Parent Peek at the Week
Week 34 News from #AwesomeArmour
Highlights from Week 33
All week we put a spotlight on Children's Mental Health
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1125040472240599041
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1125795377058336768
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1126806510405918720
Our Arts at Armour showcase kicked off our week and we were thrilled at the number of guest who were able to attend this event!
The Ukuleles! https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1125580677049716736
The New Tuba! https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1125579774313816067
Our Instrumental Program - a taste!
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1125583649104191488
KPR Trustees and Superintendents visited on Wednesday - what a pleasure to share with them all things #AwesomeArmour!
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1126322096924168192
Friday was our chance to celebrate and honour our amazing volunteers!
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1126882526209945601
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1126883107003670528
And... this was all happening during Education Week, so it seemed appropriate to recognize who makes so much of all that we do happen...
https://twitter.com/ArmourHeightsPS/status/1126808326300418049
Lastly, Saturday was a big day - our first joint school fundraiser with King George PS - here is one tweet and see more below!
https://twitter.com/EastCitySchool/status/1127287356237799424
From the Office
This weekend's Bike A Thon was an aMAYzing success! It was a pleasure to have the chance to partner with King George for this fun filled sunny day of bike riding, face painting and square dancing! Students, parents and staff from both schools also enjoyed the BBQ and bake sale while spending time socializing with friends and family...such a great way to build the connection across both these schools. A HUGE thanks is extended to our East City community for supporting this event, and also to our students for collecting pledges. On behalf of Principal Masterson and I, we want to thank the School Councils and volunteers from both schools who worked incredibly hard to ensure everyone could enjoy the day. Thanks also to our students as all proceeds go back to each school to support special events including trips, classroom experiences and much, much more! Please have a peek at some of these links to view the fun and festivities from the Bike A Thon.
https://twitter.com/EastCitySchool/status/1127288148806053888
https://twitter.com/EastCitySchool/status/1127290181982326786
https://twitter.com/EastCitySchool/status/1127311119276752896
https://twitter.com/EastCitySchool/status/1127293437101977602
https://twitter.com/EastCitySchool/status/1127312262396547073
This month our Junior and Intermediate students will continue to gear up for our school's Track and Field Day at TAS on May 21st. All students from Grade 4-8 will be participating in this special excursion as Track and Field is an important part of Physical Education. Based on results from our meet, some students will be moving on to our regional meet on June 5th as well! Please watch for permission forms this week as they will need to be returned by Friday! In the weeks to come opportunities to participate and compete regionally as part of our Ultimate Frisbee and 3 Pitch teams will become available. It is definitely a busy time, and we will try our best to ensure Edsby is updated regularly so you always have a place to check in on details!
Last week as we marked Education Week with a focus on Children's Mental Health, it was a delight to host a coffee house style Arts at Armour Showcase marking Music Monday! We supported students to consider ways to be optimistic and grateful through posting to our "Be Well" board and making bracelets that remind them of what makes them feel strong and healthy. On Wednesday we thoroughly enjoyed having many KPR Trustees, as well as Superintendent Duncan and Superintendent Tompkins visit our school for a tour of #AwesomeArmour! We have much to be proud of at our school and all that we offer, and I was so pleased to have our guests see first hand how incredible our staff are, the dedication they demonstrate and the emphasis we are all placing on kindness, compassion and well being everyday at Armour Heights.
On Friday we had the opportunity to honour some incredible people who share their time, talents and are so committed to students and staff in our school. Our annual Volunteer Tea was a fantastic opportunity for our staff to share our thanks with these special people who serve on School Council, support the Nutrition Program, who accompany classes on field trips or support on special days in school. We couldn't do what we work hard to do each day, with out your dedication, so thank you, once more for being a huge part of our school!
Let's keep in touch!
Ms. McIlmoyle Parsons
Dates of Importance
May 13 - School Travel Meeting at Armour Heights @ 5:30 pm
May 14 - Wonderland Band Trip
May 15 - Tree Top Treking (Muldoon & Shaw)
May 15 - Welcome to Kindergarten PM - for new Year 1 Kindergarten students and their families - please RSVP to indicate you plan to attend- thank you!
May 15 - School Council @ 6:30 pm
May 16- Tree Top Treking (Farace & Marchi)
May 17 - International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia
May 20 - Victoria Day (no school)
May 21 - Track & Field Day with King George and North Shore at Thomas A. Stewart
May 22 - June 3 - EQAO Adminstration dates (Grade 6: May 22 - 27, Grade 3 May 27 - May 31st)
May 31- Nature Nancy working with Ms. Lotton's Gr 2 class
June 11 - Nationwide Lacrosse @ #AwesomeArmour
June 14 - Grade 6 from King George visit for Transition Visit and Tour of Armour Heights
June 19 - Grade 8 Trip to Toronto (Kensington Market and The Lion King!)
June 25 - Grade 8 Graduation
June 26 - Grade 6-7 Trip to Science Centre
Things to know about big events that are coming up...
EQAO Dates
If you have a child in Grade 3 or 6, they will be participating in the Primary and Junior EQAO provincial assessment between May 22nd to June 3rd - specifically Grade 6's will be writing May 22 - 27 and Grade 3 students will write the assessments May 27 - May 31st with any catch up to be completed before June 3rd. We kindly ask you to please mark your calendars so that where possible, you can avoid appointments or holidays during that time period. Thank you!
UPCOMING STUDENT TRAVEL PLANNING EVENTS!
Action Team Meeting
Community members from King George and Armour Heights Schools are continuing to work on the School Travel Planning Project to address traffic concerns and to increase walking, cycling, and bussing on our school journeys. Join us for the next Action
Team Meeting and have your say: Monday, May 13th at 5:30 pm in the Armour Heights Public School Library.
Jane’s Walk - Exploring Active & Safe Routes to School in East City
Active and Safe Routes to School presents a walking conversation about school travel in the East City neighbourhood. Join us for this 2 km kid-friendly stroll, through and around some of the neighbourhood’s busiest destinations – our school zones. Are there areas in East City that make you feel more comfortable than others? Areas that worry you? Come stroll through East City with us and chat about how our kids get to school: the good, the bad, and the potential. Join us on Thursday, May 16th, 6-7:30pm and plan to meet us on the corner of Mark & Robinson Streets.
For more information about Jane’s Walk Peterborough - please click here
Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony
If your child is in Grade 8, please mark June 25th on your calendars! More info regarding the Grade 8 clap-out and graduation has been posted on Edsby. We look forward to celebrating this special milestone with families and friends of our grads!
Working together and staying safe at school!
General Seasonal Reminders
Here are a few reminders for students, parents, guardians and community members as the warmer weather returns:
- We ask that students walk their bikes onto the school property and bring a lock to keep their bike safe while it is at school. The school will not be responsible for lost or stolen items.
- Skateboards and scooters need to be carried onto the school property and must be dropped off at the office. Please be reminded that the school is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
- Helmets should always be worn by students riding bikes, scooters or skateboards.
- Yard Supervision does not begin until 8:45 am.
- Regardless of how small or friendly your dog is, please do not bring dogs (even on a leash) onto school property or to the drop-off/pick-up areas. We have a number of students who are anxious with dogs and we thank you in advance for respecting this request.
Thank you to families for your efforts to observe our safety requests at the front of the school at the beginning and end of day. Spring fever is upon us and we know that inspite of routines, children can sometimes make unexpected moves. Please continue to be vigilant in your movements around the front of the school and on neighbouring streets. Pulling into partial spots at the front parking lot too causes concern as students who are walking try to anticipate where drivers might be headed - visibility at this busy time may be limited which makes us worry from a safety stance. If we notice a concern, Armour Heights staff may ask you to please find an alternative area to park. Remember, you can always park in St. Lukes' parking lot and walk along the side of the school to the front to meet your child as well. Thank you for joining us in prioritizing safety over convenience with these actions.
Code of Conduct:
While the Armour Heights Code of Conduct is printed inside the school agendas, we know that many classes have moved away from agendas and towards electronic communication. With that in mind, below you will find a link to our school code of conduct. It is also available on our school website (https://armourheights.kprdsb.ca/) under "Student Life". We encourage our families, especially those with students in junior and intermediate classes, to review this document with your child. If there are any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the office. Thanks!
Bus Safety
This past week all of our students participated in bus safety sessions, including viewing a video and also experiencing how to evacuate the rear of the bus in the unlikely event of an accident. All students currently experience the bus for field trips so it was a helpful review for everyone.
For those students currently riding the bus to and from school, we want to share a friendly reminder that our bus company does not permit students to go home with friends on another bus, even with parent permission. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the school office. Thank you for your understanding.
Looking Ahead to 2019-20
With second term upon us and the approach of the 2019-2020 school year, we are in the early stages of our planning for next September. The allocation of the number of teachers is based on our projected enrollment. School organization and class placement of students are all part of this staffing process. Please note that staff assignments are subject to change each year, especially with growing or declining enrollment. In addition, the requirement for combined grade classes varies from year to year, depending entirely on the number of students. This year, we know that we will be growing as a school as we welcome families from King George until the new East City School is built.
With regards to student placements, these will be determined collaboratively by a team. The team will include the current grade teacher(s), the receiving teacher(s), contact teachers, special education resource staff and school administration. Our shared goal is to provide the best possible learning environment for each child and teaching environment for each teacher. This is a balanced classroom. A balanced classroom also includes students with a range of academic abilities and incorporates a match between student needs and the available resources to address those needs. We also work to achieve an appropriate gender balance.
After due consideration of staff recommendations and any parental input, the final responsibility for school organization rests with the Administration. This is a responsibility that is taken very seriously with the best interest of all students in mind. We are unable to guarantee specific teacher requests and therefore ask that these not be made; however, we do ask that any parent input that might prove beneficial be kindly provided in writing, to the Principal, during the months of April/May.
As a staff, Armour Heights is committed to a thorough placement process in support of student achievement. Your child’s placement will be included with the June report card. In some cases, because the teacher hiring process may not be complete, it may be impossible to name the teacher. If this is the case, parents are welcome to call the school during the last week of August. Enrollment on the first day of school in September may affect prior decisions about class organization. It is important that parents understand that unanticipated staff changes over the summer or a need to reorganize in the Fall to balance class sizes may require a revision to your child’s classroom and/or placement.
Updates about East City School
As updates become known, we will continue to share these communications with all of our families. The link below is the most recent information that was sent home this past week with students. Thanks for taking the time to stay in the loop and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Let's Be Safe - Watch the label!
A friendly reminder about ensuring no products with nuts of any kind come to school. Mango products are associated with these types of allergies so we ask for consideration with avoiding these to school as well! We have a number of students with severe allergies, and we deeply appreciate your support in ensuring our school remains a healthy and safe environment for all.
What's Happening at King George?
Ms. Bereza and Ms. Mosterd's classes visited #AwesomeArmour for their "Arts at Armour" event!
https://twitter.com/KingGeorge_KPR/status/1125406509247160320
https://twitter.com/amberdawn1975/status/1125696805277196288
Recess dance parties are one of many ways we support Mental Health @KingGeorge_KPR
https://twitter.com/KingGeorge_KPR/status/1126274638810689537
https://twitter.com/KingGeorge_KPR/status/1126916169649225729
Always important for King George students to be aware of bus safety!
https://twitter.com/KingGeorge_KPR/status/1125770965055614977
It was such a pleasure to welcome Superintendent Duncan, Superintendent Tompkins and our KPR Trustees to King George Public School!
https://twitter.com/KingGeorge_KPR/status/1126271292120940549
https://twitter.com/jainejeninga/status/1126135229087928320
https://twitter.com/joe_tompkins/status/1126200745785688069
Another example of learning outside at King George.
https://twitter.com/KingGeorge_KPR/status/1126610027417145345
See what our School Council had to say about King George North!
https://twitter.com/KingGeorge_KPR/status/1126669121507221504
Lastly, Saturday was a big day - our first joint school fundraiser with Armour Heights PS
https://twitter.com/EastCitySchool/status/1127287356237799424
Mabel's Labels
Mabel’s Labels is an ongoing fundraiser for Armour Heights.
Whether you need to label your children's clothes or your kitchen canisters, Mabel’s Labels has all of your needs covered. Labels are perfect for school, camp, daycare, and home. Fun, Stylish Name Tags For Kids That Won't Rip or Peel. Microwave Safe · Waterproof · Ultra-Durable
Go to http://www.mabelslabels.com/support-a-fundraiser
Click: Select your school/organization
Scroll down until you see “ARMOUR HEIGHTS KNIGHTS” (PETERBOROUGH)
KPR Kindergarten Registration for 19/20 is now open!
Local public schools are making it easier for families to register their children to start Kindergarten this September. Online registration is now open for all Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPR) schools.
All children who will be four years old by December 31, 2019, will be warmly welcomed to begin Kindergarten this fall in KPR’s supportive, stimulating and inclusive classrooms. Parents and guardians can visit www.kprschools.ca/kindergarten at any time of the day or night to:
confirm which school serves their area
register their child online
get practical resources to help prepare their little one for a smooth transition to Kindergarten
find out if there’s a before- and after-school child care program offered at their school
complete a voluntary, online provincial survey to help the Ministry of Education improve services for families.
Families also can find a wealth of resources at www.kprschools.ca/kindergarten . School staff members welcome families’ questions, as does the KPR Board at 1-877-741-4577.
INFORMATION ABOUT E-TICK FROM PETERBOROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH
Lyme disease prevention just got easier thanks to a new website that allows local residents to submit photos of ticks they find and receive confirmation if it belongs to the species that carry Lyme bacteria.
The eTick website www.etick.ca allows anyone with a cell phone to snap a photo of a tick and upload it directly to the website to receive a species identification. Once successfully submitted, the results will be available within 48 hours. Real-time mapping of tick submissions is also shown on the website.
Further information is provided in the attached news release and audio clip.
Let's Keep In Touch!
Principal
Email: jennifer_mcilmoyleparsons@kprdsb.ca
Website: http://armourheights.kprdsb.ca
Location: 245 McFarlane Street, Peterborough, ON, Canada
Phone: 705-742-6001
Twitter: @ArmourHeightsPS
Key Contacts
School Council Co -Chairs 2018 -19:
Chantelle ClarkeAndrea Plumley
Superintendent of Student Achievement:
Anne Marie Duncan
(705) 742-9773 ext. 2060
Trustees:
Rose Kitney
Steve Russell
Website: www.kprschools.ca
Twitter: @kprschools