We are looking forward to a busy two months here at South Perth. Students are getting excited for Electives Day on May 4th. Preparations are well underway for Funfest on May 17th. Thanks to all of the volunteers for their tremendous efforts in organizing an amazing family event.
Jump Rope for Heart takes place the afternoon of May 16th. Our leaders have set an ambitious target of raising 2500 dollars. Any donations are greatly appreciated.
The character attribute for the month of May is Fairness. Fairness is essential to forming trust and lasting relationships. At school we pride ourselves on a differentiated approach and often use the saying “sameness is not fairness.” All students have different needs in achieving the best they possibly can. Students can demonstrate fairness at school by:
Quote about Fairness
“Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need.”
As always, please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Charles Longston
Principal
Engage, Inspire, Innovate… Always Learning
Dates to Remember
May 4th – Electives Day
May 10th – Stratford Tennis Club clinic (all grades)
May 16th – Jump Rope for Heart
May 17th – FunFest
May 18th – Gr.7’s Jump Trip
May 22nd – EQAO begins
May 25th – Food Orders Due
May 29th – Gr.8’s to Camp Celtic
June 4th – Parent Council @ 7 p.m.
June 8th – PA Day
EQAO Testing
During the week of May 22 – June 01, Grade 3 and 6 students will be participating in the Education Quality and Accountability Office’s (EQAO’s) Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Junior Division.
In six one-hour sessions, students will complete a variety of assessment activities designed to allow them to demonstrate their skills and knowledge relating to reading, writing and mathematics as described in The Ontario Curriculum. The assessment is administered province-wide and is developed by Ontario teachers and assessment experts to reflect curriculum expectations.
EQAO has developed a “Parent’s Guide to EQAO Tests” and “Questions and Answers for Parents” (available in 20 languages) to give you more information about the assessments and an understanding of what to expect. To access these resources, go to the EQAO Web site , click “Parent Resources” and then select “Primary Division (Grades 1–3) and Junior Division (Grades 4–6).”
Parent Council Update
Spring it finally here and with that we eagerly anticipate our final few exciting events planned for the students of South Perth!
Electives Day will be happening this Friday. We hope all students enjoy the chance to try new things and spend a day learning outside of the classroom. We are always looking for feedback and new ideas to keep Electives Day fresh and fun for all – please talk with your child and provide any feedback to help to continue to improve this opportunity.
FunFest is just a few weeks away, coming up on Thursday May 17th from 5 – 8 p.m. Please continue to spread the word to ensure great attendance. The event runs rain or shine – so keep your fingers crossed for the latter. If you are able to help out, even for just 30 minutes, please contact Lisa Sheldon!
Thank you for your generous contributions to last month’s Spaghetti lunch, which raised money for our Families Helping Families fund. It was inspiring watching all the students interact so naturally together, and to witness the care, compassion and kindness they showed towards each other. Our families are all truly blessed to be part of such a wonderful school community.
We hope that the spring weather is here to stay so students can start digging and learning in the school’s vegetable gardens. If you have anything to share to make this opportunity more valuable, please let me know. The students plant and care for the gardens during the school year, but during the summer we are fortunate to have some volunteer families take turns watering and pulling weeds to keep the gardens looking great. If you are able to help out over the summer, please let Katharine Found know. We anticipate another bountiful harvest and an invaluable learning opportunity!
We are excited to announce a student planner cover design contest for students of any grade to participate in. An entry form has been included with this newsletter, or your child can design a planner cover on a separate piece of white paper. All designs must be in portrait style orientation (not landscape). Encourage your child to design their cover to express what they love about South Perth! The winning entry will have their design grace the cover of the 2018-2019 student planners and will receive a gift certificate to Hearn’s Ice Cream. All entries are due to the office by May 25th.
Our next and final Parent Council Meeting of the year is Monday, June 4th at 7:00 p.m. in the library. We would love to see you there.
]]>Spring has certainly not arrived with the warm weather we were hoping for! During these transition months please make sure all students have an indoor and outdoor pair of shoes. We have an exciting event taking place at our school and DCVI on April 12th. The entire school will be taking place in experiential learning activities organized by Jodi Froud. Woodworking, carpentry, and sewing will be some of the options offered.
Special thanks to the Weber family for organizing and donating the materials needed to construct a beach volleyball court. Students will be anxious to start using it once the warm weather arrives.
Students are starting to get excited for electives day on May 4th. Thank-you to all those that have promptly returned their forms. A huge thanks to Wendy Callcott and Mrs. Mathers for all of their efforts in organizing and planning this wonderful day.
The character attribute for the month of April is Honesty. Honesty is defined as the quality of truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness. It is freedom from deceit or fraud. Students can demonstrate honesty at school in the following ways:
Mr. Charles Longston
Principal
Engage, Inspire, Innovate… Always Learning
Dates to Remember
April 4th – Mad Science Assembly at 11:35 a.m.
April6th – Little Caesars pick-up 3 to 5:30 p.m.
April6th – Brush-a-rama in Library at 9:15 a.m.
April9th – Tell them from me survey begins
April12th – Experiential Learning Day Activities
April13th – PDHU Hepatitis B Clinics in p.m.
April17th – JK-5 to Blythe for Bunch of Munsch
April17th – Parent Council at 7 p.m.
April18th – Celtic Animals Workshop Grades 4/5
April20th – School wide spaghetti lunch
April25th – Pizza, Milk and Sub orders due
April26th – Logo/ ersey Day
Power of We Update
The Power of We would like to thank everyone for their generous donations towards the book sale. Students were excited to peruse the items on display and were aware that their purchases were going towards a good cause. Thanks to your generosity, the Power of We will be making a contribution towards the Education for Ethiopia campaign.
Easter Egg Hunt
I would like to extend my gratitude to Ms. King and Mrs. Vivian. Together they organized and ran an Easter egg hunt in conjunction with parent volunteers. The students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and because of your generous donations we were able to exceed our goal and make a contribution towards the United Way of Huron-Perth.
School Council Update
Spring is here and with just a few more months left in this year’s school calendar, school council continues to be busy planning and producing projects, activities and programs to enhance our student’s learning opportunities.
Thank you for your support of the Little Caesar’s Pizza Kit fundraiser last month. Just a reminder that orders must be picked up this Friday, April 6th from 3 – 5:30 p.m.Work has begun on our new beach volleyball court at the school. We hope this will be a well-used area for students, and one that may even attract some new athletic competitions to South Perth in the future!
This month will once again see the return of our school-wide annual Spaghetti lunch. On April 20th, during second nutrition break, all students are invited to enjoy the fellowship of our school community as they eat together in the gym. The event is free to all, but families are welcome to make a free-will offering, should you choose to contribute. All proceeds from this even go towards our Families Helping Families fund and will assist those in our school community that experience unfortunate or devastating circumstances. This event allows students to put many of the character attributes that they learn each month into action. We hope students bring their appetites, a plate and cutlery (to be environmentally friendly!) and an openness to enjoy the spirit of the day! Milk has been generously donated by the Perth County Dairy Producers.
Electives Day is happening on May 4th and we hope your students are excited about some of the new event choices. Please send your selection forms in as soon as possible so organizers can get things finalized. Volunteers are needed to help make the day run smoothly. A volunteer sign up form was sent home last week, so please send that back, or contact the school office if you can help out. Lunch is provided for all volunteers!
Funfest is also coming up very quickly, on Thursday, May 17th. Attractions have been booked but we are still looking for silent and children’s auction items. Please let us know if you have something to contribute. We will be in need of volunteers that evening as well – contact Lisa Sheldon, or the school office if you are able to help. Most importantly, save the date, spread the word, recruit your friends and neighbours and help to make this the most successful FunFest yet!
Our next Parent Council Meeting is Tuesday April 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the library. We are always looking for new ideas and we welcome all new faces! Hope to see you there!
FunFest Update – Grab Bag items for Mrs. Vivian
If anyone has any items to send in for the grab bags please do so by May 1st. Items that can be sent in are gently used or new small toys, individually wrapped candies, pencils, erasers, stickers, bouncy balls, crayons, note pads, balloons etc.
Every year these have been a huge hit. To get a general idea of how many bags get put together for this evening are about 100. Mrs. Vivian puts forth a great effort, putting these together and even purchasing several items to make sure that they are filled. If you have any items you’d like to donate, please send them in.
We are still looking for volunteers, if you can spare any time during the evening we would appreciate the help! I can be reached at 519-280-5472 or .
Thank you in advance
Lisa Sheldon
A quick reminder that March Break runs from March 12th – 16th. I hope everyone gets a chance to relax and recharge with family and friends.
The character attribute for the month of March is Optimism. Optimism is defined as hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something. The following story is a reflection piece, I encourage you to read it with your child and see what connections they can make…
Treasure Hunters and Trash Collectors
It seems that in life there are two types of people. The first are treasure hunters. Every day they seek out what is useful and positive. They focus on it, talk about it, and think about it. Each of these moments is treasured like a bright, shining jewel that they store in their treasure chest forever.
And then there are trash collectors who spend their lives looking for what is wrong, unfair, and not working. They focus their energy, time, and thoughts on the trash, and every day they put that trash into a big trashcan.
The treasure hunters proudly carry their treasure into the future, while the trash collectors drag their heavy, smelly trashcan from one day to the next. The question is: When they get to the end of the year, what does each person have – a treasure chest filled with useful, positive memories, or a trash can full of things they didn’t like? The choice is yours. You get to decide.
-Unknown Author
Mr. Charles Longston
Principal
Engage, Inspire, Innovate… Always Learning
Dates to Remember
March 6 – Skating Day
March 7 – Elmira Poultry pick-up (2 – 5)
March 9 – Power of We Crazy Hair and Hat Day
March 12 – March Break
March 19 – Power of We Book Drive
March 19 – Dental Screening (JK, SK, 2, 8)
March 26 – Pizza, Milk and Sub Orders Due
March 29 – Easter Egg Hunt
Power Of WE
The Power of We thanks everyone in the South Perth community who donated their used batteries to our Zinc Saves Lives campaign. We collected 909 batteries! We would also like to thank Mrs. Mathers for dropping off these batteries at the Call2Recycle centre at the Exeter Canadian tire. The used batteries are kept out of landfills and are used to create zinc tablets for people suffering from zinc deficiencies.
On Friday, March 9th, the Power of We is inviting everyone to either wear their favourite hat or to create an interesting hairdo. We would also appreciate any donations for the “Education for Ethiopia” campaign.
The Power of We is organizing their first ever book sale. If your family has some gently used books that they would like to donate, please send them to the school during the week of March 19th – 23rd. We will be selling the books for a small fee (25 cents – $1) on the 26th and 27th of March. Any books that do not sell will be donated to the St. Marys Salvation Army’s thrift store. All of the proceeds from this sale will go to the “Education for Ethiopia” campaign.
School Council Update
Please mark your calendars for Thursday, May 17th as the date for South Perth’s annual FunFest. This is an evening of fun and games and we hope you and your family will be able to attend. The event is a huge undertaking and requires lots of volunteers to make sure it runs smoothly. A notice was sent home last month requesting your help. If you haven’t already, please consider becoming a volunteer for Funfest. Many hands make light work, and will ensure a successful and enjoyable evening for all. Contact Lisa Sheldon or Ashley Swarthout, or the school office for more information or to offer your talents.
Did you know that the Nutrition Program offered at South Perth during the second nutrition break is 100% volunteer run and provides fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a variety of other nutritious snacks, for all students, every day of the week? The program is a huge success thanks to our volunteers but with the rising costs of groceries, is also a huge expense. We are committed to seeing this program continue, therefore if you or your family have connections for sourcing high quality foods at reasonable costs, or know of any grants available to support student nutrition and learning opportunities, please contact the school. In the past, donations have been received from companies such as Dupont-Pioneer, as well as pre-packaged hard boiled eggs courtesy of G&M Nairn Farms and we are very thankful for that support.
Little Caesars Pizza Kits fundraising forms will be coming home soon and are due back after March Break. Take the rush out of supper time and enjoy the classic taste of Little Caesars, baked right in your oven. We hope all families have an relaxing and enjoyable March break and we’re looking forward to an exciting spring at SPCS!
Our next Parent Council Meeting is Tuesday, April 17th at 7:00 p.m in the library. Hope to see you there.
Easter Egg Hunt
On Thursday, March 29, 2018, have some fun at the South Perth Centennial Easter Egg Hunt with proceeds going to the United Way. Our goal is to raise $100. Participants donate $1 to join in the hunt and all participants take home a treat.
A sign up form will be sent home after March Break and the form and donation to be returned the week before so supplies can be ready for the big hunt!
]]>Special thanks to parent council for supporting our tubing trip to River Valley on January 24th. It was an exciting day, and I know the kids absolutely loved it!
A reminder that February 2nd is a PA Day and there is no school. Also, March Break takes place from March 12th – 16th this year.
The character attribute for the month of February is Perseverance. Perseverance is defined as the ability to demonstrate continuous effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition. Students can demonstrate perseverance at school by:
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it”.
-Maya Angelou
Mr. Charles Longston
Principal
Dates to Remember
February 2nd – PD Day (No School)
February 12th – Grade 8 Grad photos in the a.m.
February 13th – Cinnabon pick-up 3-5 p.m.
February 16th – Winter Carnival at 2 p.m. (Please make sure to dress warmly)
February 19th – Family Day
February 20th – Report Cards go home
February 23rd – Pizza, Sub, and Milk orders due
February 26th – Parent Council @ 7 p.m.
School Council Update
Thank you for your support of the recent Cinnabon fundraiser. Just a reminder that order pick up will take place on Tuesday February 13th from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the school. All fresh baked buns need to be picked up, but certificates can be sent home with your student on the bus.
Plans for the spring edition of Electives Day are well underway, however new ideas are always appreciated. If you have any thoughts for new and exciting activities that students of various ages would enjoy, please let us know.
We are also in need of additional volunteers for Fun Fest that will take place in May. Please contact Lisa Sheldon or Ashley Swarthout to let them know how you can help.
Our next school council meeting will take place on Monday February 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the library. I hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Katharine Found
School Council Chair
Power Of WE News
The Power of We would like to thank the South Perth school community for their generous support in helping us to surpass our goal of raising $1000.00 for our “Education for Ethiopia” campaign! After the “Bobcat Day,” we had raised over $1066.00. We still have a few more spirit days planned for this year and we will still gladly accept any donations.
We are planning a used battery drive for the “ZINC SAVES LIVES” cause and are collecting used household batteries from February 5th – February 16th! We send the used batteries to a collection agency who then gives the batteries to TECK who extracts the zinc from these batteries. The zinc is used for children with zinc deficiencies.
The other project that the Power of We is organizing this year, is a gently used book sale. We are looking to collect used books that would be appropriate for elementary school children from March 19th – 23rd. We will then sell these books on the 26th and 27th of March!
JK Registration
Just a reminder to please remind family and friends to register their children for Junior Kindergarten next year if they were born during 2014. We are trying to finalize our numbers and we have had several new registrants in January.
]]>Happy New Year! The staff is excited for a rewarding 2018. Please continue to use the planner as a mode of communication between the school and home.
A reminder that all food orders can be purchased on school cash on-line, please contact Stephanie in the office if you need assistance in setting up your account.
We are really excited for our school tubing date on January 24th. Please note that the permission form must be returned in advance. We cannot accept a note or phone call the day of for this excursion.
The character attribute for January is Responsibility. Responsibility is defined as being accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management. Students can demonstrate responsibility in the following ways at school:
As always please feel free to contact me at the school with any questions or concerns.
Mr. Charles Longston Principal
Dates to Remember
January 15 – Jerry Rader’s Meat Pies (3 – 5:00 p.m. pick-up)
January 17 – Dairy Presentations
January 19 – Bobcat Day (wear school colours)
January 22 – Parent Council at 7 p.m.
January 24 – School tubing date at River Valley (permission forms must be returned)
January 26 – Pizza, Milk, and Sub Orders due
February 2 – PD Day (No School)
School Council Update
I hope that the holidays were a relaxing and memorable time for your family and I wish you all the best for a successful 2018! The Christmas luncheon was a huge success, once the weather finally cooperated, and we look forward to supporting more of these types of whole-school community events in the future. If you have ideas for new events or activities, please let me know.
We hope the students enjoy their day snow tubing this month and we ask that everyone keep their fingers crossed for sunshine and warmish winter temperatures! Just a reminder to pick up your Jerry Rader Meat Pie orders on Monday, January 15 from 3 – 5 p.m. at the school. This month we look forward to bringing back the Cinnabon fundraiser. Order forms will go home this week with orders being delivered just in time for Valentine’s Day!
Our next school council meeting will take place on Monday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the library. I hope to see you there.
Sincerely, Katharine Found
School Council Chair
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]]>I would like to begin this newsletter by wishing everyone a healthy and happy holiday season. We are really looking forward to our concert on Tuesday, December 19th. There will be a performance at 2 p.m. and at 7 p.m.
Also, I would like to say a special thanks to parent council and to Lisa Sheldon for organizing a school wide holiday meal that will take place on Tuesday, December 12th. Students will enjoy a delicious turkey dinner with potatoes and vegetables. We are asking for a canned food donation for the United Way.
The character attribute for the month of December is Compassion. Compassion is defined as sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Students can show compassion at school by:
Please take the time to rest and recharge over the holidays. We are looking forward to an amazing 2018 at South Perth. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at the school.
Mr. Charles Longston
Principal
Engage, Inspire, Innovate… Always Learning
Thank you to everyone who donated during our PJ & Stuffy Day. We collected about $151.00 that day! It is a great start toward our $1000.00 goal for “Education for Ethiopia.” Members of the Power of We will be collecting donations as well during our Christmas Concert and they have planned other events to help reach our goal. The Power of We is also planning a battery drive for “Zinc Saves Lives.” Please save any used batteries so we can collect them in the New Year.
It’s been a very busy, yet successful fall for school council. Thank you to everyone who took time to come to the Beanstalk Project workshop on November 28th. Joel’s message of finding your balance and counting your blessings every day was a good reminder to all of us as a way to ensure overall personal wellness for ourselves and our families.
The Jerry Rader Meat pie fundraiser will be circulated this month. Orders will be due Wednesday, December 20th. We hope you will stock your freezers full of these homemade, locally produced pies that will make meal planning a breeze this winter.
We have organized a school-wide Christmas luncheon, which will take place on December 12th. This is a chance to enhance our school community spirit, as all students and staff will enjoy a traditional Christmas turkey dinner together, to celebrate the holiday season. If you are able to volunteer your time to help prepare or serve food that day, please contact Lisa Sheldon or the school office.
We have decided to change Electives day this year by delaying it until the spring, in hopes of introducing a new variety of activities for students. With the warmer weather, the ever popular tubing elective will no longer be an option, so we have organized a school-wide tubing day at River Valley on January 24th and will be subsidizing the trip so that it will only cost families $10 per child. We hope the students enjoy the change. If you have any ideas for potential activities, please contact Wendy Callcott.
Piano lessons offered at South Perth are in the final organizational stages. This is the last call for any families that would like to have their student participate in the program. Lessons will be once per week and will be 30 minutes long at a cost of $25 per lesson. If you would like to add your child’s name to the list, please contact Katharine Found at .
Our next school council meeting will take place on Monday, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m in the library. Please plan to attend!
Wishing you and your family a magical holiday season.
Sincerely,
Katharine Found
School Council Chair
Please join us if you are able for our Remembrance Day assembly on Friday, November 10th at 10 a.m. Students will be presenting wreaths and showcasing some of their singing talents. We will be joined by representatives from the local branch of the legion.
On November 21st we will be hosting CATYO (Calling All Three Year Olds) at South Perth. If you have family or friends who have yet to register their child for an appointment time please have them contact the school.
Parent Council is really excited to present the “Beanstalk Project” to students and parents alike on November 28th. Please mark your calendars as we are looking for a big parent turnout that night starting at 6:30 p.m. in the gym. For more information please check out www.thebeanstalkproject.org
The character attribute for the month of November is Courage. Courage is defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, without fear. Students can demonstrate courage at school by:
– trying new things even if you might fail
– telling the truth regardless of the consequences
– bravely dealing with new challenges
As always please feel free to contact me at the school with any questions or concerns.
Mr. Charles Longston
Principal
Engage, Inspire, Innovate… Always Learning
Dates to Remember
November 2nd – Parent / Teacher Interviews (4-7)
November 3rd – Parent / Teacher Interviews (9-11:30)
November 3rd – P.D. Day (No School)
November 3rd – Subway orders due
November 8th – Photo re-take day
November 8th – JK/SK Hearing and Vision Screening
November 10th – Remembrance Day Assembly
November 13th – School Bus Evacuation Drill
November 17th – PJ and Stuffy Day for Power of We
November 21st – Farm Fresh Delivery
November 21st – QSP Cookie Dough pick-up
November 21st – CATYO at South Perth
November 28th – The Beanstalk Project
(please consider attending)
Before and After School Viability Survey
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 and After school programs for their four and five year old’s, and possibly order children in the upcoming school year, should complete an on-line survey by December 1, 2017. The link to the survey will be found on the Board website www.yourschools.ca starting mid-October. We appreciate your assistance as we determine the feasibility of offering such programs. Should your require a paper copy, please contact the school after October 10th.
School Council Update
Please mark your calendars as we are excited to welcome Joel Hilchey to SPCS on Tuesday November 28th at 6:30 p.m. Joel is an inspirational speaker and founder of the Beanstalk Project, a youth engagement initiative that helps students start their own community projects, develop global leadership skills and create positive social change. Joel will entertain and encourage us in his workshop on maximizing whole-self wellness. Bring your family and plan to be inspired!
Piano Lessons at SPC
Would you be interested in having your child take piano lessons during the school day, right in the comfort of the school? We are currently seeing if there is enough interest to run a piano lesson program at SPCS. A qualified piano teacher would come to the school and parents would give permission to excuse their student from class for the duration of the lesson (approximately 30 minutes).
Parents would pay the piano teacher directly for this service. If you are interested, please contact Katharine at or 519-229-8031. If there is sufficient interest, this program would begin in the new year.
Fundraisers
Thank you for your support of the Fresh from the Farm and QSP fundraisers. Both were very successful. A reminder that pick up for both fundraisers will be on Tuesday November 21st from 3 – 5 p.m. at the school. Look for a notice about the maple syrup and Klomps Nursery fundraisers that will be coming home soon. Both would make excellent Christmas gifts!
School Clothing
Looking for more Christmas gift ideas? Order some SPCS swag for your student.
Long sleeve shirts, short sleeve shirts, hooded sweaters, sweat pants and toques are all available for order. Samples are available in the office for sizing. Orders will be due November 29th to ensure they are in before Christmas.
Our next School Council meeting will be brief, and will be held after the Beanstalk Project presentation, at 8:00 p.m. on November 28th.
Sincerely,
Katharine Found
School Council Chair
Power of We News
Thank you very much for donating non-perishable food items to our October food drive. We were very proud to donate 120 items to our local food bank. Our next food drive will take place in the spring.
The Power of We will be working with WE Charities to fundraise for educational materials for a village in Ethiopia. The Power of We is hoping to raise $1000.00 by the end of April 2018 for their Education for Ethiopia campaign. In November, we are asking people to donate to this campaign during the “PJ and Stuffy Day” on Friday, November 17th! Other spirit/fundraising days are being planned by the Power of We for the rest of the school year.
]]>Thank-you to everyone who supported and participated in the Terry Fox Walk. We exceeded our goal and were able to raise $2,135 to help in the fight against cancer. It was also great to see everyone at “Meet the Teacher” night. Thanks to all who visited and supported our Scholastic Book Fair. We were able to purchase several new resources for classrooms and the library. Please remember our QSP (magazine and cookie dough) fundraiser is ongoing, our on-line ID is 3712270 at qsp.ca.
Attached to this newsletter you will find information regarding our No-Work fundraiser.
The character attribute for the month of October is Empathy
Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. I often think of Empathy as walking a mile in another persons’ shoes.
“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone… just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages you’ve had.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
As always please feel free to contact me at the school with any questions or concerns.
Mr. Charles Langston, Principal
Dates to Remember
October 3 – Pat Cook Cross Country run
October 4 – Junior Mixed Soccer
October 5 – Regional Cross Country
October 9 – Thanksgiving Day (no school)
October 10 – Gr.8 Celtic Meeting at 6 p.m.
October 11 – QSP orders due
October 12 – District Cross Country
October 13 – School Immunization Clinic (Gr.7)
October 16 – Pizza Party for JK/SK
October 30 – Progress Reports sent home
October 31 – Orange and Black Day
Before and After School Viability Survey
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 and After school programs for their four and five year old’s, and possibly order children in the upcoming school year, should complete an on-line survey by December 1, 2017. 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 your require a paper copy, please contact the school after October 10th.
School Council Update
It’s been a busy start to the school year for our School Council parent volunteers. Thank you to everyone who came to the family swim event that we hosted in August. We hope you and your family enjoyed the sunshine, water and socialization. We plan to continue to organize summertime social gatherings for our school community so if you have any new ideas we would love to hear them.
One of School Council’s main focuses is organizing fundraising initiatives for the students within the school. The fundraising outline for this year can be found in the front of your student’s agenda. Orders for the Fresh from the Farm fundraiser are due by October 4, and QSP cookie dough and magazine orders are due by October 11. Thank you in advance for your support of these programs. There are a few new fundraisers coming up this year, to compliment some long-standing favourites, so we hope there is something for everyone. If traditional fundraisers are not for you but you would still like to contribute, consider making a donation as part of the “no work” donation fundraiser.
More information about that is included with this newsletter.
School clothing will soon be available to order. T-shirts, long sleeve shirts, hoodies, jogging pants and toques bearing the school’s bobcat logo will keep your child warm and stylish all year long! Sample sizes will be available in the office and order forms will go home soon.
If you haven’t done so already, we encourage you to like our Facebook page: South Perth Centennial School Parent Group. We will try to keep this page up to date with news and to celebrate what is happening at the school.
Our next School Council meeting will be Tuesday,October 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the library. We are always looking for new ideas, so please come out and share yours!
Sincerely, Katharine Found
School Council Chair
Power of We News
The Power of We is organizing a food drive this month. It will start on Wednesday, October 11th and end on Friday, October 20th. Please consider donating a few items. We will be donating all of the items to the St. Marys Salvation Army.
Kindergarten Registration
Sign up your child for kindergarten during November 2017 at all schools across Huron & Perth Counties. For all children eligible for Jr or Sr. Kindergarten in September 2018
For more information, contact your local school after October 1.
Donation (No-work) Fundraising Program 2017-2018
Many families find conventional fundraising difficult. Maybe you are inundated with fundraisers for other organizations. Or perhaps family and friends who would normally support such initiatives do not live close by. Or maybe you find it difficult to simply remember to hand in the paperwork on time. If this sounds familiar, consider supporting the Donation “No Work” Fundraising Program.
This program allows you, or your family members who would like to contribute to the school’s overall fundraising goals, to do so through a simple financial donation. All donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. As a guideline, our school has suggested a donation or $25.00 per child, to a maximum of $75 per family.
All donations received by December 8111, 2017 will be eligible for a tax receipt. Please return this donation form, along with a cheque, made payable to “Foundation For Enriching Education Perth Huron”.
We appreciate your donations and look forward to continuing to support the incredible learning opportunities that exist within our school community.
Tax Receipts
South Perth Centennial Public School – Donation Fundraiser
A tax receipt should be issued to:
Name:
Address:
In order to receive a tax receipt for 2017, only donations submitted by December 8 will be eligible.
]]>Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year. Staff have been in since the middle of August diligently preparing their classrooms and getting ready. Congratulations to Mrs. Purvis who retired this summer. She has had a profound impact on students throughout her teaching career, and we wish her all the best. We have new staff starting in September, please join me in welcoming them to our amazing school. The organization is as follows:
JK/SK – Mrs. Gettler and Mrs. Feeney
1/2- Ms. King
2/3- Mrs. Vivian
3/4- Mrs. Parkinson
4/5- Mrs. Littleton
Ms. O’Rourke
7/8- Mrs. McGregor
SERT – Ms. Weber
TRA – Mrs. Milne
Secretary – Mrs. Mathers
Custodians – Mr. Thompson and Mr. O’Reilly
At South Perth we strive to provide the best educational experience possible. We pride ourselves on delivering rich academics with a focus on character. The character attribute for the month of September is Respect. Students can show respect at school by:
As always, please feel free to contact me at the school with any questions or concerns.
Mr. Charles Longstone, Principal
The Ontario Student Record (OSR)
WHAT IS THE ONTARIO STUDENT RECORD (OSR)?
The OSR is the ongoing, confidential record of a student’s educational progress. The collection of this information is authorized by the Education Act. The Freedom of Information Act and Protection of Privacy Act protect its contents.
An OSR is established for each student who enrolls in an elementary or secondary school that is operated by a public or separate school board in Ontario.
Where is the OSR Kept?
A student OSR is securely housed at the student’s school. If a student transfers to another school in Ontario, the OSR folder and all its contents are transferred to the new school.
What does the OSR Contain?
An OSR consists of the OSR folder, various supporting documents and other information.
On the OSR folder itself, the following information is entered: biographical data, school attended, name(s) of student’s parent(s) or guardian(s), information on any special health conditions and other information that is considered relevant for improving the instruction of the student. Photographs may also be attached. The following material is filed in the OSR folder:
Who has access to an OSR?
The information in an OSR is available only to supervisory officers, the principal and the teachers of the school for the purpose of improving the instruction of the student. Written permission is requested for any outside agency/personnel to access the OSR.
All students. and the parents/guardians of students under 18 years of age. have the right to examine the OSR and to receive a copy of its contents, if they so desire. Contact the Principal for details of the procedure to be followed.
What if there is an error or change required? If the parent/guardian or adult student feels the information contained in the student’s OSR is inaccurately recorded or inappropriate, the parent/guardian or adult student may request in writing that the principal correct the alleged inaccuracy or remove the information from the record. If the principal complies with the request, the information will be corrected or removed from the file. If the principal does not comply, the matter may be referred to the appropriate supervisory officer with a request in writing from the adult student or student’s parent/guardian.
Want to know more?
More information can be obtained from the Ontario Ministry of Education web site.
School Cash Online
Our goal at South Perth is to be 100% cashless this year. If you require assistance signing up for school cash on-line, please come to the office and Mrs. Mathers will assist you. All items available for purchase will be on-line. If you require a paper copy, please come to the office. Thank you for your assistance with this matter.
Safe Arrival: Letter of Responsibility
Parents/Guardians and adult pupils are reminded that success in school is directly related to regular attendance in classes. Recent research conducted by our board in conjunction with McMaster University shows a direct relationship between student achievement and attendance patterns; students who miss a lot of school do not succeed in their studies. Regular attendance becomes even more critical as our education system places more emphasis on the 21st Century skills of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity and problem solving.
The Education Act requires that all young people of school age must attend school. It also requires that schools track student attendance and the reasons for any student absences. If your child is going to be absent or late from school, the reason for the absence needs to be provided to the school prior to the commencement of the school day. If the school has not been notified of the absence a phone call will normally be made as soon as possible after the expected arrival time. If an absence is unexplained, the school is obliged to record the absence as truancy.
A principal may excuse the pupil from attendance at school temporarily (less than 15 consecutive days) at the written request of a parent of the pupil, or the pupil where the pupil is an adult.
Secondary school students who are absent greater than 15 consecutive classes in a given course must be removed from that course. Students who are absent greater than 15 consecutive days must be referred to the board’s Attendance Counsellor and after 60 consecutive absences these students must be removed from the register of the school.
We wish all of our students to be successful in their studies. One way of helping to achieve that success is through regular attendance at school. With your assistance we can help your children be successful.
]]>Tough to believe it is already the month of June. A quick reminder, that we are really excited for the 50th Anniversary on June 16th. Please purchase your tickets in advance. Attached to this newsletter you will find information on how to register for School Cash On-line. This is an excellent way to pay for field trips and food orders for 2017-2018.
The staffing process is starting to take shape for next year. Student numbers and teaching assignments often change. Due to this fact, parents and students will learn about teacher and student placements on the first day.
The character attribute for the month of June is Integrity. Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. I often think of it as doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Students can demonstrate Integrity at school by:
As always, please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mr. Charles Longston
Principal
Engage, Inspire, Innovate… Always Learning
Dates to Remember
June 5th- 50th Anniversary meeting at 6:30 p.m.
June 6th- Regional Track and Field
June 7tth- Milk Orders Due
June 7th- Ice Cream Bar Sales
June 8th- Ice Cream Bar Sales
June 9th- PA Day
June 12th- Parent Council at 7 p.m.
June 13th- First Ride Program
June 16th- 50th Anniversary Assembly at 1:40 p.m.
June 16th- 50th Anniversary Celebration 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
June 17th- 50th Anniversary Meet & Greet 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
June 20th- District Track and Field
June 26th- Grade 8 Graduation at 7 p.m.
June 27th- Report Cards go home
June 29th- Last Day of Classes
50th Anniversary Update
The 50th Anniversary Committee will be selling vanilla and chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches to the students on Wednesday, June 7 and Thursday, June 8 at the cost of $1.00 each. All proceeds will go to the Anniversary Celebration planned for June 16 and 17.
The 50th Anniversary Dinner takes place on Friday, June 16th from 4 to 8 p.m. Please come join us for a fun-filled night.
Chicken dinner tickets must be purchased by June 6th. Tickets can be picked up at the School, Kirkton Store, The Glo, Cascade Cleaners, or Dowler-Karn. There will be an Open House on Sat., June 17 from 1 to 3:00 p.m.
Parent Council Corner
As we approach the end of another school year, I would like to take this time to thank all families that have so generously supported our various fundraising initiatives throughout the past year. All money raised goes right back to support the students, their teachers and the school, through a variety of positive learning opportunities. Our next meeting will be a brainstorming session to discuss future projects and opportunities and to organize fundraisers for next school year. If you would like to contribute to that discussion, please plan to attend.
Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy our annual Fun Fest. Though the weather forecast threatened to cause chaos, it turned out to be a beautiful evening with outstanding attendance! Thank you to Lisa Sheldon for her efforts to organize the event, and to everyone who contributed to make the evening a true community and school success! More information regarding the 2nd annual South Perth Family Swim and Fun day will be coming soon, once details are finalized. Watch for a note to be sent home with your student, or continue to watch the ‘South Perth Centennial School Parent Group’ Facebook page for announcements over the summer. Parent Council also renewed our school’s subscription to the IXL online math program, so we hope students will make use of that program throughout the summer and into next year to keep their skills sharp.
We hope all families have a relaxing and enjoyable summer. To all those students and families that will find themselves surrounded by a new school community next year, thank you for your contributions to South Perth and we wish you all the best. And to those who will be returning in the fall, we look forward to seeing you then and will plan for another great year. Our last Parent Council Meeting of the year is Monday, June 12th at 7:00pm in the library. Hope you can make it.
Power of WE Update
The Power of WE would like to thank the South Perth Community for another successful year. We not only raised over $900.00 to support food security in a village in India through WE Charities, but we also collected food for the St. Marys Salvation Army’s food bank, used batteries to support the Zinc Saves Lives program and raised $100.00 for the Huron-Perth United Way!
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