Elementary School Update

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Friday, October 11 ~ Half Day (dismissal by 11:30)(no lunch served)

Monday, October 14 ~ Thanksgiving Holiday (school closed)

Tuesday, October 15 ~ Full Dress Uniform required for Grades 3 to 6

Thursday, October 31 ~ Halloween Fun (optional Star Wars theme)

Monday to Tuesday, November 4 to 5 ~ Mid-Term Break (school closed)

Wednesday to Friday, November 6 to 8 ~ Ped. Days (no school for students)

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Friday, October 11 ~ Half Day ~ Dismissal Information: Friday, October 11 is a half-day. Dismissal (regular dismissal protocol) will take place as follows: Grade 3 at 11:15; Kindergarten and Grade 4 at 11:20; Grades 1 and 5 at 11:25; and Grades 2 and 6 at 11:30. No lunch will be served.

Full Dress Uniform Required ~ Grades 3 to 6: Students in grades 3 to 6 are expected to return to Full Dress Uniform starting on Tuesday, October 15. Blazers and ties are required. Short sleeved blue crested shirts can continue to be worn with the tie and blazer. Students may wear a long-sleeved SHS school sweater in place of the blazer in and around school but blazers must be in school.

Contactivity ~ Attention all Grade 5 and 6 students: We have 6 spots available for our Contactivity Crafting club this fall, and we want you to be part of it! It takes place on Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 in MS3 (Lucas building, 2nd floor). If you love connecting with senior citizens, and doing arts and crafts please complete the sign-up form by October 11. This term we will be focusing on Polymer clay. Don’t miss out!

Elementary School Choir: The elementary school choir will begin next week. Students from kindergarten to grade 6 are eligible to participate. The choir will rehearse by grade once every two week cycle during the lunch recess. The choir will participate in the elementary play in the spring, holiday caroling in December, and will occasionally perform at special events and elementary assemblies throughout the year. The choir will be directed by Mr. Kennedy. Please register your child by clicking here.

Elementary School Play: The play this year is Mary Poppins JR, a condensed version of the Broadway musical of the same name. The play will take place on Friday, May 2. The audition process has begun, and those in grades 4, 5 and 6 who have signed up to audition will receive materials to work on and submit for their audition shortly. If you have any questions about the audition process please contact Ryan Kennedy at kennedyr@selwyn.ca.

Halloween Costumes: As Halloween approaches we invite you to have a conversation with your children about the intention of Halloween costumes to help guide them in their choice of costumes. David A. Robertson, in a 2019 CBC article about Halloween costumes, aptly states, “It’s difficult to see one another on a human level when one dresses up as the other in a way that perpetuates stereotypes we need to start seeing through.” To this end, we invite students to consider the following questions when selecting their costumes: Is my choice making fun of or putting down this person and/or identity? Does my costume choice align with the principles of Veritas and represent myself in the way I want to be seen?

Grade 1 and boys new to the school ~ Skating Classes: Your son will start skating classes in early November. More information will follow but to give parents an opportunity to purchase items, please refer to the following list: sharp skates, proper laces (not too long or broken ends), a helmet & full face mask, a neck protector, a Selwyn House sweat suit (it is permissible to wear your favorite hockey sweater over your sweat suit), ski mitts or hockey gloves, elbow or shin pads (not necessary but optional), a small sports bag that closes tightly (your son will be carrying it to and from the bus himself) and an extra set of dry sweatpants to change into after skating.

Selwyn House Fan Shirt - Update: A HUGE congratulations to Eli Raisman (Grade 10) for his fan shirt initiative! We’ve sold 133 out of 175 shirts and raised over $800 for the Selwyn House Gryphon Fund. There are still shirts available—click here to place your order today! Eli’s determination demonstrates that if you have a passion and want to see it through, we’re here to support you! If you have an idea related to community engagement, please reach out to Ms. Segal, and she’ll help you bring it to life!

PVA (Parent Volunteer Association) News:

• Halloween is just around the corner! In a galaxy far, far away (the Macaulay building, to be exact), the Senior School Prefects voted and it's unanimous - Selwyn is bringing the Star Wars theme to this year's Halloween festivities! As we all know, the Force is strong here at Selwyn, and we'd love to get your help in bringing this theme to life. Signup for Advance Halloween Decorating on October 25, Halloween Animating on October 31 and Halloween Clean Up Crew - check it out! Thanks so much for your support!

• PVA Invitation ~ Selwyn Parent Walk: The PVA (Parent Volunteer Association) invites all SHS parents to join them on Friday, October 18 @ 8:45am for a walk around Mount Royal. Meeting at Maison Smith, Mount Royal where coffee will be served followed by a walk. Dogs are welcome.

• PVA Invitation ~ Get Ready to Sweep, Slide, and Slice! Have you ever wanted to try curling but thought you needed to be an Olympic athlete? Think again! The PVA is hosting an epic evening of curling and pizza on Saturday, October 19, and trust us—you won’t want to miss this! We’ll provide the ice, brooms, and hot pizza to fuel your victory (or just your appetite)! Instruction available for beginners! Cash bar on site. Sign up now before spots melt away!

Update from Public Health ~ Information about whooping cough: Quebec public health officials have issued a warning regarding a significant rise in cases of whooping cough (pertussis) across the province. Please read the letter from public health. Veuillez lire la lettre de la santé publique.