EMS Eagles Newsletter #2
Evangeline Middle School September 15th, 2021
Hi All
What a great start!!
We have had a very positive beginning to the school year and have welcomed 290 new and returning Eagles into our building this week. The energy and positivity that we witnessed this week was incredible.
We are grateful for all of the hard work that our staff has put in over the course of the past few weeks to prepare for the startup. Without their dedication and organization none of this would be possible !
We had so many positives to celebrate this week. It was great to have students mingling outside and teachers are certainly thrilled to be able to teach IN OUR OWN ROOMS!!
We have had some internet struggles over the past week. We appreciate our AVRCE technicians working hard to resolve our problems. We have to thank Mr Bradley specifically for all of his hard work getting EMS fitted and organized with many new chromes for the 2021-2022 school year. His hours spent setting up our devices and troubleshooting is greatly appreciated.
Classes are now moving forward smoothly this week and staff are jumping into teaching and learning. We are looking forward to a great year of learning and building positive relationships with our students and you folks at home !!
We will be hosting our Virtual Meet the Teacher sessions this Tuesday, starting at 6:30 pm. Please see the schedule of Google Meet links below for your child's teacher.
As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call us at your earliest convenience.
Lastly, we wanted to announce that our Vice-Principal, Mrs Hanneman will be moving to PWES. Mary has worked at EMS for many years as a school counsellor and Administrator. She has left an indelible imprint on our school community that will not be soon forgotten. We thank Mary for all that she has done. Her contributions and positivity around the building will be missed. We wish her all the best at Port Williams and know that she will be a great addition to their staff and the school community at large.
We hope that everyone has a lovely rest of the week and weekend
In this Newsletter
School Pictures
Meet the Teacher
Counsellors Corner
Messages from EMS
Signing into the school
Terry Fox
Orange Shirt Day
Student Pick up and Drop Off
Student Cell Phone Use
Student Messages
Early School Closures
Cold and Flu Season
Cafeteria Orders
September Bussing Info
School Insurance Program
Volunteer with Us
Breakfast Program Volunteers
School Volunteers needed ( Extra Curricular /Coaches)
Nourish your Roots Fall 2021
Upcoming in our Community
Next Newsletter October 6th, 2021
SEE YOU SOON!
Photo Day - Friday September 17th
Retake Day is Monday November 15.
Virtual Meet the Teacher Night
We will meet together at 6:30 online at the google meet link below. This will be the beginning of the evening and will begin with an address from administration followed by an introduction from our our specialist teachers.
Following this address, parents can join their child's team teachers in a Google meet specific to those 2 teachers. Ex: If your child is in Mr Robertson/Ms Paquet they would join link 1.
a) Come to this Open House first!
EMS Open House -Google Meet Link
Tuesday, September 21 · 6:30 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/eku-xmhy-nti
Or dial: (US) +1 385-999-6304 PIN: 319 413 711#
b) Afterwards, go to your student's homeroom below!
Link 1: Mr Robertson / Ms. Paquet- https://meet.google.com/dbm-cwgf-cfg
Link 2: Ms Babcooke / Ms Rafuse- https://meet.google.com/qmc-vada-xvu
Link 3: Ms Watson / Ms MacLeod- https://meet.google.com/owp-pydi-idm
Link 4: Ms Rafuse / Mr Darwish- https://meet.google.com/ryc-qhek-idn
Link 5: Ms Johnson / Ms Harvey- https://meet.google.com/kha-yfyj-xbs
Link 6: Immersion https://meet.google.com/fvv-bzgg-gmn
Counsellors Corner
September, 2021
Dear EMS Families,
My name is Paula Guy and I am the new School Counsellor for Evangeline Middle School. This is my sixth school year working in the AVRCE and I look forward to working with you and your students.
I am now entering my 24th year in the education field and have been a Classroom Teacher, Resource Teacher and School Counsellor. I have Master of Education degrees in Special Education and Counselling and enjoy collaborating with families and staff to best support students.
The focus as the School Counsellor is to support all students with their personal, social, emotional and career needs. In an effort to positively support more students, I plan to give classroom lessons using a variety of resources including the Emozi Program and the myBlueprint digital portfolio program for grades 6-8. I also work with students individually or in small groups depending on the focus. In addition, I offer to work with families to provide assistance with accessing agencies and professionals if additional services are required.
Requests for a student to see the School Counsellor can be made by the administration, teachers, families and students. A signed consent form from the parent(s) or guardians(s) is required for grade six students to see the School Counsellor on an ongoing basis.
I am pleased to be working exclusively at EMS and can be reached by email or the main school phone line.
As we continue to navigate these trying times, it can feel stressful for everyone, including our children. It is our role to be calm, listen and be supportive, be honest and accurate with the information we share, emphasize safety, encourage healthy habits, limit social media and enjoy quality time together.
I look forward to a positive and successful school year!
Paula Guy, M.Ed.
902-681-4910
Are You Getting Text Messages from EMS? If Not, Read This
When you "Opt In", there is a message that pops up indicating "additional charges may apply" depending on your provider. We are unable to verify whether particular providers charge for texts, so please contact your provider directly if you need to determine whether additional charges apply.
Of note, the new messaging system includes a phone message option, which lets us record a voicemail message to parents/guardians. We encourage everyone to PLEASE check your voicemail and listen to messages that are left from the school before calling the school , to determine whether it is a blanket message or one concerning only your student.
Thank you for your patience as we learn to navigate the new system.
Signing in and Entering EMS / Public Health Screening
We also ask, like last year, that you complete self screening on a regular basis. Public health does not want students, staff or visitors entering the buildings when feeling ill.
If you are only coming to EMS to pick up your child, we would appreciate you staying in the student pick up lane and calling the school at 902-681-4910 and we will send your student out.
Thanks so much 😊
Terry Fox-
This year marks the 41st anniversary of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope. Evangeline Middle School has held a walk every year since it opened. Since 2002, the Evangeline Middle School community has donated $12,342.58 to cancer research. EMS students and staff will participate in a Terry Fox Walk on Thursday, September 23.
When Terry began his Marathon of Hope he asked that every Canadian donate one dollar to support cancer research. We are asking EMS students and staff members to consider honoring Terry’s wish. This year we will collect donations online directly to the Terry Fox Foundation. If donating online is not possible for you, homeroom teachers will accept donations at morning attendance.
Online Donations: https://secure.terryfox.ca/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?TeamID=947614Supporting Truth and Reconciliation- September 29th
Orange Shirt Day was created as an opportunity to discuss the effects of residential schools and their legacy. It honours the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, celebrates resilience and affirms a commitment that every child matters.
Join us and many others across Canada and wear an orange shirt to honour the children who survived the Indian Residential Schools and remember those that didn’t....
Every Child Matters.
Student Pick Up and Drop Off
1) There is no driving in the area closest to the school. This is now used as a play area during the day and is for buses only in the am and pm drop-off times
2) When picking up or dropping off your child, please do not leave your vehicle, unless you park in the designated parking area. When you pull up beside the fence, do not wait to get to the end of the fence, but drop your student as soon as possible, so as to keep the line moving quickly.
3) If you must pick your child up early for an appointment, please drive up and call the school 902-681-4910 when you arrive - we will send your child out once they have signed out at the office.
4) No cars are to be blocking Commercial Street at any time, and buses must be able to pass through driveways.
5) Early pick up of students just to avoid the rush is strongly discouraged, as it disrupts classes and your students may also miss important information about upcoming events and end of day fun activities.
Cell Phone Use During School Hours
- Your student(s) in Middle School are learning important problem-solving skills and one of those skills is learning to ask for help when needed. All staff at EMS strive to be very approachable and helpful in this regard. Likewise, staff need to be aware of communications between home and child regarding changed plans, not feeling well, etc.Thanks for your cooperation in this manner
Student Messages
Unexpected Early Closures
Cold and Flu Season
Already colds are on the rise in the school. Please encourage your student(s) to continue to sanitize their hands often. Keep your children home if they are exhibiting signs of illness, and adhere to ongoing covid testing protocols as appropriate.
Cafeteria Orders
We will resume with the system that we started with at the end of last year in the cafeteria. We will continue to complete all orders online and we will slowly transition to using our cafeteria once again. We will transition to using the cafeteria (socially distanced) once restrictions lift. For the time being we will still be delivering meals to the classrooms. We will have an online payment system available for parents to send lunch money to the school via
e- Transfer sometime in October.
Bussing Information
The AVRCE encourages ALL parents to sign up and use the BusPlanner Portal. There is a link on all school websites and the AVRCE website where parents can access the Portal or you can click HERE
Student Accident Insurance Policy
**The Accident Insurance Policy brochure provides important information for parents and explains how to report a claim should an accident occur**
We are again asking each Regional Centre for Education and CSAP for assistance with distribution of the Student Accident Insurance Policy brochure. We ask that you send the attached information to your schools by email. It is our hope that each school will then send the Accident Policy brochure electronically to parents.
Available for purchase by parents, the Gold Plan provides enhanced benefits. The cost of the Gold Plan remains unchanged at $14.00 per student and $35.00 maximum for those families with 3 or more students.
Sports programs Volunteers Needed
We are looking for coaches!!
If you are interested in helping out with Sports at EMS , ours seasons are starting up quickly. We will soon start Golf, Cross Country, Soccer and Volleyball.
To run some of these programs we do need some volunteers.If parents would like to volunteer their expertise or If you know anyone that could help out please drop us a line.
Thanks
Other Current Volunteer Opportunities - Still NEEDED
- 3 Volunteers for Nourish Your Roots on Friday October 8 from 4:15-6:15 to help organize deliveries and pick-ups at Noggins Farm. Names are needed by Friday September 17th
Volunteers Needed for 2021-22 School Year!
Volunteers make a difference!
Hopefully in the Fall of 2021 we will be able to welcome volunteers back into our school community! Parents, guardians, family members, and community members all play a role in enriched learning experiences of our students.
We will be looking for volunteers to assist in many ways in our schools. Think about ways you may get involved! Here are some examples of ways to get involved!
- Field trips
- Fundraising
- Special events
- Library support
- Breakfast Program or Cafeteria Support
- Drivers for school trips or team drives
- Assisting with playground supervision
- Coaching
- School projects
- Chaperoning
It makes a difference in students school experience and you just may find in makes a difference in your life too!
Volunteer Requirements
Volunteers must complete the following:
1) Child Abuse Register - Request for Search Form, ("CAR")which can be found here (A Child Abuse Registry Form)
2) Criminal Records Check ("CRC") with Vulnerable Sector Check. Contact school for letter to take to your local Police or RCMP detachment in order to complete the CRC as a volunteer.
3) A short volunteer form from the school in which you are volunteering.
The AVRCE "J" Form if you are driving students.
Please note: the completed Child Abuse Register Search and Criminal Records Check must be submitted to the office before volunteering and must be dated (current) within the three months preceding the time when you bring them to the office. After that, the CRC and CAR must be updated every three years.
Upcoming in our Community
Nourish Your Roots - Buy a Box (or two) of Farm Fresh fruits and veggies!
Order Here. Our school is participating in the Nourish Your Roots fundraiser. We are selling boxes of fresh produce grown in Nova Scotia. Each box contains 8-10 items. Contents include a variety of vegetables particularly root vegetables and maybe some fruit or herbs. The average weight ranges from 20-25 lbs. Boxes sell for $35. We will receive $10 per box. Orders can be placed through the Nourish Your Roots online store. The selling period runs from now until October 19, 2021. Delivery and pick up will be at Noggins Corner Farm Market in Greenwich. Thank you for your support!
Store Now OPEN
It's Never Been Easier!
Support Local!
NOURISH YOUR ROOTS Fundraiser and Local Food INITIATIVE
Nourish Your Roots, the farm-to-school healthy fundraiser, is coming to (Evangeline Middle School)!
Boxes contain farm-fresh Nova Scotia grown produce and they are $35 each. The money raised will directly support and sustain our school’s healthy food programs, such as (Food for Life, Breakfast Program and subsidized lunches).
The Nourish Your Roots store is now open at shop.nourishns.ca. Orders can be picked up between September 28 and October 30, 2021 at a location near you (details when you shop). Buy or donate a Nourish Your Roots box today to make a difference in our school. Thanks for your support!
For more information please contact us at (ems@avrce.ca).
Community Events
Acadia Regional Youth Orchestra
Come make music with us! Absolute beginner and intermediate players welcome! The ARYO String Orchestra program will start on Sept. 14th at Horton Community Centre in Grand Pré. If you are between 10 and 24 you can learn violin, viola, cello or double bass and participate in one of our orchestras ($150/yr). Our Fiddle Group ($100/yr) is also open to adults. Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays after school. Full information and registration through our website www.acadiaregionalyouthorchestra.ca . Contact: aryostrings@gmail.com
Victory Taekwondo
Classes are for ages 4 and up and provide a fun and safe atmosphere for kids and adults while teaching respect and discipline. Whether you like working as a team or individually, Taekwondo is great for both. Build confidence and self-esteem in a positive and fun environment. There are two head coaches, a 4th Degree and 5th Degree Black Belt. They are Nationally certified and the only VIP Taekwondo coaches in the Annapolis Valley.
Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays:
Ages 4-6: 5:45pm-6:30pm
Ages 7-12: 6:30pm-7:30pm
Adults: 7:30pm-8:30pm
Email: tkdvictory@hotmail.com or call/text 902-670-7897
Ringstart
RingStart is an introductory program to ringette. Ringette is played on ice with skates, sticks and a rubber ring with six players on each team. RingStart is targeted to new players 5 to 12 years of age (players 12+ are also welcome). Players will be fully equipped with the gear needed to play ringette, plus 6 weeks of on ice instruction at a cost of $250. Dates for the program are the following Saturdays: Oct. 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6, 13, & 20 from 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Berwick & Dist. Ringette Assoc.
Apple Dome Arena (Kings Mutual Century Centre)
For more information or to register please email: marlene.connell52@gmail.com
Dance Classes
Cadance Academy provides dance instruction for Ages 3 to Adults in two convenient locations (New Minas and Greenwich) during its “ 2021-2022 Dance Yearlong Classes” which begin September 13th and run until June 2022. We also provide CDTA Ballet training and exams which allow students to earn high school credits!
In addition, we offer “Fall 6 - Week Session Classes” which run from September 22nd to the end of October 2021.
For more information or to register http://www.cadanceacademy.ca/schedules.html
EMS Eagles W.I.N.G.S.
We encourage our EMS Eagles to use your EAGLES WINGS
“W” stands for remember to WORK hard
“I” think about how you can INCLUDE others
“N” reminds us to NEVER give up
“G” calls us to GO out and make a difference
“S” something that we have been talking about all year SHOW KINDNESS
You’ve got this Eagles!! Have a great week ahead