Welcome Back
September 6, 2023
Hello CHE Families
The beginning of a new school year is always an exciting time for students, teachers and families. While students are eager to return to renew old friendships and begin new ones, our teachers have been preparing to engage your child(ren) with a variety of strategies which will guide them through the learning process. Our staff are committed to unlocking the potential in every student to help them be successful. As we put together our final preparations, we do so with the vision of CHE in mind, "Learning and Growing Together".
We are ready to welcome back all of our students, teachers and staff for what, I believe, will be a fantastic school year!!!
Please take a few moments to look through this newsletter to familiarize yourself with our school and upcoming events.
Once again, welcome back! We have missed everyone and are ready for the new school year!
Let's have a GREAT year!
Sherry Maher
Principal
SCHOOL SCHEDULE
7:55 a.m. - Doors open for all students
8:05 a.m. - ALL students should be in their homerooms
8:10 a.m. - Classes begin
10:10 - 10:25 a.m. Recess
12:25 p.m. - 1:13 p.m. Lunch
1:15 p.m. - Classes continue
2:15 p.m. - Dismissal
A Heartfelt Thank you!
As we prepare to embark on another exciting educational journey, I wanted to take a moment to express my profound gratitude to a group of individuals who truly go above and beyond - our remarkable teaching staff.
Over the last couple of weeks, some of our dedicated staff members spent their precious holiday time volunteering in our school building. Their unwavering commitment to our students and their education was on full display as they tirelessly organized classrooms, welcomed new students with open arms, and engaged in meaningful conversations with families. They worked diligently behind the scenes, preparing lessons and providing invaluable support in the office.
It's not every day that you come across professionals who willingly give their time and energy days and weeks before they officially begin their paid duties. This exceptional dedication is a testament to the extraordinary individuals we have as part of our teaching team. To our teachers, I tip my hat to you with the utmost respect and admiration.
Your unwavering commitment to putting the educational needs of our students first does not go unnoticed. You are the heart and soul of our school community, and your passion for nurturing young minds is an inspiration to us all.
Once again, thank you for your exceptional dedication and hard work. Your contributions are invaluable, and we are truly fortunate to have you as part of our CHE family.
Wishing you all a wonderful start to the school year.
S. Maher
THANK YOU AND WELCOME
Cowan Heights Elementary was very fortunate to have Mr. Mike Tobin as our Director of Schools last year. We would like to thank him for his support and guidance and congratulate him on his new position as Senior Management Official-School Systems with the NLESD. Our new Director of Schools is Mrs. Susan Perry. We would like to extend a huge CHE welcome to Susan and wish her all the best in this school year. We are happy to have her as part of our Cowan Heights Family.
Construction Ahead!!!
Our facelift continues to be a work in progress. As mentioned in May, this is a lenghtly process and your cooperation is needed and greatly appreciated.
As you all know, with any renovations/construction there will be inconveniences. Contractors are working as fast as they can! Staff will lose 15-18 parking spaces and will have to park at the top of the parking lot (by the main entrance). We will also lose some parking in our kindergarten family parking lot. This will have a construction trailer and porta-potty located there.
We would greatly appreciate it if all families would depart from school property ASAP and not congregate as work has to start immediately after students/families are left the school grounds.
We do not anticipate too much of an interruption during our morning drop off. However, our dismissal time will be slower and everyone will need to have extra patience and show cooperation.
LEARNING will resume as usual.
This is exciting news, and we cannot wait to see the finished product! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.
Kindergarten
We realize the significance of the first day of school, especially kindergarten.
Our MEET & GREET for all our Kindergarten students/families, for September 6, 2023, will take place in your child's classroom 8:45 - 9:00 a.m. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE KINDERGARTEN DOORS WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL 8:40 a.m. (see picture below for specific door).
We request that a maximum of 2 family members be present for this.
The Meet & Greet will allow families an opportunity to see their child's teacher, have photo opportunities, and a chance for students to meet their classmates in a welcoming, safe environment. Please keep in mind that some families will not want their child(ren) in pictures.
By 9:00 a.m. we kindly ask all family members to exit the building through the staff entrance (see picture below). Students will be dismissed at 2:10 p.m. Teachers will lead students outside for pick up.
*Busing will start for Kindergarten Students on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
KinderStart Dates
January 26, 2024
February 16, 2024
March 22, 2024
April 19, 2024
May 3, 2024
*All KinderStart Sessions will take place during the morning.
*There will be no Kindergarten classes during the above dates.
Assemblies/Concerts for 2023-24
Thanksgiving - Performed by Grade 1 - October 5, 2023
Remembrance Day - Performed by Grade 5 - November 9, 2023
Christmas - Performed by Grade 2 - December 14, 2023
Kindness - Performed by Grade 3 - February 28, 2024
Music Month - Performed by Grade 4 - May 9, 2024
***Kindergarten YEAR END Celebration - Date & Time TBD
As kindergarten changes so rapidly with rising expectations and standards, from half day to full day, so do the traditions. It used to be a given that at the end of every child’s kindergarten year, a graduation ceremony (some that even included caps and gowns) would take place. As the times change, the traditional end of year kindergarten graduation has evolved into an end of year celebration in most areas. I know schools do it differently everywhere, but the main components remain the same: we celebrate your child's first year of "big school".
Even with all of the evolving changes, there remains a special magic found only in kindergarten by our students as well as their families. Providing this simple, yet magical, End of Year Celebration will encapsulate the year perfectly.
Please keep an eye out for details from your child's teacher!
DARE Graduation - Grade 6 - TBD
Grade 7 Leaving Celebration - TBD
If you would like more details regarding these performances, please contact our Music Teacher arlenegosse@nlesd.ca
ALLERGIES
We are a scent-free school. Please be mindful when using hair products, hand sanitizer, perfumes etc.
We have many students with severe, life-threatening allergies and we must ensure our school is free of:
Nuts (including peanuts, tree nuts and nut products)
Fish
Eggs
Peas
Sesame Seeds (including products containing sesame oil, seeds, tahini, and hummus)
*Please alert your child’s teacher as soon as possible if your child has any serious medical conditions or life threatening allergies. There is also a place for this data on the student data sheet.
We ask that parents refrain from sending in food items which contain any of these products. The district has determined that given the similarities in appearance, texture and taste of Soy Butter products, they are also restricted in our schools where a student has a peanut allergy. Please help keep everyone safe by following this policy.
Busing
Please see Special Rules of the Bus and Student and Parent Expectations documents for complete school busing guidelines.
If you have any busing questions or concerns, please contact our Assistant Principal Mrs. Cassell wandacassell@nlesd.ca
Visiting the School
The office is a very busy place and we ask families for their cooperation when visiting CHE.
All visitors must:
- page into the office from the main foyer.
- remain in the porch if picking up/dropping off students and/or items (students will be paged to the foyer to meet you).
- arrange an appointment/meeting to meet with staff members unless it is of an urgent nature.
*Sometimes students innocently open the door for visitors. In order to keep everyone safe at CHE, we ask you NOT to enter the building unless you have gained access from the office. Simply buzz in and we will direct you of what to do next. There are many privacy and safety measures we have to take to ensure all 450 people in this building are safe.
School Lunch Association (SLA)
If you wish to have your child(ren) participate in school lunch please complete the registration form at https://orders.schoollunch.ca/SchoolLunchAssociation/#register
Breakfast Program
Our breakfast program will begin Monday, September 18, 2023 as a Grab & Go program. Breakfast will be available to all students on the first and second floor.
A HUGE thank you Mrs. Lannon and our breakfast program volunteers for helping put together grab and go breakfast options for all of our students.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact kerrilynnlannon@nlesd.ca
All volunteers must have a current certificate of conduct and a vulnerable sector.
https://www.rnc.gov.nl.ca/criminal-records-screening-certificate-vulnerable-sector-check/
Please contact Ms. Dunn for a volunteer letter to avoid the $30.00 fee.
Volunteers
WE NEED YOU! This year we would like to give our students the opportunity to join an afterschool or evening club. For this to occur, we will require support from our parent community. There are many benefits to encouraging your child to join clubs including:
They are social - students can make new friends, spend time with their group of friends and learn team skills
They are active - students are doing something they enjoy
They are practical for working parents
They boost students’ confidence
They can learn a new skill or improve an existing one
We would like to have clubs in the following areas: Lego Club, Art Club, Animation Club, Coding Club, Dance Club, Remote Controlled Car Club, Science Club, Drama Club, Learning a Foreign Language Club, etc. Any other suggestions are welcome.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact wandacassell@nlesd.ca
All volunteers must have a current certificate of conduct and a vulnerable sector.
https://www.rnc.gov.nl.ca/criminal-records-screening-certificate-vulnerable-sector-check/
When you click "Reason for Request" choose "Volunteer", you will then be prompted to upload the Volunteer Agency Letter. .
Please contact Ms. Dunn for a volunteer letter to avoid the $30.00 fee.
More information to follow….
Athletics
If you interested in coaching a sports team or an afterschool athletics group, please contact Ms. Careen meagancareen@nlesd.ca
Feeling Sick?
If a student is not feeling well they should stay home.
Why You Should Stay Home When You're Sick
1. Stop the Spread of Illness
2. Protect Vulnerable People
3. Rest and Recover Properly
If a student becomes ill during the day and/or they exhibit signs of illness, the office will contact families.
Student Lockers
Grade 7 - will have their own lockers and a combination lock will be provided for usage this year. Students should keep their personal items (coats, cellphones etc.) in their lockers. No outside locks are permitted. Please note cellphones are NOT permitted during class time. All locks must be returned before the last day of school.
STUDENT CELL PHONES
Student cell phones are NOT permitted in school. If your child needs to carry one, they must keep it in their locker. This will reduce distractions and students can focus on acquiring foundational learning skills. Cell phones may be confiscated by staff and held until the end of the day.
IMPORTANT DATES
September 5, 2023 - Staff back at CHE
September 6, 2023 - Students back at CHE
September 14, 2023 - Open House/Curriculum Night
September 18, 2023 - Grab & Go Breakfast
September 22, 2023 - Picture Day
September 30, 2022 - Truth & Reconciliation Day ***Holiday TBD
Obey the Signs
Our parking lot has been recently painted and clearly marked.
It is important for everyone to follow the same guidelines so that each driver and child knows what to expect.
Drivers who park and leave their cars unattended in a Kiss & Ride Lane not only pose a safety hazard, but also stops the flow of traffic. If you need to park and leave your car, please park in an appropriate spot and back in for everyone's safety.
Forms
The start of the school year is a busy time for families. We appreciate your patience with all the paperwork we send home during the first of September. Please complete and send it along with your child during the first week of school.