March 2019 Spring Park School www.edu.pe.ca/springpark

30 Dunkirk Street, Charlottetown, PE C1A 3Z8 Phone - 902-368-6400 Fax – 902-368-6419 Mr. Terry MacIsaac: Principal Ms. Terri Bontempo: Vice-Principal

Student Attendance Line 902-569-7785 At Spring Park School we have a Safe Arrival Line which parents/guardians can call before 9:00 am. Calling this line will enable us to ensure the safety of your child.

Dates to Remember February 28-March 4 Online Food Order for 2 week period March 4 – 15 (closes at 9:00 am on March 4) March 5 Report Cards go home to Parents March 7 Parent/Teacher Interview (Evening) March 7 Hat Day March 8 Parent/Teacher Interview (All Day - No School) March 15 Hat Day March 15 Our school survey ends! March 18- 22 March Break (No School) March 21- 25 Online Food Order for 2 week period –March 25 – April 5 (closes at 9:00 am on March 25)

Attendance We continue to track student absences and late arrivals. A reminder that all students should be entering our building at 8:20 to begin their day at 8:30. Any students arriving after O’Canada, which is played at 8:30, are considered late and have to sign in at the office. All parents and visitors must report to the office as well. Thanks for your help with this.

Drop Off Reminder A notice re: our bus lane. Parents are asked not to pull into our bus lane between 7:50 am and 8:30 am to drop off students or at dismissal time at 2:30. The parking lot in front of the school is to be used for drop off and pick up, and there are spaces on Dunkirk St. facing the bus lane for parents to use as well. Parents should not park on the other side of Dunkirk St. and have their child cross the street at these times of the day. Thank you for keeping our students safe.

After School (end of day) Plans We tend to get a high number of students who have changes to their after school plans. If you need to make changes to after school plans for your child/ren. You must inform the school before 2:00.

Thank you!! A big “THANK YOU” to our generous Home and School who so generously donated a wonderful staff lunch for Spring Park Staff on Friday, February 15 for staff appreciation week! Your time to serve the lunch and to also help with playground duty was very much appreciated end enjoyed by all!

Criminal Background Check If you are planning to chaperone a year end trip, or volunteer in the school, you should get your criminal background check done sooner than later. There were a huge number of request for the Charlottetown City Police and RCMP late in the school year, and they are looking to avoid that again this year. The letter to be turned into the City Police can be obtained from the school office. This letter should waive the cost to have your criminal check done. The criminal background check is good for two calendar years.

Zero Waste Challenge As part of our program to educate students on being good environmental citizens, we encourage students to bring utensils from home, instead of using single use, disposable ones. Currently, we have greatly reduced the number of plastic spoons and straws that students use for our lunch program. We encourage parents to send utensils with their child in their lunch bag. Thanks for your support in this project. Internet Safety Internet Safety Each year, as part of the grade 6 health curriculum, the Charlottetown City Police educate grade 6 students about internet safety, as well as other topics. On Monday, March 4th/19 we have asked them to speak with the students in grades 3, 4, and 5 about internet safety. It is important, especially as parents, to take an active role in your children’s internet use to ensure that they are not being exposed to any potential dangers. Keeping an open line of communication and making sure that your child/ren feel comfortable turning to you when they have problems online, is essential. Internet Safety Tips:  Never post or trade personal pictures  Never reveal personal information, such as address, phone number, or school name or location.  Use only a screen name and don't share passwords (other than with parents)  Never agree to get together in person with anyone met online without parent approval  Never respond to a threatening email, message, post, or text  Always tell a parent or other trusted adult about any communication that is worrisome

Basic Guidelines for Monitoring Online Activity:  Spend time online together to teach your kids appropriate online behavior  Keep the computer in a common area where you can watch and monitor its use, not in individual bedrooms. Monitor any time spent on smartphones or tablets  Bookmark favorite sites for easy access  Take your child seriously if he or she reports an uncomfortable online exchange

Music Notes Our rehearsals are underway for Festival choirs and Rock Band. Students who sign up are reminded that they are expected to attend all rehearsals.

All rehearsals take place at lunchtime recess (unless otherwise noted) and the schedule is as follows:

Day 1 - Kindergarten Choir (at morning recess) and Honour Choir( lunchtime recess) Day 2 - Rock Band (lunchtime recess) Day 3 - Grade 4-6 Part 1 Festival Choir (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 5C, 5Y) and Grade 1 Festival Choir (lunchtime recess) Day 4 - Grade 4-6 Part 2 Festival Choir (5A, 5B, 5/6z, 6A, 6B, 6C) and Grade 2 Festival Choir (lunchtime recess) Day 5 - Rock Band (lunchtime recess) Rock band showcase will take place at the Murphy Centre on April 27th. Times have not been decided yet.

The date/time for choirs in the Queens Co Music Festival has not been confirmed yet but will be sometime during the week of May 6-10. The grade 4-6 recorder unit will end on March 15th at which time all recorder music plus school owned reorders will need to be handed back. Thanks for your continued support of the music program.

Physical Education GYMNASTICS COMES TO AN END! A big congrats to all our gymnasts on a great gymnastics season! Spring Park School was well represented as we participated in our School Meet, a Friendship Meet, a Zone Meet, the Provincials and our own Gymstrada Event! Badminton Club GR. 5/6 ONLY ***IMPORTANT: Students who sign up must be willing to try out for the school team. Once the school team is made, ONLY these students will be invited to the after school practices and optional morning training following the March break! Students who are interested will be given an info letter with a permission slip and a high risk form! Students must sign and return the permission slip and the high risk form by Friday, March 1st in order to join the club and stay for the after school practices!

Optional morning training (8am) on DAYS 1, 3, and 5 starting the week of March 4th -8th.

Practice Dates for the club (2:30-4:00) -Grade 5/6 Girls: Tuesdays, March 5th and 12th -Grade 5/6 Boys: Wednesdays, March 6th and 13th If you have any questions email Mr. Maddix([email protected]) OR Ms. Canning ([email protected]) Hat Days On March 7th and 15th we will be holding two HAT days where students can make a donation to wear their favorite or craziest hat for the day. All proceeds will be used to support a Springpark family that has to travel to undergo a serious medical procedure.

Pink Shirt Day We had a very successful pink shirt day with various student presentation, and special visits from the Island Storm, Charlottetown Islanders to Ava & Lily Rashed! Thanks to all volunteers and presenters. If you have not been able to pay $2.00 for your pink bracelet, we are still accepting payments!

Breakfast Program VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. In order for the breakfast program to run smoothly, we require parent volunteers! If you are able to volunteer (as little or as often as you are able) please contact Elizabeth Gallant at 902-628-8683 or by e-mail at [email protected]

DONATIONS. The Spring Park Home & School greatly appreciates any donations that have been made through the Hot Lunch website as well as private donations. If anyone would like to do so please visit the hot lunch website to make a donation or contact Elizabeth for further details.

Battery Recycling We’ve had a tremendous amount of batteries turned in for the battery recycling contest. We will be continuing to collect these until March 5th.

Home & School News 1 .Prince Edward Island Home and School Federation’s 66th Annual Meeting & Convention “Stop. Collaborate & Listen” Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, 75 Kent Street Charlottetown, PEI Every school is encouraged to send representatives! Parent, educators and students are welcome! The registration package has been post-mailed to Home and School Presidents and is available online at: http://peihsf.ca/agm One registered delegate will win a one night’s stay on Friday, April 12/19 at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel. Register your school’s delegates by Friday, March 29th. 2.Proposed 2019 Resolutions….. Local Home and Schools are asked to review the proposed resolutions at a local association meeting, vote on each one and pass the voting results on to your voting delegates so they will vote on behalf of their local Home and School at the AGM, April 13. Resolutions were mailed to presidents and are posted online at: http://peihsf.ca/agm/resolutions

3.Announcing: Steve McQuaid Volunteer of the Year and Life Membership Awards Each year at the Annual Meeting & Convention, Home and School volunteers are recognized for their volunteer efforts in their association and at their local school. Home and School Home and Schools may submit nominations for these awards by the deadline: March 15, 2019. Find criteria attached and online at: http://peihsf.ca/content/awards

4.Does your Grade 4-8 student need extra help in math? A UPEI research project is offering a free, eight-week after-school program. Find out how to register your child at: http://www.upei.ca/communications/news/2019/02/does-your-grade-4-8-student-need-extra- help-math Does your Grade 4–8 student need extra help in math? | UPEI UPEI is a public liberal arts and science university committed to encouraging and fostering critical, creative, and independent thinking and research. www.upei.ca

Other community news: * Great Big Crunch, March 28, 2019 marks the 12th Anniversary of the Great Big Crunch. Tignish Elementary School is participating again this year! How the Great Big Crunch works:  You register to munch with us before crunchday. You can sign up for yourself, your class, your school or your whole school board!  We share fun curriculum linked class activities and recommend some fresh local produce for you to snack on.  You get all your friends together and take a synchronized bite at 2:30pm EST on March 28th, 2019. Don’t forget to share your crunch photos with us using #GreatBigCrunch.  Get a Great Big Crunch Certificate (English/French) to proudly display on your wall.. Find out more at: https://foodshare.net/program/crunch/ * The West Prince Community Partnership Committee, Health PEI, Rural Action Centre, West Prince Chamber of Commerce, PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, and RDÉE Î.-P.-É. Inc., wish to invite you to Here to Stay. Here to Stay is a West Prince community engagement event in support of the retention of new residents, specifically physicians, healthcare practitioners, and their families. Details include: Tuesday, 5 March 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mill River Resort Road Bloomfield, PEI.

* Community Sector Network of PEI (CSN PEI) – a newly minted CSN PEI was officially launched on February 14th. For more info, go to the CSN PEI facebook page: facebook.com/CSNPEI/

* History Award for Excellence in Teaching - Canada's History Society is seeking nominations for this award at: CanadasHistory.ca/GGAward | [email protected]

Prince Edward Island Home and School Federation Inc. Shirley Smedley Jay, Executive Director PO Box 1012 Charlottetown PE C1A 7M4 Street deliveries only: 40 Enman Crescent C1E 1E6 Phone: 620-3186 Fax: 620-3187 Toll Free: 1-800-916-0664 (PEI only) www.peihsf [email protected] Follow us on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peihsf Twitter: https://twitter.com/peihsf "A school needs to be a place for all children, not based on the idea that they are all the same, but that they are all different." "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically."Martin Luther King, Jr.

Community Notes Baker’s Safety Instruction, (Mr. Baker) will be running a Red Cross Baby Sitting course on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, from 9am to 5pm. The cost is $35.00 and the session will be held at Canadian Red Cross Office, 29 Paramount Dr. Charlottetown . If your child is interested in taking the course, please contact Mr. Baker via his email [email protected] or visit his website baker.safety.ca.

Bricks 4 Kidz Register Now for Bricks 4 Kidz After-School Classes

Bricks 4 Kidz is pleased to announce we will be offering after-school classes at Spring Park Elementary School. Classes follow the Bricks 4 Kidz® motto: We Learn, We Build, We Play with… LEGO® Bricks.

When: Tuesdays March 26 to April 30 Time: 2:45-3:45pm Who: Students in Kindergarten to Grade 6; Maximum of 20 students and a minimum of 10 students required to run the class Cost: $80/student (tax included) for the six week session

Calling all future scientists! Come learn, build, and experiment with us! Our budding astronomers, meteorologists, zoologists, and inventors will learn about space, weather, animals, and more! Using LEGO Technics with motors and batteries, we’ll build all sorts of awesome scientific models and gadgets that are sure to spark both imagination and intellect. If you just can’t get enough of hands-on science fun, then you won’t want to miss out on our World of Science unit! Our most experienced builders will have access to EV3 robotics as well. At the end of the six week session, students will take home a custom mini-figure.

We will also be looking for a parent volunteer to assist with the classes. In exchange, the parent volunteer will have the registration fee waived for their child. Parent volunteers must have a completed criminal background check and be permitted to work in the schools.

For more information, contact Amber Jadis, [email protected]. To register please visit https://my.bricks4kidz.com/index.php?action=location&location=344 . To keep up-to-date on programs Bricks 4 Kidz offers, Like our Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/b4kpei) or Follow us on Twitter (@Bricks4KidzPEI) PD Day and Summer camps also open for registration