Poirier E-News

Monday

Ready Set Learn Open House – If you have a 3-5 year old pre-school child who would like to visit our school, please stop for a tour anytime between 9-11:30 and 1-2.

Field Trip – Mme. Bouchard and Mme. Tayor’s classes are off to the Centre of the Universe for a day of learning about Space.

Author Visit –  Eric Wilson will speak with our students in grades 3-5 today about what it’s like to be an author, where he gets his ideas from, and how much editing it takes to create great writing!

Popcorn Sale – $1 per bag at lunch

Tuesday

Ready Set Learn Open House – If you have a 3-5 year old pre-school child who would like to visit our school, please stop for a tour anytime between 9-11:30 and 1-2.

Hockey – The Canucks may have stopped the Red Wings winning streak, but we still love hockey at Poirier!  The Grizzlies are coming to visit and play with our students today.  They will be sending home a free student pass for Friday’s game.  If you need more than one, please contact the office.

Mad Science – The program continues today for students who are signed up. 2:50 – 3:50.

Wednesday

Leap Day – A special Happy Birthday to everyone born Feb. 29.

Wear Pink – Every day we work toward providing a bully-free school and today we step it up by wearing Pink.  T-Shirts are available for sale in the office for $15 each; however, any pink article of clothing will show your support.

Monitor Appreciation Lunch – Many Grade Five students have worked hard this year to provide help in the primary classrooms and in the office.  We are treating them to a spaghetti lunch today to say thank you!

Thursday

Early Dismissal Day – Students will be dismissed at 11:45 and buses will run on this altered schedule.  The afternoon is an opportunity for teachers to meet with parents.  Teachers will be contacting parents.

Friday

Professional Development Day – no school for students

Information:

Thank you – For all of the parent support in sending sugar and ice for castles.  Thank you to our Sooke Lions Club for making us pancakes and to Kari for being the best Bonhomme we have ever had at Poirier!  Our Carnaval week was a fun way to learn about another aspect of Canadian Culture!

PAC Information:

By-Election – The PAC is holding a by-election at the next meeting for the position of Secretary.  Nomination forms can be picked up in the office.  If you are interested and/or need more information, please contact the PAC President, Justine Duncan at justine@theralphs.ca.

Monday

Panther Swim Team –Our swimmers, and teacher sponsor Mme. Taylor, are off to compete against other schools today.  Go Panthers Go!

Please bring at least one box of sugar cubes by today for the castles we will be building this week.

Freeze a container of water for our ice castle to be built on Thursday (example milk carton, yogurt/cottage cheese containers

Tuesday

Carnaval Assembly – We kick off our Carnaval Week today at our 9:15 Assembly.  Students and staff will meet Bonhomme de Neige and show off their carnaval masks.

Mad Science –afterschool today 

Floor Hockey Tournament – Our grade five floor hockey team is representing us at the third annual Floor Hockey Tournament afterschool at Poirier and John Muir.

Wednesday

Dress up today as a Lumberjack (cardboard axes only please) and enjoy the presentation from the Maple Man!

Thursday

Bring in your block of ice today to add to our Ice Castle creation on the basketball court!

Friday

We wrap up our Carnaval today beginning with a Pancake Breakfast sponsored by the Sooke Lions Club.  Classes will be called down between 9-10.

Students will have an opportunity to tour and judge our sugar cube castles.  The winning class will receive a prize. 

This is a week of Canadian history and culture – Students in grades 3-5 will see a musical presentation about Canadian Explorers.  We’ve also invited grade four and five students from John Muir to join us. 

Popcorn Sale – $ 1 per bag sold outside Western Red Cedar Modular

Information:

Message from the Superintendent- Dear Parents/Guardians:

The Ministry of Education has informed us that we will not be required to send home student progress reports (Report Cards) that are essentially blank. This comes as a result of the current teachers’ job action, where the Labour Relations Board has ruled that teachers need not complete or supply marks for progress reports.

The only exception to this is for Grade 12 students graduating this semester, or grade 12 students applying for scholarships and post-secondary admission. Report cards will be issued for these students.

All other students should contact teachers directly to obtain marks and the district encourages all parents to make sure they are aware of how their child is doing in school.

Parents whose children are taught by a non-union member (Principals or Vice-Principals) can receive marks and comments from the Principal or Vice-Principal.

Please contact your Principal if you have any questions or concerns.

Yours truly, Jim Cambridge, Superintendent of Schools

Dogs on the school grounds – District Policy states that no dogs are allowed on school property. For the safety of our students, please do not bring any dogs, onto our school grounds between 8 am and 4 pm.  Any animals coming to school for a special presentation and/or Sharing, must have prior approval from the principal, Mrs. Szadkowski or the vice-principal, Mme. Schwartz.  Thank you for your consideration. 

You’re Invited – The Sooke School District would like to extend an invitation to parents to attend two meetings of interest– Transportation and Finance. The meetings are being held on Tuesday, February 21st, Transportation from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m., followed by Finance at 7:30 p.m., in the Board Room. The purpose is to provide information and advice to the Board.  If you are interested in viewing the agenda please email gthompson@sd62.bc.ca and one can be sent to you.

PAC Information:

Next Meeting – Tuesday at 7 pm

Thank you to everyone who attended the Family Dance – a good time was had by all.

Monday

Firefighter Presentation for Kindies 11-11:145 in Jungle Way

Book Fair Begins and runs all week

Peer Helpers are selling Valentine’s Day Cards for 50 cents each.  Buy one for a friend and watch his/her face light up on Valentine’s Day.  Our Peer Helpers are JOINing IN and donating all proceeds go to Wild Arc. 

Tuesday

Wear your pink, red and white today to celebrate Valentine’s Day

Peer Helper Secret Valentine’s delivered today

Wednesday

Field Trip – Mrs. Purnell’s class field trip is off to Cobbs’ Bread and neighbouring businesses

Field Trip – Mme. Campbell and Mme. Zeni’s classes are visiting the Victoria Art Gallery and having lunch at Central Middle School in Victoria

Flag Day – Our beloved Canadian Flag celebrates it’s 47^th. Birthday today 

Thursday

Andy the Pizza Man talks Football – If your child is interested in playing Community Football this season there will an informational talk at lunch today in the library

Field Trip – All three Kindergarten classes will be skating at SEAPARC today.  If you are driving please ensure your registration1-2 pm

Book Fair ends today.  Thank you to Mrs. Hopkins and her dedicated group of volunteers for making this literary event possible.

Family Dance tonight 6-8:30 pm!  Tickets are on sale in the office all week or at the door.  $3 per student – parents and children under two get in free.  Enjoy pizza, bottled water, popcorn and frozen yogurt tubes.  Glow necklaces and bracelets will also be on sale. 

Friday

Professional Development Day – no classes for students

Information:

We are getting ready to celebrate Carnaval at our school beginning with our opening assembly on Tuesday, February 21.  Students will get an opportunity to meet Bonnehomme de Neige and participate in building an ice castle (start freezing milk cartoons now).  Watch for details coming home on Monday.

Arriving on time – It is important that students arrive on time for school.  Our first bell rings at 8:45 and when O’Canada plays at 8:50 all students should be at their desks ready to start the day.  Classroom instruction begins immediately after the singing of our national anthem and when students arrive late they miss part of the lesson and disrupt the learning of the students in their class.

PAC Information:

Purdy’s catalogues have been distributed and ordering is conveniently available online. Orders are due March 16 so there is still plenty of time to get the word out… Thank you to Justine Duncan for organizing!

Scholastic Book Fair is taking place Monday Feb 13th though Thursday Feb 16th 11:45 – 1:00 and 2:30 – 3:45 daily. If you are available to assist during one of these shifts, please contact Tracey at tahopkins@shaw.ca .

We could use extra volunteers to help pack up the book fair at 3:30 on Thursday so that we can have the gym ready for the school DANCE!!  February 16 is the annual school dance! Tickets are $3 per child – parents and kids under 2 are free. Pizza, water, popcorn and yogurt tubes will be available… Ron Larson from the Q100.3 will be returning as the energetic-JB-playin’ DJ… Please contact laurareaney@me.com if you are available to volunteer for a shift at this fun event… Thanks to Laura Reaney for organizing and thank you in advance to all of the volunteers.

Thank you to the volunteers who assisted in the delivery of our Lunchalicious lunch day on Friday. We will be offering a Subway lunch in March and a pizza day in April if we have enough volunteers to process orders, contact the vendors, and pick-up/deliver the lunches. Please contact melanietravels@shaw.ca if you would like to help co-ordinate this program…

If you would like to see Lunchalicious products and services available to families at our school as a supplement to our traditional program, please send your feedback to justine@theralphs.ca . Your feedback is required if this service is to be continued in the future.

Thank you and have a great week!!

Monday

Today is the last day to submit your PAC Lunch Day order.  Please hand them in at the office or order online at www.lunchalicious.ca.

Tuesday

Mad Science Afterschool Program – 2:50-3:50 pm.  Your child can still sign up for this program – contact the office.

Wednesday

Thursday

Field Trip – Our three kindergarten classes are skating at SEAPARC 1-2 pm today.

Friday

Mrs. Blatchford and Mrs. Lovbakke’s classes are skating at SEAPARC today.

WITS posters are due to your child’s teacher

PAC Lunch Day today

Information:

Staffing Update – We are happy to announce that Mrs. Schwartz is returning from her temporary leave of absence from her VP duties.  Ms. Laidlaw will continue to help out around our school with duty and we thank her for stepping up when we needed her.

Panther Clothing – Watch for order forms coming home about school clothing this week.  There will also be a booth set up at the Family Dance, February 16 to try on sizes and see the products.

FSA testing – All students in grade four, with the exception of students whose parents have submitted written requests for their child not to write the tests, will begin testing the week of February 13.

Popcorn  – Thank you to everyone for supporting our popcorn sales!

PAC Information:

The early bird deadline for the Vancouver Island Parent Conference has been extended until February 5th. If you are interested in attending the February 11 conference, please contact the PAC for your 2 for 1 coupon. www.vipc.ca

Lunchalicious orders are due Monday Feb 6th – there’s still time to get your convenient online orders in www.lunchalicious.ca . We will require about 3-4 volunteers for the delivery of these healthy and fun Valentine-themed lunches on February 10th. Come and see for yourself what Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution team is raving about!!

Our school dance is quickly approaching. Please mark your calendars for February 16th and watch your inbox for more information from your PAC reps…

The PAC is trying out a new Lunch Days model over the next 3 months (I’m sure you’ve all had the Lunchalicious notice sent home with your kids.)  The new Lunch Days focus on health and nutrition without being a significant fundraiser for Poirier (7% of the profits will now stay with the school versus the 45% of the previous Lunch Day’s profit).  The new Lunch Days program is being championed by Melanie Norris (thanks!) and is on a trial basis.  We would love all Poirier parents’ feedback (with each parent’s opinion being of equal value) in order to determine a clear direction for future Lunch Days. Let us know how your kids liked the new lunches, what you think of the value (price point), etc.   Send the PAC president Justine Duncan an email at justine@theralphs.ca to voice your valuable opinion.  We think that it’s fair to say that we all value nutrition and try to send our kids to school with healthy lunches every day.  As a PAC, we’re working to find a balance between nutrition and fun for our Lunch Days and many of us think that it would be great if they also helped pay for fieldtrips and Smartboards too.  What do you think?  Your input is needed!