June 19th, 2015

Upcoming Events

Monday, June 22: Promotion letters will be sent home with all students today.

Tuesday, June 23: Mrs. Leblanc’s class will be visiting the Woodstock Fairgrounds.

Wednesday, June 23: Dress in your colour house!

Thursday, June 24: Last day of school. There will be a brief assembly at 10:00 a.m.

Friday, June 25: Professional Activity Day for teachers. The school will be closed

Thank you again for a great week. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 519-696-2296 or send an email to andrea_michelutti@wrdsb.on.ca.

Andrea Michelutti, Principal

End of Year Message from Andrea Michelutti

Well another school year has come and gone. Students’ reading levels have shot up, math problem solving improved, and their sense of who they are in this complicated world has been enhanced. Growth can feel slow and steady at times, but when we think about where our students were at the beginning of the year, and where they are now, we realize that childhood development is really very, very fast. As the year comes to a close, we would like to thank parents who have supported us in our work: whether reading with their children, using School-Day as a way to communicate with the school, signing the planner, following up at home around important messages, or attending school events. We rely on these positive relationships to help us model for children what healthy adult and community relationships look like, sound like, and feel like. Thank-you for speaking about your school and your child’s teacher in a positive light!

At this time of year we prepare to say goodbye to some of our students and some of our staff as well. To our grade 6s going on to their new grade 7 schools: all the very best! You have made us proud! Take your great memories of New Dundee Public School with you and don’t forget the lessons you have learned along the way.

For September there are staff changes as occasional teaching terms come to an end, parental leaves are planned, and teachers take on new challenges at other schools. Good-bye to Mrs. Tsetsekas, Ms. Lather, Ms. Flowers, and Mrs. Martin – all of whom have done a stellar job for the students and our school. Good luck to Mrs. Roth as she will begin a leave of absence and will be returning September 2016

Have a safe and relaxing summer. See you in September!

Dates to Remember

August 31 – Office opens for registrations
September 2 – Class lists posted at 12:00 p.m.
September 8 – First day of school
September 17 – Meet the Teacher

School Council

Many thanks go out to the parents who volunteered with School Council this past year. A special thank you goes to Megan Hall and Brandy Cameron for co-chairing the School Council this year. Please consider being part of this wonderful organization.

What class am I in?

The New Dundee team has put a considerable amount of work into the class blending process. It takes a great amount of time, revision and careful consideration. Sometimes parents ask for changes in the fall, not realizing the many factors which have gone into the final decisions. We cannot shuffle classrooms based on summer friendships or summer falling-outs. Please prepare your child to accept his or her class placement by saying things such as, “It doesn’t matter what class you are in – all the teachers are great.” Or, “It doesn’t matter if you are not in the same class as your friend – you will get to see them at recess anyway”. Please be confident in your child’s teacher. Remember that kids take their cues from the reactions of the most important adults in their lives – their parents.

Summer Shopping List

If you are interested in purchasing some back to school supplies for your child, below is a list that may help you.

Kindergarten: Kleenex
Grades 1 & 2: pencils, vinyl eraser, ruler, pencil case, box of Kleenex (to share), glue sticks, washable markers, coloured pencils (preferably sharpened), white glue, small pencil sharpener
Grades 3, 4 and 5: pencils, vinyl eraser, metric ruler, pencil case, coloured pencils (preferably sharpened), box of Kleenex (to share), scissors, glue sticks, washable markers
Grades 4 & 5: Add calculator
Grade 6: Add protractor

STSWR Website

If your child will be taking the bus this upcoming school year, there is a student login feature on the Board website that will be available for use on or about August 25. Parents and students will be able to login and view their transportation details for the next school year. All transportation is arranged through the Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region.

Please visit the site at http://www.stswr.ca/ and click on student login.

To login you will have to enter the following information:

– Ontario Education Number (from the report card)
– Student’s birth date
– Street number
– School

Since most JK students will not have an OEN number prior to September, STSWR will be sending a direct mail out to the families of Junior and Senior Kindergarten students that will be transported next year. More information regarding the First Riders Program can be found at their website as well. http://transportation.stswr.ca

A direct mail out will also be sent in August to the families with special needs students that will be transported in September.

If there are questions that cannot be answered via the website, please call 519-650-4934 ext. 221.

What do I have to pay for in September?

As parents, you know that September can be a drain on the pocket book. Better to know in advance what to expect. At New Dundee, we make every attempt to control how many times we have to ask for money for items or events. We will be distributing a student planner to each of our students and subsidizing its cost beyond the $5 cost.

Field trips are another expense for parents and although we attempt to book only the most modestly priced ones, we have noticed an increase in what some of these venues or experiences cost. In discussions with parent council this year, we will be partnering to make every attempt to keep trips costs down by subsidizing the cost of the transportation. At times, families struggle financially along the way. If you find that your family is in a tight spot next year, please don’t hesitate to call Ms. Michelutti to discuss how the school might help to support your child’s school activities. We are always here to help.

Meet the Teacher Night

We are excited to announce our 2015 “Meet the Teacher Night!” Mark your calendar on Thursday September 17, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. More information will be available in September.