Bulldog Bulletin

Hello, Bulldog Families!

The school year is now well underway as we move through October! I have enjoyed being back in the building with both familiar and new faces over this past month and it was a delight getting to connect with families at our open house. The HBPS staff have been providing academic and extracurricular opportunities. This past month we have sent out student athletes to compete in soccer tournaments as well as cross country. We wish those runners moving onto the board wide meet the best of luck and we are proud to have you represent HBPS! Way to go, Bulldogs!

As we enter the Thanksgiving weekend, I hope you find moments to celebrate all that you are thankful for and reflect the best ways that we, as a community, can continue to support our youngest learners. I would also like to wish a blessed Yom Kippur to all those observing a time of fasting and reflection today.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments or concerns.

Sincerely,

Jason Huffman

Principal

We would like to remind all parents of our morning yard supervision limitations. We are able to provide supervision for students arriving on their bus from 8:20 until the bell at 9:00. Students who arrive by walking/car/bike are not provided supervision until 8:45. Please do not arrive at the gate before 8:45 a.m. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation going forward.

**NEW** School Cash Online now accepts credit card payment, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Paying through School Cash Online for events and items allows staff to have an up to date record of payments and reduces the administrative work load.

This past summer, Legend Boats raised funds for the school at their boat show. We are always incredibly grateful for our community and all that they do to ensure our students have an enriching and full school experience. Donations like this will allow us to do more for our learners!

At HBPS, we believe that creating a positive and respectful environment starts with clear communication and understanding. This year, we are working to help our students understand the differences between bullying, conflict, and teasing, and I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some clarity. These terms are often confused, but it’s important for us to recognize the differences so we can support our students effectively. Our conversations will be ongoing during our interactions with students, in classroom instruction and during assemblies.

Please see a brief description and example of each of these terms, as well as the infographic below to help you have conversations with your student(s) at home.

Bullying

Bullying is intentional, repeated, and harmful behavior where one person or a group has more power over another. Bullying can be physical, verbal, social, or even occur online (cyberbullying). The key elements are imbalance of power, intent to cause harm, and repetition. It’s not just an argument or disagreement—it’s ongoing and damaging to the targeted student.

Example: A group of students repeatedly excludes a classmate from social activities and spreads rumors about them, causing distress over time.

Conflict

Conflict occurs when two or more individuals have a disagreement or struggle over a particular issue. Conflicts are a normal part of life and can often be resolved when both parties communicate and work through their differences. It’s typically an equal power dynamic, and neither person intends to harm the other.

Example: Two students argue over who gets to play a game first at recess but resolve the situation by taking turns.

Teasing

Teasing can range from playful and friendly to hurtful, depending on the intent and how it’s received. Good-natured teasing is mutual and lighthearted, but when teasing becomes one-sided or mean, it can easily turn into bullying. The difference lies in whether the teasing is meant to hurt or make fun of someone repeatedly.

Example: Friendly teasing between friends might be about a silly joke or an inside reference, while harmful teasing might involve making fun of someone’s appearance or abilities in a way that makes them feel upset or embarrassed.

Did you know that children in kindergarten and grade 1 who often miss school days are less likely to read at grade level by grade 3? Click on the link below to learn more about the importance of attendance and strategies families can at home!

This year our School Council will be running the Pasta Lunch Program again! This program serves every student a hot pasta lunch once a month from October-May. We ask that you make a donation of either $5, $10 or $15 dollars through School Cash Online to cover the cost of this program

This past month we welcomed a local painter to add their artwork to a space utilized by students in our school. Joanne McMaster donated both her time and talent to create a beautiful, calm scene that celebrates our local wildlife and the natural beauty that surrounds the Havelock area.

We know Halloween is an important tradition for many families in the HBPS community. When selecting costumes this year, we ask parents and guardians to help their student(s) abide by following parameters to ensure their exciting outfits are enjoyable for all. Please also note that weapon-like props and masks that cover the entire face will not be permitted at the school to help keep everyone safe.

Halloween Costume Considerations:

1. Are you using makeup to alter your natural skin tone? Such uses of makeup cannot be separated from their historical context.
2. Does the name of your costume include an ethnicity in the title? These are caricatures of a group of people, not costumes.
3. Are you wearing clothing that is clearly from a culture not your own? Wearing regalia that belongs to another culture is appropriation. Wearing a culture is not a fashion statement. There is a fine line between appreciation and appropriation.
4. Are you dressed as an offensive historical figure? Dressing as offensive historical figures can be construed as glorification, even if your costume is meant to be satirical.
5. Is your costume “funny” because it mocks the real-life experiences of others? Belittling the struggles of marginalized groups is never okay.
6. Does your costume reinforce binary notions of gender? Gender is part of people’s diverse identities and not a costume.
7. Does your costume mock diverse abilities? Diverse abilities are not costumes.
8. Is your costume offensive? Answer “yes” to any of the aforementioned questions and it likely is. If your costume raises any of these red flags, you should reconsider wearing it.

We will be having Edge Imaging come to the school on Monday, November 4th for student photos. Students absent this day will have the opportunity to have their picture taken on November 26th.

October 14th - Thanksgiving Monday (School Closed)

October 18th- Walk for Wenjack

October 21st - School Council Meeting, 5 pm

October 25th - PA Day

November 4th - Picture Day