What’s the Scoop? 22 March 2019

Posted March 22, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

Mar 26 – Kindergarten Grad Photos and Sibling Photos

Mar 27 – School Council Meeting 6:30 pm. All welcome

Mar 29 – Spirit Day – Future You!

Apr 12 – PD Day – No School

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

Did You Know?

Did you know that we are officially into the Spring Season! Spring brings a fresh set of challenges for students in terms of outdoor play and clothing.

Early Spring can bring a mix of precipitation ranging from potential snow to rain. It can also be hot and humid. Average temperatures between March and June range from 8oC to 20oC.

As such, we advise that you keep an eye on the weather report and ensure your student is dressed appropriately. This could include rain/snow boots, splash pants, rain jacket, hat, and even sunscreen.

Staff and students are excited to welcome the Spring and warmer temperatures. Students are encouraged to listen to the announcements in the morning and follow the rules for outdoor play which potentially include:

Tarmac only recesses
Keep hands to yourself
Dress appropriately

Spirit Day

Our Spirit day next week is ‘Future You’. Students may dress or bring accessories to represent their future self. This could include an occupation that interests them. Spirit Day is not mandatory but students are encouraged to participate and join in the Fun!

Parent Engagement Meeting Dates

PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE (PIC)

WATERLOO REGION ASSEMBLY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL COUNCILS (WRAPSC)

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEAC) PRESENT:

Parent Engagement: Let’s build our toolkit for Success. Please see attached flyer for meeting dates and times.

Parent Engagement Flyer

Umbrella Project

We are excited to share some great news! The Umbrella Project website has a fresh new look which was launched Friday, March 15th, 2019

It is hoped that the website update will make everyone’s ‘user experience’ easier. The update includes:

Easier navigation for parents and educators on the ‘Blog’ page. All content created will now be categorized by Umbrella Skill.
A new page for Parents with a free, downloadable Umbrella Parenting e-book. 
Here are Sandhills we are still focussing on Mindfulness and look forward to next week where we will be introducing Autonomy and Independence!!

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Parking Lot Attendant Needed

We are in need of a parking lot attendant. This is a paid position, and available to a community member who would like to have a positive impact on student safety. Please contact Mr. Ernst at the office for more details.

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 22 March 2019 »

A Note from Your Principal & Vice Principal

Posted March 22, 2019

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are just past the halfway point of the school year with approximately 120 instructional days completed. As you know, regular attendance has a significant impact on student learning, engagement and ultimately on student achievement. A recent media report highlighted the negative impact on learning when students miss 10 per cent 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.

All of us at Sandhills PS want to see your child learn, engage, succeed and achieve their maximum potential. Since every school day is packed with valuable learning from start to finish, it’s essential that students attend each day, arrive on time and remain until the end of the learning day. We know from our experience as teachers and educators and from research that disruption in learning has a significant negative impact over the long term on student achievement.

We also know there is a correlation between student absenteeism and students who do not reach board targets in reading, particularly in the early grades (Kindergarten to Grade 3). If a child misses 20 days each year from K-grade 8, they will have missed an equivalent of an entire school year. This lost time is very difficult, if not impossible, to make up.

Here are our most recent attendance statistics. Keep in mind, at this point in the year, more than ten absences equates to missing ten percent 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.

Please look at your child’s attendance from the first term report card that was sent home a few weeks ago. We encourage you to have a discussion with your child about this important issue, a trait that will benefit them throughout their life. Please help us by making a concerted effort to have your child at school and on time for the entire day.

We thank you in advance for your continued support of our school. If you would like to discuss this matter further, please contact us at school.

Sincerely,

Nancy Murovec / Tom Ernst

Principal / Vice Principal

Read more about A Note from Your Principal & Vice Principal »

Parent Engagement Meeting Dates

Posted March 19, 2019

PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE (PIC) WATERLOO REGION ASSEMBLY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL COUNCILS (WRAPSC) SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEAC) PRESENT: Parent Engagement:  Let’s build our toolkit for Success.  Please see attached flyer for meeting dates and times. Parent Engagement Flyer

What’s the Scoop? 8th March 2019

Posted March 8, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

Mar 11 to 15 – March Break (NO SCHOOL)

Mar 26 – Kindergarten Grad Photos and Sibling Photos

Mar 27 – School Council Meeting 6:30 pm. All welcome

A Message from the Vice Principal

Hello Sandhills’ community,

March Break is a great time to reflect on all of our success and learning so far, and also a wonderful opportunity to set new goals and ambitions for the remainder of the school year. Enjoy your time away from school whether you are staying close to home or are travelling far away to soak up some sun! We look forward to welcoming students and staff back to school, recharged and refreshed, on Monday March 18th for more incredible learning opportunities.

A huge thank you to all parents, guardians, and community members for everything you do to support our students, it is truly a collaborative effort and we couldn’t be more grateful for your commitment to the well being and success of our students – each and every one.

Did You Know?

As March Break approaches, we thought we would share some information on ‘Things to Do’ in Kitchener and surrounding areas over March Break.

The City of Kitchener website has a wealth of Information to keep kids entertained, happy and healthy. Information includes Parks and Trails, Library activities, Pools, skate parks and community Centres. If you wish to travel farther afield don’t forget about the beautiful surrounding areas in Elora and St Jacobs to name but a few.

City of Kitchener

Elora/Fergus.ca

City of Cambridge

City of Waterloo

Umbrella Project

As we move into March Break let us recap on the Umbrella Project Character Traits we have focussed on so far:

EMPATHY

SELF-COMPASSION

GRIT

RESILIENCY

MINDFULNESS

GRATITUDE

March Break is a perfect opportunity for our students to reflect on our Character Traits and perhaps practice what we have learned so far. Have a wonderful break Sandhills!

Parking Lot Attendant Needed

We are in need of a parking lot attendant. This is a paid position, and available to a community member who would like to have a positive impact on student safety. Please contact Mr. Ernst at the office for more details.

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 8th March 2019 »

Pizza Order Deadline – 7th March

Posted March 6, 2019

Pizza Order Deadline is 7th March 2019 Please log into School-Day and place your order. Payment by Credit Card or Debit/Visa is preferred. If paying by cash, please send in the exact change along with the order number.  Cheques will not be accepted and no change can be given.

What’s the Scoop, 1st March 2019

Posted March 1, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

Mar 7 – Deadline for Pizza Orders – Pizza will go from March 20th to June 19th (14 weeks)

Mar 11 to 15 – March Break (NO SCHOOL)

Mar 26 – Kindy Grad Photos and Sibling Photos

Mar 27 – School Council Meeting 6:30 pm. All welcome

MacMillan’s Classic’s Fundraiser

Once again, a huge thank you to parents, students, staff and School Council who bought a product from MacMillan’s, helped with the ordering process and assisted with the distribution. Your effort is truly appreciated. 40% of sales went to our school. WELL DONE SANDHILLS!! Your contribution has helped the school tremendously. Many thanks!

A Message from your Office at Sandhills

Whilst we appreciate that inclement weather can be inconvenient and cause disruption to our daily lives, we also acknowledge the difficulty that staff and parents of kids with medical conditions/appointments and/or disabilities have when arriving at the school and have no place to park.

With this in mind, your office staff would like to suggest a few ‘best practice’ guidelines that would help everyone in the long term:

If you need to collect a student early from school, please place a note in your child’s planner and contact the office to let us know of the early departure time.

Please refrain from parking in the parking lot at the beginning and end of school. Staff and parents of students (who require and have asked for special assistance) are finding it difficult to find parking. This not only delays the service we provide to children as Educators but also inhibits those who truly need assistance from getting the help they require.

Your help is much appreciated. We need to HELP EACH OTHER to ensure that our school runs smoothly as our students are our TOP priority.

Did You Know?

At Sandhills we take safety very seriously. Winter is still very much with us and we have rules for outdoor play to keep our staff and students safe. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to communicate these rules to their students in order to keep everyone happy and healthy:

Keep your hands to yourself.
Snow balls are not permitted to be thrown at another student or staff member.
Snow hills are not to be used for play during recess.
When a ‘Tarmac Only’ rule is enforced students are not permitted on the grassed area at any time.

Umbrella Project

This week we introduced MINDFULNESS at our school assembly with Great Success! Students are excited about this Character Trait and what it can mean to their daily life and mental health. We encourage parents and caregivers to ask their child about what Mindfulness means to them. Our statements include:

1. Focus on now

2. I can pay attention to how my body is feeling

3. I can use strategies to be more mindful

For tips, strategies, videos, and resources to help your child develop these skills, follow The Umbrella Project on Facebook and Twitter.

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Parking Lot Attendant Needed

We are in need of a parking lot attendant. This is a paid position, and available to a community member who would like to have a positive impact on student safety. Please contact Mr. Ernst at the office for more details.

Read more about What’s the Scoop, 1st March 2019 »

What’s the Scoop – 22nd Feb 2019

Posted February 22, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

Feb 27 – Pink Shirt Day

Feb 28 – MacMillan order pick up from 2:45pm to 5pm (Gym)

Mar 7 – Deadline for Pizza Orders – Pizza will go from March 20th to June 19th (14 weeks)

Mar 11 to 15 – March Break (NO SCHOOL)

MacMillan’s Classic’s Fundraiser

A huge Sunny Sandhills’ thank you to our students, parents and caregivers for an outstanding amount of orders submitted to our MacMillan’s Classic’s Fundraiser.

Our school did, indeed, sell more than 400 items and our wonderful Parent School Council will award a $50 GIFT CARD to THE TOP 3 sellers for the store of their choice in the KW area. The winners will be contacted individually by the Main Office. However, we can confirm that the top 3 selling totals were:

$533.00

$510.00

$481.00

40% OF ALL SALES will go to the school. WELL DONE SANDHILLS!!!

Delivery date is Thursday, 28th February and pick up will be from 2.45pm to 5pm in the Gym.

A Message from your Office at Sandhills

There is a correction to the Kindergarten Information Night 2019 in May. The correct date is Thursday, 2nd May 2019, 6pm to 7pm.

Did You Know?

If you are registering for Kindergarten or new to the Waterloo Region, Public Health requires ALL of your child’s immunization information.

You may submit records to:

Region of Waterloo.ca

You can also submit the information by mail and all the information can be found on the website. For your information, the Ontario Immunization schedule is attached. If you have a question about your child’s immunization you can contact 519-575-4400 between the hours of 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Immunization-Schedule

Umbrella Project

Next week we are introducing our new Character Trait which is MINDFULNESS and how it affects us in everyday life. Our statements for March include:

1. Focus on now

2. I can pay attention to how my body is feeling

3. I can use strategies to be more mindful

For tips, strategies, videos and resources to help your child develop these skills, follow The Umbrella Project on Facebook and Twitter.

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Parking Lot Attendant Needed

We are in need of a parking lot attendant. This is a paid position, and available to a community member who would like to have a positive impact on student safety. Please contact Mr Ernst at the office for more details.

Read more about What’s the Scoop – 22nd Feb 2019 »

Deadline for MacMillan’s Classic’s Fundraiser is Tuesday, 19th Feb

Posted February 15, 2019

The deadline for Ordering from this AMAZING fundraiser is:   

TUESDAY, 19th FEBRUARY

***  WE CAN DO THIS SANDHILLS  ***

CASH PAYMENT ONLY PLEASE (Please place exact cash payment in an envelope – no change can be given)

Don’t forget! If our school sells at least 400 items or more during this Fundraiser our wonderful Parent School Council will award a $50 GIFT CARD to THE TOP 3 sellers for the store of their choice in the KW area.

Once again, a huge thank you in advance for your fundraising efforts and to our School Council who will be collecting the orders.

Read more about Deadline for MacMillan’s Classic’s Fundraiser is Tuesday, 19th Feb »

What’s the Scoop, 15th February 2019

Posted February 15, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

 

Feb 18 – Family Day (no school)

Feb 19 – Orders Due – MacMillan’s Classic Fundraiser

Feb 27 – Pink Shirt Day

Mar 7 – Deadline for Pizza Orders – Pizza will go from March 20th to June 19th (14 weeks)

Mar 11 to 15 – March Break

It is with sadness that we say goodbye to Debbie Buhrow today who has worked alongside Mrs Jackson in K2 as a DECE since September. Sandhills wishes Debbie a fond farewell and best wishes for her next adventure. As Debbie leaves us we welcome back Mila Raghunandan to K4. I am sure you will all join us and give Ms Raghunandan a big Sandhills welcome!

A Message from your Office at Sandhills

Here at Sandhills, we take our Safe Arrival Process very seriously. Our students are our top priority. As such, we thought it might be a good reminder to parents and caregivers to know the bell times and what time we have supervision on our schoolyard in the morning.

8:20am – Supervision by staff in the schoolyard
8:35am – School Starts
10:35am – 1st Nutrition Break
12:45pm – 2nd Nutrition Break
2:55pm – School Ends
As you know, the parking lot at the main entrance of the school is not to be used to drop off or pick up students. Students who ring the bell at the main entrance before 8:35am will be directed to the schoolyard (unless they are part of the extended day program).

If your child arrives at school at 8:40am onwards they must report to the main office to collect a ‘green slip’. This tells their teacher that they are late and they have informed the office of their arrival (which is an important part of the safe arrival process). If you arrive at the school late we wouldappreciate your help by reporting to the office and NOT going directly to the class.

As always, your assistance in our policies and procedures which keep our kids happy, healthy and safe is much appreciated by staff.

Did You Know?

Daylight Savings Time is Sunday, 10th March (step forward into Spring – we turn our clocks forward one hour at 3am)
March break this year is Monday 11th to Friday, 15th March 2019.
Our next PD day is Friday 12th April (do not forget that Lunch Lady will be available through the Lunch Box program on Thursday, 11th April.
Our Kindergarten Information Night for the 2019/20 school year is Thursday, 2nd May 2019
This year, our first day back to school after the Summer Vacation is Tuesday, 3rd September.
For more information on Statutory holidays in Canada please visit: Statutory Holidays Canada

Umbrella Project

We continue to learn about RESILIENCE and how it affects us in everyday life. Our statements include:

‘I can bounce back from tough stuff!’

‘Don’t let things get you down – turn that frown upside down.’

‘I can SPEAK POSITIVE WORDS ABOUT MYSELF.’

As parents, we play a very important role in helping our children develop the skills they need to navigate life’s uncertainties and have happy, successful lives. Unfortunately, parenting is also one of the busiest jobs and leaves very little room for learning what these skills are and how to teach them.

The Umbrella Project is dedicated to helping you and your children learn these skills of emotional wellbeing in a fun, easy to implement way and helping you thrive in all of life’s weather.

For tips, strategies, videos and resources to help your child develop these skills, follow The Umbrella Project on Facebook and Twitter.

Website: Umbrella Project Parent Resources

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Parking Lot Attendant Needed

We are in need of a parking lot attendant. This is a paid position, and available to a community member who would like to have a positive impact on student safety. Please contact Mr Ernst at the office for more details.

Read more about What’s the Scoop, 15th February 2019 »

What’s the Scoop? 8th February 2019

Posted February 8, 2019

LOOKING AHEAD………..

 

Feb 13 – School Council meeting (6.30pm)

Feb 15 – Report Cards go home

Feb 18 – Family Day (no school)

Feb 19 – Orders Due for MacMillan’s Classic Fundraiser

Feb 27 – Pink Shirt Day

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Alicia Berdan (Shaw) who has accepted a new position at another school. We wish Alicia all the best in her new adventure and Welcome Miss. Nima Hashi to 5/6A who starts with us on Monday, February 11. Let’s give Miss Hashi a big Sandhills’ welcome!

Did You Know?

Forming healthy active habits at an early age is very important but with the colder weather and shorter days upon us, it can be a struggle to keep kids engaged and active.

Please find attached a flyer from Canada Public Health regarding the importance of physical activity and information on how much activity children from the ages of 5 to 11 years old should receive. We have also included a link to an article from ‘Today’s Parent’ with ways to keep kids active indoors. Let’s all work together to keep our kids moving!

Public Health Canada Flyer

Today’s Parent Article

Umbrella Project

Why do some people get knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever? It’s their resilience. Over time everyone will face a range of obstacles and difficulties; it’s part of life.

Resilience allows us to adapt or even feel stronger and happier after these times. It helps us to feel less like the victim of our own story and more like the hero.

When it comes to resilience, practicing helps. With every storm you successfully weather, your resilience gets a bit better and the more we do that, the stronger we get.

Take a look at the link below which will take you to the ‘Umbrella Project’ website regarding our trait this month, RESILIENCE!

‘I can bounce back from tough stuff!’

‘Don’t let things get you down – turn that frown upside down.’

‘I can SPEAK POSITIVE WORDS ABOUT MYSELF.’

Umbrella Project Website

Waterloo Region Family Network

Please find attached flyers outlining ongoing programs with the Waterloo Region Family Network.

Parent Mentor Flyer

Ask a Self-Advocate

Parking Lot Attendant Needed

We are in need of a parking lot attendant. This is a paid position, and available to a community member who would like to have a positive impact on student safety. Please contact Mr Ernst at the office for more details.

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 8th February 2019 »

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