Queen Elizabeth School

80 Wilson St. E., Perth, ON K7H 1M4 Telephone: 613-267-2702 Fax: 1-855-428-1499 Principal: Ms. C. Ciocio

SEPTEMBER 2012
PRINCIPALS MESSAGE The school staff and I would like to extend a warm welcome to all families returning to Queen Elizabeth and to the many new families who have joined our school community. We look forward to working with you to support your son/daughter at school. A great deal of hard work has gone into preparing Queen Elizabeth for our learners and staff. Thank you to Mr. Pretty and Ms. Hall for doing a magnificent job of getting the school building ready for us. As you can imagine, Mrs. Barr has been very busy in the office both last June and this past week as she completes registrations for so many new students, while looking after everything else that needs to be done for the September startup. All of the forms, papers and lists have been typed, sorted, filed and organized for the beginning of a new year. Many thanks to Mrs. Barr for her hard work! This school year brings a major shift in our scheduling. All grade 1 to 5 classes will be following a 5-day cycle in lieu of the traditional Monday-Friday schedule. Teachers will be communicating these changes and how they affect your childs specific schedule in the near future. Please be patient with us as we also adapt to this new schedule. We look forward to seeing all of you at our Meet the Teacher Night on Wednesday, September 12th from 6:30-8 p.m. The Scholastic Book Fair will be set up in the gym and open from 6 to 8 p.m. All proceeds from the book fair go directly towards purchasing books for both the library and classroom collections. Sincerely, Carmela Ciocio
The Student Transportation for Eastern Ontario is committed to the safety of students. For this reason, it is very important that accurate and up-to-date Bus information is maintained concerning students who travel on the bus. STEO has also made it easier for parents to check on their childrens transportation Information by maintaining a special Busing Hotline Number: 1-866-286-7521, until September 30th, 2012 Information regarding transportation can also be located clicking on the transportation icon on the Board website, www.ucdsb.on.ca. First Time Riders program is scheduled for September 26 & 27. At this time, bus safety procedures will be reviewed with our kindergarten students. School Bus Evacuation Program ~ Oct. 18 and 19

SCHOOL PHOTOS
A-Day Kdg, Grades 1-5: Wed. Sept. 19

B-Day Kindergarten: Thurs. Sept. 20

MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Classroom visits
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Scholastic Book Fair

6 to 8 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you!

SCHOOL ORGANIZATION ~ 2012-2013

Kindergarten, English ............................................. Ms. Jane Dugdale Kindergarten, French Immersion, A-Days ...... Mme Mellissa Jones Kindergarten, Eng/EFI, A-Days ......................... Mme Amy Callan Kindergarten, French Immersion, B-Days ....... Mme Kathleen McIntyre Grade 1 English ........................................................ Mrs. Andrea Kennedy Grade 1 French Immersion ................................... Mme Nancy Villemure Grade 2 English ........................................................ Mrs. Kathryn Farrell Grade 2 French Immersion .................................. Mme Sharon Neufeld Grade 2/3 & 3 English ........................................... Ms. Carolyn Truelove Grade 2/3 & 3 French Immersion ...................... Mme Debra White Grade 3 and 4 English ............................................ Mr. Sean Christy Grade 3 and 4 French Immersion ...................... Mme Jacinthe Beyea Grade 4 and 5 English ............................................ Ms. Nancy Thomson Grade 4 French Immersion (a.m.) ...................... Mme Jill Miller Grade 5 French Immersion (p.m.) ...................... Mme Shelley Fillipoff Kdg to Grade 5 Phys.Ed ......................................... Mr. Mario Caya Gr.1-5 Science, Kdg Phys.Ed, Gr.1 & 2 Music .. Mrs. Cara Dean Gr.3-5 Music ............................................................. Mr. Peter Kuhn Resource Teacher (a.m.) ....................................... Mme Shelley Filiopoff Kdg Music................................................................... Mme Jill Miller Learning Resource Coach ...................................... Ms. Beth Stairs Educational Assistant (A-days) .......................... Mrs. Nancy Clark Educational Assistant (A-days) .......................... To be announced Learning Commons Informationist ..................... Mrs. Sharron Gow Instructional Supervision Monitor .................... To be announced Head Custodian ........................................................ Mr. Layne Pretty Evening Custodian.................................................... Mrs. Rhonda Hall Office Administrator ............................................ Mrs. Judy Barr Financial Assistant .................................................. Mrs. Vicky Adrain

DRESS CODE REMINDERS

As the warm weather continues, we thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone of appropriate footwear and dress for school. Please remember that in spite of sandal season, children still need to keep a sturdy pair of shoes at school for gym classes, to protect feet and to prevent slips, trips and falls. As well, please remember that the QE Dress Code calls for tank tops that have straps that measure the width of three fingers. Following this expectation consistently from grades 1 to 5 makes it easier for all of us, staff and parents, in the long run. The Dress Code is outlined in the QES ParentStudent Handbook which is found in the student agendas. QES Dress Code:

Students must be neat and clean in their persons and habits. Appropriate modest dress, suitable to the business of school is required at all times. Clothing with inappropriate slogans and/or logos, are not allowed. Appropriate footwear is required at all times. Students are expected to have an indoor pair of socks and closed, non-marking running shoes at school for gym. Hats and hoods are to be removed inside the school. (Religious headgear excluded.) Tank tops must have straps that measure at least the width of three fingers.

QUEEN ELIZABETH SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL 2011-2012

The Queen Elizabeth School Council serves in an advisory capacity to the principal and also serves to give parents and others in the community a formal voice in how their schools operate. Parental input is critical to the ongoing success of your childs school. Under the guidelines established by our Board, membership must reflect the following standards:

Parents must form a majority on council. The School principal; One teacher; One non-teaching educational support staff member; A community member.

A School Councils regulation under the Education Act, which came into effect in December 2000, requires that school council elections take place during the first 30 days of each school year. Please complete the attached ballot to nominate someone or to self-nominate yourself as a potential council member. Please return the completed nomination form to the school office by Friday, September 23rd.

First Meeting of the QE School Council will be on Monday, September 21st 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. Location: QE School Library Childcare provided.
Queen Elizabeth Newsletter, September 2012

Page 2

Daily Routines

Medical Conditions
As we begin a new school year we would like to inform you that Queen Elizabeth Elementary School is an allergen aware school. There are children in attendance who suffer from severe and life threatening allergies to certain foods or items, such as peanut and nut or dairy products. Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe life threatening reactions. Anaphylaxis is a severe and life threatening allergic reaction. Students in the affected classes have been made aware of the necessary precautions and lunchtime accommodations are in place. It is good practice for all students to wash their hands after eating. If your child has an allergy or medical condition that could put his/her life health in jeopardy and you have not advised us, please do so immediately. If your child rides the school bus, this information will also need to be shared with the bus driver. If your child requires medication while at school, a form to authorize the administration of medication must be completed. This form can be picked up at the office.
The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit continues to work with schools and school boards to keep our schools healthy. Controlling the spread of infections in schools can help reduce the spread in the community. Infections include respiratory illnesses such as influenza, which can cause fever, cough and/or sore throat, and gastrointestinal illnesses such as Norwalk, which can cause diarrhea and/or vomiting.

Before-school supervision is at 8:40 a.m. Entry Bell is at 8:50 a.m. Lunch is from 11:20 to 11:40 a.m. Morning recess is from 11:40a.m. to Noon Afternoon recess is from 2:25 to 3:05p.m. Dismissal is at 3:10 p.m.

We respectfully request your cooperation in ensuring that your children do not arrive at school before 8:40 a.m. and that they are picked up prompty at 3:10 p.m.

All school doors will be locked during the school day. Buzzers are located at both the front and the side parking lot doors. Should you need to notify us of any last minute changes to the plan for your childs dismissal at the end of the day, please call the office by 2:30 p.m. so that we have enough time to get the message to your childs teacher.

We have students with Life Threatening Allergies (Anaphylaxis), particularly nuts and The Health Unit encourages parents to teach children how to peanut butter. We would appreciate it if peanut avoid spreading infections by: butter and other food items containing nuts, not Cleaning hands often with soap and water, or hand sanbe sent in lunches or snacks. Thank you for your itizer Not sharing personal items or drinks. cooperation.
Student Information Verification Forms Student information needs to be updated each September. Student information forms have been sent home with all students. Please review the information that we have on file and make any changes/additions. Please sign and return the form, whether there are changes or not, to the classroom teachers by Thursday, September 13th.
If your child is sick, please keep him or her home from school and daycare. Sick children and teens should not go to public places including sporting activities and social clubs.

As with previous years, when your child is sick with influenzalike symptoms (fever and cough), please let you schools office assistant know that they have these symptoms. Each school will report absenteeism due to influenza-like-illness to the Health Unit. This will help the Health Unit monitor the amount of illness in the community. If you have any questions or concerns regarding respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, please visit our website at www.healthunit.org or call the Health Action Line at 1-800-660 -5853 to speak with a Public Health Nurse.
Queen Elizabeth Newsletter, Page 3

We thank you for your cooperation.

September 2012

STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance and punctuality are important indicators of school success.. If your son/daughter is absent from class for part or all of the day, please call the office at 613-267-2702 before 8:50 a.m. We also have an answering machine for your convenience. If we do not hear from you, we will be contacting you at home or at work to ensure your childs safety. Please ensure that we have your current phone numbers on file.

IMPORTANT NOTICE RE: STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE

Dear Parent or Guardian: The Upper Canada District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on school premises or during school activities. Accidents can and do happen. Some injuries incur medical, dental or other expenses that are not covered by provincial health care or employer group plans. As a parent or guardian, you become responsible for these expenses. We do make available an Accident and Life Insurance Programme for students. Participation in such a programme is voluntary and the costs are to be paid by the parent or guardian. For your convenience, we have arranged a Student Accident Insurance Policy exclusively through Reliable Life Insurance Company. This programme offers a variety of plans and benefits at affordable prices. Benefits included are:

DROP-OFFS, PICK-UPS & PARKING

The front of the school is a designated Bus Zone everyday between 8:30 to 9 a.m. and 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. Parents may park in this area ONLY between the hours of 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Parents dropping off their children or picking them up, may park on Wilson Street, Halton Street or Arthur Street. Dismissal is a very busy time and safety becomes an issue when children are darting between buses and cars. Parents and students are asked to walk along the south side of the bus loop. Please do not cross in between busses. To avoid congestion at dismissal time, parents are asked to wait outside for their children. If you need to pick your child up early, please come to the office and Mrs. Barr will call the classroom to have him/her sent down.

dental expenses (resulting from an accident) paralysis/loss of use total and permanent disability special disability benefits death benefits.

If your child participates in co-curricular activities or activities outside the school day, there is a plan tailored to your needs. All rates are one-time annual premiums. Family rates for 3 or more children are also offered. The insurance agreement is between you and Reliable Life Insurance Company. If you wish to subscribe you can apply directly on-line at: www.insuremykids.com. Any questions should be directed to Reliable Life Insurance Company toll free at 1-800-463-KIDS (5437).

Student Accident Insurance is especially valuable for todays active children.

BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS!

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

These tips may be helpful for your childs success!

Speak positively about school and your childs ability to learn. Dont put extra pressure on your child or make unrealistic demands. Set goals and work towards them. Dont let students get away with excuses for not meeting goals set. Play down any fears your child may have about the coming year. Set up a quiet and clean area for your child to study at. Ideally the area should be closed off to siblings, pets and enticing distractions. Students should have a solid, flat surface to work at. Develop a consistent homework routine early in the school year. Set aside a common study time period for studying, reading and quiet activities. If there is no homework keep this as a quiet time. Encourage reading to be done. Communicate with the teacher.
Queen Elizabeth Newsletter, Page 4

September 2012

Queen Elizabeth School Advisory Parent Nomination/Self-Nomination

I wish to nominate: _______________ for an elected position as a parent/guardian representative on the QE School Council for 2012-2013. My name is: __________________________ Signature: __________________________ I wish to declare my candidacy for an elected position as a parent/guardian representative on the QE School Council for 2011-2012. Name of Person Nominated/Self-Nominated: _________________________________ Address:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

Home phone: ______________ E-mail:

Business phone: ______________

__________________________________________________
_________________________,

Nominated person is a parent/guardian of registered at Queen Elizabeth School. I am an employee of the board.

who is currently

Yes

No

_____________________________________

_____________________

Candidates signature

Date

Wednesday, September 12th Thursday, September 13th

Yes, I am available to help at the QES Scholastic Book Fair. I am available for the following days/times: _____ Wed.Sept.12th (9-11 a.m.) _____ Thurs.Sept.13th (9-11 a.m.) _____ Wed.Sept.12th (12-3 p.m.) _____ Thurs.Sept.13th (12-3 p.m.)

_____ Wed.Sept.14th (6-8 p.m. ~ during Meet The Teacher)

Name: _____________________ Telephone #: _____________________ Email: _______________________

Wednesday, September 12th Thursday, September 13th

Yes, I am available to help at the QES Scholastic Book Fair. I am available for the following days/times: _____ Wed.Sept.12th (9-11 a.m.) _____ Thurs.Sept.13th (9-11 a.m.) _____ Wed.Sept.12th (12-3 p.m.) _____ Thurs.Sept.13th (12-3 p.m.)

_____ Wed.Sept.14th (6-8 p.m. ~ during Meet The Teacher)

Name: _____________________ Telephone #: _____________________ Email: _______________________