Principal’s Message
Welcome back! Returning to school in January is always filled with renewed energy and resolve to make a positive difference in the lives of all the members of our school community.
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for our Holiday Concert in December, and to the staff and students for putting on such a great show.
We start 2019 with a focus on responsibility. Working with students to help them learn to accept personal responsibility is a critical part of what we do each day. Being responsible means others can depend on you. You are accountable for your actions. When things go wrong and you make a mistake, you make amends instead of excuses. When you are responsible, you keep your agreements. You give your best to any job. Responsibility is also one of the six Learning Skills reported on the Progress Report and Report Cards.
As we begin the New Year it is always a good time to focus once again on our personal goals and to adjust and fine tune the steps we must take to achieve them. I encourage parents to sit down with their child(ren) and discuss their performance, celebrate the successes and develop goals and next steps.
Finally, I wish everyone a very Happy New Year and I look forward to witnessing the many successes and achievements of our students as the year unfolds.
Mr. Bevan Moir, Principal
School Council
The next meeting will be Wednesday, January 9th at 6:30 p.m. in the library. Everyone is welcome to attend.
No-Work Fundraiser Program
We are still accepting donations for this fundraiser. There are 2 ways to make a donation. You can write a cheque to the Foundation for Education or do an on-line donation. Thank you for your support.
Inclement Weather
If buses are delayed or cancelled due to inclement weather, cancellations will be announced on the radio, and posted to the Cancellations and Delays Website as early in the morning as possible. You can also follow us on Twitter @downieps. The school will remain open for those who can arrive safely, unless posted otherwise.
Me to We Update
Me to We will be serving up their famous spaghetti lunches on Wed., January 23rd for Kindergarten to Grade ¾ classes and Fri., January 25th for Grade 4/5 to Grade 8. Watch for the order forms this week or check out School Cash Online.
The money raised from this event goes to Free the Children Education.
Border Crossing Renewals
The renewal request forms have been sent home for current border crossing students and must be returned to school by Thursday, January 31st.
Allergy Reminder
At Downie Central we do all we can to ensure a safe environment for every person in our school. A significant issue schools deal with is environmental allergies. At Downie Central we are no exception. There are those in our school who suffer from sensitivities and
life-threatening allergies to scents (perfume, cologne, body spray etc.) and foods (specifically peanuts and tree nuts). We respectfully ask for your consideration when packing lunches and please ensure to read food labels. Thank you for making Downie Central an allergy safe environment for all our staff and students.
Cold Weather Notice
It is important to make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the cold and snowy weather. If the temperature or the temperature plus the wind-chill dips below -25 degrees Celsius, we will keep the students inside. On other days, when it is close to that mark we will shorten recess. Once outside, we do our best to be sure the children are properly dressed and monitor the students for signs of discomfort. If necessary we will enter the school before the recess is over.
Thank you for ensuring your child is prepared for the cold weather. It makes our decisions much easier when the students have hats, mitts, and snow pants. We understand that there must be a balance between the students need for physical activity and protecting them from the cold.
Head Lice – Pediculosis
Please check your child’s head on a regular basis and contact the school if you discover head lice. If a student is discovered to have lice/nits at school, parents will be called and asked to treat with medicated shampoo and pick out each nit individually. When a case of head lice is found, all students in the class will receive a letter, so that parents can check their child’s head and help us prevent the spread. We handle all cases of head lice with confidentiality.
Some helpful resources are the Lice Squad which is located at 370 Oxford St. E., in London, the toll free phone number is 1-866-510-5423. The Nit Free Terminator comb is also very effective.