Kindergarten students and their parents are invited for a short presentation and some activities on May the 7th from 5;30 to 7:00 p.m. The presentation and activities are meant to provide a little information and orient families to the school and the Kindergarten classes. We are hoping to help you and your littles feel excited to start school in the fall. Parents and our future students are invited to come in, pick up a coloured name tag at the front and enter the gym for a short intro to Kindergarten at Southwood. Students and their parents will then be organized into groups to participate in several activities -- a short bus ride, a tour and some play in the classrooms and a Southwood School Tour. At their last station or activity, students will be given a welcome present including a note from the current Grade 4's.

Each registered Kindergarten student's parents have received an appointment time for either May 8th or 9th. At these appointments, the incoming Kindergarten students spend 30 minutes doing Kindergarten activities in a small group under the direction of a Kindergarten teacher. This gives them a small taste of what Kindergarten will look like and it gives our Southwood Staff a chance to meet and connect with your child. While our future students are engaged in these activities, parents are invited to a short information session with the Vice Principal and Principal for the purpose of orienting them to our school policies, procedures and how to help their child transition to school smoothly. We are excited to meet our new families! If you have any questions or did not receive an appointment, please call our school's office for more information.

Did you know that 33% of food bank users are children while representing only 20 % of the population. When families have a hard time making ends meet, many students reduce their nutritional intake. Southwood School will once again be collecting non-perishable food items to donate to our local food bank, South East Helping Hands. The Spring Food Drive will run from May 2nd to May 12th, 2024. Please consider helping out if you can...

Each grade is encouraged to bring the following items.

Kindergarten

Pasta, pasta sauce, kraft dinner, sidekicks rice or pasta, juice boxes

Grade 1

Crackers, pre canned meals (ravioli, spaghetti, etc), canned soup

Grade 2

Porridge, cream of wheat, cereal, pancake mix, pancake syrup

Grade 3

Baby formula, diapers, wipes, baby food, baby crackers, ivory snow laundry detergent

Grade 4

Dish soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, hand soap, tooth paste, toothbrushes, deodorant

If you are able to participate, please send the items to school with your child. Thank you kindly for your support!

*PLEASE NOTE* Food Bank hours are every other Wednesday from 2:00pm – 5:30pm.

Our playground can stay wet and muddy after the spring melt and rains. We also want our students to have as much outside time in the nice weather as possible. We can avoid calling you for a change of clothes if you send an extra change of socks, pants etc. in their backpacks for the instances where they fall or get their shoes and feet wet. Thanks so much!

Dear Southwood Students and Families,

After six years as Vice Principal of Southwood School and 15 years in the Hanover School Division, I will be bidding farewell at the end of June. I recently accepted a Vice Principal position in another school division in Winnipeg.

I have enjoyed working with all of the students, staff and families in my time here and have greatly appreciated getting to know you all! Dawn Machel has been appointed the new Vice Principal and we will work together to have a smooth transition into her new role.

From Ms. Johnson

Dear Southwood School Community,

I am so excited to be coming to your school in the fall as the new vice principal. I have been an educator for over 25 years, starting as an educational assistant, then as a teacher in grades spanning junior kindergarten through grade 5. I have been working in Mitchell Elementary School for the past 16 years teaching grades 1 and 2, and doing professional development for the division in literacy, numeracy, and technology. I have two daughters of my own, 13 and 20, who love to go to the beach with me in the summer. Reading in my hammock with my dog Zara is one of my favourite things to do.

I can’t wait to meet you all in the fall!

Ms. Dawn Machel

May 16th, 2024 at 7 pm

All parents of students who will be attending Grade 5 at Clearspring Middle School or Stonybrook Middle School next year (2024/2025) are invited to an information evening on May 16th at 7:00 pm at the school where they will be attending.

• Your student should have received a registration package from their middle school

If you are planning to complete school of choice form(s) for your student(s) to attend a school out of your catchment area please hand them into your school or the Hanover School Division office no later than May 15th, 2024.

Please contact the school by phone or email to let us know your new address. If you are moving in summer and your child/children and will be living in a new catchment area, please update your address through the HSD office.

Southwood students and their families have participated in making our community a better place this past school year... We've raised nearly $5000 for the Terry Fox Foundation this fall, placing 11th out of the top 50 elementary school fundraisers in the province. Southwood students and their families have raised close to $900 for the Heart And Stroke Foundation through our Jump Rope for Heart Project.

Thanks to you, our Southwood family and community for your generosity and contributions!

Southwood PAC has run multiple fundraisers this year with great success: raising funds for our lobby furniture, our Grade 4 end of year events and some other items for the school and playground. They have organized multiple staff appreciation lunches and snacks and have cheered our staff and encouraged them. All of our parents and community members have been so kind, caring and generous and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Together we truly CARE. LEARN and GROW!

May

7 -- Kindergarten Welcome Evening - 5:30 - 7:00 p.m

8 & 9 -- Pre-Kindergarten Orientation Days (by appointment for K families)

13 -- Assembly 3:00 - 3:25 – TBA

16 -- Middle School Welcome evening - 7:00 p.m at the Middle School your child is attending

20 -- Victoria Day – No school

23 -- Spring Concert Event (Gr. 1 and 2)

30 -- Potential Rain Date for Concert

June

3 -- Assembly 3:00 - 3:25 – Volunteer Appreciation Assembly

25 -- Next Level Day

26 -- Grade 4 Farewell (Parent Assembly 9:30 a.m.)

27 -- School Picnic and Last Day of School

28 -- Final Term Report Card (K - 4) On Parent Portal

28 -- Admin Day – No Classes