BERWICK & DISTRICT SCHOOL
NEWSLETTER
June 2014
Please remember that Berwick & District promotes a scent aware and peanut aware school.
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SCHOOL NEWS:
Early Dismissals/No School:
Wednesday, June 18th / Early Dismissal @ 11:45 amWednesday, June 25th / No School – Marking Day
Thursday, June 26th / No School – Marking Day
Friday, June 27th / No School – Marking Day
Monday, June 30th / Early Dismissal @ 11:45 pm
Last Day of School. Have a Great Summer Break J
Principal’s Message:
I believe that we have had a wonderful year at Berwick & District School. I would like to thank the parents/guardians of this terrific school for their support of their children, the staff and the community. As the year draws to a close we must say good bye and many thanks to a number of our staff members as they move on to other schools and, in the case, of Mrs. Armstrong and Mr. Grant we wish them the very best in their retirement. The school will be hosting a free spring BBQ on the 12th, in our court yard at 4:30 pm. We are inviting everyone in Berwick who would like to join us in celebrating a successful year of learning, saying good bye to our retirees, staff who are moving on and students who won’t be with us next year. Please come join us for hot dogs and a drink. Our spring Band Concert will follow the BBQ at 6:30 in our gym. As is the custom a free will offering is always accepted to help offset the costs of our Band program.
There are many important dates in our June schedule, please take a look at the calendar for reference. Please note a change from my last communication to you. The Middle Level awards ceremony will start at 6:00 pm on the 18th at the Lions Club in the Mutual Centre. A reminder that the early dismissal scheduled for the 10th has been moved to the 18th.
With the warmer weather upon us in the Valley we are encountering dress code issues at school. Each year we ask for your help with this topic that is somewhat difficult to address. In May we reminded students of the AVRSB dress code policy and while there may have been improvements there is still work to do. For your convenience the dress code policy is stated clearly in our student agendas and it is on our website. Any help you could provide in this area would be greatly appreciated.
As my year as Acting-Principal of Berwick & District School draws to a close, I’m more steadfast in my opinion that the most important aspect of our collective school experience is the relationships that we create and foster. I’m very proud to have been a Stinger for one year. The quality of the students, the staff and the relationships at Berwick are excellent and I will leave with very fond memories.
All the best for June and as you head into the summer
Pat Murphy, Acting Principal
Modelling Appropriate Social Media Behaviours for our Children - Social media has become an important means of communication and of seeking information for most people. It is proving to be of particular importance for our youth as technology has become a significant part of the identity of this generation. Unfortunately, increased technology has also resulted in new social issues. It is sometimes used as a means of cyber-bullying or an exchange of inappropriate information. It is up to us, as adults, to serve as proper role models with regards to technology use. We need to teach our children to respect the use of technology and to be good digital citizens. In order to do this properly, we as adults must also learn to be good social citizens and to model appropriate use of social media. We must use social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. appropriately, because our children are watching and emulating our behaviours.
For more information around proper use of social media and good digital citizenship, please visit our website at: avrsb.ca/digital. Note: Our second speakers event in September of 2014 will focus on this topic. Stay tune in the fall for a date and time.
Student Leadership Council Update:
Yet another school year is coming to an end and although we all want summer to arrive, there are some fun events in the upcoming month of June to look forward too. The student council has been working hard to prepare all kinds of events and reward parties. On June 6th the class that has received the most “Spirit Awards” will get a special celebration. Throughout the year homerooms have been participating in theme days and spirit days to win these rewards. Next is the Intramural closing on June 13th. Just like the opening ceremony, house leagues will have last chance to score points. Thank-you to all the students who have participated in intramurals and helped out their House Leagues! On June 23rd the winning House gets an awesome prize of a trip to Upper Clements Park! More details will be sent to parents when we find out which students are awarded this trip. Last but not least is our middle level Year End Dance on the 18th. This should be a fun event and we encourage everyone to come! In the past this dance was known as “prom”, so for those who want to dress up, go right ahead, I know I am, but it is not mandatory. I hope everyone has had a great year so far and will have a good last month!
Thanks
Adrie Cameron, SLC President
Royal Party Visit: The Apple Blossom Royal Party visit will take place on June 2nd at 9:00 am in the school gym.
Gr. 8 Math Assessments: The grade eight students will be writing their Math Assessments on June 3rd and 4th during the morning. Please note that it is very important that students attend during these two days and are on time for school. Thank you for your cooperation.
Community BBQ & Spring Concert: The school will be hosting a free spring BBQ on the 12th, in our court yard at 4:30 pm. We are inviting everyone in Berwick who would like to join us in celebrating a successful year of learning, saying good bye to our retirees, the staff who are moving on, and students who won’t be with us next year. Please come join us for hot dogs and a drink. Our spring Band Concert will follow the BBQ at 6:30 pm in our gym. As is the custom a free will offering is always accepted to help offset the costs of our Band program.
Awards Night & End of Year Dance: This year the Awards Ceremony will be held across the road at the Apple Dome. It will begin at 6:00 pm and will last approximately an hour. The End of Year dance will begin at 7:30 pm in the school gym and will end at 9:30 pm.
Band Parent Meeting will take place on June 19th the Executive will meet at 6:45 and the General meeting at 7:30 pm. Registration for next year’s band program will take place before the meeting at 5:15 pm.
PTSA: Last meeting for this school year will be held on June 17th at 6:00 pm in the Family Studies Room.
Wellness/Yoga Room: Our Zumba/Yoga Classes for students and staff have proved to be very popular! We have 38 students Grades 3 – 8 who dance and stretch their way through the instructions of Suzi Fevens, a local fitness leader. What a fantastic asset to our school. We will evaluate these sampler classes and be ready in the fall for a solid exercise class plan. Parents pay attention to the fall newsletter as we just might be able to offer something for you!
Painting Project for the SLC and parent volunteers… As part of our Positive School Climate Committee’s work, we are looking for parent volunteers to help us on the afternoon of June 30th. We have a group of students who are interested in beautifying our school by painting the hall bulletin boards. If you are able to donate a few hours of your time and maybe a bit of painting experience please let the office know and we will add you to our “Painting Crew”. We could use 10 parents so please consider helping!! If you still need to get your Criminal Record Check and Child Registry Form completed, we will help you figure out how to do that so you can participate.
Friendly Reminder: Please do not park in the bus lane when dropping off and picking up students; or in the disabled permit only parking area as this space is limited to those with a disabled permit sticker. As well, we request that parents/guardians wait in the lobby, away from the doors leading to the east wing, during dismissal time for their children due to congestion from the traffic flow in the Primary to four classrooms. We thank you for your support regarding these requests.
Reminder to Parents Students who walk or who are transported in private vehicles should not be arriving until 8:20 a.m. There is no outside supervision for students.
COMMUNITY NOTICES:
Items in this section announce activities in which students or their family members are likely to participate. These are activities, which the school does not sponsor nor necessarily encourage – they are here for your information only.
Canadian Parents for French (CPF) Valley Chapter will be having a French camp information night and AGM on June 3rd at 7pm at Berwick and District School. Come find out what CPF can do for you, and how you can get involved! We are also offering an 8 week Level 1 French course for Parents in September at New Minas Elementary, so come June 3rd to find out more and save your spot, or e-mail for more information. French learning in and outside of the classroom is to be celebrated, c'est magnifique! Bring your French learners along for some refreshments and cake, and some French games.
My Invisible Friend: A play dealing with the issue of bullying is being presented by CentreStage Theatre, Kentville. Cynthia Myers, an artistic director with the theatre, became very concerned with the issue over the past year and wrote a play, My Invisible Friend, to help students, teachers and parents deal with it in a positive way. Twelve young people (and a few adults) will be bringing this story to the stage on June 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 at 2:00 pm in the Upper Performance Centre. Call 678-8040 for reservations, or www.centrestagetheatre.ca for more information. This play is suitable for Upper Elementary and Middle Level/High school students.
Annapolis Valley Cheer Club 2014-2015: We have Fully Competitive teams, Pre-competitive, Recreation and Special Needs programs, as well as summer camps. Our fully competitive team placements are June 7, 2014 at Berwick Town Hall Gym. Recreation, Pre-Competitive programs start in September, we accept registration all summer long, classes fill quickly, so contact us to ensure you don’t miss out. With over 30 Championship Titles and 5 National Titles in 6 short years, we have proven that we are Valley’s most successful All-Star Cheerleading program, run by Megan Shepherd, 2013’s Canadian Coach of the Year. Classes held in Cambridge, easily accessible from many areas -30 minutes from Windsor and Greenwood. Please contact us at or phone (902) 691-3331 for more info., you can visit us online at www.annapolisvalleycheerclub.com
AHS Fundraiser – Strawberry Social & TICKET AUCTION: Please join us for strawberry shortcake, hot dogs, and refreshments on Saturday, June 7, 2014 at Kings County Adult High School. 34 Highbury Road (Behind Cineplex theatres) 1-4 pm. This is a student graduation fundraiser, and includes a ticket auction.
This summer take a walk on the “weird side” at Weird Animals Vacation Bible Camp – July 14-18 for Kids age 4-12 - 9am to 12 noon. Registration daily from 8:30-9:00 am. God filled the world with lots of crazy creatures…including you! At Weird Animals vacation Bible camp, kids experience God’s Word in surprising and unforgettable ways! Come join us for lots of fun and live music. Bring a friend. Registration forms are available online at www.kingschurch.ca.
Parenting concerns and questions? Not sure which way to turn on your “ parenting journey?” Talking through our parenting experiences with another adult can help to clarify our hopes and desires and decide which path to take to achieve these goals. Parenting Journey is a valuable new resource piloted by the Child and Youth strategy to help parents to do just that. The aim of “Parenting Journey” is not to “treat” the family but to enhance parenting skills and reinforce existing strengths. We recognize that all parents want to be good parents and we aim to assist parents in achieving this goal without fear of discrimination or judgment. There is no cost involved. Please contact Christine at Valley Child Development, 678-6111 for further information.
Do you find it hard to help your children with homework? Would you like to improve your reading and writing skills? Do you wish your math skills were stronger? Is your spelling a little too “creative”? Do you have trouble filling out forms? The Valley Community Learning Association is committed to help adults reach their learning goals. If you want to upgrade your skills, get your GED, or become involved as a volunteer, contact the Valley Community Learning Association (VCLA) at 679-5252, or toll free 1-866-898-7323. All our programs are free! www.vcla.ca
On behalf of Parker District Girl Guide units (Kentville, Colbrook and Berwick), we would like to promote Girl Guides of Canada programs in our local area through your newsletters, as registration is now underway for fall. If you have the opportunity to include the following in your June newsletters, it would be much appreciated! Thanks, Sara Keddy 1st Berwick Pathfinder Guider/ Harvest Trail Public Relations Advisor 538-9191
Fun for girls Girl Guides of Canada registration for fall programs is now underway, and wil continue all summer, at www.girlguides.ca. There are great units for girls from ages four through 18, and lots of opportunity for women to join as volunteer advisors, leaders and resources; in Berwick, Coldbrook and Kentville (Parker District). Find a unit online, or contact Sara Keddy, 902-538-9191/ .