Have you ever wondered how you can get more involved at Elmdale School? Have you given any thought to joining our Parent Advisory Council (PAC)? This group of parents meets monthly with Mr. Hiebert to discuss what is going on at the school and to find ways to support the school. While fundraising is one part of their mandate, there are many other important things that our PAC does. Our PAC is a place where parents can make their voice heard and have constructive discussions with the school team; it is a place for the school to bring ideas and concerns that would benefit from a parent perspective.

From the BC Confederation of PACs, Parent Advisory Councils exist “To communicate with parents, and to promote cooperation between the home and the school in providing support for the education of children. To assist parents in accessing the system and to advocate on behalf of parents and students.”

If you are interested in checking this out, join us in the School Library on the Second Thursday of the Month at 6:30pm. Email elmdaleparentcouncil@gmail.com for more info!

We have noticed that often after a few days of cold weather, sometimes parents will assume that because it is cold out in the morning, it will be indoor recess throughout the day. They then do not send the proper winter gear with their kids. Please make sure to send ski pants, toques, mittens, etc with your kids every day. If it warms up above our threshold, we will be sending the kids outside!

What is our winter weather policy is for indoor recess? It's found in the student handbook, both on our website and in your child's agenda. Here it is as a reminder:

"We encourage students to dress warmly and go out for recesses because it is important to get some fresh air during the day. Please consider keeping your child at home if he/she is too ill to function at school. Our cold weather recess policy is to keep students inside at recess when the wind-chill factor is -30 or colder. (Windchills nearing -30 will also be considered if conditions like high winds and blowing snow exist.) Outdoor recesses will be reduced to 15 minutes when wind-chills exceed -25."

We stick pretty close to these parameters, and will usually send kids out for a shortened recess between -25 and -29. Even 5-10 minutes outside makes a real difference in their ability to learn. Please make sure your kids are dressed to go outside!

We are planning our annual Scholastic Book Fair for the week of February 22-25. This year will be a Hybrid Model with in-person browsing/purchasing and online ordering available. Depending what our current public health orders look like at that time, we will determine exactly what the in-person portion will look like. Stay tuned for more info!

All public schools in Manitoba have been asked to host an immunization clinic for students ages 5 and up. Elmdale will be hosting a clinic on Wednesday, February 2.

Please note the following:

• No student will receive an immunization/vaccination without express written permission from their parent or guardian. This will be done either through the online eConsent form found on the ProtectMB website, or with a paper form.
• Immunization clinics at the school will be done in a separate space to ensure privacy.
• Immunization clinics will be run by Public Health staff - Elmdale is simply providing a space.

Kindergarten registration for the 2022-23 school year is NOW OPEN. To be eligible, Children must be five years of age on or before December 31, 2022 (born in 2017). The registration process will take place online at www.HSD.ca. If you do not have access to the Internet, please visit the school office and we can assist you in completing the registration on a school computer. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to register their children soon after registration opens in January. Early registration will assist us in preparation and planning for the upcoming school year. Registering before March 1, 2022, will ensure there is sufficient time for school appointments and provide parents/guardians with the opportunity to participate in Kindergarten orientation activities. Visit www.HSD.ca for registration instructions.

Is your child a picky eater? Check out this month's Nutrition Bits and Bites Newsletter from Southern Health for tips on how to deal with this. Click HERE to access it!

Please check our website for information about school bus routes in HSD.
If your address has changed, please call transportation at 204-320-2347 to make sure that your children are riding the correct bus to and from school.