Parent Resources

NVPAC (North Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council) Update

/ Ross Road PAC

Barry MacDonald will be presenting his Boy Smarts – Effective Strategies for Parenting Boys
Tues. May 3rd 7-9pm at Delbrook Community Recreation Centre
Tickets are $10 plus HST until April 27th.
If tickets are available after that date the price will increase to $15 plus HST
Barry will have his books for sale and signing.
More details and to purchase tickets visit www.NorthVanRec.com

Provincial Satisfaction Survey Deadline extended to April 22nd
Are you a parent of a student in grades 4, 7, 10 or 12 and want to have your voice heard to effect change? The Provincial Satisfaction Survey gathers opinions from parents, teachers and students on aspects of the BC education system such as student safety, student achievement and the school community environment and culture. The Satisfaction Survey will be administered, giving you as a parent the opportunity to have your experience and voice counted. Survey responses help to identify areas of success, best practices and areas needing improvement in the K-12 education system.

How do I participate in the survey? Each school throughout the province will be provided with logon information for their parents to participate in the survey. Simply go to the website at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sat_survey/ enter your logon number and complete the ten minute survey.

Please remember to visit NVPAC’s blog for information from around the school district and province:
http://blog.northvanpac.org

— Susan Corcoran
NVPAC Member at Large

CPF (Canadian Parents for French) – April Update

/ Ross Road PAC

Check out the new information posted on the CPF/NV website!

Recent updates include:

  • Quebec Trip Contest winners announced
  • Concours d’art oratoire – congratulations to District winners in Grade 6 – 12!  Provincials are May 7th in Surrey.
  • District Grade 7 Quebec Trip leaves May 1-7 — Bon Voyage!  (Apply for travel grants this week!)
  • We need parents at ARGYLE to help with a year end French Immersion Breakfast at the school…and we really need parent rep(s) too!
  • CPF/NV AGM is on Jun 8, 2011….are you interested in joining our team of volunteer parents?  School Reps and Executive positions available…let us know if you can help out!
  • Next Chapter Meeting is on Wednesday, May 4th at Cleveland Elementary….everyone welcome!

Contact cpfnorthvan@gmail.com for information on any of these items, but check out the website first!
www.cpf.bc.ca/northvan

— CPF/North Vancouver Chapter

Call-Back Team: Volunteer positions available!

/ Ross Road PAC

Ross Road Call-back LineNEW OPPORTUNITY!

  • Looking for a new way to volunteer in the school?
  • One that requires little time but is of BIG IMPORTANCE to the SAFETY of our children?
  • Don’t want to sit in another meeting?

…then here’s the job for you!
Join our CALL-BACK team and volunteer one morning/week (or sometimes only every second week).
Time required: 8:40 to 9:30 or a bit later
Job: sign in late students, retrieve call-back messages and match to attendance list, work closely with office staff and discover how wonderful they are! :-)

We are currently looking for volunteers for Friday, and Tuesday (every second week)
Training is available! This is an awesome way to be involved and play an important role in our school!

For more information, please contact:
Sandra Bridgman at bridgwoman@shaw.ca
or 604 986-7669

Announcing a new, improved Lost and Found!

/ Ross Road PAC

Notice on white board in lobby

Hello Ross Road parents!

Something new to start off the year is a more organized strategy for the “Lost and Found”.

Being a parent of a child in primary grades often leaves me trudging to the school to look for lost items only to be confused about where the lost and found is located. After locating and sifting through garbage bags under the stairs, I noticed a number of items with phone numbers, names and initials and thought I would offer support through the PAC to the staff responsible at the school to find the owner of the items.

So what do we hope to accomplish?
It’s simple. Make sure parents are informed about where “lost and found” items are located, reunite families with items that are clearly labeled, and assist office staff with the management of found items.

What will this look like?
Announcements through class reps, the website and the newsletter about items found. Phone calls to those families who label their items, and regular displays of lost and found items in clearly visible locations that are accessible to children and parents.

Where is the Lost and Found located?
Found items are located in the hall outside the Music room on a rolling coat rack. There is also a wooden collection box in the Annex at the end of the hall. Those items will be transferred to the coat rack regularly. During special events, such as Bingo Night and parent teacher conferences, the coat rack will be brought to the foyer.

Lost and Found rolling rack located outside Music room

What is currently in the Lost and found:
There are a number of boy items including sweatshirts, t-shirts from size 6 to 14. Boys and girls rubber boots, shorts and plenty of matching mittens and single mittens.

Come out and have a look! And if your child/ren participate in after school activities at Ross Road (i.e. soccer practice, Beavers/Scouts, Girl Guides etc.), please pass this on as we recognize some found items may not belong to Ross Road students.

If you have any questions about found items please contact me at tanyabrown@shaw.ca

Thank you for your time and attention to these items.

—Tanya Brown

Lots of clothes, umbrellas, food containers etc waiting to be “found”!

Updated school calendar

/ Ross Road PAC

Please note that the Calendar page has been updated with a few new entries:

• February 14th: Wear Pink and Red Day/School Assembly (“Caring” theme)
• March 31st: Staff Appreciation Luncheon (details to follow)
• March 31st: First class in Yoga Fundraiser series
• April 12: Classroom and Panorama photos
• May 24: Handsworth Track Qualifications
• May 26: Volunteer Tea (12:00pm – 1:30pm)

Spring sports registration on the North Shore

/ Ross Road PAC

From time to time we post community information that might be useful to Ross Road parents and students. Right now, local sports leagues are gearing up for their 2011 Spring seasons. Here are a few of them. For some sports, registration is officially closed, but there might be spaces available for late registration, so check them out!

• Lynn Valley Little League:
http://www.eteamz.com/lvll/

• North Shore Minor Lacrosse:
http://www.northshoreminorlacrosse.com/

• West Vancouver Field Hockey Club:
http://www.wvfhc.com/

• North Shore Girls Fastpitch:
http://nsfastpitch.ca/

Downward Dog, anyone? Yoga Fundraiser Announcement!

/ Ross Road PAC

Parents, give yourself a boost of energy and try evening yoga classes at Ross Road! Certified instructor (and Ross Road Mom) Justine Simmons will offer a 6-week session of classes starting in the spring. These will be held in the library once/week from 7-8pm. Dates TBA.

The class will be “Flow Yoga” which is a series of yoga poses comfortably linked one after the other. Each class will also include a core strengthening component. All levels are welcome; beginner included. A base level of fitness is required. If you’re unsure, speak to Justine. Cost is $60 for 6 classes.

ALL PROCEEDS go to the school! The funds raised will go towards buying yoga mats for the 2011-12 All-Day Kindergartners next school year for quiet time.

Dates and times to follow.
Contact Justine at j_simmons@telus.net for more info.

Next PAC General Meeting/“Artists for Kids” presentation – Wed. January 26th, 7:00pm

/ Ross Road PAC

Join us for our first PAC General Meeting of 2011!
In addition to our regular Agenda items, we are pleased to announce that we will also have a speaker at the meeting!

Jean Mills of Artists For Kids will be speaking at the PAC meeting to introduce the Artists For Kids programs and talk about the new facilities going up at the old Lonsdale school site. The Artists for Kids Trust is a partnership between Canadian artists and the North Vancouver School District. Its mission, through the sale of original prints created by its artist patrons, is to build an art education legacy for the children of BC. Artists For Kids provides a variety of art enrichment program opportunities for thousands of students of all ages each year.

Date: Wednesday, January 26th
Time: 7:00pm (please arrive a few minutes early – our speaker will be starting her presentation right at 7:00pm)
Location: School library
AGENDA:

  1. Artists for Kids presentation (7:00-7:30pm)
  2. Approval of Minutes.
  3. Business Arising from the Minutes.
  4. Principal’s Report.
  5. Treasurer’s Report.
  6. New Business:
    • Bingo Night update
    • SPC (School Planning Council) – update on elections/participation
    • Spring Carnival update
    • Ross Road PAC constitution review
    • Yoga Fundraiser announcement

Hope to see you there!

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!