Lou MacNarin School
K-5
INFORMATION BULLETIN
September 2014
http://web1.nbed.nb.ca/sites/ASD-E/schools/loumacnarin/Pages/default.aspx
Meet the Teacher Evening 6:00 – 7:00, September 16, 2014
Our format this year will be slightly different. We will ask that all parents gather in the gym for a presentation before going to classrooms.
Welcome Back Everyone!
Remarkably it’s September already and pencils are sharpened, book bags are packed and we are back into the routines of fall. We are working hard at reviewing rules and routines to make sure that the school is safe and orderly. Teachers and students are rested and ready to take on the challenges of learning! Our staff hopes that everyone had a wonderful summer and we look forward to working as partners in our children’s learning.
The first day of school for students will be on Tuesday, September 2nd. The staggered entry for our new Kindergarten students will be on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of the first week of school and all Kindergarten students will attend together on Friday, September 5th.
Our school hours are 8:25 – 1:55 for K – 2, 8:25 – 2:55 for grades 3 – 5.
Please ensure that students are not dropped off before 8:00 as they will not be supervised by staff.
First Day of School
Kindergarten to Grade 2 students will be on the same side of the school (west) as they were last year – near the apartment building. They will be entering the school through the doors near the gym. The drop off zone door will be locked. The children will be met by their teachers outside, weather permitting. In the event of rain, students will be entering the school and K – 2 will go to the cafeteria. Grades 3 – 5 will play on the east side of our school on the playground. In the event of rain, they will go to their classrooms, except for Grade 3 English and Grade 3 Immersion. These students will go to the science lab. When the bell rings, the teachers will come to get their classes on the playgrounds.
In Harmony Music Program
We are pleased to announce that we will again be offering the In Harmony Music Program for students in Grade 4. This program offers 40 minutes daily of music for grade 4 students who participate in the program for the school year. Students will be learning to play the flute and will have opportunities to play with other schools in Anglophone East. It is a wonderful opportunity for your child and we strongly encourage you to consider participating. Grade 4 students who are not participating in the program will be working in flexible learning groups during this scheduled time. Grade 5 students who learned to play the flute last year will also have a 40 minute period of music per week to continue building their skills with the instrument.
Emergency Evacuation
In the event of an emergency that would require our students to leave the school, we will be moving to Ecole Carrefour de l’Acadie, located at 515 Champlain Street. Notifications would be available on the Anglophone East School District Web Page, our school web site and through talk mail/e mail and school connects.
http://web1.nbed.nb.ca/sites/ASD-E/schools/loumacnarin/Pages/default.aspx
Bussing information is available on the Anglophone East Webpage at http://www.district2.nbed.nb.ca/
Many thanks to Ms. Vallee and her volunteers for mulching the perennial gardens at the front of the school.
Many thanks to Ms. Morgan, Ms. Stables for painting over the summer. Our personalized learning environment and sensory room look amazing.
I would like to thank Ms. Drisdelle for her hard work in organizing the fundraising for our breakfast program last year. She was able to find corporate sponsors and apply for grants to help ensure that our children are able to start their day with a healthy and yummy breakfast. Our breakfast program is currently getting organized for breakfast. Updates will be posted as we get our program in place.
Allergy Information
Please remember that we are a scent free and nut free environment. In order to ensure that our students’ health concerns are recognized, we ask that parents not send food items to school for class wide consumption. We would like to remind parents that Wow butter and almond milk are not allowed in our cafeteria or classrooms. Please remind your children that they should not be sharing their lunch items with their friends as well.
Due to these concerns, we are asking that parents not send food items to school for your child to share with classmates on celebration days. Staff have been directed to send any food sent to school back home as a safety measure and to follow policy.
This year, in an effort to continue with the success of our If It Hurts, It’s Wrong Program, we are going to continue to work with some materials to be proactive in teaching and celebrating kindness at our school. We are a “Bucket Filling” School, which means that we are working to focus on being kind and helping others. You and your children will see posters and other artifacts in the school that will help us to remember the importance of treating each other the way we would like to be treated ourselves. If you have an opportunity to read this book, and talk about its content with your children, you will be helping us to develop the culture of our school community. The messages are powerful and we believe it will make a difference in the lives of our elementary students.
Cafeteria and Microwaves
Please remember that Kindergarten students will not be able to order lunches from the cafeteria until winter. K – 2 are not permitted to use microwaves. Often the microwaves are lined up as some students are bringing lunches that require a significant amount of time to cook. We would ask that parents try to provide lunches that need to be warmed up, rather than cooked as this will shorten the lengthy lines in the cafeteria. Some students are undercooking or overcooking their lunches.
Lunch Times. K – 2 will continue to have first lunch in the cafeteria at 11:40 followed by the grades 3 – 5 at 12:10. K – 2 will be on the west side of the school and grades 3 - 5 will share the east side of the building during play times.
A Safe and Secure School
· All persons entering our school are required to report to the office for permission to be in the building. If you are moving about the building, you will be required to sign in and wear either a Volunteer or Visitor tag. All exterior doors to the school are locked during instructional times except the main door.
· Our school is a closed campus and once students arrive at school they may only leave during the school day if they are signed out at the office by their custodial parent/guardian or designate.
· At the end of the day, parents are requested to wait outside until all students are dismissed.
· Parking spaces have been painted on school grounds. Please ensure that you are only parking in designated parking spaces. Please do not drive, park in, or near the entrance and/or exit of the bus slip.
· Our Drop Off Zone is being monitored for safe driving and drop off practices. Please ensure that you are entering the zone carefully as children are moving from cars onto the playground.
· Parents are reminded that our drop off zone is located at the west side of the building – near the K – 2 play area.
· Please do not drive through the parking lot on the east side (upper elementary school side) of the building as students are in the area and this is a safety concern.
· Daycare vans are being asked to park off site until the busses have left the bus slip area. Students going to Daycares will be picked up by the vans after the busses have departed.
· If your child is going to an alternate location or being picked up by someone, please ensure that you communicate this information to your child’s homeroom teacher through the student agenda. Please remember that all alternate drop off or pick up spots need to be approved by the district transportation department before we may make changes. Alternate drop off or pick up locations must be requested through District Office and must be approved before any changes will be made. Only one change per year is permitted. Students who wish to go to a friend’s house after school must be transported by their parents as students are not permitted to go on busses other than the one they are assigned.
· Please ensure that you call the school to report if your child will not be at school. You may leave a message on the answering machine. 856-3411.
· Please note our school hours. We will be starting at 8:25 and ending the day at 1:55 for K – 2 and 2:55 for grades 3 – 5. Lunches will be from 11:45 – 12:45.
· We will be sending home forms for parents to complete and return to the school this week. Check your child’s book bags for these.
· Please put your contact numbers in the front of your child’s agenda. This book will be used as a phone pass and will be required when students ask to use the office phones. This is especially important information for the younger students.
· Please complete the interest survey found in the front of your child’s agenda.
CHAMPS
We will be working to develop our procedures in the school to support our efforts to have a safe and orderly school.
· Please review the CHAMPS procedures in the agenda with your child.
PSSC - Parent School Support Committee is an excellent way for you to volunteer at our school.
PSSCs DO:
Focus on the needs of all students in the school
Advise the Principal on school policy issues
Review the annual School Report Card results
Work with the Principal to develop and monitor the
School Improvement Plan
Promote effective communications with parents using budget money received from the District Education Council
This committee meets about 5 times per year.
Registration forms are available in the office and will be sent home. Please consider signing up!
Home and School
Home and School is also an excellent way for you to be involved at school. A variety of activities are planned throughout the year and we would appreciate any support that you can offer – from decorating for a Halloween Party to passing out water at a school sponsored activity.
Physical Education:
Students should not wear sneakers that will mark the gym floor. Outdoor shoes are not permitted in the gym.
Parental Involvement
Research shows that being involved in the educational development of your child increases his or her chance of having a successful school experience. Education is not only the responsibility of your child’s teacher. We are partners in helping children become successful citizens. We are looking for volunteers over the lunch hour to help supervise indoor activities such as chess, board games, Wii activities. If you are available over the lunch hour please contact or leave a message for Kim Downey, Resource and Methods Teacher . Please consider volunteering to be a classroom Home and School representative or a member of our PSSC – Parent School Support Committee.
Fundraising
Fundraising allows us to provide activities and certificates to students on a monthly basis. These funds permit us to bring in special speakers and host events for students. We also use funds to cover the cost of materials in classes. During our monthly Student of the Month Assembly, students are recognized for their contributions to the school community. Your contributions will help support these initiatives. We will be sending home fundraising materials early in October. Thank you in advance for your support.
Current Staff Information
Ms. DeWare / Principal / Ms. Leger / Vice PrincipalMrs. Hansen / Administrative Assistant / Ms. Thebeau / Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Lawless / Kindergarten / Mrs. McQueen / Kindergarten / Mrs. Hache / Educational Assistant
Mrs. White / Kindergarten / Ms. Ross / Educational Assistant
Ms. Vallee / Grade 1 / Mr. Landry / Grade 1 / Ms.
Stables / Educational Assistant
Ms. Smidt / Grade 1 – 2 / Mrs. Thistle / Grade 1 / Ms. Strang / Educational Assistant
Mrs. Mellish / Grade 2 / Mrs. Wilson / Grade 2 / Ms. Doucet / Educational Assistant
Ms. Steeves / Grade 2 / Mrs. Zwicker / Grade 3 / Ms. Carpenter / Educational Assistant
Madame LeBlanc Ashe / Grade 3 Immersion / Mrs. Cail / Grade 3 / Mrs. Helgason / Library Assistant
Mrs. Butler / Grade 4 / Ms. Drisdelle / Grade 4 / Mrs. Dickinson / Educational Assistant
Madame Robichaud / Grade 4 Immersion / Madame Gallant Guay / Grade 4 Immersion / Mrs. Gagnon / Educational Assistant
Madame White / Grade 5 Intensive / Madame Roy / Grade 5 Immersion / Mr. Bell / Day time custodian
Mr. DiBonaventura / Physical Education / Mrs. Snyder / Guidance / ?? (John) / Evening Custodian
Ms. McMullen / Music / Mrs. Downey/Mrs. Cowan / Resource / Ms. Doiron / Evening Custodian
Resource / TBA / Evening Custodian
Mrs. Cowan / Literacy Support / Ms. Methot / Educational Assistant / Ms. Brian / Cafeteria Supervisor
Mrs. Doiron / Educational Assistant / Mrs. Ells / Educational Assistant
Mrs. Rubin / Speech and Language Therapist / Ms. Irving / Educational Assistant / Ms. Morgan / Educational Assistant
Ms. Mackay / Educational Assistant / Ms. Gomez / Educational Assistant / Ms. McBeath / Educational Assistant
Ms. Rowe / Educational Assistant / Ms. Fearon / Educational Assistant / T. Hicks / Educational Assistant
Last year we began working on revising our School Mission Statement in preparation for a school review which will take place in 2014 -2015.
We asked the following questions:
1. What is our Aim?
2. What actions do we need to take to achieve our Aim?