Woodlawn School

As the snow and cold are settling in, it is great to see our students playing outside and enjoying the winter weather. At Woodlawn we believe that outdoor play is a very important part of a well-balanced school day. Not only is it good to get outside and burn some energy, the crisp, cold winter air is a refreshing change from being indoors. We follow the DIVISIONAL GUIDELINES when deciding whether to send students outside or not, but as long as we are within the guidelines for outdoor recess, we generally try to go outside. Please make sure that your children are sent to school with proper gear - even on the really cold days, because if it warms up to within the allowable range, we will be heading outside!

December is a fun time of year with all sorts of special events including concerts, school-wide assemblies, Theme/Dress up days, and even some field trips. Please read through the Newsletter carefully so that you are up to date, as well, keep an eye out for SeeSaw and Email messages from your child's teacher to keep you informed about December events.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all of our Woodlawn Families!

As the holiday season approaches, it's a great time to reflect on the importance of self-care and connection. The holidays can bring joy, but they can also present stress for many. As we wind down the year, I encourage all students to take time for themselves, practice gratitude, and connect with friends and family. It's also a wonderful opportunity to practice kindness—both towards others and yourself. If any student is feeling overwhelmed, remember that my office is always open for support. Wishing everyone a peaceful, joyful holiday season full of rest, laughter, and positive connections. Let's carry this spirit of care and kindness into the new year!

Holiday Activity: Tough Cookie by Edward Hemingway

Tough Cookie is a fun, holiday twist on the classic story of the Gingerbread Man. It highlights different emotions and the power of friendship in a silly way your students are sure to remember!

…Check out this book with the read-aloud version of this story!

If your child needs medication, please note that over-the-counter medication is not be be sent to school in your child's backpacks or lunch kits. All over-the-counter mediation (including Advil and Tylenol) needs to be administered by a parent/guardian.

In order for prescription medication to be administered by staff, parents need to bring it in the original container/box with the label on. There are forms at the office for parents/guardians to fill out. We ask that as much as possible, medication be administered at home rather than at school.

Hello Woodlawn Families,

Your friendly neighbourhood PAC here. Hope everyone is enjoying the shift in weather and finding ways to get outside and enjoy the snow. I know my household is very excited for the outdoor skating season. Just wanted to give a huge thanks to everyone who donated for our Fall Treats for staff in October. We are planning a Treat day for Staff again before the Christmas break. Watch your emails for a message from us coming your way soon. As well, as a PAC we take a morning to treat our Bus Drivers with coffee and hot chocolate during this Holiday season. We have a few plans in the works for the new year that we are very excited about, watch for that info coming your way. As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding PAC please message us at woodlawnelementarypac@gmail.com, or you could also join us at a meeting. We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 11:55 in the library.

Have a wonderful Christmas season and Happy New Year.

Ang Plett

PAC Chair

Thank you to all who generously donated toys to help make Christmas special for many families in our community.

The grades 3 & 4 Christmas concert is coming up on December 12! There will be performances at 2:00 and 6:30 at Crossview Church, 345 Loewen Blvd.

Hit the link below for information on what your student's class will be wearing for the concerts.

Dress Code

If your child's teacher asks you to send Christmas treats to school with your child please do not send anything containing peanuts/nuts or peanut/nut products. We have students with severe allergies to peanuts and appreciate your help in keeping all our students safe.

Any items in our lost and found area that are not claimed before Christmas will be donated. Please take a moment to check our lost and found area.

In the interest of maximizing learning time in the classroom and keeping interruptions to a minimum please make home time arrangements with your child(ren) before they leave for school in the morning.
Send a message on Seesaw if home time arrangements are different from your normal routine, whether your child is going home with someone else or being picked up at the end of the day.

If you must phone the school regarding a change in home time arrangements please call before 2:45.
If you are picking your child up for an appointment during the school day please sign your child out at the office and the secretary will call your child to meet you at the office. It is difficult to locate students on the playground during recess and we ask that if you must pick up your child during the school day you avoid the recess break times.

All urban bus routes are posted on the HSD website with times and maps. Any urban or rural bus that will be late due to weather or mechanical issues is listed on the HSD website under the bus delay tab.

Go to the drop down menu of Services where you can choose:

1. School Bus Delay Bulletins where any bus that is late is posted with the approximate delay.

2. Steinbach Urban Bus Routes - Scroll down to select Woodlawn School and then select your bus number.

Thank you for checking these options before calling the Hanover School Division Transportation Department with your questions regarding bus delays and Steinbach urban bus routes times and maps. Any questions for transportation please call 204-320-2347.

As we all know the weather in Manitoba can change from one moment to the next. Please send your children dressed to deal with the elements. Good boots, mittens and a hat added to ski pants and a parka makes all the difference between a child enjoying the outdoors or tolerating it. Please label all your child's outwear items as our young students often lose or forget items in various places!

Students are encouraged to go out for recess because it is important to get some fresh air during the day. Remember germs, not cold air, cause illness.

Weather and grounds permitting, all students play outdoors until 8:53 in the morning. Our cold weather policy is to keep students inside at recess when the wind chill factor is –30 or greater. Outside recess times will be shortened if the wind chill is between –25 and –29 Celsius.

When extreme weather or road conditions call for a school closure you will receive a recorded phone call from Superintendent Joe Thiessen beginning at 6:45 am. This additional communication effort is to help ensure that all students will be aware of school closures and no students will find themselves in an unsafe situation where they may be facing extreme weather unnecessarily. When school is cancelled due to weather and road conditions there are no staff members at the school. If your phone number has changed since the beginning of the school year please call the office at 204-326-6110 to update your information.

Schools will be closed due to extreme cold when the temperatures in most locations in the division are –35 degrees Celsius or colder OR is experiencing a wind chill of -45 degrees Celsius or colder. Click here for more information.

The school is in need of a variety of sizes of clean, used clothing such as winter gear, boy's pants, sweatpants, and socks for girls and boys. Sometimes parents are unable to bring a change of clothes for a child that has had an accident or fallen in a puddle and these items come in very handy. If you are able to donate clothing items please drop them off at the school office.

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year will open on January 6, 2025. To be eligible, children must be five years of age on or before December 31, 2025. The registration process will take place online at www.HSD.ca. If you do not have access to the Internet, please visit the school office and we can assist you in completing the registration on a school computer. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to register their children soon after registration opens in January. Early registration will assist us in preparation and planning for the upcoming school year. Registering before March 1, 2025 will ensure there is sufficient time for school appointments and provide parents/guardians with the opportunity to participate in Kindergarten orientation activities. Visit www.HSD.ca for registration instructions.

Email: woodlawn@hsd.ca
Website: www.woodlawn.hsd.ca
Location: 411 Henry St, Steinbach, MB, Canada R5G 0R1
Phone: 204-326-6110
Twitter: @WoodlawnHSD