September 2019 West Central Public School

c/o 545 – 11th Street East Prince Albert, SK S6V 1B1

Phone: (306) 922-8339 Fax: (306) 763-9445

www.srsd119.ca/wc Matt Gray,

Principal

Are you excited? We are! The students have arrived, the halls are busy with excitement, classes

are buzzing with learning and there are smiles everywhere. The first few days back to school for

the students has always been one of my favourite times of year. The school is actually a little

busier this year as we have almost twenty new students in our building compared to when we

left last year, and new faces always bring new perspectives and thoughts; a great thing for a

school!

To go along with the students we welcome three new staff members to our school. Heidi Abbey-

Der is here filling in for Mrs. Leblanc while she welcomes a new addition to her family, and

Amanda Hoey will be here until Christmas in the Grade1/2 room while she interns with Miss

Loehndorf. We also welcome Holly Cochrane, our new Social Worker taking over for Andrea

Lloyd.

Thank you for supporting our “personal device/cell phone policy”. While students have ample

enough opportunity to communicate with their friends using them outside of school, we want to

make sure we help you to limit “screen time” throughout the day. It also helps to ensure that our

students can focus on their learning during class hours.

Parents/guardians, please take the time to go through your registration form and newsletter. For

your registration form please make sure to:

● Fill in the LAFOIP information. If you don’t we will not be able to use your child’s work or

picture in school communication.

● Please share if you have First Nations, Inuit or Metis status. This information is used to

help the Ministry of Education and Saskatchewan Rivers track educational goals.

● Add an email address if you have not already done so, as this will be how we send

updates regarding school announcements and/or emergencies.

Please note we changed our bell times/class schedule slightly from last year, they are listed

below.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact the office at 306-922-8339.

I was extremely happy to be a part of your community and working with you last year and can’t

wait to take another journey again with you this year!

Matt Gray

Times for our School Day

AM Classes 8:50 a.m.

AM Recess 10:20 – 10:35 a.m.

Lunch 12:05 – 12:25 p.m.

Noon Recess 12:25 – 12:55 p.m.

PM Classes 12:55 p.m.

PM Recess 2:25 – 2:40 p.m.

Dismissal 3:25 p.m.

School Messenger

We will continue this to use School Messenger to help you stay informed about school

events, notifications and student attendance. This system replaced our “Remind” app

from a few years ago and seemed to be quite successful at keeping everyone on the

same page. The good news is that it does not require anything from you. You should

have received a message to your email address already, if you haven’t please contact

the school and we will make sure to add you. If you would like to change how you

receive school messages, please give the school a call 306-922-8339.

Absences from School

Please call the school at 306-922-8339 if your children will be absent. We also

appreciate a note ahead of time, if possible.

Transportation

Your child’s school day starts when they leave the house and get on the school bus.

School appropriate behavior is expected while in transport to and from school.

Any changes to the regular bus routine should be discussed with your child’s bus driver.

For example: Students must have notes if they are traveling on a different bus, being

dropped off at a different location or are being picked up at school (Please send a note

for bus drivers and a note to teachers). Please help us by avoiding last minute phone

calls to make changes in plans, as dismissal time is a very busy time of our day. We

appreciate your help as we endeavor to get your children home safely to their correct

destinations! Also: Birthday Parties: Please check with bus drivers if you are hosting a

birthday party, to ensure there is room on the bus for all extra passengers. If you are

picking students up at school, please be certain you have a seat belt for each child.

Thank you for making these organizational and safety arrangements!

Picking up Students: If you are picking your children up at the end of the day, please

park in the staff parking areas and wait there, or stand at the end of the

sidewalks. This will help to keep students safe from any mishaps.

Please do not park parallel to the buses (on or across from

the roadway), as students are tempted to run between buses to

get to their ride. Thank you for helping to keep our children safe!

School Community Council

West Central Public School Community Council will hold its Annual General Meeting on

Monday September the 30th at 6:00 p.m., in the library. We will hold elections for

Representative Members at this meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Welcome Back/ Meet the teacher Event

On Thursday, September 26th the SCC and staff of West Central Public School will be

hosting a night for all students and parents. This will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

This will be an opportunity for parents to meet their child’s teacher in an informal way.

Please come visit the classroom(s), meet the teachers.

Co-op Card Sales

Starting on October 16th we will be asking students and parents to sell Co-op Cards.

This is an annual fundraiser for the School Community Council (SCC). Your help and

cooperation is greatly appreciated. Sales sheets will come home a day prior to the

sales date.

Allergy Awareness

All Saskatchewan Rivers Public Schools strive to maintain nut-free environments for the

safety and well-being of all students, staff and visitors. We ask that everyone please

check food labels to ensure that nut products are not listed as an ingredient when

shopping for school food items.

✓ Please send nut-free snacks and lunches to school. ✓ Cross-contamination is a common cause of anaphylactic reactions. Foods that

have come in contact with nut products or contaminated utensils can also trigger allergic reactions.

✓ Check packaging labels for peanut/nut ingredients. If a product has “may contain trace amounts of peanuts or nuts” this is NOT safe to bring to school.

As students and staff visit other buildings, for a variety of events, all schools try to keep

everyone safe. Our School Division hopes to establish and maintain, but cannot

guarantee: schools, school environments and buses free of peanuts and nut products.

Thank you for your cooperation with this very important safety matter.

Kiwi is out too! We do have at least one student with a severe allergy to Kiwi.

Cell Phone Use at School

We understand the need for students to have cell phones outside of school hours as a

means of communication. However, when at school we ask that students keep their cell

phones powered off and in their backpacks, unless directed by staff to use in their

classes.

Students using devices outside will have them confiscated by staff. Parents will be

asked to pick up those cell phones up from the school.

If you need to contact your child during the school day please phone 306-922-8339. If

they need to contact you they may use a school phone, with staff permission.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

I Forgot My Lunch!!

It happens! Busy households, rushing for the bus etc. Don’t worry about it - we have a

few items at the school, which we can supplement for the odd lunch or snack here and

there. If you would like to donate a few items to this stash of food it would be greatly

appreciated. Non-perishable, quick fix items can be dropped off anytime (ie. Granola

Bars (nut free), Fruit Cups, Single serving KD, etc.). Thank you!

Boston Pizza Lunches

Last year we used a variety of vendors for our order-in lunches. This year we have

decided, because of quality, reliability and value, to use Boston Pizza as our sole

vendor. On top of that BP’s has a great program that helped us to fund our year end

trips and celebrations. Please support the lunches if you can, and a huge thank you to

Tamara Whitford for organizing them!

Our first lunch is September the 17th, order forms have already been sent home and

are due back on the 11th.

Community Hot Lunches

To go along with our order in BP lunches, Teresa Dickens and her crew of hot lunch

parents are once again going to provide us with a delicious meal once a month for $5

per student. To help reduce waste we will be asking students to once again bring a

plate, cup and utensils for the hot lunch. Dates will follow once they are set, Thanks

Teresa!

Library News

The Library is back in full swing, and Mrs. Guidinger could not be happier. Please

ensure that all of your child’s books are brought back in time for each weekly visit to the

library. If a book is damaged while at home, please still send the book back to school for

Mrs. Guidinger to repair. If a book is lost, which of course can happen sometimes, a

charge to replace the item may be requested.

In other exciting news, the ‘Indigo Adopt a School’ program has adopted West Central

this year! This means that from September 14th to October 6th, any donations made at

Coles in the Gateway Mall will go directly to the school to help fund new books for the

library. Any donations would be greatly appreciated by the staff and students, so please

help spread the word!

Buddy Bench

A huge thankyou to Thomas Smith, the Smith Family and Sunbeam Log and Timber for the construction and donation of the school’s new Buddy Bench. The bench will serve as a way for students who are having a hard time finding someone to play with at recess connect with someone else. If they can’t find a buddy, all they need to do is sit on the bench and a new buddy will come along and invite them to play.

Art School Follow your child’s heart… if they love drawing and art, register soon for yearlong art classes in pencil drawing, charcoal, pastels, colored pencils, acrylic painting & watercolor! There’s a few spots left at Christina's Art School! Whether they develop their love into a hobby, or it’s their launch into a secondary school and a career, the skills they acquire will be with them for life! Classes also include a yearend Field Trip & Art Show. Online registration is at www.christinathoen.com. For more info, see Christina’s Art School on Facebook, or feel free to phone Christina Thoen, Certified Teacher (Art Major) at (306)764-7200 for more information and to register by phone.

Navy League Cadets

Navy league cadets is a non -profit youth organization with a naval theme for youth

between 9 – 12 years old. We parade at the Prince Albert armory on Thursday nights

from 6:30-9 pm .Register you child/children any Thursday night between Sept – May,

you will need their health card, birth certificate and/or government issued ID. Cost to join

is $50 registration fee, as well as fundraising obligations. We teach the cadets about

Canadian naval history, physical fitness, teamwork, respect, citizenship and much more.

For more information please contact wkreed5@outlook.com or 306-922-3199 and leave

a message.

Prince Albert Speed Skating Club & Learn to Skate Registration Night

Tuesday Sept. 10th 6:30-8:30pm @ Art Hauser Centre Lobby We are currently accepting new members of all ages. Can’t skate? Join

our 15 session Learn to Skate Program.

Need a challenge?! Try Speed Skating!! Do you like… skating, but not

interested in hockey or figure skating?! Racing?! Setting your own

personal goals?! Competing against others at similar skill levels?!

Competing as an individual but still being part of a team?!

Practices twice a week @ Art Hauser Centre Sept-March. Meets are

optional – compete in as many or as few as you wish.

See what it’s all about at a FREE trial practice.

Find us on Facebook OR www.paspeedskating.ca OR contact

MacDowall & District

Beef Fall Supper

MacDowall Recreation Centre

Sunday, September 15, 2019

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Adults: $15.00

Students: $6.00 (Ages 6-12)

Under 6 - Free

“Mixed Emotions” will provide support to child and youth between the ages for 6-18 who are

experiencing anxiety and/or depression.

“Mixed Emotions” will strengthen the participant’s knowledge of anxiety and depression,

expand their “toolbox” of coping skills, increase personal accountability and assist in relapse

prevention.

“Mixed Emotions” includes 4 parent/caregiver sessions that assist in understanding anxiety and

depression, and provides practical coping skills and support.

Up Coming Group Sessions

Fall Youth Session (Ages 7-9) – September 19th, 26th, October 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th.

Parent Session – September 19th, 26th, October 3rd and 24th.

Fall Youth Session (Ages 10-12) – November 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, December 5th and 12th.

Parent Session – November 7th, 14th, 21st, and December 12th.

Fall Teen Session (Ages 13-18) – November 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th, December 4th and 11th.

Parent Session – November 13th, 20th, 27th and December 11th

To register, please contact Intake at (306) 765-6055. For more information please contact

Shelby Lysitza at Prince Albert Mental Health (306) 765-6055 or

Shelby.lysitza@saskhealthauthority.ca.

SEPTEMBER 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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BP Lunch

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Welcome Back Event

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WEST CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL