A Walk in Their Sneakers, Wednesday 8th May 2019

Posted May 6, 2019

Dear Sandhills

Join your fellow peers in celebrating the walk to school!  A Police Officer will join you on the route to learn about your walk and offer some safe travel tips!

Wednesday, 8 May 2019

Check out the Link attached for your route!!

WalkInTheirSneakers_Sandhill

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What’s the Scoop? 3 May 2019

Posted May 3, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

May 6 – Ramadan begins

May 8 – Walk in Their Sneakers

May 8 – Kodaly Festival

May 8 – School Council Meeting – 6.30pm

May 10 – Yearbook Order Deadline (please log on to School-Day and reserve your copy!)

May 16 – Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

May 17 – Jump Rope for Heart

May 20 – Victoria Day – No School

May 21, 22, 23 – Grade 3 EQAO

May 28, 29, 30 – Grade 6 EQAO

Did you know?

Did you know that you can find lots of information about our school on the Sandhills website? shl.wrdsb.ca/ And did you know that you can use Google to translate the information for you?

New families may not be aware of the wealth of information they can gain from visiting the site which is updated on a daily basis with announcements and important news from the school and the WRDSB office.

Information includes:

Calendar information – events, meetings and field trips. https://shl.wrdsb.ca/calendar/

Student Handbook detailing rules and school policy, attendance, dress code and expected behaviour. https://shl.wrdsb.ca/student-handbook/

Sandhills Walking School Bus – Why is our school a ‘walking school?’, routes and how to get involved. https://shl.wrdsb.ca/welcome-to-sandhills-walking-school-bus/

Extra-Curricular Activities – learn about all the wonderful clubs and initiatives that students from Sandhills can become involved in. https://shl.wrdsb.ca/extracurricular-activities/

Parent Information – this page includes information regarding parent resources including math, counselling and our Bullying and Intervention Plan. https://shl.wrdsb.ca/parent-information/

School Council – Are you interested in joining the School Council? You can find all the information regarding parent engagement on this page including the School Council Handbook and Bylaws for 2019 and minutes of each meeting. https://shl.wrdsb.ca/school-council/

If you have any ideas about what we could include on our website please let us know. Your feedback is most welcome. Check out the website today!

Spirit Wear Coming Soon

Spirit Wear coming.

Keep a lookout on school-day and our website for more information. We will, of course, send a notification to all parents/caregivers when the ordering website is up and running.

Umbrella Project

We are excited about our new Character Trait for May. INTRINSIC MOTIVATION !!

“A life lived without enthusiasm is a life half lived.”

Our statements for this month include:

I do things to better myself.
I do things for me.
I do things to learn, not for a reward.
Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

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What’s the Scoop

Posted April 26, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

May 2 – Welcome to Kindergarten – 6pm to 7pm

May 4 – Ramadan begins

May 8 – Walk in Their Sneakers

May 8 – School Council Meeting – 6.30pm

May 10 – Yearbook Order Deadline (please log on to School-Day and reserve your copy!)

May 17 – Jump Rope for Heart

May 20 – Victoria Day – No School

A Message from the Principal

It is with sadness that this week we say Goodbye to Ms. Daria Vela. Ms. Vela has been teaching our Grade One French Immersion class (1FA) since September. On behalf of staff, students, parents and caregivers at Sandhills, we wish Ms. Vela good luck in her new position and future adventures.

Often with a farewell there is a Welcome Back and this time we Welcome Back Ms. Krista Weltz who returns from Maternity Leave on Monday, 29th April. I am sure you will all join me in welcoming Ms. Weltz back and help her transition back into Sandhills life.

Arts Night Update

A huge thank you for the fantastic turn out on Thursday April 25th for Arts Night. The night gave us the opportunity to showcase the amazing talents of our students, which we know gave staff and students such pride in their efforts.

A thank you also to Colleen Cooper, our Walking School Bus Coordinator, who came out to present information on our WSB program and, in addition, announce expanded routes.

If you were unable to make Thursday night or need further information regarding the WSB please click the following link.

Walking School Bus

Did you know?

At long last the weather is changing, and Spring is here. With the warm weather comes a chance for our students to be back outside enjoying local parks and reuniting with friends and nature.

However, being outside also comes with responsibility, especially in our older grades. Did you know that the Waterloo Region District School Board has provided it’s community of schools with helpful tips to ‘Street Proof’ your child? This includes information regarding strangers and being aware of their environment when they are out with friends or on their own. For more information please click on the link below.

Street Proofing your Children

Jump Rope for Heart

Sandhills is a proud supporter of JUMP ROPE FOR HEART and this year’s kick off assembly is tomorrow, Friday, 26th April. Jump Rope for Heart encourages kids to be active and help others by raising funds for life-saving heart and stroke research.

Designed for students in elementary schools, Jump Rope for Heart offers much more than a great day of fun. It also helps to:

Motivate kids to get active.
Reinforce healthy habits like healthy eating and physical activity.
Teach the importance of social responsibility and helping others in the community and across Canada.
Empower kids to make a difference by supporting a good cause.
Boost school spirit.
This year, our participation day is Friday, May 17th. Mark you calendar! Pledge forms will be going home with your student tomorrow with instructions on how to donate/pledge online.

Keep a look out for more information on school-day and our website. For further information on Jump Rope for Heart please click the following link:

Jump Rope for Heart Canada

Spirit Wear Coming Soon

Spirit wear coming late April/early May.

Keep a lookout on school-day and our website for more information. We will, of course, send notification to all parents/caregivers when the ordering website is up and running.

Umbrella Project

This week we are introducing Intrinsic Motivation at our assembly. What is Intrinsic Motivation you ask?

“A life lived without enthusiasm is a life half lived.”

What gets your child out of bed in the morning? What makes their face light up? What makes them feel alive and connected? These are critical parts of their well-being. Follow your child’s intrinsic motivation and enthusiasm as a trail to their happiest future selves.

To build your child’s intrinsic motivation this week, have a conversation with them! Talk to them about how our brains are like a muscle. For more information click on the link below:

Intrinsic Motivation

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

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ARTS NIGHT AT SANDHILLS – THURSDAY, 25TH APRIL

Posted April 23, 2019

We can’t wait for our Arts Night which is taking place on Thursday April 25th from 6:30-8:00pm.

In addition, do not forget that there will be a workshop with our Walking School Bus Coordinator, Colleen Cooper. Information will be presented from 6:00-6:30pm – before our Arts Night becomes the focus. There will be door prizes and a limited number of free trees to plant as a takeaway and a thank you for your interest in the Walking School Bus program. Continuing from 6:30-7:00pm there will be a free flowing info session for folks who couldn’t make the workshop portion, or who just want to learn more.

Come and join us on Thursday to celebrate and showcase the many talents of our incredible Sandhills Suns students.

See you there!!

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Walking School Bus Information Night, 25th April

Posted April 18, 2019

Sandhills is excited to inform you that running alongside our Arts Night on Thursday, 25th April 2019 (running from 6.30pm to 8pm), there will be a workshop with our Walking School Bus Coordinator, Colleen Cooper. 

Information will be presented from 6:00-6:30pm – before our Arts Night becomes the focus. 

There will be door prizes and a limited number of free trees to plant as a takeaway and a thank you for your interest in the Walking School Bus program. Continuing from 6:30-7:00pm there will be a free flowing info session for folks who couldn’t make the workshop portion, or who just want to learn more. 

Colleen will be announcing some expanded routes, and answering questions about the roles of volunteers and walkers. Hope to see you there!

Have a terrific weekend.

Read more about Walking School Bus Information Night, 25th April »

What’s the Scoop? 18th April 2019

Posted April 18, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

Apr 19 & 22 – Good Friday & Easter Monday – No School

Apr 23 to 26 – Earth Week Activities

Apr 24 – Terra Cotta Cookie Order Deadline

Apr 25 – JUMP (Grade 6) Parent Meeting & Arts Night at Sandhills

Apr 26 – Spirit Day – Blue/Green Day and Jump Rope for Heart Kick Off

A Safe and Happy Holiday Break

Staff at Sandhills would like to wish students/parents/caregivers a safe and happy holiday break. For more information on what you can do during the 4-day weekend might we suggest the City of Kitchener website, which includes upcoming events, information on parks and recreation and park trails to explore and enjoy the first signs of Spring.

City of Kitchener Events Page

Arts Night Update

We can’t wait for our Arts Night which is taking place on Thursday April 25th from 6:30-8:00pm. This is always a wonderful time to showcase the many talents of our incredible Sandhills Suns students.

Alongside this great event there will be a Parent/Guardian Information meeting about the Grade 6 JUMP trip from 6:00-6:30pm in the library.

Also in parallel with Arts Night there will be a workshop with our Walking School Bus Coordinator, Colleen Cooper. Information from 6:00-6:30pm – before our Arts Night becomes the focus. There will be door prizes and a limited number of free trees to plant as a takeaway and a thank you for your interest in the WSB program. Continuing from 6:30-7:00pm there will be a free flowing info session for folks who couldn’t make the workshop portion, or who just want to learn more. Colleen will be announcing some expanded routes, and answering questions about the roles of volunteers and walkers. Hope to see you there!

Landscaping at Sandhills

Sandhills Public School is looking to ‘freshen up’ the gardens at the main entrance and the front of the school and would like to commission a local company to help us realize our goal.

We are reaching out to our community to see if we have any Landscapers or Landscape Companies that would be interested in completing this job for us.

Sandhills is a proud supporter of local businesses and would love recommendations for a suitable company.

Please call the school if you have recommendations or a local business owner who might be interested. 519-744-4430.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Earth Week Activities

As you know Earth Day this year is scheduled for Monday April 22 and so Sandhills will be partaking in a week long initiative to educate, inspire and motivate our students to protect our planet. There will be school-wide activities occurring throughout the week from Tuesday April 23rd – Friday April 26th. We would love to have as many of our students participating as possible. Please support your child with the following as best as you can.

Tuesday April 23rd, 2019

Lights-free Tuesday: Each class is challenged to conserve energy by turning off their lights. Can you do it for the entire day?

Wednesday April 24th, 2019

Walk to School Wednesday: How many students from your class walks to school during this day?

Thursday April 25th, 2019

Trashless Thursday: Students will be encouraged to bring a lunch stored in reusable containers. All organic matter can be composted when the students return home from school.

Friday April 26th, 2019

Blue and Green Earth Day Spirit Day (students and staff encouraged to wear blue and green). Also, Clean-up Friday: Classes will have the opportunity to clean our beautiful school yard. Thanks to our School Council, we have been equipped with garbage bags and gloves for all of our students to participate in a yard clean up.

We will have a spirit assembly and celebrate our accomplishments for Earth Week on Monday April 29th.

Spirit Wear Coming Soon

Sandhills is proud to announce that coming late April/early May students, parents/caregivers/families and staff will have the opportunity to purchase Sandhills’ branded spirit wear for the Summer/Fall. We have taken considerable time to ensure that our spirit wear is good quality and perfect for all the family. Ordering will be easy with a direct link to our supplier. In addition, our wonderful Grade 6 graduates will have the chance to purchase a T-shirt and/or Hoodie with ‘Class of 2019’ on the front and a design of signatures from their graduating year on the back.

This is a unique and practical way to remember their years at Sandhills; one which, we are sure, will be popular. Items for purchase will include (for staff and students): Hoodies, baseball shirts, t-shirts, sports pants, golf shirts, toques, baseball caps and sweatpants. As if that wasn’t enough, we are also including the opportunity to have your child’s first or last name placed on the back of your spirit wear t-shirt or hoodie. This is optional and will incur a small charge.

Keep a lookout on school-day and our website for more information. We will, of course, send notification to all parents/caregivers when the ordering website is up and running.

Umbrella Project

As we draw close to the end of our Autonomy month, we hope you have enjoyed connecting with your child about how they have incorporated Autonomy into their daily life. At the end of the month we shall be introducing Intrinsic Motivation at our assembly.

In the meantime, we thought you might be interested, if you have not yet visited the Umbrella Project’s website, to take a look at their blog page. This blog includes helpful tips on how to communicate with your child regarding all the traits we have learned so far and information to better understand how the traits guide and shape their overall well-being.

Umbrella Project Blog Page

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 18th April 2019 »

What’s the Scoop? 5th April 2019

Posted April 5, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

Apr 10 – School Council Meeting – 6.30 (Library)

Apr 12 – PD Day – No School

Apr 19 & 22 – Good Friday & Easter Monday – No School

May 10 – Yearbook Order Deadline (please log on to School-Day and reserve your copy!

A Message from Staff at Sandhills

Unfortunately, cold and flu season is not over and we seem to have several friends who are sick with fevers, cough and runny nose. Parents frequently ask when it’s ok for their child to return to school. It’s a good idea to be at least 24 hrs fever free (and after vomiting/diarrhea). It’s very important that children are able to participate fully in our program.

We encourage a lot of hand washing, coughing/sneezing into an arm to help minimize germs being spread and passed around.

Thank you for keeping your child home if they are unwell.

Rest and snuggles from a loved one are the best medicine.

Coming Soon

Spirit Wear is coming soon, including Grade 6 Graduation Hoodies. Keep an eye on the ‘Scoop’ and School-Day for information on how to order and what is available.

Mark your Calendar – The Sandhills Fun Fair is Thursday, 20th June 2019.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Waterloo Region District School Board has a wealth of information about our schools and our community?

Not only does it contain all the information you may need on Registrations, French Immersion, policy and procedure but it also has an extensive library on health and wellness and community links, including e-flyers such as summer camps and what is going on in your area.

If you have not taken a look recently here are some links to help you navigate this amazing tool and, hopefully, provide you with information you may find useful.

Community Flyers

Community Links

Health and Wellness

Umbrella Project

April is Autonomy month.

Statements for Autonomy include:

I can do things independently.
I can make choices for myself.
I am proud of myself.
We encourage you to talk to your student about Autonomy and how they use it in everyday life to help them at school and at home.

Umbrella Project Autonomy

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

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What’s the Scoop? 29th March 2019

Posted March 29, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

Apr 2 – Autism Awareness Day

Apr 10 – School Council Meeting – 6.30 (Library)

Apr 12 – PD Day – No School

Apr 19 & 22 – Good Friday & Easter Monday – No School

Message from the Principal

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Madame Van Klink who leaves us on 1 April to start a new position. Saying goodbye also means we say ‘hello again’ to Ms. S. Lammert who will be joining us for a few weeks in 5F.  I am sure you will all join me in welcoming Ms. Lammert and wish Madame Van Klink best wishes in her new adventure.

Did You Know?

A recent media report highlighted the negative impact on learning when students miss 10% or more of the school year, equal to just two absences per month or absences that accumulate through extended periods such as a prolonged vacation.

Here are our most recent attendance statistics. Keep in mind, at this point in the year, more than ten absences equates to missing ten % of the school year (or more). Of our 686 students:

168 students (24%) have missed 10.5 to 15 instructional days this year
111 students (16%) have missed 15.5 to 20 instructional days this year
118 students (17%) have missed more than 20 instructional days this year
This puts 397 of our 686 students (57%) at risk for lost learning time at this point in the year. There is a correlation between student absenteeism and students who do not make school board targets in Reading, particularly in the early grades (Kindergarten to Grade 3).

So what can you do? We want to work with you to ensure your child’s success:

Make sure your child attends school every day.
Make sure your child arrives on time and remains until the end of the day so they do not miss out on any learning.
To the extent possible, schedule appointments for before or after school, or on weekends.
Schedule your vacations during the school calendar year (Seasonal break in December and March Break).
Reinforce with your child that being punctual and attending school every day increases their chances for success.
Be a good role model for your child when it comes to attendance and punctuality.

Umbrella Project

At our Spirit Assembly on Friday, 29th March we introduced Autonomy and Independence.

Excerpt from the Umbrella Project Website – Learn your Own Brain:

Teach your children to learn about their own brains and what makes them function at their best. For some, it might be more quiet through the day. For others, they need to move their bodies more to stay focused. In my house, one of my kids is particularly sensitive to low blood sugar and the other needs extra sleep to be in tip-top shape.

The more our kids know about their own unique brains, the more they will be able to take charge of their own success. This means they do not rely on others to create success for them.

It’s easy to expect that our children’s classrooms will be formatted for great learning. Too often, we rely on this to ensure our children are getting what they need from their education. In truth, it is extremely difficult for one teacher to attend to everyone’s unique needs. Autonomy is just the skill needed to help our children take more responsibility for their own learning.

Umbrella Project Autonomy

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 29th March 2019 »

Get Your 2018-19 Yearbook

Posted March 29, 2019

It’s that time again!!

It’s time to pre-order your 2018-2019 yearbook. 

The yearbook will feature photos of the many great activities that have happened at Sandhills this year. Remember them all with your own copy of the yearbook. 

The cost is $20 per book.  Books will be available in late June. Orders must be submitted by Friday, May 10th.

Log on to School-day now and reserve your copy!!

Read more about Get Your 2018-19 Yearbook »

Safe Caring Inclusive Schools Team Update – March, 2019

Posted March 25, 2019

Dear Sandhills Public School Community,

Your Safe, Caring, Inclusive Schools (SCIS) Team is a collaborative group made up of staff, students, and community members that meets throughout the school year to discuss issues that are of utmost importance to our school, the safety and well being of Sandhills students. We gather and interpret many different sources of data and feedback to ensure we are doing all that we can to make the school a more inclusive and welcoming place for all, with the ultimate goal of helping each student achieve to their utmost potential. Because we realize that not everyone who wants to contribute to this work has the opportunity to take part and sit on this committee, we thought it would be beneficial to all to send an update as we move into spring.

The Sandhills community has changed a lot over nearly two decades, but our hopes, dreams, and values remain focused on academic achievement and the personal wellbeing of our students, each and every one. At the core of student success are strong relationships between home and school with open lines of communication back and forth to share information that will support student growth and development. It is clear in our work as an SCIS team that staff and parents have a strong desire to strengthen existing relationships, as well as develop new ones. So whether you’re new to the Sandhills community or have been part of it for many years, know that educators at the school are here to serve and work with you, so let’s all take advantage of opportunities to introduce ourselves, share stories, and celebrate the success and accomplishments of our students to strengthen these ties.

Students who attended Sandhills in its first few years of operation share many things in common with Suns of today. They want to feel safe, supported, and welcome in the building itself and by the community of people around them. These fundamentals must be in place before rich learning can happen. A very clear message from our SCIS student representatives is that they want and need strong relationships with adults they know and trust. This includes staff at the school and community members too. Students are eager to interact in positive and healthy ways and to have the affirmation that they are valued members of the community at large.

While today’s Suns do share things in common with students from years ago, there are undoubtedly new challenges and obstacles that have an impact on their safety and wellbeing. Perhaps the most obvious change in student life centres around social media. What can you do to help and support your student? Supervision of online interactions including social media sites and online gaming is needed. Also creating an atmosphere where students can speak openly and ask questions about what they see online is another healthy way to coach and help young people navigate their world. Often things that happen online do impact students wellbeing and interactions back at school, so doing all we can to support our students in the digital space, will only serve them better in the classroom as well.

Encourage your student to get involved with the life of our school. We know that deep personal connections and feelings of inclusion and safety often stem from shared experiences and connection. There is a wealth of opportunity for clubs, teams, and groups at Sandhills. So have a look at our school’s website (shl.wrdsb.ca) under ‘Extracurricular Activities’ to see if there’s an activity you might be interested in. Our website also has some useful resources under ‘Parent Information’ that might help you know more about our school. All staff at the school are continually expanding, looking to grow, and learn new things, persevering and doing all that they can to meet the needs of all students.

Thank you for all you already do to make our school and our community a more welcoming, and inclusive place. Please keep lines of communication flowing between home and school so that we can all better understand the needs of our students, and make positive changes to support them as new challenges arise. If you, or any other community member you know would like to take part in our SCIS work, or any other team, please never hesitate to reach out so that your voice will be included in these discussions. Our next meeting is currently scheduled for Monday, May 6th from 3-4pm in the school library, new parent and community representatives are always welcome.

Thank you, and best regards,

Your SCIS Team

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