May 2018 Newsletter
Principal’s Message
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:
- treating people the way you want to be treated
- taking turns and telling the truth
- don’t blame others for your mistakes
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.