Grade 7 Flower Basket Fundraiser – place your orders by Tuesday, April 12th!

/ Ross Road PAC

Have you ordered your flower basket yet? The last day to place your order is Tuesday, April 12th. Get them while you can! We won’t be selling them on delivery day.

WHAT:
• Beautiful 10″ baskets with mixed flowers
• you can pick SUNNY or SHADE
• $25 per basket

HOW:
• Ask a Grade 7 student, or download this form
• Pre-order with a cheque payable to “Ross Road Elementary School”
(no cash please)

WHEN:
• Place your order and pay before Tuesday April 12th
• Baskets are to be picked up Thursday May 5th, end of day, in front of the school
• If you can’t pick up on May 5th, please arrange delivery with the Grade 7 student you are supporting

WHY:
Our 7th graders have just a few months left at Ross Road and are looking forward to a final trip at Alice Lake where they will bike, paddle, tent and generally have one last exciting time with each other before they go to high school next year. To help them finance this trip, we are hoping that the Ross Road families would like to purchase a lovely hanging flower basket, to be delivered just in time for Mother’s Day!

Thank you for your support!
— Ross Road Grade 7 students and their families


Environment Club Edible Garden

/ Ross Road PAC

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Composting Project at the school. It has been a huge success and we have already started to turn our fruits and vegetable scraps into some nice earthy soil.

Now for Phase Two of the project — The Edible Garden. This spring we are hoping to start a small Edible Garden using some large pots that will be placed out near the composting bins. Two of our classes have agreed to plant and harvest the garden along with the Environment Club members.

If anyone has any extra LARGE pots, either wooden or plastic, that they would like to donate to the school we would be very grateful. You can contact me (Gillian Gorton) by email at thegortons@shaw.ca and I can arrange to pick up the pots and deliver them to the school.

The future garden plan is to build a larger permanent Edible Garden on the school grounds with a grant that has recently been approved from Vancouver Coastal Health. With this program the children will learn how to plant and tend to an edible garden, understand the decomposition of composting, and learn about healthy eating and the benefits of locally grown produce.

Thank you to everyone for your support.
— Gillian Gorton

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Join Ella’s Gals and Pals at this year’s ChildRun!

/ Ross Road PAC

Ella's Gals and Pals at 2009 ChildRun

It’s been 6 years since Ella Haysom, a Grade 5 student at Ross Road, was diagnosed with leukemia, and thanks to the treatment from BC Children’s Hospital, she’s happier and healthier than ever!

Please join our ChildRun team on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at BC Children’s Hospital.

To register, go to www.childrun.com and search for team name Ross Road Elementary (Ella’s Gals & Pals). If you can’t participate, please consider making a donation to help us reach our ChildRun fundraising goal.

Early Bird pricing is available until April 15th.

Thank you for doing your part in helping to find cures for childhood cancers.

If you require more info, please contact:
Liz Whalley at lizwhalley@hotmail.com or
Angela Tancon at  tancon@shaw.ca

As the third largest run in Vancouver, ChildRun inspires participants to raise funds for childhood cancer research and programs at BC Children’s Hospital. On Sunday June 5th, 2011, the 26th annual ChildRun presented by the Wilson Family will host runners and walkers on scenic 5 km and 1 km routes, followed by a carnival celebration.

Last year over 6,300 participants came out to run or walk the ChildRun, helping to raise a record-breaking $1 million. We hope that you’ll join us in the fight against childhood cancer and help BC Children’s Hospital Foundation reach this year’s goal of raising $1.2 million in support of pediatric oncology!

Join our team and help us support BC Children’s Hospital!

1,000 Paper Cranes for Japan

/ Ross Road PAC

On Friday April 1st, all Ross Road students will be making paper cranes in aide of Japan’s Earthquake and Tsunami Relief.

We are hoping for a donation of $1 for each piece of origami paper the children use.  In order to reach our target of 1,000 cranes, we’ll need an average of two cranes per child.  If you would like to participate, please send a loonie or twoonie to school with your child on Friday (additional donations will be gratefully accepted of course!). All money raised will go to The Red Cross.

Thanks for your support.
— Eileen Hood, Principal

Thanks to Yumi McLaughlin, who suggested this wonderful fundraising idea – she  donated some origami paper which students “bought” in order to make a thousand paper cranes which will hang in our foyer.

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On Thursday, March 31st, at a special school assembly, our Vice Principal, Anami Naths delivered a very moving presentation about Japan and the devastating effects of the earthquake and tsunami on its residents. She also explained the meaning of the thousand cranes: An old Japanese legend states that anyone who folds 1,000 origami cranes will be granted one wish.

Each crane represents the hope that we hold in our hearts for Japan and what we can teach our children about compassion and service.

2011 Staff Luncheon a huge success!

/ Ross Road PAC

On Thursday March 31st, Ross Road staff members enjoyed a relaxed lunch in the gymnasium which was cheerfully decorated to go along with the fun “birthday” theme, complete with clown! [Scroll down to see a slideshow of photos the 2011 event]

The entire team loved the food and the luxury of sitting together. The thoughtfulness and generosity of this parent community is unique and so well received by the staff.

Thank you VERY much to Jane Ince and Gillian Gorton for organizing the luncheon! Also many warm thank you’s to all of the parents who contributed the amazing food and prizes, and who volunteered setting up, serving, cleaning up and, not least, supervising the playground, so that all the staff members could dine together!

Photos from the 2011 Staff Appreciation Luncheon:

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“Project Safety” is starting in May! And we need volunteers!

/ Ross Road PAC

During the month of May, the Ross Road PAC, with the support of the administration at Ross Road School, is launching “Project Safety.”

It is our hope that this program will help relieve the congestion in the drop-off zone during the morning rush as well as ensure the roads in front of the school are safe for pedestrians and drivers.

What is “Project Safety”?
Starting in May, it will be a valet-style drop-off zone at Ross Road from 8:30 am to 8:45 am, to help students exit from their cars and also to direct traffic and clear congestion.

How will it work?
Look for volunteers in safety vests. Follow their directions and pull into the line of cars. When it’s your turn, a volunteer will open the door and help your child out of the car. It’s easy – you do not have to park or get out of your car. Please have your children ready to go (jackets on, backpacks with them, explain to them that you will not be getting out of the car) and follow the directions of the volunteers. Pull up as far ahead as possible to let other parents follow in.

Do I have to use it?
No, of course not, you are welcome to park safely in any legal parking zone along Ross Road and Kilkenny and walk your children over to the school.

What can I do to make this work?
Volunteer! We are looking for volunteers to help make this project work.  The time commitment is very small, about 20 minutes in the morning one day a week. Volunteers can pick the days they wish to help.  We need two adult volunteers per day to work with three intermediate student volunteers.

If you can help, please contact Nancy Barton:
nancybinbc@hotmail.com

Thank you!

Call-Back Line Reminders

/ Ross Road PAC

Our Call-Back Coordinator for the last few years has been Sandra Bridgman. Sandra has recently gone back to school and is now working almost full time as an SEA (Special Education Assistant). She has been a real asset to our Ross Road team for many years and now finds she cannot continue in the role of Coordinator. We thank Sandra for all she has done for all of our children over the years and wish her well in this next phase of her career.

Many of you know Laurie Ainsworth has taken on the role of Call-Back Coordinator. Here is a note from Laurie telling us all more about Call-Back and reminding us of the value of this service:

Ross Road Call-back LineIn order to ensure that all the kids in our school arrive safely, parent volunteers and office staff check attendance against parent phone calls every morning. Not all schools implement such a program and if a child were to go missing on the way to school, it may not be noticed until many hours later. Although we live in a very safe community, our Call-Back system ensures early detection if a child were to go missing (and it has happened, even at Ross Road). We feel this is one of the many advantages our children have and it is a pleasure for the Call-Back team to carry out these procedures to ensure our children’s safety.

By following the points below, you can help our procedure flow smoothly and allow our office staff and volunteers to get on with the rest of their day in a timely manner:

  • When your child is going to be away, phone the Call Back Line, 604-903-3755 (by 9:00am if possible)
  • Please report holidays to the office as well as the teacher
  • Please do not ask for homework to be sent home on the Call Back line.  A message should be sent to the teacher via e-mail or by calling the main office number (604.903.3750)
  • If at all possible, the teachers should be notified in advance (via agenda or a note) if parents need to pick up their child for an appointment.

If the office does not have a note and there is no message on the Call Back Line, we need to call home, even if there is a sibling at school who can tell us the status of the absence.

Thanks so much for helping ensure the safety of each and every student at École Ross Road School.

Laurie is still looking for volunteers to help with Call-Back (alternate Wednesdays and Fridays). If you are interested, check out the Call-Back Line page on the website, or contact Laurie:

Laurie Ainsworth (Call-Back Coordinator)
lmainswo@sfu.ca
604-360-0754

Draycott Park – Community Planting Day – Saturday March 12

/ Ross Road PAC

A few years back, many Lynn Valley residents pitched in with the tree planting effort in Draycott Park following the big windstorm. The District is again supporting improvements to the park and seeking volunteers to help out with some planting along the streams/wet areas and the removal of invasive plants.

Draycott Park is located 3 blocks away from the school. The roads that border the park are: Westover Rd. (by the tennis courts), Scott Road cul de sacs (either end) and the 1700 block of Draycott Road. (between Hoskins & Duval)

Here is some information about the event from Dan Ohlson, a Draycott Road resident and Ross Road School parent:

Date: Saturday March 12 – rain or shine
Time: 9 am (2-3 hours, depending on how many hands we get!)
Location: Meet at the park entrance on Draycott Road

DNV staff will provide a short orientation on where/how to plant, and which invasive plants should be removed (and how best to avoid the thorns!). After that we spread out and get to work. DNV provides the plants – we provide the enthusiasm! Please bring your gloves & garden tools (shovels, pruners).

Please spread the word to anyone you know who enjoys the use of Draycott Park and would be interested in helping out in the neighbourhood.

If you have any questions, feel free to send Dan a message, or contact Graham at DNV.

Dan Ohlson
dohlson@compassrm.com

Graham Knell
Trail & Habitat Coordinator, The District of North Vancouver
604.990.3806
KnellG@dnv.org