Mitchell Elementary

September 2024

MITCHELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A Great Place to Grow!

Principal: Jennifer Thomson

Vice-Principal: Brandon Kipe

Email: mes@hsd.ca
Website: www.mes.hsd.ca
Location: 99 Willow Street, Mitchell, MB, Canada
Phone: 204-326-6622

Instragram: meshanover
Twitter: @MEShanover

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Welcome back to MES for the 2024-2025 school year! We are off to a great start! It was wonderful to see so many families at our Meet the Teacher event on Tuesday. We have quite a few new students at MES this year and we enjoyed getting to welcome all of our new families to our school community! Our first day has been filled with smiles, laughter, and connection. We have welcomed some new teachers and EA’s to our staff this year and we would like to welcome them to MES as well! We are also pleased to have Mr. Brandon Kipe join us at MES as our new Vice-Principal.

September will be a busy month as we adjust back into the routines of school. Please check your child’s Strong Connections date on Parent Portal. Strong Connections will be happening on September 13th & 16th. We look forward to these days as a way to get to know our students better and to help us plan to best meet their individual needs in the classroom. We will also be participating in a Terry Fox walk later this month and recognizing The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We are looking forward to a fantastic school year!

WELCOME

Welcome back to Melanie Friesen in Music, Michelle Wiebe in Grade 3, and Kathleen Derbowka, Lisa Moser, and Judy Schmid as EA's. Also welcome to Brandon Kipe as Vice-Principal, Meagan Reimer in Kindergarten, Olivia Letkeman in Grade 2, and Tara Reimer in Grade 3.

SCHOOL STAFF 2024-2025

Administration:

Principal - Jennifer Thomson

Vice-Principal/Learning Support - Brandon Kipe

Learning Support/Guidance - Jaime Thompson

Guidance - Sheila Krahn

Kindergarten:

Jamie Penner

Jessica Penner

Meagan Reimer

Grade 1:

Janeen Lange

Megan Lewis

Pam Reimer

Grade 1/2S:

Stephanie Signer

Grade 2:

Olivia Letkeman

Heidi Newman

Audrey Walton

Grade 3:

Brenda Enns

Tara Reimer

Michelle Wiebe

Vanessa Wolski

Grade 4:

Gus Durksen

Cory Dyck

Diana Head

Support Staff:

Literacy Support - Karen Swiderski

Numeracy Support - Elaine Peters

Language Support/Reading Recovery - Audrey Kampen

Music & Choir - Jessica Nickel/Melanie Friesen

Physical Education - Steffan Reimer

Admin. Secretary - Janette Koop

Secretary - Astrid Barkman

Library Support Specialist - Susan Nickel

Custodian: Norm Lajeunesse

Educational Assistants:

Tracy Banman

Kathleen Derbowka

Teresa Dilts

Roxie Doerksen

Kim Esau

Leanne Frechette

Amy Harms

Emily McQuillin

Lisa Moser

Sandy Reimer

Judy Schmid

Cassie Schmidt

Jennifer Thompson

REMINDERS FROM THE OFFICE

*Please check in at the office. For safety reasons, all visitors will need to be accompanied in the hallways.

*Please remember to send your child's water bottle, cutlery, and proper outdoor clothing.

ATTENDANCE REMINDER

Please let the school know if your child will not be attending school. This can be done through Parent Portal, phone call to the school office (204) 326-6622, voicemail, email to mes@hsd.ca or SeeSaw to the teacher.

MES SCHEDULE

8:30 Students enter School

8:43 Announcements, Period 1

9:15 Period 2

9:45 Period 3

10:15 Recess

10:30 Period 4

11:00 Period 5

11:30 Lunch/Recess

12:00 Recess/Lunch

12:25 Period 6

12:55 Period 7

1:25 Period 8

1:55 Recess

2:10 Period 9

2:40 Period 10

3:12 Dismissal for bus students

3:20 Dismissal for walking/pick-up students

STUDENT FEES DUE

The school fees for 2024-2025 are due by Friday, September 27th. Please pay online on Parent Portal or bring exact cash or a cheque payable to MES to the school office.

Kindergarten $40

Grade 1 $40

Grade 1/2S $20

Grade 2 $20

Grade 3 $20

Grade 4 $40

STRONG CONNECTIONS

Our Strong connection dates are Friday, September 13 and Monday, September 16. Your child will only attend school on one of these days. Please check Parent Portal to see which day your child will attend.

PARKING & PICK-UP

ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES

Thank you to all parents for keeping our bus loop clear and safe. This is just a quick reminder to all our students and parents of the bus loop rules:

1) Refrain from using the bus loop between 8:00am and 4:00pm (during school hours).

2) If you are dropping off or picking up students please do so from the street in front of the school (please do not drive onto the staff parking lot.)

3) Always walk around the front of the first bus, or the back of the last bus (not between them!) when more than one bus is stopped in the bus loop.

4) Please remind children who walk or bike to school to do so on the appropriate sides of the street so that buses and other vehicles can pass safely.

PARKING & PICK-UP:

Please take note of the areas that are safe for parking. The Mitchell Gospel Church is willing to let parents use their parking lot during the hours of 8:15-9:00 and 3:00-3:45 pm. This is the parking area one block directly south of the school down the path that connects to Willow & Oakview.

HOME TIME ARRANGEMENTS

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 2:30 pm.
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.

TERRY FOX WALK

Friday, September 20

MES will be participating in our annual Terry Fox Walk on Friday, Sep 20th at 10:30am. All MES
students will be participating in a short walk around Mitchell, continuing Terry’s legacy.

We will be educating the students on who Terry Fox was, why we do the walk, and what the Terry Fox Foundation is all about. We will also be encouraging students to bring in Toonies for Terry to aid cancer research in Canada!

Extreme Weather

In severe weather conditions, the school division closes the school and stops the buses. An announcement is made on radio stations 95.1 FM, 96.7 FM, and AM 1250 between 7-8 am, as well as on www.steinbachonline.com and as a bulletin on the HSD website www.hsd.ca

Bus Delays

When the buses are running late, there will be a Bus Delay Bulletin posted on HSD website. You can also call the Transportation Department at (204) 320-2347.

Bus Loop Procedures

Just a reminder that there is no stopping or driving in the bus loop. This includes student pick ups and drop offs. Many children use that door when going out for recess and we need to keep the bus loop clear for safety reasons.

PEANUT/NUT ALLERGIES

We have students who have life-threatening nut allergies. We are encouraging parents to keep this in mind as you pack lunches/snacks for your children. Please avoid sending nut products to school.

PRESCHOOL PROGRAM AT MES

Hanover Parent Child Community Program is offering a preschool program at MES in our hut.

Tuesday afternoons 1:00-3:00 pm
Thursday and Friday mornings 9:00-11:30 am

Please contact Stacey Marcoux at (204) 326-9829 or email smarcoux@hsd.ca for more information.

Picture Day will be on October 9th

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

Sept.6 Staggered entry for Kindergarten

Sept.9 Staggered entry for Kindergarten

Sept.10 All Kindergarten students attend

Sept.13 Strong Connections

Sept.16 Strong Connections

Sept.20 Terry Fox Run

Sept.30 Truth & Reconciliation Day - No Classes

Oct.9 Picture Day