Ross Road Bingo Night – Friday, March 4th

/ Ross Road PAC

We are gearing up for another exciting Ross Road School family evening –  mark your calendars for Tropical Bingo Night!

All money raised at the Bingo night will be put towards purchasing new uniforms for the Ross Road teams (cross country, track, basketball).

Date: Friday, March 4th
Time: 5-8pm
Place: Ross Road School Gym

In order to put on this fun event, we are looking for help from our very community- oriented & supportive families! Here’s how you can help:

  1. Fun Prizes: We are in search of some fun prizes for (mainly) kids ages 5-12 years to award for each bingo game at the event. Any parent themed prizes won’t be turned away either!  Wine anyone???
    We will have approximately 8 to 10 bingo games through the night all of which will have 30 prizes / winners per game. SO ….
    If anyone has great connections within the workplace/social network and could offer a collection of donated prizes for this evening, we would be really excited to hear about it!  Items such sports balls, small token coupons, toys, etc …. we’re open to it!  Perhaps your business could SPONSOR a bingo game with prizes given out at the end of that round – could be great advertising – we’ll put you in the newsletter …. could be a good thing ….get excited!!
  2. Volunteers: if there are any mums, dads, aunties, grandpas etc who may be keen on helping out for the bingo night we are going to put up sign-up sheets in the lobby of the school very soon!   Various positions such as set-up/tear-down, prize table are available – thanks in advance for your help!

More details to come but we appreciate any help you can offer!
If you have any suggestions or comments/ideas, send an email to:
jenandclark@shaw.ca

Thank you!
— Jennifer VanderMye and Harry Bulpit
The Tropical Bingo team/Ross Road PAC

DNV Official Community Plan – Stakeholder Workshop: Wednesday, January 19th

/ Ross Road PAC

This upcoming stakeholder workshop, with representatives from community groups, representatives from other governments, agencies and associations, the business community and other stakeholders, will be held to provide feedback on the District of North Vancouver’s first draft of the Official Community Plan (OCP).

Date: Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Place: District Hall, 355 West Queens Road

To register for this event or if you have any questions about the OCP process, please email identity@dnv.org – or phone the Sustainable Community Development Department at 604-990-2421.

Click here for more info about the Official Community Plan (OCP)

“Great Shot” Photo Contest

/ Ross Road PAC

Click on image for more details

Attention all staff and student shutterbugs! Between January 17th and February 4th, 2011, share a “Great Shot!” of learning in North Vancouver, and you might win one of seven great prizes!

To enter, submit a completed entry form and a recent photograph you’ve taken that illustrates “the natural place to learn”.

Your picture might illustrate:

  • a teacher/student interaction
  • “the natural place to learn”
  • students collaborating in learning
  • learning with technology or other resources (books) and tools
  • student participation in any subject
  • your school building, classroom or part of it

Photographs must be recent. Photographs taken before September 7th, 2010 are not eligible. Click here for complete list of contest rules.

PRIZES TO BE WON
Elementary student category
Kodak Easy Share Camera (two to be won, approx. value $150 each)

Secondary student category
Flip Ultra HD Video Camera
(two to be won, approx. value $215 each)

Staff category
KOBO e-reader (two to be won, approx value $149 each)

PLUS! All eligible entries will be entered into a draw for a $100 Kidsbooks gift certificate.

Click here for contest rules and entry form.

CPF (Canadian Parents for French) – January news

/ Ross Road PAC

“Grade 7 to 8 transition in French Immersion – Staying in French” Info Night: RESCHEDULED
This parent info session/CPF meeting was scheduled for February 2nd at Handsworth Secondary, but was rescheduled due to a scheduling conflict at the school. Please check the CPF North Vancouver website for updated information, and the CPF section of the Ross Road Community Notice Board in the lobby.

Workshops for parents with kids in French Immersion
Collège Éducacentre is holding workshops again for parents with kids in French.  Courses are available on line or on campus at the end of January. More information is available at www.educacentre.com or call 1-800-747-4825 Ext 1101.

Registration for BC Family French Camp
Registration for BC Family French Camp starts Sunday, January 23.  This is a great program for French Immersion students and their families. Please visit their website to learn more: www.bcffc.com.  Note that an existing CPF membership that expires September 1, 2011 or later is required to apply, and that applications are processed on a first come, first serve basis.

To register, fill out an application online (available starting Jan 23), then mail your fees and your proof of your CPF membership to the camp you wish to attend. Proof of membership can be either (1) a photocopy of your laminated membership card or (2) the label from a recent newsletter (label must clearly show when your membership expires). Good Luck!

Grade 6 Late French Immersion – September 2011
An information meeting for interested Grade 5 students and their parents will be held on:
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
7:00 p.m.
Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre
CPF representatives will be at this meeting to provide info to parents.
Click here for more info.

CPF French Film Festival
Stay tuned for more info about this exciting cultural event!

CPF info in print and online
For ongoing CPF news and events, check out the CPF section on the Ross Road Community Notice Board (under the “up” stairs in the lobby), and also the CPF section on the Ross Road PAC website.

Our CPF rep is Annette Arndt – if you have any questions about CPF, please contact her at: annette@wilarndt.com

Restructuring 2010/All-Day Kindergarten update

/ Ross Road PAC

As noted in the past two school newsletters, Ross Road will be offering All-Day Kindergarten in French and English, starting September 2011, in accordance with the provincial requirement that All-Day Kindergarten programs be implemented by September 2011.

  • You will recall from the “Restructuring 2010” discussions last year that a committee was set up to determine how to accommodate two French All-Day Kindergarten classes at Ross Road. (Currently, the two half-day morning and afternoon French kindergarten classes occupy the same classroom).
  • There was a great deal of concern that the English program would be closed in order to do this.
  • The Extended French Immersion Advisory Committee deliberated over several options put forward by the French Immersion Working Group, and a recommendation was made that the least disruptive option would be the installation of a portable. The Board approved the recommendation made by the committee.
  • Therefore, Ross Road will continue as a dual-track school.
  • Note that the additional Kindergarten class will be located in the school.
    The portable will accommodate older students.

For more information about the Extended French Immersion Advisory Committee and its report, click here.

To read the complete report, click here.
(details specific to Ross Road are on pages 10-11)

If you have any questions about the report and the decisions contained within it, please contact Sandra Bridgman at bridgwoman@shaw.ca

Ross Road was represented by Sandra Bridgman and Rachel Eaves on the French Immersion Working Group, and by Sandra Bridgman on the Extended French Immersion Advisory Committee. Thank you both for putting in so much time and effort into the whole process — we are so appreciative of your hard work on behalf of Ross Road School!

CPF/NV’s QUEBEC TRIP CONTEST – enter by January 15, 2011

/ Ross Road PAC

Click on image for more details

North Vancouver students who have travelled to Quebec in the last 4 years, could win up to $125!

To enter the 2010 Quebec Trip Contest, eligible students* must create a PowerPoint presentation detailing their experience travelling to Quebec, and email it to cpfnorthvan@gmail.com by January 15, 2011. Presentations should promote the benefits of a trip to Quebec and the cultural diversity of the province. Let us know why other French students should visit Quebec!

*Eligibility Requirements: The 2010 Quebec Trip Contest is open to North Vancouver School District grade 6-12 students, currently registered in a French program (Core French or French Immersion). Contest entrants are required to have visited Quebec in the past 4 years, and to have been a NVSD student at time of travel.

See contest rules for eligibility and details, or email Faith Haran at cpfnorthvan@gmail.com for more information.

Wet weather ahead…don’t forget to dress for it!

/ Ross Road PAC

As noted in the January school newsletter, students must get out at recess and lunch (they are outside for more than one hour each day!) so please ensure that your child has rain gear, and ideally a change of clothes just in case! Students in wet clothing tend to be uncomfortable and distracted during lessons…and parents don’t like to have to be called to bring a change of clothing.

Important dates for January 2011

/ Ross Road PAC

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a nice relaxing break and are looking forward to a great 2011 at Ross Road! Here are a few dates to remember for January:

  • Monday, January 10: Grade 6 students go to Outdoor School for one week
  • Friday, January 21: Food Day (Pizza!)
  • Wednesday, January 26: PAC General Meeting
  • Monday, January 31: Pro D Day (School-based)
  • Monday, January 31: French Immersion Grade 7 students leave for one week in Quebec

Christmas Craft Fair 2010 – final totals

/ Ross Road PAC

Here is some fantastic news from the Christmas Craft Fair Committee. After all the expenses were totalled, our NET profit was $8,196.33!

In 2009 it was $6751.51.  We’ve outdone ourselves! Well done Ross Road. Thanks again for all your hard work and support!

— Carolyn/Christmas Craft Fair Committee/PAC.

Countdown to Christmas: upcoming activities at Ross Road

/ Ross Road PAC

Pyjama Day: Friday, December 10th

Family Ice Skating Party: Tuesday, December 14th at Karen Magnussen Arena
• Primary students: 6:15 – 7:30 pm
• Intermediate students: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
A notice about the ice skating party went home on December 3rd. Please submit ticket order forms and payment to the office by Friday, December 10th!

Christmas Sing-a-long: Friday, December 17th (last day of school before the break)