the School Council, as well as all
School Council members, for their dedication and valuable contribution to Ray Underhill. The entire staff and
student body appreciate the tremendous ongoing support provided by School Council members. We hope that
current and new members will consider working on our School Council next year.
School Council circulated a survey a year ago to the community regarding the implementation of a school activity
fee as a means to raise money instead of fundraising activities. The results were overwhelmingly in support of this
change. Therefore, a letter will go home in the fall requesting that families donate a specified amount to the school
to help cover the cost of special performances/presentations, and to subsidize field trips for our students.
Congratulations to the following students who received the Positive Attitude Award at our June assembly: James,
Christine, Tiffney, Samantha, Redden, Carter B. and Dennis in KF1; Zeke, Alayna, Jessica, Ali, Chase, Sharanya,
Aazan, Aymaan and Yara in KF2; Zoe, Ari, Noah, Jade, McKayla, and Alexander in KF3, Cassandra, Lincoln and
Rebecca in 1-D; Tristan, Apryl, Madison and Andy in 12W; Abby, Samuel and Ashton in 2-C; Dianne and Jack in
23H; Nolan and Jake in 3-B; Maryam in PGL; Tonny in JGL; Connor and Ena in 4-B; Mya and Matthew in 4-E;
Nico, Bailey and Ryan in 5-D; Anthony, Elijah and Zackary in 5-H. Thanks once again to Mrs. Paiva who created
amazing bulletin boards for all of our awards assemblies this year!!
Our school hours will remain the same for next year (9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
Entry Bell
8:55
AM Recess
10:40 - 10:55
Lunch
12:15 - 1:15
PM Recess
2:35 - 2:50
Kindergarten students have lunch between 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., and their outdoor play times vary from day
to day. Students are not allowed to take food outside at recess time. Instead, class time is provided in the morning
and afternoon for students to eat a snack. We continue to encourage parents to send healthy snacks to school.
The calendar for the 2013-2014 school year is still tentative, pending approval by the Ministry of
Education. Ray Underhill will continue to operate on a 5-day cycle; the cycle-day calendar will be
sent home in September.
In keeping with our ecological practices, we will continue to post our newsletter on-line. A double-sided page
with highlights of the newsletter’s contents on one side and the monthly calendar on the reverse will be sent home
each month, directing parents to our school website for full access to the RUPS newsletter and Board articles.
The school office closes on Friday, June 28th at 4:00 p.m. and re-opens on Monday, August 26th. Parents may
check busing information online @ http://businfo.stopr.ca starting mid-August, or come to the school to check
busing schedules between Wednesday, August 28th and Friday, August 30th. The first day of school is Tuesday,
September 3rd. Any new PLASP registrations for next year should be made online @ www.plasp.com. Have a
wonderful summer!!
Sincerely,
C. Buchner
C. Buchner
Principal