September 6th, 2016
Hello John Darling P.S!
How is everybody feeling today?! Soon our gym will be filled with the boisterous voices of our 250+ student body as we respond to this call with our familiar cheer; Fantastic, Terrific, Grrreat; All Day Long!
September 2016/2017; it’s back to school and the excitement is in high! We hope that everyone has enjoyed their summer vacation. The school looks fantastic thanks to the efforts of our custodial staff and our teachers. Once again, I would like to extend my gratitude to our staff for their time and efforts as everyone diligently planned for a smooth and supportive start to the school year by preparing their rooms and their programs over the past days and weeks.
Facility updates: At the end of June we had a water bottle filling station installed in our school. We have also had some maintenance work over the summer months to repair a leaky roof and replace some flooring. In addition, the portable was also removed giving us more space to run and play.
Staffing updates: I am pleased to welcome Miss Margaret Reist to our staff. She will be teaching the Grade2/3 class in room B4. Mrs. Casey Donnelly is teaching Health to a variety of classes as well as teaching a few periods in A12. Mrs. Ying Chen and Mr. Rufus John are Educational Assistants new to our school and Mrs. Catherine Dufournaud will be teaching in our Developmental Education class this year.
Mentorship/Paying it Forward: Two WLU student teachers will be working and learning alongside our staff this year. Miss Sandra Johnston and Mr. Ted Sloan will be in classes in our school on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s until early April. They will also complete their practicum placements with us. These eager teachers in training will gain exposure to as much as we can offer them to best prepare them for the role. In turn we look forward to benefiting from their many talents and skills. Look for their bulletin board introducing themselves to be on display, soon!
Communication:
There are many ways tokeep in touch with your school and the staff.
-Student planners areavailable for $6 each. This can be an effective communication tool for both parents and teachers. (E.g. To share an appointment date, homework details, etc.)
-Teacher voicemail;your son or daughter’s teacher will share their voicemail extension, soon.
-Website; check our school website for updates (jdp.wrdsb.ca). Register online to receive notifications when updates are posted. *Some teachers may choose to also maintain a website for their class.
–SCHOOL–DAY: you are encouraged to register for school-day. Mrs Shantz our Head Secretary will contact those who are not registered to share your child’s Student Key and information about the registration process. This optional online resource has been very effective in the school. We are able to share information directly with parents in a timely fashion. Classroom teachers can share learning goal updates, homework/study tools, trip forms and reminders. Notifications and messages go directly to your personal device. Payment for trips and some products can also be done online. Parents’ feedback has been very positive and it has made ordering pizza much more manageable for the school. Our goal is to have 100% participation with school-day. Please register to receive information via school-day as soon as you can!
-Tried and True! Of course, notes, letters, phone calls, and meetings are always welcome. Welook forward to working with you as we support your son/daughter throughout the school-year.
Student Safety:
Please walk on schoolproperty. Do not drive in our parking lot or onto our ring road to drop off or pick up your child. The extra moments that we take to be safe keeps the way clear for special buses and emergency vehicles. Day to day, it will make all of the difference to the well-being of all of our staff and students as they come and go from school. We need your help to model safe practices in our community. Thanks!
Upcoming Events:
School Council Fall Fundraiser– We are going out on a ‘limb’ and ‘planting’ a new idea for our Fallfundraiser. Our committee has chosen a ‘fresh and tasty’ product to tempt and inspire you to participate. We are keeping it local, healthy, and family friendly! Our Campaign runs from September 12-26th. Watch for more information very soon!
School Spirit wear:
In response to many requests to purchase school spirit wear, samples of our 2016/2017 products are on display in the cabinet in our main hall. All family members are welcome to place an order. A company representative will be available at a later date to confirm sizing. To save on costs, we will have to sort and distribute the orders ourselves. If you might be able to help us, please contact the office.
Terry Fox Run & Fundraiser, September 29th:
Our annual Terry Fox campaign will begin soon. The run will be held on Thursday, September 29th. Thank you, in advance, for helping us to support the ongoing efforts to find a cure for cancer.
Hot Lunches:
Special lunches happen when we have volunteers available to organize and deliver them. If you have time to help, please let our school council chairs know.
We will be offering Pizza again this year. Mrs. Shantz volunteers her time to make this possible. Orders have clear due dates. Unfortunately, we will not be able to take late orders. This is when mistakes often occur and consume a great deal of office time trouble shooting. If you do not have access to school-day, paper orders are available at the office for you child to pick up. Once again, to reduce disruptions in the office, we will not be accepting late orders this year. Thank you for understanding.
Dates to Remember
Sept. 6 First day of School. Entry at 8:50am
Sept. 12-26 School Council Fall Fundraising Campaign
Sept. 15 Meet the Teacher Night- 5:30-7:00pn
(Ginos pizza available for purchase.)
Sept 19 School Council Elections for Executive
(6:30-8:00pm)
Sept. 22 School Photo Day
Sept. 23 PD Day-no school
Sept. 29 Terry Fox Run
Oct. 3 School Council meeting @6:30am
Oct. 4-Nov.22 Artshine after school Art program (*more info to follow)
Oct. 6 Fall Fundraising orders go home today.
Oc.t. 7 Spirit Wear orders are due
Oct. 10 Thanksgiving Holiday- no school