Archived Announcements

they made during the previous school year. To combat this slide, we are creating a summer reading program for all students through our school and we encourage families to access the South Shore Public Library "Book Mobile"

Did you know that:

• In summer up to two months of reading achievement can be lost.

• Teachers spend approximately one month each school year re-teaching concepts from the previous year. This takes away from time that could be spent on the new concepts.

What can be done?-

• Experts have found for older students reading 4-5 books can stop the summer slide. For students in Gr. 3 and below just 15 minutes a day of reading will do the trick. Making sure your children have books they choose based on their own interests and at a comfortable reading level are vital to keep them reading over the summer. The books should be ones they can successfully read on their own so reading doesn't turn into a chore and turn them off.

• Students will all receive a bag of books and a reading log for over the summer. Below are dates that the school will be open for students to come and exchange their books for new ones. Also below are the dates the "Book Mobile" is available to sign out different books.

Petite Riviere Elementary Library Book Mobile

11:00 am - 12:00 pm 11:00 am Petite Fire Hall

July 9, July 30, August 13 July 20, August 10, August 31

"First day of School" - Return books - Thursday, September 6th

population. You can receive your own free story book and a packet of wildflower seeds to help this very important cause by visiting the following website. BringBacktheBees.ca

threatening our planet's survival, from poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our streams and landfills. Together, we can make a difference.

Start gathering up your plastic bags again! You can ask your parents, grandparents, neighbours and friends to save their plastic bags for our contest. Bags can be dropped off at school during Earth Week April 16-20.

“Litterless Lunches” to school each day next week. We will compare the garbage collected from each classroom to see which class wins bragging rights for the least amount of garbage created! TIP -> It’s better for our environment and usually more economical to purchase large portion sizes and to use small reusable containers in our lunches! Many more tips for “Litterless Lunches” can be found online.

birds, literally! With a hope to add more healthy food choices for students, the school has added a flock of laying hens to their schoolyard. From the moment the fertilized eggs arrived, inquiry- and exploration-based learning have flourished on a journey toward understanding our food.

This initiative began with a visit from a knowledgeable parent and her beautiful Road Island Red Hen. She talked with the students about chickens, their needs, and how to care for them.

The excitement started ramping up as students set up an incubator with 35 newly named eggs! Some of the names included: Deer, Cupcake Sprinkle, Mr Parker, Calaaa and Joe. What would you name your chicken eggs if you had some? Egg incubation time meant the students had to have patience as they waited the 21 days for their eggs to hatch.

“Did you know that chicks have an egg tooth that helps them peck their way out of the eggs?” ~Reegan, Grade three

Throughout November, students had to check and maintain the temperature and humidity of the incubator to care for the eggs. They also learned how to candle eggs to see if any chickens were not developing. This was a great learning experience for the kids and they were able to work through the sad discovery that some eggs had stopped developing. Students experienced and explored empathy for each other and other living things.

“I saw the chicken inside the egg, this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” ~Rose, Grade Primary

While the eggs were kept safe and warm in the incubator, their new home was being built. Coop building was a time for the school community to come together. Students, parents, and community members were invited to four weekends of Chicken Coop Work Parties. With the disclaimer that no experience was necessary, the participants always had lots of help, fun, and donated supplies.

“It’s like we are waiting for all our babies to arrive!” ~Ali, Grade Two

While candling the eggs two days before hatching day, it was discovered that the eggs had stopped developing around the fourteenth day. Everyone was unsure what had happened to trigger the abrupt stop and Petite Riviere Elementary staff had to decide how to continue. After many phone calls around the province, they were able to get 15-day-old chicks from the Annapolis Valley on the day after their own chicks should have hatched. Excitement about the new arrivals helped the students work through the disappointment that none of their original eggs had hatched.

The story gets better.

December is not the typical time of year to hatch laying hens so the chicks received at Petite Riviere Elementary were actually meat birds! Although staff did not initially share this information with the students, a few students with farms shared in the kindest way possible that the new chickens were not laying hens but meat birds. Again, the students showed resilience as they enjoyed caring for the chicks while knowing that over Christmas Break their growing meat chicks would be headed back to the Annapolis Valley and new one-year-old laying hens would be taking their place. When the students returned to school in January there were eight laying hens in their coop. What an awesome adventure!

The chicken project evolved into the main learning theme for all grades in the school. The chickens inspired research, art, writing, and data collection. The grade one/two and five/six classes explored chicken life cycles and other fun facts. Did you know chickens can have dreams? I wonder if they are dreaming about their red heat lamp on these cold winter days?!

Now Petite Riviere Elementary students love to head outside to visit the chickens. They collect eggs from the coop next to the garden, which uses an existing fenced area. Students care for their chickens by adding food and checking their water. One class recently researched and shared what chickens can and cannot eat, and classrooms are now collecting food waste for chickens to eat! The natural life cycle will continue as chicken waste will be composted and then used in the school garden. The students are excited to eat the best eggs ever and they have a new understanding of the whole egg production process.

As with any school project, money is required to have laying hens at school. This project was funded with Petite Riviere Elementary's winnings from the Plastic Bag Grab Challenge and a $1500 grant from Farm to Cafeteria Canada. With a goal to “bring healthy, local food into schools, and provide students with hands-on learning opportunities that foster food literacy, all while strengthening the local food system and enhancing school and community connectedness,” this project was a great choice for Farm to Cafeteria. You can browse their resources and gain inspiration from other awesome school projects from across Canada like Farm to School.

Here are some resources on how to keep chickens at school:

Sustainable Learning - "Keeping Chickens in School"

Poultry Keeper - "Keeping Chickens at School"

~Natalie McMaster

Engagement Officer, Southern NS

2018, are eligible to begin primary in September 2018. If your child will be starting school in September, please contact the appropriate catchment area elementary school in your community for early registration. Parents/Guardians will be required to present identification for their child with their date of birth (i.e.: birth certificate), health card number and expiry date, and proof of residence (i.e.: driver’s license, utility bill). If you are unsure of which elementary school your child would attend, please check out the new Catchment Area Map on our website at www.ssrsb.ca or call the Bus Garage at 541-8252 .

Friday, November 24. We were very proud of their efforts and continued growth in Lego Robotics. The team will continue to practice with the Lego all year round with opportunities for younger students to experience what Lego Robotics is all about. Thank you Mr. Helmer for helping to organize this special project.

connecting over Parent-Teacher Meetings this week. The continued collaboration and connection with one another only supports all of our students’ success.

beginning to decorate the school for the annual turkey dinner and concert. We would like to make a request to the community for a tree donation. If anyone in the community is able to donate a Christmas tree to PRES please give us a call. Thanks!

teacher(s) work together for your child’s school success. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to ask questions and gather information that will help parents encourage their children to achieve. When parents and teachers work together with mutual respect and caring, children achieve more at school and are happier to be there. Suggestions to help parents with the meeting:

· Ask about your child’s work habits, behaviour, participation and learning style.

· Ask how instruction is differentiated to meet your child’s learning needs.

· Ask the teacher about learning targets, assessment, classroom routines and discipline.

End the meeting on a positive note and keep in regular contact with the teacher to follow up on the mutually agreed plan. Talk with your child about what was discussed and how you and the teacher will work together at improving the child’s learning.

Day Assembly to recognize our family members who have served and continue to serve our country during times of war and conflict and peace. Parents and community members are welcome to attend the assembly.

During the assembly, students are welcome to place a poppy on a wreath to honour family members.

Please fill out the form found in the weekly newsletter and return to school by November 8 if you would like your child to place a poppy on a wreath to honour a family member.

Grade 1/2 - $35.00 supply fee (does not include sneakers, backpack, lunch kit, etc)

Grade 3/4 - $35.00 supply fee (does not include sneakers, backpack, lunch kit, etc)

Gr. 1-2 Supply List.pdf

Gr 5-6 Supply List.pdf

consists of both parents and school staff. The first meeting is scheduled for October 15 at 2:15 p.m. These meetings are open to all parents and/or guardians. We encourage your participation and input. We talk about everything and anything that is important to the Petite Riviere Elementary School community.

Meetings generally include updates from the members organizing current or upcoming events, a financial overview and discussions of plans for future activities. Our goal is to use our funds to enhance student life at our school. Our events may include our Christmas Theatre/Dinner, Nutrition Week and Spring Fair (held in May). In recent years, the H&S was instrumental in providing extra funding for Art Workshops, Visiting Performance Artists as well as extra items such as musical instruments, sports jerseys, field trips and technology upgrades. Meeting dates and time will be announced in the weekly newsletter and on the website.

School Advisory Council (SAC). Nominations can be given to the school via phone (688-3200). Elections will be held on Monday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m.

This is an opportunity to learn more about your SAC, its role, and whether it is something you would be interested in contributing to as a parent or a community member. The SAC serves an important advisory role on school goals and efforts to enhance quality of education for its students. It is made up of the school principal and elected representatives from the community and school staff. Meeting dates and time will be announced in the weekly newsletter and on the website.

many more exciting initiatives for students at all grade levels‎ this school year.

This fall, students in grades primary to 3 will benefit from hands-on learning, including using floor robots to learn sequencing and programming. Students in grades 4-6 will benefit from Innovation and Exploration Kits that include Spheros and Makey Makey invention kits. Students in grades 7 to 12 will learn coding through events, such as the Hour of Code and STEAM Olympics, and courses‎, such as Computer Programming 12. Coding promotes problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity and innovation. These skills are not only‎ related to learning math, science and the arts, but‎ they are also directly linked to many careers, including computer programming and the marine industries.

With the province's first literacy strategy for students in all grades, there will be a greater focus on the teaching ‎of‎ reading and writing and the development of

oral communication skills. Reading Recovery support has been increased for grade 1 students. Students in Grades 4 to 6 will have a renewed curriculum, with more time for literacy and math. Class caps are expanded to grades 4 to 6.

To help more students succeed in math, additional ‎supports will be made available for both teachers and students. Career education outcomes will assist students as‎ they begin thinking about their futures and the many possibilities ahead. To learn more about what‎ is new this year, go to http://novascotia.ca/educationactionplan/to sign up for ongoing updates from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

lots of rest and opportunities to enjoy numerous activities with family and friends. This will be my first year as principal of Petite Riviere Elementary School and I am thrilled at the opportunity to work together with you to help our students not only reach, but exceed their educational goals. Our dedicated staff has been working hard to prepare for another amazing school year, building on the success and accomplishments of last year.

Please feel free to introduce yourself to me in the days and weeks ahead and know that you can always contact me at the school, 902-688-3200.

Warm Regards,

Scott Rawding

Principal

The School Advisory Committee (SAC) for Petite Riviere Elementary School (PRES) appreciates the recent letter from the South Shore Regional School Board (SSRSB) outlining the current status of both Petite and Pentz schools. In addition, we would like to inform parents and community members of what the SAC has been doing and provide you our perspective on the process to date. We hope this update will motivate community members to express to the SSRSB their personal opinions on the board plans.

For the past five years, the PRES SAC has worked continuously to address our communities’ desire to have our elementary children educated near their home communities of West Dublin, Crescent Beach, Petite Riviere, Broad Cove, Cherry Hill, Vogler’s Cove, Crousetown, Mount Pleasant, and New Cumberland.

Our actions have included:

• specific meetings with school board members and elected local and provincial government officials, including the Minister of Education,

• attendance at all school board meetings where PRES issues and concerns were discussed,

• preparation in 2012-2013 of a detailed report on the feasibility of creating PRES as a HUB school, and then sharing this well-supported report with the school board at a local meeting attended by over 100 parents and community members,

• numerous letters to SSRSB outlining our “small school in the community” position.

Most recently we have reviewed and discussed the SSRSB letter that was forwarded to parents on Friday, April 29, 2016. It outlines several positive steps, such as the Minister’s assurance that both Pentz and Petite schools will remain open in 2016-2017, and her offer last winter of funding for an Additions and Alterations (A&A) to renovate and/or expand the structures of one of the schools.

Rather than accept the Minister’s funding offer and making the decision regarding which school site will receive and A&A (at an estimated cost of $6 M), the board has chosen to put off that decision and requested, for a third time, a new school build (at an estimated cost of over $12 M).

At this time, the Pentz School community only supports a request for a new build. The PRES SAC feels the A&A is a more reasonable, timely and achievable option. The PRES SAC is concerned that the board’s twice-denied request for a new build could override the Minister’s earlier offer to provide the funding for an A&A, especially give the present economic times.

We had hoped the board would make a decision to ask for an A&A this spring. Therefore, we are very disappointed that the school board plans to put off the decision until it receives a response from the provincial government sometime in late fall. The board is bound by a legislated 5 year limit to this closure uncertainty, and we are already past the 3 year mark. Since October is election time for the school board, we fear that any decision will be further put off until after the election; then, with possible new board members needing to become familiar with the issues, be further postponed.

There is not a lot of time before the end of this school year. We feel it is very important that the school board hears from community members NOW. Please call or write to let them know where you stand about their delay in accepting an A&A versus their request for a new build. Ask them to include an A&A request for our school on their priority list. Contact information is on the page below.

Thank you for your ongoing support in ensuring the children of our community continue to receive a high quality education within our community boundaries and without the negative impact of long hours of bussing. If you have any questions, feel free to contact any of the SAC members (our names and email addresses available on the school website staff page)

Sincerely,

Leif Helmer,

Chairperson,

PRES School Advisory Committee

902-688-1562 (home)

• Donating items for plant table (house/garden), theme baskets, surprise bags and toys/youth books for the toy room.

• Providing ideas for the fair,

• Volunteering to help prepare for and/or work at the fair, and

• Attending Spring Fair meetings.

The homerooms theme baskets are:

• P/1 — Beach Day

• 2/3 — Rainy Day Fun

• 4/5 — Sweet Tooth

• 5/6 — Arts & Crafts

result, we ask parents to refrain from using peanut/nut products in their children's lunches. We Thank you for your continuing cooperation regarding our students' safety!

another spectacular Spring Fair this year, raising more than $6,000. The many hours spent planning, organizing, seeking donations; and then bringing it all together for the grand finale is truly appreciated by all of us at PRES.

The success of our Spring Fair is also due to the combined efforts of parents, staff, students and community members who work together to provide “the extras” for PRES students. Last, but not least, we could not have done it without the donations we have received from local artists, businesses and organizations. Thank you for sharing your artwork, donations, time and talents!

The funds raised will be used for the 2015-2016 school year’s extracurricular activities and special events such as musical and stage performances, skating trips, class trips, gymnastics, etc.

The PRES Spring Fair is not only a fantastic fundraiser, but also a celebrated community event. It was heartwarming to see so many people enjoying the company of their neighbours, the local musical talent and the delicious lobster sandwiches. It was so nice to visit with you and hope to see you again next year!

eligible to begin primary in September 2018. If your child will be starting school in September, please contact the appropriate catchment area elementary school in your community for early registration. Parents/Guardians will be required to present identification for their child with their date of birth (i.e.: birth certificate), health card number and expiry date, and proof of residence (i.e.: driver’s license, utility bill). If you are unsure of which elementary school your child would attend, please check out the new Catchment Area Map on our website at www.ssrsb.ca or call the Bus Garage at 541-8252.

Wednesday, November 29, 6:00-8:00 p.m. & Thursday, November 30, 12:00–2:00 p.m. (Students will be dismissed at 11:00 a.m.)

Please call the school to make an appointment 902-688-3200

March 20, 2017 - First Day after March Break

Wednesday, January 11, 2017 - 12:24pm

Wednesday, February 1, 2017 - 12:24pm

Wednesday, February 15, 2017 - 12:24pm

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 - 12:24pm

from the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

Potential Job Action by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU)

November 22, 2016

Within the next two weeks, teachers and other NSTU member employees, including principals and vice-principals, will decide whether to proceed with job action. While the province and the NSTU are returning to the bargaining table, this does not stop the countdown period to job action. The NSTU will be in a legal strike position as early as Saturday, December 3rd. In practical terms, the earliest possible strike date is Monday, December 5th.

We fully appreciate talk of any type of labor disruption can cause concern and uncertainty. The following information is being provided to update you on the current situation with the NSTU and to help you plan for your family should the NSTU decide to take job action.

When can teachers go on strike?

The earliest any job action can occur is Monday, December 5th. Will there be any advance notice?The NSTU must give the Minister of the Department of Labour and Advanced Education aminimum of 48 hours’ notice before any job action can occur. Job action may not happen immediately following the conclusion of the 48 hour time period. It may not happen at all.

Will you know what type of job action the NSTU will take?

The NSTU is not required to give notice of what kind of job action they will take. They are also not required to provide the specific date and time of when job action may occur.

What type of job action can occur?

Job action can take a variety of approaches. Some examples include a province-wide strike and a work-to-rule. Work-to-rule is when employees continue to work but refuse to do certain activities outside of their contractual job requirements. In the case of teachers, this can include no longer supporting extracurricular activities.

If teachers strike, will schools close?

If there is a full withdrawal of services, schools could close. We will be in a better position to answer this question in the coming weeks. It is important to make a plan to prepare for the possibility your child may be out of school.

What will happen if teachers work-to-rule?

There may be changes to student drop off and/or pick up times and changes to lunch time supervision. It is likely extra-curricular activities will be canceled. Other programs are expected to be impacted including after school programs. We will be in a better position to answer this question more specifically in the coming weeks.

How will I know if my child’s school is impacted by a teacher strike, work-to-rule or any other form of job action?

It is very important that students, parents and guardians carefully monitor their school boards’ communications through websites, Facebook, social media, handouts from school and through the regular media outlets. Your school boards will notify you as soon

as they are made aware of any potential interruption in the school day. It is important to note that they may have short notice.

What should I do to prepare?

Start planning for the possibility that your child may not be attending classes and/or before and after school activities after December 5. Your school board and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development are working collaboratively to plan for any potential job action. We will continue to provide you with updates as the situation evolves and more specific information becomes available.

consists of both parents and school staff. The first meeting is scheduled for October 15 at 2:15 p.m. These meetings are open to all parents and/or guardians. We encourage your participation and input. We talk about everything and anything that is important to the Petite Riviere Elementary School community.

Meetings generally include updates from the members organizing current or upcoming events, a financial overview and discussions of plans for future activities. Our goal is to use our funds to enhance student life at our school. Our events may include our Christmas Theatre/Dinner, Nutrition Week and Spring Fair (held in May). In recent years, the H&S was instrumental in providing extra funding for Art Workshops, Visiting Performance Artists as well as extra items such as musical instruments, sports jerseys, field trips and technology upgrades. Meeting dates and time will be announced in the weekly newsletter and on the website.

Minor misbehaviours are:

• Standing in seat, in aisles when bus is moving

• Standing on seat

• Changing seats. Seat changes are at discretion of driver. All students have assigned seating

• Using a loud voice

Action Taken for Minor Misbehavior problems (age and grade will be taken into consideration)

• The driver will tell the student to stop.

• If behaviour continues, driver will report the problem to the principal and guardians for additional support in getting behaviour of student to change

• If becomes chronic, loss of recess/lunch playtime (1 -2 days) to review expected bus behaviours, reflect and rethink their plan. Guardians are contacted for support.

• Could result in bus seat change

Major Misbehaviours are:

• Moving while the bus is moving

• Fighting

• Throwing objects

• Swearing

• Disrespect to driver or other passengers

Action taken for Major Behaviour Problems (grade and age will be taken into consideration)

• Driver reports incident to principal and home or call home by principal

• Loss of recess/Lunch play(1-5 days) to reflect, take ownership of incident and come up with plan to make it right

• There will be a Written Bus Discipline Report sent to Bus Garage for tracking

• There could be possible suspension from the bus (1 -5 days)

• There could be a recommendation made to Bus Garage to have student suspended from bus for remainder of the school term.

Mr. Tim Reeves-Horton from the Progress Bulletin. Students learned how to write unbiased articles with a focus on change and community. You can see their articles, interviews, and photos on the website below:

http://inthenewspaper.wordpress.com/