December 17th, 2021
What’s happening in December/January
- December 17 – Last day of School
- December 20 – December 31- Winter Break No School
- January 3 2022 – First day back to school after winter break
- January 11 – Picture Day
- January 21 – PA DAY No School for students
Please ensure that you call or email the attendance line to inform us of your child’s absence.
Attendance Email: shl-attendance@wrdsb.ca or
Attendance Line: 519-744-4430 ext 1
Did You Know?
Winter is a great season for outdoor activities, such as sledding and skating. Cold weather, ice, and snow can be fun but can also be dangerous for children. As we come into the Winter Break, the staff here at Sandhills’ thought it might be useful to share tips on Winter Safety (including clothing, winter play and ice safety) that may help parents and children enjoy winter activities safely. Let’s make this Winter Break a happy and safe time for our students.
https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/safety-and-injury-prevention/winter_safety
http://www.lifesavingsociety.com/water-safety/cold-water-and-ice.aspx
Bingo Volunteers Needed
We are in need of volunteers for the Bingo Fundraising from now until June.
This is a fantastic fundraising opportunity for our school. This money goes back directly to our kids and their school experiences. Whether that is helping to fund guest speakers, purchasing extra chromebooks etc…
In order to make sure that we don’t lose this opportunity to earn money this way, we really need everyone to pitch in. Volunteers don’t necessarily have to be on the School Council either! Other parents, grandparents, friends, even other adult children can come out! So please reach out to other parents you know, relatives, friends, anyone who might be interested. It really is a fun time. If you are interested please reach out to kcampbellsmith@gmail.com
Sandhills News Eclipse
At Sandhills we know that many families are interested in the great things happening in the school. This video is the first episode of The Sandhills News Eclipse. In this and future videos, our student reporters will share a snapshot of what is happening here at Sandhills. We hope you enjoy it.We also want to thank our amazing student reporters Jaya S. and Beth
Finding Hope
As we head into the winter months and into the second wave of the pandemic, it becomes difficult to stay motivated and continue to find a sense of hope and optimism.
One of the things that works against us as we try to function during uncertain times is that we are hardwired for negativity. Our brains are always scanning for danger and media/social media is designed to feed the fear. Negativity is a social contagion but so is hope. One of the ways we find hope in the darkness is by focusing on the light.
By highlighting what we’ve done well and what has gone right, we can help people find hope and build resilience. Finding Hope is a movement that focuses positive energy on recognition, encouragement and inspiration.
Many people believe hope is a feeling that will just come upon them, and they wait for it to happen, but it’s actually something that can be manifested. While it’s natural to avoid challenges and risks, we can only realize what we’re truly capable of by being courageous and leaning toward positivity. Action towards hope is most impactful when it’s both a collective and individual action.
Nothing is permanent.
Not even darkness.
But it’s the darkness that gives you a reason to love the light.
You are not alone. If you are struggling, reach out to someone for help. Waterloo Region has many resources available for families. Check out the following links for more information:
http://www.wellbeingwaterloo.ca/blog/
http://www.wellbeingwaterloo.ca/blog/finding-hope/
If you are in crisis or unsure of what services might be helpful, please reach out to Wellbeing Waterloo Region 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247.
Rapid Antigen Tests
This week your student(s) brought home a green box with 5 rapid tests. We want to remind all families that taking these tests is voluntary. Here is a link on how to perform the test.
Staffing
We would like to announce that Chloe Albrecht and Erin Ryan will be returning to us in January. Chloe is an educational assistant and Erin is the designated early childhood educator in K1. We would like to thank Beate Borowska for all of her work in K1, and wish her all the best moving forward. We would also like to thank Jelena Krsmanovic for her work in K2 as Mila Raghunandan returns to her full time position in K2.
Return to School in January
At this time, the WRDSB continues to wait for direction from the Ministry whether or not students will return in person or if we will start the year off learning asynchronously in remote learning. If we hear that we need to transition to learning on-line we will post this to our website and send out a message on School Day.
Lost and Found
Curious where that sweater went? Wondering why only one glove makes it home? Please bookmark this folder to see pictures and videos of all the items in our lost and found. If you recognize an item please contact the office to be reunited.
Congratulations Sandhills Community we were able to raise $ 1075.00 for the house of friendship fundraiser
Have a Safe & Happy Holiday! We will see you in the New Year!
~ Your Sandhills Public School Staff ~
Categories: The Scoop