North Vancouver School District

Friday Newsletter: Dates | GM Minutes | Safety at drop-off | District info

/ Ross Road PAC / Leave a comment

Dear parents,

  • Dates:  The PAC calendar  has been updated with food days, PD days and early dismissal days.  Please be aware though that it may be subject to change!  If you want to import this calendar into your mobile device or another calendar service, here is the feed for  iCal  or, XML, or HTML.
  • GM Minutes:  Minutes from the last PAC GM can be found here
  • Drop-off Safety:  As winter closes in, please be extra-careful around drop-off time.   In particular, please be aware that if you are turning into Kilkenny Road, you need to watch out for bikes!  For bike-riders, please use extra caution near this intersection.  Finally, please spare a thought and be respectful towards the children and parents who volunteer for valet duty.  It’s not always fun standing out in the cold and rain, but they do it because it makes everyone’s morning safer.
  • Finally, a reminder that the school administration no longer sends out emails to parents.  All the information about school activities, staff and programs can be found on the Ross Road Elementary website. 

Have a great weekend.

 

April is Art Month (April 2011)

/ Ross Road PAC

The school lobby has been transformed into an art gallery, featuring the works of art by students at Ross Road. This is an exciting time of year as the school celebrates Art Education. Learning about and through the arts is alive and well at Ross Road. Come by and see what some of our students have been creating, along with the lovely 1000 Paper Cranes display and the “Students of the Week” board!

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April Arts update from the North Vancouver School District:
There is a fabulous line-up of Fine Arts events taking place during April and May. For an overview, please see the recent Superintendent’s e-Bulletin.
More information about meetings and events can be found at the NVSD website at:  http://www.nvsd44.bc.ca/

Penhall’s Studio – April 12 through May 11, 2011
Visit the Artists for Kids Gallery to view an extraordinary survey exhibition of more than 50 photographs, drawings, paintings, and prints by one of Vancouver’s most prominent artists, Ross Penhall.  This is a unique opportunity to experience an installation of “Penhall’s Studio” and you may catch a glimpse of the artist engaged in the creative process.  Be inspired, and discover artistic secrets from this gifted artist in a setting that is pure “Penhall”.

North Shore News article: All-Day Kindergarten

/ Ross Road PAC

We recently posted an update about the status of All-Day Kindergarten at Ross Road School. Check out this North Shore News article about All-Day Kindergarten on the North Shore. Ross Road School is mentioned in the second paragraph!

http://www.nsnews.com/Counting+heads+Kindergarten/4159591/story.html

This article will appear in the printed issue of the North Shore News that will be distributed on Wednesday, January 26th.

OTHER NEWS:

  • PAC General Meeting: Wednesday, January 26th. Click here for more info.
  • CPF News: CPF/NV’s Quebec Trip Contest – deadline extended to February 28, 2011! Click here for more info.
  • The January PAC newsletter will be distributed this week!
  • Check out Capilano University’s Spring Break Camps! Click here for more info.

“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.

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!

Winter Weather Ahead – a message from the North Vancouver School District

/ Ross Road PAC

All schools in the North Vancouver School District will remain OPEN, if at all possible during winter weather, including snowfalls.  Any district-wide closure will be decided by 6:30 a.m. at the latest.  School closure information will be provided to the following stations for announcement:

CBC AM 690 radio
CKNW AM 980 radio
CHQM FM 103.5 radio
News AM 1130 radio
CHMJ AM 730 radio
Fairchild AM 1470 radio
CBC television
BCTV (Global), City TV and CTV BC.

Individual school closures due to unique circumstances (e.g., power outages) will be announced as early as possible in the same manner.  No announcement will be made saying that schools are open.  Only closures will be announced.

In the event of a district-wide closure, a notice will be posted on the School District website:
http://www.nvsd44.bc.ca/en/sitecore/content/Updates/WinterWeather.aspx

Link to Environment Canada – Vancouver weather

Online survey of School District 10-Year Strategic Plan!

/ Ross Road PAC

The North Vancouver School District is in the process of writing a new 10-Year Strategic Plan on the goals and values that should guide the School District over the next decade. As you may have read in the email sent out by the school over the weekend, they are inviting the public to participate in an online survey in this connection. The survey is open from Nov. 10 to November 16.

Parent input is important in this process, so we would encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and spend a few minutes filling out the survey.

Here is the link:

http://www.nvsd44.bc.ca/sitecore/content/Updates/StrategicPlanning20102021.aspx

Alternatively, go to the www.nvsd44.bc.ca website and open the first link under “Meetings and Updates” (titled: “November 10th, 2010 update: Survey now open on high-level goals and values for the 10-Year Strategic Plan”).

Thank you for your participation!