Dear parents,

• Please take a moment to fill out this anonymous survey that covers parent perception of North Vancouver school district schools.  How do you feel about your school environment, personalized learning, parent engagement, student engagement, school communication and the overall education your children receive. This information will help NVPAC provide better feedback to North Vancouver School District and thereby ensure our schools continue to meet the needs of students and their families district-wide.   The survey is open till Sunday, June 8.  The results of the survey will be posted to blog.northvanpac.org.
• The Grade 7 farewell is still on and details will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
• Just a reminder that in this current labour conflict, parents do have a voice and can make their feelings known by contacting their elected representatives.   Please visit the Ross Road Advocacy page for contact details.
• Don’t forget that the Spring Fair is still on Friday, June 20 from 5pm to 8pm.  Click here for the most recent update from the planning committee.    We’ll advise as soon as we can if it will be impacted by the job action.

Have a great weekend,

Ross Road News Extraordinaire

Volume No. 1, Issue No. 2

Today’s Top Stories

The 2014 Spring Carnival is around the corner, Friday, June 20, 2014 from 5-8 pm, and it’s sure to be a great Ross Road family event. With an old-time country fair theme and performance by the professional country band, Steel Toe Boots (http://www.thesteeltoeboots.com/), this year’s carnival is sure to get you dancing.  Come hungry for our classic Cook Shack favourites brought to us by the Lynn Valley Lions: burgers, hotdogs, fries, onion rings, and much more. And what’s a carnival without popcorn, cotton candy, and new this year, SLUSHIES!  Community is a big part of this year’s carnival and we want to encourage parents to participate in some friendly competition. Pair up with your children or go solo and enjoy our sack races, Tug of War and three-legged races. Why not give line dancing a try under the big-top following the lead of our fair’s “expert” dance caller/dancers?

Inside Scoop

• Each class is assigned a station. Class reps will be sending more information on how to sign up for a quick 30 minute shift. Stay tuned!
• Silent Auction items will be on display during the event. Stop by to see what amazing things you can bid on.
• The top stations are back: Crazy Hair, Calk Walk, Face Painting, Pony Rides, Bouncy Castle. And new this year, a Dunk Tank. They’re lots of fun and lots of chances to win an awesome raffle basket.

Recap from last week

• Tickets are only $1 each and will be available for purchase the week of the Spring Carnival starting Monday, June 16^th as well as on the day of the event.
• Raffle Baskets are again this year’s big prizes as a reward from your hard work at the each station. When you try an activity and receive a popsicle stick—more sticks means more chances to win a Raffle Basket. When you’ve collected five sticks, redeem them for a raffle ticket. This means that the more fun you have at the fair, the better your chances are of winning a fantastic raffle basket.
• Mystery Bags station has two openings, 5:30 and 6:30. Come by with your tickets and purchase these popular bags, one per child. Get a fun stamp to help give others a chance to receive a bag and spread the love around.

Help Wanted

• We need DONATIONS. Please help us make this another huge success. One way to do this is to donate items to our Mystery Bags, Raffle Baskets, Silent Auction, Calk Walk. Financial donations are also welcome!
• Dads the Cook Shack needs your help setting up, manning BBQs, serving food and tear down. We need 7 people to sign up.

Please contact the Spring Carnival Coordinator, Tamrah Corben at corbenst@telus.net to volunteer, donate and for any questions.

Dear parents,

As the labour conflict continues, the PAC will continue to provide you with information that you may find relevant.

• Last week’s meet-up at the offices of MLA Jane Thornthwaite was a huge success.    Dozens of concerned parents gathered in the rain to talk about the issues, and hear a perspective from a number of Ross Road teachers.
• With strike action planned for tomorrow, many parents are meeting up again at 2pm in Lynn Valley Village square to review and discuss questions to ask Ms Thornthwaite.  Please come along and make your voice heard.  A number of parents are currently seeking a meeting with Ms Thornthwaite.  If you’d like to know more, and make your voice heard, this gathering tomorrow is a good place to start.
• Ms Thornthwaite is also having one of her regular “Join Jane” drop-in events at Lynn Valley Main Library on Thursday, June 19 from 10-11am.  Further details can be found here.
• A Facebook group has been set up for concerned parents on the North Shore –  https://www.facebook.com/NVparents

And, just an additional reminder, that tomorrow’s track meet at Swangard is definitely ON.  Click here for more info.

Dear parents,

Further to the communication from the District on Friday afternoon, 60 Minutes Kids Club (www.60minkidsclub.org) will be hosting the athletic event at Swangard Stadium on Tuesday, June 3rd.  A group of dedicated parent volunteers is working with 60 Minute Kids Club to deliver the event as planned by the teachers.  We are not the hero’s or heroines – the kids are the champions of this day. The teachers have spent hours coaching and preparing the kids for this finale, they too are champions and we look forward to seeing them perform.  Kids first!

The day will be run as close as possible to the typical annual event.  Hopefully you received the order of events from your school teacher last week – that is the order we will be following on Tuesday.  Athletes are asked to arrive at 8:15 am, sit in their school’s designated section in the stands at Swangard and prepare for the parade at 8:45 am.  Track and field events start at 9:15 am.

A few key points about the event:

• we have a signed contract with Swangard and insurance is in place for the day
• only those athletes that qualified at their Zone qualification meet are invited to participate.  We do not have the capacity to safely include other athletes.  Spares and volunteers previously designated by their school track teacher are welcome to continue with their planned role.
• all participants and fans MUST sign a waiver.  The waiver is attached.  Arriving at Swangard with a signed waiver is preferred, but waivers will be available from volunteers at the drop off areas at Swangard as well.  Please either arrange with your child’s car pool driver to sign on your child’s behalf, or send a signed waiver with your child.
• there will be no concession so please send your child with food and hydration for the day.  Remember that the weather forecast is for sun on Tuesday, so sunscreen and hats are also required.
• parent volunteers will be wearing white shirts.  If you have any questions during the day, please ask one of the volunteers.  I

• If possible, athletes should wear their school team jerseys.  If not, please wear a t-shirt in your school color.  (Desiree is working on getting the Ross Road banner and jerseys).
• We would also like to see the school banners in the parade and posted on Swangard’s fence, so see if you can borrow the banner from the school.

What else can you do?

School spirit is alive and well among the North Van elementary schools! Please spread the word of this event to other athletes that qualified.  Thank you for your assistance.

(Ross Road School or the North Vancouver School District will likely follow up on their communication on Friday and send out this information as well sometime Monday, but  we are trying to give parents a heads-up as early as possible)

Swangard Waiver

Dear parents,

• The PAC AGM is on Wednesday, May 21 from 7 – 9pm.  Mark your calendars!  Everyone’s invited and babysitting is available on request.  This meeting is where we decide how to spend the money we’ve all helped raise.  So far, it’s been proposed that we spend the cash on IT purchases (projectors and speakers),  external programming to support science and math teaching at Ross Road, discretionary funds for teachers and paying Justin Bieber to play at an end of year concert.*
• Next week is the kilometer club fundraiser.  All participants are invited to bring a toonie to show their support.  Last year we raised over $100.  It would be great if we could beat that this year.  The last ‘formal’ running day is Friday May 16….but due to popular demand, there will also be an additional day on Wednesday, May 21.
• Just a reminder that the ‘official’ school website is here.  Keep checking the calendar on this website to find out what’s happening at school. (like the fact that there is a Fun Day next week and dismissal is at 2.50pm)

Have a great weekend,

Your PAC executive

*  Of course this is a joke…..or is it?  You’ll have to come to the AGM to find out.

Dear parents,

• The Spring Fair is one of the BIG events for the PAC, and it takes a lot of hands to pull it together.  This Thursday (May 1), Tamrah Corben will be holding a planning meeting.   Please call her on 778-836-9849 if you’d like to help.  Everyone’s welcome, even if you’ve never volunteered before!

In other non-PAC related news….

Ross Road Québec Exchange Hanging Flower Basket Fundraiser
The parents of Ross Road Grade 6 French Immersion students have begun to plan their exchange to Québec next year, and are selling lovely hanging flower baskets to fundraise for the program. New this year – strawberry hanging baskets! Baskets will be ready in time for Mothers’ Day!  The deadline to order is Wednesday, April 30th. Download an order form here, or place your order online: http://rossroad.plants4nonprofit.com/. Thank you for your support!

There is early dismissal (1.50pm) on Wednesday for staff collaboration and a district-wide Pro D Day on Friday.

Have a great week!

Your PAC Executive

Dear parents,

With apologies for the delayed delivery of this week’s newsletter, here’s what’s happening in your school.

• Save the Date!  The Spring Carnival will be held on Friday, June 20!
• The KM club is booming!  Come along on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 08:05 to 08:35 and walk or run your way around the field.  Everyone’s welcome, including parents, caregivers and younger siblings.
• Please consider volunteering for the PAC.  We’ve filled the Secretary position, but we still need someone to step up to be the Treasurer and the Valet Coordinator.  To find out more, please get in touch with Sarah Dennis
• Fruitsicles will be sold in the playground this Wednesday (April 23) as a fundraiser for the Grade 7 Alice Lake Trip.  The fruitsicles are $2 and made from fresh or fresh frozen whole fruit with no artificial flavours or colours added.

Have a great week.

Your PAC Executive.

Dear parents,

Welcome back from spring break!

• The annual Ross Road Kilometer Club is back! This year, the club will start on Monday April 7th. All K-7 students, parents and siblings are invited to come and participate in this event. It is a great opportunity to increase your fitness level, challenge yourself to reach a certain Km goal, and for parents to ensure their children are getting some DPA (daily physical activity).  Running takes place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for 20 minutes from 8:05 (warm up for 5 minutes) to 8:35 on the field for a total of 15 running days (end mid/end of May). For more information, please click here.

•  The annual Staff Appreciation Lunch will be held on Wednesday April 9th. This is a great opportunity for us to thank the Teachers and Staff at Ross Road for all that they do for our children. Please keep the date in mind as we’ll be asking for donations of lunch items (casseroles, sandwiches, salads, appetizer dishes, desserts). We’ll also be asking for donations of small gifts for the teachers. Typically gifts are approximately $10 each and suggestions might be a bottle of wine, gift certificate to a coffee place or garden shop, soaps, tea…feel free to get creative. We’ll be looking for about 50 gifts so that everyone gets one.   Please contact Frances Carmichael (carmichael@telus.net) or click here to sign up online for volunteer shifts, food or gifts. Thank you!

• The PAC will host a parent education night on April 9, from 7-9pm with childhood anxiety expert, Christine Yu.  Christine is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and has a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from UBC. She will talk to parents about general childhood anxiety and offer advice on how to manage it. There will also be time for a Q&A session.

Thanks,

Your PAC Executive

Dear parents,

• On April 9, starting at 7pm, the PAC is hosting a parent night with childhood anxiety expert, Christine Yu.  Christine is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and has a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from UBC.  She will talk to us about general childhood anxiety and offer advice on how to manage it. There will also be time for a Q&A session.
• If you’re ordering Munch a Lunch for the next session, you MUST order and pay by noon on Monday, March 10.   Go to the MunchaLunch website to find out more.
• At the risk of sounding repetitive,  the PAC still needs your energy and input.  There’s a variety of positions open, and it’s not a massive commitment. In particular, if you have any sort of book-keeping or accounting experience, we’d love to hear from you. To find out more, please get in touch with Sarah Dennis

Have a great weekend,

Your PAC Executive

Dear parents,

• Munchalunch: Ordering for the next session is now open!    There are 8 days in this next session and it goes from April 4 to June 20.  If you want to order, you must do so by noon on Monday, March 10.  Go to the Munchalunch website to order.  For more information about the program, please click here.
• PAC Volunteers Needed:   The PAC needs some fresh blood!  A number of dedicated volunteers who’ve spent years in their positions are stepping down soon and we need new people to step up.   There’s space for everyone to be involved, but in particular, we’re looking for a Treasurer, a Co-Chair and a Secretary.  Could you fill one of these positions?  You’ll get plenty of training and hand-holding (if needed).  Please give volunteering some serious thought.  Don’t make us beg :)  If you want to know more, please get in touch with Sarah Dennis
• CPF:  CPF North Van invites you to check out its new website.  The website is updated regularly with information about its recent Film Festival, the upcoming Concours d’art oratoire, spring and summer camps and other local French-language events, including this weekend’s Festival du Bois in Coquitlam.

Thanks.  Have a great weekend.

Your PAC executive