Westboro Weekly Newsletter

April 28: Class 6W in school field trip - Teacher's Pet 9:00 a.m.

April 28: Westboro is a polling station for Elections Canada

April 29: Parent Engagement - Executive Function Skills Night 2 6:30 p.m. Westboro Elementary

May 1: Muffin Morning Volunteer Appreciation 8 -10 a.m.

May 2: Professional Learning Day: No school for students

Looking ahead:

May 5: Bus Driver Appreciation Day

May 5 - 11: Mental Health Week

May 7: Early Dismissal - Students will be dismissed one hour early at 2:12 p.m.

May 7: Hats on for Mental Health

May 8: Anything But a Backpack Day

May 8: Wellness Assembly 9:10 a.m.

May 8: Elk Island Invitational Relay - Strathcona Athletic Park 4:00 p.m.

May 8: Kindergarten Information Night 6:00 p.m.

May 9: Grade 2 Field Trip The Makery 9:30 a.m.

May 9: Grade 1 Arbor Day 11:35 a.m.

May 10: Deadline to order hot lunch is 9:00 p.m.

May 12-16: Gymnastics Week

May 13: School Council Meeting 6:30 p.m.

May 14: Classified Appreciation Day

May 14: Class 4L bowling field trip 9:15 a.m.

May 16: Hot Lunch

May 19: Victoria Day - Stat. Holiday: No school for students or staff

May 21: Grade 1 Teacher's Pet in school field trip 1:00 p.m.

May 21: Class 4L bowling field trip

May 22: Class picture day

May 23: Family dance

May 28: PAT Grade 6: English Language Arts & Literature (Part A) 9:00 a.m.

Dear Westboro families,

We would like to inform you that Westboro has been selected to serve as a polling station for the upcoming federal election on Monday, April 28. As a result, we anticipate increased activity around the school grounds throughout the day.

Please note the following important details:

• Increased Traffic: Expect a higher volume of vehicles and foot traffic in and around the school.
• Limited Parking: Parking availability will be reduced due to space being allocated for election staff and voters.
• Plan Ahead: We strongly encourage families to allow extra time for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up to accommodate the increased congestion.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we support this important civic event. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you.

Please click the image below to RSVP!

Ordering for Hot Lunch on May 16 is now open until Saturday, May 10 at 9 p.m.! This month's vendors are Cobbs and Booster Juice!

You can now place your hot lunch (and future fundraising) orders online using MunchaLunch.com! You can pay for your orders online using credit card (Visa / Mastercard), debit-credit card, Google Pay, Apple Pay or pre-paid credit card.

HOW TO REGISTER:

1) Go to: https://munchalunch.com/schools/westboro

2) Click the “Register Here” button (as shown below). The system will guide you through.

3) After adding your children, click the green “Order Lunch!” button to order.

4) Next time, just click the “Login Here” button to access your account.

HOW TO REGISTER IF YOU ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL:

1) Go to: https://munchalunch.com/addaccount

2) Click the “Start” button. The system will guide you through.

3) After adding your children, click the green “Order Lunch!” button to order.

4) Next time, just click the “Login Here” button to access your account.

ORDERING INFORMATION:

· If you need assistance with ordering, or do not have access to the internet, please contact our new hot lunch coordinator, Nicole at westborohotlunch@gmail.com

Please note if your child is ill on a lunch date, you are welcome to come and pick up their lunch by 12:30 p.m.; otherwise please consider it a donation. Consistent with previous years, there are NO REFUNDS.

We are always in need of volunteers! There is a volunteer page in the online system where you can checkmark which dates you are available. The hot lunch coordinator will then contact you with a proposed schedule.

Our thanks to the Westboro Elementary parent community for supporting hot lunch and to our wonderful volunteers who help make this program a success!

Please see the meeting minutes from the School Council meeting held on April 8, 2025.

Westboro School Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2025.

Westboro Parent's Society Meeting Minutes April 8, 2025.

Junior high schools across EIPS are hosting information nights for all Grade 6 students and their families—taking place in April and May. Make sure to attend to learn everything you need to know about the junior high programs at your child’s school. Those who attend will also have a chance to:

· meet the teachers;

· tour the school and classrooms;

· learn about the upcoming curriculum; and

· ask questions.

For specific dates and times, see: EIPS Junior High Information Sessions 2025

National Volunteer Week takes place April 27 to May 4. On behalf of the Board of Trustees at Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS), I want to say a giant thank you to all EIPS volunteers. This year’s theme is Volunteers Make Waves, and that’s certainly true in our Division. No matter whether you’ve chaperoned a field trip, helped out at a hot lunch day or provided support in a classroom—every time you’ve stepped in a school—you’ve made a ripple effect that washes over your community. These waves of positivity, hard work and dedication build up and make a momentous impact on a student’s experience at school.

So, thank you again for being a part of our ocean at EIPS. The waves you’ve made—and will continue to create—all contribute to our collective goals of ensuring learning and working environments sustain student learning and amplifying the importance of public education in our province. This National Volunteer Week, I encourage everyone to celebrate the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours put into supporting student growth and achievement at schools across the Division.

Cathy Allen
Chair, EIPS Board of Trustees

Do you have a child registered in kindergarten next year? If so, make sure to attend Westboro Elementary's upcoming Kindergarten Information Night on Thursday, May 8 You’ll get to:

· tour the school;

· meet the teachers;

· gain insight on play-based learning; and

· see what a typical day looks like.

Kindergarten Information Night 2025:

Date: Thursday, May 8

Time: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Location: Westboro Elementary

To make the transition to school as smooth as possible, Elk Island Public Schools has put together a toolkit for families. The kit includes information about registration, important dates, programming options, what to expect, eligibility, finding your designated school, transportation and more.

Additional information about Westboro Elementary’s kindergarten program is available on the school website. www.westboroelementary.ca/about/kindergarten

New student registration for the 2025-26 school year is open!

For tips on filling out the form, refer to How to Register a New Student.

Is your child turning five on or before Dec. 31, 2025? If so, it’s almost time to register for kindergarten.

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year opened on Feb. 1, 2025.

To help families prepare, Elk Island Public Schools has put together an online EIPS Kindergarten Tool kit to make the transition as smooth as possible. The kit includes information on registration, important dates, programming options, what to expect, eligibility, how to find your designated school, transportation and more.

Additional information regarding Westboro Elementary's kindergarten program is available at www.westboroelementary.ca/about/kindergarten

Is there a preschooler in your life experiencing identified developmental delays or challenges with speech-language—big or small? If so, Elk Island Public School’s Play And Learn at School (PALS) program could help.

Early learning lays the foundation for success in primary grades and beyond. As such, EIPS offers the pre-kindergarten PALS program in five of its elementary school locations. Applications are now open for free speech-language assessments for those interested in registering in the PALS program this fall. The assessment helps determine if PALS is appropriate for your child.

If you know a preschooler, born in 2021 or 2022, who could benefit from pre-kindergarten programming or want to book an assessment, fill out the PALS Program Request Form or call 780-417-8219. For more information, visit eips.ca.

Connect Parent

Strong communication is important to foster healthy development and lasting family connections. Join us and explore new perspectives on parent-teen relationships and concrete strategies for success.

Circle of Security

Parenting can be challenging, and at times, it’s hard to know what our child needs. This program helps participants understand their child’s emotions and gain practical tools to foster a secure and connected relationship with their child through guided discussions, videos and reflections.

Call 780-416-6730 to see if these programs are a fit for you!

Designed for all ages and stages of life, the Everybody Can brochure is your one-stop shop for affordable supports and services in Strathcona County! Find support for:

• Food, clothing and housing
• Finances and employment
• Children and families
• Transportation and recreation
• Health and wellness

Download the guide and learn more at strathcona.ca/EverybodyCan

Current events, the news cycle and financial uncertainty can be stressful for you and your family. Here are some tips from Rebecca from the Family Resource Network, to help take care of yourself and your family when feeling stressed or uncertain.

Check out some more tips for supporting our children during uncertain times: https://ow.ly/Fsl450VCJRX

The Family Resource Network is here to help, call 780-416-6730 or visit Strathcona.ca/families to learn more about programs and services that support families.

This free Infant CPR class, led by a certified Strathcona County Emergency Services educator, is ideal for expecting parents and parents/caregivers of children under the age of one.

Register at https://scl.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?q=infant%20cpr