South Oaks School

As we approach the end of another year at South Oaks, I would like to thank all staff, parents, and volunteers for all your efforts to provide the best possible school experience for the kids. We love your kids and they are the reason South Oaks exists.

Looking ahead to next year, I thought it would be interesting to make a list of all the new and exciting things that are on the horizon for next year. I am sure I will miss some things, but here is a quick list;

• New grade 5 classes (including 2 new teachers)
• Returning to full time Music and PE classes
• New Music teacher - Dawn Dreger
• New Learning Support teachers - Melanie Ciavaglia and Felicia Torchia
• First ever Vice-Principal for South Oaks - Helen Robidoux
• New Apollo play structure for the students
• Exploring a partnership with Appletree Books
• Etc.

I am excited, because as I look at the plans for next year, I think we will have an excellent staff and some exciting new things for the students. I am predicting an excellent year in 2025-26 and look forward to rolling it all out with everyone.

Thanks again for all your support and encouragement as we try to make South Oaks the best place for your kids. We appreciate the community very much and it is a privilege to be part of the story in your child's education.

Have a wonderful summer,

Dale Martens

Principal

The new Apollo structure is scheduled to be installed on the playground in July. Please, be aware that during the day, Monday to Friday, the playground will have some heavy equipment at times. A hole will be dug to install the base of the Apollo. Concrete will need to be poured for that base. Trucks will haul in some pea gravel, etc. So, please do not send your children to play at South Oaks without adult supervision. The last thing we would want is for a student to get injured during the installation of this play structure. Once the Apollo is installed, we will arrange for a playground safety inspection, to ensure it is ready for kids to use. Thanks for your help to keep the kids safe this summer on our playground.

June 5: Community Health Clinic in Hut #1

June 13: Run, Jump & Throw Day for Grades 3 & 4

June 13: Library closes - return all books

June 15: Father's Day

June 20: Assembly at 1:30 pm - Celebrate Indigenous People’s Day - parents are welcome

June 24: Community Health Clinic in Hut #1

June 26: South Oaks Community Fun Day, 1 pm (rain or shine) - parents please join us!

June 26: Last day of classes for students

June 27: ADMIN DAY - No Classes

June 27: Report cards posted on Parent Portal at 4 pm

The last day of school for the students is Thursday, June 26. We are planning an afternoon of fun for them, to celebrate the end of the year. We invite parents to spend the afternoon with their child, if possible, visiting a variety of fun activity stations. If a parent is not available, then parents can arrange for an alternate person to participate, or the child will visit the stations with their teacher.

Here are some of the details of the event;

• Students will have lunch with their teacher at the regular time. The PAC won't be serving lunch for parents. This is a change from last year.
• The PAC will prepare and distribute the hot dog lunch orders to all classrooms. This includes hot dogs, chips and a drink. Students will have lunch and recess according to their regular schedule. Lunch order forms will go home with your child in a few weeks (similar procedure to pizza orders).
• Teachers will say a final "farewell" to their students at lunch time, in case they don't see them later in the day.
• Parents are invited to the playground for 1:00 pm (please do not arrive earlier due to set up), where they can meet their child. Teachers will bring the students to their grade level door (see map below), to ensure a safe hand off to the parent/guardian. Once the child is with you, you are responsible for them for the afternoon. We will gather dismissal plans ahead of time, so we know your wishes for home time (i.e. take your child home with you, take the bus, walk/bike, car pickup, etc)
• EA staff will be running a variety of fun activity stations for students to enjoy for the afternoon. The PAC has also rented a giant bouncer once again!
• Teachers will escort any of their students around the stations, if a parent or alternative cannot attend.

We look forward to a fun filled last day of school with the students and parents! Hope you can join us!

The Public Health Nurse will be available in the South Oaks School Hut to administer the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella). This is open to anyone in your family and in the community.

The dates are: June 24, July 15, 29, and Aug 12, and 26 from 1-3 pm, in Hut #1. Drop-ins are welcome! Appointments can be made by calling 204-346-6128.

Jim Hanstead has just joined our South Oaks team as our new custodian! Jim comes to us from GVS where he worked most recently. Jim has been settling in very well and he is connecting to the staff and students quickly. Welcome aboard, Jim. We appreciate you very much already.

Please remember to pack the cutlery required for your child's lunch each day. We've been handing out a lot of forks and spoons at the office and won't be replenishing our stock! Thank you for your help with this.

Are you planning a move over the summer? Please let the South Oaks office and the Hanover transportation team know of the move as soon as possible as it makes for easier planning. Transportation can be contacted at 204-320-2347 and the South Oaks office can be reached at 204-434-6165.

This is a reminder to return all school books by June 13, so we can take inventory of our Library. Thanks very much for helping us get the Library ready for next year!

A reminder that school fees can be paid online on the Parent Portal, or by cash or cheque at the school office. Our school office is open between 8:00 and 4:00 pm daily. Please make every effort to ensure student fees are paid before the end of the school year, especially if your child isn't returning to South Oaks. Thank you!

Please note that the South Oaks office will be closed for most of the summer. The office will re-open on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

The final student report cards will be posted on the Parent Portal on Friday, June 27th in the late afternoon. We encourage you to sign up for your Parent Portal account if you haven't already done so. The report cards will include your child's class placement for 2025-26.

Hello South Oaks Families,

The Parent Advisory Council has been working hard this year to enrich the school experience for our students. Here’s what we were up to this school year:

-Rocco's Pizza and Grunthal Grocery fundraiser this winter.

-Provided cookie decorating kits for students for Winter Fun Day.

-Supported the snack program.

-Staff Appreciation lunch.

-Will provide the bouncer for the last day of school and also assist with the year end BBQ lunch.

There are a few positions to fill on the PAC for next school year. We are looking for both Moms and Dads to volunteer. We usually meet every other month, depending on what projects we are working on. It's not a huge time commitment to be involved. I’ve learned a lot about what goes into planning our children's education while serving on the PAC. Duties as a PAC member include attending and participating in meetings, helping with PAC projects like fundraisers or appreciation events, and offering ideas. If you’re interested in more information, please reach out to any of our members. The contact information is listed on the school website.

Thank you to all parents who have been able to volunteer at South Oaks this year, whether on the parent council, in your child's classroom, or on field trips. The kids love to see their parents at the school, and the school relies on volunteers at times, so thank you for volunteering!

Have a great summer,

Meagan Harder

South Oaks School PAC Chair

Do you have a child that is kindergarten-age or younger?

Do you have some free time during the day?

We have the place for you!

Come and visit us for a program filled with laughter, songs, crafts, stories, and a snack! Starting in September we will be at South Oaks School on Tuesdays from 9:00 - 11:30 am and Thursdays from 1:00 - 3:30 pm, starting September 16, 2025. We follow the same schedule as the divisional calendar. For more information, check our website: https://studentservices.hsd.ca/pre-school/ . Our 2025/2026 schedule will be updated and posted in September 2025.

Can’t make it for the whole 2 and a half hours? That’s fine with us! We are drop-in and you are always welcome to come late or leave early if that is what is best for you.

Infants are more than welcome and we cannot wait to meet you and your child(ren)!

Parents are required to stay with their child(ren). We are a free program and pre-registration is not required. Please bring indoor footwear!

If you have any questions, please email Stacey Marcoux at smarcoux@hsd.ca.

For your children's school supplies next year, we will once again have teachers purchase quality supplies in bulk during the summer. This helps all students to have high quality supplies at school for the whole year and promotes equity in the classroom.

So, how does this work? The school will charge a $50.00 fee for school supplies to your parent portal account at the end of August. The deadline for paying the fee is the day school begins, on September 4. This gives each family sufficient time to pay at their convenience. Parents can pay online anytime or at the office with cash or cheque during office hours.

For the start of school, parents please send a backpack, indoor/outdoor shoes, reusable water bottle, lunch kit and box of Kleenex. We take care of all other school supplies.

Please call our office at 204-434-6165 if you have any questions, anytime.

All 2025-26 Kindergarten students will participate in a "staggered entry" process, to provide a gradual start to next school year. Our office will be in touch with further details about when your child should come to the school during these first few days in September.

Also, for any parents who are wondering what days of the cycle your child will attend school, the following information should be helpful;

Students in KDR-2: even days of the cycle

Students in KCG-1: odd days of the cycle

Students in KCG-2: even days of the cycle

To see a calendar with the days of the cycle, please visit our South Oaks website and click on the big "Calendar" button on the main page. This will make it easy for you to determine your child's schedule.

Please let us know if you have any questions.