COLDBROOK & DISTRICT SCHOOL
2305 English Mtn. Road, Coldbrook, NS B4R 1B6
Phone: 902-690-3830; Fax: 902-690-3833
May 2013
Safe Arrival: 690-3828
Web page address http://coldbrook.ednet.ns.ca Principal: Jean Corporon
Email: Vice Principal: Deron Moores
Primary Orientation Day – May 17
Victoria Day Holiday – May 20
Early Dismissal – May 24
Early Dismissal - May 31
From the Principal’s Desk:
With the warm weather come the thoughts of a school year coming to an end. It’s hard to believe we are in the month of May and in just a few short weeks we will be saying farewell to our graduates. There are many events planned for the months of May and June. Please ensure you check for notices, read the newsletter and listen to the School Info Pack for these upcoming activities. We are excited to have the new primaries visit us on May 17 th for Primary Orientation. The primary teachers have many activities planned for this big day and students will have a great time. There will be a few slight changes in programming and staffing in the next school year due to declining enrollment. We will be down one class at the 6-8 level and will have a P-1 combined. I hope everyone enjoys the spring weather and takes time to be active with their families. As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact the school or send in the attachment found at the end of the newsletter. Your thoughts and comments are always welcomed.
Bullying
There has been much discussion around bully like behaviors in the media both in and out of schools. Bullying does not just happen in the physical sense but can occur verbally, through facial expressions and written form. In addition, we now have what is known as cyber bullying which occurs on line. Ideally it would be nice to say bullying does not exist at Coldbrook and District School but we would be remiss to even make such a statement. However, please be assured every effort is being made to speak with and educate students about bullying behavior through our school matrix and our newly established Bully SMART team has been visiting classrooms to teach their peers Bully SMART skills.
Bully SMART skills are: S- seek help, M-make a plan, A-assert yourself, R- report bullying behavior and T- talk about it. Bystanders are also encouraged to help but not in a way that they become the victim but will help the person being bullied.
Parents are encouraged to discuss these types of behaviors with their children and positive ways in which they can deal with bullying.
On May 19 we will have a special guest who will perform and provide a special and educational message with a focus on Bullying.
LE Shaw students will be joining us for this event and we look forward to having them visit our school.
Internet Safety at Home
Although it has only occurred on rare occasions for us here at Coldbrook and District School, it has occurred often enough to create some challenges for the students and their day to day functioning in the classroom and life at school. The use of the internet and social networking can have both its positive and negative impact. Please note that if issues occur between students through social networking at home the school is not responsible for intervening. However if the issue should affect student behavior at school and the daily routines of student learning then the school may/will have to intervene. Parents are encouraged to discuss, monitor and ensure children’s use of social networking is done so in a positive and safe manner.
Cell Phone Use
We ask parents/guardians to please respect their child’s learning and that of others and not text or call during school time. In the past few weeks this has happened and it is very disruptive to the classroom instruction and puts your child at risk of losing their phone. The only time students are able to use their phones are before 8:25 AM, between 10:05 – 10:20 AM and 12:00- 12:30 PM. If you need to contact your child please call the school 690-3830. It is a challenge to monitor use and ensure students are complying with school expectations and it is important the parent/guardians support our efforts. When you text or call it is sending out mixed messages to the students and the message they are learning is it is not important and they do not need to abide by school expectations. As a school and staff we want to embrace technology but with rights come responsibility and we need your support to ensure students are and can use technology in a responsible and respectful manner. Thank you for your support in ensuring success in your child’s learning.
Sincerely,
Jean Corporon, Principal
ASSEMBLY
As part of our assembly on May 16th at 1:30 p.m., the Grade One classes will be celebrating the volunteers at Coldbrook and District School. Mrs. MacLean’s and Mrs. Boutilier’s classes would like to take this opportunity to invite all volunteers at our school to this special assembly in their honour. If you have volunteered with our school in any capacity, we would love to have you attend to show our appreciation. Hope to see you then!!
PHYS. EDUCATION NEWS
Physical Education - Your children will be doing lots of gymnastics in physical education class. The safety guidelines state that children must be dressed appropriately to participate in gymnastics. If your child is in grade 5, 6, 7 or 8, please make sure they have phys. ed. clothes so they can participate safely in these lessons.
RELAY FOR LIFE
We would like to Thank everyone who supported us by sending in your pennies for our recent Relay for Life fundraiser. We raised $231. for our Relay for Life Team – Coldbrook for the Cure.
There will be a Variety Show on May 22nd in the gym from 6 – 8 pm with a Free Will Offering. It will showcase lots of Student & Staff talent which you won’t want to miss. There will also be an opportunity at the Variety Show to purchase luminaries in honour or memory of anyone who has battled cancer.
LOST AND FOUND
A reminder to parents and students that we have accumulated a number of lost items in our Lost and Found. Please check our Lost and Found if your child has lost any item(s) this year. On June 21st all remaining items in our Lost and Found will be given away.
HOME AND SCHOOL
It is finally starting to feel like Spring! Our meeting in April was productive; we had a report from some parent volunteers who surveyed the playground for repairs/updates. We are excited to be a part of the planning process for upgrades to the school and community playground. We are also pleased to be partnering with the Coldbrook Community Association. A member of the Association will be invited to attend our monthly meeting in May to brainstorm ways that we can work together to enhance our home and school community. Our new School Board Rep. Donna Johnstone will also be in attendance.
We are currently seeking nominations for executive positions for the Home and School Committee for 2013-14. It is a great way to give back to your school, and find out what is happening at the same time! It is not a huge commitment; the committee meets the third Monday of each month, with the exception of December. If you are wondering what is involved, please give me a call or send me an email and I will gladly outline it for you. It can be a lot of fun, and a great way to get to know other parents and guardians within the school. Executive positions include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Past President/member. If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact me prior to our meeting on May 13, as nominations are due one month prior to the AGM in June.
And remember, as parents and guardians we are all part of Home and School. If you have any ideas, questions or topics that you would like discussed at a Home & School meeting, please feel free to contact me at 678-2482 or email and I will add it to the agenda.
Due to the long weekend in May, our next monthly meeting will be held on Monday, May 13th at 6:30pm in the library. I hope to see you there, and don’t forget there is free child care!
Charlene Park
2012-13 Home and School Co-President
BAND & CHOIR
Band & Choir Spring Concert: Thursday, May 9, 2013 @ 6:30 pm.
This will be a dessert concert with yummy homemade desserts. Tickets will be $3. each or $10. per family which includes a dessert & a drink (water, tea or coffee). There will also be a 50/50 draw. If anyone is available to chaperone at this concert please contact Eileen Crossman at
*Please remind students to wear their uniforms (black bottoms and white dress shirts for Choir and Gr 6 Band, black bottoms and red band shirts for Gr 7/8)
SUMMER BAND CAMP
Acadia Summer Band Camp will be held July 7-13, 2013. This is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and SUPER FUN camp for beginner and experienced Coldbrook band students (those currently in Grade 5-8). Scholarships are available from Coldbrook Band & Choir Association. Please see the following website for application information: http://music.acadiau.ca/summer/
ANNAPOLIS VALLEY CHEER CLUB 2013-2014
We have Fully Competitive teams, Pre-competitive, Recreation and Special Needs programs, as well as summer camps.With 24 Championship Titles and 5 National Titles in 5 short years, we are the Valley’s most successful All-Star Cheerleading program, started in 2008 by Megan Shepherd, 2013’s Canadian Coach of the Year. Classes held in 3 locations, Berwick, Cambridge and Kentville!
Our fully competitive team placements are June 8, 2013 at Berwick Town Hall Gym. Recreation, Pre-Competitive and Special Needs programs start in September. We accept registration all summer long, classes fill quickly, so contact us to ensure you don’t miss out!
Please contact us at or phone (902) 691-3331 for more info. You can also visit us online at www.annapolisvalleycheerclub.com
ICE All Stars CHEERLEADING
THE BEST NEW PROGRAMS! ICE will also be partnering with a gymnastics club to bring fundamental training in tumbling and the other facets of gymnastics to our athletes and to surrounding families from Metro Halifax through the Annapolis Valley.
THE BEST INTENSIVE TRAINING! Also new for 2013-14 will be our ICE Glacier teams. Glacier teams will compete in Nova Scotia and will also have the opportunity to travel to competitions outside of our Province. These teams will have more intensive training and in the next two years ICE Glacier teams will be travelling to Niagara Falls and Orlando Florida.
THE BEST COACHING STAFF! Our experienced and fully certified coaching staff stresses strong fundamental skills from which our members develop into self-confident athletes on successful cheer teams. ICE coaches have made ICE one of the most successful cheerleading gyms in Nova Scotia.
There is so much to be excited about at ICE! The training will challenge you, the experience will change you. Want to try a little ICE??? Want to feel what all of the talk is about???
Open House: Saturday May 11, 1-3:30pm. Wear athletic clothing, indoor sneakers and bring a water bottle.
Everyone Welcome! 5 Sanford Drive, Windsor (our gym is located just off the 101 Highway in the West Hants Industrial Park)
Don’t miss your opportunity to be part of the ICE Family in 2013-14.
Placements: (Ages as of August 31, 2013)
May 20- Ages 12 and over, 6-8 pm
May 21- Ages 11 and under, 6-8 pm
May 22- Ages 8 and under, 6-8 pm
Need more Information? Want our detailed information packet?? Contact us at: EVERYTHING is better on ICE!
ROSS CREEK CENTRE FOR THE ARTS’ CAMP DAY – MAY 5TH
Come join us for a fabulous Community Art Day celebrating CAMP! If you are thinking about summer camp, or if you went to camp and want to remember how awesome it was, or you wonder what the heck everyone is going on about, this is your day! With a sampler of different art activities, samples of our tuc-shop delights, and of course, campfire. CAMPFIRE? We LOVE Campfire! Runs from noon to 4 pm. Admission by donation. All ages welcome and encouraged. Children not required. For more info contact Roxy at 902-582-3842 or
SUMMER SWIMMING
Swimming is one of the fastest growing sports in Canada. Kentville Marlins Swim Team offers children and the youth access to an affordable and accessible summer swimming program. It has proven that swimmers enjoy many health and social benefits from swimming. If you want to be part of the Kentville Marlins Swim Team, call 365-2539 or email . Registration begins from 1st June 2013.
ST. JOSEPH’S STAGE PROPHETS present…PETER PAN
The St. Joseph’s Stage Prophets are pleased to announce this year’s production of Peter Pan. A timeless tale about the boy who never grew up and his adventures in Neverland. With the help of a professional flying company, the Stage Prophets’ Peter Pan will really fly! This is a first in the Valley and a first for an amateur theatre company in Nova Scotia. The Stage Prophets are also very excited to partner with our First Nation communities to present this early 20th century story with a respectful reflection of their culture. Come enjoy this impressive event with beautiful displays of costumes and creative set designs. Performance dates May 16 – May 19. Location: Festival Theatre Wolfville. Times: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinee at 1:30 p.m. General Admission $15.00. Tickets are available at Box of Delights, Acadia Box office, Designer Café & M&M Meats.