Elmdale School

What if Everybody Did That? Is a book by Ellen Javernick about a child who is learning lessons as he makes decisions that affect those around him. For example, "What if everybody littered?" We know the answer to this is that our schoolyard would be a mess. If everybody ran in the hallways - people would get hurt. If everybody talks at the same time - no one can hear anything. And so on.

These are lessons we try to teach at Elmdale School through our Positive Behaviour Intervention Program, including our Green Slips (to recognize when people do good things), and our Umbrella Project Skills each month. If you're not familiar with the Umbrella Project, I encourage you to read the section below on the May Umbrella Skill - Realistic Optimism.

And as you encourage your kid to consider "What if Everybody Did That?" let's all think about how our actions (both positive and negative) affect those around us.

Elmdale School is an awesome place to work and learn because of our awesome community of students, staff, parents, neighbors, grandparents and so on. Thanks for all you do to make Elmdale a great place!

Mr. Vince Hiebert

Principal: Elmdale School

Email: vhiebert@hsd.ca

Instagram: elmdalehsd

This year our Kindergarten Concerts will take place on the afternoons of May 15 and 16. Please note the following details:

• May 15 - KP Concert
• May 16 - KK/KD Concert
• Concerts will take place in the Music Room at Elmdale at 2:30pm on their respective days (no evening concerts)
• Parents/grandparents/guests are welcome to attend.
• Doors will be closed until 2:00pm - we ask that families do not enter the school before that time
• The concert will be 20-30 minutes in length. Parents may take their children home after the concert if they choose, but must be signed out with their teacher. Students are welcome to remain at school until the end of the day.

It is important that students are NEVER dropped off in the bus loop between 8:30 and 9:15.

Recently we have observed some unsafe actions in our bus loop that must not happen. When we are able to identify those driving in an unsafe manner, or dropping off in unsafe locations, we are following up with them on an individual basis. Should the need arise, vehicle license plate numbers and security camera footage may be forwarded to the RCMP for follow up.

As a reminder, our Before School Procedures are as follows:

Before School Procedure

Walkers/Drop-off

We are asking that students being dropped off do not come before 8:40 and walkers plan to arrive between 8:40 and 9:00. Parents unable to wait until 8:40 will need to make arrangements with the office. Permission for earlier drop off will only be made in exceptional circumstances. Students will play outside until the 8:50 bell rings.

Parents should park in the Family Parking Lot and walk their children across the bus loop as in the past. We’re asking that the goodbyes happen at the fence and students head to the playground or, if arriving after 8:50, directly to the school building using their usual door, without their parent. Supervision will be provided.

PARENTS SHOULD NOT DROP OFF STUDENTS IN THE BUS LOOP IN THE MORNING.

Bus Students

When students arrive at school, bus students will remain outside until the 8:50 bell rings. When the 8:50 bell rings, students will line up at their designated spot and a teacher will come to bring them into the school.

It is important to keep your child at home if they are sick. While these aren't hard and fast rules, some good guidelines to follow are:

• Keep students home when they have a bacterial infection such as Strep Throat or similar until they have been on antibiotics for a minimum of 24 hours and are feeling better
• Keep students home if they have a stomach bug until they have not thrown up for at least 24 hours and are feeling better
• Keep students home if they have a fever. Only send them back when they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours and are feeling better
• Finally, it is important that if your child has something contagious such as PINK EYE, it is important to keep your child at home, so that you do not spread it to other students.

We know that there are seasonal allergies as well as minor colds and sniffles going around. We trust parents to use their judgement on whether or not to send your children to school when they have those sorts of things.

We want to remind all Elmdale families that if there is a change to the end of day plan for your child, please make sure to communicate it to your child's teacher.

If plans change during the day and you need to commuincate that to your child, please make sure to either phone the school (204-326-3325) or email your child's teacher AND the office at elmdale@hsd.ca AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Teachers can't always check their email and SeeSaw messages during the day, so this will ensure that the message will be received and communicated to your child.

We urge parents to keep the end of day routine as consistent as possible so that a change of plans is not inadvertently missed.

This month we are taking on a skill that will help us look on the bright side, even when winter oversteps its seasonal timelines. That skill is Realistic Optimism.

How will realistic optimism help my child?

We often hear sayings about looking on the bright side of life. Turns out that looking on the bright side can actually improve your child's mental and physical health. Mix that with helping them have a realistic look at the obstacles they may face, and you have a strategy for success. Achieving goals can be challenging and a negative outlook can defeat children before they even get started. Learning to be realistically optimistic will help your child link their dreams to the steps they will need to take to achieve them and help them take on life with a positive attitude.

If you’d like more tips to help your child with this skill, the blog entry below provides some tangible ideas:

https://umbrellaproject.co/category/realistic-optimism/

A reminder that our Thursday Pizza Hot Lunches for grades 1-4 are continuing in May. We alternate between Cheese Pizza and Pepperoni Pizza for $2 a slice. Orders are placed first thing in the morning so that enough pizza can be ordered. Please note the schedule for the coming weeks:

May 2 - Pepperoni Pizza

May 9 - Cheese Pizza

May 16 - Pepperoni Pizza

May 23 - Cheese Pizza

May 30 - Pepperoni Pizza

Tobias S 1M; Ruhi P 1J; Owen D 1/2F; Yshabelle S 2G; Dalena S 3/4B; Selena S 3R; Mantej N 4M; Noah S 4T; Tymofii K 1M; Kingston M 1J; Symairah R 2E; Kadence P 2G; Temi A 3R; Jacob S 3/4B; Nolan F 4M; Ava-Grace P 4T; Kristjan J 1M; Michele S 1J; Jessica R 1/2F; Jia A 2E; Zephyr F 2G; Sophia J 3R; Pavlo B 3/4B; Hyunwoo L 4T.

"Soup's On" provides daily school lunches to families in need. It can be started and stopped as needed. Contact our Learning Support Teacher Ms. Tara Klassen (tklassen@hsd.ca) to register your child.

We will soon be starting the process of creating class lists for the 2024-2025 school year. This is a very involved process and requires us to work closely as a school team to create class lists that are balanced and equitable for all. We take this process very seriously as we try very hard to create a positive learning environment for students.

We consider a variety of criteria when creating class lists, including:

• Balanced class composition

• Social and behavioural considerations

• Group dynamics
  

• Learning styles

• Parent input

If a parent would like to make a specific request for a friend or teacher placement, please email Mr. Hiebert (vhiebert@hsd.ca) your request including a clear explanation of the academic and learning reasons for your request, by May 15, 2024. All requests must be in writing, and only those submitted by that date will be considered based on their merit. We cannot guarantee that all requests will be honoured, and late requests will not be considered. Also, please note that teacher staffing assignments may not be finalized by this date.

Given appropriate support at home and at school, it has been our experience that the vast majority of placements are successful. Where a placement is proving to be difficult, we ask that parents and students give it the time required for friendships and classroom community building to develop.

Class placements will be included in your child's June report card. Early information about whether requests have or have not been granted will not be shared prior to June 30, with the exception of students entering Kindergarten. Families of incoming Kindergarten students will be notified of their child's teacher and the days they will attend in mid-June.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to your child's education.

Principal

Mr. Vince Hiebert

Learning Support

Ms. Rose Friesen

EAL/Learning Support

TBA

School Counselor

TBA

Literacy Support

Mrs. Pamela Reimer

Kindergarten

Mrs. Nichelle Doerksen

Mrs. Tammy Klassen

Mrs. Susanne Penner

Grade 1

Mrs. Connie Johnson

Ms. Meagan Rempel

Ms. Melissa Fry

Grade 2

Ms. Lyndsey Engel

Mrs. Jo-Anne Giesbrecht

Mr. Gavin Barkman

Grade 3

Mrs. Bethany Drewlo

Mrs. Sheena Rohne

Grade 4

Mr. Mike Martens

Mr. Darnell Thiessen

PE

Mrs. Kelly Tufford

Music

Mrs. Gabriela Gallo

Please check our website for information about bus transportation.

If your address has changed, please call transportation at 204-320-2347 to make sure that your children are riding the correct bus to and from school.

Click HERE for this month's Nutrition Bits and Bites Newsletter from Southern Health.

Elmdale's eNewsletter

Publisher: Mr. Hiebert

Email: elmdale@hsd.ca
Website: http://elmdale.hsd.ca/
Location: 160 Elmdale Street, Steinbach, MB, Canada
Phone: 204-326-3325
Twitter: @elmdalehsd