BERWICK & DISTRICT SCHOOL NEWSLETTER May 2015 Please remember that Berwick & District promotes a scent aware and peanut aware school. Follow us on Twitter @BerwickSchool Check out the website http://www.berwickschool.ednet.ns.ca/

Early Dismissals/No School: Thursday, May 14th, 2015 Early Dismissal @ 11:45 Monday, May 18th, 2015 No School – Victoria Day Principal’s Message: Hard to believe but it is already May, and for those of us that worried spring was cancelled this year, we are now assuming that sun is just around the corner! The natural tendency at this time of year is to start thinking ahead…but, we need to remind students that from a teacher’s perspective we are now finally heading into a good 7+ weeks of prime teaching time. Fewer disruptions and no chance of missed school due to weather mean that a lot of learning can happen in the spring. Please encourage your child to stay focused. It is their opportunity to expand what they know and finish strong. Our Wellness Survey results show that even though we have introduced many interventions and activities to get at the needs of our students, we can always do more. Being outside is so important. We are just finishing our Unplug and Play Challenge which is designed to get kids away from screen time and change it over to physical activity time. We also have decided to investigate building an outdoor classroom. Our fall planted shade trees make the perfect canopy for some resin benches and tables. We will provide more information about this in June as we pull together a campaign to make it happen. Along with the healthy eating questions on our Wellness Survey we surveyed our older students about ideas for our Cafeteria … which like others in the region, is run by the school board. In order to keep the cafeteria open, it must generate enough sales to cover the cost of food, kitchen supplies, and cafeteria staffing. Cafeteria sales are monitored monthly and at the end of the year. If the cafeteria is not able to generate enough revenue to cover costs, we may not be able to keep it operating at the current service level. In order to retain our cafeteria, we need your support and in an effort to be more responsive our Cafeteria staff have added new snacks such as yogurt and granola parfaits & fruit plates, taste tested new items like bagel sandwiches and have plans to do much more. Thank you for continuing to use the cafeteria so we can keep this valuable service available to students. Over the next week or so we will be busy with such things as welcoming our new Primary students and parents in for their orientation and meeting with Grade 8s to start planning the Grade 8 Celebration. Any information you need will absolutely be coming home to you. Enjoy the sunshine and take good care! Cindy Dickie

SLC Report: During the last month intramurals have continued in our gym at lunch. Some of the intramural activities have been "knock em down", "dodge ball, and most recently "handball". At lunch time there has also been "unches" offered to our students. "Unches" offer a range of activities that differ from regular classroom tasks. "Unches" have included knitting, dance, hairstyling and yoga. That's it for now from the Student Leadership Council - talk to you all again soon. Submitted by: Emily Durling and Andrew Brydon SCHOOL NEWS:

Primary Orientation – will be held on Friday, May 8th from 8:45 am until 12:00 noon. Students in Mrs. Batherson’s grade Primary class will remain home today.

West King’s Orientation will be held on May 8th for our students in grade 8 who will be attending West King’s next year. The bus will leave our school at 8:40 am to travel to West King’s therefore it is extremely important that students are at school before the 8:25 am bell.

In the Middle: Grade 8 students visit NSCC Waterfront Campus On April 10th, the grade 8 students had an opportunity to visit the NSCC Waterfront Campus in Dartmouth. NSCC students were participating in the annual Skills NS Competition that NSCC hosts at various locations throughout the province. Other NSCC students set up booths to share their projects which they have developed in their course of study. Those participating in a live skill competition against classmates, were using the trade skills they are studying as they attempted the challenge presented. Each competition was being judged on the spot by current instructors or skilled trades people. Each competitor in a competition was vying for a spot to advance to the National Skills Competition. Our students were presented with many interesting and innovative ideas that were created and developed by youth in our province. They had time to explore through virtual technology, hands on activities and had opportunities to listen to youth who are motivated to share their learning while pursuing success. They also had the chance to see options that are available beyond high school. It’s Elementary: Does your child have a change of clothes in their backpack? Somehow our students find the water even when we think it is dry outside!  Please ensure that you check their backpack for wet clothes and replenish the extras so that we can reduce time away from class. Also, many of our students participate in the Breakfast Program each morning and the atmosphere is fantastic – what a great way to start the day. If you ever are looking for an opportunity to volunteer or have some extra healthy food supplies at home, our Breakfast Program is a wonderful place to put your generosity. We can always use cereals like Cheerios & Mini Wheats, whole fruit, yogurt, cheese, whole wheat bread… and we have more ideas if you need it. Not required, just letting you know how popular this feature has become. What matters in learning? Brain based teaching and parenting… We recently had another awesome Speaker Series on Teaching our Children Strong Social Skills. The handouts provided gave ideas for families including tips for teaching empathy, manners, how to help children make better choices and tools to deal with bullies. Our PTSA has posted these handouts on the foyer bulletin board – please take a look and take copies of what you need. A lack of appropriate, respectful understanding and social skills is often the cause for a child’s lack of success in school. Social media parenting tips… Students in grade 6-8 along with some PRMS students had an awesome afternoon on April 28th. “Selfie”, a performance by Neptune Theater, highlighted the importance of responsible use of social media for youth. It clearly showed how students can be made to feel when they receive negative comments on their photos, thoughts and tweets. The show also discussed parental and student communication around social media and the idea that discussing social media can help families better support their children. Remember, don’t be scared to discuss something with your child just because they get irritated with you. That push back is natural and goes away once they know you are serious and understand you not only have a right to know but have an obligation to know.

Band Trip to Boston will take place this year from May 13th to May 18th. Students are returning on May 18th.

Congratulations to both our Grade 5 & 6 Bands as they received gold awards at the Annapolis Valley Music Festival. Special congrats to our Gr.6 band for winning their class and invited to perform in the "festival of stars" on Sunday May 3 at Festival Theatre. This award recognizes our band as the winner of all beginner and elementary ensembles competing in the festival.

Special Olympics assembly will take place on Friday, May 15th at 11:00 am in the gym.

PTSA will be held on Tuesday, May 19th at 6:00 pm in the Family Studies Room Band Parent Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 28th. The Executive meets at 6:45 and the General meeting at 7:30. Registration to follow.

Late Team Fees - At Berwick and District, we offer students the chance to represent our school by participating on teams and in athletic events. We have to charge a minimal team fee to help cover the costs of officials, registration, travel and equipment. If your son or daughter has team fees that are due, please help ensure that those fees are paid to Mr. Walsh as soon as possible. Receipts will be issued. Thanks for your help in supporting athletics at our school.

Reminder – it is that time of year again when we will be needing sunscreen, etc. This is just a friendly reminder to all parents and students to NOT use coconut or scented sunscreen due to allergies in the school. We appreciate your support and cooperation in this matter.

We’re awaiting the new school food policy and feeling a bit overwhelmed by food service delivery challenges. How can we influence school food culture in a meaningful and positive way? Ideas to Support Positive Eating Environments for Children & Youth Promote Food for Nourishment, Not a Reward:

 Providing food as a reward encourages children to eat for reasons other than hunger.  Children/youth may also associate food with ‘good’ or ‘bad’ behaviour which can encourage disordered eating patterns.  Provide non-food items as a reward, such as physical activity, stickers or other desirable tasks/items.

 Provide a Safe Eating Environment:  Ensure that the eating environment is safe, comfortable and structured for all children/youth/staff.  Set an example of a healthy lunch and snack time by eating with your students.  Encourage students to make healthy choices from cafeteria/lunchroom or their home lunch and discourage negative attitudes toward healthy foods.

COMMUNITY NOTICES: Items in this section announce activities in which students or their family members are likely to participate. These are activities, which the school does not sponsor nor necessarily encourage – they are here for your information only.

Health Fair – WKM Health Centre Berwick will be held on May 12th from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm. All Events are Free! All-Day Exhibits! Everyone is Welcome! Some events include a Teddy Bear Check Up, Parent/Tot Workout, Seniors Fitness, Seniors Health Panel, Snack and Scavenge, Youth Eco-Health Event (& Pizza!) and What’s new about NS Health. For more information call 902-538-1157 or 902-538-1318.

Berwick & District Nursery School - A non-Profit Parent co-operative Now accepting Registration for The 2015-2016 School Year! Morning classes available and Afternoon classes are Dependent on enrolment. Your Child will…….be nurtured by a well planned environment .….begin working with numbers & letters. ….build a positive self-imagE.….participate in arts, crafts AND SHARING TIME.….have fun! Fully qualified and trained ECE staff: Get your child ready for elementary school! For more information call 538-9680 or email [email protected]

Fundraise for Freestyle – Spring Market on May 23rd from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Berwick Fire Hall. All proceeds go towards building a new skate park in Berwick! Free Will offering BBQ, over 25 local vendors and an amazing raffle table. Check out the website at www.facebook.com/fundraiseforfreestyle.

Helping your Child with ADHD – The Child and Youth Mental Health Program is offering a 5 week course for parents/caregivers of children with ADHD. There is no fee to participate and if transportation is an issue please let them know by calling 902-679-2873 or 902-825-4825. The course will be offered Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:30 am from May 21, 28, June 4, 11, and 18 at the Chipman Building, 15 Chipman Drive, Kentville or Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:00 pm from May 21, 28, June 4, 11 and 18 at the Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Middleton.

Mental Health and Addiction Services Child and Youth Program is offering a workshop called How to use Positive Behavioural Supports to Change Behaviour on Monday, May 4th, 2015 at 7:00 to 9:00 pm in the Board room at Western Kings Memorial (WKM) in Berwick. The workshop provides parents/caregivers with an overview of basic behavioural principles and how to put them into practice with your own child. Although the workshop is designed for parents who have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, some of the information will be relevant for parents who have a child with other special needs. This workshop is for parents/caregivers only. Please register for this workshop by calling Melissa Smith, M.A. (Registered Psychologist) at 902-365-1701, ext. 2886 or email [email protected]

This year St Joseph’s Stage Prophets are thrilled to be presenting Disney’s full stage production of Mary Poppins, one of the most beloved family and longest-running musicals of all time. This is the first time Mary Poppins will be performed by an amateur theatre company in Nova Scotia and Stage Prophets is doing it! It is gearing up to be an impressive event. There will be six performances filled with talented actors, captivating costumes, magical flights, creative set designs and hundreds of hours of dedication from the cast, crew and volunteers. The location is Festival Theatre in Wolfville from May 14-17; Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday at 7:00pm and Saturday & Sunday Matinee at 1:30 pm. Tickets are $20 and are available at Box of Delights – Wolfville, Acadia Box Office - Wolfville 542-5500 or 1-800-542-8425, Occasions Gifts & Decor - Kentville, M & M Meats - New Minas or Inside Story - Greenwood. Ticket inquiries should be directed to Ann Greener email: [email protected] Media inquiries should be directed to Len Hawley (902) 585-1044, (902) 698-9692 or [email protected].

Fantastic Mr. Fox is coming to CentreStage Theatre - An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation. This delightful children’s play is based on a book by Roald Dahl. Thirty- two young actors will bring the farm alive on June 6,7,13,14,20,21 in the Upper Performance Centre at CentreStage. The show begins at 2 PM, the tickets are $7.00 For more information , please go to [email protected]

It’s time to start thinking about how YOU will be spending your marking days... Come join DC for a DANCE INTENSIVe June 25, 26, 29 Dance ConXion will be offering dancers of ANY LEVEL the chance to improve their mad skills! Join us for an awesome 3 days or choose just 1 – but DO NOT MISS OUT on this fab opportunity!THIS WILL MAKE YOU A STRONGER DANCER!! Stretch and strength, jazz technique, acro tumbling, tap technique and various dance choreo Thursday, Friday OR Monday 9:00-3:00 $40 per day OR Thursday, Friday AND Monday 9:00 –3:00 $100 for all 3 days Don’t stay home BORED ! Come out and try something new – expand your dance knowledge, training & creative energy,meet new dance friends and do WHAT YOU LOVE ♫ Also check out our summer terms and camps starting June 8 Register today! Don’t miss your chance to dance [email protected] / 902-365-7300

Annapolis Valley Honour Choirs - Auditions for New Singers! June 1st to 9th at various locations across the valley! Auditions will be for both Junior (Gr. 5-8) and Senior (Gr. 8-12) choirs - any students in Grades 5- 12 during the 2015-2016 academic year are invited to attend! All detailed information about the choirs, audition locations as well as registration for auditions can be found on the AVHC website, www.avhc.ca. Celebrated as one of the province’s best music organizations, the AVHC has two choirs with 120 students from throughout the Annapolis Valley Region. For the last 25 years, it has been educating young singers to be better choristers, musicians, and citizens of their communities.

VALLEY SPEED SKATING CLUB Like to go fast? Looking to learn to skate or improve your skills? Valley Speed Skating is the place to be! We are a club for all ages and abilities! We offer a learn to skate program. We are accepting registration for the fall session! Skate rental is free for the first year. We are at the Credit Union Centre in Kingston on Saturdays from 10am - 12pm! You can find us on facebook at Valley Speed Skating Club or email us at: [email protected]

Valley Community Learning Association: Do you find it hard to help your children with homework? Would you like to improve your reading and writing skills? Do you wish your math skills were stronger? Is your spelling a little too “creative”? Do you have trouble filling out forms? The Valley Community Learning Association is committed to help adults reach their learning goals. If you want to upgrade your skills, get your GED, or become involved as a volunteer, contact the Valley Community Learning Association (VCLA) at 679-5252, or toll free 1-866-898-7323. All our programs are free! We are located at 49 Cornwallis Street, Suite 106, Kentville, NS, B4N 2E3 and email is [email protected], website is www.vcla.ca

Healthy Living Feature

Head Lice, although a nuisance, is no longer considered a health issue in today’s society. One preventative measure is to check your child/children on a regular basis, every two or three days. If you find lice, please treat your child/children and then return them to school.

Cut and Clip Recipe From: http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/muffin Cinnamon Topped Rhubarb Muffins Ingredients: 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup butter 3/4 tea baking soda 1 (8oz) cup sour cream 1/2 tea cinnamon 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb Topping: 1 tbs sugar 1/2 tea cinnamon

Procedure: Heat oven to 375 F. in large bowl combine brown sugar and butter. beat at medium speed until well mixed (1-2 min). Add sour cream and eggs; continue beating ; scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1-2 min) in medium bowl. stir together flour baking soda and 1/2 tea cinnamon. By hand, stir flour mixture into sour cream mixture just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Spoon into greased muffin pans. in small bowl stir together 1 tbs sugar and 1/2 tea cinnamon, sprinkle onto each muffin. bake for 25 to 30 min or until lightly browned. cool 10 min; remove from pans.