Elmdale School

Many years ago, when I was a child attending Elmdale School, there were two places I would consider favourites. The first was the epic and ancient wooden playstructure just outside the grade 1 doors. While that structure is long gone, its legacy lives on in the current wooden playstructure which is a rarity among local schools. As these are replaced with more modern steel structures, we are glad to still have a wooden one that we work hard to keep in safe and solid working order thanks to our excellent divisional maintenance department. Year after year the students still say this is a favourite feature of Elmdale School.

The second place that I considered a favourite was the Reading Pit in the Library. We would sign out our books and then make our way down the stairs and sit or lie down on the floor and enter the world of our imaginations as we read a new story. Mainly for reasons of space the reading pit was closed up in the early 2000s. When the grade 5 & 6 students left Elmdale with the opening of Clearspring Middle School, the library suddenly felt like it had some extra room again, and the conversation started to open up the Reading Pit again. This month that has finally become a reality!

I am very excited that once again we see students reading down in the Reading Pit! This is part of a long-term vision we have for updating our library and continuing to encourage reading, and another piece of the literacy program at Elmdale. Check out the pictures below!

Mr. Vince Hiebert

Principal: Elmdale School

Email: vhiebert@hsd.ca

Instagram: elmdalehsd

All children experience worries. For some kids this can reach a point where the worry interferes with their ability to enjoy life, have fun, and handle challenges they face. We have seen an increase in the last number of years of kids struggling with anxious thought patterns.

If you are interested in gaining some knowledge of ways to help your child when they are stuck in worry, we’d like to invite you to join other parents in watching the video “Decreasing Anxiety - How to Talk to Your Anxious Kids”. Lynn Lyons is a well-known American therapist who specializes in working with kids and families struggling with anxiety. She is the author of the book Anxious Kids, Anxious Families. The tools and knowledge she presents are practical and easy to use, and can apply to anyone regardless of how severe or mild the anxiety might present itself.

We will be showing the video here at the school on Tuesday, February 18th from 7:00-8:00pm. The video is approximately 45 minutes, which will leave some time for discussion/questions as well if you are interested. Coffee will be served. If you think you will plan to be there, please RSVP to our school counsellor, Tara Klassen at tklassen@hsd.ca so we can plan for approximate numbers.

A preview of the video can be found at this link:

https://www.lynnlyonsnh.com/books-videos/

This year, Elmdale School is participating in Jump Rope for Heart – a great physical activity and fundraising program by the Heart Foundation that has been running for over 35 years.

Jump Rope for Heart is a great way for your child to keep fit and learn new skills, but it also helps raise funds for vital heart research and education programs.

To make fundraising easy, you can sign up your child for online fundraising at this link: JRFH. This way friends and family members can simply donate online.

We will also be distributing fundraising envelopes for students to use when they collect cash and cheques.

Fundraising ends and envelopes are due on Wednesday, February 19th.

Thank you for supporting the Jump Rope for Heart program!

Marisol 1E; Alice 1J; Ethan 1M; Strider 2G; Daniella 2M; Aubrey 3B; Roi 3L; Braysen 3R; Ashlin 4D; Austin 4M; Gavin 4T; Jeremiah 1E; Avery 1J; Hunter 1M; Benjamin 2G; Hudson 2M; Alexei 3B; Juan 3L; Addyson 3R; Wyatt 4D; Ben 4M; Olivia 4T; Aizen 1E; Theo 1J; Caleb 1M; Tristan 2G; Payton 2M; Angelo 3B; Colten 3L; Jayden 3R; Haycee 4D; Aaron 4M; Nixon 4T.

Every February we celebrate reading through our I Love to Read Month. Some events coming up:

- Guest readers will be coming to the classroom and assemblies. We're looking forward to hosting some SRSS Athletes, parents and community members, former Elmdale staff, as well as Corny Rempel and Michelle Sawatzky once again!

- Students will once again line the hallways for our annual "Hallway Huddle" reading times.

- On Friday, February 28 we encourage students to Dress up Like Your Favourite Book Character!

- Stop by the Bulletin Board by Entrance C to check out the staff Bitmoji's along with their favourite books. Coming in mid-February.

- Once again we will be having some reading challenges, with prizes of course!

We look forward to reading together and seeing each of our students learn through reading!

We want to give a HUGE thank you to some local businesses who have helped make certain events happen in January. First of all thank you to Old Church Bakery and Country Meat & Deli for donating cookies and juice to our Christmas Break Reading Challenge. All students who met their reading goals over the Christmas Break enjoyed a cookie and juice party with Mr. Hiebert in January.

Secondly, Elmdale is part of Boston Pizza's Partner's in Reading Program. Each month students who meet their reading goal can earn a coupon for a free kids' meal at Boston Pizza. This past month the team from the Steinbach Boston Pizza stopped by to give us a cheque for $500 to go towards the purchasing of books for Elmdale School.

Thanks to all our friends and neighbors for encouraging our students to read in this way!

Kindergarten registration for the 2020-21 school year is now open. To be eligible, Children must be five years of age on or before December 31, 2020. The registration process will take place online at www.HSD.ca. If you do not have access to the Internet, please visit the school office and we can assist you in completing the registration on a school computer. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to register their children soon after registration opens in January. Early registration will assist us in preparation and planning for the upcoming school year. Registering before March 1, 2020, will ensure there is sufficient time for school appointments and provide parents/guardians with the opportunity to participate in Kindergarten orientation activities. Visit www.HSD.ca for registration instructions.

"Soup's On" provides daily school lunches to families in need. It can be started and stopped as needed. Contact our Resource Teacher Ms. Rose Friesen (rfriesen@hsd.ca) or your child's teacher via agenda book to register your child.

Please check our website for the bus pick up times and location near your house.
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.

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