Welcome/Welcome Back

To: Parents/Guardians September 2014 From: B.Morgan / C. Bartlett

Once again this year we will be sending home our newsletter electronically to as many families as Welcome/Welcome Back possible. Therefore we will require a household On behalf of Mary Queen of the or primary email address to forward on our World School we would like to monthly newsletter or memos. extend a warm welcome to all students and their families as we begin another new and exciting school year!! It Student Information Sheets is great to see so many eager and excited faces Student information sheets have and we extend a special welcome to all new been sent home. We would families who have joined our school community. appreciate it if you would complete We look forward to working with all these and have your child return it students and families throughout the school to his/her teacher as soon as year. Together, we can ensure the best possible. It is very important that you include educational opportunities for all students. an emergency phone number should we ever need to contact you. In the event of an emergency evacuation or school closure we need MQW Staff to follow the procedure outlined on this sheet. We would like to take this opportunity to introduce and welcome our staff members for Student Agenda the year: The student agenda is a great tool for Assistant Principal – Mr. Chris Bartlett communication with home. Please Kindergarten – Ms. Hanlon, Ms. Spurrell look in it every night for teacher memos or Grade 1 – Ms. Murphy, Ms Foley, Ms Chubbs notifications. The front section Grade 2 – Ms. Chafe, Ms. Mills, Ms. Hedderson explains MQW school expectations. We will Grade 3 – Ms. Bartlett, Ms. Nolan, Ms. Nurse review this section with our students. Please Grade 4 – Ms Peddle, Ms. Galway, Ms. Bartlett support the school in our initiative of providing a Grade 5 – Ms. Babb, Ms. Buckle, Mr.Walsh Safe and Caring environment. Grade 6 – Ms. McDonald, Ms. Hanrahan, Mr. Day Inst Support Teachers – Ms. Gibbons, Ms. Synervoice ~ Home School Garlie, Ms. Kehoe, Mr. Butt, Ms. Whitten Communication Phys Ed – Mr. Pike The SYNERVOICE Communication Music – Ms. Smith Mun Intern Ms. Hatcher system is a valuable system in delivering Band – Mr. Parsons messages and notifications to parents in a Guidance – Mr. Bonnell timely and efficient manner. This service is Secretary – Ms. Case particularly helpful for situations such as Student Assistants – Ms. Lee, Ms. Thornhill, Ms. unscheduled school closures due to weather or Somerton electrical failure. To assist with this process, it Maintenance Custodian – Mr. Hatcher is essential that we have accurate and updated Evening Custodian – Mr. Somerton information regarding home contact and Evening Cleaner – Ms. Butland emergency numbers. Please notify the office Principal – Ms. Morgan immediately if you have changed address or telephone numbers throughout the year. School Calendar 2014 - 2015 September 2 Administration Day September 3 School Reopens/Students School Hours October 13 Thanksgiving Day (Holiday) Please note the timetable for the November 10 November Break (Holiday) November 11 Armistice Day (Holiday) upcoming year is as follows: December 19 Last Day Prior to Christmas 8:30 Doors open, supervision begins January 5 School Reopens 8:45 First Bell; National February 16 February Break (Holiday) March 16 St. Patrick's Day (Holiday) Anthem/Morning announcements April 2 Last Day before Easter Break 8:50 Classes begin April 13 School Reopens 10:30 Recess May 18 Victoria Day (Holiday) June 25 Last Day for Students 10:45 Classes resume June 26 Administration Day 12:00 Lunch 12:55 Afternoon classes begin 3:00 Dismissal Morning Kdgn classes 8:50 - 11:30 Parking Afternoon Kdgn classes 12:26 - 3pm Please take note of the parking lot lines Parents are asked to kindly refrain from for vehicles coming onto the parking lot dropping off children prior to 8:30am. each day. As you know, this is a continuous Supervision does not begin until this time and safety concern and we ask for your cooperation. for security reasons, our doors will remain Always be conscious while driving in this area locked until supervision time. especially when busses are off loading the All students are asked to enter the school children. Parents who drop off and pick up through the student entrance at the east children are asked to use the parking lot by the side of the school or through the gym doors. Church. This area has more space and better The office entrance is for staff only. flow for traffic. Please do not park in the convent parking spaces or handicap area (unless you have a permit) on the west side of the Curriculum Night school. Our curriculum night is scheduled for Thursday, September 11th NLESD Bus Policy 7:00 p.m. Parents are invited to We are in the process of organizing our bus go directly to their child’s classroom to discuss lists. We presently have 6 busses that service grade level academic programs and curriculum as the students in our zone. Please contact the well as classroom routines and expectations. school office if you require a courtesy seat Following the classroom presentation you are application form. More information is available invited for a meet and greet in the Learning for your review at www.nlesd.ca Resource Center with all MQW staff. This night provides you the wonderful Music opportunity to meet your child’s teacher as well Currently at Mary Queen of the World we have as all members of our school community. We primary grade level choirs that look forward to seeing you next Thursday. include all students in grades 1, 2 and 3. In addition, we have an optional School Council Elementary Choir for 4, 5, 6. All students that A School Council is a legally express an interest in joining this choir can constituted body of elected and obtain a form which is available from Ms. Smith. appointed representatives of All Elementary students also participate in a the local school constituency. It recorder program and are asked to please bring is established for the purpose of enhancing the both their recorders and books to class on a quality of school programs and improving the daily basis as it is an important part of the levels of student achievement in the school. music curriculum. The School Council meets on a monthly basis to receive and disseminate information and review Physical Education policy on school issues. We would like to remind students to If you are interested in serving on the School check their calendars for Physical Council please contact the school office. Education Days. Students are encouraged to wear proper attire on these days, i.e. sneakers, t-shirt and shorts/track pants. Thank-you for your As you are aware all English schools are now cooperation. under the jurisdiction of the Newfoundland Labrador Eastern School District. Please visit Nutrition policy the new website for any information Please note that the Eastern School www.nlesd.ca District has a Nutrition Policy that encourages students to eat healthy and bring Door Security snacks that are appropriate and nutritious to Parents and visitors to our school school. Please take the time to discuss with your should use the main office entrance child healthy choices for recess and lunch. located on the west side of our building. Refrain from sending fizzy pop, potato chips, This door will be locked during the school day chocolate bars etc. during the school day. and you are kindly asked to ring the doorbell, identify yourself and Ms. Case will buzz you in. Kids Eat Smart Breakfast Club For safety reasons it is important that we are We have partnered with KES and will serve a aware of visitors in our school at all times. breakfast snack every morning during the Parents and visitors are not permitted in the coming year. This is a free service for students classroom areas unless permission is given by wishing to have a piece of fruit, breakfast bar, the administration. The corridors must be cheese string or milk before they begin the accessible for all students should we need to school day. Donations are always welcome to evacuate in an emergency. Your support is assist with this program. appreciated. School Lunch Association Student Medications Program Medication is administered at the school We are delighted to once only when absolutely necessary. If again partner with the at all possible, we ask that parents School Lunch Association for hot lunch service administer medicine at home and avoid bringing at MQW Monday – Thursday of each week. A any medicine to school. registration form will be sent home with all Medication may only be administered from the students who have not registered with the on office with the signed consent of parents and line service and must be returned by the medical professionals. Non-prescription drugs specified date to the SLA. A menu for the should not be sent to school. month of October will be forwarded to you to Please alert your child’s teacher as soon as select the meals you would like your child to possible if your child has any serious medical avail of for the following weeks. Please mark the conditions or life threatening allergies. (There envelope with your selection, enclose your money is also a place for this data on the student and send the envelope back to your child’s information sheet.) Where necessary, a medical teacher. You should keep the menu at home so alert form will be sent home for parents to you will know when your child is on SLP or when complete. they need to bring a bagged lunch. There is no lunch service at MQW until Recycling October 1st. All students will need to bring a If you would like to contribute your bagged lunch from home for the next few recyclables to our school we have a weeks. program set for every Friday. Students who pass in recycling will have their PIZZA Friday names submitted for special prize draws. Please Each week we will be offering a slice of pizza ensure you remove caps and straws from the and milk to all of our students at a cost of $3 containers. Thank you to our parent community per student. A pizza form will be sent home on for your past support. Wednesday of each week. It must be returned on Thursday morning as we place our order Telephone messages: To ensure before noon with the pizza company. No late your child receives appropriate orders are accepted after this time period. We instruction in all subject areas we will begin this on September 12th. try to avoid interruptions to the classroom throughout the school day with phone messages. Going Home to Lunch Please discuss with your child after school Please note, that when students go arrangements before they come to school. Mrs. home to lunch we encourage them to Case cannot keep up with the phone messages to return to school at 12:50pm to be all classrooms at dismissal times. We will be ready for afternoon classes. utilizing our in school email conference to Only grade six students are able to leave school communicate messages to classroom teachers. property at lunch time. Your cooperation with this matter would be If you give your child permission to go out to greatly appreciated. lunch you must provide a written note to the classroom teacher stating this, dated and Student Belongings signed. No students will be permitted to leave Each year we accumulate a large number of school grounds without a note during the lunch items in our Lost and Found and a great hour. percentage of these are never claimed. Most families have spent a considerable amount of Allergy ALERT money to get their children ready for the new Please take note that we have a school year. In order to protect against loss of number of students who have severe sneakers, clothes, lunch bags, school bags etc… life threatening allergies in our you are urged to write your child’s name with a school. Parents are requested not to send the permanent marker on all of these items so if following items to school: Nuts, Peanut butter, retrieved it can be easily returned to the Kiwi, Strawberries, Seafood, Tuna fish and children. As well we do not encourage students Shellfish. Contact with these foods may result to bring digital cameras, cell phones, Ipods, in a severe allergic reaction requiring immediate Shuffles and other electronic toys to school as medical attention. We thank you for your these often go missing and this can be very support. upsetting for the child as well as very costly to you. SCENT AWARE We have a number of students and staff who RNC – Child Exploitation have allergic reactions to scented products. We Advisory ask you to please refrain from using perfumes As in past years we assist the and cologne when visiting the school. RNC by sharing this information with you: The RNC Child Exploitation Unit has noted an increase in the number of Internet Luring complaints. The RNC is advising parents to: Best Wishes for a  Monitor all children’s contact on the internet. Successful  Ensure the “do not talk to strangers” 2014 – 2015 message is understood to apply to the virtual world School year!!  Only allow children and young teenagers access to web cams in common areas of your homes.

Terry Fox / Kids Eat Smart Walk Once again we are delighted to inform you that MQW students will be participating in the Terry Fox / Kids Eat Smart Walk. More information will be shared shortly. Let’s hope for a warm, sunny day on Friday, September 26th, 2014.

MQW Website We are currently in the process of updating our website. We will post information, memos and newsletters for your reading pleasure. Please visit the website for up to date information. www.mqw.k12.nf.ca

MQW Fall Book Fair We will be once again participating in a Scholastic Book Fair, so please look out for upcoming dates.

Fall Fundraiser We are very excited to partner with NORCARD Fundraising for our first fundraiser for this school year. More information will be shared next week!!

Volunteers We are in need of volunteers to assist in many ongoing programs here at MQW. We will have more information on Curriculum Night. If you have an hour to spare any time during the day we would certainly appreciate your assistance.

Dates to remember: September 1 1th Orientation Evening 7pm October 1st School Lunch Program begins

Reminders: Please return Student Data Forms and SLP Registration Forms / Menus immediately as we would like to update our school data base as soon as possible.

Twitter MQW is on Twitter! Please follow us @MQWSchool for updates about Mary Queen of the World School.