What’s the Scoop? 25 Jan 2019

LOOKING AHEAD….

Jan 24 – School Fundraiser begins- see details below

Jan 31 – Hobby Day (students may come dressed with accessories to represent something they do as a hobby/extracurricular or something that makes them happy).

Feb 6 – Walk to School Day and School Council will be here at the school to say Hi to parents and offer them a free cup of coffee.

Feb 7 – Beat the Winter Blahs dance. 6:30-8:30 pm. The cost is $2 a person up to a maximum of $10 for a family.

Feb 15 – Report Cards go home

Feb 18 – Family Day (no school)

MacMillan’s Classics Fundraiser

It’s time for our new Fundraiser! Order Forms are going home tonight with our Students.

We are delighted and excited to announce our new Fundraiser MacMillan’s Classics, a selection of frozen gourmet cookies and muffins, delectable desserts, entertaining treats and Artisan Soups.

Owned and operated by the Martin Family for over 25 years, MacMillan’s specializes in Fresh and Flash Frozen produce. They also offer a product line of Peanut Free, Sugar Free and Gluten Free.

MacMillan’s is proud to work alongside schools to aid in their fundraising initiatives and try to offer the best possible choices for a successful campaign. As always, a percentage of the sales will go to the school.

THE DEADLINE FOR ORDERS IS TUESDAY, 19th FEBRUARY
DELIVERY DATE IS THURSDAY, 28th FEBRUARY. (Time to be confirmed)
CASH PAYMENT ONLY PLEASE (Please place exact cash payment in an envelope – no change can be given)
Completed order forms can be returned to school with your student. One order form can be used per family but please feel free to start a new order form if you need to continue on another sheet. Extra order forms can be obtained from the main school office.

Let’s make this a wonderful campaign. A huge thank you in advance for your fundraising efforts and to our School Council who will be collecting the orders.

MacMillan’s Classics Website

Winter Walk Day

Walk with us on 6th February for our Winter Walk Day 2019. School Council will greet walkers at the school and offer Parents/Caregivers a free cup of coffee. See the attached flyer for the route and times. Walking in the cold leads to greater heart conditioning and increased endurance.

WinterWalkDay 6 Feb SHL

LunchBox Orders (Student of the Month Initiative)

We are proud to announce a brand-new Lunchbox Orders program.

Student of the Month is a community-based program focused on honouring and highlighting the amazing kids in our schools. Lunchbox is looking for a student who has gone above and beyond. One, who has shown kindness, possibly organised a fundraiser or community event, won an award or medal for sports or provided an idea that was so fabulous that the school had to implement or has simply shown up as a great student, kind person and friend to many.

For more information and how to nominate a student please see attached flyer.

LBOStudentoftheMonth

Did You Know?

As you may have heard in the News, there have been changes this month to Health Canada’s Food Guide. Here are Sandhills we care about the health of our students and thought we would share the new Guide and website address to keep our families up to date and informed.

Canadas new food guide 2019

Canada’s Food Guide Website

Umbrella Project

As part of the umbrella project this month, we will be finding out what our students are doing in class to work on Self Compassion (Try our best, Ask for help, and Forgive ourselves if we make mistakes).

We’ll also be sending a group of students to classes to interview a few students for their thoughts on self-compassion. Keep up the good work Sandhills!

Website: www.umbrellaproject.co/parent-resources/

Twitter: @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 25 Jan 2019 »

MacMillan’s Classics Fundraiser

It’s time for our new Fundraiser! Order Forms are going home tonight with our Students.

We are delighted and excited to announce our new Fundraiser MacMillan’s Classics, a selection of frozen gourmet cookies and muffins, delectable desserts, entertaining treats and Artisan Soups.

Owned and operated by the Martin Family for over 25 years, MacMillan’s specializes in Fresh and Flash Frozen produce. They also offer a product line of Peanut Free, Sugar Free and Gluten Free.

MacMillan’s is proud to work alongside schools to aid in their fundraising initiatives and try to offer the best possible choices for a successful campaign. As always, a percentage of the sales will go to the school.

THE DEADLINE FOR ORDERS IS TUESDAY, 19th FEBRUARY
DELIVERY DATE IS THURSDAY, 28th FEBRUARY. (Time to be confirmed)
CASH PAYMENT ONLY PLEASE (Please place exact cash payment in an envelope – no change can be given)
Completed order forms can be returned to school with your student. One order form can be used per family but please feel free to start a new order form if you need to continue on another sheet. Extra order forms can be obtained from the main school office.

Let’s make this a wonderful campaign. A huge thank you in advance for your fundraising efforts and to our School Council who will be collecting the orders.

Read more about MacMillan’s Classics Fundraiser »

What’s the Scoop – 18th January 2019

LOOKING AHEAD….

Jan 25 – PD Day

Jan 31 – Hobby Day (students may come dressed with accessories to represent something they do as a hobby/extracurricular or something that makes them happy).

Feb 6 – Walk to School Day and School Council will be here at the school to say Hi to parents and offer them a free cup of coffee.

Feb 7 – Beat the Winter Blahs dance.  6:30-8:30 pm. The cost is $2 a person up to a maximum of $10 for a family.

Feb 15 – Report Cards go home

 

Junior Kindergarten Registration

Online Registration is now open for Fall 2019.  Please go to the link below to start your application.

https://www.wrdsb.ca/blog/2019/01/14/its-time-to-register-for-kindergarten-2/

Once you have submitted your online registration please call the Main Office on 519-744-4430 to book an appointment to complete your application.  Don’t forget to bring proof of address (a driver’s license is not accepted as proof of address) and proof of birth.

Appointments will be made from 14th January to 25th January 2019 from 9 am to 3 pm.

Did You Know?

Healthy Minds need Healthy Bodies. One in four children does not get the sleep they need to sustain them through a day at school.  The following list is a guideline of how much sleep children need:

 Infants (4 to 12 months old) 12-16 hours 

Toddlers (1 to 2 years old) 11-14 hours 

Children (3 to 5 years old) 10-13 hours 

Children (6-12 years) 9-12 hours

Teenagers (13-18 years old) 8-10 hours

Please find attached two helpful links which provide information regarding the benefits of sleep to ensure the physical health and emotional wellbeing for our students.

https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/healthy_sleep_for_your_baby_and_child

 sleep-infographic

Umbrella Project

As you know, students at Sandhills have been learning about Self-Compassion this month.

      1) I show self-compassion by doing my best.

     2) I show self-compassion by forgiving myself when I make mistakes.

     3) I show self-compassion when I ask for help from others.

You can keep up to date with all the latest information, tips and strategies regarding the traits we have learned about so far by visiting the website or checking out their Twitter and Facebook feed.

Website: https://www.umbrellaproject.co/parent-resources/

Twitter:   @umbrellapjct

Facebook: The Umbrella Project

Sandhills’ Website

Don’t forget to check out our school website for updates and school information.  You can learn about:

Our walking school bus.
Attendance procedures
School Policy and Procedure (student handbook)
Extra-Curricular activities
Daily Announcements
School council information (including minutes of meetings)
Calendar (important dates and trips)
Tips on how to become an Eco-School Parent!
Sandhills Public School Website

Read more about What’s the Scoop – 18th January 2019 »

Changes to the Before & After School Program 2019

January 14, 2019
Dear Sandhills Public School Parents/Guardians,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of changes to the Before and After School Program for Grade Three to Grade Six students. Effective September 1, 2019, the program at your child’s school will be offered by the Conestoga College.

Depending on the number of students that register, Conestoga College will determine if the program is viable for the 2019-20 school year.

Programs will continue to offer:

Availability Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., conveniently located at your school
Ongoing registration
Program operates during designated P.D Days, March Break, and Winter Break
Program is subsidy eligible
Nutritional snacks
Age-appropriate, high-quality programming
Registration for the 2019 – 2020 school year will open on January 14, 2019. Please ensure that you register online at Region of Waterloo – One List for the 2019-2020 school year by August 19th 2019 to ensure that your child[ren] can begin in the program on the first day of school, September 3rd 2019.

For more information on the programs please visit Before & After School Programs or feel free to contact me directly.

Thank you,

Melissa Hilton | Manager Extended Day Program |

51 Ardelt Avenue | Kitchener | Ontario | N2C 2R5 |

Phone: (519) 570-0003 | Ext: 4388

School:Sandhills Public School
Posted By:Maria Wallace
Email Notifications:Email notifications are queued
January 15 2019 at 02:10:43 PM

Read more about Changes to the Before & After School Program 2019 »

Lunch Box Order Update 2019

Please find attached the update for Lunch Box Orders with all the information you require to order a hot lunch for your student on a Friday.

In addition, we are delighted to inform you that ‘Lunch Lady’ will be offered on select Thursdays (the day before a scheduled PD Day) – the dates are:

Thursday, 24 January 2019

Thursday, 11 April 2019

Thursday, 30 May 2019

Thursday, 27 June 2019

Sandhills Lunch Lady Update January 2019

Read more about Lunch Box Order Update 2019 »

What’s the Scoop? 11 January 2019

WELCOME BACK – HAPPY NEW YEAR SANDHILLS

LOOKING AHEAD….

Jan 14 – Kindergarten Registration

Jan 15 – Safe Caring Inclusive School (SCIS) Team meeting.3-4pm Parent/ Community reps welcome

Jan 25 – PD Day

Jan 31 – Hobby Day (students may come dressed with accessories to represent something they do as a hobby/extracurricular or something that makes them happy).

Feb 6 – Walk to School Day and School Council will be here at the school to say Hi to parents and offer them a free cup of coffee.

Feb 7 – Beat the Winter Blahs dance. 6:30-8:30 pm. The cost is $2 a person up to a maximum of $10 for a family.

Feb 15 – Report Cards go home

ABC Family Literacy Day

Family Literacy Day® is a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 and held annually on January 27to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. January 27, 2019 is the 20th Anniversary of Family Literacy Day!

Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is crucial to a child’s development, improving a child’s literacy skills dramatically, and can help a parent improve their skills as well. Please take a few minutes to visit the website to gain useful tips and learn about engaging activities you can do with your child.

ABC Life Literacy

5 Easy Ways to be an Eco-Parent

As parents and teachers, we wish to instil care, respect, and pride alongside the academic and social growth of our children. With 2019 came a renewed awareness of the impact of our carbon footprint on our planet. More companies are changing the way in which they produce and design products so that they can be biodegradable or sustainable, directly contrasting the plastic that infiltrates our water systems, oceans, and natural spaces. We invite you to share in our enthusiasm to make Sandhills an environmentally friendly school inside the classrooms and out.

Here are five easy ways that you can be a role model for your children:

1. Single-use plastics

2. Food

3. Second hand

4. Sign up for the walking school bus

5. Picking up garbage

More information and can be found at:

Sanhills Website

Umbrella Project

Welcome Back Sandhills’ students. January is Self-Compassion month and was introduced to the students at our assembly on their first day back after the break.

Check in with your student and ask them about Self-Compassion and the new Statements they are learning this month.

1) I show self-compassion by doing my best.

2) I show self-compassion by forgiving myself when I make mistakes.

3) I show self-compassion when I ask for help from others.

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 11 January 2019 »

What’s the Scoop? 7th December 2018

LOOKING AHEAD….

Mon, 10 Dec – Food Bank Drive (Donations welcome)

Wed, 12 Dec – School Council Meeting – 6:30 pm

Fri, 14 Dec – Extended Day Open House 7am to 8.25am

Wed, 19 Dec – Holiday Concert – 1.30 pm

Thurs, 20 Dec – Holiday Concert – 1:30 pm – Kindergarten Only

(Please be advised that parking is NOT permitted at the school for 1:30 pm Holiday Concert performances)

Thurs, 20 Dec – Holiday Concert – 6:30 pm

Winter Break – 24th December to 4th January – Return to School, 7th Jan 2019

Food Bank Drive

Sandhills is proud to be a part of the 2018 Food Bank Initiative, starting Monday, 10th December we are accepting Food donations. Students will collect donations from classrooms during the week at Nutrition Breaks and pack them into boxes in the front hall. Non-perishable foods are ideal and the link below gives a guideline as to what foods are suitable.

Food Bank Donation Guidelines

We would like to thank our Global Issues Student Club here at Sandhills who are supporting the Food Bank drive this year. Cash donations for the Food Bank will be collected at the Holiday Concert on Thursday 20th December. Food donations will be picked up on Wednesday, 19th December 2018.

Part Time Job Opportunities at Sandhills

We currently have two part-time positions at Sandhills. If you are interested in receiving further information please do not hesitate to contact the main office. These job opportunities are paid positions within the Waterloo Region District School Board.

Supervision Monitor – Kindergarten – 2nd Nutrition Break (daily – 12:45 to 1:25pm)
Parking Lot Duty Attendant – (daily from 8:15am to 8:45am and/or 2:45pm to 3:15pm)

Did You Know?

Mental health affects the way people think, feel and act. Taking care of our mental health is just as important as having a healthy body. As a parent, you play an important role in your child’s mental health:

You can promote good mental health by the things you say and do, and through the environment you create at home.
You can also learn about the early signs of mental health problems and know where to go for help.
Learn more about your child’s mental health by visiting the link below.

Caring For Kids Link

PIZZA ORDERS COMING SOON

PIZZA will be available to order through School-Day by the end of next week.

You will be able to order your student pizza from January to March 2019.

Stay tuned for more information and please remember to make a note of the deadline for orders once it is posted.

Consent Forms for Field Trips

As you are aware, a consent form must be signed before a student can attend a field trip. All consent forms must be signed on paper or on School-Day.

Verbal consent can no longer be accepted.

The easiest way to sign a consent form is on School-Day. Please ensure that when you electronically sign the consent form you also tick the box that says ‘I Agree’. This will be visible when you scroll down after you have clicked the box confirming your student can attend. If you have any questions or do not have a School-Day account, please do not hesitate to contact the office (519-744-4430).

Umbrella Project

As we come to the last few weeks of school before our Winter break we take a moment to focus on one aspect of GRIT and Find Joy Overcoming Challenges with Dr. Jen.

UMBRELLA PROJECT VIDEO

G – Give it your Best

R – Redo if necessary

I – Ignore the Urge to Quit

T – Take the Time to Do it Right

Read more about What’s the Scoop? 7th December 2018 »

What’s the Scoop – 23rd November 2018

WEEKLY UPDATE – LOOKING AHEAD….

Tues, 27 Nov – Extended Day Open House, 3:30pm to 5:30pm

Thurs 29 Nov – Swim to Survive Grade 3 – Last day – Bring a Swimsuit and a Towel

Mon, 3 Dec – Dental Screening for JK, SK, Grades 2 & 4

Tues, 4 Dec – Grades 2 & 3 Humanities Theatre Trip

Wed, 12 Dec – School Council Meeting – 6:30pm

Wed, 19 Dec – Holiday Concert – 1.30pm

(Please be advised that parking is NOT permitted at the school for the Wednesday Holiday Concert performance)

Thurs, 20 Dec – Holiday Concert – 6:30pm

Winter Break – 24th December to 4th January – Return to School, 7th Jan 2019

STUDENT DROP OFF & PICK UP IN THE PARKING LOT

First and foremost a HUGE thank you to all of the Sandhills Community who have been doing their part in promoting safe, healthy options for student travel to and from school each and every day. Options, like walking to school informally or taking part in the Walking School Bus, and using the “Drive to 5” options MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE!

You may remember our “Taking Back the Parking Lot” campaign back in September. It was successful in that it spread the word about parking lot safety and several community members made adjustments to their routine to do their part.

Unfortunately, with the return of the winter weather, we have had an increase in issues surrounding student drop off and pick up in the parking lot. A particular issue is that parking spaces are being taken up in the afternoon by folks waiting to pick students up at the end of the school day such that our afternoon staff have nowhere to park, which creates a barrier to their service. The biggest concern though continues to be student safety. There are simply too many vehicles driving about in a small space at the same time – we don’t want anyone to get hurt.

We wanted to remind the community that the expectation is and continues to be that there is no student drop off or pick up in the school parking lot. This does not apply to special circumstances like an appointment throughout the school day, or special circumstances that have been pre-arranged with the office.

We also wanted to give the community some advance notice that as of Monday we’ll be making another push in our “Taking Back the Parking Lot” campaign efforts.  As part of this we will be turning vehicles away from the parking lot, so please make alternate arrangements for drop off and pick up – “Drive to 5” is a great option that keeps vehicles a safe distance from the school, and builds independence in students and their ability to walk to school. A map is attached for your convenience.

Thank you for your assistance and ongoing support of all we do here at Sandhills!

Sandhills traffic safety booklet Nov 18

ATTENDANCE

With the winter weather upon us, we acknowledge that it takes extra time in the morning to get your student(s) dressed for school with the appropriate clothing. We want to extend our sincere thank you to parents for this and the extra effort in adjusting your schedule to allow for extra time in the morning to ensure students arrive on time for the start of school (8:35 am) to assist in our safe arrival process. If your child is going to be late due to an appointment don’t forget to call ahead on 519-744-4430 – extension 1, or email shl-attendance@wrdsb.ca. If you are running a little behind and get to school a few minutes after the school bell please go directly to the office and pick up a late (green) slip.

DID YOU KNOW?

Healthy snacks are as important to your child’s growth and development as healthy meals. Young children have small stomachs and can’t get all the nutrients they need from just 3 regular meals. Older children need snacks to stay alert and energetic throughout the day. Because snacks give children calories, these calories should come with nutrients.

If you have some time, please take a look at the attached link which gives useful information on healthy snacks and links to healthy eating guides, which detail recommended serving sizes and food groups. REMEMBER, we are a peanut free school. Any snacks brought into the school should be healthy and peanut free.

Caring For Kids Link

Snacks that meet the grade

UMBRELLA PROJECT

We are so proud of our students this month. Our Gratitude Character trait has been a wonderful success and we celebrated our achievements on Friday, 23rd November at our Spirit Assembly. We also introduced our next trait which is G.R.I.T. We are using this acronym to help students understand the meaning of Grit:

G – Give it your Best

R – Redo if necessary

I – Ignore the Urge to Quit

T – Take the Time to Do it Right

Read more about What’s the Scoop – 23rd November 2018 »

Wanted: Student Art to Celebrate Winter

This December we are selling winter greeting cards featuring student artwork – and we need your help. We’re looking for student artists to capture the beauty of the winter season and help support our Waterloo Education Foundation (WEFI).

Students, proud parents, and educators are asked to submit original student artwork (JK-12) via Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #Art4WEFI. All submissions must be received by the end of day November 23, 2018.

We will notify the six finalists via direct message on our Twitter and Instagram channels that we have selected their artwork. Student artists will also have the opportunity to attend a launch event at our Education Centre and speak about their artwork.

The Waterloo Education Foundation is a registered charity that supports programs and students in Waterloo Region District School Board. Donations help support nutrition programs, upgrading technology equipment and providing opportunities for students to attend field trips. All proceeds from the sale of our greeting cards will go to WEFI.

https://www.wrdsb.ca/blog/2018/11/16/wanted-student-art-to-celebrate-winter/

Read more about Wanted: Student Art to Celebrate Winter »

What’s the Scoop – 16th November 2018

WEEKLY UPDATE – LOOKING AHEAD….

  

Mon, 19 Nov – Fresh from the Farm – Orders available for pick up at school after noon

Mon, 19 Nov – Grade 6 trip to the Registry Theatre – ‘The Bullying Effect’

Wed, 21 Nov – Junior Trip to WLU/UW Hockey Game

Thurs, 22 Nov – Grade 3 Swim to Survive Trip

Fri, 23 Nov – Picture Retake Orders Due

Fri, 23 Nov – Spirit Day & Assembly (Crazy Hair & Moustache Day)

Tues, 27 Nov – Extended Day Open House, 3:30pm to 5:30pm

  

School-Day

Do you have a School-Day account?  School-Day is a wonderful online program that allows you to complete consent forms and pay for school trips, pay for school products such as pizza and keeps you up to date with activities, fundraising and announcements from Sandhills.  If you have not received / or would like a copy of your Secure Match Key with instructions on how to register with school-day please send a note with your student for their teacher.  Get connected with us!!

Did You Know?

One in four children does not get the sleep they need to sustain them through a day at school.  In fact, our own Sandhills’ survey revealed recently that 63% of our students are not getting enough sleep.  Children need adequate night time sleep:

Infants (4 to 12 months old) 12-16 hours 

Toddlers (1 to 2 years old) 11-14 hours 

Children (3 to 5 years old) 10-13 hours 

Children (6-12 years) 9-12 hours

Teenagers (13-18 years old) 8-10 hours

Please find attached two helpful links which provide information regarding the benefits of sleep to ensure the physical health and emotional wellbeing for our students.

https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/healthy_sleep_for_your_baby_and_child

sleep-infographic

Umbrella Project

Our Spirit Squad has been hard at work making posters for each class to include the “I Can” statements for the Gratitude character trait this month.  Members made posters and delivered them to classrooms so that they can be filled out with some of the great things that students have been doing in class related to gratitude (e.g. gratitude journals, letters, saying please/thank you etc). Ask your student about Gratitude this month and how they have made a difference.

Parent Workshop:  Creative Solution & Support for ‘in Risk’ Students

The WRDSB is hosting a Workshop on Monday, 26th November (7pm-8:30pm) at the Family Centre in Kitchener.

The workshop will provide information regarding:

WRDSB student supports found in secondary schools.
Overview of WRDSB new Anxiety Protocol School Supports and Parent Support Guide.
An example of one’s school’s creative approach for credit accumulation.
Please see attached link for more information.

https://staff.wrdsb.ca/special-education/2018/11/13/parent-workshop-creative-solution-and-supports-for-students-in-risk-students/

Information Evening:  Understanding High School for Students on the Autism Spectrum

An information evening is being held on Tuesday, 4 December (7pm to 8:30pm) at the WRDSB Education Centre in Kitchener.

Parents and students are invited to discuss what high school will look like for Waterloo District School Board children with Autism including:

Supports available in high school.
What to expect from the transition process.
What to expect once you start high school.
Registration is required. Click on link for more information.

https://staff.wrdsb.ca/special-education/2018/11/13/understanding-high-school-for-students-on-the-autism-spectrum/

Read more about What’s the Scoop – 16th November 2018 »

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