Principal’s Message
We have had a good start to our school year and certainly the weather has been on our side as many of the classes have been taking advantage of the wonderful outdoor learning opportunities we have at North Woods. With that in mind, please ensure your child(ren) comes to school each day with proper footwear to play active outdoor games and walk the trails in the bush.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner it is a good time to think about all the wonderful things we have to be thankful for, especially family and friends, food and peace. I hope that you are able to carve some family time out of busy schedules over Thanksgiving and to reach out to others who are not as fortunate as ourselves. Happy Thanksgiving.
Mrs. AG
Staff Update
We have had a couple of changes take place on our staff since the beginning of the school year. We would like to congratulate Ms Fletcher, Mrs. Luiting(Jones) and Mrs. Middleton-Lyons on getting contract positions with the AMDSB. We would like to welcome Ms Julianna Davis to the School Resource position, Mrs. Stacey Anderson to KB and Mrs. Stacey Middleton-Lyons to the Grade 5 class! Thank you for your patience and support as we have worked through these changes.
EQAO Results
The results from the Grade 3 and 6 EQAO 2016 assessment have been released. No doubt you have been hearing about the provincial results in the media. Consistently, our Junior students, Provincially, in the Board and at North Woods are showing math results that are concerning. Hence, one of our school goals this year will be focused on Math school wide. You will be hearing more about this in our monthly newsletters. School results will be shared in depth and discussed at our Parent Council Meetings.
North Woods’ Results:
Grade 3 Reading – 75%, Writing – 88%, Math – 69%
Grade 6 Reading – 86%, Writing – 86%, Math – 43%
This is the percent of our students who achieved level 3 (B) in each of the assessments.
Parents of Grade 3 and 6 students, please watch for an information pamphlet coming home with your child(ren) this week. Parents of Grade 4 and 7 students will be receiving individual results from last year’s assessment in the near future.
For more information about EQAO, please visit the following website: www.eqao.com
Empathy
Empathy is our character trait focus for the month of October. In any situation, we try to understand how the other person feels. This could look like: showing concern, being kind, sharing, helping and giving, recognizing the differences in all people and accepting these as well as emotionally putting oneself in someone else’s place. We have a diverse community of learners at North Woods who are all respected and valued in our school.
Nut Sensitive School
Please be aware that North Woods is a nut sensitive school. When packing lunches and sending treats throughout the school year, please be careful not to pack items that contain nuts. We need to keep all of our children safe and we do have nut allergies at our school.
Terry Fox Run
Thank you for your support. This year we were able to donate over $200.00 for cancer research.
Walton Little School
*Please contact the school directly if your family uses the services of Walton Little School and/or would benefit from a bus stop at this location to help with before and/or after school child care.
Lates and Absences
Thank you for calling in advance to let us know your child will be late or absent. If we don’t hear from you, we must try to reach you. This can take a fair amount of time so we appreciate you calling! We have a 24-hour answering machine for your convenience.
Fundraising
This year we will be offering several voluntary opportunities for families to help fundraise in support of our school. The school has been selling QSP Magazines and cookie dough as well as Friday lunches. Parent Council will be running fundraisers including Little Caesars Pizza/Elmira Chicken (Oct.) and Vesey Bulbs(Spring).
The funds from the school fundraising events will go to support technology, student excursions, the playground and purchase gym equipment for the school. Funds raised through Parent Council events will support our playground, Your support is always appreciated.
With our current fundraisers, please make separate cheques for QSP/Cookie Dough and Elmira Chicken/Little Caesars Pizza.
School Cash Online
A big thank you to all the families that have signed up already for our new payment system! As of right now we have 65 out of 162 students registered for School Cash. That’s 35 % of our school family. Our goal is to have 80% signed up by Christmas. Mrs. Cochrane is working at putting as many of our items in the system for purchase with the newest items being the School Council’s Hot Lunches.
Student Voice
We value the voice of our students and encourage them to speak up when they have an idea or a concern. This year our Healthy Schools Committee will give our Junior students a chance to develop leadership skills, organize school events on the topic of mindfulness and promote healthy living. Thank you to the Ms Underwood our Public Health Nurse for her support
Bus
Please plan to arrive 4 or 5 minutes ahead of your scheduled bus stop in the morning and afternoon so that the bus stays on schedule at both ends of the day.
Safe Schools
At North Woods everyone does their part to keep our environment bully free. Our students learn about the TRIBES agreements and the importance of treating others the way they want to be treated.
Bullying is an imbalance of power between people and can be in the form of physical or emotional hurt. It is done with intent on a repeated basis. Students are reminded to use their ‘voice’ to let others know how they feel by the way they are being treated and to let an adult know if they feel unsafe.
Kindergarten Registration for 2017-2018
It is with pleasure that we invite parents and children of Grey Ward and Brussels getting ready for Kindergarten in 2017 to visit our school on Monday, November 21st, 2016. It is a chance for your child to see what our school has to offer, meet other children of their age and play some exciting games while you sign him/her up for Kindergarten 2017! This special event is for children who are either 3 years old by December 31, 2016(eligible for JK) or 4 years old by December 31, 2016 (eligible for SK). At the event you can register your child for Junior or Senior Kindergarten for 2017, see how they engage in fun learning activities and get tips on how to prepare your child for school. For more information and to make an appointment, please call us at 519-887-6601.
Getting Ready for Winter!
With all of the following ways of communicating delays and cancellations, we don’t use a phone tree. You can follow the announcements by going to our website ourschoolbuses.ca or by following your school’s twitter account. You don’t need to have a twitter account to get this information, as the latest Tweet appears on the main page of your school’s website.
HPSTS has a smart phone App – called HPSTS. This App is available for iPhones, Android Smartphones and Windows OS Smartphones and is absolutely free. This App will bring you all the latest announcements regarding school bus or school delays and cancellations.
The HPSTS App is available in the Google Play Store for smartphones using the Android OS. For iphones and Windows OS phones go to the following link to install the app: http://hpsts.wompmobile.com/ or you can use your smartphone to scan the QR code at the beginning of this story to install the app.
As in the past, you can also monitor local radio stations during inclement weather for the latest announcements on cancellations or delays.
For further information please contact Huron Perth Student Transportation Services at 1-888-871-7722 or visit our website at ourschoolbuses.ca
Steve Howe, Manager of Communications, International Education Administrator, Avon Maitland District School Board, 519-527-0111 ext 132 www.yourschools.ca www.yourschoolsincanada.com
Follow us on Twitter @yourschools and @schoolincanada
Parent Council
Our first meeting was held on Sept. 13th. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend.
Our Parent Council executive is:
Chair – Christina Piper
Secretary – Rotating
Treasurer – Jennifer Cochrane
Fundraising – Elizabeth White
Health and Safety – Michelle Baillie
Communications- Heather Logan
Environmental Committee-
Christmas Dinner Committee – Christina Boyer
The next meeting is Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
Hot Lunches
Hot Lunches are back again this year brought to you by the North Woods Parent Council. Thursday, October 20th’s lunch includes a hotdog, rice krispie square and an apple.
Family Skating
Save Monday, October 24 for the Parent Council Family Skating Night 6-7:30 pm at the BMG arena in Brussels.
Student Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices
In order to avoid disruptions, students at North Woods are NOT to use cell phones and other electronic devices at school. Personal texting and phone use is not appropriate or necessary at school. If they are carried at all, they are to be turned off and safely stored in backpacks. At the discretion of the teacher the use of specific types of electronics may be allowed when they serve an educational purpose. In case of damage or loss, please note that the school is not responsible for any type of electronics belonging to students.
Huron County Health Unit
Parenting requires adaptation and change to meet your child’s development. Depending on your child’s age, each stage of their development consists of milestones that build on each other and impact the rest of your child’s life.
The Huron County Health Unit is looking to hear from parents and caregivers who have children 0-17 years of age. We want to know what topics, issues, needs and supports interest you as a parent or caregiver.
The survey only takes 10 minutes to complete. Don’t forget to also enter for your chance to win one of two $150 grocery vouchers for your family. Thank you for your participation!
The survey can be completed through clicking on this link: http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/HCHU/parenting-survey/
The Big Crunch
Thursday, October 20th we will be participating in “The Big Crunch”. The health unit is organizing a synchronized crunch of local apples in celebration of healthy living and healthy eating. Teachers, Students and Apple-enthusiasts alike are encouraged to participate! Get your hands on an Ontario apple and help shake the earth with a big loud bite that goes CRUNCH!
Before and after School Program
“As part of an on-going commitment to make the school day as seamless as possible for our families, each family will be receiving an information sheet in mid-October regarding Before and After School care. Families interested in before or after school programs for their four and five year olds, and possibly older children in the upcoming school year, should complete an on-line survey by November 30, 2016. The link to the survey will be found on the Board website starting mid-October. We appreciate your assistance as we determine the feasibility of offering such programs. Should you require a paper copy, please contact the school after October 14th.”
Community News
Harvest Supper
Sunday, October 23, 2016, Ethel Community Centre
2 Sittings-4 & 6 Adults $13 Children (7-13) $6 Advance Tickets Only Contact Brenda @ 887-6153 Proceeds to the Ethel Community Centre.
Kids Klub – 2016-17
You are invited to Brussels Community Bible Chapel’s Kid’s Klub. Come out for an evening of energetic games/crafts, exciting Bible stories, joyful singing, and more. This is for children ages 5-12 years. We meet at the Brussels Business and Cultural Center – every Wednesday evening for two sessions: September 28 –November 30 and February 8 – April 19 Time: 6:45 – 8:15pm. Registration: Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 6:30pm.
More Info: Call Pastor Andrew Versteeg at 519-357-7302 or email [email protected].
Hello from the Brussels Library
Murilla Gorilla Jungle Detective is written by Canadian author Jennifer Lloyd. Murrilla Gorilla is a jungle detective. When banana muffins go missing Murilla is on the case. She follows some crumbs and some footprints to find the thief. She slowly takes her time examining clues she finds along the way. Soon all the clues point to Little Chimp. When he is found out, he agrees to help bake more muffins. The watercolour artwork is vibrant and bright, capturing the slow paced world of the African rain forest. This is a charming and funny easy to read beginner chapter book. Will there be more?
We are having a Remembrance Day Colouring Contest! Come into the Library during the month of October to pick up a Poppy Colouring Page. There will be prizes! Mark this on your calendar. Your next PA day, Friday November 4 at 11am the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority is presenting a workshop on Nature Journaling. Come in and get some new ideas on how to look at nature. They will have lots of things to examine: Furs, Skeletons, Paw Prints and more! This is a free program but you need to pre-register by calling the Library.
The Early Years are here with us every Friday morning from 10am-11:30 with crafts, songs, stories, games and toys.
Tech Time is here again to answer all your questions! These one hour long tutorials take place the first Friday of Every month. Our next session is Friday, October 7. Please call the Library to register. 519-887-6448.