Bel Ayr Elementary School
January 2023 Newsletter
Administration
Happy New Year! As we settle in for the winter months at Bel Ayr Elementary, we are looking forward to seeing our students continue their educational and social journey. January and February offer us a steady and consistent stretch of instructional time to help your children explore new things and to consolidate prior learning. Thank you for your support at home!
Sincerely,
Shawn Marsh
Principal
Calendar
January 4 - New Pizza Ordering Window Opens in School Cash Online
January 4 - 3-6 Chess Club
January 11 - 3-6 Chess Club
January 16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 18 - JOHSC Meeting (8:15)
January 18 - 3-6 Chess Club
January 18 - SAC and H&S meetings (6pm and 7 pm)
January 19 - Last Pizza Thursday for Families who Ordered in the fall
January 25 - 3-6 Chess Club
January 26 - First Pizza Thursday for New Order Window
January 26 - African Heritage Month Celebration and Kick -off (Halifax Public Libraries)
January 27 - Family Literacy Day
February 1 - African Heritage Month
February 9 - Family Bingo Night
Lunch Monitors
902-435-8353
Water Bottles
Outdoor Gear
Chess Club
Reading Intervention
LOOK: Start with The Print
DECODE before using other strategies - "Start with the letters." and "Look at the letters first."
LOOK carefully at each part of the word - "Make every sound." and "Look at every letter."
STAY focused on the print - "keep your eyes on the letters" and "Stick with it."
BLEND all the sounds together - Put the sounds together" and "Smooth it Out"
LEAP: Add Context
LEAP from the phonetic approximation of the word - "What word does that sound like?"
CHECK the word to move - "Does that make sense?" or "Does that sound right?"
REBUILD meaning after problem-solving - "Reread the sentence"
(from Shifting the Balance by Burkins and Yates)
Winter is Here: Guidelines for Inclement Weather
Making the decision to alter the regular operations of school and/or school buses due to inclement weather is never an easy task. To learn more about how the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) makes this call, visit www.hrce.ca/weather.
When is the decision made?
HRCE’s goal is to make the decision as close to 6 a.m. as possible.
A 6 a.m. announcement could be:
- All schools are delayed in opening by two hours and all bus pickups are delayed by two hours; or
- All schools are open, but some or all buses are not operating for the day; or
- Some schools (either individually or by family) are closed for the day; or
- All schools are closed for the day.
If the weather deteriorates through the school day, the HRCE can decide to dismiss early. In the event of an early dismissal, the decision will be communicated as close to 11 a.m. as possible.
An 11 a.m. dismissal means:
- Bused students will be picked up two hours earlier than their regular dismissal time; and
- Walking students will be dismissed at their regularly-scheduled lunch hour.
Please Note: students in Grades Primary to 6 will not be released from school until parents/guardians or designates have been notified by the school.
How will families be notified?
- Families will receive an email and text message (opt-in is required: text Y to 978338)*
- Check our website at www.hrce.ca
- Follow us on Twitter at @HRCE_NS
- Call the HRCE information line at 902-464-INFO (4636)
- All local radio stations are informed
Click here for a printable PDF of our guidelines.
*If you know someone who is NOT a parent/guardian who would like to receive an email and/or text message, let them know they can sign up here: www.hrce.ca/notifications
Social Media
- Follow our school on Twitter @belayrschool
- Stay up to date with the HRCE on Twitter and Instagram @HRCE_NS.
Volunteer Checks
After submitting both of these documents to our main office, you will be cleared for volunteering in our school for three full years from the date of issue indicated on your paperwork. Thank you for your interest and your time!
Family Literacy Day
Did you know? January 27 is Family Literacy Day
Family Literacy Day takes place each year on January 27 to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.
This year’s theme is Celebrate Your Heritage! Canada is a great diverse country full of different cultures. Use reading as a way to explore and learn about your heritage and the dynamic cultures that make up our communities.
New Pizza Ordering Window
Please note that your order must be placed again if you would like your child(ren) to continue recieving pizzas. Thank you to Mr. Denine, Ms. Rowlings, Ms. Landry, Ms. Jenkins, Ms. MacSween, and Ms. MacLeod for helping us to make this happen!
Mark February 9th off on your Calendars
School Cash
Our school will post items for purchase and assign school fees relevant to your child (eg. pizza orders). You can make all purchases and payments from your phone, tablet or computer.
We would like families to register as soon as possible.
To get started, please register for SchoolCash Online. It’s free and takes less than two minutes. You will receive an email once items are posted for purchase.
Visit https://hrce.schoolcashonline.com/ and click Register to get started.
Need support? Connect with the SchoolCash Online help desk at schoolcashonline.com/Home/Support
We hope that SchoolCash Online makes paying school-related fees more convenient!
Allergy Alert
We're Hiring!
New year, new job? HRCE is hiring!
Did you know that there are multiple teaching and non-teaching roles across HRCE - all of which are vital to our students' success? Looking for a new opportunity? Know someone who would be a great fit?
We’re currently in immediate need of substitutes to replace teachers, Pre-Primary staff, EPAs (Educational Program Assistants), custodians and administrative assistants. If you’re interested, please contact careers@hrce.ca.
Visit myhrce.ca/jobs to view current job openings and sign up to apply today. Postings are updated every Wednesday at noon.
Community Events
Bel Ayr Elementary School
Email: bla@hrce.ca
Website: bla.hrce.ca
Location: 4 Bell Street, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
Phone: 902-435-8353
Twitter: @belayrschool